Boar management and semen handling factors affect the quality of boar extended semen.

PubMed

Lopez Rodriguez, Alfonso; Van Soom, Ann; Arsenakis, Ioannis; Maes, Dominiek

2017-01-01

Artificial insemination (AI) is the preferred method for reproduction in the majority of the intensive pig production systems Worldwide. To this end, fresh extended ready-to-use semen doses are either purchased from AI-centres or produced by boars kept on-farm. For profitable semen production, it is necessary to obtain a maximum amount of high quality semen from each boar. This paper reviews current knowledge on factors that may affect semen quality by influencing the boar or the semen during processing. Genetic markers could be used for early detection of boars with the highest fertility potential. Genetic selection for fast growth might jeopardize semen quality. Early detection of boars no longer fit for semen production might be possible by ultrasonography of the testes. Seasonal variation in sperm quality could be associated with changes in photoperiod and heat stress during summer. Comfortable housing, with appropiate bedding material to avoid locomotion problems is essential. In some areas, cooling systems may be necessary to avoid heat stress. The sperm quality can be manipulated by feeding strategies aiming, for instance, to increase sperm resistance to oxidative stress and extend storage duration. High collection frequency will negatively influence sperm quality. Also, if collection is not hygienically performed it will result in bacterial contamination of the semen doses. The concern over bacterial contamination has risen not only because of its negative effect on semen quality but also due to the detection of antimicrobial resistance in isolates from extended semen. Moreover, bacterial and viral pathogens must be monitored because they affect semen production and quality and constitute a risk of herd infection. During processing, boar sperm are submitted to many stress factors that can cause oxidative stress and capacitation-like changes potentially reducing their fertility potential. Dilution rate or dilution temperature affects the quality of the semen doses. Some packaging might preserve semen better than others and some plastic components might be toxic for sperm. Standard operation procedures and quality assurance systems in AI centres are needed.

A manufacturing quality assessment model based-on two stages interval type-2 fuzzy logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purnomo, Muhammad Ridwan Andi; Helmi Shintya Dewi, Intan

2016-01-01

This paper presents the development of an assessment models for manufacturing quality using Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Logic (IT2-FL). The proposed model is developed based on one of building block in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), which is benefit of SCM, and focuses more on quality. The proposed model can be used to predict the quality level of production chain in a company. The quality of production will affect to the quality of product. Practically, quality of production is unique for every type of production system. Hence, experts opinion will play major role in developing the assessment model. The model will become more complicated when the data contains ambiguity and uncertainty. In this study, IT2-FL is used to model the ambiguity and uncertainty. A case study taken from a company in Yogyakarta shows that the proposed manufacturing quality assessment model can work well in determining the quality level of production.

Iranian staff nurses' views of their productivity and management factors improving and impeding it: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Dehghan Nayeri, Nahid; Nazari, Ali Akbar; Salsali, Mahvash; Ahmadi, Fazlollah; Adib Hajbaghery, Mohsen

2006-03-01

As the biggest proportion of hospital personnel, Iranian nurses have a major role in providing quality care to patients. Nursing managers and nurses no longer feel that nurses' work is valued and they are concerned about their productivity. Nurses' views about productivity and management factors affecting it have been identified as the most important aspects affecting productivity. Thus, this study assesses productivity from the nurse's view. A grounded theory approach was used for this research. Purposive sampling and semistructured interviews were used. The data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Most participants felt that the qualitative nature (effectiveness) of productivity is very important. Also, participants indicated that management is the most important factor that can promote or impede their productivity. They suggested that managers' performance and their skill level are the factors influencing productivity. Effective management can improve nurses' productivity and the quality of care that nurses provide.

Influence of Customer Quality Perception on the Effectiveness of Commercial Stimuli for Electronic Products

PubMed Central

Garrido-Morgado, Álvaro; González-Benito, Óscar; Martos-Partal, Mercedes

2016-01-01

Creating and maintaining customer loyalty are strategic requirements for modern business. In the current competitive context, product quality, and brand experience are crucial in building and maintaining customer loyalty. Consumer loyalty, which may be classified into cognitive loyalty and affective loyalty, is related to customers' quality perception. Cue utilization theory distinguishes two dimensions for perceived quality, extrinsic quality—linked to the brand—and intrinsic quality—related with internal product characteristics. We propose that (i) cognitive loyalty is more influenced by intrinsic product quality whereas extrinsic product quality (brand name) is more salient for affective loyalty and, (ii) different commercial stimuli have a differential effectiveness on intrinsic and extrinsic perceived quality. In fact, in this study, we analyze how perceived quality dimensions may influence the effectiveness of two different commercial stimuli: displays and advertising flyers. While displays work within the point of sale under time-constrained conditions where consumers are more likely to use heuristics to simplify their decisions, advertising flyers work outside of the point of sale under low time-constrained conditions, and therefore favor a more reasoned purchase decision where systematic processing will be more likely. We analyze the role of quality perception in determining the effectiveness of both these commercial stimuli for selling products that induce high purchase involvement and perceived risk. The empirical analysis focuses on computer products sold by one of Europe's largest computer retailers and it combines scanner, observational, and survey data. The results show that both dimensions of quality perceptions moderate the influence of displays and advertising flyers on sales, but their impact is different on each commercial stimuli. Extrinsic quality perception increases to a greater extent the effect of displays due to the use of a brand name heuristic. However, intrinsic quality perception improves to a greater extent the effect of advertising flyers, which in turn are more closely related to systematic decision processing. PMID:27014144

Marketing environment dynamics and implications for pricing strategies: the case of home health care.

PubMed

Ponsford, B J; Barlow, D

1999-01-01

This research reviews the factors affecting the pricing or rate schedules of home health care agencies. A large number of factors affect costs and thus rate structures. The major factors include reimbursement structures with accompanying discount structures, administrative burdens, and risks. Channel issues include bargaining power, competition, and size. Staffing issues affect pricing and product through the provider level, productivity, and quality outcomes. Physician and patient issues include quality concerns and choices. These factors are discussed in light of overall marketing strategy and the interaction of pricing with other marketing controllables such as product, place/distribution, and promotion. Economic and accounting principles are also reviewed with consideration to understanding direct and indirect costs in order to enable negotiators to effectively price health care services.

A quality by design approach to investigate the effect of mannitol and dicalcium phosphate qualities on roll compaction.

PubMed

Souihi, Nabil; Dumarey, Melanie; Wikström, Håkan; Tajarobi, Pirjo; Fransson, Magnus; Svensson, Olof; Josefson, Mats; Trygg, Johan

2013-04-15

Roll compaction is a continuous process for solid dosage form manufacturing increasingly popular within pharmaceutical industry. Although roll compaction has become an established technique for dry granulation, the influence of material properties is still not fully understood. In this study, a quality by design (QbD) approach was utilized, not only to understand the influence of different qualities of mannitol and dicalcium phosphate (DCP), but also to predict critical quality attributes of the drug product based solely on the material properties of that filler. By describing each filler quality in terms of several representative physical properties, orthogonal projections to latent structures (OPLS) was used to understand and predict how those properties affected drug product intermediates as well as critical quality attributes of the final drug product. These models were then validated by predicting product attributes for filler qualities not used in the model construction. The results of this study confirmed that the tensile strength reduction, known to affect plastic materials when roll compacted, is not prominent when using brittle materials. Some qualities of these fillers actually demonstrated improved compactability following roll compaction. While direct compression qualities are frequently used for roll compacted drug products because of their excellent flowability and good compaction properties, this study revealed that granules from these qualities were more poor flowing than the corresponding powder blends, which was not seen for granules from traditional qualities. The QbD approach used in this study could be extended beyond fillers. Thus any new compound/ingredient would first be characterized and then suitable formulation characteristics could be determined in silico, without running any additional experiments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Methodology for Performing Effects-Based Assessments

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

can then be used to make assessments (Smith, 2002:384). 2.8 Cause-and-Effect Diagrams Developed by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa in the field of Quality Control...John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004. Ishikawa , Kaoru . Guide to Quality Control. White Plains NY: Asian Productivity Organization, 1989...various causes affecting product quality by sorting out and relating the causes. Cause-and-effect diagrams are sometimes called Ishikawa diagrams, or

Elevated CO2 induces substantial and persistent declines in forage quality irrespective of warming in mixed grass prairie

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing atmospheric [CO2] and temperature are expected to affect the productivity, species composition, biogeochemistry, and therefore the quantity and quality of forage available to herbivores in rangeland ecosystems. Both elevated CO2 (eCO2) and warming affect plant tissue chemistry through mul...

Carpet and Indoor Air Quality in Schools. Technical Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Education, Baltimore.

Ways in which carpeting can affect a school's indoor air quality (IAQ) are discussed. Carpeting is defined as a system of components that includes pads, adhesives, floor preparation compounds, and seam sealers. For the last several years, these products have been increasingly scrutinized as to how they affect IAQ. Carpeting gives off volatile…

Quality controls in cellular immunotherapies: rapid assessment of clinical grade dendritic cells by gene expression profiling.

PubMed

Castiello, Luciano; Sabatino, Marianna; Zhao, Yingdong; Tumaini, Barbara; Ren, Jiaqiang; Ping, Jin; Wang, Ena; Wood, Lauren V; Marincola, Francesco M; Puri, Raj K; Stroncek, David F

2013-02-01

Cell-based immunotherapies are among the most promising approaches for developing effective and targeted immune response. However, their clinical usefulness and the evaluation of their efficacy rely heavily on complex quality control assessment. Therefore, rapid systematic methods are urgently needed for the in-depth characterization of relevant factors affecting newly developed cell product consistency and the identification of reliable markers for quality control. Using dendritic cells (DCs) as a model, we present a strategy to comprehensively characterize manufactured cellular products in order to define factors affecting their variability, quality and function. After generating clinical grade human monocyte-derived mature DCs (mDCs), we tested by gene expression profiling the degrees of product consistency related to the manufacturing process and variability due to intra- and interdonor factors, and how each factor affects single gene variation. Then, by calculating for each gene an index of variation we selected candidate markers for identity testing, and defined a set of genes that may be useful comparability and potency markers. Subsequently, we confirmed the observed gene index of variation in a larger clinical data set. In conclusion, using high-throughput technology we developed a method for the characterization of cellular therapies and the discovery of novel candidate quality assurance markers.

Examining extrinsic factors that influence product acceptance: a review.

PubMed

Li, X E; Jervis, S M; Drake, M A

2015-05-01

Drivers of liking (DOL) studies are useful for product development to formulate acceptable products; however, DOL alone are insufficient for understanding why a product is purchased and repurchased, which is ultimately the indication of a successful product. Ultimately sensory attributes drive product success (that is, repeat and continued purchase). However, ignoring the importance of extrinsic factors may neglect the vital product attributes responsible for the initial purchase, which may in turn, affect repeat purchase. The perception of sensory attributes assessed by DOL is mitigated by external perceptions of quality. If the sensory attributes do not deliver based upon the quality cues, the product will not be acceptable. Four key extrinsic factors that affect DOL are the perceived satiety, brand and labeling, price, and the emotional impact to decision making. In order to more thoroughly understand what the DOL for a product is, these 4 product cues should be considered in conjunction with sensory attribute perception to gain a holistic understanding of product acceptance. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Affective Evaluations of and Reactions to Exterior and Interior Vehicle Auditory Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Västfjäll, D.; Gulbol, M.-A.; Kleiner, M.; Gärling, T.

2002-08-01

Affective reactions to and evaluations of auditory stimuli are fundamental components of human perception. In three experiments, participants rated their affective reactions (how pleasant I feel) and preferences for these affective reactions (how much I like the way I feel) as well as affective evaluations (how pleasant the sound is) to interior and exterior binaurally recorded vehicle sounds varying in physical properties. Consistent with previous research, it was found that the orthogonal affect dimensions of valence (unpleasant-pleasant) and arousal or activation (deactivation-activation) discriminated between affective reactions induced by the different qualities of the sounds. Moreover, preference for affective reactions was related to both valence and activation. Affective evaluations (powerful-powerless/passive-active and unpleasant-pleasant) correlated significantly with affective reactions to the same sounds in both within-subjects and between-subjects designs. Standard sound quality metrics derived from the sounds correlated, however, poorly with the affective ratings of interior sounds and only moderately with affective ratings of exterior sounds. Taken together, the results suggest that affect is an important component in product auditory quality optimization.

Food Production, Population Growth, and Environmental Quality. Caltech Population Program Occasional Papers, Series 1, Number 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groth, Edward, III

This paper, one in a series of occasional publications, discusses trends in food production and population growth, emphasizing how environmental quality will be affected. The series is intended to increase understanding of the interrelationships between population growth and socioeconomic and cultural patterns throughout the world, and to…

Quality transitivity and traceability system of herbal medicine products based on quality markers.

PubMed

Liu, Changxiao; Guo, De-An; Liu, Liang

2018-05-15

Due to a variety of factors to affect the herb quality, the existing quality management model is unable to evaluate the process control. The development of the concept of "quality marker" (Q-marker) lays basis for establishing an independent process quality control system for herbal products. To ensure the highest degree of safety, effectiveness and quality process control of herbal products, it is aimed to establish a quality transitivity and traceability system of quality and process control from raw materials to finished herbal products. Based on the key issues and challenges of quality assessment, the current status of quality and process controls from raw materials to herbal medicinal products listed in Pharmacopoeia were analyzed and the research models including discovery and identification of Q-markers, analysis and quality management of risk evaluation were designed. Authors introduced a few new technologies and methodologies, such as DNA barcoding, chromatographic technologies, fingerprint analysis, chemical markers, bio-responses, risk management and solution for quality process control. The quality and process control models for herbal medicinal products were proposed and the transitivity and traceability system from raw materials to the finished products was constructed to improve the herbal quality from the entire supply and production chain. The transitivity and traceability system has been established based on quality markers, especially on how to control the production process under Good Engineering Practices, as well as to implement the risk management for quality and process control in herbal medicine production. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Simulation for Rough Mill Options

Treesearch

Janice K. Wiedenbeck

1992-01-01

How is rough mill production affected by lumber length? Lumber grade? Cutting quality? Cutting sizes? How would equipment purchase plans be prioritized? How do personnel shifts affect system productivity? What effect would a reduction in machine set-up time have on material flow? Simulation modeling is being widely used in many industries to provide valuable insight...

Effect of Total Quality Management on the Quality and Productivity of Human Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siregar, I.; Nasution, A. A.; Sari, R. M.

2017-03-01

Human resources is the main factor in improving company performance not only in industrial products but also services. Therefore, all of the organization performers involved must work together to achieve product quality services expected by consumers. Educational institutions are the service industries which are educators and instructor involved in it. Quality of product and services produced depends on the education organization performers. This study did a survey of instructors in public and private universities in North Sumatra to obtain the factors that affect quality of human resources and productivity of human resources. Human resources quality is viewed by the elements of TQM. TQM elements that are discussed in this study are leadership, communication, training and education, support structure, measurement and reward and recognition. The results of this study showed a correlation numbers across the exogenous variables on endogenous variables relationships tend to be strong and be positive. In addition, elements of TQM are discussed except the support structure which has a direct influence on the quality of human resources. Variable leadership, reward and recognition and quality of human resources have a significant effect on productivity.

30 CFR 256.5 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., conditions, and quality of the marine ecosystem, including the waters of the high seas, the contiguous zone..., conditions, and factors which interactively determine the productivity, state, conditions, and quality of the... determine the state, condition, and quality of living conditions, employment, and health of those affected...

Main Quality Attributes of Monoclonal Antibodies and Effect of Cell Culture Components

PubMed

Torkashvand, Fatemeh; Vaziri, Behrouz

2017-05-01

The culture media optimization is an inevitable part of upstream process development in therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) production. The quality by design (QbD) approach defines the assured quality of the final product through the development stage. An important step in QbD is determination of the main quality attributes. During the media optimization, some of the main quality attributes such as glycosylation pattern, charge variants, aggregates, and low-molecular-weight species, could be significantly altered. Here, we provide an overview of how cell culture medium components affects the main quality attributes of the mAbs. Knowing the relationship between the culture media components and the main quality attributes could be successfully utilized for a rational optimization of mammalian cell culture media for industrial mAbs production.

Soil management shapes ecosystem service provision and trade-offs in agricultural landscapes.

PubMed

Tamburini, Giovanni; De Simone, Serena; Sigura, Maurizia; Boscutti, Francesco; Marini, Lorenzo

2016-08-31

Agroecosystems are principally managed to maximize food provisioning even if they receive a large array of supporting and regulating ecosystem services (ESs). Hence, comprehensive studies investigating the effects of local management and landscape composition on the provision of and trade-offs between multiple ESs are urgently needed. We explored the effects of conservation tillage, nitrogen fertilization and landscape composition on six ESs (crop production, disease control, soil fertility, water quality regulation, weed and pest control) in winter cereals. Conservation tillage enhanced soil fertility and pest control, decreased water quality regulation and weed control, without affecting crop production and disease control. Fertilization only influenced crop production by increasing grain yield. Landscape intensification reduced the provision of disease and pest control. We also found tillage and landscape composition to interactively affect water quality regulation and weed control. Under N fertilization, conventional tillage resulted in more trade-offs between ESs than conservation tillage. Our results demonstrate that soil management and landscape composition affect the provision of several ESs and that soil management potentially shapes the trade-offs between them. © 2016 The Author(s).

Lighting Quality Affects Eyestrain of Operators at Sorting Station in Beverage Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anizar; Erwin

2017-03-01

This study observes sorters’ performance in two beverage industries whose job is to separate defect products found. Sorters observe bottles quality and beverage quality continuously, therefore requiring more focused eyes which makes eyes’ load heavier. Sorters’ eyestrain causes more defect products pass the selection. In this study, measurement is conducted toward ilumintation, operators’ time response, and defect products that pass the selection. Measurement is hold in 2 beverage industries for four days with four measurements per day, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. Ilumination is measured with 4 in 1 environmental meter in grid 1m x 1m, while operators’ time response is measured with Flicker Fusion. Illuminance is generally higher in the morning than in the evening, but still under the standard of Indonesia. Overall, sorters’ time response is higher in the morning than in the afternoon. Higher time response shows that operators experiencing lower fatigue than lower time response. The sorting duration also affects operators’ time response and defect products which pass the selection.

7 CFR 760.817 - Quality losses for 2005, 2006, and 2007 crops.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... economic value due to the reduction in quality. (d) Participants may not be compensated under this section... losses of 25 percent or greater of the value that all affected production of the crop would have had if... production based on harvested acres, multiplied by 42 percent of the per unit average market value based on...

7 CFR 760.817 - Quality losses for 2005, 2006, and 2007 crops.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... economic value due to the reduction in quality. (d) Participants may not be compensated under this section... losses of 25 percent or greater of the value that all affected production of the crop would have had if... production based on harvested acres, multiplied by 42 percent of the per unit average market value based on...

Evaluation of Safety, Quality and Productivity in Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usmen, M. A.; Vilnitis, M.

2015-11-01

This paper examines the success indicators of construction projects, safety, quality and productivity, in terms of their implications and impacts during and after construction. First safety is considered during construction with a focus on hazard identification and the prevention of occupational accidents and injuries on worksites. The legislation mandating safety programs, training and compliance with safety standards is presented and discussed. Consideration of safety at the design stage is emphasized. Building safety and the roles of building codes in prevention of structural failures are also covered in the paper together with factors affecting building failures and methods for their prevention. Quality is introduced in the paper from the perspective of modern total quality management. Concepts of quality management, quality control, quality assurance and Six Sigma and how they relate to building quality and structural integrity are discussed with examples. Finally, productivity concepts are presented with emphasis on effective project management to minimize loss of productivity, complimented by lean construction and lean Six Sigma principles. The paper concludes by synthesizing the relationships between safety, quality and productivity.

New methods to monitor emerging chemicals in the drinking water production chain.

PubMed

van Wezel, Annemarie; Mons, Margreet; van Delft, Wouter

2010-01-01

New techniques enable a shift in monitoring chemicals that affect water quality from mainly at the end product, tap water, towards monitoring during the whole process along the production chain. This is congruent with the 'HACCP' system (hazard analysis of critical control points) that is fairly well integrated into food production but less well in drinking water production. This shift brings about more information about source quality, the efficiency of treatment and distribution, and understanding of processes within the production chain, and therefore can lead to a more pro-active management of drinking water production. At present, monitoring is focused neither on emerging chemicals, nor on detection of compounds with chronic toxicity. We discuss techniques to be used, detection limits compared to quality criteria, data interpretation and possible interventions in production.

43 CFR 45.71 - How do I propose an alternative?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... works for electricity production; (4) An explanation of how the alternative will affect: (i) Energy... quality; and (vi) Other aspects of environmental quality; and (5) Specific citations to any scientific...

The National Shipbuilding Research Program, Analytical Quality Circles

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

standard tools for quality control, in English, see “Guide to Quality Control” by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa , Asian Productivity Organization, Aoyama Dai-ichi...factors affect work evaluation is shown schemati- cally by Characteristic-Factor Diagrams (also called Fishbone or Ishikawa Diagrams), see Figure 2-5

Food-packaging interactions influencing quality and safety.

PubMed

Hotchkiss, J H

1997-01-01

Interactions between foods and packaging can be detrimental to quality and/or safety. Changes in product flavour due to aroma sorption and the transfer of undesirable flavours from packaging to foods are important mechanisms of deterioration when foods are packaged in polymer-based materials. Careful consideration must be given to those factors affecting such interactions when selecting packaging materials in order to maximize product quality, safety, and shelf-life while minimizing undesirable changes. Product considerations include sensitivity to flavour and related deteriorations, colour changes, vitamin loss, microbial activity, and amount of flavour available. Storage considerations include temperature, time, and processing method. Polymer considerations include type of polymer and processing method, volume or mass of polymer to product ratio, and whether the interaction is Fickian or non-Fickian. Methodology to determine the extent of such interactions must be developed. Direct interactions between food and packaging are not necessarily detrimental. The same principles governing undesirable interactions can be used to affect desirable outcomes. Examples include films which directly intercept or absorb oxygen, inhibit microorganisms, remove undesirable flavours by sorption, or indicate safety and product shelf-life.

Immobilization of Microbial Cells for Alcoholic and Malolactic Fermentation of Wine and Cider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kourkoutas, Yiannis; Manojlović, Verica; Nedović, Viktor A.

Wine- or cider-making is highly associated with biotechnology owing to the traditional nature of must fermentation.. Nowadays, there have been considerable developments in wine- or cider-making techniques affecting all phases of wine or cider production, but more importantly, the fermentation process. It is well-known that the transformation of grape must by microbial activity results in the production of wine, and the fermentation of apples (or sometimes pears) in the production of cider. In this process, a variety of compounds affecting the organoleptic profile of wine or cider are synthesized. It is also common sense that in wine- or cider-making, the main objective is to achieve an adequate quality of the product. The technological progress and the improved quality of the wines or ciders have been associated with the control of technical parameters. Herein, cell immobilization offers numerous advantages, such as enhanced fermentation productivity, ability for cell recycling, application of continuous configurations, enhanced cell stability and viability, and improvement of quality (Margaritis and Merchant 1984; Stewart and Russel 1986; Kourkoutas et al. 2004a).

Quality challenges associated with microbial-based cleaning products from the Industry Perspective.

PubMed

Teasdale, Steve M; Kademi, Ali

2018-06-01

Microbial-based cleaning products (MBCPs) continue to gain popularity in the market as environmentally friendly cleaners. The majority of these products contain spores of various Bacillus species. Although the microorganisms used in MBCPs are subject to regulation in Canada under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the products themselves are not. Unlike other types of microbial products such as probiotics and biopesticides, the use, manufacture and quality parameters of MBCPs in Canada and other countries are poorly defined and not specifically subject to any required standards. Due to their complexity and nature, these products feature unique quality challenges. We noted the existing MBCPs we analyzed vary vastly in quality; external microbial contaminants, viability of the spores and the biocompatibility of the ingredients are issues that greatly affect product quality. A proper taxonomic identification of the bacterial species used also seems to be a major challenge for a number of manufacturers. A good understanding of the mechanisms governing these quality challenges and the adoption of good practices for the cultivation, harvesting, formulation, and manufacture of these types of products are essential for achieving high-quality performance standards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Which one is more important, raw materials or productive technology?--a case study for quality consistency control of Gegen Qinlian decoction].

PubMed

Zhong, Wen; Chen, Sha; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Yu-Sheng; Liu, An

2016-03-01

To investigate the effect of Chinese medicine raw materials and production technology on quality consistency of Chinese patent medicines with Gegen Qinlian decoction as an example, and establish a suitable method for the quality consistency control of Chinese patent medicines. The results showed that the effect of production technology on the quality consistency was generally not more than 5%, while the effect of raw materials was even more than 30%, indicating that the effect of raw materials was much greater than that of the production technology. In this study, blend technology was used to improve the quality consistency of raw materials. As a result, the difference between the product produced by raw materials and reference groups was less than 5%, thus increasing the quality consistence of finished products. The results showed that under the current circumstances, the main factor affecting the quality consistency of Chinese patent medicines was raw materials, so we shall pay more attention to the quality of Chinese medicine's raw materials. Finally, a blend technology can improve the quality consistency of Chinese patent medicines. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Quality and Acceptability of Meat Nuggets with Fresh Aloe vera Gel

PubMed Central

Rajkumar, V.; Verma, Arun K.; Patra, G.; Pradhan, S.; Biswas, S.; Chauhan, P.; Das, Arun K.

2016-01-01

Aloe vera has been used worldwide for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries due to its wide biological activities. However, quality improvement of low fat meat products and their acceptability with added Aloe vera gel (AVG) is scanty. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of using fresh AVG on physicochemical, textural, sensory and nutritive qualities of goat meat nuggets. The products were prepared with 0%, 2.5%, and 5% fresh AVG replacing goat meat and were analyzed for proximate composition, physicochemical and textural properties, fatty acid profile and sensory parameters. Changes in lipid oxidation and microbial growth of nuggets were also evaluated over 9 days of refrigerated storage. The results showed that AVG significantly (p<0.05) decreased the pH value and protein content of meat emulsion and nuggets. Product yield was affected at 5% level of gel. Addition of AVG in the formulation significantly affected the values of texture profile analysis. The AVG reduced the lipid oxidation and microbial growth in nuggets during storage. Sensory panelists preferred nuggets with 2.5% AVG over nuggets with 5% AVG. Therefore, AVG up to 2.5% level could be used for quality improvement in goat meat nuggets without affecting its sensorial, textural and nutritive values. PMID:26954177

Improved wheat for baking.

PubMed

Faridi, H; Finley, J W

1989-01-01

To bakers, wheat quality means the performance characteristics of the flour milled from the wheat when used in specific wheat products. The tremendous increase in the number of wheat cultivars grown in the U.S. in recent years, along with the unusual climate, new advances in milling technology, and increased automation of baking lines, have resulted in bakery production problems partly attributed to wheat flour quality. In this review various factors affecting wheat quality are explained. Concerns of bread and cookie/cracker manufacturers on deterioration of the wheat quality are discussed, and, finally, some solutions are proposed.

Soil and water quality with tall fescue management in the Southern Piedmont

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pasture management not only affects plant and animal productivity, but also soil quality, carbon sequestration, and water quality. These additional ecosystem services need to be evaluated under a diversity of management approaches, including how nutrients are supplied (i.e. inorganic or broiler litt...

Exploiting mAb structure characteristics for a directed QbD implementation in early process development.

PubMed

Karlberg, Micael; von Stosch, Moritz; Glassey, Jarka

2018-03-07

In today's biopharmaceutical industries, the lead time to develop and produce a new monoclonal antibody takes years before it can be launched commercially. The reasons lie in the complexity of the monoclonal antibodies and the need for high product quality to ensure clinical safety which has a significant impact on the process development time. Frameworks such as quality by design are becoming widely used by the pharmaceutical industries as they introduce a systematic approach for building quality into the product. However, full implementation of quality by design has still not been achieved due to attrition mainly from limited risk assessment of product properties as well as the large number of process factors affecting product quality that needs to be investigated during the process development. This has introduced a need for better methods and tools that can be used for early risk assessment and predictions of critical product properties and process factors to enhance process development and reduce costs. In this review, we investigate how the quantitative structure-activity relationships framework can be applied to an existing process development framework such as quality by design in order to increase product understanding based on the protein structure of monoclonal antibodies. Compared to quality by design, where the effect of process parameters on the drug product are explored, quantitative structure-activity relationships gives a reversed perspective which investigates how the protein structure can affect the performance in different unit operations. This provides valuable information that can be used during the early process development of new drug products where limited process understanding is available. Thus, quantitative structure-activity relationships methodology is explored and explained in detail and we investigate the means of directly linking the structural properties of monoclonal antibodies to process data. The resulting information as a decision tool can help to enhance the risk assessment to better aid process development and thereby overcome some of the limitations and challenges present in QbD implementation today.

Ensuring right to organic food in public health system.

PubMed

Pashkov, Vitalii; Batyhina, Olena; Leiba, Liudmyla

2018-01-01

Introduction: Human health directly depends on safety and quality of food. In turn, quality and safety of food directly depend on its production conditions and methods. There are two main food production methods: traditional and organic. Organic food production is considered safer and more beneficial for human health. Aim: to determine whether the organic food production method affects human health. Materials and methods: international acts, data of international organizations and conclusions of scientists have been examined and used in the study. The article also summarizes information from scientific journals and monographs from a medical and legal point of view with scientific methods. This article is based on dialectical, comparative, analytic, synthetic and comprehensive research methods. The problems of effects of food production methods and conditions on human health have been analyzed within the framework of the system approach. Conclusions: Food production methods and conditions ultimately affect the state and level of human health. The organic method of production activity has a positive effect on human health.

An approach to optimize the batch mixing process for improving the quality consistency of the products made from traditional Chinese medicines*

PubMed Central

Yan, Bin-jun; Qu, Hai-bin

2013-01-01

The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the combined effects of its constituents. Variation in chemical composition between batches of TCM has always been the deterring factor in achieving consistency in efficacy. The batch mixing process can significantly reduce the batch-to-batch quality variation in TCM extracts by mixing them in a well-designed proportion. However, reducing the quality variation without sacrificing too much of the production efficiency is one of the challenges. Accordingly, an innovative and practical batch mixing method aimed at providing acceptable efficiency for industrial production of TCM products is proposed in this work, which uses a minimum number of batches of extracts to meet the content limits. The important factors affecting the utilization ratio of the extracts (URE) were studied by simulations. The results have shown that URE was affected by the correlation between the contents of constituents, and URE decreased with the increase in the number of targets and the relative standard deviations of the contents. URE could be increased by increasing the number of storage tanks. The results have provided a reference for designing the batch mixing process. The proposed method has possible application value in reducing the quality variation in TCM and providing acceptable production efficiency simultaneously. PMID:24190450

An approach to optimize the batch mixing process for improving the quality consistency of the products made from traditional Chinese medicines.

PubMed

Yan, Bin-jun; Qu, Hai-bin

2013-11-01

The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the combined effects of its constituents. Variation in chemical composition between batches of TCM has always been the deterring factor in achieving consistency in efficacy. The batch mixing process can significantly reduce the batch-to-batch quality variation in TCM extracts by mixing them in a well-designed proportion. However, reducing the quality variation without sacrificing too much of the production efficiency is one of the challenges. Accordingly, an innovative and practical batch mixing method aimed at providing acceptable efficiency for industrial production of TCM products is proposed in this work, which uses a minimum number of batches of extracts to meet the content limits. The important factors affecting the utilization ratio of the extracts (URE) were studied by simulations. The results have shown that URE was affected by the correlation between the contents of constituents, and URE decreased with the increase in the number of targets and the relative standard deviations of the contents. URE could be increased by increasing the number of storage tanks. The results have provided a reference for designing the batch mixing process. The proposed method has possible application value in reducing the quality variation in TCM and providing acceptable production efficiency simultaneously.

Assessment of perception and intention in pesticide purchase in Taiwan.

PubMed

Yeh, Jong Chao; Liao, Chih-Hsiang

2016-05-01

Environmental chemical agents such as pesticides can be purchased easily at a relatively low price, and this has resulted in high concern of environmental toxicity to human health, due to their persistence in various environmental bodies. Hence, this study aims to propose important factors influencing pesticide purchase intentions, including consumers' perceptions of the brand image and the ecological health risk. Since consumers are primary users, the seller knows the product's features but not the psychology of those who purchase it. Therefore, we attempted to clarify purchase intentions and perceptions using structural equation modeling techniques to empirically analyze survey data from 324 pesticide consumers in Taiwan. Our results demonstrate that perceived brand image positively affects perceived quality of a product, whereas perceived risk negatively affects perceived quality and purchase intentions. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that perceived quality positively affects purchase intentions. These relationships suggest that perceived quality mediates both the positive association between brand image and purchase intentions and the negative association between perceived risk and purchase intentions. Based on such outcomes, we propose that consumers need to be informed of pesticides related to costs and environmental benefits.

Consumers' attitudes towards GM Free products in a European Region. The case of the Prefecture of Drama-Kavala-Xanthi in Greece.

PubMed

Tsourgiannis, L; Karasavvoglou, A; Florou, G

2011-10-01

This study aims to identify the factors that affect consumers purchasing behaviour towards food products that are free from Genetic Modified Organism (GM Free) in a European Region and more precisely in the Prefecture of Drama-Kavala-Xanthi. Field interviews conducted in a random selected sample consisted of 337 consumers in the cities of Drama, Kavala, Xanthi, in November and December of 2009. Principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted in order to identify the factors that affect people in preferring consuming products that are GM Free. The factors that influence people in the study area to buy GM Free products are: (a) products' certification as GM Free or organic products, (b) interest about the protection of the environment and nutrition value, (c) marketing issues, and (d) price and quality. Furthermore, cluster and discriminant analysis identified two groups of consumers: (a) those are influenced by the product price, quality and marketing aspects and (b) those are interested in product's certification and environmental protection. Non parametric statistical bivariate techniques were performed to profile the identified groups of consumers regarding their personal characteristics and some other factors affecting their buying behaviour. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Functional Measurement Analysis of Brand Equity: Does Brand Name Affect Perceptions of Quality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilgenkamp, Heather; Shanteau, James

2010-01-01

This research project used Functional Measurement to examine how the brand name of consumer products impacts intended purchasing decisions. Thirty undergraduate students tested actual products from three different product categories (crayons, tissues, and tortilla chips). Each product category consisted of three different brands; one with high…

7 CFR 58.101 - Meaning of words.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... provided the product is tested and meets the quality requirements for No. 2 milk.) (e) Sanitizing treatment... considered safe for product production. Such treatment shall not adversely affect the equipment, the milk or the milk product, or the health of consumers. Sanitizing solutions shall comply with 21 CFR 178.1010...

Single-Site, Results-Level Evaluation of Quality Awareness Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Brian; Raffaele, Gary C.

1997-01-01

An interrupted time-series design pooling 6 12-year series evaluated the long-term effects of a quality training intervention in a factory. Training positively affected quality of goods and dollar utility. Production process was an important contextual factor in assessing the effect size of the intervention. (SK)

Drinking water for dairy cattle: always a benefit or a microbiological risk?

PubMed

Van Eenige, M J E M; Counotte, G H M; Noordhuizen, J P T M

2013-02-01

Drinking water can be considered an essential nutrient for dairy cattle. However, because it comes from different sources, its chemical and microbiological quality does not always reach accepted standards. Moreover, water quality is not routinely assessed on dairy farms. The microecology of drinking water sources and distribution systems is rather complex and still not fully understood. Water quality is adversely affected by the formation of biofilms in distribution systems, which form a persistent reservoir for potentially pathogenic bacteria. Saprophytic microorganisms associated with such biofilms interact with organic and inorganic matter in water, with pathogens, and even with each other. In addition, the presence of biofilms in water distribution systems makes cleaning and disinfection difficult and sometimes impossible. This article describes the complex dynamics of microorganisms in water distribution systems. Water quality is diminished primarily as a result of faecal contamination and rarely as a result of putrefaction in water distribution systems. The design of such systems (with/ without anti-backflow valves and pressure) and the materials used (polyethylene enhances biofilm; stainless steel does not) affect the quality of water they provide. The best option is an open, funnel-shaped galvanized drinking trough, possibly with a pressure system, air inlet, and anti-backflow valves. A poor microbiological quality of drinking water may adversely affect feed intake, and herd health and productivity. In turn, public health may be affected because cattle can become a reservoir of microorganisms hazardous to humans, such as some strains of E. coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Campylobacter jejuni. A better understanding of the biological processes in water sources and distribution systems and of the viability of microorganisms in these systems may contribute to better advice on herd health and productivity at a farm level. Certain on-farm risk factors for water quality have been identified. A practical approach will facilitate the control and management of these risks, and thereby improve herd health and productivity.

Sugarcane straw harvest effects on soil quality and plant growth: preliminary data synthesis of a multi-local project running in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherubin, Maurício; Cerri, Carlos E. P.; Feigl, Brigitte J.; Cerri, Carlos C.

2017-04-01

Brazil is the largest sugarcane producer in the world, and consequently, it is one of major players in the bioenergy production sector. Despite that, growing demands for bioenergies have raised the interest of Brazilian sugarcane industry to harvest the sugarcane straw left on the field for cellulosic ethanol production and/or bioelectricity cogeneration. However, crop residues have a key role in the soil, affecting directly or indirectly multiple soil functions and related ecosystem services. Therefore, indiscriminate straw harvest could jeopardize soil quality, decreasing its capacity to sustain plant productivity over time. In order to evaluate the potential impacts of sugarcane straw harvest on soil quality and plant growth, we are conducting since 2014 a multi-local project across central-southern Brazil, the main core of sugarcane production in the world. A wide range of soil chemical, physical and biological parameters, as well as, plant biomass production has been quantified under increasing straw harvest intensities. Our preliminary findings have showed that short-term straw harvest management did not affect total organic C stocks; however, high straw harvest led to significant reduction in labile C forms (e.g., microbial biomass C and N), and abundance of microbial communities as well. Sugarcane straw harvest affects soil nutrient cycling, since significant amount of nutrients are removed annually by straw, especially in top (green) leaves. In addition, our data show that straw acts as a thermal insulator, decreasing soil temperature amplitude and keeping soil moisture for a longer time. Straw harvest management did not affect sugarcane yields in the first two crop seasons. Based on this first synthesis of the project, we conclude that short-term sugarcane straw harvest led to soil changes, especially in more sensitive and dynamic properties, which did not affect the plant yield. However, long-term impacts should be monitored towards a better understanding about potential trade-offs and synergies associated with sugarcane straw harvest for bioenergy production in Brazil.

Modification of spermatozoa quality in mature small ruminants.

PubMed

Martin, G B; de St Jorre, T Jorre; Al Mohsen, F A; Malecki, I A

2011-01-01

This review is based largely, but not entirely, on the assumption that gamete quality is directly linked to sperm output and thus testicular mass, an approach made necessary by the absence of a large body of data on factors that affect gamete quality in ruminants. On the other hand, there is a change in the efficiency of sperm production per gram of testicular tissue when the testis is growing or shrinking, a clear indicator of changes in the rates of cell loss during the process of spermatogenesis, probably through apoptosis. We therefore postulate that the spermatozoa that do survive when the testis is shrinking are of a lower quality than those that are produced when the testis is growing and the rate of sperm survival is increasing. In adult small ruminants in particular, testicular mass and sperm production are highly labile and can be manipulated by management of photoperiod (melatonin), nutrition, genetics and behaviour ('mating pressure'). Importantly, these factors do not act independently of each other - rather, the outcomes in terms of sperm production are dictated by interactions. It therefore seems likely that spermatozoa quality will be affected by these same factors, but definitive answers await detailed studies.

A QRM Discussion of Microbial Contamination of Non-sterile Drug Products, Using FDA and EMA Warning Letters Recorded between 2008 and 2016.

PubMed

Santos, Ana M C; Doria, Mara S; Meirinhos-Soares, Luís; Almeida, António J; Menezes, José C

2018-01-01

Microbial quality control of non-sterile drug products has been a concern to regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical industry since the 1960s. Despite being an old challenge to companies, microbial contamination still affects a high number of manufacturers of non-sterile products. Consequences go well beyond the obvious direct costs related to batch rejections or product recalls, as human lives and a company's reputation are significantly impacted if such events occur. To better manage risk and establish effective mitigation strategies, it is necessary to understand the microbial hazards involved in non-sterile drug products manufacturing, be able to evaluate their potential impact on final product quality, and apply mitigation actions. Herein we discuss the most likely root causes involved in microbial contaminations referenced in warning letters issued by US health authorities and non-compliance reports issued by European health authorities over a period of several years. The quality risk management tools proposed were applied to the data gathered from those databases, and a generic risk ranking was provided based on a panel of non-sterile drug product manufacturers that was assembled and given the opportunity to perform the risk assessments. That panel identified gaps and defined potential mitigation actions, based on their own experience of potential risks expected for their processes. Major findings clearly indicate that the manufacturers affected by the warning letters should focus their attention on process improvements and microbial control strategies, especially those related to microbial analysis and raw material quality control. Additionally, the WLs considered frequently referred to failures in quality-related issues, which indicates that the quality commitment should be reinforced at most companies to avoid microbiological contaminations. LAY ABSTRACT: Microbial contamination of drug products affects the quality of non-sterile drug products produced by numerous manufacturers, representing a major risk to patients. It is necessary to understand the microbial hazards involved in the manufacturing process and evaluate their impact on final product quality so that effective prevention strategies can be implemented. A risk-based classification of most likely root causes for microbial contamination found in the warning letters issued by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency is proposed. To validate the likely root causes extracted from the warning letters, a subject matter expert panel made of several manufacturers was formed and consulted. A quality risk management approach to assess microbiological contamination of non-sterile drug products is proposed for the identification of microbial hazards involved in the manufacturing process. To enable ranking of microbial contamination risks, quality risk management metrics related to criticality and overall risk were applied. The results showed that manufacturers of non-sterile drug products should improve their microbial control strategy, with special attention to quality controls of raw materials, primary containers, and closures. Besides that, they should invest in a more robust quality system and culture. As a start, manufacturers may consider investigating their specific microbiological risks, adressing their sites' own microbial ecology, type of manufacturing processes, and dosage form characteristics, as these may lead to increased contamination risks. Authorities should allow and enforce innovative, more comprehensive, and more effective approaches to in-process contamination monitoring and controls. © PDA, Inc. 2018.

Heterogeneous oxygen availability affects the titer and topology but not the fidelity of plasmid DNA produced by Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Jaén, Karim E; Sigala, Juan-Carlos; Olivares-Hernández, Roberto; Niehaus, Karsten; Lara, Alvaro R

2017-07-04

Dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) is hardly constant and homogenously distributed in a bioreactor, which can have a negative impact in the metabolism and product synthesis. However, the effects of DOT on plasmid DNA (pDNA) production and quality have not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, the effects of aerobic (DOT ≥30% air sat.), microaerobic (constant DOT = 3% air sat.) and oscillatory DOT (from 0 to 100% air sat.) conditions on pDNA production, quality and host performance were characterized. Microaerobic conditions had little effect on pDNA production, supercoiled fraction and sequence fidelity. By contrast, oscillatory DOT caused a 22% decrease in pDNA production compared with aerobic cultures. Although in aerobic cultures the pDNA supercoiled fraction was 98%, it decreased to 80% under heterogeneous DOT conditions. The different oxygen availabilities had no effect on the fidelity of the produced pDNA. The estimated metabolic fluxes indicated substantial differences at the level of the pentose phosphate pathway and TCA cycle under different conditions. Cyclic changes in fermentative pathway fluxes, as well as fast shifts in the fluxes through cytochromes, were also estimated. Model-based genetic modifications that can potentially improve the process performance are suggested. DOT heterogeneities strongly affected cell performance, pDNA production and topology. This should be considered when operating or scaling-up a bioreactor with deficient mixing. Constant microaerobic conditions affected the bacterial metabolism but not the amount or quality of pDNA. Therefore, pDNA production in microaerobic cultures may be an alternative for bioreactor operation at higher oxygen transfer rates.

AM fungi and PGP pseudomonads increase flowering, fruit production, and vitamin content in strawberry grown at low nitrogen and phosphorus levels.

PubMed

Bona, Elisa; Lingua, Guido; Manassero, Paola; Cantamessa, Simone; Marsano, Francesco; Todeschini, Valeria; Copetta, Andrea; D'Agostino, Giovanni; Massa, Nadia; Avidano, Lorena; Gamalero, Elisa; Berta, Graziella

2015-04-01

There is increasing interest in the quality of crops because of the implications concerning health, economic revenue, and food quality. Here we tested if inoculation with a mixture of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and/or two strains of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), in conditions of reduced chemical inputs, affects the quality and yield of strawberry fruits. Fruit quality was measured by concentrations of soluble sugars, various organic acids, and two vitamins (ascorbic and folic acid). Co-inoculation with the AMF and each of the two PGPB resulted in increased flower and fruit production, larger fruit size, and higher concentrations of sugars and ascorbic and folic acid in comparison with fruits of uninoculated plants. These results provide further evidence that rhizospheric microorganisms affect fruit crop quality and show that they do so even under conditions of reduced chemical fertilization and can thus be exploited for sustainable agriculture.

A Quality Assurance Initiative for Commercial-Scale Production in High-Throughput Cryopreservation of Blue Catfish Sperm

PubMed Central

Hu, E; Liao, T. W.; Tiersch, T. R.

2013-01-01

Cryopreservation of fish sperm has been studied for decades at a laboratory (research) scale. However, high-throughput cryopreservation of fish sperm has recently been developed to enable industrial-scale production. This study treated blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) sperm high-throughput cryopreservation as a manufacturing production line and initiated quality assurance plan development. The main objectives were to identify: 1) the main production quality characteristics; 2) the process features for quality assurance; 3) the internal quality characteristics and their specification designs; 4) the quality control and process capability evaluation methods, and 5) the directions for further improvements and applications. The essential product quality characteristics were identified as fertility-related characteristics. Specification design which established the tolerance levels according to demand and process constraints was performed based on these quality characteristics. Meanwhile, to ensure integrity throughout the process, internal quality characteristics (characteristics at each quality control point within process) that could affect fertility-related quality characteristics were defined with specifications. Due to the process feature of 100% inspection (quality inspection of every fish), a specific calculation method, use of cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts, was applied to monitor each quality characteristic. An index of overall process evaluation, process capacity, was analyzed based on in-control process and the designed specifications, which further integrates the quality assurance plan. With the established quality assurance plan, the process could operate stably and quality of products would be reliable. PMID:23872356

Taguchi experimental design to determine the taste quality characteristic of candied carrot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekawati, Y.; Hapsari, A. A.

2018-03-01

Robust parameter design is used to design product that is robust to noise factors so the product’s performance fits the target and delivers a better quality. In the process of designing and developing the innovative product of candied carrot, robust parameter design is carried out using Taguchi Method. The method is used to determine an optimal quality design. The optimal quality design is based on the process and the composition of product ingredients that are in accordance with consumer needs and requirements. According to the identification of consumer needs from the previous research, quality dimensions that need to be assessed are the taste and texture of the product. The quality dimension assessed in this research is limited to the taste dimension. Organoleptic testing is used for this assessment, specifically hedonic testing that makes assessment based on consumer preferences. The data processing uses mean and signal to noise ratio calculation and optimal level setting to determine the optimal process/composition of product ingredients. The optimal value is analyzed using confirmation experiments to prove that proposed product match consumer needs and requirements. The result of this research is identification of factors that affect the product taste and the optimal quality of product according to Taguchi Method.

Effect of post-hatch transportation duration and parental age on broiler chicken quality, welfare, and productivity

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Leonie; Delezie, Evelyne; Duchateau, Luc; Goethals, Klara; Ampe, Bart; Lambrecht, Evelien; Gellynck, Xavier; Tuyttens, Frank A. M.

2016-01-01

Broiler chicks are transported to production sites within one to 2 d post-hatch. Possible effects of this transportation are poorly understood and could vary among chicks from breeder flocks of different ages. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of transportation duration and parental flock age on chick welfare, productivity, and quality. After hatch in a commercial hatchery, 1,620 mixed-sex chicks from 29-wk old (young) and 1,620 chicks from 60-wk old (old) breeders were subjected to transportation of 1.5 h or 11 h duration. After transportation, 2,800 chicks were divided among 100 pens, with each pen containing 28 chicks from one transportation crate (2 or 3 pens per crate). From the remaining chicks, on average 6 chicks (min 4, max 8) per crate (n = 228) were randomly selected and assessed for chick quality, weighed, and culled for yolk sac weighing (one d). Chicks that had not been assigned to pens or were not used for post-transportation measurements, were removed from the experiment (n = 212). Mortality, ADG, BW, and feed conversion (FC) of the experimental chicks were recorded until 41 d. Meat quality was measured for breast fillets (n = 47). No interaction effect of parental age and transportation duration was found for any variables. BW and yolk sac weight at one d were lower for chicks transported 11 h than 1.5 h and for chicks from young versus old breeders. The effect of parental flock age on BW persisted until slaughter. Additionally, parental age positively affected ADG until slaughter. Chick quality was lower in chicks from old versus young breeders. Chick quality and productivity were not affected by transportation duration. Mortality and meat quality were not affected by either parental age or transportation duration. To conclude, no long-term detrimental effects were found from long post-hatch transportation in chicks from young or old parent flocks. Based on these results, we suggest that 11 h post-hatch transportations under similar conditions do not impose long-term welfare or productivity risks. PMID:27143763

Dimensional Precision Research of Wax Molding Rapid Prototyping based on Droplet Injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mingji, Huang; Geng, Wu; yan, Shan

2017-11-01

The traditional casting process is complex, the mold is essential products, mold quality directly affect the quality of the product. With the method of rapid prototyping 3D printing to produce mold prototype. The utility wax model has the advantages of high speed, low cost and complex structure. Using the orthogonal experiment as the main method, analysis each factors of size precision. The purpose is to obtain the optimal process parameters, to improve the dimensional accuracy of production based on droplet injection molding.

Scientific and Regulatory Considerations in Solid Oral Modified Release Drug Product Development.

PubMed

Li, Min; Sander, Sanna; Duan, John; Rosencrance, Susan; Miksinski, Sarah Pope; Yu, Lawrence; Seo, Paul; Rege, Bhagwant

2016-11-01

This review presents scientific and regulatory considerations for the development of solid oral modified release (MR) drug products. It includes a rationale for patient-focused development based on Quality-by-Design (QbD) principles. Product and process understanding of MR products includes identification and risk-based evaluation of critical material attributes (CMAs), critical process parameters (CPPs), and their impact on critical quality attributes (CQAs) that affect the clinical performance. The use of various biopharmaceutics tools that link the CQAs to a predictable and reproducible clinical performance for patient benefit is emphasized. Product and process understanding lead to a more comprehensive control strategy that can maintain product quality through the shelf life and the lifecycle of the drug product. The overall goal is to develop MR products that consistently meet the clinical objectives while mitigating the risks to patients by reducing the probability and increasing the detectability of CQA failures.

An analysis of the diffusion of new antidepressants: variety, quality, and marketing efforts.

PubMed

Berndt, Ernst R; Bhattacharjya, Ashoke; Mishol, David N; Arcelus, Almudena; Lasky, Thomas

2002-03-01

We are not aware of any published research that quantifies and compares the importance of effectiveness and side effects for pharmaceutical sales, and that simultaneously incorporates the impacts of marketing efforts on the diffusion of new pharmaceutical agents in the U.S. The overall level and market share success of the various selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) relative to a representative older generation tricyclic (such as amitriptyline) provides a useful focus for studying such issues. To model jointly the marketing and sales relationships of the SSRIs in the U.S., to quantify the extent to which marketing efforts are responsive to the availability of new scientific information accompanying changes in quality and increases in product variety, and in turn to assess how the new FDA indication approvals and the enhanced marketing initiatives involving product quality and variety affect sales of the SSRI and other novel antidepressants. Quarterly US sales, price, quantity and marketing data 1988Q1-1997Q4 are taken from IMS Health for the eight new antidepressants introduced into the US during this time period. Measures of physician-perceived quality attributes of the antidepressants are drawn from Market Measures, Inc., a medical survey research firm. These data are used to construct measures of product quality (effectiveness and side effect profile), and attribute variety across all antidepressants. Multivariate regression methods are used in estimating parameters of a marketing efforts model, a sales demand model encompassing the aggregate of the newer antidepressants, and a product share model. Simulation methods are employed to quantify elasticities. Since 1988, and relative to amitriptyline, there has been only a rather modest increase in the perceived average effectiveness of the SSRIs and related products, but the side effect profiles have improved substantially. Variety measures for effectiveness show greater increases over time than do those for side effects. Marketing efforts respond to science-based events, such as new FDA indication approvals, and to effectiveness and side-effect quality improvements. Total antidepressant sales are positively and significantly related to price reductions, increased marketing efforts, and the level and variety of side effect profiles involving antidepressants. The level and variety of effectiveness does not significantly affect total antidepressant sales. Order of entry effects are important in affecting product market shares, while marketing efforts and relative quality attributes (particularly a more favorable side effect profile) have positive and significant impacts on relative market shares. Since patient response to SSRIs and related products is idiosyncratic, greater product variety facilitates better matching of antidepressant with patient. Much of the growth of the SSRIs and related antidepressants since 1988 can be attributed to increased product attribute variety, to improved changes in side effect quality relative to that of the tricyclics, and to the marketing of those improvements. Marketing efforts play an important role in diffusing product information. Marketing efforts increase considerably following FDA approval for indications other than depression, and also increase with the average effectiveness and the average side effect rating of the products. Whether the relatively minor role that perceived effectiveness has in affecting sales relative to perceived side effect profile is unique to antidepressants, or generalizes to other therapeutic classes, merits further examination.

The Relation of Environmental Quality and Fishery Sector in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oktavilia, Shanty; Habibah Yusfi, Reikha; Firmansyah; Sugiyanto, FX

2018-02-01

The condition of fishery sector is currently stagnating, even tending to decline, which is indicated by the decrease of production in some areas in Indonesia. Environmental degradation in marine waters is due to global climate change and uncontrolled fish exploitation impact on the decline of marine fisheries production. While in aquaculture, the environmental quality is also indicated to influence the production. Nevertheless, the increase of production of both marine and terrestrial fisheries has an effect on the quality of the environment. This study aims to analyze the interrelationship between the influence of environmental quality on the production of fishery sub-sector and the influence of fishery subsector production on environmental quality. This research employs environmental quality data and output of fishery of 34 provinces in Indonesia during 2011-2015. The study finds that output of fishery sector affects the environmental quality, which proves the Environment Kuznets Curve in the fishery sector in Indonesia. Since a certain threshold is achieved, the increase in revenue followed by the increase in environmental quality. The study also finds that the environmental quality has a positive effect on the production of fishery. Implication of the study is the increase of income of fishery households can be encouraged the ability of the community to protect the environment and increases the willingness of households to sacrifice other goods to environmental protection.

Effects of Green Buildings on Employee Health and Productivity

PubMed Central

Singh, Amanjeet; Syal, Matt; Korkmaz, Sinem

2010-01-01

We investigated the effects of improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on perceived health and productivity in occupants who moved from conventional to green (according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ratings) office buildings. In 2 retrospective–prospective case studies we found that improved IEQ contributed to reductions in perceived absenteeism and work hours affected by asthma, respiratory allergies, depression, and stress and to self-reported improvements in productivity. These preliminary findings indicate that green buildings may positively affect public health. PMID:20634460

Phenotyping the quality of complex medium components by simple online-monitored shake flask experiments.

PubMed

Diederichs, Sylvia; Korona, Anna; Staaden, Antje; Kroutil, Wolfgang; Honda, Kohsuke; Ohtake, Hisao; Büchs, Jochen

2014-11-07

Media containing yeast extracts and other complex raw materials are widely used for the cultivation of microorganisms. However, variations in the specific nutrient composition can occur, due to differences in the complex raw material ingredients and in the production of these components. These lot-to-lot variations can affect growth rate, product yield and product quality in laboratory investigations and biopharmaceutical production processes. In the FDA's Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative, the control and assessment of the quality of critical raw materials is one key aspect to maintain product quality and consistency. In this study, the Respiration Activity Monitoring System (RAMOS) was used to evaluate the impact of different yeast extracts and commercial complex auto-induction medium lots on metabolic activity and product yield of four recombinant Escherichia coli variants encoding different enzymes. Under non-induced conditions, the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) of E. coli was not affected by a variation of the supplemented yeast extract lot. The comparison of E. coli cultivations under induced conditions exhibited tremendous differences in OTR profiles and volumetric activity for all investigated yeast extract lots of different suppliers as well as lots of the same supplier independent of the E. coli variant. Cultivation in the commercial auto-induction medium lots revealed the same reproducible variations. In cultivations with parallel offline analysis, the highest volumetric activity was found at different cultivation times. Only by online monitoring of the cultures, a distinct cultivation phase (e.g. glycerol depletion) could be detected and chosen for comparable and reproducible offline analysis of the yield of functional product. This work proves that cultivations conducted in complex media may be prone to significant variation in final product quality and quantity if the quality of the raw material for medium preparation is not thoroughly checked. In this study, the RAMOS technique enabled a reliable and reproducible screening and phenotyping of complex raw material lots by online measurement of the respiration activity. Consequently, complex raw material lots can efficiently be assessed if the distinct effects on culture behavior and final product quality and quantity are visualized.

[Main indoor air pollutants and their health impacts].

PubMed

Xu, Zhen; Jin, Yinlong

2003-05-01

The quality of indoor air is a very important factor that may directly affect human health. There are many sources as well as a variety of indoor air pollutants. Therefore, the health impact is complicated, affecting different organs and systems of human being such as respiratory and immune system. The main indoor air pollutants are the combustion products from smoking, cooking and heating, the chemical pollutants from renovation materials and the biological contaminants. The kinds, sources and health impacts of these pollutants that affect the indoor air quality are reviewed in this paper.

Medical records in equine veterinary practice.

PubMed

Werner, Susan H

2009-12-01

Quality medical records are the cornerstone of successful equine veterinary practice. The scope and integrity of the information contained in a practice's medical records influence the quality of patient care and client service and affect liability risk, practice productivity, and overall practice value.

Red light and carbon dioxide differentially affect growth, lipid production, and quality in the microalga, Ettlia oleoabundans.

PubMed

Yang, Ying; Weathers, Pamela

2015-01-01

Ettlia oleoabundans, a freshwater unicellular green microalga, was grown under different light qualities ± carbon dioxide-enriched air to determine the combined effects on growth and lipid production of this oleaginous species. Keeping total light intensity constant, when a portion of the cool white was replaced by red, volumetric lipid yield increased 2.8-fold mainly due to the greater yield of oleic acid, a desirable biodiesel precursor. Only 30 min of red light treatment was sufficient to increase lipid yield and quality to the same level as cultures provided red light for >14 days, indicating the potential role of red light in stimulating lipid production of this species. Carbon dioxide enrichment via air sparging enhanced exponential growth, carbon conversion efficiency, and nutrient consumption. Together, these results showed that light quality plays an important role in microalgal lipid production. Adjustment in light quality and gas delivery efficiency with carbon dioxide enrichment improved lipid yield and quality in this and possibly other oleaginous algal species.

Factors influencing healthcare service quality

PubMed Central

Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

2014-01-01

Background: The main purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence healthcare quality in the Iranian context. Methods: Exploratory in-depth individual and focus group interviews were conducted with 222 healthcare stakeholders including healthcare providers, managers, policy-makers, and payers to identify factors affecting the quality of healthcare services provided in Iranian healthcare organisations. Results: Quality in healthcare is a production of cooperation between the patient and the healthcare provider in a supportive environment. Personal factors of the provider and the patient, and factors pertaining to the healthcare organisation, healthcare system, and the broader environment affect healthcare service quality. Healthcare quality can be improved by supportive visionary leadership, proper planning, education and training, availability of resources, effective management of resources, employees and processes, and collaboration and cooperation among providers. Conclusion: This article contributes to healthcare theory and practice by developing a conceptual framework that provides policy-makers and managers a practical understanding of factors that affect healthcare service quality. PMID:25114946

Food production and service in UK hospitals.

