Intact Grains Research Articles

A critical review of the factors influencing pre‐harvest sprouting of wheat

AbstractPre‐harvest sprouting (PHS) is a global issue affecting a multitude of crops, including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The combination of conducive conditions and a lack of genetic seed dormancy results in the sprouting of intact grain at or prior to harvesting. The initiation of germination synthesizes gibberellic acid resulting in the activation of the alpha‐amylase synthesis via a calcium‐dependent signal transduction pathway. Alpha‐amylase synthesized via this pathway degrades the endosperm, decreasing bread‐making quality. A commonly used indicator for bread‐making quality is the Hagberg Falling Number. Environmental, phenotypic, genetic, and management factors influence the susceptibility of wheat to PHS. Rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity are commonly associated with PHS. The combination of these conditions results in the greatest severity of PHS. Morphological features such as awns and epicuticular waxes may increase the quantity of rainfall retained against the grain, increasing the risk of PHS. Similarly, management factors such as fertilization and fungicide application also may increase the risk of PHS occurring. Further research is necessary to understand the mechanisms and impact of management factors on PHS. Additionally, further investigations are needed to explore how environmental and genotypic interactions affect PHS susceptibility.

Raman spectroscopy of Ryugu particles and their extracted residues: Fluorescence background characteristics and similarities to CI chondrites

AbstractWe present here an investigation of Ryugu particles recovered by the Hayabusa2 space mission and their extracted carbonaceous acid residues using Raman spectroscopy. Raman parameters of Ryugu intact grains and their acid residues are characterized by broad D (defect induced) and G (graphite) band widths, indicating the presence of polyaromatic carbonaceous matter with low thermal maturity. Raman spectra of Ryugu particles and CI (type 1) chondrites exhibit stronger laser‐induced fluorescence backgrounds compared to Type 2 and Type 3 carbonaceous chondrites. The high fluorescence signatures and wide bandwidths of the D and G bands of Ryugu intact grains are similar to the Raman spectra observed in CI chondrites, reflecting the low structural order of their aromatic carbonaceous matter, and strengthening the link between Ryugu particles and CI chondrites. The high fluorescence background intensity of the Ryugu particles is due to multiple causes, but it is likely that the relative abundance of geometry‐bearing macromolecular organic matter in total organic carbon contents makes a large contribution to the fluorescence intensities. Locally observed high fluorescence in the acid‐extracted residues of Ryugu is due to nitrogen‐bearing outlier phase. The high fluorescence signature is one consequence of the low degree of thermal maturity of the organic matter and supports evidence that the Ryugu particles have escaped significant parent body thermal metamorphism.

Application of Quality Function Development (QFD) to Improve Quality and Develop Porang Rice Product XYZ

Porang rice is one of the alternatives to rice but porang rice producers are still very few and fairly new in the field. XYZ porang rice is one of the porang rice products that is quite in demand by various groups. The purpose of this research is to provide information to companies to develop their products. Because developing this product requires the voice of consumers in the product development process with the hope that if the company develops the product in accordance with consumer expectations, an increase in sales will occur. So that later this XYZ brand porang rice can continue to improve its products and services for consumers. In this study, the steps taken at the beginning were to deepen the strengths and weaknesses of the product using the EFAS and IFAS matrices This study uses the Quality Function Development (QFD) approach with the initial stage of identifying customer needs and getting 19 attributes of consumer expectations of XYZ brand porang rice products. After that, a customer satisfaction performance (CSP) is made by comparing other brand products. related to determining the CSP value, the CSP value for XYZ Brand Porang Rice is 4.75 with a durable attribute within a day and the lowest is on a more creative and attractive product packaging model with a value of 2.35 while for its competitors with Shirataki Rice with the K brand, the attribute that has the greatest value is the high fiber and the size of the intact rice grains with a value of 4.70 and the lowest is the attribute of the packaging model with a variety of sizes, namely 1.45. Then processed into HOQ calculations and obtained the results of the 3 largest value of priority improvements in the production tool, then followed by marketing, and the third is in the texture produced.

