Commercial Term Research Articles

A rapid and high-throughput real-time PCR assay for species identification: application to stockfish sold in Italy

In some parts of Italy, there is a tradition of eating special, highly prized species of cod, fished and dried in Norway. In order to safeguard the value of this food product, in 2005, the Italian government legislated that the commercial term “stockfish” can only be attributed to Gadus morhua (Gm). In this study, we present an improved real-time PCR assay for efficient identification of Gm with respect to other gadiforms of commercial interest. The method is applied to 437 stockfish samples, collected in various Italian regions, in order to verify whether labelling regulations had been respected and to report instances of fraud in the Italian stockfish market. The PCR method employed here allowed rapid and economical identification of the species, with a very high percentage of correct identifications.

S100B Protein concentration in milk‐formulas for preterm and term infants Correlation with industrial preparation procedures

Human milk S100B protein possesses important neurotrophic properties. However, in some conditions human milk is substituted by milk formulas. The aims of the present study were: to assess S100B concentrations in milk formulas, to verify any differences in S100B levels between preterm and term infant formulas and to evaluate the impact of industrial preparation at predetermined phases on S100B content. Two different set of samples were tested: (i) commercial preterm (n = 36) and term (n = 36) infant milk formulas; ii) milk preterm (n = 10) and term infant (n = 10) formulas sampled at the following predetermined industrial preparation time points: skimmed cow milk (Time 0); after protein sources supplementation (Time 1); after pasteurization (Time 2); after spray-drying (Time 3). Our results showed that S100B concentration in preterm formulas were higher than in term ones (p < 0.01). In addition, S100B concentrations during industrial preparation showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) at Time 1 followed by a slight decrease (p > 0.05) at Time 2, whereas a significant (p < 0.001) dip was observed at Time 3. In conclusion, S100B showed a sufficient thermostability to resist pasteurization but not spry-drying. New feeding strategies in preterm and term infants are therefore warranted in order to preserve S100B protein during industrial preparation.

EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT STORAGE PRACTICES IN MAINTAINING THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF FRESH PORK SAUSAGE

ABSTRACT Fresh pork sausages, overwrapped with oxygen‐permeable films or packed under modified atmosphere (MAP; 65% O2 and 35% CO2), immediately after production or after 1‐day storage at 0C, were stored either at 2C in a domestic refrigerator or at 5C in a refrigerated display cabinet beyond the commercial terms. pH, Aw, lipid oxidation, color and microbial counts were evaluated during storage (3, 6 and 9 days for overwrapped and 6, 12 and 15 days for both MAP practices). pH showed a significant decrease in all packed samples, especially at 5C. Lipid oxidation slightly increased in all sausages and more markedly under high O2 concentrations of MAP. Discoloration (a*) was noticed in all samples, both in the external and internal surfaces, more clearly under light exposure of the cabinet. Spoilage bacteria increased under both packaging conditions and more markedly at 5C. A shelf‐life extension beyond the commercial term of 6 days might be considered only for oxygen‐permeable film packaging. On the contrary, it seems difficult to maintain pork sausage quality up to 12 days (commercial term) and beyond under the high O2 concentrations of MAP. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThis study deals with the evaluation of two different and commonly employed packaging conditions (oxygen‐permeable film and modified atmosphere) on extending shelf‐life of fresh pork sausages stored under refrigeration. Changes on selected physico‐chemical and microbiological properties were evaluated at different time intervals. These findings can be useful for researchers, manufacturers and traders of pork products to estimate both advantages and disadvantages in the application of different packaging systems by hygienic, qualitative and economic point of views. A simple, rapid and quantitative determination of color indices markedly suitable for pork products that showed a complex and uneven food surface was also presented.

Alteration of granite stone used in building construction

The article contains a synthesis of the different factors involved in the alteration of granite ashlars or cladding used in building construction. Emphasis is placed on the – primarily fissure-like – anisotropies often present in granite, which are usually related to the structural conditions of the quarry where it is mined. Such anisotropies condition the development of certain types of alterations that appear over time, particularly in ashlars. Stone petrography, particularly as regards the chemical composition of the minerals comprising granite, also govern its alteration. Moreover, the commercial term granite often includes other more alkaline rocks generically known as granitoids, whose alterability is higher than in granite per se. The values of some of the physical properties of these rocks, which must be quantified to evaluate their durability, are shown to differ in keeping with their anisotropy. Finally, the forms, causes and mechanisms involved in granite decay are reviewed in the context of its use in building construction.