PubMed

Ahmed, Mohamed; Jones, Eleri; Redmond, Elizabeth; Hewedi, Mahmoud; Wingert, Andreas; Gad El Rab, Mohamed

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to apply value stream mapping holistically to hospital food production/service systems focused on high-quality food. Multiple embedded case study of three (two private-sector and one public-sector) hospitals in the UK. The results indicated various issues affecting hospital food production including: the menu and nutritional considerations; food procurement; food production; foodservice; patient perceptions/expectations. Value stream mapping is a new approach for food production systems in UK hospitals whether private or public hospitals. The paper identifies opportunities for enhancing hospital food production systems. The paper provides a theoretical basis for process enhancement of hospital food production and the provision of high-quality hospital food.

Chloride stress triggers maturation and negatively affects the postharvest quality of persimmon fruit. Involvement of calyx ethylene production.

PubMed

Besada, Cristina; Gil, Rebeca; Bonet, Luis; Quiñones, Ana; Intrigliolo, Diego; Salvador, Alejandra

2016-03-01

In recent years many hectares planted with persimmon trees in E Spain have been diagnosed with chloride toxicity. An effect of this abiotic stress on fruit quality has been reported in different crops. However, the impact of chloride stress on persimmon fruit quality is unknown. The harvest and postharvest quality of persimmons harvested from trees that manifest different intensities of chloride toxicity foliar symptoms was evaluated herein. Our results revealed that fruits from trees under chloride stress conditions underwent chloride accumulation in the calyx, which was more marked the greater the salt stress intensity trees were exposed to. Increased chloride concentrations in the calyx stimulated ethylene production in this tissue. In the fruits affected by slight and moderate chloride stress, calyx ethylene production accelerated the maturity process, as reflected by increased fruit colour and diminished fruit firmness. In the fruits under severe chloride stress, the high ethylene levels in the calyx triggered autocatalytic ethylene production in other fruit tissues, which led fruit maturity to drastically advance. In these fruits effectiveness of CO2 deastringency treatment was not complete and fruit softening enhanced during the postharvest period. Moreover, chloride stress conditions had a marked effect on reducing fruit weight, even in slightly stressed trees. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Black Model Appearance and Product Evaluations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerin, Roger A.

1979-01-01

Examines a study of how human models affect the impression conveyed by an advertisement, particularly the effect of a Black model's physical characteristics on product evaluations among Black and White females.Results show that the physical appearance of the model influenced impressions of product quality and suitability for personal use. (JMF)

75 FR 75955 - Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-07

... Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed Fruits and Vegetables and Related Products AGENCY...: ``Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed Fruits and Vegetables and Related Products--7..., certifications of quantity and quality, import product inspections, and export certification. Affected public may...

Delaying postpartum supplementation in cows consuming low-quality forage does not alter cow and calf productivity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reducing the amount of supplemental feed postpartum without affecting productivity may enhance profitability of cow-calf operations. Therefore, sixteen 2-yr-old fall calving cows were used to evaluate effects of delaying postpartum supplementation on milk production, serum metabolites, cow and calf ...

Quality Assurance in the Presence of Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauenroth, Kim; Metzger, Andreas; Pohl, Klaus

Software Product Line Engineering (SPLE) is a reuse-driven development paradigm that has been applied successfully in information system engineering and other domains. Quality assurance of the reusable artifacts of the product line (e.g. requirements, design, and code artifacts) is essential for successful product line engineering. As those artifacts are reused in several products, a defect in a reusable artifact can affect several products of the product line. A central challenge for quality assurance in product line engineering is how to consider product line variability. Since the reusable artifacts contain variability, quality assurance techniques from single-system engineering cannot directly be applied to those artifacts. Therefore, different strategies and techniques have been developed for quality assurance in the presence of variability. In this chapter, we describe those strategies and discuss in more detail one of those strategies, the so called comprehensive strategy. The comprehensive strategy aims at checking the quality of all possible products of the product line and thus offers the highest benefits, since it is able to uncover defects in all possible products of the product line. However, the central challenge for applying the comprehensive strategy is the complexity that results from the product line variability and the large number of potential products of a product line. In this chapter, we present one concrete technique that we have developed to implement the comprehensive strategy that addresses this challenge. The technique is based on model checking technology and allows for a comprehensive verification of domain artifacts against temporal logic properties.

The substantial burden of systemic lupus erythematosus on the productivity and careers of patients: a European patient-driven online survey.

PubMed

Gordon, Caroline; Isenberg, David; Lerstrøm, Kirsten; Norton, Yvonne; Nikaï, Enkeleida; Pushparajah, Daphnee S; Schneider, Matthias

2013-12-01

The objective of this study was to explore the burden of SLE and its effect on patients' lives. The Lupus European Online (LEO) survey included patient-designed questions on demographics, SLE diagnosis, and the impact of SLE on careers. Three SLE-specific patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires were also completed: the Lupus Quality of Life (LupusQoL), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI)-Lupus v2.0. The survey was available online in five languages from May through August 2010. All self-identified SLE participants were eligible to respond. Survey results were analysed using descriptive statistics. Multivariate linear regression explored factors contributing to impaired productivity. Of the 2070 European SLE patients completing the survey, 93.1% were women, 86.7% were aged <50 years and 71.8% had a college or university education. More than two-thirds of respondents (69.5%) reported that SLE affected their careers; 27.7% changed careers within a year of diagnosis. All LupusQoL domains (score range 0-100) were impaired, with fatigue (median domain score 43.8) being the most affected and intimate relationships (median domain score 75.0) the least. Most patients (82.5%) reported fatigue (FSS score ≥4). Productivity was impaired across all WPAI domains, both at work and in general activities. Fatigue, an inability to plan and reduced physical health were significantly associated with impaired productivity. Patients whose careers were affected by SLE had worse health-related quality of life, more fatigue and worse productivity than patients whose careers were not affected. LEO survey respondents reported that SLE negatively affects their daily lives, productivity and career choices.

The substantial burden of systemic lupus erythematosus on the productivity and careers of patients: a European patient-driven online survey

PubMed Central

Isenberg, David; Lerstrøm, Kirsten; Norton, Yvonne; Nikaï, Enkeleida; Pushparajah, Daphnee S.; Schneider, Matthias

2013-01-01

Objective. The objective of this study was to explore the burden of SLE and its effect on patients’ lives. Methods. The Lupus European Online (LEO) survey included patient-designed questions on demographics, SLE diagnosis, and the impact of SLE on careers. Three SLE-specific patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires were also completed: the Lupus Quality of Life (LupusQoL), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI)-Lupus v2.0. The survey was available online in five languages from May through August 2010. All self-identified SLE participants were eligible to respond. Survey results were analysed using descriptive statistics. Multivariate linear regression explored factors contributing to impaired productivity. Results. Of the 2070 European SLE patients completing the survey, 93.1% were women, 86.7% were aged <50 years and 71.8% had a college or university education. More than two-thirds of respondents (69.5%) reported that SLE affected their careers; 27.7% changed careers within a year of diagnosis. All LupusQoL domains (score range 0–100) were impaired, with fatigue (median domain score 43.8) being the most affected and intimate relationships (median domain score 75.0) the least. Most patients (82.5%) reported fatigue (FSS score ≥4). Productivity was impaired across all WPAI domains, both at work and in general activities. Fatigue, an inability to plan and reduced physical health were significantly associated with impaired productivity. Patients whose careers were affected by SLE had worse health-related quality of life, more fatigue and worse productivity than patients whose careers were not affected. Conclusion. LEO survey respondents reported that SLE negatively affects their daily lives, productivity and career choices. PMID:24049101

Effect of production phase on bottle-fermented sparkling wine quality.

PubMed

Kemp, Belinda; Alexandre, Hervé; Robillard, Bertrand; Marchal, Richard

2015-01-14

This review analyzes bottle-fermented sparkling wine research at each stage of production by evaluating existing knowledge to identify areas that require future investigation. With the growing importance of enological investigation being focused on the needs of the wine production industry, this review examines current research at each stage of bottle-fermented sparkling wine production. Production phases analyzed in this review include pressing, juice adjustments, malolactic fermentation (MLF), stabilization, clarification, tirage, lees aging, disgorging, and dosage. The aim of this review is to identify enological factors that affect bottle-fermented sparkling wine quality, predominantly aroma, flavor, and foaming quality. Future research topics identified include regional specific varieties, plant-based products from vines, grapes, and yeast that can be used in sparkling wine production, gushing at disgorging, and methods to increase the rate of yeast autolysis. An internationally accepted sensory analysis method specifically designed for sparkling wine is required.

The effect of sea-water and fresh-water soaking on the quality of Eucheuma sp. syrup and pudding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novianty, H.; Herandarudewi, S. M. C.

2018-04-01

Eucheuma alvarezii is one of marine commodity with great opportunities to be developed in Indonesia. This seaweed can be used as an additional material in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products or for syrup and pudding. Post-harvest technique conducted by the seaweed farmers will affects the quality of dried and processed products. The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of post harvest technique on the quality of dried seaweed and hedonic test (favorable test) of processed product (syrup and pudding). This study was conducted using descriptive method. The study compared dried, syrup, and puddings from two differents post-harvest technique, between salt and fresh-water draining products. The results showed that fresh-water draining technique obtained better quality results organoleptic test. The results showed that panelist prefered the fresh-water drained products of syrup and pudding. The hedonic scores were much higher for the fresh-water drained products in all three catagories of color, taste, and smell.

Students' Approaches to Essay-Writing and the Quality of the Written Product.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggs, John B.

Studies of text comprehension have suggested that readers focus on different levels of ideational unit while reading, thereby affecting the quality of their comprehension of the text. A study examined the viability of the deep-surface categorization with regard to essay-writing and the relation of different approaches to writing to the quality of…

Behavioral factors affecting exposure potential for household cleaning products.

PubMed

Kovacs, D C; Small, M J; Davidson, C I; Fischhoff, B

1997-01-01

Behavioral experiments were performed on 342 subjects to determine whether behavior, which could affect the level of personal exposure, is exhibited in response to odors and labels which are commonly used for household chemicals. Potential for exposure was assessed by having subjects perform cleaning tasks presented as a product preference test, and noting the amount of cleaning product used, the time taken to complete the cleaning task, the product preference, and the exhibition of avoidance behavior. Product odor was found to affect product preference in the study with the pleasant odored product being preferred to the neutral and unpleasant products. Product odor was also found to influence the amount of product used; less of the odored products was used compared to the neutral product. The experiment also found that very few of the subjects in the study read the product labels, precluding analysis of the effect of such labels on product use. A postexperiment questionnaire on household cleaning product purchasing and use was administered to participants. The results indicate that significant gender differences exist. Women in the sample reported more frequent purchase and use of cleaning products resulting in an estimated potential exposure 40% greater than for the men in the sample. This finding is somewhat countered by the fact that women more frequently reported exposure avoidance behavior, such as using gloves. Additional significant gender differences were found in the stated importance of product qualities, such as odor and environmental quality. This study suggests the need for further research, in a more realistic use setting, on the impact of public education, labels, and product odor on preference, use, and exposure for different types of consumer products.

Improving the Quality of Welding Seam of Automatic Welding of Buckets Based on TCP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Min

2018-02-01

Since February 2014, the welding defects of the automatic welding line of buckets have been frequently appeared. The average repair time of each bucket is 26min, which seriously affects the production efficiency and welding quality. We conducted troubleshooting, and found the main reasons for the welding defects of the buckets were the deviations of the center points of the robot tools and the poor quality of the locating welding. We corrected the gripper, welding torch, and accuracy of repeat positioning of robots to control the quality of positioning welding. The welding defect rate of buckets was reduced greatly, ensuring the production efficiency and welding quality.

Kpejigaou: an indigenous, high-protein, low-fat, cowpea-based griddled food proposed for coastal West Africa.

PubMed

Amonsou, Eric Oscar; Sakyi-Dawson, Esther; Saalia, Firibu Kwesi; Houssou, Paul

2008-12-01

Griddled cowpea paste foods have high nutritional potential because they are low in fat but high in protein. A good understanding of process and product characteristics of kpejigaou is necessary to improve its quality and enhance acceptability. To describe the product, evaluate critical variables in traditional processing, and determine consumer quality criteria and preferences for kpejigaou. A survey of kpejigaou processing was carried out among processors and regular consumers of kpejigaou. Kpejigaou is flat and circular in shape, with uniform thickness and porous structure. The production process of kpejigaou was found to be simple and rapid, but the quality of the finished product varied among processors and among batches. Critical processing variables affecting quality were dehulling of the cowpeas, type of griddling equipment, and griddling temperature. Texture (sponginess) is the most important quality index that determines the preference and acceptability of kpejigaou by consumers. Traditionally processed kpejigaou does not meet current standards for high-quality foods. This study provides the basis for efforts to standardize the kpejigaou process to ensure consistent product quality and enhance the acceptability of kpejigaou among consumers. Kpejigaou has a potential for success if marketed as a low-fat, nutritious fast food.

78 FR 72840 - Drug Products That Present Demonstrable Difficulties for Compounding Under Sections 503A and 503B...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-04

... equipment that could affect drug safety or effectiveness? 6. Training Is specialized, highly technical training essential to ensure proper compounding of the drug product? 7. Testing and Quality Assurance Is...

CHARACTERIZATION AND REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR LIGHT NONAQUEOUS PHASE LIQUIDS

EPA Science Inventory

Light nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs), principally petroleum products, affect ground-water quality at numerous sites across this country and throughout the world. Petroleum products are typically multi-component organic mixtures composed of chemicals with a wide range of solubi...

Study on the quality of FRP fishing vessel based on improved Fishbone Chart

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, J. H.; Yu, Y. F.; Du, Q. F.; Jiang, D. W.

2018-01-01

The construction quality of FRP fishing vessels influences their production, use and industry development. In order to explore the factors that affect the construction quality of FRP fishing vessels, key factors affecting the construction quality of FRP fishing vessels are determined based on the quality problems of FRP fishing vessels constructed. The improved Fishbone Chart is used to analyze the eight factors of “human, machine, material, process, environment, inspection, design and information”. Taking the factors that affect the construction quality of FRP fishing vessels as the central target, the eight influencing factors were condensed into five aspects and a composite Fishbone Chart is drawn. The Fishbone Chart is used as the basic model, the influencing factors are sorted, screened and discriminated, and the system model convenient for construction site management and control is established. Finally, the causes of poor construction of FRP fishing vessels are analyzed and discussed, and relevant suggestions are put forward.

Vacuum cooling of meat products: current state-of-the-art research advances.

PubMed

Feng, Chaohui; Drummond, Liana; Zhang, Zhihang; Sun, Da-Wen; Wang, Qijun

2012-01-01

Vacuum cooling (VC) is commonly applied for cooling of several foodstuffs, to provide exceptionally rapid cooling rates with low energy consumption and resulting in high-quality food products. However, for products such as meat and cooked meat products, the higher cooling loss of vacuum cooling compared with established methods still means lower yields, and important meat quality parameters can be negatively affected. Substantial efforts during the past ten years have aimed to improve the technology in order to offer the meat industry, especially the cooked meat industry, optimized production in terms of safety regulations and guidelines, as well as meat quality. This review presents and discusses recent VC developments directed to the cooked meat industry. The principles of VC, and the basis for improvements of this technology, are firstly discussed; future prospects for research and development in this area are later explored, particularly in relation to cooling of cooked meat and meat products.

The Economy, Productivity, and Training--A CEO's View. Occasional Paper No. 88.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Donald N.

The way resources are deployed to educate Americans will affect, as never before, productivity, the economy, and the quality of life. To maintain the present standard of living, Americans will be dependent on a continuous infusion of scientific breakthroughs and productivity-enhancing technology. Periodic upgrading of skills will be a necessity…

Academic Language, Power and the Impact of Western Knowledge Production on Indigenous Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Karen

2008-01-01

This paper explores the prescriptive, distancing and separating qualities that exist in Western systems of knowledge production. It examines scientific language and how discrimination takes place in the university setting and explores the ways in which academic knowledge production affects the learning experiences, participation and completion…

Quality-by-Design approach to monitor the operation of a batch bioreactor in an industrial avian vaccine manufacturing process.

PubMed

Largoni, Martina; Facco, Pierantonio; Bernini, Donatella; Bezzo, Fabrizio; Barolo, Massimiliano

2015-10-10

Monitoring batch bioreactors is a complex task, due to the fact that several sources of variability can affect a running batch and impact on the final product quality. Additionally, the product quality itself may not be measurable on line, but requires sampling and lab analysis taking several days to be completed. In this study we show that, by using appropriate process analytical technology tools, the operation of an industrial batch bioreactor used in avian vaccine manufacturing can be effectively monitored as the batch progresses. Multivariate statistical models are built from historical databases of batches already completed, and they are used to enable the real time identification of the variability sources, to reliably predict the final product quality, and to improve process understanding, paving the way to a reduction of final product rejections, as well as to a reduction of the product cycle time. It is also shown that the product quality "builds up" mainly during the first half of a batch, suggesting on the one side that reducing the variability during this period is crucial, and on the other side that the batch length can possibly be shortened. Overall, the study demonstrates that, by using a Quality-by-Design approach centered on the appropriate use of mathematical modeling, quality can indeed be built "by design" into the final product, whereas the role of end-point product testing can progressively reduce its importance in product manufacturing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of four types of dietary fiber on the technological quality of pasta.

PubMed

Bustos, M C; Pérez, G T; León, A E

2011-06-01

The development of dietary fiber-enriched foods permits to obtain products with functional properties but can cause several problems in technological quality. The aim of this study was to study the quality of pasta obtained by replacing bread wheat flour with resistant starch II (RSII), resistant starch IV (RSIV), oat bran (OB) and inulin (IN) with the purpose of improving their nutritional quality. RSII, RSIV, OB and IN were substituted for a portion of bread wheat flour at levels 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10.0%. Cooking properties, amylose and inulin losses, color and texture were measured. Finally, nutritional quality of enriched pasta was evaluated by protein losses during cooking and total dietary fiber. Microstructure of pasta was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Addition of RSII into pasta formulation improved the quality of the final product. RSIV-enriched pasta presented an improvement in textural characteristics and OB affected cooking properties positively up to 5% of substitution. Inulin was lost during cooking; besides, its addition negatively affected the technological quality of pasta. The results obtained in this study prove that it is possible to elaborate pasta with acceptable cooking quality and with improved nutritional characteristics by adding 10% of RSII and RSIV and 5% of OB.

Make or buy analysis model based on tolerance allocation to minimize manufacturing cost and fuzzy quality loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosyidi, C. N.; Puspitoingrum, W.; Jauhari, W. A.; Suhardi, B.; Hamada, K.

2016-02-01

The specification of tolerances has a significant impact on the quality of product and final production cost. The company should carefully pay attention to the component or product tolerance so they can produce a good quality product at the lowest cost. Tolerance allocation has been widely used to solve problem in selecting particular process or supplier. But before merely getting into the selection process, the company must first make a plan to analyse whether the component must be made in house (make), to be purchased from a supplier (buy), or used the combination of both. This paper discusses an optimization model of process and supplier selection in order to minimize the manufacturing costs and the fuzzy quality loss. This model can also be used to determine the allocation of components to the selected processes or suppliers. Tolerance, process capability and production capacity are three important constraints that affect the decision. Fuzzy quality loss function is used in this paper to describe the semantic of the quality, in which the product quality level is divided into several grades. The implementation of the proposed model has been demonstrated by solving a numerical example problem that used a simple assembly product which consists of three components. The metaheuristic approach were implemented to OptQuest software from Oracle Crystal Ball in order to obtain the optimal solution of the numerical example.

Improvement of the Mechanical Properties of 1022 Carbon Steel Coil by Using the Taguchi Method to Optimize Spheroidized Annealing Conditions.

PubMed

Yang, Chih-Cheng; Liu, Chang-Lun

2016-08-12

Cold forging is often applied in the fastener industry. Wires in coil form are used as semi-finished products for the production of billets. This process usually requires preliminarily drawing wire coil in order to reduce the diameter of products. The wire usually has to be annealed to improve its cold formability. The quality of spheroidizing annealed wire affects the forming quality of screws. In the fastener industry, most companies use a subcritical process for spheroidized annealing. Various parameters affect the spheroidized annealing quality of steel wire, such as the spheroidized annealing temperature, prolonged heating time, furnace cooling time and flow rate of nitrogen (protective atmosphere). The effects of the spheroidized annealing parameters affect the quality characteristics of steel wire, such as the tensile strength and hardness. A series of experimental tests on AISI 1022 low carbon steel wire are carried out and the Taguchi method is used to obtain optimum spheroidized annealing conditions to improve the mechanical properties of steel wires for cold forming. The results show that the spheroidized annealing temperature and prolonged heating time have the greatest effect on the mechanical properties of steel wires. A comparison between the results obtained using the optimum spheroidizing conditions and the measures using the original settings shows the new spheroidizing parameter settings effectively improve the performance measures over their value at the original settings. The results presented in this paper could be used as a reference for wire manufacturers.

Evaluating software development characteristics: Assessment of software measures in the Software Engineering Laboratory. [reliability engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basili, V. R.

1981-01-01

Work on metrics is discussed. Factors that affect software quality are reviewed. Metrics is discussed in terms of criteria achievements, reliability, and fault tolerance. Subjective and objective metrics are distinguished. Product/process and cost/quality metrics are characterized and discussed.

Non-Starch Polysaccharides in Wheat Flour Wire-Cut Cookie Making

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Non-starch polysaccharides in wheat flour have significant capacity to affect the processing quality of dough and the finished quality of wheat products. Most research has focused on the effects of arabinoxylans (AX) in bread making. We found that water-extractable arabinoxylan and arabinogalactan...

Careful logging, partial cutting and the protection of terrestrial and aquatic habitats

Treesearch

Daniel C. Dey

1994-01-01

Stand management activites influence (1) tree growth and quality; (2) stand structure, stocking and composition; (3) wildlife and aquatic habitat quality; and (4) long-term site productivity. The cumulative impacts of stand-level treatments affect ecosystem structure and function at the landscape level.

10 CFR 72.160 - Licensee and certificate holder inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.160 Licensee and certificate holder inspection. The licensee, applicant for... inspection of activities affecting quality by or for the organization performing the activity to verify.... Examinations, measurements, or tests of material or products processed must be performed for each work...

10 CFR 72.160 - Licensee and certificate holder inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.160 Licensee and certificate holder inspection. The licensee, applicant for... inspection of activities affecting quality by or for the organization performing the activity to verify.... Examinations, measurements, or tests of material or products processed must be performed for each work...

10 CFR 72.160 - Licensee and certificate holder inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.160 Licensee and certificate holder inspection. The licensee, applicant for... inspection of activities affecting quality by or for the organization performing the activity to verify.... Examinations, measurements, or tests of material or products processed must be performed for each work...

10 CFR 72.160 - Licensee and certificate holder inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.160 Licensee and certificate holder inspection. The licensee, applicant for... inspection of activities affecting quality by or for the organization performing the activity to verify.... Examinations, measurements, or tests of material or products processed must be performed for each work...

10 CFR 72.160 - Licensee and certificate holder inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.160 Licensee and certificate holder inspection. The licensee, applicant for... inspection of activities affecting quality by or for the organization performing the activity to verify.... Examinations, measurements, or tests of material or products processed must be performed for each work...

Evaluating the impact of ambient benzene vapor concentrations on product water from Condensation Water From Air technology.

PubMed

Kinder, Katherine M; Gellasch, Christopher A; Dusenbury, James S; Timmes, Thomas C; Hughes, Thomas M

2017-07-15

Globally, drinking water resources are diminishing in both quantity and quality. This situation has renewed interest in Condensation Water From Air (CWFA) technology, which utilizes water vapor in the air to produce water for both potable and non-potable purposes. However, there are currently insufficient data available to determine the relationship between air contaminants and the rate at which they are transferred from the air into CWFA untreated product water. This study implemented a novel experimental method utilizing an environmental test chamber to evaluate how air quality and temperature affects CWFA untreated product water quality in order to collect data that will inform the type of water treatment required to protect human health. This study found that temperature and benzene air concentration affected the untreated product water from a CWFA system. Benzene vapor concentrations representing a polluted outdoor environment resulted in benzene product water concentrations between 15% and 23% of the USEPA drinking water limit of 5μg/l. In contrast, product water benzene concentrations representing an indoor industrial environment were between 1.4 and 2.4 times higher than the drinking water limit. Lower condenser coil temperatures were correlated with an increased concentration of benzene in the product water. Environmental health professionals and engineers can integrate the results of this assessment to predict benzene concentrations in the product water and take appropriate health protective measures. Published by Elsevier B.V.

What do Canadian seniors say supports their quality of life? Findings from a national participatory research study.

PubMed

Bryant, Toba; Brown, Ivan; Cogan, Tara; Dallaire, Clemence; Laforest, Sophie; McGowan, Patrick; Raphael, Dennis; Richard, Lucie; Thompson, Loraine; Young, Joyce

2004-01-01

A national project investigated seniors' perceptions of the influences upon their quality of life. The seven participating cities were Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Regina, Vancouver and Whitehorse. The project focussed on policy decisions affecting the quality of life of seniors. It was a participatory study in which seniors controlled the direction and shape of the project in each city. Focus groups and individual interviews with seniors and stakeholders. Data analysis used qualitative methods to see the world through the eyes of participants. Each project was committed to hearing the voices of seniors and their views on which issues were affecting the quality of their lives. Across the seven cities, seniors highlighted access to information, health care, housing, income security, safety and security, social contacts and networks, and transportation as key issues that affect the quality of life of seniors in Canada. The findings affirm the value of participatory activities that involve seniors working with other sectors as a productive policy-informing approach. The Seniors' Quality of Life projects demonstrate the conceptual power of the determinants of health perspective to understand seniors' quality of life issues. While seniors considered health care to be a continuing concern, they also recognized socio-economic issues as significantly affecting the quality of their lives.

Evaluating climatic and non-climatic stresses for declining surface water quality in Bagmati River of Nepal.

PubMed

Panthi, Jeeban; Li, Fengting; Wang, Hongtao; Aryal, Suman; Dahal, Piyush; Ghimire, Sheila; Kabenge, Martin

2017-06-01

Both climatic and non-climatic factors affect surface water quality. Similar to its effect across various sectors and areas, climate change has potential to affect surface water quality directly and indirectly. On the one hand, the rise in temperature enhances the microbial activity and decomposition of organic matter in the river system and changes in rainfall alter discharge and water flow in the river ultimately affecting pollution dilution level. On the other hand, the disposal of organic waste and channelizing municipal sewage into the rivers seriously worsen water quality. This study attempts to relate hydro-climatology, water quality, and impact of climatic and non-climatic stresses in affecting river water quality in the upper Bagmati basin in Central Nepal. The results showed that the key water quality indicators such as dissolved oxygen and chemical oxygen demand are getting worse in recent years. No significant relationships were found between the key water quality indicators and changes in key climatic variables. However, the water quality indicators correlated with the increase in urban population and per capita waste production in the city. The findings of this study indicate that dealing with non-climatic stressors such as reducing direct disposal of sewerage and other wastes in the river rather than emphasizing on working with the effects from climate change would largely help to improve water quality in the river flowing from highly populated urban areas.

Physical quality characteristics of the microwave-dried breadfruit powders due to different processing conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taruna, I.; Hakim, A. L.; Sutarsi

2018-03-01

Production of breadfruit powder has been an option to make easy its uses in various food processing. Accordingly, there is a need recently to apply advanced drying method, i.e. microwave drying, for improving quality since conventional methods produced highly variable product quality and required longer process. The present work was aimed to study the effect of microwave power and grinding time on physical quality of breadfruit powders. The experiment was done initially by drying breadfruit slices in a microwave dryer at power level of 420, 540, and 720 W and then grinding for 3, 5, and 7 min to get powdery product of less than 80 mesh. The physical quality of breadfruit powders were measured in terms of fineness modulus (FM), average particle size (D), whiteness (WI), total color difference (ΔE), water absorption (Wa), oil absorption (La), bulk density (ρb) and consistency gel (Gc). The results showed that physical quality of powders and its ranged-values included the FM (2.08-2.62), D (0.44-0.68 mm), WI (75.2-77.9), ΔE (7.4-10.5), Wa (5.5-6.2 ml/g), La (0.7-0.9 ml/g), ρb (0.62-0.70 g/cm3) and Gc (41.3-46.8 mm). The experiment revealed that variation of microwave power and grinding time affected significantly the quality of the breadfruit powders. However, microwave power was more dominant factor to affect quality of breadfruit powder in comparison to the grinding time.

Effect of post-hatch transportation duration and parental age on broiler chicken quality, welfare, and productivity.

PubMed

Jacobs, Leonie; Delezie, Evelyne; Duchateau, Luc; Goethals, Klara; Ampe, Bart; Lambrecht, Evelien; Gellynck, Xavier; Tuyttens, Frank A M

2016-09-01

Broiler chicks are transported to production sites within one to 2 d post-hatch. Possible effects of this transportation are poorly understood and could vary among chicks from breeder flocks of different ages. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of transportation duration and parental flock age on chick welfare, productivity, and quality. After hatch in a commercial hatchery, 1,620 mixed-sex chicks from 29-wk old (young) and 1,620 chicks from 60-wk old (old) breeders were subjected to transportation of 1.5 h or 11 h duration. After transportation, 2,800 chicks were divided among 100 pens, with each pen containing 28 chicks from one transportation crate (2 or 3 pens per crate). From the remaining chicks, on average 6 chicks (min 4, max 8) per crate (n = 228) were randomly selected and assessed for chick quality, weighed, and culled for yolk sac weighing (one d). Chicks that had not been assigned to pens or were not used for post-transportation measurements, were removed from the experiment (n = 212). Mortality, ADG, BW, and feed conversion ( FC: ) of the experimental chicks were recorded until 41 d. Meat quality was measured for breast fillets (n = 47). No interaction effect of parental age and transportation duration was found for any variables. BW and yolk sac weight at one d were lower for chicks transported 11 h than 1.5 h and for chicks from young versus old breeders. The effect of parental flock age on BW persisted until slaughter. Additionally, parental age positively affected ADG until slaughter. Chick quality was lower in chicks from old versus young breeders. Chick quality and productivity were not affected by transportation duration. Mortality and meat quality were not affected by either parental age or transportation duration. To conclude, no long-term detrimental effects were found from long post-hatch transportation in chicks from young or old parent flocks. Based on these results, we suggest that 11 h post-hatch transportations under similar conditions do not impose long-term welfare or productivity risks. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Poultry Science Association.

Temperature affects long-term productivity and quality attributes of day-neutral strawberry for a space life-support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massa, Gioia D.; Chase, Elaine; Santini, Judith B.; Mitchell, Cary A.

2015-04-01

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa L.) is a promising candidate crop for space life-support systems with desirable sensory quality and health attributes. Day-neutral cultivars such as 'Seascape' are adaptable to a range of photoperiods, including short days that would save considerable energy for crop lighting without reductions in productivity or yield. Since photoperiod and temperature interact to affect strawberry growth and development, several diurnal temperature regimes were tested under a short photoperiod of 10 h per day for effects on yield and quality attributes of 'Seascape' strawberry during production cycles longer than 270 days. The coolest day/night temperature regime, 16°/8 °C, tended to produce smaller numbers of larger fruit than did the intermediate temperature range of 18°/10 °C or the warmest regime, 20°/12 °C, both of which produced similar larger numbers of smaller fruit. The intermediate temperature regime produced the highest total fresh mass of berries over an entire production cycle. Independent experiments examined either organoleptic or physicochemical quality attributes. Organoleptic evaluation indicated that fruit grown under the coolest temperature regime tended to score the highest for both hedonic preference and descriptive evaluation of sensory attributes related to sweetness, texture, aftertaste, and overall approval. The physicochemical quality attributes Brix, pH, and sugar/acid ratio were highest for fruits harvested from the coolest temperature regime and lower for those from the warmer temperature regimes. The cool-regime fruits also were lowest in titratable acidity. The yield parameters fruit number and size oscillated over the course of a production cycle, with a gradual decline in fruit size under all three temperature regimes. Brix and titratable acidity both decreased over time for all three temperature treatments, but sugar/acid ratio remained highest for the cool temperature regime over the entire production period. Periodic rejuvenation or replacement of strawberry propagules may be needed to maintain both quality and quantity of strawberry yield in space.

Climate change: a call for adaptation and mitigation strategies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Projected climate change is expected to substantially affect crop and livestock production, and water availability and quality. Concomitantly, the agricultural community is faced with a challenge of increasing food production by more than 70% to meet demand from global population increase by the mid...

Identifying and responding to factors that can affect egg quality and appearance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Many factors can influence egg quality and appearance. These factors will vary depending upon the housing environment, genetics, drugs, feed ingredients, or chemicals used in agriculture. As egg production methods become more varied—for example, changing from cage to free range—and as layer strains ...

The impact of volunteer rice infestation on rice yield and grain quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Volunteer rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a crop stand which emerges from shattered seeds of the previous crop. When present at sufficiently high levels, it can potentially affect the commercial market value of cultivated rice products, especially if it produces kernels with quality, uniformity, or size ...

Study of Integration Considerations for Wireless Emergency Alerts

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

affect adoption. Section 4 presents a list of overall considerations for integrating a WEA messaging solution into an existing emergency management...in a product may negatively affect another de- sired quality. This section offers considerations for balancing an organization’s priorities con... affect what emergency management agencies can, should, and must do with respect to conducting exercises and issuing alerts. More information about

A DISCUSSION OF THE GAP BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF NEW PRACTICES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LOEWENSTEIN, DUANE E.; AND OTHERS

A STUDY ON FARMERS' USE OF SUGGESTED PRACTICES IN HANDLING ALFALFA CROP PRODUCTION WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE (1) IF SELECTED PERSONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS MIGHT AFFECT HAY PRODUCTION METHODS, (2) IF A DISCREPANCY EXISTS BETWEEN THE FARMER'S LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE OF QUALITY HAY PRODUCTION PRACTICES AND HIS USE OF THESE PRACTICES, AND (3)…

An affective e-commerce design for SMEs product marketing based on kansei engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habyba, A. N.; Djatna, T.; Anggraeni, E.

2018-04-01

One of the SMEs problems in Indonesia in this information technology era is the inability to control the market. SMEs can use the e-commerce website to improve their competitiveness. It can be used as a marketing tool for SMEs to promote their products and expands the SMEs markets especially for the agroindustry SMEs where located in district area that still rely on local markets to sell their product. Some SMEs e-commerce websites have been developed in Indonesia but can not significantly increased the sales of SMEs product. Furthemore, the design of it is only able to meet the consumer need in function and usability. The development of e-commerce design should pay attention in high affective quality. This is because the affective responses effect the user’s perception of cognitive quality, usability and ease of use of e-commerce. This study is aimed to make e-commerce that can meet the affective needs of users. The result of Kansei words selection and extraction using TF-IDF are four design concepts of e-commerce website. The formulation of new SMEs e-commerce website design is resulted from the integration of four design concepts and four design elements. The “Natural-Formal” concept has the greatest value than other concepts after QTT-1 analysis. This concept can implemented as the new SMEs e-commerce website design.

Natural Products for Management of Oral Mucositis Induced by Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Aghamohamamdi, Azar; Hosseinimehr, Seyed Jalal

2015-01-01

Oral mucositis is a common side effect of systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy of head and neck in patients with cancer. Severe oral mucositis is painful and affects oral functions, including intake of food and medications and speech. Prevention of oral mucositis affects the life quality of patients. Recent studies have been focused on natural products to improve or reduce this complication. Many clinical trials have been performed to assess natural products for treatment of mucositis and their results are promising. The authors reviewed the evidence for natural products in the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis induced by radiation therapy and chemotherapy. PMID:26306626

Short-term alteration of nitrogen supply prior to harvest affects quality in hydroponic-cultivated spinach (Spinacia oleracea).

PubMed

Lin, Xian Yong; Liu, Xiao Xia; Zhang, Ying Peng; Zhou, Yuan Qing; Hu, Yan; Chen, Qiu Hui; Zhang, Yong Song; Jin, Chong Wei

2014-03-30

Quality-associated problems, such as excessive in planta accumulation of oxalate, often arise in soillessly cultivated spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Maintaining a higher level of ammonium (NH₄⁺) compared to nitrate (NO₃⁻) during the growth period can effectively decrease the oxalate content in hydroponically cultivated vegetables. However, long-term exposure to high concentrations of NH₄⁺ induces toxicity in plants, and thus decreases the biomass production. Short-term application of NH₄⁺ before harvesting in soilless cultivation may provide an alternative strategy to decrease oxalate accumulation in spinach, and minimise the yield reduction caused by NH₄⁺ toxicity. The plants were pre-cultured in 8 mmol L⁻¹ NO₃⁻ nutrient solution. Next, 6 days before harvest, the plants were transferred to a nutrient solution containing 4 mmol L⁻¹ NO₃⁻ and 4 mmol L⁻¹ NH₄⁺. This new mix clearly reduced oxalate accumulation, increased levels of several antioxidant compounds, and enhanced antioxidant capacity in the edible parts of spinach plants, but it did not affect biomass production. However, when the 8 mmol L⁻¹ NO₃⁻ was shifted to either nitrogen-free, 4 mmol L⁻¹ NH₄⁺ or 8 mmol L⁻¹ NH₄⁺ treatments, although some of the quality indexes were improved, yields were significantly reduced. Short-term alteration of nitrogen supply prior to harvest significantly affects quality and biomass of spinach plants, and we strongly recommend to simultaneously use NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ in hydroponic cultivation, which improves vegetable quality without decreasing biomass production. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Feel for Numbers: Affect, Data and Education Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sellar, Sam

2015-01-01

This article explores the relationship between commensuration and affect in various contexts of education policy. Commensuration is the process through which disparate qualities are transformed into a common metric and is central to the production of performance data. The rise of governance through numbers in education has resulted in a…

Child Care Recommendations for Honeywell Employees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Chris, Ed.

Quality child care is an issue affecting both an industry as a whole and the individuals within that industry. Employees' absenteeism, morale, and motivation are closely linked to concern for their child's well-being and this concern will ultimately affect both production and company success. In recognition of this issue, the Honeywell Corporation…

Energy, Weatherization and Indoor Air Quality

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Climate change presents many challenges, including the production of severe weather events. These events and efforts to minimize their effects through weatherization can adversely affect indoor environments.

Factors controlling reservoir quality in tertiary sandstones and their significance to geopressured geothermal production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loucks, R.G.; Richmann, D.L.; Milliken, K.L.

1981-01-01

Variable intensity of diagenesis is the factor primarily responsible for contrasting regional reservoir quality of Tertiary sandstones from the upper and lower Texas coast. Detailed comparison of Frio sandstone from the Chocolate Bayou/Danbury Dome area, Brazoria County, and Vicksburg sandstones from the McAllen Ranch Field area, Hidalgo County, reveals that extent of diagenetic modification is most strongly influenced by (1) detrital mineralogy and (2) regional geothermal gradients. The regional reservoir quality of Frio sandstones from Brazoria County is far better than that characterizing Vicksburg sandstones from Hidalgo County, especially at depths suitable for geopressured geothermal energy production. However, in predictingmore » reservoir quality on a site-specific basis, locally variable factors such as relative proportions for porosity types, pore geometry as related to permeability, and local depositional environment must also be considered. Even in an area of regionally favorable reservoir quality, such local factors can significantly affect reservoir quality and, hence, the geothermal production potential of a specific sandstone unit.« less

Real time monitoring of powder blend bulk density for coupled feed-forward/feed-back control of a continuous direct compaction tablet manufacturing process.

PubMed

Singh, Ravendra; Román-Ospino, Andrés D; Romañach, Rodolfo J; Ierapetritou, Marianthi; Ramachandran, Rohit

2015-11-10

The pharmaceutical industry is strictly regulated, where precise and accurate control of the end product quality is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the drug products. For such control, the process and raw materials variability ideally need to be fed-forward in real time into an automatic control system so that a proactive action can be taken before it can affect the end product quality. Variations in raw material properties (e.g., particle size), feeder hopper level, amount of lubrication, milling and blending action, applied shear in different processing stages can affect the blend density significantly and thereby tablet weight, hardness and dissolution. Therefore, real time monitoring of powder bulk density variability and its incorporation into the automatic control system so that its effect can be mitigated proactively and efficiently is highly desired. However, real time monitoring of powder bulk density is still a challenging task because of different level of complexities. In this work, powder bulk density which has a significant effect on the critical quality attributes (CQA's) has been monitored in real time in a pilot-plant facility, using a NIR sensor. The sensitivity of the powder bulk density on critical process parameters (CPP's) and CQA's has been analyzed and thereby feed-forward controller has been designed. The measured signal can be used for feed-forward control so that the corrective actions on the density variations can be taken before they can influence the product quality. The coupled feed-forward/feed-back control system demonstrates improved control performance and improvements in the final product quality in the presence of process and raw material variations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of air pollution control costs on the cost and spatial arrangement of cellulosic biofuel production in the U.S.

PubMed

Murphy, Colin W; Parker, Nathan C

2014-02-18

Air pollution emissions regulation can affect the location, size, and technology choice of potential biofuel production facilities. Difficulty in obtaining air pollutant emission permits and the cost of air pollution control devices have been cited by some fuel producers as barriers to development. This paper expands on the Geospatial Bioenergy Systems Model (GBSM) to evaluate the effect of air pollution control costs on the availability, cost, and distribution of U.S. biofuel production by subjecting potential facility locations within U.S. Clean Air Act nonattainment areas, which exceed thresholds for healthy air quality, to additional costs. This paper compares three scenarios: one with air quality costs included, one without air quality costs, and one in which conversion facilities were prohibited in Clean Air Act nonattainment areas. While air quality regulation may substantially affect local decisions regarding siting or technology choices, their effect on the system as a whole is small. Most biofuel facilities are expected to be sited near to feedstock supplies, which are seldom in nonattainment areas. The average cost per unit of produced energy is less than 1% higher in the scenarios with air quality compliance costs than in scenarios without such costs. When facility construction is prohibited in nonattainment areas, the costs increase by slightly over 1%, due to increases in the distance feedstock is transported to facilities in attainment areas.

Quality by control: Towards model predictive control of mammalian cell culture bioprocesses.

PubMed

Sommeregger, Wolfgang; Sissolak, Bernhard; Kandra, Kulwant; von Stosch, Moritz; Mayer, Martin; Striedner, Gerald

2017-07-01

The industrial production of complex biopharmaceuticals using recombinant mammalian cell lines is still mainly built on a quality by testing approach, which is represented by fixed process conditions and extensive testing of the end-product. In 2004 the FDA launched the process analytical technology initiative, aiming to guide the industry towards advanced process monitoring and better understanding of how critical process parameters affect the critical quality attributes. Implementation of process analytical technology into the bio-production process enables moving from the quality by testing to a more flexible quality by design approach. The application of advanced sensor systems in combination with mathematical modelling techniques offers enhanced process understanding, allows on-line prediction of critical quality attributes and subsequently real-time product quality control. In this review opportunities and unsolved issues on the road to a successful quality by design and dynamic control implementation are discussed. A major focus is directed on the preconditions for the application of model predictive control for mammalian cell culture bioprocesses. Design of experiments providing information about the process dynamics upon parameter change, dynamic process models, on-line process state predictions and powerful software environments seem to be a prerequisite for quality by control realization. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quality evaluation of cook-chilled chicory stems (Cichorium intybus L., Catalogna group) by conventional and sous vide cooking methods.

PubMed

Renna, Massimiliano; Gonnella, Maria; Giannino, Donato; Santamaria, Pietro

2014-03-15

Chicory stems, appreciated both raw and cooked, represent a nutritious and refined food. In this study the effects on the quality of stems cooked by conventional (boiling, steaming and microwaving) and innovative (sous vide) methods were analysed. Several physical, chemical and sensory traits were compared using two local varieties (Galatina and Molfettese) of southern Italy (Puglia region). Independently of the variety, the sous vide method did not significantly affect (redness, yellowness and hue angle) or had the least impact on (lightness and total colour difference) quality parameters among the four methods as compared with the raw product. Following sensory analysis, the sous vide product always showed the highest score among the cooking methods. Moreover, this innovative method did not affect total phenol (TP) content and antioxidant activity (AA) compared with uncooked stems of both varieties. Microwaving increased TP content and AA (though associated with higher weight loss), while different responses depending on the chicory variety were observed after boiling and steaming. The results indicate the sous vide technique as optimal to preserve several traits, including organoleptic ones, for the quality of cook-chilled chicory stems. They also provide product-specific information usually required for cooking process strategies in the industrial sector of ready-to-eat vegetables. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Improving spinach quality and reducing energy costs by retrofitting retail open refrigerated cases with doors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The prevalence of open-refrigerated display cases is ubiquitous in retail supermarkets, even in the face of the non-uniform temperature conditions present in these cases that may affect the quality and safety of the stored products. In this paper, the temperature variations ('T) of packaged ready-t...

Forestland development and private forestry with examples from Oregon (USA).

Treesearch

Jeffrey D. Kline; Ralph J. Alig

2005-01-01

Growing human populations inevitably lead to the conversion of some forestlands to more intensive developed uses. Resulting landscape changes can influence long-term timber production possibilities, and affect the quantity and quality of wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation and open spaces that contribute to people's quality of life. Anticipating the potential...

Quality Assurance in Software Development: An Exploratory Investigation in Software Project Failures and Business Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ichu, Emmanuel A.

2010-01-01

Software quality is perhaps one of the most sought-after attributes in product development, however; this goal is unattained. Problem factors in software development and how these have affected the maintainability of the delivered software systems requires a thorough investigation. It was, therefore, very important to understand software…

Genetic manipulation of miR156 for improvement of biomass production and forage quality in red clover

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is an important forage legume in the United States. Improving forage quality and biomass yield is an important goal of forage breeding programs. Plant development, particularly the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth, is an important factor affecting bio...

7 CFR 52.1008 - Absence of defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... MARKETING ACT OF 1946 PROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, PROCESSED PRODUCTS THEREOF, AND CERTAIN OTHER PROCESSED FOOD PRODUCTS 1 United States Standards for Grades of Dates Factors of Quality § 52.1008 Absence... sugars into alcohol and acetic acid by yeasts and bacteria. (21) Affected by mold is the presence of...

7 CFR 52.1008 - Absence of defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... MARKETING ACT OF 1946 PROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, PROCESSED PRODUCTS THEREOF, AND CERTAIN OTHER PROCESSED FOOD PRODUCTS 1 United States Standards for Grades of Dates Factors of Quality § 52.1008 Absence... sugars into alcohol and acetic acid by yeasts and bacteria. (21) Affected by mold is the presence of...

Effects of Starting Moisture on Characteristics of Oil Roasted Peanut

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Previous research has shown that the moisture content of peanuts before dry roasting affects the quality of the finished product. This study demonstrates the effects of the starting moisture content of the raw product on peanuts that were oil roasted. Scanning Electron Microscope images taken befo...

Estimating benthic secondary production from aquatic insect emergence in streams affected by mountaintop removal coal mining, West Virginia USA

EPA Science Inventory

Mountaintop removal and valley fill (MTR/VF) coal mining recountours the Appalachian landscape, buries headwater stream channels, and degrades downstream water quality. The goal of this study was to compare benthic community production estimates, based on seasonal insect emergen...

Impact of schistosomiasis on quality of life and productivity of workers.

PubMed

Kamel, M I; Moustafa, Y A; Foda, N; Khashab, S; Moemen, M; Abo el-Naga, R M

2002-01-01

The effect of schistosomiasis on quality of life (QOL) and productivity of workers was examined. In a textile factory in Alexandria, Egypt, personal, occupational and sociodemographic data were collected from 172 workers with schistosomiasis and 172 workers without schistosomiasis. Several indicators of productivity and the World Health Organization QOL brief were used to determine the impact of schistosomiasis. The disease affected the general, physical and independence, psychological and spiritual, and social domains of QOL. Although the productivity score of workers with schistosomiasis did not differ significantly from the control group, they had significantly lower additional hours of work and lower total incentives/month. A significant relationship was found between severity of schistosomiasis and QOL domains and productivity indicators.

Interactions of woody biofuel feedstock production systems with water resources: Considerations for sustainability

Treesearch

Carl C. Trettin; Devendra Amatya; Mark Coleman

2008-01-01

Water resources are important for the production of woody biofuel feedstocks. It is necessary to ensure that production systems do not adversely affect the quantity or quality of surface and ground water. The effects of woody biomass plantations on water resources are largely dependent on the prior land use and the management regime. Experience from both irrigated and...

Interactions of woody biofuel feedstock production systems with water resources: considerations for sustainability

Treesearch

Carl C. Trettin; Devendra Amatya; Mark Coleman

2008-01-01

Water resources are important for the production of woody biofuel feedstocks. It is necessary to ensure that production systems do not adversely affect the quantity or quality of surface and ground water. The effects of woody biomass plantations on water resources are largely dependent on the prior land use and the management regime. Experience from both irrigated and...

Quality and Quantity of Sorghum Hydroponic Fodder from Different Varieties and Harvest Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrisdiana, R.

2018-02-01

This experiment was designed to compare different varieties and harvest time of sorghum hydroponic fodder based on nutrient content and biomass production. Experimental design for fodder productivity was completely randomized design with 2 x 3 factorial, i.e., sorghum varieties (KD 4 and Super-1) and time of harvesting the sorghum hydroponic fodder (8,12 and 16 d). Total biomass and DM production, were affected significantly (p<0.05) on harvest time. Total biomass and nutrient content were increased in longer harvest time. The nutrient content were increased with decreasing total value of DM. Super-1 varieties produce larger biomass and nutrient content higher than KD4 (p<0.05). Based on sorghum hidroponic fodder quality and quantity, sorghum hidroponic fodder with Super-1 varieties harvested at 12 d had a good quality of fodder and it can be alternative of technology providing quality forage and land saving with a short time planting period and continous production.

Image recording requirements for earth observation applications in the next decade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peavey, B.; Sos, J. Y.

1975-01-01

Future requirements for satellite-borne image recording systems are examined from the standpoints of system performance, system operation, product type, and product quality. Emphasis is on total system design while keeping in mind that the image recorder or scanner is the most crucial element which will affect the end product quality more than any other element within the system. Consideration of total system design and implementation for sustained operational usage must encompass the requirements for flexibility of input data and recording speed, pixel density, aspect ratio, and format size. To produce this type of system requires solution of challenging problems in interfacing the data source with the recorder, maintaining synchronization between the data source and the recorder, and maintaining a consistent level of quality. Film products of better quality than is currently achieved in a routine manner are needed. A 0.1 pixel geometric accuracy and 0.0001 d.u. radiometric accuracy on standard (240 mm) size format should be accepted as a goal to be reached in the near future.

Effects of Cultural Assimilation in a Cross-Border M&A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Satoshi; Tamiya, Toshihiko; Fujimura, Shuzo

2010-06-01

This paper examines a merger of two companies with respect to the assimilation of corporate culture differences, particularly quality culture. The study aims to clarify the root cause of declines in quality ratings from customers after a merger despite maintaining products and services as they were before the merger, and whether cultural differences affect decision-making in a newly merged company. Examination is reported of the relationship between actions taken to assimilate quality culture and the resulting quality ratings given by customers, and analyzed is the time required to address quality incidents and the progress of cultural assimilation. A total of 301 incidents in the 5 years after a merger were analyzed, focusing on the time required to resolve the incidents. These empirical analyses reveal that the extent of cultural assimilation is associated with the speed of organizational decision-making and affects the quality ratings given by customers.

Total Quality Management in Construction

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-01

1989. I Ishikawa , Kaoru . Guide to Quality Control. White Plains, New York: Asian Productivity Organization, 1982. 5 Kelso, Frank B. II, Admiral...category are explored to determine the most significant causes which produce the effect. Figure 24 shows a typical cause-and effect diagram. Kaoru ... Ishikawa describes cause-and-effect diagrams as I an effective tool "to clearly illustrate the various causes I affecting quality by sorting out and relating

Quality By Design: Concept To Applications.

PubMed

Swain, Suryakanta; Padhy, Rabinarayan; Jena, Bikash Ranjan; Babu, Sitty Manohar

2018-03-08

Quality by Design is associated to the modern, systematic, scientific and novel approach which is concerned with pre-distinct objectives that not only focus on product, process understanding but also leads to process control. It predominantly signifies the design and product improvement and the manufacturing process in order to fulfill the predefined manufactured goods or final products quality characteristics. It is quite essential to identify desire and required product performance report such as Target Product Profile, typical Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP) and Critical Quality attributes (CQA). This review highlighted about the concepts of QbD design space, for critical material attributes (CMAs) as well as the critical process parameters that can totally affect the CQAs within which the process shall be unaffected and consistently manufacture the required product. Risk assessment tools and design of experiments are its prime components. This paper outlines the basic knowledge of QbD, the key elements; steps as well as various tools for QbD implementation in pharmaceutics field are presented briefly. In addition to this, quite a lot of applications of QbD in numerous pharmaceutical related unit operations are discussed and summarized. This article provides a complete data as well as the road map for universal implementation and application of QbD for pharmaceutical products. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Quality and nutritional properties of pasta products enriched with immature wheat grain.

PubMed

Casiraghi, Maria Cristina; Pagani, Maria Ambrogina; Erba, Daniela; Marti, Alessandra; Cecchini, Cristina; D'Egidio, Maria Grazia

2013-08-01

In this study, nutritional and sensory properties of pasta enriched with 30% immature wheat grain (IWG), a natural source of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), are evaluated. Colour and cooking quality, nutritional value and glycaemic index (GI) of pasta were assessed in comparison with commercially enriched inulin and 100% wholewheat pastas. IWG integration induced deep changes in colour, without negatively affecting the cooking quality of pasta, and promoted nutritional quality by increasing the fibre content; IWG pasta presented a remarkable leaching of FOS in cooking water, thus providing only 1 g of FOS per serving. IWG pastas showed a GI of 67 (dried) and 79 (fresh), not significantly different from commercial pasta products. IWG can be considered an interesting ingredient to obtain functional products 'naturally enriched' in FOS and fibre. Results about FOS leaching suggest that, in dealing with functional effects, the actual prebiotic content should be carefully considered on food 'as eaten'.

Quality properties of fruits as affected by drying operation.

PubMed

Omolola, Adewale O; Jideani, Afam I O; Kapila, Patrick F

2017-01-02

The increasing consumption of dried fruits requires further attention on the quality parameters. Drying has become necessary because most fruits are highly perishable owing to their high moisture content and the need to make them available all year round and at locations where they are not produced. In addition to preservation, the reduced weight and bulk of dehydrated products decreases packaging, handling and transportation costs. Quality changes associated with drying of fruit products include physical, sensory, nutritional, and microbiological. Drying gives rise to low or moderate glycemic index (GI) products with high calorie, vitamin and mineral contents. This review examines the nutritional benefits of dried fruits, protective compounds present in dried fruits, GI, overview of some fruit drying methods and effects of drying operations on the quality properties such as shrinkage, porosity, texture, color, rehydration, effective moisture diffusivity, nutritional, sensory, microbiological and shelf stability of fruits.

Grapevine bunch rots: impacts on wine composition, quality, and potential procedures for the removal of wine faults.

PubMed

Steel, Christopher C; Blackman, John W; Schmidtke, Leigh M

2013-06-05

Bunch rot of grape berries causes economic loss to grape and wine production worldwide. The organisms responsible are largely filamentous fungi, the most common of these being Botrytis cinerea (gray mold); however, there are a range of other fungi responsible for the rotting of grapes such as Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and fungi found in subtropical climates (e.g., Colletotrichum spp. (ripe rot) and Greeneria uvicola (bitter rot)). A further group more commonly associated with diseases of the vegetative tissues of the vine can also infect grape berries (e.g., Botryosphaeriaceae, Phomopsis viticola ). The impact these fungi have on wine quality is poorly understood as are remedial practices in the winery to minimize wine faults. Compounds found in bunch rot affected grapes and wine are typically described as having mushroom, earthy odors and include geosmin, 2-methylisoborneol, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-octen-1-ol, fenchol, and fenchone. This review examines the current state of knowledge about bunch rot of grapes and how this plant disease complex affects wine chemistry. Current wine industry practices to minimize wine faults and gaps in our understanding of how grape bunch rot diseases affect wine production and quality are also identified.

Loss of Work Productivity and Quality of Life in Patients With Autoimmune Bullous Dermatoses.

PubMed

Heelan, K; Hitzig, S L; Knowles, S; Drucker, A M; Mittmann, N; Walsh, S; Shear, N H

2015-01-01

Little is known about quality of life and work productivity in autoimmune bullous dermatoses (AIBDs). To determine the impact of AIBDs on quality of life and work productivity. An observational cross-sectional study took place between February and May 2013 at an AIBD tertiary referral centre. Ninety-four patients were included. All participants completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment-Specific Health Problem questionnaires. Responders to treatment had less impairment (P<.001) than nonresponders. Patients with severe AIBD had significantly more impairment that those with mild (P<.001) and moderate (P=.002) AIBD. Greater impairment was associated with higher percentage of work missed. Those with a higher Dermatology Life Quality Index score had greater work impairment and overall activity impairment (P=.041, P=.024). Nonresponders had increased impairment while working (P<.001), overall work impairment (P<.001), and activity impairment (P<.001). Severely affected patients had worse impairment in all Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire domains. AIBD has the potential to be a large burden on ability to work and quality of life. Larger studies are needed to clarify how these domains change over time and whether or not they improve with treatment. © The Author(s) 2015.

Authentic sheep meat in the European Union: Factors influencing and validating its unique meat quality.

PubMed

Erasmus, Sara W; Muller, Magdalena; Hoffman, Louwrens C

2017-05-01

Authentic meat products are gaining attention through their unique quality characteristics linked to their origin. Various factors are known to influence the quality of fresh meat. This review describes the different Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) lamb types and discusses the factors which influences its unique sensory and chemical characteristics. Flavour, aroma, texture and colour play an integral part in the sensory quality of denomination of origin fresh meat products. For authentic fresh sheep meat the sensory (as well as chemical) quality is largely influenced by diet followed by breed, age and gender. However, diet forms the link with the geographical area of origin, which together with the traditional production system and sheep breeds used, lends the product its authentic nature. This review shows how diet linked to origin can affect the quality of the meat and furthermore how other factors such as breed can also have an effect. Research relating to the authentic lamb types were evaluated and the shortcomings highlighted in order to assist with the development of PDO and PGI specifications in the future. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evacuated blood-collection tubes for haematological tests - a quality evaluation prior to their intended use for specimen collection.

PubMed

Gros, Nataša

2013-05-01

An inappropriate anticoagulant concentration in a blood sample can cause cell shrinkage and affect the haematocrit and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). In evacuated blood-collection tubes there are two parameters affecting the quality of the product: the anticoagulant amount introduced into the tube during its production and the internal under-pressure at the instant of the blood-specimen collection affecting the draw-volume. No testing procedures that would give an insight into the anticoagulant concentration that can be expected for blood samples after specimen collection have been available up until now. The methodology suggested here combines the draw-volume test performed with deionised water using a laboratory made measuring device, and a conductivity measurement. The corrections taking into account the air pressure and ambient temperature provide an insight into the anticoagulant concentration that can be expected for blood samples. Results presented in the form of a nomogram facilitate the routine use of the suggested methodology. Our 338-day study confirmed significant differences and variations in the quality and the anticoagulant concentrations of the K₃EDTA and K2EDTA tubes of different producers and identified different examples of non-compliance with the norms during the shelf life of the tubes. The quality evaluation of the evacuated blood-collection tubes prior to their intended use as suggested here can, in everyday laboratory practice, ensure that the tubes are used only if, and only until, their quality is adequate.