Effect of grain structure and cooking method on starch digestibility and antioxidant activity of amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L.) grains during simulated gastrointestinal digestion

Amaranth has received widespread interest as a high-quality source of nutrition. This study examined changes in starch hydrolysis and antioxidant activity of intact or slurry of amaranth grains, which were cooked with different methods, such as boiled and roasted, during simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The starch digestibility of amaranth samples was analyzed using starch hydrolysis percentage and digestion kinetics during simulated digestion. Simultaneously, TPC and antioxidant assays, such as ABTS, FRAP, and MIC, assessed the changes in antioxidant potential during digestion. The results showed that the slurry increased starch hydrolysis and antioxidant properties compared with intact grain. Boiling and roasting also showed increased antioxidant activity and starch hydrolysis during digestion. Whether intact grains or slurries, the roasted samples had lower starch hydrolysis and higher antioxidant properties during digestion than the boiled samples. The equilibrium starch hydrolysis percentages of the roasted and boiled intact grains were 15.50 and 67.41 %, and those TPC were 662.78 and 470.21 mg GAE/100 g sample (db.), respectively. In this study, roasting was more beneficial in delaying starch hydrolysis and improving antioxidant activity than boiling. In addition, maintaining the grain state was more conducive to controlling starch hydrolysis. Our findings could be beneficial for the amaranth consumers.

Synthesis of Autofluorescent Phenanthrene Microparticles via Emulsification: A Useful Synthetic Mimic for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Based Cosmic Dust.

Phenanthrene is the simplest example of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Herein, we exploit its relatively low melting point (101 °C) to prepare microparticles from molten phenanthrene droplets by conducting high-shear homogenization in a 3:1 water/ethylene glycol mixture at 105 °C using poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) as a non-ionic polymeric emulsifier. Scanning electron microscopy studies confirm that this protocol produces polydisperse phenanthrene microparticles with a spherical morphology: laser diffraction studies indicate a volume-average diameter of 25 ± 21 μm. Such projectiles are fired into an aluminum foil target at 1.87 km s-1 using a two-stage light gas gun. Interestingly, the autofluorescence exhibited by phenanthrene aids analysis of the resulting impact craters. More specifically, it enables assessment of the spatial distribution of any surviving phenanthrene in the vicinity of each crater. Furthermore, these phenanthrene microparticles can be coated with an ultrathin overlayer of polypyrrole, which reduces their autofluorescence. In principle, such core-shell microparticles should be useful for assessing the extent of thermal ablation that is likely to occur when they are fired into aerogel targets. Accordingly, polypyrrole-coated microparticles were fired into an aerogel target at 2.07 km s-1. Intact microparticles were identified at the end of carrot tracks and their relatively weak autofluorescence suggests that thermal ablation during aerogel capture did not completely remove the polypyrrole overlayer. Thus, these new core-shell microparticles appear to be useful model projectiles for assessing the extent of thermal processing that can occur in such experiments, which have implications for the capture of intact PAH-based dust grains originating from cometary tails or from plumes emanating from icy satellites (e.g., Enceladus) in future space missions.

Performance of a Handheld MicroNIR Instrument for Determining Protein Levels in Sorghum Grain Samples.

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is widely used for evaluating quality traits of cereal grains. For evaluating protein content of intact sorghum grains, parallel NIR calibrations were developed using an established benchtop instrumentation (Perten DA-7250) as a baseline to test the efficacy of an adaptive handheld instrument (VIAVI MicroNIR OnSite-W). Spectra were collected from 59 grain samples using both instruments at the same time. Cross-validated calibration models were validated with 33 test samples. The selected calibration model for DA-7250 with a coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.98 and a root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) = 0.41% predicted the protein content of a test set with R2 = 0.94, root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) = 0.52% with a ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) of 4.13. The selected model for the MicroNIR with R2 = 0.95 and RMSECV = 0.62% predicted the protein content of the test set with R2 = 0.87, RMSEP = 0.76% with an RPD of 2.74. In comparison, the performance of the DA-7250 was better than the MicroNIR, however, the performance of the MicroNIR was also acceptable for screening intact sorghum grain protein levels. Therefore, the MicroNIR instrument may be used as a potential tool for screening sorghum samples where benchtop instruments are not appropriate such as for screening samples in the field or as a less expensive option compared with benchtop instruments.

