Effects of Thymus vulgaris and Mentha pulegium on colour, nutrients and peroxidation of meat in heat-stressed broilers

This study was designed to investigate the effects of Thymus vulgaris (thyme) and Mentha pulegium (mentha) powders on meat colour, nutrient composition and malondialdehyde (MDA) where broiler chickens were under heat stress. Two hundred one-day-old male chicks were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments and five replicates each (10 birds per replication). Treatments were the control diet, 0.5% mentha, 0.5% thyme and 0.5% mixture of the two plants. The results showed no effect of dietary supplements on thigh meat redness and yellowness. Both plant products diminished the thigh lightness significantly compared with the control. No significant differences between treatments were observed for the ash, ether extract and crude protein content of the thigh muscle. Supplementation of thyme and mentha separately or together increased the moisture of the thigh muscle significantly, compared with the control. The combination of the plant products resulted in a higher thigh pH and significantly lower malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the thigh muscle compared with the control. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of thyme and mentha separately or in combination improved the meat quality of broiler chickens under heat stress through decreasing the MDA concentration and increasing the pH and moisture content of the thigh muscl

A structural model of end user computing satisfaction and user performance

The proliferation of end user computing has necessitated the development of reliable and valid instruments that measure satisfaction in this environment and evaluate its success when used in improving user performance. An instrument for measurement of end user computing satisfaction (EUCS) is developed. Using exploratory factor analysis, six attitudinal dimensions for measurement of EUCS are first identified. Structural equation modelling techniques are then used to explore the relationship between EUCS and user performance. It is shown that the six attitudinal dimensions of EUCS account for a significant portion of the variation in user performance.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Design Considerations for large format far-infrared array detectors

Efficient long wavelength broadband and spectral imaging on SOFIA and in future FIR/sub-mm missions will require large two-dimensional detector arrays. While monolithic near infrared arrays of up to 2048 x 2048 pixels are available, observations at wavelengths beyond 40 µm are still limited to mosaics of 32 x 32 or less pixels. We describe how to combine state-of-the-art FIR/sub-mm photoconductor technology and the elaborate industrial production techniques of the near and mid-infrared to produce larger, more reliable and eventually easier to make long wavelength arrays. This approach includes monolithic photoconductor array configurations optimized for quantum effciency and dark current. For electrical connection to a twodimensional readout chip indium bump bonds similar to those in shorter wavelengths large-format arrays are used. The readout is based on the successful cryo-CMOS technology developed for SIRTF and SOFIA/AIRES. Differences in thermal contraction between detector and readout materials are addressed using techniques developed for large HgCdTe arrays. Initially, we plan for extrinsic Germanium photoconductor arrays of up to 128 x 128 pixels for wavelengths out to 130 µm. Longer wavelengths can be covered as blocked-impurity band Germanium, GaAs or other new detectors become available. Larger arrays may become feasible once the design concepts have been proven

DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF THE FUNDAMENTAL ROTATIONAL TRANSITIONS OF THE OH RADICAL AND AMMONIA BY LASER SIDEBAND SPECTROSCOPY

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology Pasadena; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of TechnologyWe report for the first time the direct (zero-field) spectra of rotational transitions of the OH radical in its $\Omega = 3/2$ and 1/2 states at 3036, 2509.9 and 1834.7 GHz using a recently developed far-infrared laser sideband spectrometer. These measurements have verified and refined the predictions of previous LMR work, thereby confirming the far-infrared detection of interstellar OH. We have also measured several lines of ammonia in the region from 1 to 3 THz. Comparison will be made between the experimental frequencies and predictions based on high resolution infrared spectra. The increased accuracy of these direct measurements will be useful to future astronomical and atmospheric studies of these important transitions