Adapting Buildings for Indoor Air Quality in a Changing Climate

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Climate change presents many challenges, including the production of severe weather events. These events and efforts to minimize their effects through weatherization can adversely affect indoor environments.

Interference Mitigation Effects on Synthetic Aperture Radar Coherent Data Products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Musgrove, Cameron

For synthetic aperture radars radio frequency interference from sources external to the radar system and techniques to mitigate the interference can degrade the quality of the image products. Usually the radar system designer will try to balance the amount of mitigation for an acceptable amount of interference to optimize the image quality. This dissertation examines the effect of interference mitigation upon coherent data products of fine resolution, high frequency synthetic aperture radars using stretch processing. Novel interference mitigation techniques are introduced that operate on single or multiple apertures of data that increase average coherence compared to existing techniques. New metricsmore » are applied to evaluate multiple mitigation techniques for image quality and average coherence. The underlying mechanism for interference mitigation techniques that affect coherence is revealed.« less

Conditions of transfer and quality of food.

PubMed

Southern, K J; Rasekh, J G; Hemphill, F E; Thaler, A M

2006-08-01

Many factors contribute to the production of safe foods of animal origin. Initiatives for an integrated approach to food safety recognise the importance of optimising transportation conditions to ensure on-farm interventions are preserved. Physical, microbial, and environmental hazards during the transportation process may adversely affect the safety and quality of meat, poultry, and egg products. Additionally, the stress level in animals can be raised by transportation conditions, potentially causing increased pathogen shedding in carrier animals which exposes other animals to possible contamination. The physiological effects of stress on animals can reduce the quality of meat, poultry, and egg products produced by the animals, thus decreasing the economic value of the animal. Increased globalisation of markets provides an incentive for transportation standards of food animals within a country as well as transportation standards between countries.

Variables affecting the propensity to buy branded beef among groups of Australian beef buyers.

PubMed

Morales, L Emilio; Griffith, Garry; Wright, Victor; Fleming, Euan; Umberger, Wendy; Hoang, Nam

2013-06-01

Australian beef consumers have different preferences given their characteristics and the effect on expected quality of cues related to health, production process and eating experience. Beef brands using Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grades can help to signal quality and reduce consumers' uncertainty when shopping. The objective of this study is to identify the characteristics of beef buyers and their perceptions about product attributes that affect the propensity to buy branded beef. Binary logistic models were applied identifying differences between all respondents and the potential target market, including buyers in medium to high income segments, and between buyers in the target market who would buy branded beef for taste and health reasons. Variables increasing the propensity to buy branded beef include previous experience, appreciation for branded cuts and concern about quality more than size. Finally, variations in preferences for marbling and cut were found between buyers who would buy branded beef for taste and health reasons. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] cultivated as tuber or leafy vegetable supplier as affected by elevated tropospheric ozone.

PubMed

Keutgen, Norbert; Keutgen, Anna J; Janssens, Marc J J

2008-08-13

Sweet potato cultivars respond differently to elevated tropospheric ozone concentrations of ca. 130 mug m (-3), 8 h a day for 4 weeks, which affects their selection for cultivation. In the first cultivar presented here, an adequate leafy vegetable supplier, the ozone load resulted in a shift of biomass to maintain the canopy at the expense of tuber development. Starch content of leaves was reduced, indicating an impairment of quality, but carotenoid content remained stable. The second cultivar may be grown for tuber production. Although the ratio tuber/plant remained stable under ozone, tuber yield and its starch content were significantly reduced. The lower starch content indicated a worse quality for certain industrial processing, but it is desirable for chip production. Elevated tropospheric ozone concentrations also influenced free amino acids and macronutrient contents of tubers, but these modifications were of minor significance for tuber quality in the second cultivar.

Effect of production variables on microbiological removal in locally-produced ceramic filters for household water treatment.

PubMed

Lantagne, Daniele; Klarman, Molly; Mayer, Ally; Preston, Kelsey; Napotnik, Julie; Jellison, Kristen

2010-06-01

Diarrhoeal diseases cause an estimated 1.87 million child deaths per year. Point-of-use filtration using locally made ceramic filters improves microbiological quality of stored drinking water and prevents diarrhoeal disease. Scaling-up ceramic filtration is inhibited by lack of universal quality control standards. We investigated filter production variables to determine their affect on microbiological removal during 5-6 weeks of simulated normal use. Decreases in the clay:sawdust ratio and changes in the burnable decreased effectiveness of the filter. Method of silver application and shape of filter did not impact filter effectiveness. A maximum flow rate of 1.7 l(-hr) was established as a potential quality control measure for one particular filter to ensure 99% (2- log(10)) removal of total coliforms. Further research is indicated to determine additional production variables associated with filter effectiveness and develop standardized filter production procedures prior to scaling-up.

Genetic Improvement of Switchgrass and Other Herbaceous Plants for Use as Biomass Fuel Feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vogel, K.P.

2001-01-11

It should be highly feasible to genetically modify the feedstock quality of switchgrass and other herbaceous plants using both conventional and molecular breeding techniques. Effectiveness of breeding to modify herbages of switchgrass and other perennial and annual herbaceous species has already been demonstrated. The use of molecular markers and transformation technology will greatly enhance the capability of breeders to modify the plant structure and cell walls of herbaceous plants. It will be necessary to monitor gene flow to remnant wild populations of plants and have strategies available to curtail gene flow if it becomes a potential problem. It also willmore » be necessary to monitor plant survival and long-term productivity as affected by genetic changes that improve forage quality. Information on the conversion processes that will be used and the biomass characteristics that affect conversion efficiency and rate is absolutely essential as well as information on the relative economic value of specific traits. Because most forage or biomass quality characteristics are highly affected by plant maturity, it is suggested that plant material of specific maturity stages be used in research to determining desirable feedstock quality characteristics. Plant material could be collected at various stages of development from an array of environments and storage conditions that could be used in conversion research. The same plant material could be used to develop NIRS calibrations that could be used by breeders in their selection programs and also to develop criteria for a feedstock quality assessment program. Breeding for improved feedstock quality will likely affect the rate of improvement of biomass production per acre. If the same level of resources are used, multi-trait breeding simply reduces the selection pressure and hence the breeding progress that can be made for a single trait unless all the traits are highly correlated. Since desirable feedstock traits are likely to be similar to IVDMD, it is likely that they will not be highly positively correlated with yield. Hence to achieve target yields and improve specific quality traits, it will likely be necessary to increase the resources available to plant breeders. Marker assisted selection will be extremely useful in breeding for quality traits, particularly for traits that can be affected by modifying a few genes. Genetic markers are going to be needed for monitoring gene flow to wild populations. Transformation will be a very useful tool for determining the affects of specific genes on biomass feedstock quality.« less

Effects of lighting pattern and photoperiod on egg production and egg quality of a native chicken under free-range condition.

PubMed

Geng, A L; Zhang, Y; Zhang, J; Wang, H H; Chu, Q; Liu, H G

2018-04-14

The paper aimed to study the effects of lighting pattern and photoperiod alone and in combination on egg production, egg quality in Beijing You Chicken (BYC). A total of 630 19-wk-old BYC laying hens were randomly allocated to 6 groups with 105 birds each, 3 replicates per group, reared in individually lit floor pens with separate outdoor areas. A 2 × 3 factorial experiment (2 lighting patterns: continuous and intermittent lighting; 3 photoperiods: 16, 14, 12 h) was arranged, including 16L:8D (6:00 to 22:00) for group 1; 12L:2D:4L:6D (6:00 to 18:00, 20:00 to 24:00) for group 2; 14L:10D (6:00 to 20:00) for group 3; 10L:2D:4L:8D (6:00 to 16:00, 18:00 to 22:00) for group 4; 12L:12D (6:00 to 18:00) for group 5, and 8L:4D:4L:8D (6:00 to 14:00, 18:00 to 22:00) for group 6, respectively. Egg production parameters were calculated for 22 to 43, 44 to 57, and 22 to 57 wk, and egg quality parameters were measured at the end of 37 and 57 wk. The results showed that the egg production of BYC was not significantly affected by lighting pattern, photoperiod alone, or in combination during 22 to 43 and 22 to 57 wk (P > 0.05), but average feed intake in 12 h groups was significantly higher than those in 14 and 16 h groups during 22 to 43 and 22 to 57 wk (P < 0.05). Egg mass and feed egg ratio were significantly affected by lighting pattern, photoperiod alone, and in combination during 44 to 57 wk (P < 0.05). Egg mass was significantly higher (P = 0.05) and feed egg ratio was significantly lower (P = 0.03) in continuous groups than in intermittent groups. There were significant effects for eggshell thickness, albumen height, haugh unit, and egg grade by lighting pattern alone (P < 0.05) at 37 wk. The study suggested that 1) the egg production was not significantly affected by lighting pattern alone during 22 to 57 wk (P > 0.05), but the photoperiod significantly affected average feed intake (P < 0.05); 2) continuous lighting is better for the egg production during 44 to 57 wk, and intermittent lighting is better for egg quality of the native bird at 37 wk; 3) 12 h lighting is enough for meeting the requirement of the native chicken during the laying period; (4) no change in photoperiod from the rearing to the production phase (12 to 12 L) will have long-lasting effects on egg production or egg quality under the present condition.

Operator agency in process intervention: tampering versus application of tacit knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Gestel, P.; Pons, D. J.; Pulakanam, V.

2015-09-01

Statistical process control (SPC) theory takes a negative view of adjustment of process settings, which is termed tampering. In contrast, quality and lean programmes actively encourage operators to acts of intervention and personal agency in the improvement of production outcomes. This creates a conflict that requires operator judgement: How does one differentiate between unnecessary tampering and needful intervention? Also, difficult is that operators apply tacit knowledge to such judgements. There is a need to determine where in a given production process the operators are applying tacit knowledge, and whether this is hindering or aiding quality outcomes. The work involved the conjoint application of systems engineering, statistics, and knowledge management principles, in the context of a case study. Systems engineering was used to create a functional model of a real plant. Actual plant data were analysed with the statistical methods of ANOVA, feature selection, and link analysis. This identified the variables to which the output quality was most sensitive. These key variables were mapped back to the functional model. Fieldwork was then directed to those areas to prospect for operator judgement activities. A natural conversational approach was used to determine where and how operators were applying judgement. This contrasts to the interrogative approach of conventional knowledge management. Data are presented for a case study of a meat rendering plant. The results identify specific areas where operators' tacit knowledge and mental model contribute to quality outcomes and untangles the motivations behind their agency. Also evident is how novice and expert operators apply their knowledge differently. Novices were focussed on meeting throughput objectives, and their incomplete understanding of the plant characteristics led them to inadvertently sacrifice quality in the pursuit of productivity in certain situations. Operators' responses to the plant are affected by their individual mental models of the plant, which differ between operators and have variable validity. Their behaviour is also affected by differing interpretations of how their personal agency should be applied to the achievement of production objectives. The methodology developed here is an integration of systems engineering, statistical analysis, and knowledge management. It shows how to determine where in a given production process the operator intervention is occurring, how it affects quality outcomes, and what tacit knowledge operators are using. It thereby assists the continuous quality improvement processes in a different way to SPC. A second contribution is the provision of a novel methodology for knowledge management, one that circumvents the usual codification barriers to knowledge management.

Evaluation of Methods for de novo Genome assembly from High-throughput Sequencing Reads Reveals Dependencies that Affect the Quality of the Results

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent developments in high-throughput sequencing technology have made low-cost sequencing an attractive approach for many genome analysis tasks. Increasing read lengths, improving quality and the production of increasingly larger numbers of usable sequences per instrument-run continue to make whole...

Forest fuels, prescribed fire, and air quality

Treesearch

J. Alfred Hall

1972-01-01

The combustion products (smoke) from forest wildfires or prescribed burns are often considered on a par with any other emission that might affect air quality. But enough is known about smoke from woody fuels to indicate that its importance is limited almost entirely to visibility obstruction, an effect that can be minimized by proper timing and preparation for burning...

A bird’s-eye view: Land-use planning and assessments in Oregon and Washington

Treesearch

Marie Oliver; Andrew Gray

2015-01-01

Developing forest lands and agricultural lands for other uses has wide-ranging implications. Land development can affect production from forest and agricultural lands, wildlife habitat quality, the spread of invasive species, water quality, wildfire control, and infrastructure costs. In its attempts to mitigate these effects, Oregon implemented statewide land-use...

A preliminary test of estimating forest site quality using species composition in a southern Appalachian watershed

Treesearch

W. Henry McNab; David L. Loftis

2013-01-01

Characteristic arborescent communities of mesophytic or xerophytic species have long been recognized as indicative of forest site quality in the Southern Appalachians, where soil moisture availability is the primary environmental variable affecting productivity. But, a workable quantitative system of site classification based on species composition is not available. We...

Relating instrumental texture, determined relating instrumental texture, determined attachments, to sensory analysis of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, fillets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Texture is one of the most important quality attributes of fish fillets, and accurate assessment of variation in this attribute, as affected by storage and handling, is critical in providing consistent quality product. Trout fillets received 4 treatments: 3-d refrigeration (R3), 7-d refrigeration (R...

30 CFR 250.303 - Facilities described in a new or revised Exploration Plan or Development and Production Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... exempt from further air quality review, the lessee shall use the highest annual-total amount of emissions... ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND... potential to significantly affect the air quality of an onshore area. To make these decisions, the Regional...

Lactic acid bacteria associated with a heat-processed pork product and sources of variation affecting chemical indices of spoilage and sensory characteristics.

PubMed

Laursen, B G; Byrne, D V; Kirkegaard, J B; Leisner, J J

2009-02-01

To evaluate the potential for developing a quality index for a Danish modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) heat-processed and naturally contaminated pork meat product stored at 5 degrees C. The composition of the predominating microflora and changes in contents of tyramine, arginine, organic acids and sensory characteristics were analysed. The microflora was predominated by Lactobacillus sakei, Leuconostoc carnosum and Carnobacterium divergens. The presence of each species varied between products and batches resulting in limited usefulness of the concentrations of these bacteria or their metabolites as indices of quality. Furthermore, the three species differed in their metabolic activities as shown by use of a model meat extract. However, when MAP storage of the processed pork product was followed by aerobic storage then acetic acid showed some potential as a chemical indicator of sensory quality. Variation in processing parameters and spoilage microbiota limited the usefulness of concentrations of micro-organisms and their metabolites as indices of spoilage for the studied processed MAP pork product. The present study contributes to an understanding of the difficulties experienced in developing quality indices to be used in the control of microbial spoilage of processed MAP meat products.

Construction and Application of Enhanced Remote Sensing Ecological Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Liu, C.; Fu, Q.; Yin, B.

2018-04-01

In order to monitor the change of regional ecological environment quality, this paper use MODIS and DMSP / OLS remote sensing data, from the production capacity, external disturbance changes and human socio-economic development of the three main factors affecting the quality of ecosystems, select the net primary productivity, vegetation index and light index, using the principal component analysis method to automatically determine the weight coefficient, construction of the formation of enhanced remote sensing ecological index, and the ecological environment quality of Hainan Island from 2001 to 2013 was monitored and analyzed. The enhanced remote sensing ecological index combines the effects of the natural environment and human activities on ecosystems, and according to the contribution of each principal component automatically determine the weight coefficient, avoid the design of the weight of the parameters caused by the calculation of the human error, which provides a new method for the operational operation of regional macro ecological environment quality monitoring. During the period from 2001 to 2013, the ecological environment quality of Hainan Island showed the characteristics of decend first and then rise, the ecological environment in 2005 was affected by severe natural disasters, and the quality of ecological environment dropped sharply. Compared with 2001, in 2013 about 20000 square kilometers regional ecological environmental quality has improved, about 8760 square kilometers regional ecological environment quality is relatively stable, about 5272 square kilometers regional ecological environment quality has decreased. On the whole, the quality of ecological environment in the study area is good, the frequent occurrence of natural disasters, on the quality of the ecological environment to a certain extent.

Influence of irrigation during the growth stage on yield and quality in mango (Mangifera indica L)

PubMed Central

Wei, Junya; Liu, Guoyin; Liu, Debing; Chen, Yeyuan

2017-01-01

Although being one of the few drought-tolerant plants, mango trees are irrigated to ensure optimum and consistent productivity in China. In order to better understand the effects of soil water content on mango yield and fruit quality at fruit growth stage, irrigation experiments were investigated and the object was to determine the soil water content criteria at which growth and quality of mango would be optimal based on soil water measured by RHD-JS water-saving irrigation system through micro-sprinkling irrigation. Five soil water content treatments (relative to the percentage of field water capacity) for irrigation (T1:79%-82%, T2:75%-78%, T3:71%-74%, T4: 65%-70%, T5:63%-66%) were compared in 2013. Amount of applied irrigation water for different treatments varied from 2.93m3 to 1.08 m3. The results showed that mango fruit production and quality at fruit growth stage were significantly affected under different irrigation water amounts. Variation in soil water content not only had effects on fruit size, but also on fruit yield. The highest fruit yield and irrigation water use efficiency were obtained from the T4 treatment. Irrigation water amount also affected fruit quality parameters like fruit total soluble solids, soluble sugar, starch, titratable acid and vitamin C content. Comprehensive evaluation of the effect of indexs of correlation on irrigation treatment by subordinate function showed that when the soil moisture content were controlled at about 65–70% of the field water moisture capacity, water demand in the growth and development of mango could be ensured, and maximum production efficiency of irrigation and the best quality of fruit could be achieved. In conclusion, treatment T4 was the optimum irrigation schedule for growing mango, thus achieving efficient production of mango in consideration of the compromise among mango yield, fruit quality and water use efficiency. PMID:28384647

Influence of irrigation during the growth stage on yield and quality in mango (Mangifera indica L).

PubMed

Wei, Junya; Liu, Guoyin; Liu, Debing; Chen, Yeyuan

2017-01-01

Although being one of the few drought-tolerant plants, mango trees are irrigated to ensure optimum and consistent productivity in China. In order to better understand the effects of soil water content on mango yield and fruit quality at fruit growth stage, irrigation experiments were investigated and the object was to determine the soil water content criteria at which growth and quality of mango would be optimal based on soil water measured by RHD-JS water-saving irrigation system through micro-sprinkling irrigation. Five soil water content treatments (relative to the percentage of field water capacity) for irrigation (T1:79%-82%, T2:75%-78%, T3:71%-74%, T4: 65%-70%, T5:63%-66%) were compared in 2013. Amount of applied irrigation water for different treatments varied from 2.93m3 to 1.08 m3. The results showed that mango fruit production and quality at fruit growth stage were significantly affected under different irrigation water amounts. Variation in soil water content not only had effects on fruit size, but also on fruit yield. The highest fruit yield and irrigation water use efficiency were obtained from the T4 treatment. Irrigation water amount also affected fruit quality parameters like fruit total soluble solids, soluble sugar, starch, titratable acid and vitamin C content. Comprehensive evaluation of the effect of indexs of correlation on irrigation treatment by subordinate function showed that when the soil moisture content were controlled at about 65-70% of the field water moisture capacity, water demand in the growth and development of mango could be ensured, and maximum production efficiency of irrigation and the best quality of fruit could be achieved. In conclusion, treatment T4 was the optimum irrigation schedule for growing mango, thus achieving efficient production of mango in consideration of the compromise among mango yield, fruit quality and water use efficiency.

Farm to abattoir conditions, animal factors and their subsequent effects on cattle behavioural responses and beef quality — A review

PubMed Central

Njisane, Yonela Zifikile; Muchenje, Voster

2017-01-01

The current review seeks to highlight the concerns that have been raised on pre-slaughter stress, contributing factors and its consequent effects on cattle behavioural responses and the quality of beef; inter-linking the activities involved from birth to slaughter. Such information is crucial in light of the consumer concerns on overall animal welfare, quality of meat and food security. Slaughter animals are exposed to different conditions during production and transportation to abattoirs on a daily basis. However; the majority of studies that have been done previously singled out different environments in the meat production chain, while conclusions have been made that the welfare of slaughter animals and the quality of meat harvested from them is dependent on the whole chain. Behaviour is a critical component used to evaluate the animals’ wellbeing and it has been reported to have an effect on product quality. Apart from the influence of on-farm, transportation and abattoir conditions, the genetic background of the animal also affects how it perceives and responds to certain encounters. Stress activates the animals’ hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity, triggering release of various stress hormones such as catecholamines and cortisol, thus glycogen depletion prior slaughter, elevated ultimate pH and poor muscle-meat conversion. Pre-slaughter stress sometimes results to cattle attaining bruises, resulting to the affected parts of the carcass being trimmed and condemned for human consumption, downgrading of the carcass and thus profit losses. PMID:27608639

Farm to abattoir conditions, animal factors and their subsequent effects on cattle behavioural responses and beef quality - A review.

PubMed

Njisane, Yonela Zifikile; Muchenje, Voster

2017-06-01

The current review seeks to highlight the concerns that have been raised on pre-slaughter stress, contributing factors and its consequent effects on cattle behavioural responses and the quality of beef; inter-linking the activities involved from birth to slaughter. Such information is crucial in light of the consumer concerns on overall animal welfare, quality of meat and food security. Slaughter animals are exposed to different conditions during production and transportation to abattoirs on a daily basis. However; the majority of studies that have been done previously singled out different environments in the meat production chain, while conclusions have been made that the welfare of slaughter animals and the quality of meat harvested from them is dependent on the whole chain. Behaviour is a critical component used to evaluate the animals' wellbeing and it has been reported to have an effect on product quality. Apart from the influence of on-farm, transportation and abattoir conditions, the genetic background of the animal also affects how it perceives and responds to certain encounters. Stress activates the animals' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity, triggering release of various stress hormones such as catecholamines and cortisol, thus glycogen depletion prior slaughter, elevated ultimate pH and poor muscle-meat conversion. Pre-slaughter stress sometimes results to cattle attaining bruises, resulting to the affected parts of the carcass being trimmed and condemned for human consumption, downgrading of the carcass and thus profit losses.

Recessive resistance to Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus in melon TGR 1551

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) reduces melon (Cucumis melo L.) fruit quality and yield in many parts of the world. Host plant resistance of melon to CYSDV is a high priority for sustainable melon production in affected production areas. High-level resistance to CYSDV exhibited by TG...

78 FR 20325 - 2013 Parenteral Drug Association/Food and Drug Administration Joint Regulatory Conference...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-04

... Quality and Compliance Throughout the Product Life Cycle in a Global Regulatory Environment AGENCY: Food... Environment.'' The conference will cover current issues affecting the industry as well as explore strategies... improvement of safe and effective medical products. The conference establishes a unique forum to discuss the...

Activities That Increase Germination and Establishment of Longleaf Pine Seedlings in Containers

Treesearch

James P. Barnett

2002-01-01

Critical to the successful production of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) container stock is use of high quality seeds that are properly prepared and sown. Uniformity in germination and establishment in containers makes nursery production easier and more profitable for the grower. Activities that affect seedling performance include: time of seed...

Complementary ecosystem services provided by pest predators and pollinators increase quantity and quality of coffee yields

PubMed Central

Classen, Alice; Peters, Marcell K.; Ferger, Stefan W.; Helbig-Bonitz, Maria; Schmack, Julia M.; Maassen, Genevieve; Schleuning, Matthias; Kalko, Elisabeth K. V.; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf

2014-01-01

Wild animals substantially support crop production by providing ecosystem services, such as pollination and natural pest control. However, the strengths of synergies between ecosystem services and their dependencies on land-use management are largely unknown. Here, we took an experimental approach to test the impact of land-use intensification on both individual and combined pollination and pest control services in coffee production systems at Mount Kilimanjaro. We established a full-factorial pollinator and vertebrate exclosure experiment along a land-use gradient from traditional homegardens (agroforestry systems), shaded coffee plantations to sun coffee plantations (total sample size = 180 coffee bushes). The exclusion of vertebrates led to a reduction in fruit set of ca 9%. Pollinators did not affect fruit set, but significantly increased fruit weight of coffee by an average of 7.4%. We found no significant decline of these ecosystem services along the land-use gradient. Pest control and pollination service were thus complementary, contributing to coffee production by affecting the quantity and quality of a major tropical cash crop across different coffee production systems at Mount Kilimanjaro. PMID:24500173

Complementary ecosystem services provided by pest predators and pollinators increase quantity and quality of coffee yields.

PubMed

Classen, Alice; Peters, Marcell K; Ferger, Stefan W; Helbig-Bonitz, Maria; Schmack, Julia M; Maassen, Genevieve; Schleuning, Matthias; Kalko, Elisabeth K V; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf

2014-03-22

Wild animals substantially support crop production by providing ecosystem services, such as pollination and natural pest control. However, the strengths of synergies between ecosystem services and their dependencies on land-use management are largely unknown. Here, we took an experimental approach to test the impact of land-use intensification on both individual and combined pollination and pest control services in coffee production systems at Mount Kilimanjaro. We established a full-factorial pollinator and vertebrate exclosure experiment along a land-use gradient from traditional homegardens (agroforestry systems), shaded coffee plantations to sun coffee plantations (total sample size = 180 coffee bushes). The exclusion of vertebrates led to a reduction in fruit set of ca 9%. Pollinators did not affect fruit set, but significantly increased fruit weight of coffee by an average of 7.4%. We found no significant decline of these ecosystem services along the land-use gradient. Pest control and pollination service were thus complementary, contributing to coffee production by affecting the quantity and quality of a major tropical cash crop across different coffee production systems at Mount Kilimanjaro.

Phenol induced by irradiation does not impair sensory quality of fenugreek and papaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Suchandra; Variyar, Prasad S.; Sharma, Arun

2013-11-01

The effect of radiation processing on the sensory quality of fenugreek and papaya exposed to doses in the range of 2.5-10 kGy and 100 Gy-2.5 kGy respectively was investigated. Despite an increase in the content of phenol in the volatile oil of these food products overall sensory quality of the irradiated and control samples was not significantly affected by radiation processing.

Pulmonary exposure to carbonaceous nanomaterials and sperm quality.

PubMed

Skovmand, Astrid; Jacobsen Lauvås, Anna; Christensen, Preben; Vogel, Ulla; Sørig Hougaard, Karin; Goericke-Pesch, Sandra

2018-01-31

Semen quality parameters are potentially affected by nanomaterials in several ways: Inhaled nanosized particles are potent inducers of pulmonary inflammation, leading to the release of inflammatory mediators. Small amounts of particles may translocate from the lungs into the lung capillaries, enter the systemic circulation and ultimately reach the testes. Both the inflammatory response and the particles may induce oxidative stress which can directly affect spermatogenesis. Furthermore, spermatogenesis may be indirectly affected by changes in the hormonal milieu as systemic inflammation is a potential modulator of endocrine function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pulmonary exposure to carbonaceous nanomaterials on sperm quality parameters in an experimental mouse model. Effects on sperm quality after pulmonary inflammation induced by carbonaceous nanomaterials were investigated by intratracheally instilling sexually mature male NMRI mice with four different carbonaceous nanomaterials dispersed in nanopure water: graphene oxide (18 μg/mouse/i.t.), Flammruss 101, Printex 90 and SRM1650b (0.1 mg/mouse/i.t. each) weekly for seven consecutive weeks. Pulmonary inflammation was determined by differential cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Epididymal sperm concentration and motility were measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Epididymal sperm viability and morphological abnormalities were assessed manually using Hoechst 33,342/PI flourescent and Spermac staining, respectively. Epididymal sperm were assessed with regard to sperm DNA integrity (damage). Daily sperm production was measured in the testis, and testosterone levels were measured in blood plasma by ELISA. Neutrophil numbers in the bronchoalveolar fluid showed sustained inflammatory response in the nanoparticle-exposed groups one week after the last instillation. No significant changes in epididymal sperm parameters, daily sperm production or plasma testosterone levels were found. Despite the sustained pulmonary inflammatory response, an eight week exposure to graphene oxide, Flammruss 101, Printex 90 and the diesel particle SRM1650b in the present study did not appear to affect semen parameters, daily sperm production or testosterone concentration in male NMRI mice.

Robustness testing in pharmaceutical freeze-drying: inter-relation of process conditions and product quality attributes studied for a vaccine formulation.

PubMed

Schneid, Stefan C; Stärtzel, Peter M; Lettner, Patrick; Gieseler, Henning

2011-01-01

The recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) legislation has introduced the evaluation of the Design Space of critical process parameters in manufacturing processes. In freeze-drying, a "formulation" is expected to be robust when minor deviations of the product temperature do not negatively affect the final product quality attributes. To evaluate "formulation" robustness by investigating the effect of elevated product temperature on product quality using a bacterial vaccine solution. The vaccine solution was characterized by freeze-dry microscopy to determine the critical formulation temperature. A conservative cycle was developed using the SMART™ mode of a Lyostar II freeze dryer. Product temperature was elevated to imitate intermediate and aggressive cycle conditions. The final product was analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Karl Fischer, and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC), and the life cell count (LCC) during accelerated stability testing. The cakes processed at intermediate and aggressive conditions displayed larger pores with microcollapse of walls and stronger loss in LCC than the conservatively processed product, especially during stability testing. For all process conditions, a loss of the majority of cells was observed during storage. For freeze-drying of life bacterial vaccine solutions, the product temperature profile during primary drying appeared to be inter-related to product quality attributes.

Physicochemical characterization of pure persimmon juice: nutritional quality and food acceptability.

PubMed

González, Eva; Vegara, Salud; Martí, Nuria; Valero, Manuel; Saura, Domingo

2015-03-01

Technological process for production of non-astringent persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb. cv. "Rojo Brillante") juice was described. The degree of fruit ripening expressed as color index (CI) varied between 12.37 and 16.33. Persimmon juice was characterized by determining physicochemical quality parameters as yield, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), organic acids, and main sugars. A thermal treatment of 90 ºC for 10 s was effective in controlling naturally occurring microorganisms for at least 105 d of storage without significantly affecting production of soluble brown pigments (BPs) and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF), total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant capacity and acceptability of juice by panelists. Storage time affected all and each of the above parameters, reducing BPs, TPC and antioxidant capacity but increasing 5-HMF content. Refrigerated storage enhanced the acceptability of the juices. This information may be used by the juice industry as a starting point for production of pure persimmon juices. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Seed diseases and seedborne pathogens of North America

Treesearch

Michelle Cram; Stephen Fraedrich

2010-01-01

Seedborne pathogenic fungi can greatly affect seed quality and cause diseases that impact seedling production in nurseries. Management strategies for the control of various seedborne diseases are based on the epidemiology of the diseases and the biology of the host and pathogen. This paper provides a brief review of seedborne fungal problems that affect conifer seeds...

Elevated CO2 induces substantial and persistent declines in forage digestibility and protein content irrespective of warming in mixed-grass prairie

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing atmospheric [CO2] and temperature are expected to affect the productivity, species composition, biogeochemistry, and therefore the quantity and quality of forage available to herbivores in rangeland ecosystems. Both elevated CO2 (eCO2) and warming affect plant tissue chemistry through mul...

Fetal programming in meat production.

PubMed

Du, Min; Wang, Bo; Fu, Xing; Yang, Qiyuan; Zhu, Mei-Jun

2015-11-01

Nutrient fluctuations during the fetal stage affects fetal development, which has long-term impacts on the production efficiency and quality of meat. During the early development, a pool of mesenchymal progenitor cells proliferate and then diverge into either myogenic or adipogenic/fibrogenic lineages. Myogenic progenitor cells further develop into muscle fibers and satellite cells, while adipogenic/fibrogenic lineage cells develop into adipocytes, fibroblasts and resident fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells. Enhancing the proliferation and myogenic commitment of progenitor cells during fetal development enhances muscle growth and lean production in offspring. On the other hand, promoting the adipogenic differentiation of adipogenic/fibrogenic progenitor cells inside the muscle increases intramuscular adipocytes and reduces connective tissue, which improves meat marbling and tenderness. Available studies in mammalian livestock, including cattle, sheep and pigs, clearly show the link between maternal nutrition and the quantity and quality of meat production. Similarly, chicken muscle fibers develop before hatching and, thus, egg and yolk sizes and hatching temperature affect long-term growth performance and meat production of chicken. On the contrary, because fishes are able to generate new muscle fibers lifelong, the impact of early nutrition on fish growth performance is expected to be minor, which requires further studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Sequential Environmental and Harvest Stressors on the Sensory Characteristics of Cultured Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Fillets.

PubMed

Ciaramella, Michael A; Kim, Taejo; Avery, Jimmy L; Allen, Peter J; Schilling, M Wes

2016-08-01

Stress during fish culture alters physiological homeostasis and affects fillet quality. Maintenance of high-quality seafood is important to ensure the production of a marketable product. This study assessed how sequential stressors affect the sensory and quality characteristics of catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fillets. Three stress trials were conducted where temperature (25 or 33 °C) and dissolved oxygen (DO, approximately 2.5 or >5 mg/L) were manipulated followed by socking and transport stress. After each stage of harvest (environmental stress, socking, and transport), fillet yield, consumer acceptability, descriptive evaluation, cook loss, tenderness, and pH were evaluated. Fillet yield decreased with increasing severity of environmental stress. Fillets from the severe stress treatment (33 °C, approximately 2.5 mg/L) received the highest acceptability scores (P < 0.05). Control fillets (25 °C, >5 mg/L) were the least acceptable (P < 0.05). Increased intensity of less favorable flavor attributes commonly associated with catfish resulted in the differences in acceptability among treatments. As fish progressed through the harvest event, cook loss decreased, tenderness increased, and pH increased, indicating that stress induced textural changes. The data suggest that although environmental stress results in slight changes in flavor attributes, its effects on acceptability are minor with fillets from all treatments still liked (>6 on a 9 point scale). Socking and transport were identified to positively affect textural characteristics of catfish fillets. Although the effects observed were not likely to negatively impact consumer acceptance, a strict management plan should be followed to maintain consistency in the product and avoid changes in stressors that might alter quality more drastically. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

MODELING PHYSICAL HABITAT PARAMETERS

EPA Science Inventory

Salmonid populations can be affected by alterations in stream physical habitat. Fish productivity is determined by the stream's physical habitat structure ( channel form, substrate distribution, riparian vegetation), water quality, flow regime and inputs from the watershed (sedim...

Use of artificial intelligence in the production of high quality minced meat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapovsky, B. R.; Pchelkina, V. A.; Plyasheshnik, P. I.; Dydykin, A. S.; Lazarev, A. A.

2017-09-01

A design for an automatic line for minced meat production according to new production technology based on an innovative meat milling method is proposed. This method allows the necessary degree of raw material comminution at the stage of raw material preparation to be obtained, which leads to production intensification due to the traditional meat mass comminution equipment being unnecessary. To ensure consistent quality of the product obtained, the use of on-line automatic control of the technological process for minced meat production is envisaged. This system has been developed using artificial intelligence methods and technologies. The system is trainable during the operation process, adapts to changes in processed raw material characteristics and to external impacts that affect the system operation, and manufactures meat shavings with minimal dispersion of the typical particle size. The control system includes equipment for express analysis of the chemical composition of the minced meat and its temperature after comminution. In this case, the minced meat production process can be controlled strictly as a function of time, which excludes subjective factors for assessing the degree of finished product readiness. This will allow finished meat products with consistent, targeted high quality to be produced.

Effects of process parameters on the molding quality of the micro-needle array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Z. J.; Ma, Z.; Gao, S.

2016-07-01

Micro-needle array, which is used in medical applications, is a kind of typical injection molded products with microstructures. Due to its tiny micro-features size and high aspect ratios, it is more likely to produce short shots defects, leading to poor molding quality. The injection molding process of the micro-needle array was studied in this paper to find the effects of the process parameters on the molding quality of the micro-needle array and to provide theoretical guidance for practical production of high-quality products. With the shrinkage ratio and warpage of micro needles as the evaluation indices of the molding quality, the orthogonal experiment was conducted and the analysis of variance was carried out. According to the results, the contribution rates were calculated to determine the influence of various process parameters on molding quality. The single parameter method was used to analyse the main process parameter. It was found that the contribution rate of the holding pressure on shrinkage ratio and warpage reached 83.55% and 94.71% respectively, far higher than that of the other parameters. The study revealed that the holding pressure is the main factor which affects the molding quality of micro-needle array so that it should be focused on in order to obtain plastic parts with high quality in the practical production.

Nitrite-cured color and phosphate-mediated water binding of pork muscle proteins as affected by calcium in the curing solution.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Xiong, Youling L

2012-07-01

Calcium is a mineral naturally present in water and may be included into meat products during processing thereby influencing meat quality. Phosphates improve myofibril swelling and meat water-holding capacity (WHC) but can be sensitive to calcium precipitation. In this study, pork shoulder meat was used to investigate the impact of calcium at 0, 250, and 500 ppm and phosphate type [sodium pyrophosphate (PP), tripolyphosphate (TPP), and hexametaphopshate (HMP)] at 10 mM on nitrite-cured protein extract color at various pH levels (5.5, 6.0, and 6.5) and crude myofibril WHC at pH 6.0. Neither calcium nor phosphates present in the curing brines significantly affected the cured color. Increasing the pH tended to promote the formation of metmyoglobin instead of nitrosylmyoglobin. The ability of PP to enhance myofibril WHC was hampered (P < 0.05) by increasing the calcium concentration due to PP precipitation. Calcium also decreased the solubility of TPP but did not influence its enhancement of WHC. On the other hand, HMP was more tolerant of calcium but the soluble Ca-HMP complex was less effective than free HMP to promote water binding by myofibrils. The depressed muscle fiber swelling responding to added calcium as evidenced by phase contrast microscopy substantiated, to a certain extent, the deleterious effect of calcium, suggesting that hardness of curing water can significantly affect the quality of cured meat products. Although not affecting nitrite-cured color, calcium hampers the efficacy of phosphates to promote water binding by muscle proteins, underscoring the importance of water quality for brine-enhanced meat products. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

[Counterfeit medicines: a growing threat].

PubMed

Barbereau, S

2006-12-01

The medical drug market has undergone considerable transformation in recent years. Like other products, medicines have been affected by globalization. Free trade policies have had a number of negative effects including a reduction in quality control not only for some products but also for raw materials and finished products. The global environment has also created conditions conducive to counterfeit medicines. The term counterfeit medicine is defined differently from one country to another in terms of quality, legality and fraudulent intent. This situation prompted the WHO to propose the following definition: "A counterfeit medicine is one which is deliberately and fraudulently mislabeled with respect to identity and/or source. Counterfeiting can apply to both branded and generic products and counterfeit products may include products with the correct ingredients or with the wrong ingredients, without active ingredients, with insufficient active ingredients or with fake packaging." Weak pharmaceutical regulation often compounded by widespread corruption in developing countries has greatly facilitated the development of this illicit market with harmful and costly effects on public health. Due to the lack of pharmocovigilance accidents involving use of counterfeit drugs go unreported. For this reason it is not possible to measure the economic impact. While counterfeiting has become a major threat in developing countries, it also affects industrialized countries. Fraudulent behavior occurs all over the world.

Transient dynamics in trial-offer markets with social influence: Trade-offs between appeal and quality

PubMed Central

Altszyler, Edgar; Berbeglia, Franco; Van Hentenryck, Pascal

2017-01-01

We study a trial-offer market where consumers may purchase one of two competing products. Consumer preferences are affected by the products quality, their appeal, and their popularity. While the asymptotic convergence or stationary states of these, and related dynamical systems, has been vastly studied, the literature regarding the transitory dynamics remains surprisingly sparse. To fill this gap, we derive a system of Ordinary Differential Equations, which is solved exactly to gain insight into the roles played by product qualities and appeals in the market behavior. We observe a logarithmic tradeoff between quality and appeal for medium and long-term marketing strategies: The expected market shares remain constant if a decrease in quality is followed by an exponential increase in the product appeal. However, for short time horizons, the trade-off is linear. Finally, we study the variability of the dynamics through Monte Carlo simulations and discover that low appeals may result in high levels of variability. The model results suggest effective marketing strategies for short and long time horizons and emphasize the significance of advertising early in the market life to increase sales and predictability. PMID:28746334

Transient dynamics in trial-offer markets with social influence: Trade-offs between appeal and quality.

PubMed

Altszyler, Edgar; Berbeglia, Franco; Berbeglia, Gerardo; Van Hentenryck, Pascal

2017-01-01

We study a trial-offer market where consumers may purchase one of two competing products. Consumer preferences are affected by the products quality, their appeal, and their popularity. While the asymptotic convergence or stationary states of these, and related dynamical systems, has been vastly studied, the literature regarding the transitory dynamics remains surprisingly sparse. To fill this gap, we derive a system of Ordinary Differential Equations, which is solved exactly to gain insight into the roles played by product qualities and appeals in the market behavior. We observe a logarithmic tradeoff between quality and appeal for medium and long-term marketing strategies: The expected market shares remain constant if a decrease in quality is followed by an exponential increase in the product appeal. However, for short time horizons, the trade-off is linear. Finally, we study the variability of the dynamics through Monte Carlo simulations and discover that low appeals may result in high levels of variability. The model results suggest effective marketing strategies for short and long time horizons and emphasize the significance of advertising early in the market life to increase sales and predictability.

Does Specific Instruction during Collecting from Several Sources Affect the Quality of the Written Text Product?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilbig, Annemarie; Proske, Antje

2014-01-01

Although academic writing is a complex interplay of comprehending and producing text the aspect of collecting information from source texts is hardly addressed in writing research. This study examined the impact of instructions supporting the collection process on writing quality, as well as the role of prior motivation and computer experience.…

Brand Name, Store Image, and Country-of-Origin: The Effects on Consumers' Perception of Quality and Price.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Margaret C. A.

1993-01-01

A review of literature indicated that, with regard to brand labels, consumers' perception of price, but not of quality, was affected. Consumers expected to pay more for goods bought in a higher status store and rated imported goods as being more expensive than domestically produced goods. Products from developing countries received lower quality…

Intensive management influence on Douglas-fir stem form, branch characteristics, and simulated product recovery

Treesearch

A.R. Weiskittel; R.A. Monserud; R. Rose; E.C. Turnblom; Douglas A. Maguire

2006-01-01

Intensive management may adversely affect lumber yield and quality by increasing knot size and creating a more conical stem form with a greater average rate of taper. This study was initiated to examine the impact of management on simulated lumber yield and quality. Stem diameter and branch size and location of 223 Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.)...

Setting limits: Using air pollution thresholds to protect and restore U.S

Treesearch

Mark E Fenn; Kathleen F. Lambert; Tamara F. Blett; Douglas A. Burns; Linda H. Pardo; Gary M. Lovett; Richard A. Haeuber; David C. Evers; Charles T. Driscoll; Dean S. Jeffries

2011-01-01

More than four decades of research provide unequivocal evidence that sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury pollution have altered, and will continue to alter, our nation’s lands and waters. The emission and deposition of air pollutants harm native plants and animals, degrade water quality, affect forest productivity, and are damaging to human health. Many air quality policies...

Rootstock and fruit canopy position affect peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] (cv. Rich May) plant productivity and fruit sensorial and nutritional quality.

PubMed

Gullo, Gregorio; Motisi, Antonio; Zappia, Rocco; Dattola, Agostino; Diamanti, Jacopo; Mezzetti, Bruno

2014-06-15

The right combination of rootstock and training system is important for increased yield and fruit sensorial and nutritional homogeneity and quality with peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. We investigated the effects of rootstock and training system on these parameters, testing the effect of vigorous GF677 and weaker Penta rootstock on 'Rich May' peach cultivar. Fruit position effects regarding photosynthetically active radiation availability, along the canopy profile using the Y training system, were investigated. The positive relationships between total polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity according to canopy vigour and architecture were determined for the two scion/stock combinations. Changes in fruit epicarp colour and content of bioactive compounds were also determined. Lower-vigour trees from Penta rootstock grafting yielded larger fruit with improved skin overcolour, and greater total polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity. GF677 rootstock produced more vigorous trees with fruit with lower sensorial and nutritional parameters. Canopy position strongly affects fruit sensorial and nutritional qualities. These data define potential for improvements to peach production efficiency and fruit quality, particularly for southern Europe peach cultivation conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

19 CFR Appendix B to Part 191 - Sample Formats for Applications for Specific Manufacturing Drawback Rulings

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... merchandise. Fluctuations in the market value resulting from factors other than quality will not affect the.... List all of the products. State that you will record the market value of each product at the time it is... the corporate organization by succession or reincorporation; 5. Keep this application current by...

Effects of Verbal Behavior within Curriculum Development Committees on the Curriculum Product.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talmage, Harriet

An attempt was made to ascertain what type of verbal interaction behavior manifested by a group given a problem in curriculum development affects the quality of the product. Thirty ad hoc groups, selected randomly, were given curriculum development tasks to solve. Curriculum Guide Form (CGF) and Bales' Interaction Process Analysis (IPA) were used…

Software for improving the quality of project management, a case study: international manufacture of electrical equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preradović, D. M.; Mićić, Lj S.; Barz, C.

2017-05-01

Production conditions in today’s world require software support at every stage of production and development of new products, for quality assurance and compliance with ISO standards. In addition to ISO standards such as usual metrics of quality, companies today are focused on other optional standards, such as CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integrated) or prescribing they own standards. However, while there is intensive progress being made in the PM (project management), there is still a significant number of projects, at the global level, that are failures. These have failed to achieve their goals, within budget or timeframe. This paper focuses on checking the role of software tools through the rate of success in projects implemented in the case of internationally manufactured electrical equipment. The results of this research show the level of contribution of the project management software used to manage and develop new products to improve PM processes and PM functions, and how selection of the software tools affects the quality of PM processes and successfully completed projects.

The effect of sea-water and fresh-water soaking on the hedonic test of Eucheuma sp. syrup and pudding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novianty, H.; Herandarudewi, S. M. C.

2018-04-01

Seaweed is a non-fishery marine commodity that has great opportunities to be developed in Indonesia. One of the seaweed with a high economic value is Eucheuma alvarezii. This seaweed can be used as an additional material in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products or directly used for syrup and pudding. Post-harvest technique conducted by the seaweed farmers will affects the quality of dried and processed products. The purpose of this study is to see the effect of post harvest technique on the quality of dried seaweed and hedonic test (favorable test) of processed product (syrup and pudding). This study was conducted using descriptive method. The study compared dried, syrup, and puddings from two differents post-harvest technique, between salt and fresh-water draining products. The results showed that fresh-water draining technique obtained better quality results organoleptic test. Supported by hedonic test, that showed more panelists were prefered the fresh-water drained products of syrup and pudding. The preference were much higher for the fresh-water drained products in all three catagories of color, taste, and smell.

POWDER COAT APPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The report discusses an investigation of critical factors that affect the use of powder coatings on the environment, cost, quality, and production. The investigation involved a small business representative working with the National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence (ND...

The remote supervisory and controlling experiment system of traditional Chinese medicine production based on Fieldbus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Jinliang; Lu, Pei

2006-11-01

Since the quality of traditional Chinese medicine products are affected by raw material, machining and many other factors, it is difficult for traditional Chinese medicine production process especially the extracting process to ensure the steady and homogeneous quality. At the same time, there exist some quality control blind spots due to lacking on-line quality detection means. But if infrared spectrum analysis technology was used in traditional Chinese medicine production process on the basis of off-line analysis to real-time detect the quality of semi-manufactured goods and to be assisted by advanced automatic control technique, the steady and homogeneous quality can be obtained. It can be seen that the on-line detection of extracting process plays an important role in the development of Chinese patent medicines industry. In this paper, the design and implement of a traditional Chinese medicine extracting process monitoring experiment system which is based on PROFIBUS-DP field bus, OPC, and Internet technology is introduced. The system integrates intelligence node which gathering data, superior sub-system which achieving figure configuration and remote supervisory, during the process of traditional Chinese medicine production, monitors the temperature parameter, pressure parameter, quality parameter etc. And it can be controlled by the remote nodes in the VPN (Visual Private Network). Experiment and application do have proved that the system can reach the anticipation effect fully, and with the merits of operational stability, real-time, reliable, convenient and simple manipulation and so on.

The robust design for improving crude palm oil quality in Indonesian Mill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maretia Benu, Siti; Sinulingga, Sukaria; Matondang, Nazaruddin; Budiman, Irwan

2018-04-01

This research was conducted in palm oil mill in Sumatra Utara Province, Indonesia. Currently, the main product of this mill is Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and hasn’t met the expected standard quality. CPO is the raw material for many fat derivative products. The generally stipulated quality criteria are dirt count, free fatty acid, and moisture of CPO. The aim of this study is to obtain the optimal setting for factor’s affect the quality of CPO. The optimal setting will result in an improvement of product’s quality. In this research, Experimental Design with Taguchi Method is used. Steps of this method are identified influence factors, select the orthogonal array, processed data using ANOVA test and signal to noise ratio, and confirmed the research using Quality Loss Function. The result of this study using Taguchi Method is to suggest to set fruit maturity at 75.4-86.9%, digester temperature at 95°C and press at 21 Ampere to reduce quality deviation until 42.42%.

Effect of water source and trout strain on expression of stress-affected genes in a commercial setting

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reduced water quality is a common problem in intensive fish culture that limits production and can affect fish mortality. In this study, two strains of juvenile rainbow trout (approximately 210 g initial weight) were exposed to 1st, 3rd, and 5th use water from raceways (the source spring and after t...

Trade-offs and Opportunities in the Nexus of Energy and Water-for-Food

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosegrant, M. W.

2015-12-01

The world economy is under pressure for greater, more efficient and more sustainable use of natural resources to meet complementary and competing objectives in the energy, water, and food sectors. Increasing national, regional, and seasonal water scarcities in much of the world pose severe challenges for national governments, the international development community, and ultimately, for individual water users. This presentation assesses the nexus between energy and water, with an emphasis on the interactions and trade-offs between energy and water for food production. It examines the impact of biofuel production on water quantity and quality, and the potential for hydropower potential to meet energy challenges while expanding irrigation water supplies and food production potential, thereby enhancing global food security. Biofuel production affects both water quantity and quality. Expanding production of biofuels—through either crop-based production systems or direct biomass production—can significantly increase demand for water as more acreage is planted or the crop mix begins to favor thirstier crops; water demand for bio-refineries creates additional competition with agricultural water use. Water quality can also be adversely affected by increased acreage for fertilizer-intensive crops, such as maize or sugarcane, which can result in increased nitrate run-off and soil erosion. Hydropower has become a relatively forgotten part of the energy-water security picture that deserves renewed attention. Unlike biofuels, hydropower does not normally compete with agricultural water. Instead, development of hydropower could complement food production by developing dam structures and power that also provide irrigation water and support its distribution for growing food crops. But balanced hydropower policies require consideration of potential trade-offs with environmental and social impacts.

Engineering high α-amylase levels in wheat grain lowers Falling Number but improves baking properties.

PubMed

Ral, Jean-Philippe; Whan, Alex; Larroque, Oscar; Leyne, Emmett; Pritchard, Jeni; Dielen, Anne-Sophie; Howitt, Crispin A; Morell, Matthew K; Newberry, Marcus

2016-01-01

Late maturity α-amylase (LMA) and preharvest sprouting (PHS) are genetic defects in wheat. They are both characterized by the expression of specific isoforms of α-amylase in particular genotypes in the grain prior to harvest. The enhanced expression of α-amylase in both LMA and PHS results in a reduction in Falling Number (FN), a test of gel viscosity, and subsequent downgrading of the grain, along with a reduced price for growers. The FN test is unable to distinguish between LMA and PHS; thus, both defects are treated similarly when grain is traded. However, in PHS-affected grains, proteases and other degradative process are activated, and this has been shown to have a negative impact on end product quality. No studies have been conducted to determine whether LMA is detrimental to end product quality. This work demonstrated that wheat in which an isoform α-amylase (TaAmy3) was overexpressed in the endosperm of developing grain to levels of up to 100-fold higher than the wild-type resulted in low FN similar to those seen in LMA- or PHS-affected grains. This increase had no detrimental effect on starch structure, flour composition and enhanced baking quality, in small-scale 10-g baking tests. In these small-scale tests, overexpression of TaAmy3 led to increased loaf volume and Maillard-related browning to levels higher than those in control flours when baking improver was added. These findings raise questions as to the validity of the assumption that (i) LMA is detrimental to end product quality and (ii) a low FN is always indicative of a reduction in quality. This work suggests the need for a better understanding of the impact of elevated expression of specific α-amylase on end product quality. © 2015 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Process service quality evaluation based on Dempster-Shafer theory and support vector machine.

PubMed

Pei, Feng-Que; Li, Dong-Bo; Tong, Yi-Fei; He, Fei

2017-01-01

Human involvement influences traditional service quality evaluations, which triggers an evaluation's low accuracy, poor reliability and less impressive predictability. This paper proposes a method by employing a support vector machine (SVM) and Dempster-Shafer evidence theory to evaluate the service quality of a production process by handling a high number of input features with a low sampling data set, which is called SVMs-DS. Features that can affect production quality are extracted by a large number of sensors. Preprocessing steps such as feature simplification and normalization are reduced. Based on three individual SVM models, the basic probability assignments (BPAs) are constructed, which can help the evaluation in a qualitative and quantitative way. The process service quality evaluation results are validated by the Dempster rules; the decision threshold to resolve conflicting results is generated from three SVM models. A case study is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the SVMs-DS method.

Aspermy, Sperm Quality and Radiation in Chernobyl Birds

PubMed Central

Møller, Anders Pape; Bonisoli-Alquati, Andrea; Mousseau, Timothy A.; Rudolfsen, Geir

2014-01-01

Background Following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, large amounts of radionuclides were emitted and spread in the environment. Animals living in such contaminated areas are predicted to suffer fitness costs including reductions in the quality and quantity of gametes. Methodology/Principal Findings We studied whether aspermy and sperm quality were affected by radioactive contamination by examining ejaculates from wild caught birds breeding in areas varying in background radiation level by more than three orders of magnitude around Chernobyl, Ukraine. The frequency of males with aspermy increased logarithmically with radiation level. While 18.4% of males from contaminated areas had no sperm that was only the case for 3.0% of males from uncontaminated control areas. Furthermore, there were negative relationships between sperm quality as reflected by reduced sperm velocity and motility, respectively, and radiation. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that radioactive contamination around Chernobyl affects sperm production and quality. We are the first to report an interspecific difference in sperm quality in relation to radioactive contamination. PMID:24963711

Exploring the direct impacts of particulate matter and surface ozone on global crop production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiferl, L. D.; Heald, C. L.

2016-12-01

The current era of rising food demand to feed an increasing population along with expansion of industrialization throughout the globe has been accompanied by deteriorating air quality and an enhancement in agricultural activity. Both air quality and the food supply are vitally important to sustaining human enterprise, and understanding the effects air quality may have on agricultural production is critical. Particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere decreases the total photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) available to crops through the scattering and absorption of radiation while also increasing the diffuse fraction (DF) of this PAR. Since plants respond positively to a higher DF through the more even distribution of photons to all leaves, the net effect of PM on crop production depends on the magnitudes of these values and the response mechanisms of a specific crop. In contrast, atmospheric ozone always acts to decrease crop production through its phytotoxic properties. While the relationships between ozone and crop production have been readily studied, the effects of PM on crop production and their relative importance compared to ozone is much more uncertain. This study uses the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model linked to the RRTMG radiative transfer model and the DSSAT crop model to explore the impacts of PM and ozone on the globally distributed production of maize, rice, wheat and soybeans. First, we examine how air quality differentially affects total seasonal production by crop and region. Second, we investigate the dependence of simulated production on air quality over different timescales and under varying cloud conditions.

Quality attributes of pistachio nuts as affected by rootstock and deficit irrigation.

PubMed

Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A; Memmi, Houssem; Noguera-Artiaga, Luis; Gijón-López, María del Carmen; Ciapa, Rafał; Pérez-López, David

2015-11-01

In this work, the influence of two regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) treatments and three different rootstocks on the quality of pistachios was evaluated by analyzing different parameters: morphological analysis, physicochemical analysis and sensory analysis. The results obtained in terms of the choice of rootstock revealed that Pistacia atlantica had increased production yields, nut weight, mineral content, higher intensities of characteristic sensory attributes and a higher degree of consumer satisfaction, than the other rootstocks studied. Moreover, the results established that the application of RDI on pistachio cultivation had no significant influence on production yield, weight, size, colour, water activity or mineral composition. Furthermore, T1 treatment (stem water potential < -1.3 MPa) resulted in higher intensities of characteristic sensory attributes and a greater level of satisfaction among international consumers. These results confirm that the application of deficit irrigation (T1) contributes to an increase in overall product quality. Furthermore, Pistacia atlantica rootstock provided better yield and quality than the other rootstocks studied. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Reducing the risk of contamination of sterile parenteral products via ready-to-use closure components.

PubMed

Curry, Wayne; Conway, Samuel; Goodfield, Clara; Miller, Kimberly; Mueller, Ronald L; Polini, Eugene

2010-12-01

The preparation of sterile parenteral products requires careful control of all ingredients, materials, and processes to ensure the final product has the identity and strength, and meets the quality and purity characteristics that it purports to possess. Contamination affecting these critical properties of parenteral products can occur in many ways and from many sources. The use of closures supplied by manufacturers in a ready-to-use state can be an effective method for reducing the risk of contamination and improving the quality of the drug product. This article will address contamination attributable to elastomeric container closure components and the regulatory requirements associated with container closure systems. Possible contaminants, including microorganisms, endotoxins, and chemicals, along with the methods by which these contaminants can enter the product will be reviewed. Such methods include inappropriate material selection, improper closure preparation processes, compromised container closure integrity, degradation of closures, and leaching of compounds from the closures.

What can be learned in the snake antivenom field from the developments in human plasma derived products?

PubMed

Burnouf, Thierry

2018-05-01

Human plasma-derived medicinal products and snake antivenom immunoglobulins are unique and complex therapeutic protein products. Human plasma products are obtained by fractionating large pools of plasma collected from blood plasma donors. They comprise a wide range of protein products, including polyvalent and hyperimmune immunoglobulins, coagulation factors, albumin, and various protease inhibitors that are transfused to patients affected by congenital or acquired protein deficiencies, immunological disorders, or metabolic diseases. Snake antivenoms are manufactured from pools of plasma collected from animals, typically horses, which have been immunized against snake venoms. Transfusing antivenoms is the cornerstone therapy to treat patients affected by snakebite envenoming. Over the last thirty years, much technical and regulatory evolution has been implemented to ensure that this class of biologicals meets modern quality requirements. The purpose of this review is to compare the main developments that took place in plasma production, protein fractionation, pathogen safety, quality control, preclinical and clinical studies, and regulations of these products. We also analyze whether both fields have been influencing and cross-fertilizing each other technically and in regulatory aspects to reach modern safety and efficacy standards at global levels, and how experience in the human plasma fractionation industry can further impact the manufacture of snake antivenom and that of other animal-derived antisera. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analytical tools for assessing land degradation and its impact on soil quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bindraban, P. S.; Mantel, S.; Bai, Z.; de Jong, R.