Differences in Ratio of Carbon Stable Isotopes among Barley Grain Milling Fractions with Various Concentrations of Beta-Glucans.

The grains of three barley varieties were milled and sieved to obtain respective milling fractions with a content of beta-glucans (b-G) from 1.4 to 10.7%. The enriched fraction obtained by the extraction and precipitation contained 24.7% of b-G. The differences between the ratio of stable C carbon isotopes were established. Milling fractions with coarse particles had more beta-glucans and a more negative ratio of δ13C isotope in comparison to the respective intact barley grain. However, the enriched fraction had a less negative isotope ratio. So, it is not expected that the deviation from the stable isotope ratio of grain in milling fractions is the result of the content of b-G, but it depends on other barley grain constituents. In different parts of barley grain, there are substances with different stable isotope ratios, and by milling and sieving, they are assorted to the same milling fraction with most of the b-G. The method for determining the ratio of a stable carbon isotope in diverse barley grain fractions, applied in this investigation, is potentially opening the possibility for an additional method of screening the concentration of bioactive constituents in barley grain.

Panicum decompositum, an Australian Native Grass, Has Strong Potential as a Novel Grain in the Modern Food Market.

Native Millet (Panicum decompositum) is a native grass species that was used as a staple food by many Australian Aboriginal communities. In this study, the potential for using Native Millet (NM) as a novel flour in the modern food market was investigated. Intact grain and white and wholemeal flours from two populations of NM were compared to bread wheat cv. Spitfire (SW) using a range of physical and chemical tests. The baking properties of NM flour were assessed using basic flatbreads made with 25:75 and 50:50 (NM:SW) mixes of wholemeal flour with 100% SW wholemeal flour used as the control. The grain size of NM was found to be smaller than SW. Milling yield, defined as the proportion of flour obtained from a whole seed, for NM was 4-10% lower than SW under the same moisture conditions used for tempering (drying) wheat. The properties of wholemeal flour indicated that NM flour has lower viscosity and low flour pasting ability compared to SW. This is likely due to the low starch content and high fibre content of NM seed. Wholemeal flour derived from NM had a protein content of 13.6% compared to 12.1% for SW. Based on a sensory analysis using an untrained panel, the distinct colour and texture may negatively affect the acceptance of NM flour by the consumer, but taste and aroma was not found to differ among samples. There were strong indications that the novelty of NM flour may help outweigh any limitations to consumer acceptance, making it a valuable product in future food markets.

Effect of mild heat-moisture treatment for harvested raw paddy rice on physicochemical properties and in vitro starch digestibility of cooked rice

In this study, heat-moisture treatment (HMT) at 60 °C and 65 °C for 12 h and 18 h was applied to harvested raw paddy rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Toyomeki), and changes in the quality characteristics and starch hydrolysis during simulated gastrointestinal digestion were investigated. The surface color of the treated rice grains was mainly caused by the period of HMT rather than the heating temperature. HMT at mild temperatures caused a minor change with no significant effect in the total starch content of the treated rice, as well as the moisture content and firmness of the cooked rice (P > 0.05). However, the resistant starch content increased with increasing HMT temperature and time, and a significant difference was found between the control and the treated rice subjected at 65 °C. The mild HMT also promoted the reduction trend of starch hydrolysis for the intact cooked rice grain, which could have health benefits. Thus, the mild HMT of raw paddy rice could be regarded as a profitable technique modifying the digestibility of cooked rice but maintaining rice sensory characteristics.