Dilution of spermatozoa results in improved viability following a 24 h storage period but decreased acrosome integrity following cryopreservation

This study was designed to investigate the physiological factors affecting the reduced viability of cryopreserved spermatozoa following dilution. Ninety-six ejaculates were collected from 13 bulls and diluted to 10 × 10 6 and 60 × 10 6 sperm/ml in a commercial long term extender (Eqcellsire ®; IMV) and in an egg yolk extender. Samples diluted in the egg yolk extender were frozen in 0.25 ml straws. Samples diluted in the Eqcellsire were stored at room temperature for 24 h and assessed for sperm cell viability using SYBR14 and PI (Molecular Probes) and osmotic resistance. Frozen samples were thawed and assessed for viability, osmotic resistance and acrosome intergrity. Acrosome integrity was measured using Mitotracker, PI and PNA-FITC (Molecular Probes). Spermatozoa diluted to 10 × 10 6 sperm/ml and stored at ambient temperature had a higher proportion of viable spermatozoa ( P < 0.01) and were less susceptible to osmotic stress ( P < 0.01) than sperm diluted to 60 × 10 6 sperm/ml. Following cryopreservation there was no concentration-related difference in the proportion of viable spermatozoa and their relative susceptibility to osmotic stress. Spermatozoa diluted to lower cell concentrations had a higher proportion of viable cells that were acrosome reacted ( P < 0.001). It is suggested that the higher proportion of acrosome reacted cells may result from an increased proportion of cells in a capacitated-like state in the spermatozoa diluted to lower concentrations. A Spearmans ranked correlation demonstrates a relationship between individual bull spermatozoa following dilution or cryopreservation for viability ( r 2 = 0.98; P < 0.001) or osmotic resistance ( r 2 = 0.87; P < 0.001) suggesting a variation in these characteristics between bulls.

The Biology of Cleavage Fragments: A Brief Synthesis and Analysis of Current Knowledge

Asbestos is a commercial term referring to 6 fibrous minerals from 2 mineralogical classes: serpentine and amphibole. Chrysotile, or white asbestos, is the only serpentine mineral. The asbestiform habit of amphibole asbestos is far more toxic than chrysotile. However, most amphibole minerals are found in the “non-asbestiform” state that pose few, if any, health risks. Comminution, whether deliberate during crushing or grinding, or incidental in usage may produce structures known as “cleavage fragments” from a wide variety of sources. A considerable body of evidence, gathered over the last 30 years, demonstrates that amphibole cleavage fragments do not show the same toxicity as their asbestiform analogues. Since there still continues to be confusion and controversy on this point, this review is aimed at resolving a major portion of this controversy. It has done so by bringing together the supporting mineralogical, animal and human evidence from many sources. These observations demonstrate that cleavage fragments and amphibole asbestos fibres have fundamentally different properties and these differences are biologically relevant. Indeed, the toxicity of respirable cleavage fragments is so much less than that of the fibrous amphiboles that by any reasonable measure they are not biologically harmful.

Detection of Precipitation in Pipelines

One of the major unsolved complex problems confronting the petroleum and chemical industries at present is the untimely deposition of heavy organic and other solids dissolved or suspended in the fluid flow systems. The production, transportation, and processing of petroleum can be significantly affected by flocculation and deposition of such compounds in the course of industrial processing systems, including transfer conduits, reactors, and refineries and upgrading equipment, with devastating economic consequences. Heavy organics such as paraffin, wax, resin, asphaltene, diamondoid, mercaptdans, and organometallic compounds can precipitate out of the crude oil solution due to various forces causing blockage in the oil reservoir, well, pipeline, and in the oil production and processing facilities. It is important to producers that the potential organic deposition can be predicted so that the production strategy can be designed to prevent, if possible, or mitigate this problem. Cleaning the pipeline has a common commercial term, pigging. Early detection of precipitation can reduce pigging and, in turn, the maintenance cost considerably. Prediction of why and when precipitations occur has gained much interest in recent years. Most studies focus on the chemical behavior of the crude oil and its contamination. A nonintrusive instrumentation technique for on-line inspection that can yield as much detailed information about the interior of the pipe as possible is highly desirable. In this article, the detection of asphaltene and paraffin wax is studied using various techniques. The techniques include the use of solid detection system by light transmittance measurement for asphaltene detection, the use of photodiode for light transmittance measurement for liquid wax, the use of ultrasound and strain gauge for detecting solid wax.