2010-05-01

Maintaining and enhancing the quality of land is of major importance to sustain future production capacity for food and other agriculture based products like fibers and wood, and for maintaining ecosystems services, including below and above ground biodiversity, provision of soil water and sequestration of carbon. Deterioration of this production base will be detrimental to the provision of the foreseen dramatic increase in human needs for goods and services. For this reason, land degradation, defined as a long-term loss in ecosystem function and productivity, has to be understood properly. Climate, soils, topography and socioeconomic activities are primary factors that can cause, by themselves or in combination, a number of temporary or permanent changes in the landscape, leading to degradation of vegetation and soils. For identifying intervention measures to prevent and revert trends of land deterioration, it is fundamental to know the extent of land degradation and to understand its impact on functional properties of land. To assess the global extent, (Bai et al. 2008) apply a remotely sensed vegetation index that describes the greenness of the vegetation cover as a proxy for biomass. Biomass production has been identified as a strong indicator for soil quality as it is an integral measure for soil, crop and environmental characteristics (Bindraban et al., 2000). Bai and colleagues observed that 24% of the global land has been degrading over the past 26 years - often in very productive areas. The relation with functional properties of land can be made through ecosystem models. Mantel et al. (1999; 2000) applied dynamic crop-soil models to calculate crop productivity at the national level. A baseline scenario that represents the current conditions and a scenario for 20 years of prolonged sheet erosion were modeled to calculate the productivity impact of topsoil erosion for wheat in Uruguay and for maize in Kenya. They concluded that topsoil erosion primarily affects nutrient availability; in 20% of the potential maize growing areas productivity declined more then 50%. Overall, hydraulic soil functions were less affected by erosion in Kenya, still rain-fed yield decline exceeded 50 % on very steep lands. The simulated loss of topsoil in the Uruguay case mostly affected soil physical properties causing a reduction in rainfed wheat yields. Soil fertility status was little affected. In this paper we reflect on the use and effectiveness of these two approaches and discuss options for their (partial) integration as a means to better quantify extent, degree of degradation and the effects on soil quality. References Bai ZG, Dent DL, Olsson L and Schaepman ME 2008. Proxy global assessment of land degradation. Soil Use and Management 24, 223-234 Bindraban PS, Stoorvogel JJ, Jansen DM, Vlaming J and Groot JJR 2000. Land quality indicators for sustainable land management: proposed method for yield gap and soil nutrient balance. Agriculture, Ecosystems and the Environment 81, 103-112 Mantel S and van Engelen VWP 1999. Assessment of the impact of water erosion on productivity of maize in Kenya: an integrated modelling approach. Land Degradation & Development 10, 577-592 Mantel S, van Engelen VWP, Molfino JH and Resink JW 2000. Exploring biophysical potential and sustainability of wheat cultivation in Uruguay at the national level. Soil Use and Management 16, 270-278

Strategic supplementation of cassava top silage to enhance rumen fermentation and milk production in lactating dairy cows in the tropics.

PubMed

Wanapat, Metha; Phesatcha, Kampanat; Viennasay, Bounnaxay; Phesatcha, Burarat; Ampapon, Thiwakorn; Kang, Sungchhang

2018-04-19

High-quality protein roughage is an important feed for productive ruminants. This study examined the effects of strategic feeding of lactating cows with cassava (Manihot esculenta) top silage (CTS) on rumen fermentation, feed intake, milk yield, and quality. Four early lactating crossbred dairy cows (75% Holstein-Friesian and 25% Thai) with body weight (BW) 410 ± 30 kg and milk yield 12 ± 2 kg/day were randomly allotted in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to four different supplementation levels of CTS namely, 0, 0.75, 1.50, and 2.25 kg/day of dry matter (DM). Strategic supplementation of CTS significantly affected ruminal fermentation end-products, especially increased propionate production, decreased protozoal population and suppressed methane production (P < 0.05). Increasing the CTS supplementation level substantially enhanced milk yield and the 3.5% FCM from 12.7 to 14.0 kg/day and from 14.6 to 17.2 kg/day (P < 0.05) for non-supplemented group and for the 2.25 kg/day supplemented group, respectively. We conclude that high-quality protein roughage significantly enhances rumen fermentation end-products, milk yield, and quality in dairy cows.

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Urbanization - Energy Sources

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Introduction to changes in basal energy sources with urbanization, overview of terrestrial leaf litter dynamics in urban streams, overview of how urbanization can affect primary production, respiration, and dissolved organic carbon quantity and quality.

Effects of temperature, light and incubation period on production, germination and bioactivity of Trichoderma atroviride.

PubMed

Daryaei, A; Jones, E E; Ghazalibiglar, H; Glare, T R; Falloon, R E

2016-04-01

The goal was to determine the effect of temperature, light and incubation period on production, germination and bioactivity of Trichoderma atroviride LU132 against Rhizoctonia solani. The incubation temperatures of 20, 25 or 30°C were assessed on the production of T. atroviride conidia under constant light over a 25 and 50 days periods. The resulting conidia were also studied for germination and bioactivity. Conidium production was maximum at 25°C after 20 days. The second peak of conidium production occurred at 45-50 days. Incubation at 25°C after 15 days showed optimum production of T. atroviride LU132. Conidia produced at 30°C gave the greatest germination and bioactivity in comparison with incubation at 20 or 25°C. This study indicates that the temperature at which conidia of T. atroviride are produced affects germination and bioactivity. Formulations based on production of the high conidia yield may not result in optimal bioactivity and there is a trade-off between quantity and quality of T. atroviride LU132 conidia. Conidium production was shown to be a continuous process, and increased under a dark/light regime. This is the first report of bimodal conidium production in a Trichoderma biological control agent (BCA), which is likely to be on 20 days cycle, and is dependent on colony age rather than abiotic factors. Conidia produced after 15 days are likely to be the most suitable for use in commercial production of this strain as a BCA. Most studies on Trichoderma-based BCA have only shown the effect of culture conditions on the high conidia yield regardless of conidium quality. This study is the first report on conidium quality affected by principal culture conditions for Trichoderma biological control formulations. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

From raw material to dish: pasta quality step by step.

PubMed

Sicignano, Angelo; Di Monaco, Rossella; Masi, Paolo; Cavella, Silvana

2015-10-01

Pasta is a traditional Italian cereal-based food that is popular worldwide because of its convenience, versatility, sensory and nutritional value. The aim of this review is to present a step-by-step guide to facilitate the understanding of the most important events that can affect pasta characteristics, directing the reader to the appropriate production steps. Owing to its unique flavor, color, composition and rheological properties, durum wheat semolina is the best raw material for pasta production. Although pasta is traditionally made from only two ingredients, sensory quality and chemical/physical characteristics of the final product may vary greatly. Starting from the same ingredients, there are a lot of different events in each step of pasta production that can result in the development of varieties of pasta with different characteristics. In particular, numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of temperature and humidity conditions of the pasta drying operation as well as the significance of the choice of raw material and operating conditions on pasta quality. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of fertilizing water pH on the hatching success of stripped channel catfish eggs on channel x blue hybrid catfish embryo production in hatcheries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Variable egg quality is one of the most important constrains to the development of aquaculture. The quality of eggs that are manually stripped from channel catfish are affected by variation in parental genetics, maturity, type and dose of hormone, age and pre-spawning stress of female fish. Furthe...

Type of tomatoes and water rinse affect efficacy of acid washes against salmonella enterica inoculated on stem scar areas of tomatoes and on product quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of post-treatment rinsing with water on the inactivation efficacy of acid treatments against Salmonella inoculated onto stem scar areas of two types of tomatoes. In addition, impact on fruit quality was investigated during 21 days post-treatment storag...

Environmental impacts and sustainability of egg production systems.

PubMed

Xin, H; Gates, R S; Green, A R; Mitloehner, F M; Moore, P A; Wathes, C M

2011-01-01

As part of a systemic assessment toward social sustainability of egg production, we have reviewed current knowledge about the environmental impacts of egg production systems and identified topics requiring further research. Currently, we know that 1) high-rise cage houses generally have poorer air quality and emit more ammonia than manure belt (MB) cage houses; 2) manure removal frequency in MB houses greatly affects ammonia emissions; 3) emissions from manure storage are largely affected by storage conditions, including ventilation rate, manure moisture content, air temperature, and stacking profile; 4) more baseline data on air emissions from high-rise and MB houses are being collected in the United States to complement earlier measurements; 5) noncage houses generally have poorer air quality (ammonia and dust levels) than cage houses; 6) noncage houses tend to be colder during cold weather due to a lower stocking density than caged houses, leading to greater feed and fuel energy use; 7) hens in noncage houses are less efficient in resource (feed, energy, and land) utilization, leading to a greater carbon footprint; 8) excessive application of hen manure to cropland can lead to nutrient runoff to water bodies; 9) hen manure on open (free) range may be subject to runoff during rainfall, although quantitative data are lacking; 10) mitigation technologies exist to reduce generation and emission of noxious gases and dust; however, work is needed to evaluate their economic feasibility and optimize design; and 11) dietary modification shows promise for mitigating emissions. Further research is needed on 1) indoor air quality, barn emissions, thermal conditions, and energy use in alternative hen housing systems (1-story floor, aviary, and enriched cage systems), along with conventional housing systems under different production conditions; 2) environmental footprint for different US egg production systems through life cycle assessment; 3) practical means to mitigate air emissions from different production systems; 4) process-based models for predicting air emissions and their fate; and 5) the interactions between air quality, housing system, worker health, and animal health and welfare.

Effect of freezing temperature on the color of frozen salmon.

PubMed

Ottestad, Silje; Enersen, Grethe; Wold, Jens Petter

2011-09-01

New freezing methods developed with the purpose of improved product quality after thawing can sometimes be difficult to get accepted in the market. The reason for this is the formation of ice crystals that can give the product a temporary color loss and make it less appealing. We have here used microscopy to study ice crystal size as a function of freezing temperature by investigating the voids in the cell tissue left by the ice crystals. We have also investigated how freezing temperature affects the color and the visible absorption spectra of frozen salmon. Freezing temperatures previously determined to be the best for quality after thawing (-40 to -60 °C) were found to cause a substantial loss in perceived color intensity during frozen state. This illustrated the conflict between optimal freezing temperatures with respect to quality after thawing against visual appearance during frozen state. Low freezing temperatures gave many small ice crystals, increased light scattering and an increased absorption level for all wavelengths in the visible region. Increased astaxanthin concentration on the other hand would give higher absorption at 490 nm. The results showed a clear potential of using visible interactance spectroscopy to differentiate between poor product coloration due to lack of pigmentation and temporary color loss due to light scattering by ice crystal. This type of measurements could be a useful tool in the development of new freezing methods and to monitor ice crystal growth during frozen storage. It could also potentially be used by the industry to prove good product quality. In this article we have shown that freezing food products at intermediate to low temperatures (-40 to -80 °C) can result in paler color during frozen state, which could affect consumer acceptance. We have also presented a spectroscopic method that can separate between poor product color and temporary color loss due to freezing. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Variability in primary productivity determines metapopulation dynamics.

PubMed

Fernández, Néstor; Román, Jacinto; Delibes, Miguel

2016-04-13

Temporal variability in primary productivity can change habitat quality for consumer species by affecting the energy levels available as food resources. However, it remains unclear how habitat-quality fluctuations may determine the dynamics of spatially structured populations, where the effects of habitat size, quality and isolation have been customarily assessed assuming static habitats. We present the first empirical evaluation on the effects of stochastic fluctuations in primary productivity--a major outcome of ecosystem functions--on the metapopulation dynamics of a primary consumer. A unique 13-year dataset from an herbivore rodent was used to test the hypothesis that inter-annual variations in primary productivity determine spatiotemporal habitat occupancy patterns and colonization and extinction processes. Inter-annual variability in productivity and in the growing season phenology significantly influenced habitat colonization patterns and occupancy dynamics. These effects lead to changes in connectivity to other potentially occupied habitat patches, which then feed back into occupancy dynamics. According to the results, the dynamics of primary productivity accounted for more than 50% of the variation in occupancy probability, depending on patch size and landscape configuration. Evidence connecting primary productivity dynamics and spatiotemporal population processes has broad implications for metapopulation persistence in fluctuating and changing environments. © 2016 The Authors.

Functional properties of meat by-products and mechanically separated chicken (MSC) in a high-moisture model petfood system.

PubMed

Rivera, J A; Sebranek, J G; Rust, R E

2000-05-01

Contributions to water retention capacity (% WRC) and texture changes were determined for pork by-products (lung lobes, kidneys), chicken viscera (head, feet and viscera) and mechanically separated chicken (MSC) as affected by pH and various salts in a high-moisture model system. The % WRC for meat by-products and MSC was increased by increased pH (4.5-6.8). Pork lungs and MSC had the highest % WRC (p<0.05) among the meat by-products. Meat by-product % WRC was not signifcantly (p>0.05) affected by salt (2%), phosphate (0.3%) or NaOH (0.075%). Chicken viscera had the lowest (p<0.05) mean texture measurements among the meat by-products and MSC. Strong negative correlations (p<0.05) were obtained for texture with total collagen, soluble collagen and high ionic strength soluble (HIS) proteins. These results should be considered for product quality changes when these by-products are used in formulation of high moisture pet food products.

Quality control of commercial bovine lactoferrin.

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Hiroyuki; Yamauchi, Koji; Abe, Fumiaki

2018-06-01

Herein we review commercial bovine lactoferrin quality issues by describing an example of industrial production, the current status of global quality standardization, and quality-activity concerns for further discussion. Morinaga Milk Industry has been industrially producing bovine lactoferrin in Milei GmbH, Germany, since 1989. We delineate its production and quality as an example of safe and high-quality manufacturing. Currently, global standardization in the quality of bovine lactoferrin is progressing through Novel Food and GRAS in the EU and USA, respectively. Novel Food was applied or notified to seven lactoferrin manufacturers and GRAS was notified to three manufacturers, two of which are for infant use and one is for adult use, by the end of 2017. The specifications of these regulations are relatively high, including more than 95% lactoferrin purity in protein, which means that such companies can supply relatively high-grade lactoferrin. There appear to be several concerns regarding lactoferrin quality affecting activities, including contamination of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and angiogenin, purity, and degradation of lactoferrin sample. Although LPS is immunologically toxic when invading the body, it is distributed normally in foods and the gut. However, an industrial lactoferrin sample may contain LPS at a maximum LPS/lactoferrin molecule ratio = 1/1724, which means 99.9% of the lactoferrin molecule is LPS-free. It is difficult to speculate that LPS contained in a lactoferrin sample affects its activities. Finally in order to achieve good and reproducible results, we make proposals to researchers a use of high-grade lactoferrin, careful storage, and indication the manufacturers' names and specifications in the paper.

Which Sweetener Is Best for Yeast? An Inquiry-Based Learning for Conceptual Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherif, Abour H.; Siuda, JoElla E.; Kassem, Sana; Gialamas, Stefanos; Movahedzadeh, Farahnaz

2017-01-01

One way to help students understand the scientific inquiry process, and how it applies in investigative research, is to involve them in scientific investigation. An example of this would be letting them come to their own understanding of how different variables (e.g., starting products) can affect outcomes (e.g., variable quality end products)…

Influence of grinding size of the main cereal of the diet on egg production and eggs quality of brown egg laying hens from 33 to 65 weeks of age.

PubMed

Herrera, J; Saldaña, B; Cámara, L; Berrocoso, J D; Mateos, G G

2018-04-17

The influence of grinding size of the main cereal of the diet on production and egg quality traits was studied in brown hens from 33 to 65 wk of age. The experiment was completely randomized with 6 treatments arranged as a 3 × 2 factorial with 3 main cereals (barley, corn, and wheat) and 2 grinding size of the cereal (6 and 10 mm screen). Each treatment was replicated 11 times (10 hens/replicate). Diets were isonutritive and contained 2,740 kcal/kg AMEn and 16.8% CP. Egg production, ADFI, egg weight, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined by period (4 wk) and for the entire experiment. Egg quality traits (percentage of undergrades, Haugh units, thickness, strength, color of the shell, and proportion of albumen, yolk, and shell) were measured also by period. No interactions between main cereal and grinding size of the main cereal of the diet were observed for any of the traits studied. Feed intake, egg production, and BW gain were not affected by diet or grinding size. Eggs were heavier (P < 0.01) in hens fed barley than in hens fed corn or wheat, probably because of the higher fat content of the barley diets. Also, FCR tended to improve in hens fed barley compared with hens fed corn or wheat (P = 0.07). Diet did not affect any of the egg quality traits studied. In summary, barley and wheat conveniently supplemented with enzymes, can be used in substitution of corn at levels of up to 55% in diets for laying hens, without any adverse effect on egg production or egg quality traits. Moreover, the substitution of corn by a combination of barley and supplemental fat increased egg size. Consequently, the inclusion of one or other cereal in the diet will depend primarily on their relative cost. Within the range studied, screen size (6 vs. 10 mm) of the cereal had limited effects on hen production.

Effect of superdosing phytase on productive performance and egg quality in laying hens.

PubMed

Kim, Jong Hyuk; Pitargue, Franco Martinez; Jung, Hyunjung; Han, Gi Ppeum; Choi, Hyeon Seok; Kil, Dong Yong

2017-07-01

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of superdosing phytase on productive performance and egg quality in laying hens. A total of 200 42-wk-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were allotted into 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 5 replicates consisting of 8 hens per replicate. The positive control (PC) and negative control diets (NC) were prepared based on the recommended P levels in layer diets. Supplemental phytase was added to the negative control diet at 10,000 (SD10), 20,000 (SD20), or 30,000 (SD30) fytase units (FTU)/kg. Productive performance was summarized for 6 weeks from 42 weeks to 47 weeks of age. Egg quality was assessed from 4 eggs per replicate randomly collected at the conclusion of the experiment. The SD20 treatment had greater (p<0.05) hen-day egg production than PC, NC, and SD10 treatment groups. There was no difference in hen-day egg production between SD20 and SD30 treatment groups. However, SD30 treatment had greater (p<0.05) hen-day egg production than PC treatment, but showed no difference in hen-day egg production as compared to NC and SD10 treatment groups. However, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were not affected by dietary treatments. Egg quality including eggshell strength, eggshell color, egg yolk color, and haugh unit was not influenced by dietary treatments. Superdosing level of 20,000 FTU/kg phytase in diets has a positive effect on egg production rate, but no beneficial effect on egg quality in laying hens.

Metals in wine--impact on wine quality and health outcomes.

PubMed

Tariba, Blanka

2011-12-01

Metals in wine can originate from both natural and anthropogenic sources, and its concentration can be a significant parameter affecting consumption and conservation of wine. Since metallic ions have important role in oxide-reductive reactions resulting in wine browning, turbidity, cloudiness, and astringency, wine quality depends greatly on its metal composition. Moreover, metals in wine may affect human health. Consumption of wine may contribute to the daily dietary intake of essential metals (i.e., copper, iron, and zinc) but can also have potentially toxic effects if metal concentrations are not kept under allowable limits. Therefore, a strict analytical control of metal concentration is required during the whole process of wine production. This article presents a critical review of the existing literature regarding the measured metal concentration in wine, methods applied for their determination, and possible sources, as well as their impact on wine quality and human health. The main focus is set on aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, and zinc, as these elements most often affect wine quality and human health.

Physical and sensory quality of hommos preserved with combined gamma radiation and refrigeration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amr, A.; Al-Qadiri, H.; Saleh, M.; Shahein, M.

2018-03-01

Hommos was treated with gamma radiation and stored at 4 °C for a period of five weeks with the aim of extending its shelf life under refrigeration. Viscosity and colour of the product were evaluated instrumentally at 5-day intervals, and its sensory quality was evaluated by a taste panel at the beginning and end of the storage period. The results indicate that irradiation combined with storage caused reduction of the ΔE*ab, a*, b* and L* colour values, but have no such an effect on the apparent viscosity, flow behavior index (n) or consistency coefficient (k) of the product which exhibited a non-Newtonian, pseudoplastic behavior. Neither irradiation dose nor storage time affected the overall acceptability, flavor, smoothness, mouth- feel and colour of the product when evaluated by a taste panel. The product irradiated with 1.5 or 2.5 kGy can be stored at 4 °C for 35 days and still maintain its sensory and physical qualities indicating that the shelf life of this product, like other irradiated foods, can be extended by this combined treatment.

77 FR 58301 - Final Requirements-Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge; Phase 2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-20

... career advancement. Core Area B addresses the importance of a high-quality plan for rating and monitoring... adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or...

Long term impacts of combined sewer overflow remediation on water quality and population dynamics of Culex quinquefasciatus, the main urban West Nile virus vector in Atlanta, GA.

PubMed

Lund, Andrea; McMillan, Joseph; Kelly, Rosmarie; Jabbarzadeh, Shirin; Mead, Daniel G; Burkot, Thomas R; Kitron, Uriel; Vazquez-Prokopec, Gonzalo M

2014-02-01

Combined sewers are a significant source of urban water pollution due to periodic discharges into natural streams. Such events (called combined sewer overflows, or CSOs) contribute to the impairment of natural waterways and are associated with increased mosquito productivity and elevated risk of West Nile virus transmission. We investigated the impact of CSOs on water quality and immature mosquito productivity in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, one year before and four years after CSO facility remediation. Water quality (ammonia, phosphate, nitrate and dissolved oxygen concentrations), immature mosquitoes (larvae and pupae), water temperature and rainfall were quantified biweekly between June-October at two urban creeks during 2008-2012. A before-after control-intervention design tested the impact of remediation on mosquito productivity and water quality, whereas generalized linear mixed-effect models quantified the factors explaining the long term impacts of remediation on mosquito productivity. Ammonia and phosphate concentrations and late immature (fourth-instar and pupae) mosquito populations were significantly higher in CSO than in non-CSO creeks, while dissolved oxygen concentrations were lower. Remediation significantly improved water quality estimates (particularly ammonia and dissolved oxygen) and reduced the number of overflows, mosquito productivity and the overall contribution of CSO-affected streams as sources of vectors of West Nile virus. The quality of water in CSOs provided a suitable habitat for immature mosquitoes. Remediation of the CSO facility through the construction of a deep storage tunnel improved water quality indices and reduced the productivity of mosquito species that can serve as vectors of West Nile virus. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Software quality in 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, C.

1997-11-01

For many years, software quality assurance lagged behind hardware quality assurance in terms of methods, metrics, and successful results. New approaches such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD) the ISO 9000-9004 standards, the SEI maturity levels, and Total Quality Management (TQM) are starting to attract wide attention, and in some cases to bring software quality levels up to a parity with manufacturing quality levels. Since software is on the critical path for many engineered products, and for internal business systems as well, the new approaches are starting to affect global competition and attract widespread international interest. It can be hypothesized thatmore » success in mastering software quality will be a key strategy for dominating global software markets in the 21st century.« less

Effect of age and genetic group on characteristics of the scrotum, testes and testicular vascular cones, and on sperm production and semen quality in AI bulls in Brazil.

PubMed

Brito, L F C; Silva, A E D F; Rodrigues, L H; Vieira, F V; Deragon, L A G; Kastelic, J P

2002-10-01

The objectives were to determine the effects of age and genetic group on characteristics of the scrotum, testes and testicular vascular cones (TVC), and on sperm production and semen quality in 107 Bos indicus, B. taurus and cross-bred bulls at three artificial insemination (AI) centers in Brazil. In addition, predictors of sperm production and semen quality were identified. In general, scrotal circumference (SC), scrotal shape score, scrotal neck perimeter, and testicular size (length, width and volume) increased (P < 0.05) with age. Although there were no significant differences among genetic groups for SC or testicular size, B. indicus bulls had the least pendulous scrotal shape, the shortest scrotal neck length, and the greatest scrotal neck perimeter (P < 0.05). Fat covering the TVC was thinner (P < 0.05) in bulls < or = 36 months of age and in B. taurus bulls than in older bulls and B. indicus bulls, respectively. Age and genetic group did not affect testicular ultrasonic echotexture. B. indicus bulls tended (P < 0.1) to have the lowest average scrotal surface temperature (SST). In general, ejaculate volume, total number of spermatozoa and number of viable spermatozoa increased (P < 0.05) with age. However, there was no significant effect of age on sperm concentration, motility, major and total defects. The proportion of spermatozoa with minor defects was highest (P < 0.05) in bulls 37-60 months of age. B. indicus bulls had higher (P < 0.01) sperm concentration, total number of spermatozoa and number of viable spermatozoa than B. taurus bulls, with intermediate values for cross-bred bulls. Increased sperm production was associated with increased testicular volume, SC, TVC fat cover, and SST top-to-bottom gradient. Decreased semen quality was associated with increased SC and bottom SST, and decreased scrotal shape, scrotal neck perimeter and vascular cone diameter. In summary, age and genetic group affected the characteristics of the scrotum, testes, and TVC, sperm production and semen quality. In addition, characteristics of the scrotum, testes and TVC were associated with sperm production and semen quality in bulls and could be assessed for breeding soundness evaluation.

Diagnosis of the Computer-Controlled Milling Machine, Definition of the Working Errors and Input Corrections on the Basis of Mathematical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starikov, A. I.; Nekrasov, R. Yu; Teploukhov, O. J.; Soloviev, I. V.; Narikov, K. A.

2016-10-01

Manufactures, machinery and equipment improve of constructively as science advances and technology, and requirements are improving of quality and longevity. That is, the requirements for surface quality and precision manufacturing, oil and gas equipment parts are constantly increasing. Production of oil and gas engineering products on modern machine tools with computer numerical control - is a complex synthesis of technical and electrical equipment parts, as well as the processing procedure. Technical machine part wears during operation and in the electrical part are accumulated mathematical errors. Thus, the above-mentioned disadvantages of any of the following parts of metalworking equipment affect the manufacturing process of products in general, and as a result lead to the flaw.

Variables affecting the acceptability of radappertized ground beef products. Effects of food grade phosphates, NaCl, fat level, and grinding methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohen, J.S.; Shults, G.W.; Mason, V.C.

1977-01-01

A series of experiments was conducted to determine the effect of different variables on the quality of an irradiated ground beef product. Factors studied included: different food-grade phosphates; NaCl content; fat content; and size of grind. The influence of these variables on the cooking loss (moisture retention), shear press values and sensory scores was studied. The addition of phosphates and NaCl was desirable in controlling cooking losses. The most effective phosphate was tetrasodium pyrophosphate. The addition of NaCl decreased the shear press force required to penetrate the beef patty, i.e., it tenderized the product. Phosphate addition did not affect themore » shear press force. Increased fat content increased the cooking losses, but did not affect the shear press force. Irradiation with sterilizing doses had a marked effect on decreasing the shear press force.« less

The role of production process and information on quality expectations and perceptions of sparkling wines.

PubMed

Vecchio, Riccardo; Lisanti, Maria Tiziana; Caracciolo, Francesco; Cembalo, Luigi; Gambuti, Angelita; Moio, Luigi; Siani, Tiziana; Marotta, Giuseppe; Nazzaro, Concetta; Piombino, Paola

2018-05-28

The present research aims to analyse, by combining sensory and experimental economics techniques, to what extent production process, and the information about it, may affect consumer preferences. Sparkling wines produced by Champenoise and Charmat methods were the object of the study. A quantitative descriptive sensory analysis with a trained panel and non-hypothetical auctions combined with hedonic ratings involving young wine consumers (N=100), under different information scenarios(Blind, Info and Info Taste), were performed. Findings show that the production process impacts both the sensory profile of sparkling wines and consumer expectations. In particular, the hedonic ratings revealed that when tasting the products, both with no information on the production process (Blind) and with such information (Info Taste), the consumers preferred the Charmat wines. On the contrary, when detailed information on the production methods was given without tasting (Info), consumers liked more the two Champenoise wines. It can be concluded that sensory and non-sensory attributes of sparkling wines affect consumers' preferences. Specifically, the study suggests that production process information strongly impacts liking expectations, while not affecting informed liking. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Statistical quality control through overall vibration analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnero, M. ^a. Carmen; González-Palma, Rafael; Almorza, David; Mayorga, Pedro; López-Escobar, Carlos

2010-05-01

The present study introduces the concept of statistical quality control in automotive wheel bearings manufacturing processes. Defects on products under analysis can have a direct influence on passengers' safety and comfort. At present, the use of vibration analysis on machine tools for quality control purposes is not very extensive in manufacturing facilities. Noise and vibration are common quality problems in bearings. These failure modes likely occur under certain operating conditions and do not require high vibration amplitudes but relate to certain vibration frequencies. The vibration frequencies are affected by the type of surface problems (chattering) of ball races that are generated through grinding processes. The purpose of this paper is to identify grinding process variables that affect the quality of bearings by using statistical principles in the field of machine tools. In addition, an evaluation of the quality results of the finished parts under different combinations of process variables is assessed. This paper intends to establish the foundations to predict the quality of the products through the analysis of self-induced vibrations during the contact between the grinding wheel and the parts. To achieve this goal, the overall self-induced vibration readings under different combinations of process variables are analysed using statistical tools. The analysis of data and design of experiments follows a classical approach, considering all potential interactions between variables. The analysis of data is conducted through analysis of variance (ANOVA) for data sets that meet normality and homoscedasticity criteria. This paper utilizes different statistical tools to support the conclusions such as chi squared, Shapiro-Wilks, symmetry, Kurtosis, Cochran, Hartlett, and Hartley and Krushal-Wallis. The analysis presented is the starting point to extend the use of predictive techniques (vibration analysis) for quality control. This paper demonstrates the existence of predictive variables (high-frequency vibration displacements) that are sensible to the processes setup and the quality of the products obtained. Based on the result of this overall vibration analysis, a second paper will analyse self-induced vibration spectrums in order to define limit vibration bands, controllable every cycle or connected to permanent vibration-monitoring systems able to adjust sensible process variables identified by ANOVA, once the vibration readings exceed established quality limits.

Overall Quality of Fruits and Vegetables Products Affected by the Drying Processes with the Assistance of Vacuum-Microwaves.

PubMed

Figiel, Adam; Michalska, Anna

2016-12-30

The seasonality of fruits and vegetables makes it impossible to consume and use them throughout the year, thus numerous processing efforts have been made to offer an alternative to their fresh consumption and application. To prolong their availability on the market, drying has received special attention as currently this method is considered one of the most common ways for obtaining food and pharmaceutical products from natural sources. This paper demonstrates the weakness of common drying methods applied for fruits and vegetables and the possible ways to improve the quality using different drying techniques or their combination with an emphasis on the microwave energy. Particular attention has been drawn to the combined drying with the assistance of vacuum-microwaves. The quality of the dried products was ascribed by chemical properties including the content of polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and volatiles as well as physical parameters such as color, shrinkage, porosity and texture. Both these fields of quality classification were considered taking into account sensory attributes and energy aspects in the perspective of possible industrial applications. In conclusion, the most promising way for improving the quality of dried fruit and vegetable products is hybrid drying consisting of osmotic dehydration in concentrated fruit juices followed by heat pump drying and vacuum-microwave finish drying.

Overall Quality of Fruits and Vegetables Products Affected by the Drying Processes with the Assistance of Vacuum-Microwaves

PubMed Central

Figiel, Adam; Michalska, Anna

2016-01-01

The seasonality of fruits and vegetables makes it impossible to consume and use them throughout the year, thus numerous processing efforts have been made to offer an alternative to their fresh consumption and application. To prolong their availability on the market, drying has received special attention as currently this method is considered one of the most common ways for obtaining food and pharmaceutical products from natural sources. This paper demonstrates the weakness of common drying methods applied for fruits and vegetables and the possible ways to improve the quality using different drying techniques or their combination with an emphasis on the microwave energy. Particular attention has been drawn to the combined drying with the assistance of vacuum-microwaves. The quality of the dried products was ascribed by chemical properties including the content of polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and volatiles as well as physical parameters such as color, shrinkage, porosity and texture. Both these fields of quality classification were considered taking into account sensory attributes and energy aspects in the perspective of possible industrial applications. In conclusion, the most promising way for improving the quality of dried fruit and vegetable products is hybrid drying consisting of osmotic dehydration in concentrated fruit juices followed by heat pump drying and vacuum-microwave finish drying. PMID:28042845

Quality of health news disseminated in the print media in developing countries: a case study in Iran.

PubMed

Ashorkhani, Mahnaz; Gholami, Jaleh; Maleki, Katayoun; Nedjat, Sima; Mortazavi, Jalaledin; Majdzadeh, Reza

2012-08-09

Mass media play an important role in keeping people up-to-date with the latest health news. This study aims at investigating the quality of health news disseminated in the print media, its course of production and factors affecting its quality. In the quantitative section of the study, 410 health-related news items, published during a six-month span in the Iranian public press, underwent content analysis. In the qualitative section, focus group discussions were held with journalists, editors-in-chief and news gatekeepers. The quantitative phase showed that 18% of the news articles were not fit for dissemination in public. The qualitative phase illustrated that multiple factors at various levels affect the quality of news, namely poor knowledge, inadequate motivations and context-related barriers. The quality of health news reporting is not desirable. Educational interventions need to be carried out to raise awareness among researchers and journalists. Also, certain steps should be taken to increase motivations and strengthen infrastructures, including designing guidelines and monitoring news.

Rust and Thinning Management Effect on Cup Quality and Plant Performance for Two Cultivars of Coffea arabica L.

PubMed

Echeverria-Beirute, Fabian; Murray, Seth C; Klein, Patricia; Kerth, Chris; Miller, Rhonda; Bertrand, Benoit

2018-05-30

Beverage quality is a complex attribute of coffee ( Coffea arabica L.). Genotype (G), environment (E), management (M), postharvest processing, and roasting are all involved. However, little is known about how G × M interactions influence beverage quality. We investigated how yield and coffee leaf rust (CLR) disease (caused by Hemileia vastatrix Berk. et Br.) management affect cup quality and plant performance, in two coffee cultivars. Sensory and chemical analyses revealed that 10 of 70 attributes and 18 of 154 chemical volatile compounds were significantly affected by G and M. Remarkably, acetaminophen was found for the first time in roasted coffee and in higher concentrations under more stressful conditions. A principal component analysis described 87% of the variation in quality and plant overall performance. This study is a first step in understanding the complexity of the physiological, metabolic, and molecular changes in coffee production, which will be useful for the improvement of coffee cultivars.

N-acetyl-L-cysteine pre-treatment protects cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa from reactive oxygen species without compromising the in vitro developmental potential of intracytoplasmic sperm injection embryos.

PubMed

Pérez, L; Arias, M E; Sánchez, R; Felmer, R

2015-12-01

Excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on in vitro embryo production systems negatively affects the quality and developmental potential of embryos, as result of a decreased sperm quality and increased DNA fragmentation. This issue is of major importance in assisted fertilisation procedures such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), because this technique does not allow the natural selection of competent spermatozoa, and therefore, DNA-damaged spermatozoa might be used to fertilise an egg. The aim of this study was to investigate a new strategy to prevent the potential deleterious effect of ROS on cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. We evaluated the effect of a sperm pre-treatment with different concentrations of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) on ROS production, viability and DNA fragmentation and assessed the effect of this treatment on the in vitro developmental potential and quality of embryos generated by ICSI. The results show a strong scavenging effect of 1 and 10 mm NAC after exposure of spermatozoa to a ROS inducer, without compromising the viability and DNA integrity. Importantly, in vitro developmental potential and quality of embryos generated by ICSI with spermatozoa treated with NAC were not affected, confirming the feasibility of using this treatment before an ICSI cycle. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Variability in primary productivity determines metapopulation dynamics

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Temporal variability in primary productivity can change habitat quality for consumer species by affecting the energy levels available as food resources. However, it remains unclear how habitat-quality fluctuations may determine the dynamics of spatially structured populations, where the effects of habitat size, quality and isolation have been customarily assessed assuming static habitats. We present the first empirical evaluation on the effects of stochastic fluctuations in primary productivity—a major outcome of ecosystem functions—on the metapopulation dynamics of a primary consumer. A unique 13-year dataset from an herbivore rodent was used to test the hypothesis that inter-annual variations in primary productivity determine spatiotemporal habitat occupancy patterns and colonization and extinction processes. Inter-annual variability in productivity and in the growing season phenology significantly influenced habitat colonization patterns and occupancy dynamics. These effects lead to changes in connectivity to other potentially occupied habitat patches, which then feed back into occupancy dynamics. According to the results, the dynamics of primary productivity accounted for more than 50% of the variation in occupancy probability, depending on patch size and landscape configuration. Evidence connecting primary productivity dynamics and spatiotemporal population processes has broad implications for metapopulation persistence in fluctuating and changing environments. PMID:27053739

Consumers’ Attitude Towards Fish Meat

PubMed Central

Passantino, Annamaria; Longo, Sabrina; Voslářová, Eva

2014-01-01

The overall aim of this paper is to show the factors that may affect consumers’ attitude towards farmed fish products. Consumers ask new products on the basis of different quality attributes: stability, safety, composition, better health effects, environment protection, etc. Different and controversial opinions on farmed and wild fish are also explored by literature review. The authors pay attention also to fish welfare as an emerging issue and effective information about fish products as a factor exerting a positive influence on consumers’ decision of purchase. Some relevant legislative notes on the paper’s topics are also cited. The qualitative aspects of aquaculture fish and the consumers’ demand and choice need further studies, according to some factors, such as the changing consumers’ attitudes towards fish products, the different fish quality perception and the development in the aquaculture systems. PMID:27800359

Bioreactor process parameter screening utilizing a Plackett-Burman design for a model monoclonal antibody.

PubMed

Agarabi, Cyrus D; Schiel, John E; Lute, Scott C; Chavez, Brittany K; Boyne, Michael T; Brorson, Kurt A; Khan, Mansoora; Read, Erik K

2015-06-01

Consistent high-quality antibody yield is a key goal for cell culture bioprocessing. This endpoint is typically achieved in commercial settings through product and process engineering of bioreactor parameters during development. When the process is complex and not optimized, small changes in composition and control may yield a finished product of less desirable quality. Therefore, changes proposed to currently validated processes usually require justification and are reported to the US FDA for approval. Recently, design-of-experiments-based approaches have been explored to rapidly and efficiently achieve this goal of optimized yield with a better understanding of product and process variables that affect a product's critical quality attributes. Here, we present a laboratory-scale model culture where we apply a Plackett-Burman screening design to parallel cultures to study the main effects of 11 process variables. This exercise allowed us to determine the relative importance of these variables and identify the most important factors to be further optimized in order to control both desirable and undesirable glycan profiles. We found engineering changes relating to culture temperature and nonessential amino acid supplementation significantly impacted glycan profiles associated with fucosylation, β-galactosylation, and sialylation. All of these are important for monoclonal antibody product quality. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Determination of fatty acid composition and quality characteristics of oils from palm fruits using solvent extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasmin, Hasimah; Lazim, Azwan Mat; Awang, Roila

2015-09-01

Palm oil contains about 45% of saturated palmitic acid and 39% of mono-unsaturated oleic acid. Investigations made in the past to trace the fatty acid composition in palm revealed that ripeness of fresh fruit bunch (FFB) affect oil composition. However, there is no evidence that processing operations affect oil composition, although different stage of processing does affect the quality of oil extracted. An improved method for sterilizing the oil palm fruits by dry heating, followed by oil extraction has been studied. This method eliminates the use of water, thus, increasing the extraction of lipid soluble. The objective of this study is to determine the possibility production of palm oil with different fatty acid composition (FAC) as well as the changes in quality from conventional milling. The unripe and ripe FFB were collected, sterilized and extracted using different method of solvent extraction. Preliminary data have shown that variation in FAC will also alter the physical and chemical properties of the oil extracted.

Manufacturing history of etanercept (Enbrel®): Consistency of product quality through major process revisions.

PubMed

Hassett, Brian; Singh, Ena; Mahgoub, Ehab; O'Brien, Julie; Vicik, Steven M; Fitzpatrick, Brian

2018-01-01

Etanercept (ETN) (Enbrel®) is a soluble protein that binds to, and specifically inhibits, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a proinflammatory cytokine. ETN is synthesized in Chinese hamster ovary cells by recombinant DNA technology as a fusion protein, with a fully human TNFRII ectodomain linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1. Successful manufacture of biologics, such as ETN, requires sophisticated process and product understanding, as well as meticulous control of operations to maintain product consistency. The objective of this evaluation was to show that the product profile of ETN drug substance (DS) has been consistent over the course of production. Multiple orthogonal biochemical analyses, which included evaluation of attributes indicative of product purity, potency, and quality, were assessed on >2,000 batches of ETN from three sites of DS manufacture, during the period 1998-2015. Based on the key quality attributes of product purity (assessed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography HPLC), binding activity (to TNF by ELISA), potency (inhibition of TNF-induced apoptosis by cell-based bioassay) and quality (N-linked oligosaccharide map), we show that the integrity of ETN DS has remained consistent over time. This consistency was maintained through three major enhancements to the initial process of manufacturing that were supported by detailed comparability assessments, and approved by the European Medicines Agency. Examination of results for all major quality attributes for ETN DS indicates a highly consistent process for over 18 years and throughout changes to the manufacturing process, without affecting safety and efficacy, as demonstrated across a wide range of clinical trials of ETN in multiple inflammatory diseases.

What Scanner products are available?

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2014-12-08

... not provide the full diurnal coverage, which can affect the quality of the shortwave and longwave estimate. ERBS covers all 24-hour local ... algorithm. Because of these differences, it is best to work with these two data sets separately. ERBE/ERBS scanner operated ...

Quality Characteristics of a Low-Fat Beef Patty Enriched by Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Vitamin D3.

PubMed

Gómez, Inmaculada; Sarriés, María Victoria; Ibañez, Francisco C; Beriain, María José

2018-02-01

Olive and linseed oils have high contents of oleic acid and n-3 fatty acids (FA), respectively. Vitamin D 3 , an essential nutrient, is in low contents in meat. This study investigated the potential application of olive and linseed oils' mixture as a backfat replacer, and vitamin D 3 as a supplement, in order to develop a product enriched by polyunsaturated FAs and vitamin D 3 . Two treatments were manufactured: conventional (C: 0% emulsion, 0 μg vitamin D 3 /100 g product) and modified (M: 10.9% emulsion/, 8.3 μg vitamin D 3 /100 g product). The quality characteristics and cooking effects on the FA and vitamin D 3 contents were assessed. The sensory properties of cooked patties were not affected by olive and linseed oils' mixture (P > 0.05). The instrumental textural parameters were lower in cooked M patties (P < 0.01), except springiness (P = 0.766) that was not affected by formulation. The contents of α-linoleic acid in M patty were 19-fold higher than those from C patty. The contents of n-3 and n-6 were higher in M patty (P < 0.05) than in C patty. Although cooking decreased the content of vitamin D 3 in M patty (6.7 compared with 5.2 μg/100 g product), considerable increments were achieved compared to C patty. There is an increasing demand of consumers for healthier meat products; therefore, the improvement of their nutritional profile without negatively affecting quality characteristics is key factor for meat sector. This study emphasizes the feasibility of using the combination of olive and linseed oils' mixture and vitamin D 3 to yield new meat products with high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin D 3 . The effectiveness of combination of oils mixture and vitamin D 3 tested in this study is proven and the high contribution of vitamin D 3 and some fatty acids of nutritional interest identified. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

ADSA Foundation Scholar Award: Trends in culture-independent methods for assessing dairy food quality and safety: emerging metagenomic tools.

PubMed

Yeung, Marie

2012-12-01

Enhancing the quality and safety of dairy food is critical to maintaining the competitiveness of dairy products in the food and beverage market and in reinforcing consumer confidence in the dairy industry. Raw milk quality has a significant effect on finished product quality. Several microbial groups found in raw milk have been shown to adversely affect the shelf life of pasteurized milk. Current microbiological criteria used to define milk quality are based primarily on culture-dependent methods, some of which are perceived to lack the desired sensitivity and specificity. To supplement traditional methods, culture-independent methods are increasingly being used to identify specific species or microbial groups, and to detect indicator genes or proteins in raw milk or dairy products. Some molecular subtyping techniques have been developed to track the transmission of microbes in dairy environments. The burgeoning "-omics" technologies offer new and exciting opportunities to enhance our understanding of food quality and safety in relation to microbes. Metagenomics has the potential to characterize microbial diversity, detect nonculturable microbes, and identify unique sequences or other factors associated with dairy product quality and safety. In this review, fluid milk will be used as the primary example to examine the adequacy and validity of conventional methods, the current trend of culture-independent methods, and the potential applications of metagenomics in dairy food research. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[A critical assessment of the relation between the food industry and health research].

PubMed

León Mengíbar, Josep; Pastor-Valero, María; Hernández Aguado, Ildefonso

To describe the influence of the food industry in health research, observing how funding influences health outcomes and the quality of the studies. We performed a systematic review in MEDLINE, Cochrane Library Plus and Scopus using the MESH "Food Industry", "Food-Processing Industry", "Biomedical Research", "Research Support as Topic", and the keywords "Industry Sponsorship" and "Funding Source". The quality was assessed using the PRISMA guidelines. We revised 1,506 articles and 10 were included; two reviewed the relationship between funding-outcomes and quality-outcomes; six focused on the funding-outcomes relationship; and the other two focused on methodological quality. Six showed that funding from the food industry resulted in more favourable outcomes for their products. No differences in quality were found in relation to the funding source, but those which did not declare their funding had a worse quality. Studies funded by the food industry showed favourable results for their products. However, this fact did not affect the quality of the studies. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Microbiological Spoilage of Cereal Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Frederick K.; Johnson, Billie L.

A wide range of cereal products, including bakery items, refrigerated dough, fresh pasta products, dried cereal products, snack foods, and bakery mixes, are manufactured for food consumption. These products are subject to physical, chemical, and microbiological spoilage that affects the taste, aroma, leavening, appearance, and overall quality of the end consumer product. Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and have the potential for causing food spoilage and foodborne disease. However, compared to other categories of food products, bakery products rarely cause food poisoning. The heat that is applied during baking or frying usually eliminates pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, and low moisture contributes to product stability. Nevertheless, microbiological spoilage of these products occurs, resulting in substantial economic losses.

Evaluating the Relationship between Productivity and Quality in Emergency Departments

PubMed Central

Bastian, Nathaniel D.; Riordan, John P.

2017-01-01

Background In the United States, emergency departments (EDs) are constantly pressured to improve operational efficiency and quality in order to gain financial benefits and maintain a positive reputation. Objectives The first objective is to evaluate how efficiently EDs transform their input resources into quality outputs. The second objective is to investigate the relationship between the efficiency and quality performance of EDs and the factors affecting this relationship. Methods Using two data sources, we develop a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to evaluate the relative efficiency of EDs. Based on the DEA result, we performed multinomial logistic regression to investigate the relationship between ED efficiency and quality performance. Results The DEA results indicated that the main source of inefficiencies was working hours of technicians. The multinomial logistic regression result indicated that the number of electrocardiograms and X-ray procedures conducted in the ED and the length of stay were significantly associated with the trade-offs between relative efficiency and quality. Structural ED characteristics did not influence the relationship between efficiency and quality. Conclusions Depending on the structural and operational characteristics of EDs, different factors can affect the relationship between efficiency and quality. PMID:29065673

Development and operation of a quality assurance system for deviations from standard operating procedures in a clinical cell therapy laboratory.

PubMed

McKenna, D; Kadidlo, D; Sumstad, D; McCullough, J

2003-01-01

Errors and accidents, or deviations from standard operating procedures, other policy, or regulations must be documented and reviewed, with corrective actions taken to assure quality performance in a cellular therapy laboratory. Though expectations and guidance for deviation management exist, a description of the framework for the development of such a program is lacking in the literature. Here we describe our deviation management program, which uses a Microsoft Access database and Microsoft Excel to analyze deviations and notable events, facilitating quality assurance (QA) functions and ongoing process improvement. Data is stored in a Microsoft Access database with an assignment to one of six deviation type categories. Deviation events are evaluated for potential impact on patient and product, and impact scores for each are determined using a 0- 4 grading scale. An immediate investigation occurs, and corrective actions are taken to prevent future similar events from taking place. Additionally, deviation data is collectively analyzed on a quarterly basis using Microsoft Excel, to identify recurring events or developing trends. Between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2001 over 2500 products were processed at our laboratory. During this time period, 335 deviations and notable events occurred, affecting 385 products and/or patients. Deviations within the 'technical error' category were most common (37%). Thirteen percent of deviations had a patient and/or a product impact score > or = 2, a score indicating, at a minimum, potentially affected patient outcome or moderate effect upon product quality. Real-time analysis and quarterly review of deviations using our deviation management program allows for identification and correction of deviations. Monitoring of deviation trends allows for process improvement and overall successful functioning of the QA program in the cell therapy laboratory. Our deviation management program could serve as a model for other laboratories in need of such a program.

Does proximity to urban centres affect the dietary regime of marine benthic filter feeders?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puccinelli, Eleonora; Noyon, Margaux; McQuaid, Christopher D.

2016-02-01

Threats to marine ecosystems include habitat destruction and degradation of water quality, resulting from land- and ocean-based human activities. Anthropogenic input causing modification of water quality, can affect primary productivity and thus food availability and quality for higher trophic levels. This is especially important for sedentary benthic intertidal communities, which rely on local food availability. We investigated the effect of urbanization on the dietary regime of four species of intertidal filter feeders (three barnacles and one mussel) at sites close to high-density cities and at sites far from heavily urbanized areas using fatty acid and stable isotope techniques. δ15N was significantly higher at urbanized sites compared to their corresponding control sites for all species with few exceptions, while no effect on δ13C was recorded. Barnacle fatty acid profiles were not affected by cities, while mussels from sites close to cities had fatty acid signatures with a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). We suggest that the enrichment in δ15N at urbanised sites reflects the influence of anthropogenically derived nitrogen directly linked to wastewater input from domestic and industrial sewage. Linked to this, the high proportion of PUFA in mussels at urbanized sites may reflect the influence of increased nitrogen concentrations on primary production and enhanced growth of large phytoplankton cells. The results indicate that anthropogenic effects can strongly influence the diets of benthic organisms, but these effects differ among taxa. Changes in the diet of such habitat forming species can affect their fitness and survival with potential effects on the populations associated with them.

Trends in liability affecting technical writers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Driskill, L. P.

1981-01-01

Liability of technical writers for defective products is explored. Documents generated during a product's life cycle (including design memos, design tests, clinical trials, trial use reports, letters, and proposals) become relevant because they are likely to become the only available means of showing that the product was not defectively designed. These documents become the evidence that the product underwent balanced and well considered planning, development, testing, quality control, and field testing. The predicted increased involvement of technical writers in the prevention and defense of product liability claims is cited in view of a greater number of cases turning on "failure to warn".

Prospective change control analysis of transfer of platelet concentrate production from a specialized stem cell transplantation unit to a blood transfusion center.

PubMed

Sigle, Joerg-Peter; Medinger, Michael; Stern, Martin; Infanti, Laura; Heim, Dominik; Halter, Joerg; Gratwohl, Alois; Buser, Andreas

2012-01-01

Specialized centers claim a need for blood component production independent from the general blood transfusion services. We performed a prospective change control analysis of the transfer of platelet (PLT) production for hematological patients at the University Hospital Basel from the Department of Hematology to the Blood Transfusion Centre, Swiss Red Cross, Basel in February 2006. We wanted to demonstrate that neither quality nor transfusion outcome was affected. Production quantity and efficiency, product quality and transfusion outcome were systematically recorded. A 2-year pretransfer period was compared to a 2 year post-transfer period. After transfer production quantity at the Blood Transfusion Centre increased from 4,483 to 6,190 PLT concentrates. Production efficiency increased with a significant decrease in the rate of expired products (18% vs. 8%; P < 0.001). Product quality showed a slight decrease in median PLT count per unit (2.84 vs. 2.75 × 10(11); P < 0.001) and a slight increase in mean storage time prior to transfusion (3.18 vs. 3.30 days; P < 0.001). Transfusion outcome measured as median corrected count increment one hour post-transfusion (10.5 vs. 10.7; P = 0.3) and the rate of patients with inadequate post-transfusion increment (31.5% vs. 32.1%; P = 0.6) did not differ. Supply and quality of PLT products was maintained after the transfer of PLT production to the Blood Transfusion Centre. An optimization of the supply chain process with markedly decreased expiration rates was achieved. These results argue against the need of specialized PLT production sites for selected patient groups. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microbiological and nutritional quality of the goat meat by-product "sarapatel".

PubMed

Brasil, Luciana; Queiroz, Angela; Silva, Josevan; Bezerra, Taliana; Arcanjo, Narciza; Magnani, Marciane; Souza, Evandro; Madruga, Marta

2014-01-16

Goat "sarapatel" is a product made from blood and viscera. For the first time, the microbiological and nutritional quality of "sarapatel" samples (n=48) sold under different conditions (in street markets, butcher shops, and supermarkets under refrigeration, frozen or at room temperature) was evaluated. Goat "sarapatel" is a nutritive food, with each 100 g providing, on average, 72 g of moisture, 2 g of ash, 18 g of protein, 9 g of lipids, 2 g of carbohydrates, 282 mg of cholesterol, and high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids and essential amino acids. The analysis of the "sarapatel" samples shows that none of them contain Salmonella spp. or L. monocytogenes. High counts (>104) of total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, and sulfite-reducing Clostridium were detected, and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus was found in 31.25% of samples. The storage conditions evaluated (refrigeration, frozen or at room temperature) did not affect the physicochemical quality of the "sarapatel"; however, the unsatisfactory microbiological quality indicates that it is necessary to improve the health-sanitary aspects of the processing and sale of this product.

Quality characteristics of gluten-free cookies made of buckwheat, corn, and rice flour with/without transglutaminase.

PubMed

Altındağ, Gülçin; Certel, Muharrem; Erem, Fundagül; İlknur Konak, Ülgen

2015-04-01

Buckwheat is one of the most valuable pseudo-cereals in terms of its nutritional composition, and it is suitable for celiac patients because of its gluten-free characteristic. However, gluten is the main structure-forming protein responsible for the development of structure in baked products. Therefore, it is a challenge to produce high-quality gluten-free products. Transglutaminase addition is a relatively common application used in the production of gluten-free baked goods. The objective of this study was to investigate the combination of buckwheat flour with rice and corn flour at different levels in gluten-free cookie formulations and the impact of transglutaminase on the quality of cookies. Quality parameters evaluated were proximal chemical composition, spread ratio, color, and textural parameters (hardness and fracturability). Spread ratio, protein, crude fiber, ash content, and also b* and hardness values were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by flour combinations. Further, addition of transglutaminase resulted in increased moisture content, spread ratio, and fracturability but decreased hardness values. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Reciprocal Translocation Observed in End-of-Production Cells of a Commercial CHO-Based Process.

PubMed

Rouiller, Yolande; Kleuser, Beate; Toso, Emiliano; Palinksy, Wolf; Rossi, Mara; Rossatto, Paola; Barberio, Davide; Broly, Hervé

2015-01-01

During the validation of an additional working cell bank derived from a validated master cell bank to support the commercial production continuum of a recombinant protein, we observed an unexpected chromosomal location of the gene of interest in some end-of-production cells. This event-identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization and multicolour chromosome painting as a reciprocal translocation involving a chromosome region containing the gene of interest with its integral coding and flanking sequences-was unique, occurred probably during or prior to multicolour chromosome painting establishment, and was transmitted to the descending generations. Cells bearing the translocation had a transient and process-independent selective advantage, which did not affect process performance and product quality. However, this first report of a translocation affecting the gene of interest location in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells used for producing a biotherapeutic indicates the importance of the demonstration of the integrity of the gene of interest in end-of-production cells. The expression of recombinant therapeutic proteins in mammalian cells depends on the establishment of a cell line with the gene of interest integrated in the host genome and stably expressed over time. Before being used for commercial production, cell lines are submitted to a qualification program in order to ensure their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics and the efficacy and safety of the product. During the production life cycle of a therapeutic protein, additional cells banks have to be validated after exhaustion of the current qualified cell bank in order to support the commercial production continuum of the recombinant protein. It is during the validation of an additional working cell bank derived from a validated master cell bank that we detected a different chromosome bearing the gene of interest in a portion of cells at the end of the upstream production phase. In our case, this event did not affect the process performance, the product quality, or its safety profile, but it highlights the need to characterize the integrity of the gene of interest in end-of-production cells when producing recombinant proteins for human use. © PDA, Inc. 2015.

Tassel Removal Positively Affects Biomass Production Coupled with Significantly Increasing Stem Digestibility in Switchgrass

PubMed Central

Zhao, Chunqiao; Fan, Xifeng; Hou, Xincun; Zhu, Yi; Yue, Yuesen; Zhang, Shuang; Wu, Juying

2015-01-01

In this study, tassels of Cave-in-Rock (upland) and Alamo (lowland) were removed at or near tassel emergence to explore its effects on biomass production and quality. Tassel-removed (TR) Cave-in-Rock and Alamo both exhibited a significant (P<0.05) increase in plant heights (not including tassel length), tiller number, and aboveground biomass dry weight (10% and 12%, 30% and 13%, 13% and 18%, respectively by variety) compared to a control (CK) treatment. Notably, total sugar yields of TR Cave-in-Rock and Alamo stems increased significantly (P<0.05 or 0.01) by 19% and 19%, 21% and 14%, 52% and 18%, respectively by variety, compared to those of control switchgrass under 3 treatments by direct enzymatic hydrolysis (DEH), enzymatic hydrolysis after 1% NaOH pretreatment (EHAL) and enzymatic hydrolysis after 1% H2SO4 pretreatment (EHAC). These differences were mainly due to significantly (P<0.05 or 0.01) higher cellulose content, lower cellulose crystallinity indexes (CrI) caused by higher arabinose (Ara) substitution in xylans, and lower S/G ratio in lignin. However, the increases of nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) concentration negatively affects the combustion quality of switchgrass aboveground biomass. This work provides information for increasing biomass production and quality in switchgrass and also facilitates the inhibition of gene dispersal of switchgrass in China. PMID:25849123

Instrumental textural perception of food and comparative biomaterials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Texture is an important food quality attribute affecting consumer acceptance. Consumers characterize texture as either crispy or crunchy, and the moisture content and internal structure of the products are significant factors in its perception. Exposing an extruded corn snack (ECS), an extruded biod...

Source chemical characterization of swine odor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Odors from swine production have been linked to a host of issues affecting quality of life, property values and potentially human health. Typical compounds and classes of compounds include: sulfides, thiols, acids, phenols, indoles, ammonia and amines. The wide range of compounds assoicated with swi...

ADMINISTRATIVE CLIMATE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BRUCE, ROBERT L.; CARTER, G.L., JR.

IN THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE, STYLES OF LEADERSHIP PROFOUNDLY AFFECT THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE RENDERED. ACCORDINGLY, MAJOR INFLUENCES ON ADMINISTRATIVE CLIMATE AND EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY ARE EXAMINED IN ESSAYS ON (1) SOURCES OF JOB SATISFACTION AND DISSATISFACTION, (2) MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES BASED ON JOB-RELATED SATISFACTIONS AND NEEDS,…

Hydro-physical Characteristics of Selected Media Used for Containerized Agriculture Systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Containerized plant production represents an extremely intensive agricultural practice with large amounts of water and fertilizer application. Hydro-physical characteristics such as water infiltration, texture and structure, particle size distribution affect the quality of the media used in containe...

Maximizing plant density affects broccoli yield and quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increased demand for fresh market bunch broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) has led to increased production along the United States east coast. Maximizing broccoli yields is a primary concern for quickly expanding southeastern commercial markets. This broccoli plant density study was carr...

Extrusion and Extruded Products: Changes in Quality Attributes as Affected by Extrusion Process Parameters: A Review.

PubMed

Alam, M S; Kaur, Jasmeen; Khaira, Harjot; Gupta, Kalika

2016-01-01

Extrusion of foods is an emerging technology for the food industries to process and market a large number of products of varying size, shape, texture, and taste. Extrusion cooking technology has led to production of wide variety of products like pasta, breakfast cereals, bread crumbs, biscuits, crackers, croutons, baby foods, snack foods, confectionery items, chewing gum, texturized vegetable protein (TVP), modified starch, pet foods, dried soups, dry beverage mixes etc. The functional properties of extruded foods plays an important role for their acceptability which include water absorption, water solubility, oil absorption indexes, expansion index, bulk density and viscosity of the dough. The aim of this review is to give the detailed outlines about the potential of extrusion technology in development of different types of products and the role of extrusion-operating conditions and their effect on product development resulting in quality changes i.e physical, chemical, and nutritional, experienced during the extrusion process.