Consumer preferences for rice in East Africa

PurposeImproving the competitiveness of East Africa's rice industries necessitates increased and viable production of rice of the quality desired by consumers. This paper aims to understand consumer preferences for rice quality attributes in Uganda and Kenya to inform the countries' rice breeding programs and value chain development interventions.Design/methodology/approachRice samples are obtained from retail markets in various districts/counties across the two countries. The samples are analyzed in a grain quality laboratory for the rice's physicochemical characteristics and the resulting data are used to non-parametrically estimate hedonic price functions. District/county dummies are included to account for potential heterogeneity in consumer preferences.FindingsUgandan consumers are willing to pay a price premium for rice with a relatively high proportion of intact grains, but the consumers discount chalkiness. Kenyan consumers discount high amylose content and impurities. There is evidence of heterogeneity in consumer preferences for rice in Mbale, Butaleja and Arua districts of Uganda and in Kericho and Busia counties of Kenya.Originality/valueThe study makes a novel contribution to the literature on consumer preferences for rice in East Africa by applying a hedonic pricing model to the data generated from a laboratory analysis of the physicochemical characteristics of rice samples obtained from the market. Rather than base our analysis on consumers' subjective sensory assessment of the quality characteristics of rice, standard laboratory methods are used to generate the data, which enables a more objective assessment of the relationship between market prices and the quantities of attributes present in the rice samples.

Cooked Rice–Based and Wheat-Based Food Structure Influenced Digestion Kinetics and Glycemic Response in Growing Pigs

BackgroundHow starch-based food structure can affect the rate and extent of digestion in the small intestine and resulting glycemic response is not properly understood. One possible explanation is that food structure influences gastric digestion, which subsequently determines digestion kinetics in the small intestine and glucose absorption. However, this possibility has not been investigated in detail. ObjectivesUsing growing pigs as a digestion model for adult humans, this study aimed to investigate how physical structure of starch-rich foods affects small intestinal digestion and glycemic response. MethodsMale growing pigs (21.7 ± 1.8 kg, Large White × Landrace) were fed one of the 6 cooked diets (250-g starch equivalent) with varying initial structures (rice grain, semolina porridge, wheat or rice couscous, or wheat or rice noodle). The glycemic response, small intestinal content particle size and hydrolyzed starch content, ileal starch digestibility, and portal vein plasma glucose were measured. Glycemic response was measured as plasma glucose concentration collected from an in-dwelling jugular vein catheter for up to 390 min postprandial. Portal vein blood samples and small intestinal content were measured after sedation and euthanasia of the pigs at 30, 60, 120, or 240 min postprandial. Data were analyzed with a mixed-model ANOVA. ResultsThe plasma glucose Δmaxoverall and iAUCoverall for couscous and porridge diets (smaller-sized diets) were higher than that of intact grain and noodle diets (larger-sized diets): 29.0 ± 3.2 compared with 21.7 ± 2.6 mg/dL and 5659 ± 727 compared with 2704 ± 521 mg/dL⋅min, for the smaller-sized and larger-sized diets, respectively (P < 0.05). Ileal starch digestibility was not significantly different between the diets (P ≥ 0.05). The iAUCoverall was inversely related to the starch gastric emptying half-time of the diets (r = −0.90, P = 0.015). ConclusionsStarch-based food structure affected the glycemic response and starch digestion kinetics in the small intestine of growing pigs.