Monetary policy indicators after deregulation

This paper investigates the role of the monetary aggregates after deregulation as well as an alternative credit view of the monetary transmission mechanism. The credit view, based on the assumptions that not all financial assets are perfect substitutes and not all agents are identical, suggests that the spread between the commercial paper and Treasury bill rates may serve as an indicator of monetary policy. Other interest rate spreads which might be useful are a term-structure spread and a private-public risk spread. Johansen 's multivariate tests for cointegration are used to determine whether a set of variables including the federal funds rate, an indicator variable, a monetary aggregate, output and the price level are linked in a single cointegration relationship. Empirical results strongly support the hypothesis of cointegration when M1 is included as an intermediate target. The commercial paper-Treasury bill and term structure spreads serve as monetary policy indicators, but the private-public risk spread responds to changes in output rather than serving as an indicator.

Global problems from exposure to asbestos.

Considerable human-derived data the health consequences of asbestos exposure are available. Usually, less information is available from laboratory models of asbestos-related health effects. Animal data mirror the experience in man, and cellular studies help in to understand the mechanistic changes related to asbestos. Although it is clearly carcinogenic, asbestos has shown much variability when examined for its mutagenic activity. Asbestos, a commercial term referring to a family of six naturally occurring mineral fibers, has been widely used around the world. Disease has been recognized into the last century, and at this time every occupational group that has been examined for possible asbestos-related disease has demonstrated it. Disease associated with asbestos makes no distinction based on race or geography, and wherever asbestos is handled it produces disease. With shifting global commercial patterns, disease patterns can be expected to shift also.

Influence of triglycerides and urate on methods for determination of fructosamine

The original fructosamine assay, based on reduction of NBT, has been modified and marketed as a kit. The development includes addition of detergents, uricase, change of the buffer and NBT concentrations, and use of a new calibrator. We report the effects of these changes on the measured values of fructosamine in lipemic and uricemic sera. A secondary calibrator produced from pooled serum and stabilized by removal of glucose was used to calibrate the original fructosamine assay and enhance transferability of results. There was no correlation between the difference between the results obtained by the two procedures and the concentration of urate or triglycerides. The development of colour was faster with the original method. It is suggested that measurements of fructosamine by either method are practically equivalent. However, the use of polylysine as a calibrator is advantageous. It is suggested that the generic term S-Glycated proteins is used for the measurand rather than 5-Fructosamine which in effect has become a commercial term.

Asbestos: Scientific Developments and Implications for Public Policy

Asbestos is a commercial term for a group of fibrous minerals often associated with the development of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis (asbestosis), lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma in occupationally exposed individuals. The pathogenicity of different forms of asbestos varies--long, thin amphibole fibers are most pathogenic, particularly in the induction of mesothelioma. Available data do not support the concept that low-level exposure to asbestos is a health hazard in buildings and schools. The concentration of asbestos fibers in air, type of asbestos, and size of fibers must be considered in evaluation of potential health risks.

Cheating: Ethics in the Classroom

This paper deals with one of the most difficult and enduring issues in higher education: cheating. Predictably, the mass media emphasizes its more sensational aspects such as cheating scandals at military academies and commercial term paper mills. Available academic studies, however, document that classroom dishonesty is hardly an isolated phenomenon. Yet, public and campus concern shifts rapidly from indignation to inattention, leaving the problem much as it was.

Ravison as a Commercial Term

Ravison as a Commercial Term