Assessing Consumer Emotional Responses in the Presence and Absence of Critical Quality Attributes: A Case Study with Chicken Eggs.

PubMed

Wardy, Wisdom; Sae-Eaw, Amporn; Sriwattana, Sujinda; No, Hong Kyoon; Prinyawiwatkul, Witoon

2015-07-01

Effects of attribute presence and absence on the emotional profile and consumer acceptability of products with varying qualities were assessed using eggs as an example. An online survey (n = 320) was used to evaluate emotional responses and acceptability to 5 types of egg quality attributes: intrinsic, aesthetic, extrinsic, expediency, and wholesome/safety, for both present and absent conditions. Attribute absence rather than presence evoked greater consumer discriminating emotions associated with eggs. Mean emotion intensity elicited by the presence of all quality attributes ranged from 1.67 (intrinsic; guilty) to 4.05 (wholesome; good) versus 2.01 (wholesome; satisfied) to 3.29 (wholesome; disgusted) when absent. Key positive emotions elicited by presence of attributes were active, calm, good, interested, happy, safe, and satisfied; while dominant negative emotions elicited by absence of attributes included disgusted and worried. Wholesome quality (constituted by egg freshness, "packing/best-before-date" and absence of visible cracks) exhibited the highest liking (7.65) and emotion intensities, while the emotional responses to both the presence and absence of intrinsic quality (constituted by nutrient-fortified egg, organic egg, and USDA-certified farm egg) were similar, reflecting their dynamic effects on emotions. Emotions and acceptability were more correlated for attribute absence than presence; and good, happy, and satisfied emotions were strongly related to egg acceptability (r ≥ 0.6). Egg product/packaging design can be oriented toward emphasizing wholesome and expedient attributes, since they enhance good, safe, and satisfied emotions, while minimizing disgust, worry, and boredom. The use of emotional responses and hedonic testing regarding attribute presence and absence would allow for improved selection of attributes critical to consumer acceptance of products. Assessing effects of attribute presence compared with absence on food-evoked emotions may offer valuable insights for differentiation of competing or otherwise similar products. Affective consumer responses to food products with varying sensory and quality attributes are influenced by several factors including psychographics, demographics, product category, and test design. In this study, a scenario is depicted where product developers can identify critical product features based on emotional assessment of products with and without quality attributes. This study is beneficial to product developers and the egg industry, as it identifies opportunities to better understand consumer needs, thereby, designing products destined for success in the marketplace. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Effect of litter quality on foot pad dermatitis, hock burns and breast blisters in broiler breeders during the production period.

PubMed

Kaukonen, Eija; Norring, Marianna; Valros, Anna

2016-12-01

Foot pad dermatitis and hock burn lesions are a form of contact dermatitis, a condition affecting skin areas in contact with unsuitable or irritating material. Contact dermatitis is a common problem, reducing the welfare of broilers, and is believed to also affect broiler breeders. However, there is very little research on contact dermatitis in breeders. This study followed the severity of foot pad lesions in broiler breeders throughout the production period. At slaughter the presence of hock burns and breast blisters was also determined. In addition, changes in litter condition over time and the impact of litter quality on foot pads were evaluated. The study was performed on 10 broiler breeder farms, including altogether 18 flocks. Foot pads of 100 hens per flock were assessed at the end of rearing period, three times during the production period, and at slaughter. Foot pad and hock lesions, as well as litter condition were scored on a 5-point scale. Litter quality was evaluated as pH, moisture and ammonia content. The condition of foot pads deteriorated towards slaughter age, with the occurrence of severe lesions reaching a maximum of 64% on average at slaughter. Hock lesions and breast blisters were rare. The litter layer became drier over time. Although poorer litter condition and wetness influenced foot pad health negatively, the effect on severe lesions was not significant. We also observed a negative effect on foot pad condition of larger slat areas. In conclusion, maintaining good litter quality alone is not enough to ensure healthy foot pads in broiler breeders.

Effect of nest design, passages, and hybrid on use of nest and production performance of layers in furnished cages.

PubMed

Wall, H; Tauson, R; Elwinger, K

2002-03-01

Production performance, including egg quality, and proportion of eggs laid in nests were studied in furnished experimental cages incorporating nests, litter baths, and perches. The study comprised a total of 972 hens of two genotypes: Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL) and Hy-Line White. The birds were studied from 20 to 80 wk of age, and conventional four-hen cages were included as a reference. In furnished cages for six hens, the effects of 30 or 50% vs. 100% nest bottom lining (Astro turf) were studied with LSL hens. Nest bottom lining had no significant effect on egg production or proportions of cracked or dirty eggs, but the use of nests was significantly higher in cages incorporating nests with 100% lining, compared with 50 or 30%. The two hybrids were compared when housed in large, group-furnished cages for 14 or 16 hens of two designs; with a rear partition with two pop holes or fully open, i.e., no rear partition. LSL birds produced significantly better and had a significantly lower proportion of cracked eggs. There was no difference between H- and O-cages, either in production or in egg quality. LSL birds laid a significantly lower proportion of eggs in the nests, especially in O-cages, implying a significant hybrid x cage interaction. When housed in conventional cages, the hybrids did not differ in proportion of cracked eggs but differed in production traits. It was concluded that with the present nest design, the proportion of nest bottom lining cannot be reduced without affecting birds' use of nests, but the proportion did not affect exterior egg quality. The effect of genotype should be considered in the further development of furnished cages.

Quality characteristics and safety of smoke-flavoured water.

PubMed

Tano-Debrah, Kwaku; Amamoo-Otchere, Joanne; Karikari, A Y; Diako, Charles

2007-06-01

Smoke-flavoured water is produced in Ghana by filling a previously smoked container with potable water and allowing the water to condition with the smoke to attain a characteristic rain water flavour. Owing to the current knowledge on the toxicity, carcinogenicity and other safety issues of some smoke-constituents, the commercial production of the product is becoming a public health concern. This study sought to determine the effects of the smoke-flavouring process on the quality characteristics of smoke-flavoured water to predict the safety of the product. A traditional and a commercial protocol for the production of smoke-flavoured water were simulated in the laboratory and at the site of a company which used to produce the product, respectively. Samples of the flavoured water produced were analyzed for pH, colour, turbidity, conductivity, total hardness, dissolved oxygen content (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon constituents (PAHs), coliform count, and flavour acceptability. Data obtained were evaluated in reference to data on control samples prepared during the investigations. The results obtained suggested that the smoke-flavouring process may not significantly change most of the physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of the water processed, and thus not affect the drinking quality characteristics of the water. The process however has the potential of adding some organic compounds, which could include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the group that may have the toxicity and carcinogenic effects. The types of PAHs and their concentrations are expected to vary with the process characteristics, but could be insignificantly low to affect the safety of the water. The results suggest a need for some standardization of the process.

Climate Change and Food Security: Health Impacts in Developed Countries

PubMed Central

Hooper, Lee; Abdelhamid, Asmaa; Bentham, Graham; Boxall, Alistair B.A.; Draper, Alizon; Fairweather-Tait, Susan; Hulme, Mike; Hunter, Paul R.; Nichols, Gordon; Waldron, Keith W.

2012-01-01

Background: Anthropogenic climate change will affect global food production, with uncertain consequences for human health in developed countries. Objectives: We investigated the potential impact of climate change on food security (nutrition and food safety) and the implications for human health in developed countries. Methods: Expert input and structured literature searches were conducted and synthesized to produce overall assessments of the likely impacts of climate change on global food production and recommendations for future research and policy changes. Results: Increasing food prices may lower the nutritional quality of dietary intakes, exacerbate obesity, and amplify health inequalities. Altered conditions for food production may result in emerging pathogens, new crop and livestock species, and altered use of pesticides and veterinary medicines, and affect the main transfer mechanisms through which contaminants move from the environment into food. All these have implications for food safety and the nutritional content of food. Climate change mitigation may increase consumption of foods whose production reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Impacts may include reduced red meat consumption (with positive effects on saturated fat, but negative impacts on zinc and iron intake) and reduced winter fruit and vegetable consumption. Developed countries have complex structures in place that may be used to adapt to the food safety consequences of climate change, although their effectiveness will vary between countries, and the ability to respond to nutritional challenges is less certain. Conclusions: Climate change will have notable impacts upon nutrition and food safety in developed countries, but further research is necessary to accurately quantify these impacts. Uncertainty about future impacts, coupled with evidence that climate change may lead to more variable food quality, emphasizes the need to maintain and strengthen existing structures and policies to regulate food production, monitor food quality and safety, and respond to nutritional and safety issues that arise. PMID:23124134

Climate change and food security: health impacts in developed countries.

PubMed

Lake, Iain R; Hooper, Lee; Abdelhamid, Asmaa; Bentham, Graham; Boxall, Alistair B A; Draper, Alizon; Fairweather-Tait, Susan; Hulme, Mike; Hunter, Paul R; Nichols, Gordon; Waldron, Keith W

2012-11-01

Anthropogenic climate change will affect global food production, with uncertain consequences for human health in developed countries. We investigated the potential impact of climate change on food security (nutrition and food safety) and the implications for human health in developed countries. Expert input and structured literature searches were conducted and synthesized to produce overall assessments of the likely impacts of climate change on global food production and recommendations for future research and policy changes. Increasing food prices may lower the nutritional quality of dietary intakes, exacerbate obesity, and amplify health inequalities. Altered conditions for food production may result in emerging pathogens, new crop and livestock species, and altered use of pesticides and veterinary medicines, and affect the main transfer mechanisms through which contaminants move from the environment into food. All these have implications for food safety and the nutritional content of food. Climate change mitigation may increase consumption of foods whose production reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Impacts may include reduced red meat consumption (with positive effects on saturated fat, but negative impacts on zinc and iron intake) and reduced winter fruit and vegetable consumption. Developed countries have complex structures in place that may be used to adapt to the food safety consequences of climate change, although their effectiveness will vary between countries, and the ability to respond to nutritional challenges is less certain. Climate change will have notable impacts upon nutrition and food safety in developed countries, but further research is necessary to accurately quantify these impacts. Uncertainty about future impacts, coupled with evidence that climate change may lead to more variable food quality, emphasizes the need to maintain and strengthen existing structures and policies to regulate food production, monitor food quality and safety, and respond to nutritional and safety issues that arise.

Causes of drug shortages in the legal pharmaceutical framework.

PubMed

De Weerdt, Elfi; Simoens, Steven; Hombroeckx, Luc; Casteels, Minne; Huys, Isabelle

2015-03-01

Different causes of drug shortages can be linked to the pharmaceutical legal framework, such as: parallel trade, quality requirements, economic decisions to suspend or cease production, etc. However until now no in-depth study of the different regulations affecting drug shortages is available. The aim of this paper is to provide an analysis of relevant legal and regulatory measures in the European pharmaceutical framework which influence drug shortages. Different European and national legislations governing human medicinal products were analyzed (e.g. Directive 2001/83/EC and Directive 2011/62/EU), supplemented with literature studies. For patented drugs, external price referencing may encompass the largest impact on drug shortages. For generic medicines, internal or external reference pricing, tendering as well as price capping may affect drug shortages. Manufacturing/quality requirements also contribute to drug shortages, since non-compliance leads to recalls. The influence of parallel trade on drug shortages is still rather disputable. Price and quality regulations are both important causes of drug shortages or drug unavailability. It can be concluded that there is room for improvement in the pharmaceutical legal framework within the lines drawn by the EU to mitigate drug shortages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of Rainfall-runoff Model Parametrization and Performance to Potential Evaporation Inputs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayathilake, D. I.; Smith, T. J.

2017-12-01

Many watersheds of interest are confronted with insufficient data and poor process understanding. Therefore, understanding the relative importance of input data types and the impact of different qualities on model performance, parameterization, and fidelity is critically important to improving hydrologic models. In this paper, the change in model parameterization and performance are explored with respect to four different potential evapotranspiration (PET) products of varying quality. For each PET product, two widely used, conceptual rainfall-runoff models are calibrated with multiple objective functions to a sample of 20 basins included in the MOPEX data set and analyzed to understand how model behavior varied. Model results are further analyzed by classifying catchments as energy- or water-limited using the Budyko framework. The results demonstrated that model fit was largely unaffected by the quality of the PET inputs. However, model parameterizations were clearly sensitive to PET inputs, as their production parameters adjusted to counterbalance input errors. Despite this, changes in model robustness were not observed for either model across the four PET products, although robustness was affected by model structure.

Dietary inclusion of raw faba bean instead of soybean meal and enzyme supplementation in laying hens: Effect on performance and egg quality.

PubMed

Abd El-Hack, M E; Alagawany, M; Laudadio, V; Demauro, R; Tufarelli, V

2017-02-01

An experiment was conducted with 160 Hisex Brown laying hens to evaluate the effect of different inclusion levels of faba bean (FB) and enzyme supplementation on productive performance and egg quality parameters. The experimental diets consisted of five levels of FB: 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, substituting soybean meal (SBM), and two levels of enzyme supplementation (0 or 250 mg/kg). Each dietary treatment was assigned to four replicate groups and the experiment lasted 22 weeks. A positive relationship ( P  < 0.05) was found between FB inclusion and body weight (BW) change of hens when compared to those of the control treatment. Enzyme supplementation significantly affected the final hens' BW. Feed consumption (FC) of hens was statistically increased with increasing FB level up to 50%. Supplementing dietary enzyme mixture at 250 mg/kg led to improvement in FC at all studied ages ( P  < 0.05). Inclusion of 25% or 50% FB in diets had no adverse effects on feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the higher FB inclusion levels (75% or 100%). Egg weight (EW), egg number (EN) and egg mass (EM) were significantly ( P  < 0.05) influenced by FB inclusion in diet during the entire experimental periods, except for EN and EM at 20-24 weeks of age. Egg productive parameters were not influenced by enzyme mixture supplementation ( P  > 0.05). The main effect of FB levels replacing for SBM affected ( P  < 0.05) yolk and shell percentages, yolk index, yolk to albumen ratio, shell thickness and egg shape index. It can be concluded that FB and enzyme supplementation could be included in hens diet at less than 50% instead of SBM to support egg productive performance, however higher raw FB levels negatively affected egg production indices and quality.

Technological Factors Affecting Biogenic Amine Content in Foods: A Review

PubMed Central

Gardini, Fausto; Özogul, Yesim; Suzzi, Giovanna; Tabanelli, Giulia; Özogul, Fatih

2016-01-01

Biogenic amines (BAs) are molecules, which can be present in foods and, due to their toxicity, can cause adverse effects on the consumers. BAs are generally produced by microbial decarboxylation of amino acids in food products. The most significant BAs occurring in foods are histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, spermine, spermidine, and agmatine. The importance of preventing the excessive accumulation of BAs in foods is related to their impact on human health and food quality. Quality criteria in connection with the presence of BAs in food and food products are necessary from a toxicological point of view. This is particularly important in fermented foods in which the massive microbial proliferation required for obtaining specific products is often relater with BAs accumulation. In this review, up-to-date information and recent discoveries about technological factors affecting BA content in foods are reviewed. Specifically, BA forming-microorganism and decarboxylation activity, genetic and metabolic organization of decarboxylases, risk associated to BAs (histamine, tyramine toxicity, and other BAs), environmental factors influencing BA formation (temperature, salt concentration, and pH). In addition, the technological factors for controlling BA production (use of starter culture, technological additives, effects of packaging, other non-thermal treatments, metabolizing BA by microorganisms, effects of pressure treatments on BA formation and antimicrobial substances) are addressed. PMID:27570519

Technological Factors Affecting Biogenic Amine Content in Foods: A Review.

PubMed

Gardini, Fausto; Özogul, Yesim; Suzzi, Giovanna; Tabanelli, Giulia; Özogul, Fatih

2016-01-01

Biogenic amines (BAs) are molecules, which can be present in foods and, due to their toxicity, can cause adverse effects on the consumers. BAs are generally produced by microbial decarboxylation of amino acids in food products. The most significant BAs occurring in foods are histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, spermine, spermidine, and agmatine. The importance of preventing the excessive accumulation of BAs in foods is related to their impact on human health and food quality. Quality criteria in connection with the presence of BAs in food and food products are necessary from a toxicological point of view. This is particularly important in fermented foods in which the massive microbial proliferation required for obtaining specific products is often relater with BAs accumulation. In this review, up-to-date information and recent discoveries about technological factors affecting BA content in foods are reviewed. Specifically, BA forming-microorganism and decarboxylation activity, genetic and metabolic organization of decarboxylases, risk associated to BAs (histamine, tyramine toxicity, and other BAs), environmental factors influencing BA formation (temperature, salt concentration, and pH). In addition, the technological factors for controlling BA production (use of starter culture, technological additives, effects of packaging, other non-thermal treatments, metabolizing BA by microorganisms, effects of pressure treatments on BA formation and antimicrobial substances) are addressed.

[Focal hyperhidrosis.Quality of life, socioeconomic importance and use of internal medicinal therapy].

PubMed

Rzany, B; Müller, C; Hund, M

2012-06-01

Focal hyperhidrosis can have a substantial influence on the professional, physical, emotional and social life of those affected. This becomes clear when the results of quality of life studies and Health Service Research studies are reviewed, e.g. affected patients were prepared to contribute additional money for treatment of hyperhidrosis. The systemic therapy of focal hyperhidrosis with oral anticholinergic agents is a quite economical treatment strategy. These products can be administered continuously or sporadically. However, only good clinical date for the continous treatment exists. Focal hyperhidrosis is a disease which requires our full attention. It should be discussed whether e.g. QoL questionnaires should be used routinelly.

Effect of Agave tequilana age, cultivation field location and yeast strain on tequila fermentation process.

PubMed

Pinal, L; Cornejo, E; Arellano, M; Herrera, E; Nuñez, L; Arrizon, J; Gschaedler, A

2009-05-01

The effect of yeast strain, the agave age and the cultivation field location of agave were evaluated using kinetic parameters and volatile compound production in the tequila fermentation process. Fermentations were carried out with Agave juice obtained from two cultivation fields (CF1 and CF2), as well as two ages (4 and 8 years) and two Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains (GU3 and AR5) isolated from tequila fermentation must. Sugar consumption and ethanol production varied as a function of cultivation field and agave age. The production of ethyl acetate, 1-propanol, isobutanol and amyl alcohols were influenced in varying degrees by yeast strain, agave age and cultivation field. Methanol production was only affected by the agave age and 2-phenylethanol was influenced only by yeast strain. This work showed that the use of younger Agave tequilana for tequila fermentation resulted in differences in sugar consumption, ethanol and volatile compounds production at the end of fermentation, which could affect the sensory quality of the final product.

Male enhancement Nutraceuticals in the Middle East market: Claim, pharmaceutical quality and safety assessments.

PubMed

ElAgouri, Ghada; ElAmrawy, Fatema; ElYazbi, Ahmed; Eshra, Ahmed; Nounou, Mohamed I

2015-08-15

The global market is invaded by male enhancement nutraceuticals claimed to be of natural origin sold with a major therapeutic claim. Most of these products have been reported by international systems like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We hypothesize that these products could represent a major threat to the health of the consumers. In this paper, pharmaceutical evaluation of some of these nutraceutical products sold in Egypt under the therapeutic claim of treating erectile dysfunction, are discussed along with pharmacological evaluation to investigate their safety and efficacy parameters. Samples were analyzed utterly using conventional methods, i.e.: HPLC, HPTLC, NIR, content uniformity and weight variation and friability. The SeDeM system was used for quality assessment. On the basis of the results of this research, the sampled products are adulterated and totally heterogeneous in their adulterant drug content and pharmaceutical quality. These products represent a major safety threat for the consumers in Egypt and the Middle East, especially; the target audience is mostly affected with heart and blood pressure problems seeking natural and safe alternatives to the well-established Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors (PDE-5Is). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The nutrition of poultry as a factor affecting litter quality and foot pad dermatitis - an updated review.

PubMed

Swiatkiewicz, S; Arczewska-Wlosek, A; Jozefiak, D

2017-10-01

Foot pad dermatitis (FPD), a condition of inflammation and necrotic lesions on the plantar surface of the footpads, is commonly observed in fast-growing broiler chickens and turkeys. FPD negatively affects the welfare of birds, performance indices and the economic profit of poultry meat production. Nutrition is an important factor affecting water intake, excreta moisture and litter quality and, in this way, the occurrence and intensity of FPD in birds. This article reviews and discusses the recent results published in the literature on the effects of nutritional factors on litter quality and FPD severity in broiler chickens and turkeys. Literature data on the efficacy of nutritional methods on the litter quality and FPD occurrence are not consistent. However, the results of several experiments indicate that the optimal level of crude protein, biotin and electrolytes (Na, K) in the diet, as well as feed additives such as feed enzymes hydrolysating non-starch polysaccharides and organic sources of microelements (zinc), may reduce the litter moisture as well as FPD incidence and severity in broiler chickens and turkey. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Halal and kosher slaughter methods and meat quality: a review.

PubMed

Farouk, M M; Al-Mazeedi, H M; Sabow, A B; Bekhit, A E D; Adeyemi, K D; Sazili, A Q; Ghani, A

2014-11-01

There are many slaughter procedures that religions and cultures use around the world. The two that are commercially relevant are the halal and kosher methods practiced by Muslims and Jews respectively. The global trade in red meat and poultry produced using these two methods is substantial, thus the importance of the quality of the meat produced using the methods. Halal and kosher slaughter per se should not affect meat quality more than their industrial equivalents, however, some of their associated pre- and post-slaughter processes do. For instance, the slow decline in blood pressure following a halal pre-slaughter head-only stun and neck cut causes blood splash (ecchymosis) in a range of muscles and organs of slaughtered livestock. Other quality concerns include bruising, hemorrhages, skin discoloration and broken bones particularly in poultry. In addition to these conventional quality issues, the "spiritual quality" of the meat can also be affected when the halal and kosher religious requirements are not fully met during the slaughter process. The nature, causes, importance and mitigations of these and other quality issues related to halal and kosher slaughtering and meat production using these methods are the subjects of this review. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Management practices affect soil nutrients and bacterial populations in backgrounding beef feedlot

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Contaminants associated with manure in animal production sites are of significant concern. Unless properly managed, high soil nutrient concentrations in feedlots can deteriorate soil and water quality. This three year study tested a nutrient management strategy with three sequentially imposed manage...

Blind inlets: Conservation practices to reduce herbicide losses from closed depressional areas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pesticides are designed to benefit agricultural production and may inadvertently affect water quality if environmental stewardship programs are not implemented. Closed depressional areas (potholes) are typical in the US Midwest and are usually drained with tile risers, however sediment and contamina...

Multi-modal sensor system for plant water stress assessment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant stress critically affects plant growth and causes significant loss of productivity and quality. When the plant is under water stress, it impedes photosynthesis and transpiration, resulting in changes in leaf color and temperature. Leaf discoloration in photosynthesis can be assessed by measu...

Flank wear analysing of high speed end milling for hardened steel D2 using Taguchi Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazza Faizi Al-Hazza, Muataz; Ibrahim, Nur Asmawiyah bt; Adesta, Erry T. Y.; Khan, Ahsan Ali; Abdullah Sidek, Atiah Bt.

2017-03-01

One of the main challenges for any manufacturer is how to decrease the machining cost without affecting the final quality of the product. One of the new advanced machining processes in industry is the high speed hard end milling process that merges three advanced machining processes: high speed milling, hard milling and dry milling. However, one of the most important challenges in this process is to control the flank wear rate. Therefore a analyzing the flank wear rate during machining should be investigated in order to determine the best cutting levels that will not affect the final quality of the product. In this research Taguchi method has been used to investigate the effect of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut and determine the best level s to minimize the flank wear rate up to total length of 0.3mm based on the ISO standard to maintain the finishing requirements.

Assessment of compost quality and usage for agricultural use: a case study of Hebron, Palestine.

PubMed

Al-Sari, Majed I; Sarhan, Mohammed A A; Al-Khatib, Issam A

2018-03-15

Complying with the technical specifications of compost production is of high importance not only for environmental protection but also for increasing the productivity and promotion of compost use by farmers in agriculture. This study focuses on the compost quality of the Palestinian market and farmers' attitudes toward agricultural use of compost. The quality is assessed through selection of 20 compost samples of different suppliers and producers and lab testing for quality parameters, while the farmers' attitudes to compost use for agriculture are evaluated through survey questionnaire of 321 farmers in the Hebron area. The results showed that the compost in the Palestinian markets is of medium quality due to partial or non-compliance with the quality standards and guidelines. The Palestinian farmers showed a positive attitude since 91.2% of them have the desire to use compost in agriculture. The results also showed that knowledge of difference between compost and chemical fertilizers, perception of compost benefits, and previously experiencing problems in compost use are significant factors affecting the farmers' attitude toward the use of compost as an organic fertilizer.

A quality by design approach using artificial intelligence techniques to control the critical quality attributes of ramipril tablets manufactured by wet granulation.

PubMed

Aksu, Buket; Paradkar, Anant; de Matas, Marcel; Özer, Özgen; Güneri, Tamer; York, Peter

2013-02-01

Quality by design (QbD) is an essential part of the modern approach to pharmaceutical quality. This study was conducted in the framework of a QbD project involving ramipril tablets. Preliminary work included identification of the critical quality attributes (CQAs) and critical process parameters (CPPs) based on the quality target product profiles (QTPPs) using the historical data and risk assessment method failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA). Compendial and in-house specifications were selected as QTPPs for ramipril tablets. CPPs that affected the product and process were used to establish an experimental design. The results thus obtained can be used to facilitate definition of the design space using tools such as design of experiments (DoE), the response surface method (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANNs). The project was aimed at discovering hidden knowledge associated with the manufacture of ramipril tablets using a range of artificial intelligence-based software, with the intention of establishing a multi-dimensional design space that ensures consistent product quality. At the end of the study, a design space was developed based on the study data and specifications, and a new formulation was optimized. On the basis of this formulation, a new laboratory batch formulation was prepared and tested. It was confirmed that the explored formulation was within the design space.

New scientific challenges - the possibilities of using selenium in poultry nutrition and impact on meat quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marković, R.; Glišić, M.; Bošković, M.; Baltić, M. Ž.

2017-09-01

Physiological stress is one of many concerns facing modern broiler production. In conditions when birds are exposed to stress, supplementation of selenium, which is a crucial glutathione peroxidase enzymatic cofactor, increases the antioxidant capacity of the animals and decreases the harmful effects of free radicals. Dietary selenium improves production performance and health of animals, and positively affects the immune system, the quality, selenium content and fatty acid composition of meat and eggs. There are several different forms of selenium, the most common dietary supplements being an inorganic form (sodium selenite) and anorganic form (selenomethionine). However, in recent years, new forms of selenium, such as a 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid (HMSeBA) and nanoselenium, which have more bioavailability, bioefficacy, and low toxicity have been designed. In this short comparative overview discusses the effects of inorganic, organic and nanoforms of selenium on production results, glutathione peroxidase activity, meat quality and level of toxicity in poultry.

Particulate organic matter quality influences nitrate retention and denitrification in stream sediments: evidence from a carbon burial experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stelzer, Robert S.; Scott, J. Thad; Bartsch, Lynn; Parr, Thomas B.

2014-01-01

Organic carbon supply is linked to nitrogen transformation in ecosystems. However, the role of organic carbon quality in nitrogen processing is not as well understood. We determined how the quality of particulate organic carbon (POC) influenced nitrogen transformation in stream sediments by burying identical quantities of varying quality POC (northern red oak (Quercus rubra) leaves, red maple (Acer rubrum) leaves, red maple wood) in stream mesocosms and measuring the effects on nitrogen retention and denitrification compared to a control of combusted sand. We also determined how POC quality affected the quantity and quality of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved oxygen concentration in groundwater. Nitrate and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) retention were assessed by comparing solute concentrations and fluxes along groundwater flow paths in the mesocosms. Denitrification was measured by in situ changes in N2 concentrations (using MIMS) and by acetylene block incubations. POC quality was measured by C:N and lignin:N ratios and DOC quality was assessed by fluorescence excitation emission matrix spectroscopy. POC quality had strong effects on nitrogen processing. Leaf treatments had much higher nitrate retention, TDN retention and denitrification rates than the wood and control treatments and red maple leaf burial resulted in higher nitrate and TDN retention rates than burial of red oak leaves. Leaf, but not wood, burial drove pore water to severe hypoxia and leaf treatments had higher DOC production and different DOC chemical composition than the wood and control treatments. We think that POC quality affected nitrogen processing in the sediments by influencing the quantity and quality of DOC and redox conditions. Our results suggest that the type of organic carbon inputs can affect the rates of nitrogen transformation in stream ecosystems.

Laying performance and egg quality of blue-shelled layers as affected by different housing systems.

PubMed

Wang, X L; Zheng, J X; Ning, Z H; Qu, L J; Xu, G Y; Yang, N

2009-07-01

Blue-shelled eggs are gaining popularity as the consumption demand diversifies in some countries. This study was carried out to investigate the laying performance and egg quality of the blue-shelled egg layers as well as the effects of different housing systems on egg production and quality traits. One thousand pullets from Dongxiang blue-shelled layers were divided into 2 even groups and kept in different housing systems (outdoor vs. cage). Daily laying performance was recorded from 20 to 60 wk of age. External and internal egg quality traits were examined at 26, 34, 42, and 50 wk. Yolk cholesterol concentration and whole egg cholesterol content were measured at 40 wk of age. Average laying rate from 20 to 60 wk for the cage (54.7%) was significantly higher than that of outdoor layers (39.3%). Among all of the egg quality traits, only eggshell color was affected by housing system. Interaction between housing system and layer age was found in egg weight, eggshell color, eggshell ratio, yolk color, and yolk weight. Meanwhile, cholesterol concentration in yolk was 8.64 +/- 0.40 mg/g in the outdoor eggs, which was significantly lower than that of eggs from the cage birds (10.32 +/- 0.48 mg/g; P < 0.05). Whole egg cholesterol content in the outdoor eggs (125.23 +/- 6.32 mg/egg) was also significantly lower than that of eggs from the caged layers (158.01 +/- 8.62 mg/egg). The results demonstrated that blue-shelled layers have lower productivity in the outdoor system than in the cage system. Blue-shelled layers have lower egg weight, larger yolk proportion, and lower cholesterol content compared with commercial layers. In a proper marketing system, lower productivity could be balanced by a higher price for the better quality of blue-shelled eggs.

Glomalin accumulated in seagrass sediments reveals past alterations in soil quality due to land-use change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Merino, Lourdes; Serrano, Oscar; Adame, María Fernanda; Mateo, Miguel Ángel; Martínez Cortizas, Antonio

2015-10-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), symbionts with most terrestrial plants, produce glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), which plays a major role in soil structure and quality. Both fungi hyphae and protein production in soils are affected by perturbations related to land-use changes, implying that GRSP is a sensitive indicator of soil quality. Unfortunately, GRSP degrades within years to decades in oxic environments, preventing its use as palaeoecological proxy. However, GRSP is transported to marine, near-shore anoxic sediments, where it accumulates and remains non-degraded, enabling the assessment of its potential as a palaeoecological proxy for soil ecosystem's health. Exploiting this fact, we have obtained for the first time a long-term record (c. 1250 years) of GRSP content using a Posidonia oceanica seagrass mat sediment core from the Western Mediterranean (Portlligat Bay, Spain). The trends in GRSP content matched well with land-use changes related to agrarian activities reconstructed by pollen analysis. In periods of cultivation, GRSP accumulation in the mat decreased. Given the role played by GRSP, the results suggest that agrarian intensification may have resulted in perturbations to soil quality. Thus, GRSP in seagrass mat sediments can be used to assess long-term trends in continental soil quality induced by human activities. These findings open new possibilities in long-term ecology research, as other anoxic environments could be potentially valid too. Testing them would open the possibility to identify long-term patterns in soil quality and other environmental stressors that could also affect AMF and GRSP production in soils.

Fillet proximate composition, lipid quality, yields, and organoleptic quality of Mediterranean-farmed marine fish: A review with emphasis on new species.

PubMed

Grigorakis, Kriton

2017-09-22

Species diversification in Mediterranean mariculture involves various important fish that contribute to the diet of many human populations. These include meagres (Sciaenidae), flatfishes, mullets, and various sparids. Their quality aspects (yields, fillet proximate composition, and lipid quality) are discussed in this review. Their filleting yield is mostly 40-45%. The viscerosomatic index ranges from 1.5% to 14%, depending on species. Low muscle fat contents of flatfishes and meagres differentiate them from the rest of the farmed species. Farmed fish contain high n-3 polyunsaturates fatty acids (PUFA; 12.3-36.3% vs. 5.48-37.2% in the wild) and have higher muscle fat and n-6 PUFA contents (mainly 18:2 n-6) than their wild counterparts. The aquaculture management, diet, and season can affect fillet composition and fatty acids, while season (i.e. food availability and maturation) largely affects lipid quality in wild fish. Data on the sensory quality of Mediterranean-farmed species are mainly limited to whether specific management differentiates the sensory quality; thus, further development of tools for sensory analysis is required. Observations on the quality features in farmed Mediterranean fish indicate that species diversification can also provide product diversification based on different commercial weights and fillet quality specifications.

Does the stoichiometric carbon:phosphorus knife edge apply for predaceous copepods?

PubMed

Laspoumaderes, Cecilia; Modenutti, Beatriz; Elser, James J; Balseiro, Esteban

2015-06-01

Recent work has indicated that stoichiometric food quality in terms of the carbon:phosphorus (C:P) ratio affects consumers whether the imbalance involves a deficit or an excess of nutrients; hence, organisms exist on a "stoichiometric knife edge". While previous studies have focused primarily on autotroph-herbivore trophic transfer, nutritional imbalances may also affect the interactions between species at higher trophic levels. Since the foods of carnivores are normally stoichiometrically similar to the body compositions of those carnivores, they may be more severely affected than herbivores if imbalances become pronounced. We analysed the response of the predatory copepod Parabroteas sarsi to monospecific diet treatments consisting of high and low C:P prey items. These dietary treatments strongly affected the predator's elemental composition and growth, although prey selection, excretion, egestion, and respiration rates were not affected. We suggest that, due to their low threshold elemental ratio and a narrow C:P stoichiometric knife edge, these predators are highly vulnerable to stoichiometric imbalances, whether an excess or a deficit of nutrients is involved. Our results demonstrating this high sensitivity to prey C:P ratio show that the stoichiometric knife edge may apply to not only herbivores but also higher trophic levels. Thus, predators such as P. sarsi, with a much narrower range of food quality, may also be strongly affected by fluctuations in the quality of their prey, with negative consequences for their secondary production.

Pharmaceutical quality of generic isotretinoin products, compared with Roaccutane.

PubMed

Taylor, Peter W; Keenan, Michael H J

2006-03-01

Isotretinoin is the drug of choice for the management of severe recalcitrant nodular acne. Several generic products are available. However, their pharmaceutical quality, in particular particle size distribution, which may affect safety and efficacy is unknown. Hence, prescribing of some generic products may be problematic. To assess the pharmaceutical quality of 14 generic isotretinoin products compared with Roaccutane (F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd). Tests were performed according to Roche standard procedures, European and US pharmacopoeia specifications. Tests included isotretinoin content, identity and amount of impurities and degradation products, effect of accelerated shelf-life studies on stability, particle size distribution and composition of non-active ingredients. The 14 isotretinoin products differed by 30-fold in median particle size and showed variation in their non-active ingredients. The average isotretinoin content of Acnotin and Acne-Tretin fell outside the 95-105% Roche specifications. Following accelerated shelf-life tests, only four products retained isotretinoin content within Roche specifications, whilst Acne-Tretin (the only powder formulation) lost 72.5% isotretinoin content. Two generic products exceeded the +/- 2% specification (Ph. Eur.) and a further three exceeded the +/- 1% (USP) for tretinoin content, eight exceeded the 2.54% specification for total impurities and six contained >or= 5 unknown impurities. Isotretinoin-5.6-epoxide content exceeded the 1.04% specification in five generic products. Thirteen generic products failed to match Roaccutane in one or more tests and 11 failed in three or more tests. It cannot be assumed that all generic isotretinoin products are as therapeutically effective or safe as Roaccutane.

Food quality regulates the metabolism and reproduction of Temora longicornis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nobili, R.; Robinson, C.; Buitenhuis, E.; Castellani, C.

2013-02-01

A laboratory study was undertaken to determine the effect of food quality on feeding, respiration, reproduction and the resulting carbon budget of Temora longicornis. The stoichiometric ratios N : P, C : N and C : P of Rhodomonas salina were used as indicators of food quality. R. salina was grown in media with different inorganic nutrient concentrations to produce food for T. longicornis with particulate organic N : P ratios ranging from 10 : 1 to 23 : 1. Feeding rate was not affected by food quality. Maximum respiration (R), egg production rate (EPR), assimilation efficiency (AE), gross growth efficiency (GGE) and metabolic increment (MI) occurred when T. longicornis was fed on phytoplankton with a food quality of 16N : 1P. EPR, GGE and AE also decreased with decreasing C : N ratio and the energy required to produce eggs (CoE) decreased with decreasing N : P ratio, indicative of nitrogen-dependent production. These data suggest that an algal composition of 16N : 1P defines the Threshold Elemental Ratio (TER) and is the optimum diet for T. longicornis. The variations in metabolic rates and the resulting carbon budget are proportional to the quality of food ingested. GGE was negatively affected at dietary ratios above and below 16N : 1P, which in the natural environment could lead to a decline in species biomass with detrimental consequences for fisheries and carbon export. Field data show that phytoplankton organic N : P ratios can change on decadal timescales, and that an increase in the food N : P ratio can co-occur with a shift to smaller sized zooplankton and a change in species abundance. Further research is required to assess how much of the change in zooplankton community structure and activity can be attributed to changes in food quality, rather than to changes in temperature and food quantity.

Exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid treatment affects citrate and amino acid accumulation to improve fruit quality and storage performance of postharvest citrus fruit.

PubMed

Sheng, Ling; Shen, Dandan; Luo, Yi; Sun, Xiaohua; Wang, Jinqiu; Luo, Tao; Zeng, Yunliu; Xu, Juan; Deng, Xiuxin; Cheng, Yunjiang

2017-02-01

The loss of organic acids during postharvest storage is one of the major factors that reduces the fruit quality and economic value of citrus. Citrate is the most important organic acid in citrus fruits. Molecular evidence has proved that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt plays a key role in citrate metabolism. Here, we investigated the effects of exogenous GABA treatment on citrate metabolism and storage quality of postharvest citrus fruit. The content of citrate was significantly increased, which was primarily attributed to the inhibition of the expression of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). Amino acids, including glutamate, alanine, serine, aspartate and proline, were also increased. Moreover, GABA treatment decreased the fruit rot rate. The activities of antioxidant enzymes and the content of energy source ATP were affected by the treatment. Our results indicate that GABA treatment is a very effective approach for postharvest quality maintenance and improvement of storage performance in citrus production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen addition increases fecundity in the desert shrub Sarcobatus vermiculatus.

PubMed

Drenovsky, R E; Richards, J H

2005-04-01

Nutrients, in addition to water, limit desert primary productivity, but nutrient limitations to fecundity and seed quality in desert ecosystems have received little attention. Reduced seed production and quality may affect recruitment, population, and community processes. At the Mono Basin, CA, USA where the alkaline, sandy soil has very low availability of N, P, and most other nutrients, seed production, recruitment, and dominance of the desert shrub Sarcobatus vermiculatus decrease over a dune successional sequence. Concurrently, Sarcobatus leaf N, P, and Ca/Mg ratio decline from early to later successional dunes. At two later successional dune sites, we fertilized adult Sarcobatus shrubs for 2 years and determined which nutrient(s) limited growth, seed production, and seed quality. We also tested whether nutrient addition at these older sites made these fitness-related variables equivalent to a younger, high-fecundity site. Nitrogen addition, alone, increased Sarcobatus leaf N, growth, and seed production per shoot module. Any treatment including P, Ca, Mg, or micronutrients but not N had an insignificant effect on growth and fecundity. Nitrogen addition also increased filled seed weight, a predictor of potential seedling survival, at one of the sites. Nitrogen-limited seed production and seed mass may reduce Sarcobatus fitness and contribute to the observed successional changes in plant community composition in this alkaline desert ecosystem.

Quality of health news disseminated in the print media in developing countries: a case study in Iran

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Mass media play an important role in keeping people up-to-date with the latest health news. This study aims at investigating the quality of health news disseminated in the print media, its course of production and factors affecting its quality. Methods In the quantitative section of the study, 410 health-related news items, published during a six-month span in the Iranian public press, underwent content analysis. In the qualitative section, focus group discussions were held with journalists, editors-in-chief and news gatekeepers. Results The quantitative phase showed that 18% of the news articles were not fit for dissemination in public. The qualitative phase illustrated that multiple factors at various levels affect the quality of news, namely poor knowledge, inadequate motivations and context-related barriers. Conclusions The quality of health news reporting is not desirable. Educational interventions need to be carried out to raise awareness among researchers and journalists. Also, certain steps should be taken to increase motivations and strengthen infrastructures, including designing guidelines and monitoring news. PMID:22873836

Predicting plot soil loss by empirical and process-oriented approaches: A review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil erosion directly affects the quality of the soil, its agricultural productivity and its biological diversity. Many mathematical models have been developed to estimate plot soil erosion at different temporal scales. At present, empirical soil loss equations and process-oriented models are consid...

78 FR 54370 - Notice of Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-03

... introduction of new members; a performance measures review; discussion of domestic oil production and... Management regulations, 41 CFR part 102-3; RETAC's charter, and Board procedures. Further communications... [email protected] . This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the human...

Involvement of Dactylonectria and Ilyonectria spp. in tree decline affecting multigeneration apple orchards

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study examined the etiology of typical replant disease symptom development, including growth reduction and leaf chlorosis, that was limited to specific foci within three multi-generation apple orchards that overall demonstrated optimal growth and good quality standard production. In bioassays c...

Coping with Uncertainty in an Agile Systems Development Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taipalus, Toni; Seppänen, Ville; Pirhonen, Maritta

2018-01-01

Uncertain and ambiguous environments are commonplace in information systems development (ISD) projects, and while different Agile frameworks welcome changes in organizational, technical, and business environments, the incurred uncertainty is known to negatively affect the development process and the quality of the final product. The effects of…

A rapid method to determine starch damage in sorghum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As a major component of cereal grains including sorghum, starch plays an important role not only in grain development but also post-maturation processing and end-product quality. Because milling can result in the inadvertent disruption of starch granules, in turn negatively affecting dough rheology...

Response Ant Colony Optimization of End Milling Surface Roughness

PubMed Central

Kadirgama, K.; Noor, M. M.; Abd Alla, Ahmed N.

2010-01-01

Metal cutting processes are important due to increased consumer demands for quality metal cutting related products (more precise tolerances and better product surface roughness) that has driven the metal cutting industry to continuously improve quality control of metal cutting processes. This paper presents optimum surface roughness by using milling mould aluminium alloys (AA6061-T6) with Response Ant Colony Optimization (RACO). The approach is based on Response Surface Method (RSM) and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO). The main objectives to find the optimized parameters and the most dominant variables (cutting speed, feedrate, axial depth and radial depth). The first order model indicates that the feedrate is the most significant factor affecting surface roughness. PMID:22294914

Commercial products to preserve specimens for tuberculosis diagnosis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Reeve, B W P; McFall, S M; Song, R; Warren, R; Steingart, K R; Theron, G

2018-07-01

Eliminating tuberculosis in high-burden settings requires improved diagnostic capacity. Important tests such as Xpert® MTB/RIF and culture are often performed at centralised laboratories that are geographically distant from the point of specimen collection. Preserving specimen integrity during transportation, which could affect test performance, is challenging. To conduct a systematic review of commercial products for specimen preservation for a World Health Organization technical consultation. Databases were searched up to January 2018. Methodological quality was assessed using Quality Assessment of Technical Studies, a new technical study quality-appraisal tool, and Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. Studies were analysed descriptively in terms of the different products, study designs and diagnostic strategies used. Four products were identified from 16 studies: PrimeStore-Molecular-Transport-Medium (PS-MTM), FTA card, GENO•CARD (all for nucleic acid amplification tests [NAATs]) and OMNIgene•SPUTUM (OMS; culture, NAATs). PS-MTM, but not FTA card or GENO•CARD, rendered Mycobacterium tuberculosis non-culturable. OMS reduced Löwenstein-Jensen but not MGIT™ 960™ contamination, led to delayed MGIT time-to-positivity, resulted in Xpert performance similar to cold chain-transported untreated specimens, and obviated the need for N-acetyl-L-cysteine-sodium hydroxide decontamination. Data from paucibacillary specimens were limited. Evidence that a cold chain improves culture was mixed and absent for Xpert. The effect of the product alone could be discerned in only four studies. Limited evidence suggests that transport products result in test performance comparable to that seen in cold chain-transported specimens.

Human land uses enhance sediment denitrification and N2O production in Yangtze lakes primarily by influencing lake water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W.; Yao, L.; Wang, Z.; Xiong, Z.; Liu, G.

2015-10-01

Sediment denitrification in lakes alleviates the effects of eutrophication through the removal of nitrogen to the atmosphere as N2O and N2. However, N2O contributes notably to the greenhouse effect and global warming. Human land uses (e.g. agricultural and urban areas) strongly affect lake water quality and sediment characteristics, which, in turn, may regulate lake sediment denitrification and N2O production. In this study, we investigated sediment denitrification and N2O production and their relationships to within-lake variables and watershed land uses in 20 lakes from the Yangtze River basin in China. The results indicated that both lake water quality and sediment characteristics were significantly influenced by watershed land uses. N2O production rates increased with increasing background denitrification rates. Background denitrification and N2O production rates were positively related to water nitrogen concentrations but were not significantly correlated with sediment characteristics and plant community structure. A significant positive relationship was observed between background denitrification rate and percentage of human-dominated land uses (HDL) in watersheds. Structural equation modelling revealed that the indirect effects of HDL on sediment denitrification and N2O production in Yangtze lakes were mediated primarily through lake water quality. Our findings also suggest that although sediments in Yangtze lakes can remove large quantities of nitrogen through denitrification, they may also be an important source of N2O, especially in lakes with high nitrogen content.

A Study of the Factors Affecting Productivity at the Naval Air Rework Facilities.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

employee satisfaction and job identification, 6 -* - -- - key aspects of worklife to focus on and control according to Mikalachki. He contends that...levels is considered the key to quality of worklife improvement (10,73-74). Herzberg asserted that people are motivated by re- sponsibility and...34Productivity Gains Through Worklife Improvement," Personnel, January-February 1980, pp. 71-74. 11. Hendrix, W. H. and Halverson, V. B. "Organizational

A Strategic Decision Matrix for Analyzing Food Service Operations at Air Force Bases

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

substitute product can replace your product, for example high - fructose corn syrup can substitute for sugar. Substitutes may negatively affect...dining facility closed and receive BAS. Customers can be happy with customer service and the quality of the food (a high customer satisfaction level...Services squadron may achieve significant cost savings by pursuing the NAF MOA but must also weigh the dollar savings against the threat of high

Silage review: Unique challenges of silages made in hot and cold regions.

PubMed

Bernardes, T F; Daniel, J L P; Adesogan, A T; McAllister, T A; Drouin, P; Nussio, L G; Huhtanen, P; Tremblay, G F; Bélanger, G; Cai, Y

2018-05-01

Silage making can be conveniently divided into field, ensiling, storage, and feed-out phases. In all of these stages, controllable and uncontrollable components can affect silage quality. For instance, silages produced in hot or cold regions are strongly influenced by uncontrollable climate-related factors. In hot regions, crops for silage are influenced by (1) high temperatures negatively affecting corn yield (whole-crop and grain) and nutritive value, (2) butyric and alcoholic fermentations in warm-season grasses (Panicum, Brachiaria, and Pennisetum genera) and sugarcane, respectively, and (3) accelerated aerobic deterioration of silages. Ensiling expertise and economic factors that limit mechanization also impair silage production and utilization in hot environments. In cold regions, a short and cool growing season often limits the use of crops sensitive to cool temperature, such as corn. The fermentation triggered by epiphytic and inoculated microorganisms can also be functionally impaired at lower temperature. Although the use of silage inoculants has increased in Northern Europe, acid-based additives are still a good option in difficult weather conditions to ensure good fermentation quality, nutritive value, and high intake potential of silages. Acid-based additives have enhanced the quality of round bale silage, which has become a common method of forage preservation in Northern Europe. Although all abiotic factors can affect silage quality, the ambient temperature is a factor that influences all stages of silage making from production in the field to utilization at the feed bunk. This review identifies challenges and obstacles to producing silages under hot and cold conditions and discusses strategies for addressing these challenges. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of Measurement Strategies of Geometric Deviation of the Position of the Threaded Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drbul, Mário; Martikan, Pavol; Sajgalik, Michal; Czan, Andrej; Broncek, Jozef; Babik, Ondrej

2017-12-01

Verification of product and quality control is an integral part of current production process. In terms of functional requirements and product interoperability, it is necessary to analyze their dimensional and also geometric specifications. Threaded holes are verified elements too, which are a substantial part of detachable screw connections and have a broad presence in engineering products. This paper deals with on the analysing of measurement strategies of verification geometric deviation of the position of the threaded holes, which are the indirect method of measuring threaded pins when applying different measurement strategies which can affect the result of the verification of the product..

Impact of Asian Dust on Global Surface Air Quality and Radiation Budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Mian; Diehl, Thomas; Yu, Hongbin; Ginoux, Paul

2006-01-01

Dust originating from Asian deserts and desertification areas can be transported regionally and globally to affect surface air quality, visibility, and radiation budget not only at immediate downwind locations (e.g., eastern Asia) but also regions far away from the sources (e.g., North America). Deposition of Asian dust to the North Pacific Ocean basin influences the ocean productivity. In this study, we will use the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model, remote sensing data form satellite and from the ground-based network, and in-situ data from aircraft and surface observations to address the following questions: - What are the effects of Asian dust on the surface air quality and visibility over Asia and North America? - What are the seasonal and spatial variations of dust deposition to the North Pacific Ocean? How does the Asian dust affect surface radiation budget?

Microbial Safety Improvement of Sea Buckthorn by Electron Beam Irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nemtanu, Monica R.; Minea, R.; Mazilu, Elena

2007-04-23

The commercialization of medicinal plants and/or their products is highly increased in Romania lately. One of the most used herbs is sea buckthorn being well known for its quality with a large potential for curing some diseases. Sea buckthorn can be contaminated with undesirable microorganisms which may affect negatively its quality. The paper presents the results regarding the action of a non-conventional technology meaning electron beam technique on sea buckthorn in order to improve its microbiological quality. Our study revealed that the sea buckthorn microbial load has been improved after 3 kGy irradiation keeping its active principles.

Microbial Safety Improvement of Sea Buckthorn by Electron Beam Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemţanu, Monica R.; Minea, R.; Mazilu, Elena; Rǎdulescu, Nora

2007-04-01

The commercialization of medicinal plants and/or their products is highly increased in Romania lately. One of the most used herbs is sea buckthorn being well known for its quality with a large potential for curing some diseases. Sea buckthorn can be contaminated with undesirable microorganisms which may affect negatively its quality. The paper presents the results regarding the action of a non-conventional technology meaning electron beam technique on sea buckthorn in order to improve its microbiological quality. Our study revealed that the sea buckthorn microbial load has been improved after 3 kGy irradiation keeping its active principles.

Hair product artifact in magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Chenji, Sneha; Wilman, Alan H; Mah, Dennell; Seres, Peter; Genge, Angela; Kalra, Sanjay

2017-01-01

The presence of metallic compounds in facial cosmetics and permanent tattoos may affect the quality of magnetic resonance imaging. We report a case study describing a signal artifact due to the use of a leave-on powdered hair dye. On reviewing the ingredients of the product, it was found to contain several metallic compounds. In lieu of this observation, we suggest that MRI centers include the use of metal- or mineral-based facial cosmetics or hair products in their screening protocols. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

East Bay Marina Olympia, Thurston County, Washington. Final Detailed Project Report, Section 107, 1960 River and Harbor Act and Environmental Impact Statement

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

Int. Revue ges. Hydrobiology . Vol. 56, No. 6, pp. 947-956. 17. Pomeroy, L. R. 1959. Primary productivity of Boca Ciega Bay, Florida. Bull. Mar. Sci...4.7 feet to +18.2 feet mean lower low water (MLLW). AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 2-6. Water Quality. Budd Inlet is a very productive area having about the...same salinity, nutrients, and turbidity as the other bays of south- ern Puget Sound. Phytoplankton production and standing crops in Budd Inlet increase

Application of Quality by Design (QbD) Principles to Extractables/Leachables Assessment. Establishing a Design Space for Terminally Sterilized Aqueous Drug Products Stored in a Plastic Packaging System.

PubMed

Jenke, Dennis

2010-01-01

The concept of quality by design (QbD) reflects the current global regulatory thinking related to pharmaceutical products. A cornerstone of the QbD paradigm is the concept of a design space, where the design space is a multidimensional combination of input variables and process parameters that have been demonstrated to provide the assurance of product quality. If a design space can be established for a pharmaceutical process or product, then operation within the design space confirms that the product or process output possesses the required quality attributes. This concept of design space can be applied to the safety (leachables) assessment of drug products manufactured and stored in packaging systems. Critical variables in such a design space would include those variables that affect the interaction of the drug product and its packaging, including (a) composition of the drug product, (b) composition of the packaging system, (c) configuration of the packaging system, and (d) the conditions of contact. This paper proposes and justifies such a leachables design space for aqueous drug products packaged in a specific plastic packaging system. Such a design space has the following boundaries:Aqueous drug products with a pH in the range of 2 to 8 and that contain no polarity-impacting agents such as organic solubilizers and stabilizers (addressing variable a). Packaging systems manufactured from materials that meet the system's existing material specifications (addressing variable b). Nominal fill volumes from 50 to 1000 mL (addressing variable c). Products subjected to terminal sterilization and then stored at room temperature for a period of up to 24 months (addressing variable d). The ramification of such a design space is that any drug product that falls within these boundaries is deemed to be compatible with the packaging system, from the perspective of safety, without the requirement of supporting drug product testing. When drug products are packaged in plastic container systems, substances may leach from the container and accumulate in the product. It is necessary that the drug product's vendor demonstrate that any such leaching does not occur to the extent that the leached substances adversely affect the product's safety and/or efficacy. One method for accomplishing this objective is via analysis of the drug product to identify and quantify the leached substances. When a particular packaging system is utilized for multiple drug products, one reaches the point, after testing numerous drug products, where the leaching properties of the packaging system are well known and readily predictable. In such a case, testing of additional products in the same packaging system produces no new information and thus becomes redundant and unnecessary. The quality by design (QbD) principle can be simply stated as follows: once a system has been tested to the extent that the test results are predictable, further testing can be replaced by establishing that the system was operating within a defined design space. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the application of QbD principles to a packaging system that has been utilized with over 12 parenteral drug products. The paper concludes that the leachables profile of all drug products that fit a certain description (the design space) is known and predicable.

Biodiversity of Total Phenolics, Antioxidant Capacity, and Juice Quality in Apple Cider Taxa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apples are known to contain antioxidants that may play an important role in human health by providing protection against reactive free radicals affecting a wide range of biological molecules including nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins. While fresh apple juice is a main product of processed apples,...

Nutrient transport in runoff as affected by diet, tillage and manure application rate

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Including distillers grains in feedlot finishing diets may increase feedlot profitability. However the nutrient content of by-products are concentrated about three during the distillation process. Manure can be applied to meet single or multiple year crop nutrient requirements. The water quality eff...

Team Building Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massachusetts Career Development Inst., Springfield.

This booklet is one of six texts from a workplace literacy curriculum designed to assist learners in facing the increased demands of the workplace. It briefly explains how team building concepts affect businesses in new ways and how they help create an environment that provides job satisfaction for everyone and high-quality products for the…

Late winter availablility of surose to buds of shoots affects flowering and crop load

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Alternate bearing by individual pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] trees is problematic for nut producers and processors. There are many unknowns regarding alternate bearing physiology, such as the relationship between leaf area and production of high quality pecan kernels. This experime...

Chemical composition of fat and oil products

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fats and oils are an important dietary component, and contribute to the nutritional and sensory quality of foods. This chapter focuses on the chemical composition of fats and oils, and how these compositions affect the functional properties of fats and oils in foods. The focus will remain on the mos...

76 FR 50741 - 2011 Parenteral Drug Association/Food and Drug Administration Joint Public Conference; Quality...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-16

... Compliance in Today's Regulatory Enforcement Environment AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION... Regulatory Enforcement Environment.'' The conference will span 2\\1/2\\ days and cover current issues affecting... facilitate the development and continuous improvement of safe and effective medical products. The conference...

Application of the WEPS and SWEEP models to non-agricultural disturbed lands

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Wind erosion not only affects agricultural productivity but also soil, air, and water quality. Dust and specifically particulate matter = 10 µm (PM-10) has adverse effects on respiratory health and also reduces visibility along roadways, resulting in auto accidents. The Wind Erosion Prediction Syste...

Solidification structures grown under induced flow and continuous casting of steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsavaras, A. A.

1984-01-01

The use of induced flow as a means to control solidification structures in strand cast steel is investigated. The quality problems in strand cast steel stemming from columnar growth can be partially controlled, by Electro Magnetic Stirring (EMS). Induced flow changes the normal morphology of dendrites. Solids grown under intense stirring conditions show both negative and positive segregation which is considered unacceptable by some steel producers. The inclusion size and population is strongly affected by induced flow (EMS). Laboratory and industrial data show substantial reduction in inclusion size and content, but the overall effect of flow on inclusions is affected by the particular type of flow patterns utilized in each case. Productivity and quality are raised substantially in steel strand casting by utilizing EMS.

[Application of near infrared spectroscopy technology (NIRS) in forage field].

PubMed

Yan, Xu; Bai, Shi-Qie; Yan, Jia-Jun; Gan, You-Min; Dao, Zhi-Xue

2012-07-01

The majority of nutrients in ruminants and other herbivores come from forages. Forage quality not only affects the growth and production efficiency of livestock, but also determines the final output and quality of livestock products. Forage quality mainly depends on nutrient concentrations and their digestibility, palatability and the level of presence of antiquality factors and mycotoxins in forage. Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) has been widely used in many research areas because it is a inexpensive, rapid, simple and nondestructive technique offering the potential for qualitative and quantitative analysis. The present paper briefly introduces the principle and characteristics of NIRS, detailedly expounds the application of NIRS in forage quality. In addition, other applications of near infrared spectroscopy technique in forage are also discussed, including forage breeding, identification of variety and classification by kind. This paper comprehensively reviews the status quo of application of NIRS in forage filed, in order to contribute to promoting development of NIRS in this field in China.

Quality of herbal medicines: challenges and solutions.

PubMed

Zhang, Junhua; Wider, Barbara; Shang, Hongcai; Li, Xuemei; Ernst, Edzard

2012-01-01

The popularity of herbal medicines has risen worldwide. This increase in usage renders safety issues important. Many adverse events of herbal medicines can be attributed to the poor quality of the raw materials or the finished products. Different types of herbal medicines are associated with different problems. Quality issues of herbal medicines can be classified into two categories: external and internal. In this review, external issues including contamination (e.g. toxic metals, pesticides residues and microbes), adulteration and misidentification are detailed. Complexity and non-uniformity of the ingredients in herbal medicines are the internal issues affecting the quality of herbal medicines. Solutions to the raised problems are discussed. The rigorous implementation of Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) would undoubtedly reduce the risk of external issues. Through the use of modern analytical methods and pharmaceutical techniques, previously unsolved internal issues have become solvable. Standard herbal products can be manufactured from the standard herbal extracts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitigating the Problem of Unmeasured Outcomes in Quality Reports

PubMed Central

Glazer, Jacob; McGuire, Thomas; Normand, Sharon-Lise T.