High thermoelectric power factor of Sr doped Bi2Te3 thin film through energy filtering effect

The conventional Bi2Te3 thin film can be used for thermoelectric power factor. However, the poor efficiency of Bi2Te3 thin film severely limits its wide range of applications. In this study, we have reported the Sr doped Bi2Te3 thin film coated on a glass substrate via a simple thermal evaporation route. The synthesized thin films have been post-annealed at a temperature (773 K) in the tube furnace for 30 min. The x-ray diffraction data confirmed that the planes of the pure and Sr doped Bi2Te3 thin film and also studied the effect on the parameters of the crystal. The surface morphology of the pure and Sr doped Bi2Te3 thin film samples has been studied via a scanning electron microscope. The highly intact grains with no porosity and uniformly oriented granular surface morphology have been observed. The grain size of the synthesized samples decreases with increasing the Sr content in the Bi2Te3 matrix. We have reported the enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. These factors control the grain size and density with the doping concentration. The Seebeck coefficient enhancement has up to 91 μV/oC due to the energy filtering effect at the small grain boundaries. The electrical conductivity increases with increasing the charge carrier concentration and decreasing grain size, making the small domain more conductive. As a result, the film with a small grain size exhibited a maximum room temperature power factor of 15.61 μWcm−1 K−2. This work demonstrates that thermal evaporation is an effective approach for synthesizing the Sr doped Bi2Te3 thin films.

Preparation and evaluation of mango oat bar fortified with chia seeds

Ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal bars have undergone numerous advancements that blend various components to produce alternative cereal bar options. In conclusion, this study sought to create a high-energy cereal bar with a satisfying texture and high consumer acceptance using regional ingredients from local market. Other ingredients, such as exotic fruits and organic residues, can be utilized to make cereal bars and are still added to the final product as enrichment. From the breakfast table to the dinner table, cereal goods have been consumed in the form of flakes, rice, chapatti, or cereal bars as a snack. Cereals are essential in the creation of ready-to-eat snacks including cereal bars, energy bars, and quick bars. Because whole grains and their products include all three components in the same ratio as found in the intact original grain, people have come to appreciate their consumption. Mango is also discovered to be a high source of antioxidants such ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, as well as dietary fibers, starch, and pectin. A good number of dietary antioxidants like ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds is found in the fruit mango (Mangifera indica L.). Cereal bars made with mango pulp at concentrations of 40%, 45%, and 50% were one such product developed.

SOME FEATURES OF THE PRODUCTION OF CLAY ARTIFACTS BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE BASIVKA SETTLEMENT

In 2021—2022, the Basivka team of the Putivl expedition conducted the archaeological exploration at the settlement 3 «Bashta» of the Basivka hill-fort in Sumy Region. This is the largest settlement of the Scythian period in the Sula River basin. In the excavation area, more than 400 fragments of clay items including 27 complete cones were found. Since the large number of prints on clay products, represented mostly by the rims and bottoms of the hand-made pots, has a scientific interest a more detailed examination of the collection was carried out.&#x0D; According to the results of the study, the following issues were taken into account: individual grains of cultivated plants on the walls of pots and on cones; various prints on the bottoms of the pots. Single prints (19 items in total) are not of statistical interest.&#x0D; Mainly mass imprints of cereal grains and waste from them (mainly millet) on the bottom of the pots have been found. The found bottoms were: 1) almost completely covered with imprints of intact millet grains (that is, in flakes), 2) covered with imprints of grains and waste; 3) with imprints of waste without grains. In isolated cases the waste from the threshing of other grain crops was found on the bottoms. According to materials from other Scythian sites it is known that grain (and waste from threshing) was sprinkled, and sand was used. No sand prints were found at settlement 3 «Bashta».&#x0D; There are also isolated cases of fabric usage (both on materials under study and other sites) and even leaves of broad-leaved tree species (Tsyrkuny). However, the small number of such cases hardly proves the global tradition of using such «substrates». On the other hand, the tradition of pouring cereals (mainly millet) and waste from them under the bottom of pots was very common in the Early Iron Age. We believe that such prints on the bottoms testify to the period of «mass» production of ceramics: mainly after the harvest.