2009-01-01

Quality reports or profiles of health care providers are inevitably based on only a measurable subset of the “outputs” of the organization. Hospitals, for example, are being profiled on their mortality in the cardiac area but not in some other areas where mortality does not seem to be the appropriate measure of quality. If inputs used for outputs included in the profile also affect outputs outside the scope of the profile, it can be taken into account in constructing a profile of the measured outputs. This paper presents a theory for how such a commonality in production should be taken into account in designing a profile for a hospital or other health care provider. We distinguish between “conventional” weights in a quality profile, and “optimal” weights that take into account a commonality in the production process. The basic idea is to increase the weights on discharges for which output is measured that use inputs that are important to other discharges whose outputs are not included in the profile. PMID:20490360

Effects of different drying methods on the product quality and volatile compounds of whole shiitake mushrooms.

PubMed

Tian, Yuting; Zhao, Yingting; Huang, Jijun; Zeng, Hongliang; Zheng, Baodong

2016-04-15

Various drying methods play important roles in the preservation of foods. However, how the different drying methods affect the quality of some foods is not clear. This paper evaluates the effects of hot air, vacuum, microwave, and microwave vacuum drying techniques on important qualities and volatile compounds of whole shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushrooms. These four drying methods resulted in a significantly (p<0.05) increase in the content of total free amino acids and the relative content of sulfur compounds of dried products. Microwave vacuum drying helped to maintain larger amounts of taste-active amino acids, and improved nutrient retention and color attributes. Furthermore, the uniform honeycomb network created by microwave vacuum drying along with a less collapsed structure of dried samples can be used to explain the observed high rehydration ratio. Therefore, microwave vacuum drying should be a potential method for obtaining high-quality dried mushrooms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Hidden Effects of Dairy Farming on Public and Environmental Health in the Netherlands, India, Ethiopia, and Uganda, Considering the Use of Antibiotics and Other Agro-chemicals

PubMed Central

Groot, Maria J.; van’t Hooft, Katrien E.

2016-01-01

The current and expected growth of the world’s population warrants an increased production of high-quality animal protein. Dairy farming is regarded as one of the important ways of satisfying this need to meet the growing demand for milk, especially in developing countries. The focus on crossbreeding and increasing the productivity of dairy cattle has, besides enhanced milk production, also resulted in an increased use of agro-­chemicals, mainly antibiotics and anti-parasite drugs. The residues of these agro-chemicals, if not managed properly, could leak into the environment, affecting natural processes, biodiversity, and soil life. Public health can also be affected due to residues in milk and meat, especially in countries with insufficient food quality controls. These processes contribute to the growing global threat to human and animal health posed by multi-resistant microbes. This article discusses the differences and similarities of dairy farming, and the effect on public and environmental health, between the Netherlands, India, Ethiopia, and Uganda, emphasizing the strategies that have been developed during the E-Motive exchange project to reduce the use of antibiotics and other chemicals in dairy farming. Proposed solutions include raising consciousness about the risk of antibiotics and their effect on food quality, and implementing the Natural Livestock Farming five-layer approach for reducing the use of antibiotics and other chemicals. This approach is based on improving animal and farm management, revitalizing ethno veterinary knowledge and the use of medicinal plants, genetic improvement through strategic use of local breeds, establishing quality control systems in the dairy chain, and extra payment to farmers for residue-free milk. PMID:26942171

Evaluation of Environmental Quality Productive Ecosystem Guayas (Ecuador).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozo, Wilson; Pardo, Francisco; Sanfeliu, Teófilo; Carrera, Gloria; Jordan, Manuel; Bech, Jaume; Roca, Núria

2015-04-01

Natural resources are deteriorating very rapidly in the Gulf of Guayaquil and the area of influence in the Guayas Basin due to human activity. Specific problems are generated by the mismanagement of the aquaculture industry affecting the traditional agricultural sectors: rice, banana, sugarcane, cocoa, coffee, and soya also studied, and by human and industrial settlements. The development of industrial activities such as aquaculture (shrimp building for shrimp farming in ponds) and agriculture, have increasingly contributed to the generation of waste, degrading and potentially toxic elements in high concentrations, which can have adverse effects on organisms in the ecosystems, in the health of the population and damage the ecological and environmental balance. The productive Guayas ecosystem, consists of three interrelated ecosystems, the Gulf of Guayaquil, the Guayas River estuary and the Guayas Basin buffer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental quality of the productive Guayas ecosystem (Ecuador), through operational and specific objectives: 1) Draw up the transition coastal zone in the Gulf of Guayaquil, 2) Set temporal spatial variability of soil salinity in wetlands rice, Lower Guayas Basin, 3) evaluate the heavy metals in wetland rice in the Lower Basin of Guayas. The physical and chemical parameters of the soils have been studied. These are indicators of environmental quality. The multivariate statistical method showed the relations of similarities and dissimilarities between variables and parameter studies as stable. Moreover, the boundaries of coastal transition areas, temporal spatial variability of soil salinity and heavy metals in rice cultivation in the Lower Basin of Guayas were researched. The sequential studies included and discussed represent a broad framework of fundamental issues that has been valued as a basic component of the productive Guayas ecosystem. They are determinants of the environmental quality of the Guayas productive ecosystem. Keyword: Evaluation, Environmental Quality, Productive Ecosystem

Biodiesel production potential of wastewater treatment high rate algal pond biomass.

PubMed

Mehrabadi, Abbas; Craggs, Rupert; Farid, Mohammed M

2016-12-01

This study investigates the year-round production potential and quality of biodiesel from wastewater treatment high rate algal pond (WWT HRAP) biomass and how it is affected by CO 2 addition to the culture. The mean monthly pond biomass and lipid productivities varied between 2.0±0.3 and 11.1±2.5gVSS/m 2 /d, and between 0.5±0.1 and 2.6±1.1g/m 2 /d, respectively. The biomass fatty acid methyl esters were highly complex which led to produce low-quality biodiesel so that it cannot be used directly as a transportation fuel. Overall, 0.9±0.1g/m 2 /d (3.2±0.5ton/ha/year) low-quality biodiesel could be produced from WWT HRAP biomass which could be further increased to 1.1±0.1g/m 2 /d (4.0ton/ha/year) by lowering culture pH to 6-7 during warm summer months. CO 2 addition, had little effect on both the biomass lipid content and profile and consequently did not change the quality of biodiesel. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The effect of livestock production system and concentrate level on carcass traits and meat quality of foals slaughtered at 18 months of age.

PubMed

Lorenzo, J M; Crecente, S; Franco, D; Sarriés, M V; Gómez, M

2014-03-01

This trial was conducted to study the effect of livestock production system (freedom extensive system (FES) v. semi extensive system (SES)) and amount of finishing feed (1.5 v. 3.0 kg of commercial feed) in SES on carcass characteristics, meat quality and nutritional value of meat foal slaughtered at 18 months of age. For this study, a total of 49 foals (21 from FES and 28 from SES) were used. The obtained results showed that SES had a positive influence on carcass characteristic because these foals showed the best values for live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, perimeter of leg (PL) and carcass compactness index. On the other hand, finishing feeding also had a significant (P<0.05) effect on PL and lean thickness, as the highest values were obtained in foals finished with 3 kg of commercial fodder. The physico-chemical properties were significantly affected by the livestock production system with the exception of ashes content (P>0.05). Foals finished in SES increased in 408% the intramuscular fat content (0.23 v. 1.17%, for foals reared in FES and SES, respectively). On the other hand, L*-value and a*-value were significantly (P<0.01) affected by livestock production system, as foals from the FES group had a more intense redder color (higher CIE a*-value) and higher lightness (higher CIE L*-value) compared with those from the SES group. Finally, meat nutritional value was significantly affected by livestock production system, as foals from an extensive production system on wood pasture could be considered as healthier in relation to their fatty acid profiles (low n-6/n-3 ratio and high hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio) as a result of the beneficial grass intake on meat fatty acid profile.

Estimation of the antioxidant activity of the commercially available fermented milks.

PubMed

Najgebauer-Lejko, Dorota; Sady, Marek

2015-01-01

Free radicals are connected with the increased risk of certain diseases, especially cancers. There is some scientific evidence that antioxidant-rich diet may inhibit the negative impact of free radicals. The aim of the present study was to analyse the antioxidant capacity of the selected commercial natural and flavoured fermented milks offered in Poland, derived from different producers. The following commercially available natural fermented milks: 12 yoghurts, 12 kefirs, 2 butter milks, 2 cultured milks, Turkish yoghurt drink (ayran) and the following flavoured fermented milks: 22 yoghurts, 2 acidophillus milks, 2 kefirs, butter milk and vegetable flavoured fermented milk were analysed for their antioxidant potential. The antioxidant capacity was assessed, in two replicates and twice for each product, by means of ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and DPPH radical scavenging ability (expressed as ARP - anti radical power) methods. Among all analysed plain products, yoghurts and kefirs were characterised by the highest antioxidant activity. The presence of probiotic Lactobacillus casei strains in the product positively affected both FRAP and ARP values. Antioxidant capacity of the flavoured fermented milks was primarily affected by the type and quality (e.g. fruit concentration) of the added flavouring preparation. The most valuable regarding the estimated parameters were chocolate, coffee, grapefruit with green tea extract as well as bilberry, forest fruits, strawberry and cherry with blackcurrant fillings. Protein content, inclusion of probiotic microflora as well as type and quality of flavouring preparations are the main factors affecting antioxidant properties of fermented milks.

Disease activity, quality of life and indirect costs of reduced productivity at work, generated by Polish patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

PubMed

Kawalec, Paweł; Malinowski, Krzysztof

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the association between activity of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and decrease in quality of life as well as productivity loss of affected patients in a specified group of patients in the Polish setting. An questionnaire survey was conducted using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) to assess disease activity, as well as the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaires to assess productivity loss; quality of life was presented as utility calculated using the EuroQol 5 questionnaire and also measured on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Indirect costs were assessed with the human capital approach implying gross domestic product per capita or gross value added per worker in Poland in 2014 and were expressed in Polish zlotys (PLN) as well as in euros. Correlation was presented using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. We performed our analysis based on 78 full questionnaires collected. A mean BASDAI score of 5.91 in the analysed group of patients was detected and mean utility of 0.5135 was observed. Average quality of life measured on the visual analogue scale was 46.55. Mean number of days off work was 45.26 days per year and mean on-the-job productivity loss was 49.29%. Average annual indirect costs per patient were €4241 (17 686 PLN) calculated using gross domestic product and €10 172 (42 417 PLN) estimated using gross value added. Total productivity loss was significantly correlated with disease activity (strong correlation of 0.6005) and utility (moderate correlation of -0.3698). Ankylosing spondylitis causes a great decrease in quality of life as well as patients' productivity loss associated with both absenteeism and presenteeism. The greater the disease activity is, the lower is the utility, the lower is the quality of life measured on the VAS, and the greater are the total annual indirect costs. Total indirect costs were negatively correlated with utility; although the association was moderate, it was significant.

Microbiological performance of dairy processing plants is influenced by scale of production and the implemented food safety management system: a case study.

PubMed

Opiyo, Beatrice Atieno; Wangoh, John; Njage, Patrick Murigu Kamau

2013-06-01

The effects of existing food safety management systems and size of the production facility on microbiological quality in the dairy industry in Kenya were studied. A microbial assessment scheme was used to evaluate 14 dairies in Nairobi and its environs, and their performance was compared based on their size and on whether they were implementing hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) systems and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 22000 recommendations. Environmental samples from critical sampling locations, i.e., workers' hands and food contact surfaces, and from end products were analyzed for microbial quality, including hygiene indicators and pathogens. Microbial safety level profiles (MSLPs) were constructed from the microbiological data to obtain an overview of contamination. The maximum MSLP score for environmental samples was 18 (six microbiological parameters, each with a maximum MSLP score of 3) and that for end products was 15 (five microbiological parameters). Three dairies (two large scale and one medium scale; 21% of total) achieved the maximum MSLP scores of 18 for environmental samples and 15 for the end product. Escherichia coli was detected on food contact surfaces in three dairies, all of which were small scale dairies, and the microorganism was also present in end product samples from two of these dairies, an indication of cross-contamination. Microbial quality was poorest in small scale dairies. Most operations in these dairies were manual, with minimal system documentation. Noncompliance with hygienic practices such as hand washing and cleaning and disinfection procedures, which is common in small dairies, directly affects the microbial quality of the end products. Dairies implementing HACCP systems or ISO 22000 recommendations achieved maximum MSLP scores and hence produced safer products.

Advances in drainage: Selected works from the Tenth International Drainage Symposium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strock, Jeffrey S.; Hay, Christopher; Helmers, Matthew; Nelson, Kelly A.; Sands, Gary R.; Skaggs, R. Wayne; Douglas-Mankin, Kyle R.

2018-01-01

This article introduces a special collection of fourteen articles accepted from among the 140 technical presentations, posters, and meeting papers presented at the 10th International ASABE Drainage Symposium. The symposium continued in the tradition of previous symposia that began in 1965 as a forum for presenting and assessing the progress of drainage research and implementation throughout the world. The articles in this collection address a wide range of topics grouped into five broad categories: (1) crop response, (2) design and management, (3) hydrology and scale, (4) modeling, and (5) water quality. The collection provides valuable information for scientists, engineers, planners, and others working on crop production, water quality, and water quantity issues affected by agricultural drainage. The collection also provides perspectives on the challenges of increasing agricultural production in a changing climate, with ever-greater attention to water quality and quantity concerns that will require integrated technical, economic, and social solutions.

Effects of the addition of mechanically deboned poultry meat and collagen fibers on quality characteristics of frankfurter-type sausages.

PubMed

Pereira, Anirene Galvão Tavares; Ramos, Eduardo Mendes; Teixeira, Jacyara Thaís; Cardoso, Giselle Pereira; Ramos, Alcinéia de Lemos Souza; Fontes, Paulo Rogério

2011-12-01

The effects of mechanically deboned poultry meat (MDPM) and levels of collagen fibers on comminuted, cooked sausage quality characteristics were investigated using the central composite rotatable design of response surface methodology (RSM). Use of collagen fiber as an additive affected the sausage characteristics, but the effect depended on the amount of the MDPM used. While MDPM additions resulted in higher cooking loss and darker and redder frankfurters, the addition of collagen fibers improved cooking yields and contributed to the lightness of the final product. Higher collagen fiber content was also accompanied by a significant increase in frankfurter hardness regardless of the MDPM content. Use of collagen fibers countered the negative effects of MDPM on sausage quality attributes, especially on cooking yields and final product color. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elevated CO2 induces substantial and persistent declines in forage quality irrespective of warming in mixedgrass prairie.

PubMed

Augustine, David J; Blumenthal, Dana M; Springer, Tim L; LeCain, Daniel R; Gunter, Stacey A; Derner, Justin D

2018-04-01

Increasing atmospheric [CO 2 ] and temperature are expected to affect the productivity, species composition, biogeochemistry, and therefore the quantity and quality of forage available to herbivores in rangeland ecosystems. Both elevated CO 2 (eCO 2 ) and warming affect plant tissue chemistry through multiple direct and indirect pathways, such that the cumulative outcomes of these effects are difficult to predict. Here, we report on a 7-yr study examining effects of CO 2 enrichment (to 600 ppm) and infrared warming (+1.5°C day/3°C night) under realistic field conditions on forage quality and quantity in a semiarid, mixedgrass prairie. For the three dominant forage grasses, warming effects on in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and tissue [N] were detected only in certain years, varied from negative to positive, and were relatively minor. In contrast, eCO 2 substantially reduced IVDMD (two most abundant grasses) and [N] (all three dominant grass species) in most years, except the two wettest years. Furthermore, eCO 2 reduced IVDMD and [N] independent of warming effects. Reduced IVDMD with eCO 2 was related both to reduced [N] and increased acid detergent fiber (ADF) content of grass tissues. For the six most abundant forage species (representing 96% of total forage production), combined warming and eCO 2 increased forage production by 38% and reduced forage [N] by 13% relative to ambient climate. Although the absolute magnitude of the decline in IVDMD and [N] due to combined warming and eCO 2 may seem small (e.g., from 63.3 to 61.1% IVDMD and 1.25 to 1.04% [N] for Pascopyrum smithii), such shifts could have substantial consequences for the rate at which ruminants gain weight during the primary growing season in the largest remaining rangeland ecosystem in North America. With forage production increases, declining forage quality could potentially be mitigated by adaptively increasing stocking rates, and through management such as prescribed burning, fertilization at low rates, and legume interseeding to enhance forage quality. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

A systematic approach to evaluate parameter consistency in the inlet stream of source separated biowaste composting facilities: A case study in Colombia.

PubMed

Oviedo-Ocaña, E R; Torres-Lozada, P; Marmolejo-Rebellon, L F; Torres-López, W A; Dominguez, I; Komilis, D; Sánchez, A

2017-04-01

Biowaste is commonly the largest fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) in developing countries. Although composting is an effective method to treat source separated biowaste (SSB), there are certain limitations in terms of operation, partly due to insufficient control to the variability of SSB quality, which affects process kinetics and product quality. This study assesses the variability of the SSB physicochemical quality in a composting facility located in a small town of Colombia, in which SSB collection was performed twice a week. Likewise, the influence of the SSB physicochemical variability on the variability of compost parameters was assessed. Parametric and non-parametric tests (i.e. Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney test) showed no significant differences in the quality parameters of SSB among collection days, and therefore, it was unnecessary to establish specific operation and maintenance regulations for each collection day. Significant variability was found in eight of the twelve quality parameters analyzed in the inlet stream, with corresponding coefficients of variation (CV) higher than 23%. The CVs for the eight parameters analyzed in the final compost (i.e. pH, moisture, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, C/N ratio, total phosphorus, total potassium and ash) ranged from 9.6% to 49.4%, with significant variations in five of those parameters (CV>20%). The above indicate that variability in the inlet stream can affect the variability of the end-product. Results suggest the need to consider variability of the inlet stream in the performance of composting facilities to achieve a compost of consistent quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality characteristics of low-fat chicken nuggets: effect of common salt replacement and added bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.).

PubMed

Verma, Arun Kumar; Sharma, Brahma Deo; Banerjee, Rituparna

2012-07-01

There is growing demand for the meat products having healthier characteristics. In an endeavour to develop low-salt, low-fat and high-fibre chicken nuggets an investigation was carried out to observe the effects of partial replacement (40%) of sodium chloride in pre-standardised low-fat chicken nuggets (Control, 20 g kg⁻¹ NaCl) with a salt substitute blend as well as incorporation of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.) in the resulting low-salt, low-fat products at three different levels, i.e. 50, 75 and 100 g kg⁻¹ (Treatments, 12 g kg⁻¹ NaCl) on the various quality attributes. Sodium chloride replacement decreased (P < 0.01) emulsion and product pH, cooking yield, moisture, ash, yellowness, hue value and textural properties. pH values, moisture and dietary fibre increased (P < 0.01) while cooking yield, % protein, textural properties and total cholesterol were decreased with the incorporation of bottle gourd in low-salt, low-fat nuggets. Sensory attributes of the product were not affected with salt replacement; however, inclusion of bottle gourd at higher levels decreased (P < 0.05) flavour and texture scores. The results suggest that low-salt, low-fat and high-fibre chicken nuggets can be developed with the use of a salt substitute blend and bottle gourd without affecting their acceptability. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Optimization of the marinating conditions of cassava fish (Pseudotolithus sp.) fillet for Lanhouin production through application of Doehlert experimental design.

PubMed

Kindossi, Janvier Mêlégnonfan; Anihouvi, Victor Bienvenu; Vieira-Dalodé, Générose; Akissoé, Noël Houédougbé; Hounhouigan, Djidjoho Joseph

2016-03-01

Lanhouin is a traditional fermented salted fish made from the spontaneous and uncontrolled fermentation of whole salted cassava fish (Pseudotolithus senegalensis) mainly produced in the coastal regions of West Africa. The combined effects of NaCl, citric acid concentration, and marination time on the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the fish fillet used for Lanhouin production were studied using a Doehlert experimental design with the objective of preserving its quality and safety. The marination time has significant effects on total viable and lactic acid bacteria counts, and NaCl content of the marinated fish fillet while the pH was significantly affected by citric acid concentration and marination duration with high regression coefficient R (2) of 0.83. The experiment showed that the best conditions for marination process of fish fillet were salt ratio 10 g/100 g, acid citric concentration 2.5 g/100 g, and marination time 6 h. These optimum marinating conditions obtained present the best quality of marinated flesh fish leading to the safety of the final fermented product. This pretreatment is necessary in Lanhouin production processes to ensure its safety quality.

The impact of managed care penetration and hospital quality on efficiency in hospital staffing.

PubMed

Mobley, Lee R; Magnussen, Jon

2002-01-01

The state of California has recently mandated minimum nurse-staffing ratios, raising concerns about possible affects on hospital efficiency. In this study, we examine how market factors and quality were related to staffing levels in California hospitals in 1995 (prior to implementation of the new law). We are particularly interested in the affect of managed care penetration on this aspect of hospital efficiency because the call to legislative action was predicated on fears that hospitals were reducing staffing below optimal levels in response to managed care pressures. We derive a unique measure of excess staffing in hospitals based on a data envelopment analysis (DEA) production function model, which explicitly includes ancillary care among the inputs and outputs. This careful specification of production is important because ancillary care use has risen relative to daily hospital services, with the spread of managed care and advances in medical technology. We find that market share (adjusted for size) and market concentration are the major determinants of excess staffing while managed care penetration is insignificant. We also find that poor quality (outcomes worse than expected) is associated with less efficient staffing. These findings suggest that the larger, more efficient urban hospitals will be penalized more heavily under binding staffing ratios than smaller, less-urban hospitals.

Fermentation of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seeds with a hybrid Kluyveromyces marxianus strain improved product quality attributes.

PubMed

Leal, Gildemberg Amorim; Gomes, Luiz Humberto; Efraim, Priscilla; de Almeida Tavares, Flavio Cesar; Figueira, Antonio

2008-08-01

Fermentation of Theobroma cacao (cacao) seeds is an absolute requirement for the full development of chocolate flavor precursors. An adequate aeration of the fermenting cacao seed mass is a fundamental prerequisite for a satisfactory fermentation. Here, we evaluated whether a controlled inoculation of cacao seed fermentation using a Kluyveromyces marxianus hybrid yeast strain, with an increased pectinolytic activity, would improve an earlier liquid drainage ('sweatings') from the fermentation mass, developing a superior final product quality. Inoculation with K. marxianus increased by one third the volume of drained liquid and affected the microorganism population structure during fermentation, which was detectable up to the end of the process. Introduction of the hybrid yeast affected the profile of total seed protein degradation evaluated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, with improved seed protein degradation, and reduction of titrable acidity. Sensorial evaluation of the chocolate obtained from beans fermented with the K. marxianus inoculation was more accepted by analysts in comparison with the one from cocoa obtained through natural fermentation. The increase in mass aeration during the first 24 h seemed to be fundamental for the improvement of fermentation quality, demonstrating the potential application of this improved hybrid yeast strain with superior exogenous pectinolytic activity.

Tank cultivation of the red algae Palmaria mollis: Effects of nutrients on growth rate, biochemical quality, and epiphytic growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben, D.; Langdon, C. J.

2016-02-01

Pacific dulse (Palmaria mollis) is a candidate for aquaculture production in Oregon due to its high protein content, fast growth rate, and ability to fare in cold water conditions. Current cultivation methods use the F/2 medium to supply nutrients to macroalgae cultures. The F/2 medium is a costly mixture of nitrate, phosphate, trace metals and vitamins. The F/2 medium has been the standard for microalgae cultivation, but research has lacked on the necessity of all or part of this mixture for macroalgae cultivation. This study is designed to contribute to the development of Pacific dulse cultivation by measuring how different fertilizer regimens affect the growth, biochemical composition, and quality of Palmaria mollis (C-3 variety) in hopes to reduce the production cost. I hypothesis that dulse will not require additional nutrients during summer cultivation, due to summer upwelling conditions. Experiments were conducted in a flow-through water system, controlling for flow rate, stocking density, and nutrient supplementation. To test this, two replicates of four nutrient regimes were organized: no supplemental nutrients, all nutrients (standard F/2 medium), nitrate/phosphate only, and nitrate/phosphate with trace metals. Each tank was monitored weekly for color quality, epiphytic growth, specific growth rate, production and a final biochemical analysis. This study has preliminarily concluded that supplemental nutrients have no significant effect on production or biochemical quality, but does have an effect quality of epiphytic growth.

Fruit quality of seedless watermelon grafted onto squash rootstocks under different production systems.

PubMed

Liu, Qianru; Zhao, Xin; Brecht, Jeffrey K; Sims, Charles A; Sanchez, Tatiana; Dufault, Nicholas S

2017-11-01

The market demand for seedless watermelon has been continuously increasing because of consumer preference. Grafting is a useful tool to manage soilborne diseases in watermelon production, but the use of squash rootstocks may negatively affect watermelon fruit quality. Currently, most research has focused on seeded cultivars, while grafting effects on seedless watermelons remain largely unknown. This multi-season study was conducted to assess the effects of squash rootstocks, including both Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata and C. moschata cultivars, with intact or excised and regenerated roots, on fruit quality of seedless watermelon 'Melody' using both instrumental and sensory measurements under different production scenarios. The grafted watermelon plants were also challenged by field inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum. A combination of instrumental measurements and consumer sensory analyses suggested that fruit quality of the seedless watermelon 'Melody' was not impacted by the use of the squash rootstocks used in this study, which included soluble solids content, titratable acidity, pH and most fruit sensory properties. Watermelon flesh firmness was increased by grafting but the grafting effect on lycopene content was inconclusive. Root excision and regeneration did not influence the grafting effect, whereas the grafting effect on flesh firmness varied among the rootstocks under Fusarium inoculation. Overall, grafting with squash rootstocks did not reduce fruit quality attributes of 'Melody' but improved texture. Our results support incorporating grafting into integrated management programs for seedless watermelon production. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Knowledge categorization affects popularity and quality of Wikipedia articles

PubMed Central

Lomi, Alessandro

2018-01-01

The existence of a shared classification system is essential to knowledge production, transfer, and sharing. Studies of knowledge classification, however, rarely consider the fact that knowledge categories exist within hierarchical information systems designed to facilitate knowledge search and discovery. This neglect is problematic whenever information about categorical membership is itself used to evaluate the quality of the items that the category contains. The main objective of this paper is to show that the effects of category membership depend on the position that a category occupies in the hierarchical knowledge classification system of Wikipedia—an open knowledge production and sharing platform taking the form of a freely accessible on-line encyclopedia. Using data on all English-language Wikipedia articles, we examine how the position that a category occupies in the classification hierarchy affects the attention that articles in that category attract from Wikipedia editors, and their evaluation of quality of the Wikipedia articles. Specifically, we show that Wikipedia articles assigned to coarse-grained categories (i. e., categories that occupy higher positions in the hierarchical knowledge classification system) garner more attention from Wikipedia editors (i. e., attract a higher volume of text editing activity), but receive lower evaluations (i. e., they are considered to be of lower quality). The negative relation between attention and quality implied by this result is consistent with current theories of social categorization, but it also goes beyond available results by showing that the effects of categorization on evaluation depend on the position that a category occupies in a hierarchical knowledge classification system. PMID:29293627

Knowledge categorization affects popularity and quality of Wikipedia articles.

PubMed

Lerner, Jürgen; Lomi, Alessandro

2018-01-01

The existence of a shared classification system is essential to knowledge production, transfer, and sharing. Studies of knowledge classification, however, rarely consider the fact that knowledge categories exist within hierarchical information systems designed to facilitate knowledge search and discovery. This neglect is problematic whenever information about categorical membership is itself used to evaluate the quality of the items that the category contains. The main objective of this paper is to show that the effects of category membership depend on the position that a category occupies in the hierarchical knowledge classification system of Wikipedia-an open knowledge production and sharing platform taking the form of a freely accessible on-line encyclopedia. Using data on all English-language Wikipedia articles, we examine how the position that a category occupies in the classification hierarchy affects the attention that articles in that category attract from Wikipedia editors, and their evaluation of quality of the Wikipedia articles. Specifically, we show that Wikipedia articles assigned to coarse-grained categories (i. e., categories that occupy higher positions in the hierarchical knowledge classification system) garner more attention from Wikipedia editors (i. e., attract a higher volume of text editing activity), but receive lower evaluations (i. e., they are considered to be of lower quality). The negative relation between attention and quality implied by this result is consistent with current theories of social categorization, but it also goes beyond available results by showing that the effects of categorization on evaluation depend on the position that a category occupies in a hierarchical knowledge classification system.

The effect of wildfire and clear-cutting on above-ground biomass, foliar C to N ratios and fiber content throughout succession: Implications for forage quality in woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallon, E. E.; Turetsky, M.; Thompson, I.; Noland, T. L.; Wiebe, P.

2013-12-01

Disturbance is known to play an important role in maintaining the productivity and biodiversity of boreal forest ecosystems. Moderate to low frequency disturbance is responsible for regeneration opportunities creating a mosaic of habitats and successional trajectories. However, large-scale deforestation and increasing wildfire frequencies exacerbate habitat loss and influence biogeochemical cycles. This has raised concern about the quality of the under-story vegetation post-disturbance and whether this may impact herbivores, especially those vulnerable to change. Forest-dwelling caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are declining in several regions of Canada and are currently listed as a species at risk by COSEWIC. Predation and landscape alteration are viewed as the two main threats to woodland caribou. This has resulted in caribou utilizing low productivity peatlands as refuge and the impact of this habitat selection on their diet quality is not well understood. Therefore there are two themes in the study, 1) Forage quantity: above-ground biomass and productivity and 2) Forage quality: foliar N and C to N ratios and % fiber. The themes are addressed in three questions: 1) How does forage quantity and quality vary between upland forests and peatlands? 2) How does wildfire affect the availability and nutritional quality of forage items? 3) How does forage quality vary between sites recovering from wildfire versus timber harvest? Research sites were located in the Auden region north of Geraldton, ON. This landscape was chosen because it is known woodland caribou habitat and has thorough wildfire and silviculture data from the past 7 decades. Plant diversity, above-ground biomass, vascular green area and seasonal foliar fiber and C to N ratios were collected across a matrix of sites representing a chronosequence of time since disturbance in upland forests and peatlands. Preliminary findings revealed productivity peaked in early age stands (0-30 yrs) and biomass peaked in late age stands (71+ yrs). Furthermore the peatlands were found to have greater overall biomass and productivity than the uplands. C to N ratios from summer foliar samples varied across plant functional type with lichen and mosses had the highest C to N ratios and deciduous trees, shrubs and forbs had the lowest ratios. C to N ratios from spring foliar samples also varied across plant functional type in a similar manner and also varied between uplands and peatlands and by age class. This suggests drainage class and stand age but not disturbance type affects the amount and quality of forage within terrestrial ecosystems. Our intention is to assess forage value of abundant species to help understand diet choices, possibly attributable to acquisition of forage low in C and high in N. This, in combination with biomass availability and productivity data, will be important for understanding the mechanisms contributing to caribou decline and for assessing adaptive forest management options under North American conservation initiatives.

Toward an understanding of the impact of production pressure on safety performance in construction operations.

PubMed

Han, Sanguk; Saba, Farzaneh; Lee, Sanghyun; Mohamed, Yasser; Peña-Mora, Feniosky

2014-07-01

It is not unusual to observe that actual schedule and quality performances are different from planned performances (e.g., schedule delay and rework) during a construction project. Such differences often result in production pressure (e.g., being pressed to work faster). Previous studies demonstrated that such production pressure negatively affects safety performance. However, the process by which production pressure influences safety performance, and to what extent, has not been fully investigated. As a result, the impact of production pressure has not been incorporated much into safety management in practice. In an effort to address this issue, this paper examines how production pressure relates to safety performance over time by identifying their feedback processes. A conceptual causal loop diagram is created to identify the relationship between schedule and quality performances (e.g., schedule delays and rework) and the components related to a safety program (e.g., workers' perceptions of safety, safety training, safety supervision, and crew size). A case study is then experimentally undertaken to investigate this relationship with accident occurrence with the use of data collected from a construction site; the case study is used to build a System Dynamics (SD) model. The SD model, then, is validated through inequality statistics analysis. Sensitivity analysis and statistical screening techniques further permit an evaluation of the impact of the managerial components on accident occurrence. The results of the case study indicate that schedule delays and rework are the critical factors affecting accident occurrence for the monitored project. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

State of the art in gluten-free research.

PubMed

O'Shea, Norah; Arendt, Elke; Gallagher, Eimear

2014-06-01

Celiac disease (CD) is widespread and is often under diagnosed. It can affect a variety of genetically susceptible people from the young to the old. Presently, the only treatment for celiac patients is lifelong avoidance of any food, drink, sauce, or dressing containing gluten. Scientists and technologists continue in their quest to improve the quality of gluten-free products. Their main goal is to create a product of a similar standard to the gluten-containing products, currently on the market. However, the quality of these products still tends to be poor. Bread products have a low volume, pale crust, crumbly texture, bland flavor and a high rate of staling. Other gluten-free products contain minimal nutrition and substandard product characteristics, for example, pasta having an inferior texture, sauces which separate more easily. The main focus of this review is to discuss the most recent advances in gluten-free research which have arisen between the years 2011 and 2013. In particular, the manuscript focuses on ingredients and processing methods which have been documented to develop or improve the processing characteristics and nutritional properties of gluten-free products. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Cost-effectiveness of supported employment adapted for people with affective disorders.

PubMed

Saha, Sanjib; Bejerholm, Ulrika; Gerdtham, Ulf-G; Jarl, Johan

2018-04-01

The individual enabling and support (IES) model was effective in gaining competitive employment for people with affective disorders compared with traditional vocational rehabilitation (TVR) services in a randomized controlled trial in a Swedish setting. The object of this study is to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of IES comparing to TVR. We considered the costs of intervention and productivity gain due to increased competitive employment. We estimated quality of life using EuroQol 5 Dimension (EQ-5D) and Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA) scale. EQ-5D was translated into quality-adjusted life-years (QALY), using the UK, Danish, and Swedish tariffs. We performed the analysis from a societal perspective with a one-year timeframe. The cost of IES was €7247 lower per person per year (2014 prices) compared to TVR. There were no significant differences in QALY improvement within or between groups. However, quality of life measured by the MANSA scale significantly improved over the study period in IES. Besides the small sample size, details on the intervention costs for both IES and TVR group were unavailable and had to be obtained from external sources. Implementation of IES for people with affective disorders is most likely cost-saving and is potentially even dominating TVR, although a larger trial is required to establish this.

Avoiding a bad apple: Insect pollination enhances fruit quality and economic value☆

PubMed Central

Garratt, M.P.D.; Breeze, T.D.; Jenner, N.; Polce, C.; Biesmeijer, J.C.; Potts, S.G.

2014-01-01

Insect pollination is important for food production globally and apples are one of the major fruit crops which are reliant on this ecosystem service. It is fundamentally important that the full range of benefits of insect pollination to crop production are understood, if the costs of interventions aiming to enhance pollination are to be compared against the costs of the interventions themselves. Most previous studies have simply assessed the benefits of pollination to crop yield and ignored quality benefits and how these translate through to economic values. In the present study we examine the influence of insect pollination services on farmgate output of two important UK apple varieties; Gala and Cox. Using field experiments, we quantify the influence of insect pollination on yield and importantly quality and whether either may be limited by sub-optimal insect pollination. Using an expanded bioeconomic model we value insect pollination to UK apple production and establish the potential for improvement through pollination service management. We show that insects are essential in the production of both varieties of apple in the UK and contribute a total of £36.7 million per annum, over £6 million more than the value calculated using more conventional dependence ratio methods. Insect pollination not only affects the quantity of production but can also have marked impacts on the quality of apples, influencing size, shape and effecting their classification for market. These effects are variety specific however. Due to the influence of pollination on both yield and quality in Gala, there is potential for insect pollination services to improve UK output by up to £5.7 million per annum. Our research shows that continued pollinator decline could have serious financial implications for the apple industry but there is considerable scope through management of wild pollinators or using managed pollinator augmentation, to improve the quality of production. Furthermore, we show that it is critically important to consider all production parameters including quality, varietal differences and management costs when valuing the pollination service of any crop so investment in pollinator management can be proportional to its contribution. PMID:24748698

Avoiding a bad apple: Insect pollination enhances fruit quality and economic value.

PubMed

Garratt, M P D; Breeze, T D; Jenner, N; Polce, C; Biesmeijer, J C; Potts, S G

2014-02-01

Insect pollination is important for food production globally and apples are one of the major fruit crops which are reliant on this ecosystem service. It is fundamentally important that the full range of benefits of insect pollination to crop production are understood, if the costs of interventions aiming to enhance pollination are to be compared against the costs of the interventions themselves. Most previous studies have simply assessed the benefits of pollination to crop yield and ignored quality benefits and how these translate through to economic values. In the present study we examine the influence of insect pollination services on farmgate output of two important UK apple varieties; Gala and Cox. Using field experiments, we quantify the influence of insect pollination on yield and importantly quality and whether either may be limited by sub-optimal insect pollination. Using an expanded bioeconomic model we value insect pollination to UK apple production and establish the potential for improvement through pollination service management. We show that insects are essential in the production of both varieties of apple in the UK and contribute a total of £36.7 million per annum, over £6 million more than the value calculated using more conventional dependence ratio methods. Insect pollination not only affects the quantity of production but can also have marked impacts on the quality of apples, influencing size, shape and effecting their classification for market. These effects are variety specific however. Due to the influence of pollination on both yield and quality in Gala, there is potential for insect pollination services to improve UK output by up to £5.7 million per annum. Our research shows that continued pollinator decline could have serious financial implications for the apple industry but there is considerable scope through management of wild pollinators or using managed pollinator augmentation, to improve the quality of production. Furthermore, we show that it is critically important to consider all production parameters including quality, varietal differences and management costs when valuing the pollination service of any crop so investment in pollinator management can be proportional to its contribution.

Assessment of GPM and SM2RAIN-ASCAT rainfall products over complex terrain in southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiaravalloti, Francesco; Brocca, Luca; Procopio, Antonio; Massari, Christian; Gabriele, Salvatore

2018-07-01

The assessment of precipitation over land is extremely important for a number of scientific purposes related to the mitigation of natural hazards, climate modelling and prediction, famine and disease monitoring, to cite a few. Due to the difficulties and the cost to maintain ground monitoring networks, i.e., raingauges and meteorological radars, remote sensing is receiving more and more attention in the recent decade(s). However, the accuracy of satellite observations of rainfall should be assessed with ground information as it is affected by a number of factors (topography, vegetation density, land-sea interface). Calabria is a peninsular region in southern Italy characterized by complex topography, dense vegetation and a narrow North-South elongated shape, thus being a very challenging place for rainfall retrieval from remote sensing. In this study, we built a high-quality rainfall datasets from raingauges and meteorological radars for testing three remotely sensed rainfall products: 1) the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement product (IMERG), 2) the SM2RASC product obtained from the application of SM2RAIN (Soil Moisture TO RAIN) algorithm to the Advanced SCATterometer (ASCAT) derived satellite soil moisture data, and 3) a product derived from a simple combination of IMERG and SM2RASC. The assessment of the products is carried out at different rainfall time accumulation (e.g., from 0.5 to 24 h) for a 2-year period from 10th March 2015, to 31st December 2016. Results show that IMERG has good performance at time resolutions higher than 6 h. At daily time scale, IMERG and SM2RASC show similar results with median correlations, R, 0.60, and root mean square error, RMSE, 7.6 mm/day (BIAS is -0.85 and +0.51 mm/day, respectively). The combined product outperforms the parent products (median R > 0.70, RMSE<6.5 mm/day, BIAS -0.07 mm/day). Among the different factors affecting products quality, topographic complexity seems to play the more relevant role, particularly for SM2RASC but also for IMERG. Overall, this study shows that the investigated satellite-based products agree reasonably well with observations notwithstanding the challenging features of the region, and the combination of IMERG and SM2RASC provides a way to overcome their limitations and to produce a higher quality satellite rainfall product.

Method to study the effect of blend flowability on the homogeneity of acetaminophen.

PubMed

Llusá, Marcos; Pingali, Kalyana; Muzzio, Fernando J

2013-02-01

Excipient selection is key to product development because it affects their processability and physical properties, which ultimately affect the quality attributes of the pharmaceutical product. To study how the flowability of lubricated formulations affects acetaminophen (APAP) homogeneity. The formulations studied here contain one of two types of cellulose (Avicel 102 or Ceollus KG-802), one of three grades of Mallinckrodt APAP (fine, semi-fine, or micronized), lactose (Fast-Flo) and magnesium stearate. These components are mixed in a 300-liter bin blender. Blend flowability is assessed with the Gravitational Displacement Rheometer. APAP homogeneity is assessed with off-line NIR. Excluding blends dominated by segregation, there is a trend between APAP homogeneity and blend flow index. Blend flowability is affected by the type of microcrystalline cellulose and by the APAP grade. The preliminary results suggest that the methodology used in this paper is adequate to study of the effect of blend flow index on APAP homogeneity.

Quality of life: an international comparison

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hopkinson, J.; Anderson, C.F.; Liu, B.C.

Dissatisfaction with gross national product (GNP) as a realistic yardstick for comparing the well-being of societies has led to a quality of life (QOL) concept which considers the environment in which people live. QOL includes both the economic and noneconomic factors affecting an individual's happiness. An international comparison of energy, GNP, and QOL in 50 countries considers five major categories (social, economic, health and education, environmental, and national vitality and security) and 12 subcategories. The study indicates that substantial increases in energy consumption will be needed to raise the living standards of developing countries. QOL appears to decline beyond amore » certain level of GNP, while continuing a direct relationship to per capita energy consumption and electricity production. 12 references. (DCK)« less

Airborne particle monitoring in clean room environments for stem cell cultures.

PubMed

Cobo, Fernando; Grela, David; Concha, Angel

2008-01-01

Modern high-technology industrial practices like pharmaceutical and stem cell line production demand high-quality environmental conditions to avoid particle contamination in the final product. Particles are important because their presence can affect both the output and the productivity and because they can have repercussion on human health. In this kind of production practice it is necessary to implement optimal methods for particle management and to introduce an environmental monitoring program. This should also address the regional regulatory requirements and will depend on local conditions in each processing center. Each center must evaluate its specific needs and establish appropriate monitoring procedures.

Disintegration performance of renal multivitamin supplements.

PubMed

Stamatakis, M K; Meyer-Stout, P J

1999-04-01

Vitamins have traditionally been regulated as dietary supplements and have not been required to meet the same rigorous product quality performance standards as drug products. Impaired product performance, such as failure to disintegrate and/or dissolve in the gastrointestinal tract, could limit the absorption of vitamins. Furthermore, patients with renal disease have been reported to experience a wide range in gastrointestinal pH, which could influence a product's performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of pH on the in vitro disintegration of renal multivitamin supplements. Products were studied using the United States Pharmacopeial Convention standard disintegration apparatus. Products were tested in simulated gastric fluid, neutral fluid, and intestinal fluid. Product failure was defined as two or more individual tablets or capsules failing to disintegrate completely within compendial limits. Of 11 products tested, 4 products failed the disintegration study test in all pH conditions. Sixty-four percent of the products showed statistically significant differences in disintegration time (DT) based on pH. As pH increased, time to disintegration increased. The DT of commercially available renal multivitamin supplements was highly variable. Poorest product performance was shown in simulated intestinal fluid. The pH significantly affected in vitro disintegration in greater than half the products tested. How this affects dissolution and in vivo performance has yet to be studied.

Special considerations for children with hyperhidrosis.

PubMed

Bohaty, Benjamin R; Hebert, Adelaide A

2014-10-01

Hyperhidrosis, characterized by excess sweat production, affects children and adults. Primary focal hyperhidrosis affects any anatomic region with sweat appendages present. Primary hyperhidrosis has traditionally been considered a problem for adults, but approximately 1.6% of adolescents and 0.6% of prepubertal children are affected. Psychological and social development and well-being are often affected, leading to profound emotional and social distress. Quality of life can be improved by early diagnosis and therapy; however, underdiagnosis and lack of knowledge regarding therapeutic options has hindered optimization of therapy in the pediatric population. This article reviews the treatment options for hyperhidrosis with a focus on the pediatric population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Iodine stability and sensory quality of fermented fish and fish sauce produced with the use of iodated salt.

PubMed

Chanthilath, Boualapha; Chavasit, Visith; Chareonkiatkul, Somsri; Judprasong, Kunchit

2009-06-01

Universal salt iodization promotes the use of iodated salt for producing industrial food products, although it might affect product quality and iodine stability. To assess iodine loss during fermentation of fermented fish and fish sauces produced by using iodated salt and the effect on product sensory quality. Fermented fish and fish sauces were produced with iodated rock and grain sea salts (approximately 30 ppm iodine). Fermented fish was prepared from freshwater fish mixed with salt and rice bran and fermented for 6 months at room temperature. Fish sauces were prepared by mixing anchovy with salt and fermenting either exposed to sunlight or in the shade for 12 months. Residual iodine was determined with a spectrophotometer at day 0 and months 1, 3, and 6 for fermented fish and day 0 and months 3, 6, and 12 for fish sauces. After fermentation, the products were tested for sensory acceptability by Laotian and Thai panelists (approximately 50 in each panel) after they were cooked and served in the traditional manner. After fermentation, the level of residual iodine was 7.61 ppm (16% loss) infermented fish, 5.57 ppm (55% loss) in fish sauce prepared with exposure to sunlight, and 9.52 ppm (13% loss) in fish sauce prepared in the shade. Sensory qualities of the products that were produced from fortified and unfortified salts as well as dishes prepared from these products were not significantly different (p > 0.05). It is feasible to produce fermented fish and fish sauces with iodated salt and maintain acceptable iodine levels.

Quality of dissolved organic matter affects planktonic but not biofilm bacterial production in streams.

PubMed

Kamjunke, Norbert; Herzsprung, Peter; Neu, Thomas R

2015-02-15

Streams and rivers are important sites of organic carbon mineralization which is dependent on the land use within river catchments. Here we tested whether planktonic and epilithic biofilm bacteria differ in their response to the quality of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Thus, planktonic and biofilm bacterial production was compared with patterns of DOC along a land-use gradient in the Bode catchment area (Germany). The freshness index of DOC was positively related to the proportion of agricultural area in the catchment. The humification index correlated with the proportion of forest area. Abundance and production of planktonic bacteria were lower in headwaters than at downstream sites. Planktonic production was weakly correlated to the total concentration of DOC but more strongly to quality-measures as revealed by spectra indexes, i.e. positively to the freshness index and negatively to the humification index. In contrast to planktonic bacteria, abundance and production of biofilm bacteria were independent of DOC quality. This finding may be explained by the association of biofilm bacteria with benthic algae and an extracellular matrix which represent additional substrate sources. The data show that planktonic bacteria seem to be regulated at a landscape scale controlled by land use, whereas biofilm bacteria are regulated at a biofilm matrix scale controlled by autochthonous production. Thus, the effects of catchment-scale land use changes on ecosystem processes are likely lower in small streams dominated by biofilm bacteria than in larger streams dominated by planktonic bacteria. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adverse effect versus quality control of the Fuenzalida-Palacios antirabies vaccine.

PubMed

Nogueira, Y L

1998-01-01

We evaluated the components of the Fuenzalida-Palacios antirabies vaccine, which is till used in most developing countries in human immunization for treatment and prophylaxis. This vaccine is prepared from newborn mouse brains at 1% concentration. Even though the vaccine is considered to have a low myelin content, it is not fully free of myelin or of other undesirable components that might trigger adverse effects after vaccination. The most severe effect is a post-vaccination neuroparalytic accident associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome. In the present study we demonstrate how the vaccines produced and distributed by different laboratories show different component patterns with different degrees of impurity and with varying protein concentrations, indicating that production processes can vary from one laboratory to another. These differences, which could be resolved using a better quality control process, may affect and impair immunization, with consequent risks and adverse effects after vaccination. We used crossed immunoelectrophoresis to evaluate and demonstrate the possibility of quality control in vaccine production, reducing the risk factors possibly involved in these immunizing products.

Hot Runner Mold Design of Fan Diverter Parts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juan, D. J.; Cheng, Y. L.

2017-09-01

In this study, we discuss the case of plastic parts for the production of fan steering gear shaft parts injection molding, and use POM plastic steel to produce plastic parts from traditional cold runners. Because of the parts have a hole, which need side slide. The runner produce more waste after plastic parts injection make the runner waste account for the cost is relatively high, the cost of stock preparation is relatively increased when the product quantity demanded is great. After the crushing treatment of the waste, the backfill will affect the quality, and in the crushing process, the volume generated will make the operator to withstand up to 130 dB of noise. The actual test results show that the production cycle reduce 6.25%, while the production yield increase by about 5% and material costs reduced by 2% . It can be recovered within a year, not to mention the increase of the quality and reduction the noise on the staff of the benefit is impossible to estimate.

Study of the combined effects of ripeness and production area on Bosana oil's quality.

PubMed

Morrone, Lucia; Neri, Luisa; Cantini, Claudio; Alfei, Barbara; Rotondi, Annalisa

2018-04-15

The effects of olive ripeness, areas of production and their interaction on the chemical and sensory characteristics of cv. Bosana oil were assessed. The study was carried out in three areas of the Sassari province, Sardinia (Italy), at three stages of maturation. The results indicated the independence of the two factors: ripeness influenced saturated fatty acids, pigment content and deacetoxy oleuropein aglycone (DAOA) content and didn't affect the sensory characteristics, while production area influenced unsaturated fatty acids, content of vanillic acid and some sensory characters. In order to verify the interdependency of the two factors, statistical analyses (two-way ANOVA) were performed. Our study showed that a thoughtful planning of harvest times and production area could allow to obtain Bosana virgin olive oil of the highest quality. Furthermore, utilizing cultivars that maintain the properties of their oils even at late dates of harvest, it would be possible to optimize harvest times. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential of bacteriocins from lab to improve microbial quality of dry-cured and fermented meat products.

PubMed

Kęska, Paulina; Stadnik, Joanna; Zielińska, Dorota; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta

2017-01-01

Meat and meat products are an important component of the daily diet. Nevertheless, they are perishable goods and are prone to microbial contamination, which leads to an increased risk to the health of consumers as well as economic losses in the meat industry. Fermentation has been used for thousands of years to preserve meat. As a result of extensive biochemical reactions occurring in meat during fermentation and ripening, the condi- tions inhibiting the growth of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria are formed. These changes are catalyzed by endogenous meat enzymes and exogenous enzymes derived from natural contaminating bacteria or starter cultures applied. In dry-cured and fermented meat products they are represented mainly by lactic acid bacte- ria (LAB) that produce a wide range of compounds, such as bacteriocins, directed against other microorgan- isms. The use of bactericidal peptides does not affect the sensory quality of foodstuffs, so that they attract attention as alternative means of preserving the stability and safety of dry-cured products.

The metrological assurance of quality petroleum products. Methods for determining octane and sulfur numbers in the petroleum products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shalkov, A. V.; Fadeev, Y. A.

2018-01-01

At present, solving environmental problems in industrially developed regions with a large concentration of mining and machine building enterprises is one of the main socially important tasks. Taking into account the increase in the volume of mining, there is an increase in the environmental burden, which affects the internal migration of the population. This is particularly evident in the examples of single-industry towns, in which a gradual decrease in the young workable population occurs. The article presents an analysis of the sources of maximum pollution of the environment by coal mining enterprises. Modern methods of controlling automobile fuel were analyzed. The analysis of fuel quality and the environmental assessment of combustion products was carried out. The equipment used in the article makes it possible to exclude substandard fuel and to reduce harmful emissions of vehicles to the atmosphere.

Proper Accounting for Surface Area to Solution Volume Ratios in Exaggerated Extractions.

PubMed

Jenke, Dennis R; Rabinow, Barrett E

2017-01-01

When drug products contact plastic manufacturing components, packaging systems, and/or delivery devices, leachables from the plastics can accumulate in the drug product, potentially affecting its key quality attributes. Given practical issues associated with screening drug products for leachables, potential leachables are frequently surfaced as extractables revealed in extraction studies. To facilitate extractables discovery and identification and to shorten extraction times, extraction studies can be exaggerated and/or accelerated. One means of exaggerating an extraction is to increase the test article's extracted surface area to extraction solution volume ratio (SA/V), as it is generally accepted that an extractable's concentration in an extract is proportional to SA/V in a 1 to 1 manner. However, as the relationship between an extractable's concentration and SA/V depends on the extractable's plastic/solvent partition coefficient (k p/l ), the effect of SA/V on the extractable's concentrations can be either under- or over-estimated if a 1 to 1 proportion is used. This article presents the theoretical relationship between SA/V, concentration, and k p/l ; illustrates theory with a case study; and suggests proper exaggeration strategies. LAY ABSTRACT: When drug products are manufactured, stored, or delivered in systems that contain plastics, substances can be leached from the plastics and remain in the drug product, where they might affect the product's key quality attributes. To discover and identify these leached substances, the plastics are extracted under laboratory conditions and the extracts are appropriately tested. To facilitate this process, extracts may be generated under laboratory conditions that exaggerate or accelerate the drug product's clinical conditions of manufacturing or use. The proper use of the ratio of the extracted item's surface area to the volume of the extracting solution as an exaggeration parameter is discussed in this paper. © PDA, Inc. 2017.

Heat and light stresses affect metabolite production in the fruit body of the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris.

PubMed

Jiaojiao, Zhang; Fen, Wang; Kuanbo, Liu; Qing, Liu; Ying, Yang; Caihong, Dong

2018-05-01

Cordyceps militaris is a highly valued edible and medicinal fungus due to its production of various metabolites, including adenosine, cordycepin, N 6 -(2-hydroxyethyl)-adenosine, and carotenoids. The contents of these metabolites are indicative of the quality of commercially available fruit body of this fungus. In this work, the effects of environmental abiotic factors, including heat and light stresses, on the fruit body growth and metabolite production in C. militaris were evaluated during the late growth stage. The optimal growth temperature of C. militaris was 20 °C. It was found that a heat stress of 25 °C for 5-20 days during the late growth stage significantly promoted cordycepin and carotenoid production without affecting the biological efficiency. Light stress at 6000 lx for 5-20 days during the late growth stage significantly promoted cordycepin production but decreased the carotenoid content. Both heat and light stresses promoted N 6 -(2-hydroxyethyl)-adenosine production. In addition, gene expression analysis showed that there were simultaneous increases in the expression of genes encoding a metal-dependent phosphohydrolase (CCM_04437) and ATP phosphoribosyltransferase (CCM_04438) that are involved in the cordycepin biosynthesis pathway, which was consistent with the accumulation of cordycepin during heat stress for 5-20 days. A positive weak correlation between the cordycepin and adenosine contents was observed with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.338 (P < 0.05). The results presented herein provide a new strategy for the production of a superior quality fruit body of C. militaris and contribute to further elucidation of the effects of abiotic stress on metabolite accumulation in fungi.

Effects of NaCl Replacement with Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) on the Quality Characteristics and Sensorial Properties of Model Meat Products

PubMed Central

Chun, Ji-Yeon; Cho, Hyung-Yong; Min, Sang-Gi

2014-01-01

This study investigated the effects of γ-aminobutylic acid (GABA) on the quality and sensorial properties of both the GABA/NaCl complex and model meat products. GABA/NaCl complex was prepared by spray-drying, and the surface dimensions, morphology, rheology, and saltiness were characterized. For model meat products, pork patties were prepared by replacing NaCl with GABA. For characteristics of the complex, increasing GABA concentration increased the surface dimensions of the complex. However, GABA did not affect the rheological properties of solutions containing the complex. The addition of 2% GABA exhibited significantly higher saltiness than the control (no GABA treatment). In the case of pork patties, sensory testing indicated that the addition of GABA decreased the saltiness intensity. Both the intensity of juiciness and tenderness of patties containing GABA also scored lower than the control, based on the NaCl reduction. These results were consistent with the quality characteristics (cooking loss and texture profile analysis). Nevertheless, overall acceptability of the pork patties showed that up to 1.5%, patties containing GABA did not significantly differ from the control. Consequently, the results indicated that GABA has a potential application in meat products, but also manifested a deterioration of quality by the NaCl reduction, which warrants further exploration. PMID:26761294

Effects of Electronic Outlining on Students' Argumentative Writing Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Smet, M. J. R.; Broekkamp, H.; Brand-Gruwel, S.; Kirschner, P. A.

2011-01-01

This study examined the effect of electronic outlining on the quality of students' writing products and how outlining affects perceived mental effort during the writing task. Additionally, it was studied how students appropriate and appreciate an outline tool and whether they need explicit instruction in order to engage in planning. To answer…

Effects of commercial selenium products on glutathione peroxidase activity and semen quality in stud boars

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The aim of this study was to determine how dietary supplementation of inorganic and organic selenium affects selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity in blood and sperm of sexually mature stud boars. Twenty-four boars of the Large White, Landrace, Pietrain, and Duroc breeds of opt...

ECOLOGICAL AND WATER QUALITY CONSEQUENCES OF NUTRIENT ADDITION FOR SALMON RESTORATION IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST OF NORTH AMERICA

EPA Science Inventory

Salmon runs have declined over the past two centuries in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Reduced inputs of salmon-derived organic matter and nutrients (SDN) may limit freshwater production and thus establish a negative feedback loop affecting future generations of...

Planting and care of fine hardwood seedlings: diseases in hardwood tree plantings

Treesearch

Paula M. Pijut

2006-01-01

Hardwood trees planted for timber production, wildlife habitat, riparian buffers, native woodland restoration, windbreaks, watershed protection, erosion control, and conservation are susceptible to damage or even death by various native and exotic fungal or bacterial diseases. Establishment, growth, and the quality of the trees produced can be affected by these disease...

Effects of dietary Aspergillus meal prebiotic on turkey poults production parameters and bone qualities

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary Aspergillus meal (AM), a prebiotic on performance and bone parameters of neonatal turkey poults. Prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host and have been shown to stimulate calcium and magnesium a...

A structured approach to target starch solubilization and hydrolysis for the sugarcane industry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In sugarcane processing, starch is considered an impurity that negatively affects processing and reduces the quality of the sugar end-product. In the last decade, there has been a general world-wide increase in starch concentrations in sugarcane. Industrial a-amylases have been used for many years ...

Medical makeup: the correction of hyperpigmentation disorders.

PubMed

Nonni, J

2012-12-01

Medical makeup corrects skin tone imperfections with dermocosmetic products, which bring together tolerance efficacy, colour neutralization and sun protection. Highly suitable for imperfections caused by hyperpigmentation, it allows patients affected by these disorders to cover them up effectively and discretely, giving them a better quality of life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Fifty years of forest hydrology in the Southeast

Treesearch

C. Rhett Jackson; Ge Sun; Devendra Amatya; Wayne T. Swank; Mark Riedel; Jim Patric; Tom Williams; Jim M. Vose; Carl Trettin; W. Michael Aust; R. Scott Beasley; Hamlin Williston; George G. Ice

2004-01-01

The forests of the southeastern United States are incredibly valuable and diverse, both for timber production and for the aquatic habitat they provide. These overlapping values and diverse conditions have spawned numerous studies to assess how forest management affects hydrology and water quality. In the mountains, key watershed studies include those conducted at USDA...

Irrigation affects severity of root rot caused by Phythophthora plurivora and P. cinnamomi on rhododendron

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant pathogens in the genus Phytophthora cause root rot that decrease product quality and result in plant death and economic losses to the nursery industry. Recently, we found Phytophthora plurivora prevalent on rhododendron in nurseries in the Pacific Northwest, USA, but there is little informatio...

Resource Use Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clawson, Marion

Although there is valid concern with the limited supply of natural resources and how this supply is affected by increasing population and a life style based on consumption, a more important concern is with the future quality of those natural resources. The focus in the past has been on the production of goods for sale, very little on the welfare…

Effect of Cotton Fiber Cohesion on Energy Use and Fiber Quality During Processing: 2nd Year

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Energy is a significant expense for cotton gins, and consumers of cotton goods are increasingly concerned with the sustainability of cotton production. Previous research has demonstrated the effect of fiber-seed attachment force on the energy required to gin cotton, which will affect the ginning rat...

Making the Case for Universal School-Based Mental Health Screening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, Neil; Wigelsworth, Michael

2016-01-01

Mental health difficulties affect 1 in 10 children and adolescents, and up to half of adult cases begin during the school years. The individual and societal impacts of such difficulties are huge, and include poorer quality of life, lost economic productivity, destabilisation of communities, and high rates of health, education and social care…

Computational analysis of bovine milk exosomal miRNAs profiles derived from uninfected and Streptococcus uberis infected mammary gland

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The dairy cattle industry in the U.S. contributes an estimated 7 billion dollars to the agribusiness economy. Bacterial infections that cause disease like mastitis, affect health of the lactating mammary gland, and negatively impacts milk production and milk quality, costing producers an estimated 2...

21 CFR 212.20 - What activities must I perform to ensure drug quality?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... operations. You must oversee production operations to ensure that each PET drug meets the requirements of the... of a PET drug. (c) Specifications and processes. You must approve or reject, before implementation..., and purity of a PET drug. You must demonstrate that any change does not adversely affect the identity...

21 CFR 212.20 - What activities must I perform to ensure drug quality?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... operations. You must oversee production operations to ensure that each PET drug meets the requirements of the... of a PET drug. (c) Specifications and processes. You must approve or reject, before implementation..., and purity of a PET drug. You must demonstrate that any change does not adversely affect the identity...

21 CFR 212.20 - What activities must I perform to ensure drug quality?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... operations. You must oversee production operations to ensure that each PET drug meets the requirements of the... of a PET drug. (c) Specifications and processes. You must approve or reject, before implementation..., and purity of a PET drug. You must demonstrate that any change does not adversely affect the identity...

Stress in Academe--A Cross-Cultural Comparison between Israeli and American Academicians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlberg, Arye; Keinan, Giora

The effects of stress on the physical and psychological well-being of people in different professions and occupations have become a focal interest of researchers and clinicians. There is growing evidence that stress adversely affects the performance, productivity, job satisfaction, health, and the general quality of life of professionals and of…

Grain biodeterioration of sorghum converted lines inoculated with a mixture of Fusarium thapsinum and Curvularia lunata

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Globally, grain mold is a major hurdle affecting sorghum productivity and quality. This disease is caused by complex fungal pathogens, among them Fusarium thapsinum and Curvularia lunata are the major fungi prevalent in many sorghum growing regions. This study examined the effect of inoculating a ...

Evaluation of the halophyte Salsola soda as an alternative crop for saline soils high in selenium and boron

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Salinization is one important factor contributing to land degradation, which affects agricultural production and environmental quality, especially in the West side of central California. When salinization is combined with a natural contamination of trace elements (i.e., Se and B) in arid and semi-ar...

Changes in soil nutrients after 10 years of cattle manure and swine effluent application

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Application of cattle manure and swine effluent to cropland builds nutrient pools, affects soil quality, and increases crop productivity. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the rate of change in soil nutrient concentration and soil chemical properties due to cattle manure and swine e...

Factors Affecting the Quality of Engineering Education in the Four Largest Emerging Economies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loyalka, Prashant; Carnoy, Martin; Froumin, Isak; Dossani, Raffiq; Tilak, J. B.; Yang, Po

2014-01-01

A huge increase in engineering graduates from the BRIC countries in recent decades potentially threatens the competitiveness of developed countries in producing high value-added products and services, while also holding great promise for substantially increasing the level of global basic and applied innovation. The key question is whether the…

Creativity in Advertising Design Education: An Experimental Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Ming

2011-01-01

Have you ever thought about why qualities whose definitions are elusive, such as those of a sunset or a half-opened rose, affect us so powerfully? According to de Saussure (Course in general linguistics, 1983), the making of meanings is closely related to the production and interpretation of signs. All types of design, including advertising…

Current and Future Technologies for Microbiological Decontamination of Cereal Grains.

PubMed

Los, Agata; Ziuzina, Dana; Bourke, Paula

2018-06-01

Cereal grains are the most important staple foods for mankind worldwide. The constantly increasing annual production and yield is matched by demand for cereals, which is expected to increase drastically along with the global population growth. A critical food safety and quality issue is to minimize the microbiological contamination of grains as it affects cereals both quantitatively and qualitatively. Microorganisms present in cereals can affect the safety, quality, and functional properties of grains. Some molds have the potential to produce harmful mycotoxins and pose a serious health risk for consumers. Therefore, it is essential to reduce cereal grain contamination to the minimum to ensure safety both for human and animal consumption. Current production of cereals relies heavily on pesticides input, however, numerous harmful effects on human health and on the environment highlight the need for more sustainable pest management and agricultural methods. This review evaluates microbiological risks, as well as currently used and potential technologies for microbiological decontamination of cereal grains. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Research on a lubricating grease print process for cylindrical cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Liu; Zhang, Xuan; Wang, XianYan; Tan, XiaoYan

2017-09-01

In vehicle braking system and clutch system of transmission, there is always a kind of cylindrical component dose reciprocating motion. The main working method is the reciprocating motion between the rubber sealing parts and cylindrical parts, the main factor affects the service life of the product is the lubricating performance of the moving parts. So the lubricating performance between cylinders and rubber sealing rings is particularly important, same as the quality of the grease applies on the surface of the surface of cylinder. Traditional method of manually applying grease has some defects such as applying unevenly, applying tools like brush and cloth easily falls off and affect the cleanness of products, contact skin easily cause allergy, waste grease due to the uncontrollable of grease quantity using in applying, low efficiency of manual operation. An automatic, quantitative and high pressure applying equipment is introduced in this document to replace the traditional manually applying method, which can guarantee the applying quality of the grease which are painted on the surface of cylinder and bring economic benefits to the company.

Short-term effect of nutrient availability and rainfall distribution on biomass production and leaf nutrient content of savanna tree species.

PubMed

Barbosa, Eduardo R M; Tomlinson, Kyle W; Carvalheiro, Luísa G; Kirkman, Kevin; de Bie, Steven; Prins, Herbert H T; van Langevelde, Frank

2014-01-01

Changes in land use may lead to increased soil nutrient levels in many ecosystems (e.g. due to intensification of agricultural fertilizer use). Plant species differ widely in their response to differences in soil nutrients, and for savannas it is uncertain how this nutrient enrichment will affect plant community dynamics. We set up a large controlled short-term experiment in a semi-arid savanna to test how water supply (even water supply vs. natural rainfall) and nutrient availability (no fertilisation vs. fertilisation) affects seedlings' above-ground biomass production and leaf-nutrient concentrations (N, P and K) of broad-leafed and fine-leafed tree species. Contrary to expectations, neither changes in water supply nor changes in soil nutrient level affected biomass production of the studied species. By contrast, leaf-nutrient concentration did change significantly. Under regular water supply, soil nutrient addition increased the leaf phosphorus concentration of both fine-leafed and broad-leafed species. However, under uneven water supply, leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentration declined with soil nutrient supply, this effect being more accentuated in broad-leafed species. Leaf potassium concentration of broad-leafed species was lower when growing under constant water supply, especially when no NPK fertilizer was applied. We found that changes in environmental factors can affect leaf quality, indicating a potential interactive effect between land-use changes and environmental changes on savanna vegetation: under more uneven rainfall patterns within the growing season, leaf quality of tree seedlings for a number of species can change as a response to changes in nutrient levels, even if overall plant biomass does not change. Such changes might affect herbivore pressure on trees and thus savanna plant community dynamics. Although longer term experiments would be essential to test such potential effects of eutrophication via changes in leaf nutrient concentration, our findings provide important insights that can help guide management plans that aim to preserve savanna biodiversity.

Effects of coalbed natural gas development on fish assemblages in tributary streams of the Powder and Tongue rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, W.N.; Bramblett, R.G.; Zale, A.V.

2010-01-01

1. Extraction of coalbed natural gas (CBNG) often results in disposal of large quantities of CBNG product water, which may affect aquatic ecosystems. We evaluated the effects of CBNG development on fish assemblages in tributary streams of the Powder and Tongue rivers. We used treatment and control, impact versus reference sites comparisons, surveys of CBNG product-water streams and in situ fish survival approaches to determine if CBNG development affected fish assemblages.2. Several of our results suggested that CBNG development did not affect fish assemblages. Species richness and index of biotic integrity (IBI) scores were similar in streams with and streams without CBNG development, and overall biotic integrity was not related to the number or density of CBNG wells. Fish occurred in one stream that was composed largely or entirely of CBNG product water. Sentinel fish survived in cages at treatment sites where no or few fish were captured, suggesting that factors such as lack of stream connectivity rather than water quality limited fish abundance at these sites. Fish species richness did not differ significantly from 1994 to 2006 in comparisons of CBNG-developed and undeveloped streams. Biotic integrity declined from 1994 to 2006; however, declines occurred at both impact and reference sites, possibly because of long-term drought.3. Some evidence suggested that CBNG development negatively affected fish assemblages, or may do so over time. Specific conductivity was on average higher in treatment streams and was negatively related to biotic integrity. Four IBI species richness metrics were negatively correlated with the number or density of CBNG wells in the catchment above sampling sites. Bicarbonate, one of the primary ions in product water, was significantly higher in developed streams and may have limited abundance of longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae). Total dissolved solids, alkalinity, magnesium and sulphate were significantly higher in developed streams.4. Biological monitoring conducted before the development of CBNG, and continuing through the life of development and reclamation, together with data on the quantity, quality and fate of CBNG product water will allow robust assessment of potential effects of future CBNG development worldwide. ?? 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Nonstarch polysaccharides in wheat flour wire-cut cookie making.

PubMed

Guttieri, Mary J; Souza, Edward J; Sneller, Clay

2008-11-26

Nonstarch polysaccharides in wheat flour have significant capacity to affect the processing quality of wheat flour dough and the finished quality of wheat flour products. Most research has focused on the effects of arabinoxylans (AX) in bread making. This study found that water-extractable AX and arabinogalactan peptides can predict variation in pastry wheat quality as captured by the wire-cut cookie model system. The sum of water-extractable AX plus arabinogalactan was highly predictive of cookie spread factor. The combination of cookie spread factor and the ratio of water-extractable arabinose to xylose predicted peak force of the three-point bend test of cookie texture.

Quality, immunogenicity and stability of meningococcal serogroup ACWY-CRM197, DT and TT glycoconjugate vaccines.

PubMed

Beresford, Nicola J; Martino, Angela; Feavers, Ian M; Corbel, Michael J; Bai, Xilian; Borrow, Ray; Bolgiano, Barbara

2017-06-16

A physicochemical and immunological study of the stability of three different meningococcal (Men) ACWY conjugate vaccines was performed to evaluate any patterns of serogroup oligo- or polysaccharide-specific or carrier protein-specific stability that would affect immunogenicity. Critical quality and stability-indicating characteristics were measured, with the study supporting the suitability of both HPLC-SEC and HPAEC-PAD methods to detect changes following inappropriate vaccine storage. All three final products, ACWY-CRM 197 , -DT and -TT conjugate vaccines had expected quality indicator values and similar immunogenicity in a mouse model (anti-PS IgG and rSBA) when stored at +2-8°C. When stored at ≥+37°C, all conjugated carrier proteins and serogroup saccharides were affected. Direct correlations were observed between the depolymerization of the MenA saccharide as evidenced by a size-reduction in the MenA conjugates (CRM 197 , DT and TT) and their immunogenicity. MenA was the most labile serogroup, followed by MenC; then MenW and Y, which were similar. At high temperatures, the conjugated carrier proteins were prone to unfolding and/or aggregation. The anti-MenC IgG responses of the multivalent conjugate vaccines in mice were equivalent to those observed in monovalent MenC conjugate vaccines, and were independent of the carrier protein. For any newly developing MenACWY saccharide-protein conjugate vaccines, a key recommendation would be to consider the lyophilization of final product to prevent deleterious degradation that would affect immunogenicity. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Cloud Screening with Apparent Surface Reflectance in Support of the ICESat-2 Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Yuekui; Marshak, Alexander; Palm, Stephen P.; Wang, Zhuosen; Schaaf, Crystal

2011-01-01

The separation of cloud and clear scenes is usually one of the first steps in satellite data analysis. Before deriving a geophysical product, almost every satellite mission requires a cloud mask to label a scene as either clear or cloudy through a cloud detection procedure. For clear scenes, products such as surface properties may be retrieved; for cloudy scenes, scientist can focus on studying the cloud properties. Hence the quality of cloud detection directly affects the quality of most satellite operational and research products. This is certainly true for the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (lCESat-2), which is the successor to the ICESat-l. As a top priority mission, ICESat-2 will continue to provide measurements of ice sheets and sea ice elevation on a global scale. Studies have shown that clouds can significantly affect the accuracy of the retrieved results. For example, some of the photons (a photon is a basic unit of light) in the laser beam will be scattered by cloud particles on its way. So instead of traveling in a straight line, these photons are scattered sideways and have traveled a longer path. This will result in biases in ice sheet elevation measurements. Hence cloud screening must be done and be done accurately before the retrievals.

Nutritional limitations to increased production on pasture-based systems.

PubMed

Kolver, Eric S

2003-05-01

The constraints to high levels of milk production imposed by a high-quality-pasture diet, and development of feeding strategies to overcome these limitations, were examined by modelling the nutritional status of New Zealand Friesian and North American Holstein-Friesian dairy cows grazing high-quality pasture. The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) was used to predict sensitivity of milk production to a 10% change in the composition of pasture nutrients. The rate at which fibre and protein were degraded in the rumen and the value given to effective fibre and lignin content significantly affected the supply of metabolisable energy and protein, and the profile of amino acid supply. The first limiting factor in milk production when only high-quality pasture was fed was metabolisable energy supply, while specific amino acids, particularly methionine and lysine, limited milk production when > 20 g/kg diet consisted of a grain supplement. Compared with cows fed a total mixed ration in confinement, North American Holstein-Friesians grazing all pasture produced less milk (29.6 v. 44.1 kg/d). Of the difference in milk production 61% could be attributed to a lower DM intake (19 kg/d v. 23.4 kg/d). Predictions using the CNCPS indicated that supply of metabolisable energy was the first-limiting factor for milk production from high-quality pasture (251 g crude protein (N x 6.25)/kg, 432 g neutral-detergent fibre/kg, 77% in vitro DM digestibility), rather than metabolisable protein or amino acids. In addition, these nutritional limitations imposed by pasture diets will be greater for dairy cow genotypes that have not been selected for high performance within a pasture system.

Challenges of drug risk communications in the Philippines.

PubMed

Hartigan-Go, Kenneth

2012-11-01

Risk communication in the context of patient care is about conveying balanced information on benefit and risk of medical products and procedures and developments in health. It is an integral part of pharmacovigilance and healthcare communications and involves stakeholders such as regulators, industry, health professionals and patients. In the Philippines, many factors can interfere with effective risk communication and affect the safety of patients when medicinal products are used: poverty, literacy, age, social media, practice and behaviour of health professionals, industry marketing, patient expectations and product quality. These factors must be taken into consideration when formulating effective risk communications to ensure patient safety.

Executive Summary123

PubMed Central

Decker, Eric A; Storey, Maureen L

2015-01-01

The impact of dietary fats and oils on health continues to be a controversial subject. In addition, the ability of the food industry to freely alter the fat content and composition of foods to meet dietary recommendations is limited by how these food components affect food quality and stability. Therefore, a recent workshop was held to bring together food and nutrition scientists to highlight nutritional research and product innovations that explore the nutritional impact of fatty acids in the food supply. The latest research on metabolic responses and health benefits associated with foods made with new nutritional and functional oils was discussed, along with a detailed look at how science-based advances in preparation methods and processing technologies affect the nutrient profile of food products, including potato products. Additional discussion was provided on how oil innovations align with dietary guidance and policy. This supplement issue presents articles on those presentations. PMID:25979501

Utilization of steel slag for Portland cement clinker production.

PubMed

Tsakiridis, P E; Papadimitriou, G D; Tsivilis, S; Koroneos, C

2008-04-01

The aim of the present research work is to investigate the possibility of adding steel slag, a by-product of the conversion of iron to steel process, in the raw meal for the production of Portland cement clinker. Two samples of raw meals were prepared, one with ordinary raw materials, as a reference sample ((PC)(Ref)), and another with 10.5% steel slag ((PC)(S/S)). Both raw meals were sintered at 1450 degrees C. The results of chemical and mineralogical analyses as well as the microscopic examination showed that the use of the steel slag did not affect the mineralogical characteristics of the so produced Portland cement clinker. Furthermore, both clinkers were tested by determining the grindability, setting times, compressive strengths and soundness. The hydration products were examined by XRD analysis at 2, 7, 28 and 90 days. The results of the physico-mechanical tests showed that the addition of the steel slag did not negatively affect the quality of the produced cement.

Effect of desertification on productivity in a desert steppe.

PubMed

Tang, Zhuangsheng; An, Hui; Deng, Lei; Wang, Yingying; Zhu, Guangyu; Shangguan, Zhouping

2016-06-14

Desertification, one of the most severe types of land degradation in the world, is of great importance because it is occurring, to some degree, on approximately 40% of the global land area and is affecting more than 1 billion people. In this study, we used a space-for-time method to quantify the impact of five different desertification regimes (potential (PD), light (LD), moderate (MD), severe (SD), and very severe (VSD)) on a desert steppe ecosystem in northern China to examine the relationship between the productivity of the vegetation and soil properties and to determine the mechanism underlying the effects of desertification on productivity. Our results showed that the effects of desertification on TP (total phosphorus) and AP (available phosphorus) were not significant, and desertification decreased productivity in the desert steppe as a result of direct changes to soil physical properties, which can directly affect soil chemical properties. Therefore, intensive grassland management to improve soil quality may result in the long-term preservation of ecosystem functions and services.

Effect of desertification on productivity in a desert steppe

PubMed Central

Tang, Zhuangsheng; An, Hui; Deng, Lei; Wang, Yingying; Zhu, Guangyu; Shangguan, Zhouping

2016-01-01

Desertification, one of the most severe types of land degradation in the world, is of great importance because it is occurring, to some degree, on approximately 40% of the global land area and is affecting more than 1 billion people. In this study, we used a space-for-time method to quantify the impact of five different desertification regimes (potential (PD), light (LD), moderate (MD), severe (SD), and very severe (VSD)) on a desert steppe ecosystem in northern China to examine the relationship between the productivity of the vegetation and soil properties and to determine the mechanism underlying the effects of desertification on productivity. Our results showed that the effects of desertification on TP (total phosphorus) and AP (available phosphorus) were not significant, and desertification decreased productivity in the desert steppe as a result of direct changes to soil physical properties, which can directly affect soil chemical properties. Therefore, intensive grassland management to improve soil quality may result in the long-term preservation of ecosystem functions and services. PMID:27297202

Ozone in the food industry: Principles of ozone treatment, mechanisms of action, and applications: An overview.

PubMed

Brodowska, Agnieszka Joanna; Nowak, Agnieszka; Śmigielski, Krzysztof

2017-04-10

The food contamination issue requires continuous control of food at each step of the production process. High quality and safety of products are equally important factors in the food industry. They may be achieved with several, more or less technologically advanced methodologies. In this work, we review the role, contribution, importance, and impact of ozone as a decontaminating agent used to control and eliminate the presence of microorganisms in food products as well as to extend their shelf-life and remove undesirable odors. Several researchers have been focusing on the ozone's properties and applications, proving that ozone treatment technology can be applied to all types of foods, from fruits, vegetables, spices, meat, and seafood products to beverages. A compilation of those works, presented in this review, can be a useful tool for establishing appropriate ozone treatment conditions, and factors affecting the improved quality and safety of food products. A critical evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of ozone in the context of its application in the food industry is presented as well.

Earth Observation, Spatial Data Quality, and Neglected Tropical Diseases.

PubMed

Hamm, Nicholas A S; Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J; Clements, Archie C A

2015-12-01

Earth observation (EO) is the use of remote sensing and in situ observations to gather data on the environment. It finds increasing application in the study of environmentally modulated neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Obtaining and assuring the quality of the relevant spatially and temporally indexed EO data remain challenges. Our objective was to review the Earth observation products currently used in studies of NTD epidemiology and to discuss fundamental issues relating to spatial data quality (SDQ), which limit the utilization of EO and pose challenges for its more effective use. We searched Web of Science and PubMed for studies related to EO and echinococossis, leptospirosis, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminth infections. Relevant literature was also identified from the bibliographies of those papers. We found that extensive use is made of EO products in the study of NTD epidemiology; however, the quality of these products is usually given little explicit attention. We review key issues in SDQ concerning spatial and temporal scale, uncertainty, and the documentation and use of quality information. We give examples of how these issues may interact with uncertainty in NTD data to affect the output of an epidemiological analysis. We conclude that researchers should give careful attention to SDQ when designing NTD spatial-epidemiological studies. This should be used to inform uncertainty analysis in the epidemiological study. SDQ should be documented and made available to other researchers.

Meat quality characteristics of Turkish indigenous Hair goat kids reared under traditional extensive production system: effects of slaughter age and gender.

PubMed

Toplu, Hayriye Deger Oral; Goksoy, Ergun Omer; Nazligul, Ahmet; Kahraman, Tolga

2013-08-01

Meat quality characteristics of Turkish indigenous Hair goat kids reared under an extensive production system were investigated in this study. A total of 60 Hair goat kids (30 females and 30 males) were slaughtered at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of ages. Slaughter age significantly affected meat quality characteristics. Cooking loss (P < 0.01) and shear force value (P < 0.001) increased with age. Meat color became darker red with increasing slaughter age (P < 0.001). The percentage of fat of musculus (M.) semimembranosus increased with age (P < 0.01). The percentage of saturated fatty acids was significantly higher (P < 0.01), whereas the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids was lower (P < 0.001) in the M. longissimus dorsi of the kids slaughtered at 3 months of age than those in the other age groups. The females had higher intramuscular fat than that in males (P < 0.001) and meat from male kids contained a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acid than that from females (P < 0.01). In conclusion, meat from Hair kids slaughtered between 3 and 9 months of ages had better quality than those slaughtered at the other ages and also meat from male kids had better quality than those female kids slaughtered at the same age under extensive production system.

Review: DNA Barcoding and Chromatography Fingerprints for the Authentication of Botanicals in Herbal Medicinal Products

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

In the last two decades, there has been a tremendous increase in the global use of herbal medicinal products (HMPs) due to their claimed health benefits. This has led to increase in their demand and consequently, also, resulted in massive adulteration. This is due to the fact that most of the traditional methods cannot identify closely related species in a process product form. Therefore the urgent need for simple and rapid identification methods resulted in the discovery of a novel technique. DNA barcoding is a process that uses short DNA sequence from the standard genome for species identification. This technique is reliable and is not affected by external factors such as climates, age, or plant part. The difficulties in isolation of DNA of high quality in addition to other factors are among the challenges encountered using the DNA barcoding in the authentication of HMP. These limitations indicated that using DNA barcoding alone may ineffectively authenticate the HMP. Therefore, the combination of DNA barcoding with chromatographic fingerprint, a popular and generally accepted technique for the assessment and quality control of HMP, will offer an efficient solution to effectively evaluate the authenticity and quality consistency of HMP. Detailed and quality information about the main composition of the HMPs will help to ascertain their efficacy and safety as these are very important for quality control. PMID:28536641

Quality by design approach for optimizing the formulation and physical properties of extemporaneously prepared orodispersible films.

PubMed

Visser, J Carolina; Dohmen, Willem M C; Hinrichs, Wouter L J; Breitkreutz, Jörg; Frijlink, Henderik W; Woerdenbag, Herman J

2015-05-15

The quality by design (QbD) approach was applied for optimizing the formulation of extemporaneously prepared orodispersible films (ODFs) using Design-Expert® Software. The starting formulation was based on earlier experiments and contained the film forming agents hypromellose and carbomer 974P and the plasticizer glycerol (Visser et al., 2015). Trometamol and disodium EDTA were added to stabilize the solution. To optimize this formulation a quality target product profile was established in which critical quality attributes (CQAs) such as mechanical properties and disintegration time were defined and quantified. As critical process parameters (CPP) that were evaluated for their effect on the CQAs the percentage of hypromellose and the percentage of glycerol as well as the drying time were chosen. Response surface methodology (RMS) was used to evaluate the effects of the CPPs on the CQAs of the final product. The main factor affecting tensile strength and Young's modulus was the percentage of glycerol. Elongation at break was mainly influenced by the drying temperature. Disintegration time was found to be sensitive to the percentage of hypromellose. From the results a design space could be created. As long as the formulation and process variables remain within this design space, a product is obtained with desired characteristics and that meets all set quality requirements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality by design approach for understanding the critical quality attributes of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion.

PubMed

Rahman, Ziyaur; Xu, Xiaoming; Katragadda, Usha; Krishnaiah, Yellela S R; Yu, Lawrence; Khan, Mansoor A

2014-03-03

Restasis is an ophthalmic cyclosporine emulsion used for the treatment of dry eye syndrome. There are no generic products for this product, probably because of the limitations on establishing in vivo bioequivalence methods and lack of alternative in vitro bioequivalence testing methods. The present investigation was carried out to understand and identify the appropriate in vitro methods that can discriminate the effect of formulation and process variables on critical quality attributes (CQA) of cyclosporine microemulsion formulations having the same qualitative (Q1) and quantitative (Q2) composition as that of Restasis. Quality by design (QbD) approach was used to understand the effect of formulation and process variables on critical quality attributes (CQA) of cyclosporine microemulsion. The formulation variables chosen were mixing order method, phase volume ratio, and pH adjustment method, while the process variables were temperature of primary and raw emulsion formation, microfluidizer pressure, and number of pressure cycles. The responses selected were particle size, turbidity, zeta potential, viscosity, osmolality, surface tension, contact angle, pH, and drug diffusion. The selected independent variables showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) effect on droplet size, zeta potential, viscosity, turbidity, and osmolality. However, the surface tension, contact angle, pH, and drug diffusion were not significantly affected by independent variables. In summary, in vitro methods can detect formulation and manufacturing changes and would thus be important for quality control or sameness of cyclosporine ophthalmic products.

Determination of the maximum operating range of hydrodynamic stress in mammalian cell culture.

PubMed

Neunstoecklin, Benjamin; Stettler, Matthieu; Solacroup, Thomas; Broly, Hervé; Morbidelli, Massimo; Soos, Miroslav

2015-01-20

Application of quality by design (QbD) requires identification of the maximum operating range for parameters affecting the cell culture process. These include hydrodynamic stress, mass transfer or gradients in dissolved oxygen and pH. Since most of these are affected by the impeller design and speed, the main goal of this work was to identify a maximum operating range for hydrodynamic stress, where no variation of cell growth, productivity and product quality can be ensured. Two scale-down models were developed operating under laminar and turbulent condition, generating repetitive oscillating hydrodynamic stress with maximum stress values ranging from 0.4 to 420Pa, to compare the effect of the different flow regimes on the cells behavior. Two manufacturing cell lines (CHO and Sp2/0) used for the synthesis of therapeutic proteins were employed in this study. For both cell lines multiple process outputs were used to determine the threshold values of hydrodynamic stress, such as cell growth, morphology, metabolism and productivity. They were found to be different in between the cell lines with values equal to 32.4±4.4Pa and 25.2±2.4Pa for CHO and Sp2/0, respectively. Below the measured thresholds both cell lines do not show any appreciable effect of the hydrodynamic stress on any critical quality attribute, while above, cells responded negatively to the elevated stress. To confirm the applicability of the proposed method, the obtained results were compared with data generated from classical small-scale reactors with a working volume of 3L. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Climacteric women at work: What lurks behind poor occupational quality of life?

PubMed

Gazibara, Tatjana; Rancic, Biljana; Radovanovic, Sanja; Kurtagic, Ilma; Nurkovic, Selmina; Kovacevic, Nikolina; Dotlic, Jelena

2018-04-18

Physical and psychological changes during menopausal transition may affect various aspects of everyday functioning including women's work ability and work productivity. Presence of menopausal symptoms has been well-acknowledged to negatively affect quality of life (QOL). However, data on factors associated with occupational QOL among women at this period of life are lacking. The authors' purpose in this study was to evaluate factors affecting occupational QOL in a sample of employed mid-life women who are experiencing menopause. The authors performed a cross-sectional study among 335 employed women aged 40 to 65 years from Serbia. Socio-demographic questionnaire, Utian's Quality of Life Scale, and Beck's Depression Inventory were used in data collection. Women's average monthly household income and educational level were positively correlated, while having uterine prolapse was negatively associated with occupational QOL. Significant regression models assessing impact of gynecological illnesses and menopause-specific symptoms on occupational QOL (direct value and categories-below vs. above mean) showed that having insomnia, uterine prolapse, and genital inflammations may differentiate "good" from "poor" occupational QOL. Uterine prolapse, genital inflammation, and insomnia were associated with worse occupational QOL among working women in menopausal transition.

The Effect of Hydration on Voice Quality in Adults: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Alves, Maxine; Krüger, Esedra; Pillay, Bhavani; van Lierde, Kristiane; van der Linde, Jeannie

2017-11-06

We aimed to critically appraise scientific, peer-reviewed articles, published in the past 10 years on the effects of hydration on voice quality in adults. This is a systematic review. Five databases were searched using the key words "vocal fold hydration", "voice quality", "vocal fold dehydration", and "hygienic voice therapy". The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The included studies were scored based on American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's levels of evidence and quality indicators, as well as the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Systemic dehydration as a result of fasting and not ingesting fluids significantly negatively affected the parameters of noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR), shimmer, jitter, frequency, and the s/z ratio. Water ingestion led to significant improvements in shimmer, jitter, frequency, and maximum phonation time values. Caffeine intake does not appear to negatively affect voice production. Laryngeal desiccation challenges by oral breathing led to surface dehydration which negatively affected jitter, shimmer, NHR, phonation threshold pressure, and perceived phonatory effort. Steam inhalation significantly improved NHR, shimmer, and jitter. Only nebulization of isotonic solution decreased phonation threshold pressure and showed some indication of a potential positive effect of nebulization substances. Treatments in high humidity environments prove to be effective and adaptations of low humidity environments should be encouraged. Recent literature regarding vocal hydration is high quality evidence. Systemic hydration is the easiest and most cost-effective solution to improve voice quality. Recent evidence therefore supports the inclusion of hydration in a vocal hygiene program. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview on the mechanisms of coffee germination and fermentation and their significance for coffee and coffee beverage quality.

PubMed

Waters, Deborah M; Arendt, Elke K; Moroni, Alice V

2017-01-22

Quality of coffee is a complex trait and is influenced by physical and sensory parameters. A complex succession of transformations during the processing of seeds to roasted coffee will inevitably influence the in-cup attributes of coffee. Germination and fermentation of the beans are two bioprocesses that take place during post-harvest treatment, and may lead to significant modifications of coffee attributes. The aim of this review is to address the current knowledge of dynamics of these two processes and their significance for bean modifications and coffee quality. The first part of this review gives an overview of coffee germination and its influence on coffee chemistry and quality. The germination process initiates while these non-orthodox seeds are still inside the cherry. This process is asynchronous and the evolution of germination depends on how the beans are processed. A range of metabolic reactions takes place during germination and can influence the carbohydrate, protein, and lipid composition of the beans. The second part of this review focuses on the microbiota associated with the beans during post-harvesting, exploring its effects on coffee quality and safety. The microbiota associated with the coffee cherries and beans comprise several bacterial, yeast, and fungal species and affects the processing from cherries to coffee beans. Indigenous bacteria and yeasts play a role in the degradation of pulp/mucilage, and their metabolism can affect the sensory attributes of coffee. On the other hand, the fungal population occurring during post-harvest and storage negatively affects coffee quality, especially regarding spoilage, off-tastes, and mycotoxin production.

Combining woody biomass for combustion with green waste composting: Effect of removal of woody biomass on compost quality.

PubMed

Vandecasteele, Bart; Boogaerts, Christophe; Vandaele, Elke

2016-12-01

The question was tackled on how the green waste compost industry can optimally apply the available biomass resources for producing both bioenergy by combustion of the woody fraction, and high quality soil improvers as renewable sources of carbon and nutrients. Compost trials with removal of woody biomass before or after composting were run at 9 compost facilities during 3 seasons to include seasonal variability of feedstock. The project focused on the changes in feedstock and the effect on the end product characteristics (both compost and recovered woody biomass) of this woody biomass removal. The season of collection during the year clearly affected the biochemical and chemical characteristics of feedstock, woody biomass and compost. On one hand the effect of removal of the woody fraction before composting did not significantly affect compost quality when compared to the scenario where the woody biomass was sieved from the compost at the end of the composting process. On the other hand, quality of the woody biomass was not strongly affected by extraction before or after composting. The holocellulose:lignin ratio was used in this study as an indicator for (a) the decomposition potential of the feedstock mixture and (b) to assess the stability of the composts at the end of the process. Higher microbial activity in green waste composts (indicated by higher oxygen consumption) and thus a lower compost stability resulted in higher N immobilization in the compost. Removal of woody biomass from the green waste before composting did not negatively affect the compost quality when more intensive composting was applied. The effect of removal of the woody fraction on the characteristics of the green waste feedstock and the extracted woody biomass is depending on the season of collection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Air quality concerns of unconventional oil and natural gas production.

PubMed

Field, R A; Soltis, J; Murphy, S

2014-05-01

Increased use of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") in unconventional oil and natural gas (O & NG) development from coal, sandstone, and shale deposits in the United States (US) has created environmental concerns over water and air quality impacts. In this perspective we focus on how the production of unconventional O & NG affects air quality. We pay particular attention to shale gas as this type of development has transformed natural gas production in the US and is set to become important in the rest of the world. A variety of potential emission sources can be spread over tens of thousands of acres of a production area and this complicates assessment of local and regional air quality impacts. We outline upstream activities including drilling, completion and production. After contrasting the context for development activities in the US and Europe we explore the use of inventories for determining air emissions. Location and scale of analysis is important, as O & NG production emissions in some US basins account for nearly 100% of the pollution burden, whereas in other basins these activities make up less than 10% of total air emissions. While emission inventories are beneficial to quantifying air emissions from a particular source category, they do have limitations when determining air quality impacts from a large area. Air monitoring is essential, not only to validate inventories, but also to measure impacts. We describe the use of measurements, including ground-based mobile monitoring, network stations, airborne, and satellite platforms for measuring air quality impacts. We identify nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds (VOC), ozone, hazardous air pollutants (HAP), and methane as pollutants of concern related to O & NG activities. These pollutants can contribute to air quality concerns and they may be regulated in ambient air, due to human health or climate forcing concerns. Close to well pads, emissions are concentrated and exposure to a wide range of pollutants is possible. Public health protection is improved when emissions are controlled and facilities are located away from where people live. Based on lessons learned in the US we outline an approach for future unconventional O & NG development that includes regulation, assessment and monitoring.

Effect of waxy rice flour and cassava starch on freeze-thaw stability of rice starch gels.

PubMed

Charoenrein, Sanguansri; Preechathammawong, Nutsuda

2012-10-01

Repeatedly frozen and thawed rice starch gel affects quality. This study investigated how incorporating waxy rice flour (WF) and cassava starch (CS) in rice starch gel affects factors used to measure quality. When rice starch gels containing 0-2% WF and CS were subjected to 5 freeze-thaw cycles, both WF and CS reduced the syneresis in first few cycles. However CS was more effective in reducing syneresis than WF. The different composite arrangement of rice starch with WF or CS caused different mechanisms associated with the rice starch gel retardation of retrogradation, reduced the spongy structure and lowered syneresis. Both swollen granules of rice starch and CS caused an increase in the hardness of the unfrozen and freeze-thawed starch gel while highly swollen WF granules caused softer gels. These results suggested that WF and CS were effective in preserving quality in frozen rice starch based products. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drug policy and administration affecting quality of life of the poor in Thailand.

PubMed

Prutipinyo, Chardsumon; Sirichotiratana, Nithat

2011-09-01

This study aims to analyze drug policy and administration affecting quality of life of the poor in Thailand. Review of official reports and related documents, for the past 10 years (from 2000-2010). By imposing compulsory licensing, the Thai government maintains negotiating power over the price of pharmaceutical products with the patent holders of the original drugs. This gives an opportunity for relevant government agencies to produce or import patented drugs. At present, there are many problems and obstacles. The findings show that developing countries need to strengthen their negotiating power so that the pharmaceutical manufacturers cannot take advantage through mechanisms provided for such as compulsory licensing and provisions for flexibility in Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. Furthermore, these countries must support and empower the local pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce generic drugs. Developing countries should ensure that their populations have confidence in universal coverage service and medical systems regarding the quality of generic drugs.

Quality of stormwater runoff from paved surfaces of two production sites.

PubMed

Gnecco, I; Berretta, C; Lanza, L G; La Barbera, P

2006-01-01

In order to investigate stormwater pollutant loads associated with different anthropic activities and the related pollutant build-up and wash-off processes, two pilot sites have been equipped in the Liguria Region (Italy) for monitoring first flush water quality in a gas station and an auto dismantler facility. TSS, COD, HCtot and heavy metals in dissolved form (Zn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr) have been analyzed during the monitoring campaign (started in February 2004). Stormwater flow and quality data collected in both production sites confirm that EMC values are significantly higher than those observed in an urban site. In the auto dismantler site, the EMC values for TSS, COD and HC largely exceed the standard values (EC 91/271). Contrary to urban surface runoff, scarce correlation between TSS and COD concentrations is observed in runoff from both production sites. The occurrence and nature of the pollutant load connected to first flush flows is discussed by inspection of the M(V)-curves that are provided for all monitored water quality parameters. Significant first flush phenomenon is evidenced for TSS and HC, while such clear behavior doesn't emerge for heavy metals. Hydrologic and climatic characteristics (ADWP, rainfall intensity/depth) appear to scarcely affect the build-up and wash-off processes.

The perception of food quality. Profiling Italian consumers.

PubMed

Mascarello, Giulia; Pinto, Anna; Parise, Nicoletta; Crovato, Stefania; Ravarotto, Licia

2015-06-01

This study aims to analyse the elements which, according to Italian consumers, contribute most to defining the quality of a food product. A sample of 1000 consumers, in charge of purchases for the household, was interviewed by telephone. The data analysis has made it possible to categorise Italian consumers into two main groups: on the one hand those who mainly use criteria associated with organoleptic elements, and, on the other, those who make their choice based on place and methods of production. Both categories were studied with a view to identifying their distinctive socio-demographic and behavioural features. Geographical provenance, age, propensity to read the label on products, scientific knowledge and self-assessment of knowledge on food safety-related issues emerged as the main differences between the two groups. The perception of quality appears to affect purchase decisions and dietary patterns. The description of the consumer groups who use the same elements to define quality provided a useful insight into consumer choices and potential risk-exposure behaviours. The study of these aspects is therefore relevant for the purpose of designing effective and targeted communication actions, not only for companies but also for public institutions in charge of safeguarding public health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elaboration and Device Complex Trial for Pipe Production of Raised Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Privarnikov, J. K.; Vdovin, V. D.; Privarnikova, I. J.

2002-01-01

Technology and device for production of heightened quality pipes for arterial oil and gas conduits are created and inculcated on factual data of work of Novomoskovsk Pipe Plant. At present such pipes are made with using heat treatment in penetrated sectional stoves. Herewith big volume of natural gas is expended. Besides, it is observed an incomplete removal of residual stresses during heat treatment that adversely affects at operation pipe indexes and durability of welded seam. Researches, which authors have conducted, have shown that offered weakly annealing technology and device provide almost full removal of undesirable residual stresses that considerably raises durability of welded junctions and improves operation pipe indexes. Inculcation of offered technology in Ukraine at the same time will allow to reduce by 40-50 % natural gas expense, to raise ecological safety at the sacrifice of diminish of possible damages at conduits as well as to produce electric welded pipes of heightened quality. I am sending you the abstract of the report Elaboration and device complex trial for pipe production of heightened quality, reference number - IAC-02.V.6./1.7 - ? (Unfortunately number is lost. Please inform us the number of our report once again) authors Privarnikov J.K, Vdovin V.D., Privarnikova I.J. for presentation at the 53rd International Asnronautical Congress/ Professor Yu. Privarnikov

Vaccine production, distribution, access, and uptake.

PubMed

Smith, Jon; Lipsitch, Marc; Almond, Jeffrey W

2011-07-30

For human vaccines to be available on a global scale, complex production methods, meticulous quality control, and reliable distribution channels are needed to ensure that the products are potent and effective at the point of use. The technologies used to manufacture different types of vaccines can strongly affect vaccine cost, ease of industrial scale-up, stability, and, ultimately, worldwide availability. The complexity of manufacturing is compounded by the need for different formulations in different countries and age-groups. Reliable vaccine production in appropriate quantities and at affordable prices is the cornerstone of developing global vaccination policies. However, to ensure optimum access and uptake, strong partnerships are needed between private manufacturers, regulatory authorities, and national and international public health services. For vaccines whose supply is insufficient to meet demand, prioritisation of target groups can increase the effect of these vaccines. In this report, we draw from our experience of vaccine development and focus on influenza vaccines as an example to consider production, distribution, access, and other factors that affect vaccine uptake and population-level effectiveness. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of endometriosis on quality of life and work productivity: a multicenter study across ten countries.

PubMed

Nnoaham, Kelechi E; Hummelshoj, Lone; Webster, Premila; d'Hooghe, Thomas; de Cicco Nardone, Fiorenzo; de Cicco Nardone, Carlo; Jenkinson, Crispin; Kennedy, Stephen H; Zondervan, Krina T

2011-08-01

To assess the impact of endometriosis on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work productivity. Multicenter cross-sectional study with prospective recruitment. Sixteen clinical centers in ten countries. A total of 1,418 premenopausal women, aged 18-45 years, without a previous surgical diagnosis of endometriosis, having laparoscopy to investigate symptoms or to be sterilized. None. Diagnostic delay, HRQoL, and work productivity. There was a delay of 6.7 years, principally in primary care, between onset of symptoms and a surgical diagnosis of endometriosis, which was longer in centers where women received predominantly state-funded health care (8.3 vs. 5.5 years). Delay was positively associated with the number of pelvic symptoms (chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, and heavy periods) and a higher body mass index. Physical HRQoL was significantly reduced in affected women compared with those with similar symptoms and no endometriosis. Each affected woman lost on average 10.8 hours (SD 12.2) of work weekly, mainly owing to reduced effectiveness while working. Loss of work productivity translated into significant costs per woman/week, from US$4 in Nigeria to US$456 in Italy. Endometriosis impairs HRQoL and work productivity across countries and ethnicities, yet women continue to experience diagnostic delays in primary care. A higher index of suspicion is needed to expedite specialist assessment of symptomatic women. Future research should seek to clarify pain mechanisms in relation to endometriosis severity. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of endometriosis on quality of life and work productivity: a multicenter study across ten countries

PubMed Central

Nnoaham, Kelechi E.; Hummelshoj, Lone; Webster, Premila; d’Hooghe, Thomas; Nardone, Fiorenzo de Cicco; Nardone, Carlo de Cicco; Jenkinson, Crispin; Kennedy, Stephen H.; Zondervan, Krina T.

2013-01-01

Objective To assess the impact of endometriosis on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work productivity. Design Multicenter cross-sectional study with prospective recruitment. Setting Sixteen clinical centers in ten countries. Patient(s) A total of 1,418 premenopausal women, aged 18–45 years, without a previous surgical diagnosis of endometriosis, having laparoscopy to investigate symptoms or to be sterilized. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Diagnostic delay, HRQoL, and work productivity. Result(s) There was a delay of 6.7 years, principally in primary care, between onset of symptoms and a surgical diagnosis of endometriosis, which was longer in centers where women received predominantly state-funded health care (8.3 vs. 5.5 years). Delay was positively associated with the number of pelvic symptoms (chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, and heavy periods) and a higher body mass index. Physical HRQoL was significantly reduced in affected women compared with those with similar symptoms and no endometriosis. Each affected woman lost on average 10.8 hours (SD 12.2) of work weekly, mainly owing to reduced effectiveness while working. Loss of work productivity translated into significant costs per woman/week, from US$4 in Nigeria to US$456 in Italy. Conclusion(s) Endometriosis impairs HRQoL and work productivity across countries and ethnicities, yet women continue to experience diagnostic delays in primary care. A higher index of suspicion is needed to expedite specialist assessment of symptomatic women. Future research should seek to clarify pain mechanisms in relation to endometriosis severity. PMID:21718982

Low-fiber alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) meal in the laying hen diet: effects on productive traits and egg quality.

PubMed

Laudadio, V; Ceci, E; Lastella, N M B; Introna, M; Tufarelli, V

2014-07-01

This study was designed to determine the effects on laying performance and egg quality resulting from partial substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with low-fiber alfalfa (LFA; Medicago sativa L.) meal in the diet of early-phase laying hens. ISA Brown layers, 18 wk of age, were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments and fed for 10 wk. The hens were fed 2 wheat middling-based diets: a control diet, which contained SBM (15% of diet), and a test diet containing LFA (15% of diet) as the main protein source. Low-fiber alfalfa meal was obtained by a combination of sieving and air-classification processes. Feed intake was recorded daily, and egg production was calculated on a hen-day basis; eggs from each group were weekly collected to evaluate egg components and quality. The partial substitution of SBM with LFA had no adverse effect on growth performance of early-phase laying hens. Egg production and none of the egg-quality traits examined were influenced by dietary treatment, except for yolk color (P < 0.001) and yolk percentage (P < 0.05) as well as yolk cholesterol and β-carotene contents (P < 0.001), which were improved in hens fed the LFA diet. Including LFA increased serum β-carotene and reduced serum cholesterol concentrations (P < 0.001). Our results suggest that partially replacing conventional SBM as protein source with low-fiber alfalfa meal in the laying-hen diet can positively influence yolk quality without adversely affecting productive traits. © 2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Competition, information, and quality: Evidence from nursing homes.

PubMed

Zhao, Xin

2016-09-01

Economic theory suggests that competition and information can both be important for product quality, and yet evidence on how they may interact to affect quality is sparse. This paper estimates the impact of competition between nursing homes on their quality, and how this impact varies when consumers have better access to information. The effect of competition is identified using exogenous variation in the geographical proximity of nursing homes to their potential consumers. The change in information transparency is captured by the launch of the Five-Star Quality Rating System in 2009, which improved access to the quality information of nursing homes. We find that while the effect of competition on nursing home quality is generally rather limited, this effect becomes significantly stronger with increased information transparency. The results suggest that regulations on public quality reporting and on market structure are policy complements, and should be considered jointly to best improve quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blood derived products in pediatrics: New laboratory tools for optimizing potency assignment and reducing side effects.

PubMed

Amiral, Jean; Seghatchian, Jerard

2017-04-01

Neonates and children can develop rare bleeding disorders due to congenital/acquired coagulation Factor deficiencies, or allo-immune/autoimmune complications, or can undergo surgeries at high haemorrhagic risk. They then need specialized transfusion of blood components/products, or purified blood extracted products or recombinant proteins. Blood-derived therapies conventionally used for management of affected infants with genetic/acquired deficiencies, bleeding problems (coagulation Factor reduced or missing) or thrombotic disorders (reduced or missing anticoagulant proteins) pose some additional risks. These remedial therapies can cause tolerance when used very early in life and, sometimes needed, repeatedly. The introduction of recombinant proteins has allowed manufacturers to produce large amounts of the proteins usually present at very low concentration in blood. This has also changed the risk pattern of plasma-extracted products, especially in terms of continual reduction of viral transmission. Many efforts have been made over these past decades to reduce the risks associated with the use of all these products in terms of viral and bacterial safety, as well as immune disorders but they are not the objective of this article. Other associated side effects are the presence of undesired activities in blood products, which can produce thrombotic events or adverse reactions. The progressive introduction of blood derived products has greatly improved the prognosis and quality of life of affected patients. This concerns whole blood, but also blood cell concentrates, mainly platelets and red blood cells, plasma, while the blood extracted products are increasingly replaced by recombinant proteins. All these therapeutic products, i.e. blood extracted drugs, improve health and quality of life for hemophiliac's A or B, or patients with auto/allo-immune thrombocytopenias or with rare bleeding disorders, and those with thrombotic events occurring in childhood, which are mainly due to Protein C or Protein S deficiencies (congenital or acquired). Progress in analytical methods and biotechnology allow better control of the manufacturing processes for all blood derived or plasma extracted products and recombinant proteins, and contribute to improved manufacturing processes to minimize the occurrence of side effects. These adverse events can be due to the aging of the blood cell concentrate with release of their granule content, and generation of EVs, which can produce anaphylactic reactions and risk of thrombosis, but also to the presence of activated coagulation Factors in purified products, such as Factor Xia as recently identified in immunoglobulin concentrates. Characterization and measurement of contaminant products is of special usefulness during product preparation and for optimization of manufacturing processes for purified extracted products, but also for recombinant proteins. The pharmaceutical industry introduces these new methods for validating manufacturing processes, or for quality control assessments. The objective is first to warrant the full quality and safety of the lots produced, and assure the highest efficacy with the lowest risks when used in patients. For cell concentrates and fresh blood, storage conditions are critical and measurement of analytes such as EVs or Annexin V allows evaluation of quality of each individual transfused pouch. In addition to all the rules around viral and bacterial transmission risk, and immune tolerance, our available laboratory methods contribute to reducing the side effects of blood cell concentrates and derived plasma products, as well as those of the therapeutic recombinant proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial communities and natural fermentation of corn silages prepared with farm bunker-silo in Southwest China.

PubMed

Guan, Hao; Yan, Yanhong; Li, Xiaoling; Li, Xiaomei; Shuai, Yang; Feng, Guangyan; Ran, Qifan; Cai, Yimin; Li, Ying; Zhang, Xinquan

2018-06-08

This study analyzed the variation of microbial communities, their achieved fermentation quality, and the association between microbial diversity and environmental factors after ensiling of 96 samples prepared with bunker-silo in Southwest China. Most of natural corn silages achieved good fermentation, e.g., low pH value (<4.2) and high levels of lactic acid (36.26-79.83 mg/g DM). Weissella species were the dominant epiphytic bacteria in raw material, while Lactobacillus and Acetobacter species were prevalent in silages. Natural Lactobacillus and Pediococcus species produced more lactic acid during ensiling, while the production of acetic acid was highly positively correlated with both Acetobacter and Bradyrhizobium species. Rainfall and humidity affected community of epiphytic bacteria on the corn material, and the temperature affected richness of bacterial species during ensiling. The results confirmed that microbial community of silages in hot and humid area is unique and climatic factors ultimately affect the fermentation quality through influencing microbial community. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Index of surface-water records, part 12, Pacific slope basins in Washington and upper Columbia River basin, to September 30, 1948

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1949-01-01

The groundwater resources of Wood County, Wisconsin, are described. Groundwater is pumped only from wells drilled in Precambrian rock in the northern two-thirds of the county. The generally low permeability of this rock limits the availability of groundwater in this area. Saturated deposits of sand and gravel yield more than 500 gal/min to wells in the southern part of the county. Background groundwater quality and indicators of groundwater-quality problems, such as elevated concentrations of nitrate, chloride, hardness, and iron, are compared by aquifer for the entire county. An elevated concentration of iron is the major water quality problem in the county. Results of water quality analysis from observation wells drilled next to abandoned landfills throughout the county indicate that groundwater in the immediate vicinity of these landfills has been affected by leachate. The report includes maps of the thickness and saturated thickness of unconsolidated deposits, a water-table map, and tables of aquifer-production and well-production data from about 1,500 drillers ' well-construction reports. (USGS)

Application of a health risk assessment model for cattle exposed to pesticides in contaminated drinking waters: A study case from the Pampas region, Argentina.

PubMed

Dubny, Sabrina; Peluso, Fabio; Masson, Ignacio; Othax, Natalia; González Castelain, José

2018-04-01

Using the USEPA methodology we estimated the probabilistic chronic risks for calves and adult cows due to pesticide exposure through oral intake of contaminated surface and ground waters in Tres Arroyos County (Argentina). Because published data on pesticide toxicity endpoints for cows are scarce, we used threshold levels based on interspecies extrapolation methods. The studied waters showed acceptable quality for cattle production since none of the pesticides were present at high-enough concentrations to potentially affect cow health. Moreover, ground waters had better quality than surface waters, with dieldrin and deltamethrin being the pesticides associated with the highest risk values in the former and the latter water compartments, respectively. Our study presents a novel use of the USEPA risk methodology proving it is useful for water quality evaluation in terms of pesticide toxicity for cattle production. This approach represents an alternative tool for water quality management in the absence of specific cattle pesticide regulatory limits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Sleep Quality on Melatonin Levels and Inflammatory Response after Major Abdominal Surgery in an Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Yaşar, Necdet Fatih; Badak, Bartu; Canik, Ağgül; Baş, Sema Şanal; Uslu, Sema; Öner, Setenay; Ateş, Ersin

2017-09-12

Disruption of nocturnal sleep in an intensive care unit may remarkably affect production of melatonin, which is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of sleep quality on melatonin levels and inflammation after surgery. Thus, we compared the patients, who were screened in the side-rooms where the lights were dimmed and noise levels were reduced, with the patients who received usual care. Preoperative and postoperative urine 6-sulphatoxymelatonin, serum interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and c-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured and data on sleep quality was collected using the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire. Postoperative CRP and IL-6 levels were greater in the control group than in the experimental group, whereas postoperative 24 h melatonin levels were greater than preoperative levels and the difference was steeper in the experimental group in concordance with sleep quality scores. Thus, the regulation of light and noise in ICUs may help the recovery after major surgeries in patients, potentially by increasing melatonin production, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

Redox agents and N-ethylmaleimide affect protein polymerization during laboratory scale dry pasta production and cooking.

PubMed

Bruneel, Charlotte; Buggenhout, Joke; Lagrain, Bert; Brijs, Kristof; Delcour, Jan A

2016-04-01

Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) semolina gluten proteins consist of monomeric gliadin and polymeric glutenin and determine the quality of pasta products made therefrom. During pasta drying, glutenin starts polymerizing already below 60 °C (65% relative humidity (RH)), whereas gliadin only is incorporated in the protein network at temperatures exceeding 68 °C (68% RH) through thiol (SH)/disulfide (SS) exchange reactions. Removal of free SH groups in glutenin by adding 2.3 μmol KBrO3 or KIO3 per g dry matter semolina protein (g protein) or 13.8 μmol N-ethylmaleimide/g protein reduces gliadin-glutenin cross-linking during pasta drying and/or cooking and yields cooked pasta of high quality. Introducing free SH groups by adding 13.8 μmol glutathione/g protein increases gliadin-glutenin cross-linking during pasta processing, resulting in cooked pasta of lower quality. We hypothesize that too much gliadin incorporation in the glutenin network during pasta processing tightens the protein network and results in lower cooking quality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monola oil versus canola oil as a fish oil replacer in rainbow trout feeds: effects on growth, fatty acid metabolism and final eating quality.

PubMed

Turchini, G M; Moretti, V M; Hermon, K; Caprino, F; Busetto, M L; Bellagamba, F; Rankin, T; Keast, R S J; Francis, D S

2013-11-15

Monola oil, a high oleic acid canola cultivar, and canola oil were evaluated as replacers of fish oil at three levels of inclusion (60%, 75% and 90%) in rainbow trout diets. After a 27-week grow-out cycle, the diet-induced effects on growth, fatty acid metabolism and final eating quality were assessed. Overall, no effects were noted for growth, feed utilisation or fish biometry, and the fatty acid composition of fish fillets mirrored that of the diets. Dietary treatments affected fillet lipid oxidation (free malondialdehyde), pigmentation and flavour volatile compounds, but only minor effects on sensorial attributes were detected. Ultimately, both oils were demonstrated to possess, to differing extents, suitable qualities to adequately replace fish oil from the perspective of fish performance and final product quality. However, further research is required to alleviate on-going issues associated with the loss of health promoting attributes (n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) of final farmed products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of customised bacterial inoculants for grass haylage production and its effectiveness on nutrient composition and fermentation quality of haylage.

PubMed

Soundharrajan, Ilavenil; Kim, Da Hye; Srisesharam, Srigopalram; Kuppusamy, Palaniselvam; Park, Hyung Soo; Yoon, Yong Hee; Kim, Won Ho; Song, Young Gil; Choi, Ki Choon

2017-10-01

The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of customised Lactobacillus plantarum KCC-10, KCC-19 and K-46 on nutrient composition and fermentation quality of low moisture Italian ryegrass (IRG) forage. An addition of customised bacterial inoculants (CBI) did not affect the nutrient compositions and digestibility rates of haylage. The lactic acid content was higher in CBI-inoculated haylage, whereas the amount of acetic acid and butyric acid production was significantly reduced than the control. CBI-inoculated haylage exhibited higher numbers of bacterial colonies that reduced the pH of the haylage. Low pH in haylage is an important criterion for preventing undesirable microbial growth and improves fermentation quality of haylage. PCR studies indicated that the DNA of L. plantarum was predominantly amplified. It evidenced that the CBI is the main reason behind the improvement of haylage fermentation as compared to control. Overall results suggested that KCC-10, KCC-19 and K-46 are considered as potent strains for improving fermentation quality of low moisture forage and preserve its stability for a long time.

Ammonia production in poultry houses can affect health of humans, birds, and the environment-techniques for its reduction during poultry production.

PubMed

Naseem, Sadia; King, Annie J

2018-06-01

Due to greater consumption of poultry products and an increase in exports, more poultry houses will be needed. Therefore, it is important to investigate ways that poultry facilities can coexist in close proximity to residential areas without odors and environmental challenges. Ammonia (NH 3 ) is the greatest concern for environmental pollution from poultry production. When birds consume protein, they produce uric acid, ultimately converted to NH 3 under favorable conditions. Factors that increase production include pH, temperature, moisture content, litter type, bird age, manure age, relative humidity, and ventilation rate (VR). NH 3 concentration and emissions in poultry houses depend on VR; seasons also have effects on NH 3 production. Modern ventilation systems can minimize NH 3 in enclosed production spaces quickly but increase its emissions to the environment. NH 3 adversely affects the ecosystem, environment, and health of birds and people. Less than 10 ppm is the ideal limit for exposure, but up to 25 ppm is also not harmful. NH 3 can be minimized by housing type, aerobic and anaerobic conditions, manure handling practices, litter amendment, and diet manipulation without affecting performance and production. Antibiotics can minimize NH 3 , but consumers have concerns about health effects. Administration of probiotics seems to be a useful replacement for antibiotics. More studies have been conducted on broilers, necessitating the need to evaluate the effect of probiotics on NH 3 production in conjunction with laying hen performance and egg quality. This comprehensive review focuses on research from 1950 to 2018.

Influence of raw material properties upon critical quality attributes of continuously produced granules and tablets.