Revealing the formation, strengthening and toughening mechanism of a new (Ti3AlC2+Al2O3)p /Al3Ti composite with strength-ductility synergy

A novel (Ti3AlC2+Al2O3)p/Al3Ti composite was fabricated by vacuum hot pressing TiC, TiO2 and pure Al powders. Its phase formation and microstructure evolution were systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy-dispersive spectrometer system (EDS). The mechanical properties of the (Ti3AlC2+Al2O3)p/Al3Ti composite were measured using compression test and nanoindentation test. The results show that Ti3AlC2 is mainly grown from the intact TiC grains through epitaxial nucleation mechanism, while Al2O3 is precipitated via dissolution-precipitation mechanism. The measured mechanical properties show that the hardness of the Al3Ti alloy increases from 6.2 GPa to 8.79 GPa, and the strength of the composite has an increase of ∼15% while having a higher ductility. The enhancement of mechanical properties is attributed to the load transfer strengthening, which is related to the refinement of Al3Ti grains, the CTE mismatch between the Al3Ti matrix and the reinforcements, and dislocation multiplication caused by the precipitated Al2O3 particles in the Al3Ti matrix.

An improved preparation procedure for pollen samples from coastal clastic sediments

Palynological analysis is a time-tested analytical method in the field of geology, geography, and archaeology across the globe. However, a major problem in palynology is that due to the dynamic nature of coastal and lake settings, sediment samples from these environments usually contain large proportion of clastic materials that are difficult to remove and isolate from pollen grains. In this study, we present a step-by-step procedure of an optimized preparation method to eliminate the organic and clastic materials and concentrate the pollen grains. We also present some insights on how to prepare a clean microscopic slide with intact pollen grains. We believe this procedure can successfully eliminate organic and clastic materials and concentrate the pollen grains to produce an ideal microscopic slide for pollen analysis.•Extract samples and eliminate carbonate materials with hydrochloric acid.•Remove organic materials with potassium hydroxide.•Remove clastic materials with sieving and hydrofluoric acid.

The effect of plasma-assisted ball milling on preparation and sintering behavior of (Zr0.1429Hf0.1429Ce0.1429Y0.2857La0.2857)O2-δ high entropy fluorite oxide

The sintering process of high entropy fluorite oxide ceramics prepared by the conventional solid-phase reaction method suffers from high single-phase synthesis temperature, low densities, and abnormal grain growth. To improve the sintering characteristics of high entropy fluorite oxide ceramics, the oxide mixture was dealt with dielectric barrier discharge plasma-assisted ball milling. The samples were analyzed using XRD, SEM, TEM, TG/DTG, visual high-temperature deformation analyzer, and nanoindentation meter. The results show that the plasma field activates the raw material powder and promotes powder finer. The rapid heating effect of the plasma during the ball milling process causes micro-area sintering and micro-area melting on the powder surface, which increases the active sites of the solid phase reaction of the material, accelerates the mass transfer process, and improves the sintering activity. Compared with conventional ball milling, plasma-assisted ball milling reduces the single-phase synthesis temperature of high entropy ceramics from 1500 °C to 1300 °C. The sintered ceramic pellets have intact grain growth, no noticeable abnormal grain growth, and improved density and mechanical properties.

Effect of a ketogenic diet versus Mediterranean diet on glycated hemoglobin in individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus: The interventional Keto-Med randomized crossover trial