PubMed

Fonteyne, Margot; Wickström, Henrika; Peeters, Elisabeth; Vercruysse, Jurgen; Ehlers, Henrik; Peters, Björn-Hendrik; Remon, Jean Paul; Vervaet, Chris; Ketolainen, Jarkko; Sandler, Niklas; Rantanen, Jukka; Naelapää, Kaisa; De Beer, Thomas

2014-07-01

Continuous manufacturing gains more and more interest within the pharmaceutical industry. The International Conference of Harmonisation (ICH) states in its Q8 'Pharmaceutical Development' guideline that the manufacturer of pharmaceuticals should have an enhanced knowledge of the product performance over a range of raw material attributes, manufacturing process options and process parameters. This fits further into the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and Quality by Design (QbD) framework. The present study evaluates the effect of variation in critical raw material properties on the critical quality attributes of granules and tablets, produced by a continuous from-powder-to-tablet wet granulation line. The granulation process parameters were kept constant to examine the differences in the end product quality caused by the variability of the raw materials properties only. Theophylline-Lactose-PVP (30-67.5-2.5%) was used as model formulation. Seven different grades of theophylline were granulated. Afterward, the obtained granules were tableted. Both the characteristics of granules and tablets were determined. The results show that differences in raw material properties both affect their processability and several critical quality attributes of the resulting granules and tablets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pepper plants growth, yield, photosynthetic pigments, and total phenols as affected by foliar application of potassium under different salinity irrigation water

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Irrigation with high salinity water influences plant growth, production of photosynthetic pigments and total phenols, leading to reduction in crop yield and quality. Foliar application of macro- and/or micro-nutrients can, to some extent, mitigate negative effects of high salinity irrigation water o...

[Medical makeup: the correction of hyperpigmentation disorders].

PubMed

Nonni, J

2012-11-01

Medical makeup corrects skin tone imperfections with dermo-cosmetic products, which bring together tolerance efficacy, colour neutralization and sun protection. Highly suitable for imperfections caused by hyperpigmentation, it allows patients affected by these disorders to cover them up effectively and discretely, giving them a better quality of life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Rheological Study Of The Mixture Of Acetaminophen And Polyethylene Oxide For Hot-Melt Extrusion Application (PREPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

kinetics does not affect the solubility data obtained. As a result, a long testing period is required, which may cause the thermal degradation ...Acetaminophen, with a commercial name of paracetamol , was supplied by Spectrum Quality Products, Inc. (Gardena, CA 90428). It has a formula of C8H9O2

Chemical, physical and biological factors affecting wood decomposition in forest soils

Treesearch

Martin Jurgensen; Peter Laks; David Reed; Anne Collins; Deborah Page-Dumroese; Douglas Crawford

2004-01-01

Organic matter (OM) decomposition is an important variable in forest productivity and determining the potential of forest soils to sequester atmospheric CO2 (Grigal and Vance 2000; Kimble et al. 2003). Studies using OM from a particular location gives site-specific decomposition information, but differences in OM type and quality make it difficult to compare results...

"Only True Friends Could Be Cruelly Honest": Cognitive Scaffolding and Social-Affective Support in Teacher Feedback Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Yueting; Carless, David

2017-01-01

Feedback is an important but challenging aspect of higher education pedagogy. In addition to providing quality feedback, teachers are expected to develop students' skills and awareness for effective feedback processes. This case study addresses both processes and products of a Chinese university English teacher's feedback enabling practice by…

Gender differences in leadership in the health professions.

PubMed

Davidhizar, R; Cramer, C

2000-03-01

The leadership characteristics and behaviors of men and women differ. As increasing numbers of women enter positions of leadership, understanding of these differences can increase the quality and productiveness of relationships in the workplace. This article describes the evolution of women in leadership, gender differences in leadership style, and the way gender may affect behaviors in the workplace.

Correlationally Assessing the Relationship of Information Technology Investments in Electronic Medical Records to Business Value

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Daniel J.

2009-01-01

The lag in information exchange and assimilation adoption experienced by modern primary care physicians in the conduct of evidence based medicine may be affecting health care system productivity and patient quality of care. Further, interest in whether or not information technology (IT) investments show an increase in business value has increased…

Hillslope erosion rates in the oak savannas of the southwestern borderlands region

Treesearch

Aaron T. Kauffman; Cody L. Stropki; Peter F. Ffolliott; Gerald J. Gottfried; Daniel G. Neary

2007-01-01

Hillslope soil erosion on watershed landscapes can lower the productivity of upland sites and adversely impact water quality and downstream (off-site) areas. It is not surprising, therefore, that excessive soil erosion and the consequent sedimentation can represent significant costs to the land and people that are affected. The first known estimates of hillslope soil...

Soil Disturbance Monitoring in the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region

Treesearch

Steven W. Howes

2006-01-01

In order to make reasoned decisions, USDA Forest Service managers must understand how changes in specific indicators of soil quality resulting from project implementation affect long-term forest productivity and watershed health. They must also be able to efficiently and economically assess the degree and extent of such changes across specified areas and adjust...

Molecular markers linked to genes important for Hard Winter Wheat production and marketing in the U.S. Great Plains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biotic stresses including diseases [leaf, stem and stripe rusts, and wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV)] and insects [greenbug (GB), Hessian fly (Hf), Russian wheat aphid (RWA) and wheat curl mite (WCM)] significantly affect grain yield and end-use quality of hard winter wheat (HWW, Triticum aestivum ...

Control of surface thermal scratch of strip in tandem cold rolling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jinshan; Li, Changsheng

2014-07-01

The thermal scratch seriously affects the surface quality of the cold rolled stainless steel strip. Some researchers have carried out qualitative and theoretical studies in this field. However, there is currently a lack of research on effective forecast and control of thermal scratch defects in practical production, especially in tandem cold rolling. In order to establish precise mathematical model of oil film thickness in deformation zone, the lubrication in cold rolling process of SUS410L stainless steel strip is studied, and major factors affecting oil film thickness are also analyzed. According to the principle of statistics, mathematical model of critical oil film thickness in deformation zone for thermal scratch is built, with fitting and regression analytical method, and then based on temperature comparison method, the criterion for deciding thermal scratch defects is put forward. Storing and calling data through SQL Server 2010, a software on thermal scratch defects control is developed through Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 by MFC technique for stainless steel in tandem cold rolling, and then it is put into practical production. Statistics indicate that the hit rate of thermal scratch is as high as 92.38%, and the occurrence rate of thermal scratch is decreased by 89.13%. Owing to the application of the software, the rolling speed is increased by approximately 9.3%. The software developed provides an effective solution to the problem of thermal scratch defects in tandem cold rolling, and helps to promote products surface quality of stainless steel strips in practical production.

Landsat Image Map Production Methods at the U. S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kidwell, R.D.; Binnie, D.R.; Martin, S.

1987-01-01

To maintain consistently high quality in satellite image map production, the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed standard procedures for the photographic and digital production of Landsat image mosaics, and for lithographic printing of multispectral imagery. This paper gives a brief review of the photographic, digital, and lithographic procedures currently in use for producing image maps from Landsat data. It is shown that consistency in the printing of image maps is achieved by standardizing the materials and procedures that affect the image detail and color balance of the final product. Densitometric standards are established by printing control targets using the pressplates, inks, pre-press proofs, and paper to be used for printing.

Continuous cultivation of photosynthetic microorganisms: Approaches, applications and future trends.

PubMed

Fernandes, Bruno D; Mota, Andre; Teixeira, Jose A; Vicente, Antonio A

2015-11-01

The possibility of using photosynthetic microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria and microalgae, for converting light and carbon dioxide into valuable biochemical products has raised the need for new cost-efficient processes ensuring a constant product quality. Food, feed, biofuels, cosmetics and pharmaceutics are among the sectors that can profit from the application of photosynthetic microorganisms. Biomass growth in a photobioreactor is a complex process influenced by multiple parameters, such as photosynthetic light capture and attenuation, nutrient uptake, photobioreactor hydrodynamics and gas-liquid mass transfer. In order to optimize productivity while keeping a standard product quality, a permanent control of the main cultivation parameters is necessary, where the continuous cultivation has shown to be the best option. However it is of utmost importance to recognize the singularity of continuous cultivation of cyanobacteria and microalgae due to their dependence on light availability and intensity. In this sense, this review provides comprehensive information on recent breakthroughs and possible future trends regarding technological and process improvements in continuous cultivation systems of microalgae and cyanobacteria, that will directly affect cost-effectiveness and product quality standardization. An overview of the various applications, techniques and equipment (with special emphasis on photobioreactors) in continuous cultivation of microalgae and cyanobacteria are presented. Additionally, mathematical modeling, feasibility, economics as well as the applicability of continuous cultivation into large-scale operation, are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of Various Biofuel Feedstock Production Scenarios on Water Quality in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, M.; Demissie, Y.; Yan, E.

2010-12-01

The impact of increased biofuel feedstock production on regional water quality was examined. This study focused on the Upper Mississippi River Basin, from which a majority of U.S. biofuel is currently produced. The production of biofuel from both conventional feedstock and cellulosic feedstock will potentially increase in the near future. Historically, this water basin generates the largest nitrogen loading to the waterway in the United States and is often cited as a main contributor to the anoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. To obtain a quantitative and spatial estimate of nutrient burdens at the river basin, a SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model application was developed. The model was equipped with an updated nutrient cycle feature and modified model parameters to represent current crop and perennial grass yield as a result of advancements in breeding and biotechnology. Various biofuel feedstock production scenarios were developed to assess the potential environmental implications of increased biofuel production through corn, agriculture residue, and perennial cellulosic feedstock (such as Switchgrass). Major factors were analyzed, including land use changes, feedstock types, fertilizer inputs, soil property, and yield. This tool can be used to identify specific regional factors affecting water quality and examine options to meet the requirement for environmental sustainability, thereby mitigating undesirable environmental consequences while strengthening energy security.

Effect of crude protein concentration and dietary electrolyte balance on litter quality, foot pad dermatitis, growth performance and processing yields in two medium heavy turkey hybrids.

PubMed

Veldkamp, T; Hocking, P M; Vinco, L J

2017-10-01

1. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of crude protein (CP) concentration and dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) on growth performance, processing yields, litter quality and foot pad dermatitis (FPD) in male turkeys from two commercial hybrids. Soya bean meal was replaced by vegetable protein sources selected for lower K concentrations to lower DEB in order to improve litter quality and subsequent quality of foot pads. 2. Effects of CP on litter friability and wetness were not consistent during the production period. FPD in turkeys fed on diets with low CP was significantly lower than FPD in turkeys fed on diets with high CP until 84 d. Growth performance was adversely affected at low CP. Processing yields were not affected by CP. 3. Litter was significantly dryer in pens of turkeys fed on diets with low DEB than in pens of turkeys fed on diets with high DEB. FPD in turkeys fed on diets with low DEB was significantly lower than in turkeys fed on diets with high DEB. Growth performance and processing yields were adversely affected at low DEB. 4. FPD in turkey hybrid A was higher than in turkey hybrid B at 28 d of age. Thereafter, no differences in FPD between turkey hybrids were observed. Growth performance and processing yields were not affected by turkey hybrid. 5. Overall, a significant interaction effect of CP × DEB was observed for FCR: in turkeys fed on the high DEB treatment, FCR of turkeys fed on the high CP diets was lower than FCR of turkeys fed on the low CP (LCP) diets whereas on the low DEB treatment, FCR was not affected by CP treatment. 6. It was concluded that litter quality can be improved and FPD may be decreased in turkeys fed on diets containing lower CP and DEB levels.

Effect of Chicory Fiber and Smoking on Quality Characteristics of Restructured Sausages.

PubMed

Choi, Hyun-Su; Choi, Hyung-Gyu; Choi, Yeong-Seok; Kim, Jong-Hee; Lee, Ju-Ho; Jung, Eun-Hee; Lee, Sang-Hwa; Choi, Yang-Il; Choi, Jung-Seok

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of chicory fiber for the replacement of fat and smoking on quality characteristics of restructured sausages. Treatments were as follows; Pork backfat 20%, T1: Pork backfat 10% + Chicory fiber 10%, T2: CONTROL + Smoking, T3: T1 + Smoking. The addition of chicory fiber significantly reduced the moisture, fat, hardness and pH values, whereas the smoking treatment increased the fat, redness and pH values of restructured sausages (p<0.01). Additionally, interaction of them significantly affected the ash, chewiness and hardness values of restructured sausages. As a result, although the addition of chicory fiber decreased the quality characteristics of sausage, smoking treatment improved the reduced quality. Therefore, the chicory fiber and smoking treatment is helpful to develop restructured sausage products with reduced fat and compensated quality.

Canopy light cues affect emission of constitutive and methyl jasmonate-induced volatile organic compounds in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Kegge, Wouter; Weldegergis, Berhane T; Soler, Roxina; Vergeer-Van Eijk, Marleen; Dicke, Marcel; Voesenek, Laurentius A C J; Pierik, Ronald

2013-11-01

The effects of plant competition for light on the emission of plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were studied by investigating how different light qualities that occur in dense vegetation affect the emission of constitutive and methyl-jasmonate-induced VOCs. Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia (Col-0) plants and Pieris brassicae caterpillars were used as a biological system to study the effects of light quality manipulations on VOC emissions and attraction of herbivores. VOCs were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the effects of light quality, notably the red : far red light ratio (R : FR), on expression of genes associated with VOC production were studied using reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR. The emissions of both constitutive and methyl-jasmonate-induced green leaf volatiles and terpenoids were partially suppressed under low R : FR and severe shading conditions. Accordingly, the VOC-based preference of neonates of the specialist lepidopteran herbivore P. brassicae was significantly affected by the R : FR ratio. We conclude that VOC-mediated interactions among plants and between plants and organisms at higher trophic levels probably depend on light alterations caused by nearby vegetation. Studies on plant-plant and plant-insect interactions through VOCs should take into account the light quality within dense stands when extrapolating to natural and agricultural field conditions. © 2013 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

Effect of hesperidin dietary supplementation on hen performance, egg quality and yolk oxidative stability.

PubMed

Goliomytis, M; Orfanou, H; Petrou, E; Charismiadou, M A; Simitzis, P E; Deligeorgis, S G

2014-02-01

1. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with hesperidin (one or 3 g/kg of feed) for 31 d on the performance, egg quality and yolk oxidative stability of brown and white laying hens (26-wk old). 2. Supplementation with hesperidin did not affect egg production, egg weight and egg quality traits. 3. No hesperidin effect on yolk and plasma cholesterol was observed. A strain effect was found with lower total and per g yolk cholesterol of brown hens in comparison to the white ones. 4. Oxidative stability of egg yolk, expressed as ng MDA/g yolk, was significantly improved in the hesperidin groups even from the first week of supplementation. At the same time, a significant improvement in the oxidative stability of egg yolk due to the incorporation of hesperidin in hens' diet was observed after 30 and 90 d of storage at 20°C and 4°C, respectively. 5. No hesperidin by strain interaction was detected for any of the traits measured. 6. In conclusion, incorporation of hesperidin to laying hens' feed did not affect productive and egg qualitative traits. On the other hand, dietary hesperidin supplementation significantly improved oxidative stability of both fresh and stored eggs. Antioxidant properties of hesperidin seem to make it a promising natural agent for improving the shelf life of eggs.

Commercial breakfast cereals available in Mexican markets and their contribution in dietary fiber, β-glucans and protein quality by rat bioassays.

PubMed

Falcón-Villa, María R; Barrón-Hoyos, Jesús M; Cinco-Moroyoqui, Francisco J

2014-09-01

The beneficial effect of dietary fiber (DF) consumption has long been recognized. The global economy and open market trade policies have increased the availability of food products in Mexican markets, resulting in a wide variety of ready-to-eat commercial breakfast cereals classified as 'high fiber'. This research was aimed to evaluate the total dietary fiber contents, its fractions (soluble and insoluble) and β-glucan in 13 commercial 'high-fiber' breakfast cereals, as well as to evaluate their protein quality by rat bioassays. Commercial 'high-fiber' breakfast cereals had 7.42-39.82% insoluble dietary fiber, 2.53-12.85% soluble dietary fiber, and 0.45-4.96% β-glucan. These ready-to-eat commercial 'high-fiber' breakfast cereals differed significantly in their total dietary fiber, their soluble and insoluble DF fractions, and also in their β-glucan contents. When supplied as experimental diets, in 14-day rat feeding trials, the 'high-fiber' breakfast cereals showed an adverse effect on the % N digestibility but protein utilization, as measured as net protein ratio (NPR), was not significantly affected. The consumption of these commercial breakfast cereals, especially those made of oats as the basic ingredient, is highly recommended, since these products, being a concentrated source of dietary fiber, do not affect their protein quality.

Sensitivities of NOx transformation and the effects on surface ozone and nitrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, H.; Wang, J. X. L.

2013-08-01

As precursors for tropospheric ozone and nitrate aerosols, Nitrogen oxides (NOx) in present atmosphere and its transformation in responding to emission and climate perturbations are studied by CAM-Chem model and air quality measurements including National Emission Inventory (NEI), Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) and Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System (EPA AQS). It is found that not only the surface ozone formation but also the nitrate formation is associated with the relative emissions of NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOC). Due to the availability of VOC and associated NOx titration, ozone productions in industrial regions increase in warmer conditions and slightly decrease against NOx emission increase, which is converse to the response in farming region. The decrease or small increase in ozone concentrations over industrial regions result in the responded nitrate increasing rate staying above the increasing rate of NOx emissions. It is indicated that ozone concentration change is more directly affected by changes in climate and precursor emissions, while nitrate concentration change is also affected by local ozone production types and their seasonal transfer. The sensitivity to temperature perturbations shows that warmer climate accelerates the decomposition of odd nitrogen (NOy) during the night. As a result, the transformation rate of NOx to nitrate decreases. Examinations on the historical emission and air quality records on typical pollution areas further confirm the conclusion drawn from modeling experiments.

Productivity Loss Related to Neglected Tropical Diseases Eligible for Preventive Chemotherapy: A Systematic Literature Review

PubMed Central

Rijnsburger, Adriana J.; Severens, Johan L.

2016-01-01

Background Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) not only cause health and life expectancy loss, but can also lead to economic consequences including reduced ability to work. This article describes a systematic literature review of the effect on the economic productivity of individuals affected by one of the five worldwide most prevalent NTDs: lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths (ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm infection) and trachoma. These diseases are eligible to preventive chemotherapy (PCT). Methodology/Principal Findings Eleven bibliographic databases were searched using different names of all NTDs and various keywords relating to productivity. Additional references were identified through reference lists from relevant papers. Of the 5316 unique publications found in the database searches, thirteen papers were identified for lymphatic filariasis, ten for onchocerciasis, eleven for schistosomiasis, six for soil-transmitted helminths and three for trachoma. Besides the scarcity in publications reporting the degree of productivity loss, this review revealed large variation in the estimated productivity loss related to these NTDs. Conclusions It is clear that productivity is affected by NTDs, although the actual impact depends on the type and severity of the NTD as well as on the context where the disease occurs. The largest impact on productivity loss of individuals affected by one of these diseases seems to be due to blindness from onchocerciasis and severe schistosomiasis manifestations; productivity loss due to trachoma-related blindness has never been studied directly. However, productivity loss at an individual level might differ from productivity loss at a population level because of differences in the prevalence of NTDs. Variation in estimated productivity loss between and within diseases is caused by differences in research methods and setting. Publications should provide enough information to enable readers to assess the quality and relevance of the study for their purposes. PMID:26890487

Impact of long-term wetting on belowground respiration and methanogenesis in Luther Bog, Ontario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goebel, Marie; Blodau, Christian

2016-04-01

Peatlands play a major role in the global carbon cycle. They store one-third of total world soil carbon, sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) and release CO2 and methane (CH4). Climate and land-use change are predicted to cause either wetter winters and wetter summers or wetter winters and drier summers in the area where northern peatlands are located. Feedback on processes in the peat is poorly understood on the time scale of decades. In this study, we investigated impacts of long-term wetting and long-term fluctuating water table on potential CO2 and CH4 production rates and organic matter quality of the fractions bulk peat, pore water and leachate. Bulk peat potential CO2 production rates of 2.38 to 25.55 μmol g-1 d-1 (aerobic) and 1.53 to 7.33 μmol g-1 d-1 (anaerobic) decreased with depth along with a decrease in organic matter quality. Potential CH4 production rates (0.002 to 2.60 μmol g-1 d-1) increased with anaerobic conditions and a lack of electron acceptors rather than being dependent on the availability of labile organic matter. This pattern was less evident in solute fraction samples where labile compounds in top layers were probably either too labile to be detected or water movement obscured differences between depths. Bulk peat potential anaerobic CO2 and CH4 production increased through long-term wetting. As wetting did not change organic matter quality or aerobic production rates, increased anaerobic production rates likely originate from microorganisms adapted to anaerobic conditions. All indicators of organic matter quality, FTIR ratios, SUVA254, E2:E3, HIX, FI and PARAFAC, provided similar results. Other than expected, wetting did not result in higher organic matter quality in bulk peat and leachate. Drier conditions in summer led to reduced organic matter quality. In pore water, long-term wetter conditions resulted in a higher organic matter quality. Slow-down of decomposition due to anaerobic conditions is unlikely, as this was not the case with respect to the other fractions. Mixing with groundwater could have transported organic matter of high quality to the wetted site. Potential CO2 production rates were not affected by long-term water table change. Organic matter quality of the wetted site may have been also overestimated in our study as vegetation change may have changed litter and peat quality as well. This study revealed that long-term wetting probably does not change organic matter quality as decisively as expected. Potential anaerobic CO2 and CH4 production rates rather increased as long as conditions were more constantly anoxic. Long-term lowered or fluctuating water table could potentially result in smaller future emissions due to a reduced organic matter quality, but also to less carbon sequestration.

Shelf-Life Prediction of Chilled Foods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gudmundsson, Gudmundur; Kristbergsson, Kristberg

All foods have a finite shelf life. Even foods, which mature with time, will in the end deteriorate, although their life span can exceed 100 years. Definitions of shelf life of food products differ. Some stress the suitability of the product for consump¬tion, others for how long the product can be sold. The Institute of Food Science and Technology emphasizes safety in its definition of shelf life: "The period of time under defined conditions of storage, after manufacture or packing, for which a food product will remain safe and be fit for use" ( http://www.ifst.org ). This definition does not describe what makes a food product "safe" or "fit" for use, but one can say all factors which restrict the shelf life of a food product either affect safety or quality or both.

An assessment of bird habitat quality using population growth rates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knutson, M.G.; Powell, L.A.; Hines, R.K.; Friberg, M.A.; Niemi, G.J.

2006-01-01

Survival and reproduction directly affect population growth rate (lambda) making lambda a fundamental parameter for assessing habitat quality. We used field data, literature review, and a computer simulation to predict annual productivity and lambda for several species of landbirds breeding in floodplain and upland forests in the Midwestern United States. We monitored 1735 nests of 27 species; 760 nests were in the uplands and 975 were in the floodplain. Each type of forest habitat (upland and floodplain) was a source habitat for some species. Despite a relatively low proportion of regional forest cover, the majority of species had stable or increasing populations in all or some habitats, including six species of conservation concern. In our search for a simple analog for lambda, we found that only adult apparent survival, juvenile survival, and annual productivity were correlated with lambda; daily nest survival and relative abundance estimated from point counts were not. Survival and annual productivity are among the most costly demographic parameters to measure and there does not seem to be a low-cost alternative. In addition, our literature search revealed that the demographic parameters needed to model annual productivity and lambda were unavailable for several species. More collective effort across North America is needed to fill the gaps in our knowledge of demographic parameters necessary to model both annual productivity and lambda. Managers can use habitat-specific predictions of annual productivity to compare habitat quality among species and habitats for purposes of evaluating management plans.

Quality of recording of diabetes in the UK: how does the GP's method of coding clinical data affect incidence estimates? Cross-sectional study using the CPRD database.

PubMed

Tate, A Rosemary; Dungey, Sheena; Glew, Simon; Beloff, Natalia; Williams, Rachael; Williams, Tim

2017-01-25

To assess the effect of coding quality on estimates of the incidence of diabetes in the UK between 1995 and 2014. A cross-sectional analysis examining diabetes coding from 1995 to 2014 and how the choice of codes (diagnosis codes vs codes which suggest diagnosis) and quality of coding affect estimated incidence. Routine primary care data from 684 practices contributing to the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (data contributed from Vision (INPS) practices). Incidence rates of diabetes and how they are affected by (1) GP coding and (2) excluding 'poor' quality practices with at least 10% incident patients inaccurately coded between 2004 and 2014. Incidence rates and accuracy of coding varied widely between practices and the trends differed according to selected category of code. If diagnosis codes were used, the incidence of type 2 increased sharply until 2004 (when the UK Quality Outcomes Framework was introduced), and then flattened off, until 2009, after which they decreased. If non-diagnosis codes were included, the numbers continued to increase until 2012. Although coding quality improved over time, 15% of the 666 practices that contributed data between 2004 and 2014 were labelled 'poor' quality. When these practices were dropped from the analyses, the downward trend in the incidence of type 2 after 2009 became less marked and incidence rates were higher. In contrast to some previous reports, diabetes incidence (based on diagnostic codes) appears not to have increased since 2004 in the UK. Choice of codes can make a significant difference to incidence estimates, as can quality of recording. Codes and data quality should be checked when assessing incidence rates using GP data. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Response surface methodology for predicting quality characteristics of beef patties added with flaxseed and tomato paste.

PubMed

Valenzuela Melendres, M; Camou, J P; Torrentera Olivera, N G; Alvarez Almora, E; González Mendoza, D; Avendaño Reyes, L; González Ríos, H

2014-05-01

Response surface methodology was used to study the effect of flaxseed flour (FS) and tomato paste (TP) addition, from 0 to 10% and 0 to 20% respectively, on beef patty quality characteristics. The assessed quality characteristics were color (L, a, and b), pH and texture profile analysis (TPA). Also, sensory analysis was performed for the assessment of color, juiciness, firmness, and general acceptance. FS addition reduced L and a values and decreased weight loss of cooked products (P<0.05). An opposite effect was observed when TP was added (P<0.05). All TPA parameters decreased when percentages of FS and TP were increased in the formulation of beef patties. Furthermore, FS and TP addition adversely affected the sensory characteristics of the cooked product (P<0.05); nevertheless, all sensory characteristics evaluated had an acceptable score (>5.6). Thus FS and TP are ingredients that can be used in beef patty preparation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Car Assembly Line Efficiency Improvement by Lean Principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawassalung, Suwalee; Chutima, Parames

2017-06-01

This research aimed to increase the efficiency of actual working time to compare to design standard time ratio (DSTR) as per analysing process of Lean System of the assembly line in a car manufacturer in Thailand. Currently, the case study factory and its group of factories, which have many branches all over the world, have competed with each other on quality, delivered time and production cost. The production cost which can reduce without affecting quality and acceptable by clients is the manpower cost. The index of competition is DSTR. The factory now has DSTR of 6.13 and DSTR of the assembly department is 4.24 which is very high comparing to other departments. The low DSTR indicates that the factory has good quality. The ways to solve the problem are to apply the following tools, i.e. Lean principle, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Waste Analysis and ECRS. After implementing the above tools, the results showed that DSTR decreased from 4.24 to 4.06 or 4.25%.

Effects of marketing group and production focus on quality and variability of adipose tissue and bellies sourced from a commercial processing facility.

PubMed

Overholt, M F; Arkfeld, E K; Wilson, K B; Mohrhauser, D A; King, D A; Wheeler, T L; Dilger, A C; Shackelford, S D; Boler, D D

2016-12-01

Objectives were to determine the effects of marketing group on quality and variability of belly and adipose tissue quality traits of pigs sourced from differing production focuses (lean vs. quality). Pigs ( = 8,042) raised in 8 barns representing 2 seasons (cold and hot) were used. Three groups were marketed from each barn with 2 barns per production focus marketed per season. Data were collected on 7,684 carcasses at a commercial abattoir. Fresh belly characteristics, American Oil Chemists' Society iodine value (AOCS-IV), and near-infrared iodine value were measured on a targeted 50, 10, and 100% of carcasses, respectively. Data were analyzed as a split-plot design in the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 with production focus as the whole-plot factor and marketing group as the split-plot factor. Barn (block), season, and sex were random variables. A multivariance model was fit using the REPEATED statement with the marketing group × production focus interaction as the grouping variable. Variances for production focus and marketing groups were calculated using the MEANS procedure. Homogeneity of variance was tested on raw data using the Levene's test of the GLM procedure. Among quality focus carcasses, marketing group 3 bellies weighed less ( ≤ 0.03) than those from either marketing group 1 or 2, but there was no difference ( ≥ 0.99) among marketing groups of the lean focus carcasses. There was no effect ( ≥ 0.11) of production focus on fresh belly measures, SFA, or iodine value (IV), but lean focus carcasses had decreased ( = 0.04) total MUFA and increased ( < 0.01) total PUFA compared with quality focus carcasses. Marketing group did not affect ( ≥ 0.10) fresh belly dimensions, total SFA, total MUFA, total PUFA, or IV. Belly weight, flop score, width, and all depth measurements were less variable ( ≤ 0.01); whereas, belly length, total SFA, and total MUFA were more variable ( < 0.0001) in lean focus carcasses than in quality focus carcasses. There was no difference ( ≥ 0.17) in total PUFA or AOCS-IV variability between production focuses. Variance of flop score, total MUFA, and total PUFA were not equal ( ≤ 0.01) among marketing groups. Belly weight, length, width, and depth measurements; SFA; or IV variance did not differ ( ≥ 0.06) among marketing groups. Although a multiple-marketing strategy was effective at minimizing differences in belly characteristics, differences in the variability of these traits exist among marketing groups and are likely dependent on the production system used.

Causes of variations in water quality and aquatic ecology in rivers of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stark, James R.

1996-01-01

Physical and aquatic biological conditions differ among the Mississippi River and its major tributaries (the St. Croix and Minnesota Rivers) in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The quality of surface water and the ecological condition of rivers affect the ways in which we use them. The St. Croix River is used for recreation; the Mississippi River is used for recreation and is a corridor for commerce; and the Minnesota River primarily drains agricultural lands. Analysis of the environmental framework of the basins and water-quality and ecological information by the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program shows that the conditions of the rivers are a product of a combination of factors including climate, hydrology, geology, soils, land use, land cover, water management, and water use.

Effects of Feed Supplementation in Friesien Holstein Crossbreed Cows at the First Quarter on the Production and Quality of Milk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suharyono; Hardani, S. N. W.; Sitoresmi, P. D.; Adiarto

2018-02-01

Nine heads of dairy cows were used in the study. The dairy cows were in 7-8 months pregnant condition, lactation II and were expected calving soon.The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of feed supplementation to increase the production and quality of milk. The feeding treatment was divided into 3 groups, G1 (control) given the usual feed given by livestock owners, G11 was given GI+500 g UMMB/h/d and G111 was given GI + 500 g MFS/h/d. Variables observed were feed and nutritional consumption, average milk production, milk quality, cumulative milk production, average 4% fat corrected milk (FCM) production, peak milk production. The experimental design used a completely randomized design of direct pattern, continued by Duncan’s new multiple range test (DMRT) if there were a significant difference of variable values between treatments. The results showed that the addition of dietary supplement significantly affected the mean consumption of crude protein between GIII and G1 and G11, respectively 1.22 kg/d versus 0.99 and 0.33 kg/d. The average milk production was also influenced by the addition of dietary supplement that was between G1; G11 and G111, respectively 9.55; 10.69 and 11.85 l/d. Cumulative milk and 4% FCM production were also significantly different at P <0.05, with value of each G1; G11 and G111 was 954.98; 1068.70 and 1184.57 l; 10.72; 12.06 and 13.70 kg/d respectively. The conclusion was MFS to be able to increase cumulative and 4% FCM milk production.

Drug quality in South Africa: perceptions of key players involved in medicines distribution.

PubMed

Patel, Aarti; Norris, Pauline; Gauld, Robin; Rades, Thomas

2009-01-01

Substandard medicines contribute to poor public health and affect development, especially in the developing world. However knowledge of how manufacturers, distributors and providers understand the concept of drug quality and what strategies they adopt to ensure drug quality is limited, particularly in the developing world. The purpose of this paper is to explore pharmaceutical manufacturers', distributors' and providers' perceptions of drug quality in South Africa and how they ensure the quality of drugs during the distribution process. The approach taken was qualitative data collection through key informant interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Transcripts were analysed thematically in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban, South Africa. Participants were recruited purposefully from a South African pharmaceutical manufacturer, SA subsidiaries of international manufacturers, national distribution companies, national wholesaler, public and private sector pharmacists, and a dispensing doctor. In total, ten interviews were conducted. Participants described drug quality in terms of the product and the processes involved in manufacturing and handling the product. Participants identified purchasing registered medicines from licensed suppliers, use of standard operating procedures, and audits between manufacturer and distributor and/or provider as key strategies employed to protect medicine quality. Effective communication amongst all stakeholders, especially in terms of providing feedback regarding complaints about medicine quality, appears as a potential area of concern, which would benefit from further research. The paper hightlights that ensuring medicine quality should be a shared responsibility amongst all involved in the distribution process to prevent medicines moving from one distribution system (public) into another (private).

Multimodal indices to Japanese and French prosodically expressed social affects.

PubMed

Rilliard, Albert; Shochi, Takaaki; Martin, Jean-Claude; Erickson, Donna; Aubergé, Véronique

2009-01-01

Whereas several studies have explored the expression of emotions, little is known on how the visual and audio channels are combined during production of what we call the more controlled social affects, for example, "attitudinal" expressions. This article presents a perception study of the audovisual expression of 12 Japanese and 6 French attitudes in order to understand the contribution of audio and visual modalities for affective communication. The relative importance of each modality in the perceptual decoding of the expressions of four speakers is analyzed as a first step towards a deeper comprehension of their influence on the expression of social affects. Then, the audovisual productions of two speakers (one for each language) are acoustically (F0, duration and intensity) and visually (in terms of Action Units) analyzed, in order to match the relation between objective parameters and listeners' perception of these social affects. The most pertinent objective features, either acoustic or visual, are then discussed, in a bilingual perspective: for example, the relative influence of fundamental frequency for attitudinal expression in both languages is discussed, and the importance of a certain aspect of the voice quality dimension in Japanese is underlined.

Effect of reduced dietary protein and supplementation with a docosahexaenoic acid product on broiler performance and meat quality.

PubMed

Ribeiro, T; Lordelo, M M; Costa, P; Alves, S P; Benevides, W S; Bessa, R J B; Lemos, J P C; Pinto, R M A; Ferreira, L M A; Fontes, C M G A; Prates, J A M

2014-01-01

1. Chicken breast meat is a lean meat due to its low content of intramuscular fat (IMF) resulting in an overall lower acceptability by consumers due to a decrease in juiciness, flavour and increased chewiness. Recently, studies performed in pigs suggested the possibility of increasing IMF by decreasing dietary crude protein (CP) content, an effect possibly mediated through an increased lipogenesis. 2. Dietary supplementation with lipids rich in omega 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) may modulate an increase in the content of these fatty acids in meat from monogastric animals and, thus, promote the daily intake of n-3 LC-PUFA by humans. 3. LC-PUFA are very susceptible to oxidation, resulting in off-flavours that affect meat quality and consumers' acceptability. 4. This trial was conducted to assess the effect of reducing dietary CP, from 21% to 17%, on chicken's meat IMF content and, simultaneously, to evaluate if a complementary supplementation with a proprietary n-3 LC-PUFA source (DHA Gold™) could improve meat quality. These effects were assessed by measuring productive performance and meat quality, oxidative stability, sensory traits and fatty acid profile. 5. A reduction in CP content of broiler diets, from 21% to 17%, balanced for lysine, improved performance while it was not sufficient to increase IMF content in chicken meat. In contrast, DHA Gold™ supplementation had a positive impact both in broiler productive parameters and in meat fatty acid profile. 6. In addition, incorporation of 7.4% of DHA Gold™ in the diet promoted carcass yield but negatively affected chicken meat acceptability by consumers, due to a decrease of meat oxidative stability. 7. Overall the data suggest that neither a dietary supplementation with DHA Gold™ nor a reduction in CP have a direct positive effect in the levels of IMF present in broiler meat.

A systematic review of natural health product treatment for vitiligo

PubMed Central

Szczurko, Orest; Boon, Heather S

2008-01-01

Background Vitiligo is a hypopigmentation disorder affecting 1 to 4% of the world population. Fifty percent of cases appear before the age of 20 years old, and the disfigurement results in psychiatric morbidity in 16 to 35% of those affected. Methods Our objective was to complete a comprehensive, systematic review of the published scientific literature to identify natural health products (NHP) such as vitamins, herbs and other supplements that may have efficacy in the treatment of vitiligo. We searched eight databases including MEDLINE and EMBASE for vitiligo, leucoderma, and various NHP terms. Prospective controlled clinical human trials were identified and assessed for quality. Results Fifteen clinical trials were identified, and organized into four categories based on the NHP used for treatment. 1) L-phenylalanine monotherapy was assessed in one trial, and as an adjuvant to phototherapy in three trials. All reported beneficial effects. 2) Three clinical trials utilized different traditional Chinese medicine products. Although each traditional Chinese medicine trial reported benefit in the active groups, the quality of the trials was poor. 3) Six trials investigated the use of plants in the treatment of vitiligo, four using plants as photosensitizing agents. The studies provide weak evidence that photosensitizing plants can be effective in conjunction with phototherapy, and moderate evidence that Ginkgo biloba monotherapy can be useful for vitiligo. 4) Two clinical trials investigated the use of vitamins in the therapy of vitiligo. One tested oral cobalamin with folic acid, and found no significant improvement over control. Another trial combined vitamin E with phototherapy and reported significantly better repigmentation over phototherapy only. It was not possible to pool the data from any studies for meta-analytic purposes due to the wide difference in outcome measures and poor quality ofreporting. Conclusion Reports investigating the efficacy of NHPs for vitiligo exist, but are of poor methodological quality and contain significant reporting flaws. L-phenylalanine used with phototherapy, and oral Ginkgo biloba as monotherapy show promise and warrant further investigation. PMID:18498646

Insecticide use in hybrid onion seed production affects pre- and postpollination processes.

PubMed

Gillespie, Sandra; Long, Rachael; Seitz, Nicola; Williams, Neal

2014-02-01

Research on threats to pollination service in agro-ecosystems has focused primarily on the negative impacts of land use change and agricultural practices such as insecticide use on pollinator populations. Insecticide use could also affect the pollination process, through nonlethal impacts on pollinator attraction and postpollination processes such as pollen viability or pollen tube growth. Hybrid onion seed (Allium cepa L., Alliaceae) is an important pollinator-dependent crop that has suffered yield declines in California, concurrent with increased insecticide use. Field studies suggest that insecticide use reduces pollination service in this system. We conducted a field experiment manipulating insecticide use to examine the impacts of insecticides on 1) pollinator attraction, 2) pollen/stigma interactions, and 3) seed set and seed quality. Select insecticides had negative impacts on pollinator attraction and pollen/stigma interactions, with certain products dramatically reducing pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Decreased pollen germination was not associated with reduced seed set; however, reduced pollinator attraction was associated with lower seed set and seed quality, for one of the two female lines examined. Our results highlight the importance of pesticide effects on the pollination process. Overuse may lead to yield reductions through impacts on pollinator behavior and postpollination processes. Overall, in hybrid onion seed production, moderation in insecticide use is advised when controlling onion thrips, Thrips tabaci, on commercial fields.

Quantity over quality: light intensity, but not red/far-red ratio, affects extrafloral nectar production in Senna mexicana var. chapmanii.

PubMed

Jones, Ian M; Koptur, Suzanne

2015-09-01

Extrafloral nectar (EFN) mediates food-for-protection mutualisms between plants and insects and provides plants with a form of indirect defense against herbivory. Understanding sources of variation in EFN production is important because such variations affect the number and identity of insect visitors and the effectiveness of plant defense. Light represents a potentially crucial tool for regulating resource allocation to defense, as it not only contributes energy but may help plants to anticipate future conditions. Low red/far-red (R/FR) light ratios can act as a signal of the proximity of competing plants. Exposure to such light ratios has been shown to promote competitive behaviors that coincide with reduced resource allocation to direct chemical defenses. Little is known, however, about how such informational light signals might affect indirect defenses such as EFN, and the interactions that they mediate. Through controlled glasshouse experiments, we investigated the effects of light intensity, and R/FR light ratios, on EFN production in Senna mexicana var. chapmanii. Plants in light-limited conditions produced significantly less EFN, and leaf damage elicited increased EFN production regardless of light conditions. Ratios of R/FR light, however, did not appear to affect EFN production in either damaged or undamaged plants. Understanding the effects of light on indirect defenses is of particular importance for plants in the threatened pine rockland habitats of south Florida, where light conditions are changing in predictable ways following extensive fragmentation and subsequent mismanagement. Around 27% of species in these habitats produce EFN and may rely on insect communities for defense.

Postproduction Handling and Administration of Protein Pharmaceuticals and Potential Instability Issues.

PubMed

Nejadnik, M Reza; Randolph, Theodore W; Volkin, David B; Schöneich, Christian; Carpenter, John F; Crommelin, Daan J A; Jiskoot, Wim

2018-04-14

The safety and efficacy of protein pharmaceuticals depend not only on biological activity but also on purity levels. Impurities may be process related because of limitations in manufacturing or product related because of protein degradation occurring throughout the life history of a product. Although the pharmaceutical biotechnology industry has made great progress in improving bulk and drug product manufacturing as well as company-controlled storage and transportation conditions to minimize the level of degradation, there is less control over the many factors that may subsequently affect product quality after the protein pharmaceuticals are released and shipped by the manufacturer. Routine handling or unintentional mishandling of therapeutic protein products may cause protein degradation that remains unnoticed but can potentially compromise the clinical safety and efficacy of the product. In this commentary, we address some potential risks associated with (mis)handling of protein pharmaceuticals after release by the manufacturer. We summarize the environmental stress factors that have been shown to cause protein degradation and that may be encountered during typical handling procedures of protein pharmaceuticals in a hospital setting or during self-administration by patients. Moreover, we provide recommendations for improvements in product handling to help ensure the quality of protein pharmaceuticals during use. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Skin Health Connected to the Use of Absorbent Hygiene Products: A Review.

PubMed

Bender, Johanna Karlsson; Faergemann, Jan; Sköld, Maria

2017-09-01

Over the past 50 years, absorbent hygiene products such as baby diapers and incontinence products have become essential features of modern day life. Through innovation and enhanced technology, their design, composition and performance have been dramatically upgraded from their early forms, and they have transformed the lives of millions of people, improving their quality of life. Skin health related to the use of absorbent hygiene products has accordingly also greatly improved. Still, the wearing of absorbent hygiene products will affect the skin, and for some users the changes in microclimate, mechanical interactions and the exposure to urine and faeces may result in irritant contact dermatitis, i.e. diaper dermatitis (DD) or incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Babies with developing skin and the elderly with deteriorating skin functions who are the most frequent users of absorbent hygiene products are more vulnerable to the causal factors. Although irritant reactions are the most common, allergic contact dermatitis should be considered if a DD/IAD fails to improve by recommended actions. There is also a connection between IAD and pressure ulcer development of which it is important to be aware. A holistic approach of using high-quality absorbent hygiene products in combination with appropriate skin care will help maintaining good skin health.

Evaluation of safety and quality impact of extractable and leachable substances in therapeutic biologic protein products: a risk-based perspective.

PubMed

Markovic, Ingrid

2007-09-01

Leachables are chemical entities that migrate spontaneously from the final container closure system, packaging components and/or processing equipment under recommended conditions of product use and storage. Unlike leachables, extractables are generated under exaggerated temperature and time conditions in the presence of an appropriate solvent. Increasing evidence suggests that leachables may pose a safety risk by causing toxicity, carcinogenicity, immunogenicity and/or endocrine dysregulation. These substances may also alter product physico-chemical properties via interaction with the active pharmaceutical ingredient or the excipients in product vehicle, thereby adversely affecting the final product quality. The evaluation of leachable compounds begins with a thorough identification of extractable compounds released from the production and packaging components under exaggerated conditions. The set of observed extractables helps to identify possible targets to be monitored in a subsequent leachables study over extended time periods. Although extractables and leachables also present a challenge for the safe use of device components (e.g., metered dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers, nasal spray devices or various implants), this review focusses on a safety risk assessment for specified therapeutic biological protein products. Regulatory, safety and scientific considerations in evaluating extractables and leachables are discussed, along with strategies for the analytical identification, quantification and monitoring.

A comparative study of quality and safety of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) fillets during cold storage, as affected by different thawing methods of pre‐rigor frozen headed and gutted fish

PubMed Central

Jónsson, Ásbjörn; Backi, Christoph Josef; Lunestad, Bjørn Tore; Karlsdóttir, Magnea G

2017-01-01

Abstract BACKGROUND The catch of marine whitefish is typically seasonal, whereas the land‐based processing industry has a need for all‐year stable supply of raw materials. This challenge can be met by applying fish frozen at sea. When using frozen fish, the methods employed for thawing may influence the safety and quality of the final product. This study aimed to investigate the applicability of novel thawing strategies in order to provide an all‐year supply of high‐quality and safe cod products. RESULTS Comparative investigations of quality and safety factors after thawing in water, with and without air circulation, and contact thawing were performed. The parameters included water‐holding capacity, thawing loss, drip loss, cooking yield, sensory evaluation and microbiological analyses (including total volatile bases nitrogen). Water thawing with air circulation provided faster thawing than water thawing without air circulation and contact thawing. For all three methods, the quality of the thawed fish was acceptable and the shelf life of the fillets during chilled storage was between 10 and 14 days post‐filleting. CONCLUSION The results show that controlled freezing of cod, followed by appropriate thawing, may provide the processing industry with an all‐year delivery of raw materials, without compromising quality and safety of the final product. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. PMID:28862323

Manufacturing and Security Challenges in 3D Printing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeltmann, Steven Eric; Gupta, Nikhil; Tsoutsos, Nektarios Georgios; Maniatakos, Michail; Rajendran, Jeyavijayan; Karri, Ramesh

2016-07-01

As the manufacturing time, quality, and cost associated with additive manufacturing (AM) continue to improve, more and more businesses and consumers are adopting this technology. Some of the key benefits of AM include customizing products, localizing production and reducing logistics. Due to these and numerous other benefits, AM is enabling a globally distributed manufacturing process and supply chain spanning multiple parties, and hence raises concerns about the reliability of the manufactured product. In this work, we first present a brief overview of the potential risks that exist in the cyber-physical environment of additive manufacturing. We then evaluate the risks posed by two different classes of modifications to the AM process which are representative of the challenges that are unique to AM. The risks posed are examined through mechanical testing of objects with altered printing orientation and fine internal defects. Finite element analysis and ultrasonic inspection are also used to demonstrate the potential for decreased performance and for evading detection. The results highlight several scenarios, intentional or unintentional, that can affect the product quality and pose security challenges for the additive manufacturing supply chain.

Dairy Biomass-Wyoming Coal Blends Fixed Gasification Using Air-Steam for Partial Oxidation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gordillo, Gerardo; Annamalai, Kalyan

2012-01-01

Concenmore » trated animal feeding operations such as dairies produce a large amount of manure, termed as dairy biomass (DB), which could serve as renewable feedstock for thermal gasification. DB is a low-quality fuel compared to fossil fuels, and hence the product gases have lower heat content; however, the quality of gases can be improved by blending with coals. This paper deals with air-steam fixed-bed counterflow gasification of dairy biomass-Wyoming coal blend (DBWC). The effects of equivalence ratio ( 1.6 < Φ < 6.4 ) and steam-to-fuel ratio ( 0.4 < S : F < 0.8 ) on peak temperatures, gas composition, gross heating value of the products, and energy recovery are presented. According to experimental results, increasing Φ and ( S : F ) ratios decreases the peak temperature and increases the H 2 and CO 2 production, while CO production decreases. On the other hand, the concentrations of CH 4 and C 2 H 6 were lower compared to those of other gases and almost not affected by Φ.« less

Managing a closed-loop supply chain inventory system with learning effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jauhari, Wakhid Ahmad; Dwicahyani, Anindya Rachma; Hendaryani, Oktiviandri; Kurdhi, Nughthoh Arfawi

2018-02-01

In this paper, we propose a closed-loop supply chain model consisting of a retailer and a manufacturer. We intend to investigate the impact of learning in regular production, remanufacturing and reworking. The customer demand is assumed deterministic and will be satisfied from both regular production and remanufacturing process. The return rate of used items depends on quality. We propose a mathematical model with the objective is to maximize the joint total profit by simultaneously determining the length of ordering cycle for the retailer and the number of regular production and remanufacturing cycle. The algorithm is suggested for finding the optimal solution. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the application of using a proposed model. The results show that the integrated model performs better in reducing total cost compared to the independent model. The total cost is most affected by the changes in the values of unit production cost and acceptable quality level. In addition, the changes in the defective items proportion and the fraction of holding costs significantly influence the retailer's ordering period.

Refrigerated fruit juices: quality and safety issues.

PubMed

Esteve, Maria Jose; Frígola, Ana

2007-01-01

Fruit juices are an important source of bioactive compounds, but techniques used for their processing and subsequent storage may cause alterations in their contents so they do not provide the benefits expected by the consumer. In recent years consumers have increasingly sought so-called "fresh" products (like fresh products), stored in refrigeration. This has led the food industry to develop alternative processing technologies to produce foods with a minimum of nutritional, physicochemical, or organoleptic changes induced by the technologies themselves. Attention has also focused on evaluating the microbiological or toxicological risks that may be involved in applying these processes, and their effect on food safety, in order to obtain safe products that do not present health risks. This concept of minimal processing is currently becoming a reality with conventional technologies (mild pasteurization) and nonthermal technologies, some recently introduced (pasteurization by high hydrostatic pressure) and some perhaps with a more important role in the future (pulsed electric fields). Nevertheless, processing is not the only factor that affects the quality of these products. It is also necessary to consider the conditions for refrigerated storage and to control time and temperature.

Effects of different Pediococcus halophilus level and fermentation time on chemical properties of fermented anchovy paste “terasi ikan”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lestari, S. D.; Herpandi; Simamora, G. R. R.

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the Pediococcus halophilus addition on the chemical quality of terasi ikan (fermented anchovy paste) product. Two levels of bacterial concentration (106 CFU/mL and 109 CFU/mL) were used as a single starter culture for the fermentation process. Changes in chemical characteristics were observed at day 7, 14 and 21. No differences (p > 0.05) in moisture and protein content were found in the analysis of variance within terasi ikan samples. The decrease in reducing sugar and L-lysine HCl during the fermentation was attributed to the formation of Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) which was manifested in dark brown color of the end products. The interaction between P. halophilus and terasi ikan microbiota as well as their enzymatic activities were considered to affect vitamin B synthesis and degradation of protein into amino acids and amines. These findings facilitate further investigations on using P. halophilus as constituent of mixed culture, instead of as a single culture for terasi industry in order to produce products of well-controlled quality and safety.

Microstructure and nutrient distribution in oats: influence on quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, S. Shea; Frégeau-Reid, Judith

2009-05-01

Oats have long been recognized as having superior quality among cereals with respect to protein and lipid composition as well as soluble dietary fibre (β-glucan). The microstructure and chemistry of oats influence oat quality, and thus are determinants of the end products derived from oats. Light and scanning electron microscopies have been used to elucidate microstructure and nutrient distribution in oats. The influence of variation in these parameters on oat quality can be demonstrated, from milling through to oat products for consumption. Milling quality is determined in part by hull architecture. SEM examination of oat hulls can help predict ease of dehulling, which affects the efficiency and economics of oat milling. In addition to protein and lipid, β-glucan is an important nutritional component of oats. Fluorescence microscopy can reveal both the relative amount and distribution of β-glucan in oat kernels. Consumption of oats or oat products containing β-glucan has been shown to have beneficial effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. These health benefits have generated a demand for new and palatable ways to incorporate oats into the diet as consumer demand increases. To help meet this need, we have been investigating the use of micronized naked oats as a whole grain to be cooked and consumed as a rice alternative. Different varieties of naked oats had dramatically different acceptance levels from a sensory panel. SEM of the pericarp, light microscopy of the endosperm, and analyses of starch properties of the different varieties revealed differences that corresponded with sensory data.

Effects of environmental and water quality parameters on the functioning of copepod assemblages in tropical estuaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araujo, Adriana V.; Dias, Cristina O.; Bonecker, Sérgio L. C.

2017-07-01

We examined changes in the functioning of copepod assemblages with increasing pollution in estuaries, using sampling standardization of the salinity range to enable comparisons. Copepod assemblages were analyzed in four southeast Brazilian estuaries with different water quality levels and hydrodynamic characteristics over two years. We obtained mesozooplankton samples together with environmental and water quality parameters in the estuaries, every two months under predetermined salinities ranging from 15 to 25. The values of parameters, except species size, associated with the functioning of the copepod assemblages (biomass, productivity, and turnover rate) did not differ among estuaries. However, in the more polluted estuaries, the biomass and productivity of copepod assemblages of mesozooplankton were negatively correlated with concentration of pollution indicator parameters. Conversely, in the less polluted estuaries some degree of enrichment still seems to increase the system biomass and productivity, as these parameters were inversely related to indicators of improved water quality. The pollution level of estuaries distorted the relationship between temperature and the efficiency of converting energy to organic matter. In the less polluted estuaries, the relationship between turnover rate and temperature was over 70%, while in the most polluted estuaries, this relationship was only approximately 50%. Our results demonstrated that the functioning of assemblages in the estuaries was affected differently by increasing pollution depending on the water quality level of the system. Thus, investigating the functioning of assemblages can be a useful tool for the analysis of estuarine conditions.

Effect of high pressure pasteurization on bacterial load and bioactivity of Echinacea purpurea.

PubMed

Chen, Xiu-Min; Hu, Chun; Raghubeer, Errol; Kitts, David D

2010-09-01

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) technology was applied to organic Echinacea purpurea (E. purpurea) roots and flowers to determine the feasibility of using this technology for cold herb pasteurization, to produce microbiologically safe and shelf-stable products for the natural health products (NHPs) industry. HHP significantly (P < 0.01) reduced microbial contamination in both roots and flowers without affecting the phytochemical retention of chicoric and chlorogenic acids, and total alkamide contents. The antioxidant activity of E. purpurea methanol-derived extracts, evaluated in both chemical (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) [ABTS] and oxygen radical absorption capacity [ORAC] assay) and in cell culture models (RAW264, 7 macrophage, H(2)O(2)-induced intracellular oxidation, and lipopolysaccharide [LPS]-induced nitric oxide production), was not adversely affected by the application of HHP at both 2 and 5 min at 600 mPa. Furthermore, HHP did not affect the capacity of E. purpurea extracts to suppress nitric oxide production in LPS-activated macrophage cells. Therefore, our results show that HHP is an effective pasteurization process treatment to reduce microbial-contamination load while not adversely altering chemical and bioactive function of active constituents present in organic E. purpurea. Our study reports for the first time, the effectiveness of using high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) technology pressure to pasteurize E. purpurea root and flower, and the comparative retention of bioactive phytochemicals. Therefore, this technique can be used in food and natural health product industries to produce high-quality, microbiologically safe, and shelf-stable products.

Effects of grass silage quality and level of feed intake on enteric methane production in lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Warner, D; Bannink, A; Hatew, B; van Laar, H; Dijkstra, J

2017-08-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of level of feed intake and quality of ryegrass silage as well as their interaction on enteric methane (CH) emission from dairy cows. In a randomized block design, 56 lactating dairy cows received a diet of grass silage, corn silage, and a compound feed meal (70:10:20 on DM basis). Treatments consisted of 4 grass silage qualities prepared from grass harvested from leafy through late heading stage, and offered to dairy cows at 96 ± 2.4 (mean ± SEM) days in milk (namely, high intake) and 217 ± 2.4 d in milk (namely, low intake). Grass silage CP content varied between 124 and 286 g/kg of DM, and NDF content between 365 and 546 g/kg of DM. After 12 d of adaptation, enteric CH production of cows was measured in open-circuit climate-controlled respiration chambers for 5 d. No interaction between DMI and grass quality on CH emission, or on milk production, diet digestibility, and energy, and N retention was found ( ≥ 0.17). Cows had a greater DMI (16.6 vs. 15.5 kg/d; SEM 0.46) and greater fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) yield (29.9 vs. 25.4 kg/d; SEM 1.24) at high than low intake (both ≤ 0.001). Apparent total-tract nutrient digestibility was not affected ( ≥ 0.08) by DMI level. Total enteric CH production (346 ± 10.9 g/d) was not affected ( = 0.15) by DMI level. A small, significant ( = 0.025) decrease at high compared with low intake occurred for CH yield (21.8 ± 0.59 g/kg of DMI; -4%). Methane emission intensity (12.8 ± 0.56 g/kg of FPCM; -12%) was considerably smaller ( ≤ 0.001) at high intake as a result of greater milk yields realized in early lactation. As grass quality decreased from leafy through late heading stage, FPCM yield and apparent total-tract OM digestibility declined (-12%; ≤ 0.015), whereas total CH production (+13%), CH yield (+21%), and CH emission intensity (+28%) increased ( ≤ 0.001). Our results suggest that improving grass silage quality by cutting grass at an earlier stage considerably reduces enteric CH emissions from dairy cows, independent of DMI. In contrast, losses of N in manure increased for the earlier cut grass silage treatments. The small increase in DMI at high intake was associated with a small to moderate reduction in CH emission per unit of DMI and GE intake. This study confirmed that enteric CH emissions from dairy cows at distinct levels of feed intake depend on the nutritive value and chemical composition of the grass silage.

Biogeochemical cycling and chemical fluxes in a managed northern forested wetland, Michigan, USA

Treesearch

James McLaughlin; Emily Calhoon; Margaret Gale; Martin Jurgensen; Carl Trettin

2011-01-01

Forest harvesting and subsequent regeneration treatments may cause changes in soil and solution chemistry that adversely affect forest productivity and environmental quality. The objective of this study was to assess soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and base cation pools and fluxes, and to construct a hydrogen ion (H+) mass balance to identify major processes controlling...

Effect of pre-roast moisture content and post roast cooling parameters on oil migration during oil roasting of peanuts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Oil migration affects the quality and shelf-life of food products and consequently has an impact on overall consumer acceptance. Exchange of oil may occur during or after oil roasting of peanuts but little is known about the factors contributing to this exchange. This study examines the effect of p...

Amounts of calcium and magnesium cycled and its release kinetics in a long-term no-till integrated crop-livestock system with varying grazing intensities in subtropical region

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Under an integrated crop-livestock production system, plant and animal residues become an important nutrient stock. Grazing management could affect both plant and animal residue amount and quality, thereby influencing nutrient dynamics through modifications in nutrient release rates. The objective o...

Fatty acid profiling of four different peanut Fatty Acid Desaturase (FAD) 2 genotypes at five seed development stages

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Peanut is one of the most important edible oilseed crops. The level of oleic acid in peanut seeds can significantly affect the oil quality. Consuming peanut product from high oleic acid seeds may positively contribute to improving human health. The level of oleic acid in peanut seeds is mainly contr...

Influence of calcium foliar fertilization on plant growth, nutrient concentrations, and fruit quality of papaya.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Calcium (Ca) is a major plant nutrient that affects cell wall and plasma membrane formation and plays a key role in plant growth and biomass production. It can be used to decrease fruit decay and increase firmness and shelf life. So far, little attention has been paid to investigate the effects of f...

"Electric Power for Rural Growth: How Electricity Affects Rural Life in Developing Countries," by Douglas F. Barnes. [Book Review].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lodwick, Dora G.; McIntosh, William A., Ed.

1989-01-01

Reviews a book assessing the effects of central grid rural electrification on the social and economic development of 192 communities in India and Colombia. The study examines the impact on agricultural productivity (through increased irrigation), the quality of life of women and children, business activities, and regional inequities. (SV)