BackgroundConsensus has not been reached on what constitutes an optimal diet in individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), especially between low-carbohydrate options.ObjectivesWe compared 2 low-carbohydrate diets with 3 key similarities (incorporating nonstarchy vegetables and avoiding added sugars and refined grains) and 3 key differences (incorporating compared with avoiding legumes, fruits, and whole, intact grains) for their effects on glucose control and cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with prediabetes and T2DM.MethodsKeto-Med was a randomized, crossover, interventional trial. Forty participants aged ≥18 years with prediabetes or T2DM followed the well-formulated ketogenic diet (WFKD) and the Mediterranean-plus diet (Med-Plus) for 12 weeks each, in random order. The diets shared the 3 key similarities noted above. The Med-Plus incorporated legumes, fruits, and whole, intact grains, while the WFKD avoided them. The primary outcome was the percentage change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) after 12 weeks on each diet. Secondary and exploratory outcomes included percentage changes in body weight, fasting insulin, glucose, and blood lipids; average glucose from continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and nutrient intake.ResultsThe primary analysis was of 33 participants with complete data. The HbA1c values did not differ between diets at 12 weeks. Triglycerides decreased more for the WFKD [percentage changes, −16% (SEM, 4%) compared with −5% (SEM, 6%) for the Med-Plus; P = 0.02] and LDL cholesterol was higher for the WFKD [percentage changes, +10% (SEM, 4%) compared with −5% (SEM, 5%) for the Med-Plus; P = 0.01]. Weight decreased 8% (SEM, 1%) compared with 7% (SEM, 1%) and HDL cholesterol increased 11% (SEM, 2%) compared with 7% (SEM, 3%) for the WFKD compared with the Med-Plus, respectively; however, there was a significant interaction of diet × order for both. Participants had lower intakes of fiber and 3 nutrients on the WFKD compared with the Med-Plus. Twelve-week follow-up data suggest the Med-Plus is more sustainable.ConclusionsHbA1c values were not different between diet phases after 12 weeks, but improved from baseline on both diets, likely due to several shared dietary aspects. The WFKD led to a greater decrease in triglycerides, but also had potential untoward risks from elevated LDL cholesterol and lower nutrient intakes from avoiding legumes, fruits, and whole, intact grains, as well as being less sustainable. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03810378.

Effect of Genotype and Environment on Food-Related Traits of Organic Winter Naked Barleys.

This study aimed to understand how genetics and environment influence organic winter naked barley composition and functionality, and to identify traits that might effectively categorize basic physicochemical functionality of food barley. Across three years, two locations, and 15 genotypes, genotype significantly influenced all 10 food-related traits and was the dominant influence for three. Location significantly influenced eight traits and was dominant for three. Year significantly influenced all traits but was dominant only for one. Of the interactions location * year was the most influential and was the dominant effect for two traits. For all interaction terms where genotype was a component, the effect sizes were either small or non-significant suggesting that even with low leverage traits there is the potential for genetic gain by observing trait rankings across environments. Principal component analysis identified six traits that could serve to categorize basic physicochemical functionality of food barley. These were grain protein content, beta-glucan content, flour-water batter flow, water solvent retention capacity, time to peak viscosity of cooked flour, and hardness of cooked intact grains.

Microstructural examination of interactions between chromia‐based refractory and nuclear glass in a melter

AbstractThis study shows the effects of nuclear waste glass production on Monofrax K‐3 refractory corrosion. A continuously fed research‐scale melter containing an Fe‐ and Ni‐rich simulated nuclear waste feed with borosilicate glass‐forming chemicals was cyclically melted at 1150°C and idled at 1050°C for a total of 11 weeks. Chemical maps using scanning electron microscopy show the interactions between the quenched melt and the refractory. Nanoscale X‐ray‐computed tomography was used for a three‐dimensional visualization of certain parts of the interface. Unreacted K‐3 consists of primarily corundum (Al,Cr)2O3 and spinel (Fe2+,Mg)(Al,Cr)2O4 interlocking crystalline phases. Some of the Cr from the refractory interacts with the Ni and Fe from the melt to form a reaction layer comprising (Ni,Fe2+)(Cr,Fe3+)2O4 spinel crystals. Simultaneously, melt components (Na,Si) infiltrate into the refractory. This interaction proceeds at the expense of the integrity of the refractory structure. Intact refractory grains (e.g., (Al,Cr)2O3) as well as the reaction layer itself can lose mechanical integrity and spall off into the melt, especially near the top of the melter. As the reaction layer can be a protective boundary for the refractory against further melt infiltration, a reduction in the reaction layer thickness allows an increase in refractory corrosion.