Improving quality in Iberian “Chouriço Grosso”, a Portuguese traditional sausage, using autochthonous starter cultures

“Chouriço Grosso“ is a traditional and high quality Portuguese sausage made of meat from a rustic and fatty Alentejano pig breed in the south east region of Portugal. At a traditional factory, 4 batches, with 25 kg, each, were prepared to produce “Chouriço Grosso” using different starter inoculations: 1 - with 108 cells/g of Lactobacillus sakei and 108 cells/g of Staphylococcus xylosus, 2 - with 108 cells/g of Lactobacillus sakei, 3 - with 108 cells/g of Staphylococcus xylosus, 4 - control, not inoculated. Using five samples from each batch of cured sausages (n=5), some chemical and physical analysis (pH, aw, chromatic coordinates L*, a* and b*), rheological tests (Texture Profile Analyse and cutting test), sensorial evaluation (colour intensity, off colours, aroma intensity, off aromas, taste intensity, off tastes, tenderness, juiciness and global evaluation) and microbiological analysis (mesophylic aerobic counts, psychrotrophics, yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcaceae, Enterobacreriacea, Enterococcus faecalis, coliforms and E. coli) were carried out. The control batch, when compared to the remaining three batches, revealed higher pH, aw, L* and b* values, and a lower a* value. The control batch also exhibited significantly lower values (p<0,05), when compared to the inoculated batches, as far as the texture parameters are concerned (hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, resilience, gumminess, chewiness and cutting force) and presented significantly higher values (p<0,05) for pejorative sensorial attributes (off colour, off aroma, off taste and global evaluation). According to microbiological results, the psychrotrophics, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus faecalis, coliforms and E. coli counts were significantly higher (p<0,05) in the control batch. This experiment allowed to reveal the important role of the studied autochthonous cultures in order to promote microbiological and sensorial quality in this kind of food

Two-dimensional flows of foam: drag exerted on circular obstacles and dissipation

A Stokes experiment for foams is proposed. It consists in a two-dimensional flow of a foam, confined between a water subphase and a top plate, around a fixed circular obstacle. We present systematic measurements of the drag exerted by the flowing foam on the obstacle, \emph{versus} various separately controlled parameters: flow rate, bubble volume, solution viscosity, obstacle size and boundary conditions. We separate the drag into two contributions, an elastic one (yield drag) at vanishing flow rate, and a fluid one (viscous coefficient) increasing with flow rate. We quantify the influence of each control parameter on the drag. The results exhibit in particular a power-law dependence of the drag as a function of the solution viscosity and the flow rate with two different exponents. Moreover, we show that the drag decreases with bubble size, increases with obstacle size, and that the effect of boundary conditions is small. Measurements of the streamwise pressure gradient, associated to the dissipation along the flow of foam, are also presented: they show no dependence on the presence of an obstacle, and pressure gradient depends on flow rate, bubble volume and solution viscosity with three independent power laws.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures, proceeding of Eufoam 2004 conferenc

A Consciousness-Based Quantum Objective Collapse Model

Ever since the early days of quantum mechanics it has been suggested that consciousness could be linked to the collapse of the wave function. However, no detailed account of such an interplay is usually provided. In this paper we present an objective collapse model (a variation of CSL) where the collapse operator depends on integrated information, which has been argued to measure consciousness. By doing so, we construct an empirically adequate scheme in which superpositions of conscious states are dynamically suppressed. Unlike other proposals in which "consciousness causes the collapse of the wave function," our model is fully consistent with a materialistic view of the world and does not require the postulation of entities suspicious of laying outside of the quantum realm

Testing Geo-Replicated Aplications

Geo-replication has been a common technique to provide clients with fast worldwide access to an application. For such large-scale systems, the application’s servers, logic and data are replicated in many geographical locations across different continents. Creating and maintaining geo-replicated applications is challenging and developers often make mistakes due to the complexity of these systems. Software tools and frame- works, such as Jepsen and JepREST, are currently available to assist with the testing process and the correctness of distributed applications. Yet, these tools were not designed to test applications that are spread out in a geo-replicated way without extra effort. For this purpose, we have extended the functionalities of JepREST to support testing geo-replicated applications. This involves the deployment of virtual clients around the world that perform a set of operations simultaneously on the application while producing logs that will be analysed to check if the execution was correct. These clients will attempt to uncover any inconsistencies being made by the application. As they act like real- world clients, detecting anomalies in the behaviour of the application can be deemed unacceptable. That is why it is crucial for an application to be able to maintain its claims of being correct and ensuring data consistency. To accommodate the generated results that are now scattered around the globe we have implemented an algorithm that compiles them into a unified sequence of operations ordered by their time of execution. Since our clients use different clocks, there can be slight discrepancies which can cause operations to be ordered differently than what happened in reality. To address this, we calculate the time gaps between our clients’ clocks and consider these differences in the verification process using a checker algorithm modified to handle such cases. To test the accuracy of this algorithm we built a geo-replicated application and deployed JepREST to test it worldwide. The results show that the algorithm is able to detect anomalies present in the sequences of operations that do not respect causal consistency. We also designed custom histories of operations to test the limits of our algorithm, for which the algorithm was able to correctly output the results.A Geo-Replicação tem sido uma técnica comum para proporcionar aos clientes um acesso global e rápido a uma aplicação. Para tais sistemas de larga escala, os servidores, a lógica e os dados da aplicação são replicados em várias localizações geográficas em diferentes continentes. Construir e manter serviços geo-replicados é um desafio para os informáticos devido à sua complexidade. Algumas ferramentas, como o Jepsen e JepREST, já foram desenvolvidas para auxiliar o processo de teste e correção de sistemas distribuídos, no entanto, estas não são capazes de testar sistemas geo-replicados com muita facilidade. Para este propósito, estendemos as funcionalidades do JepREST para suportar testes em aplicações geo-replicadas. Isto envolveu a criação de clientes virtuais espalhados por todo o mundo, que realizam um conjunto de operações na aplicação concorrentemente. Ao mesmo tempo, geram ficheiros que serão analisados para verificar se a execução foi correta. Estes clientes tentarão descobrir quaisquer inconsistências da aplicação. São clientes a agir como um utilizador do mundo real, e por isso, ao detetarmos anomalias no comportamento da aplicação,esta pode ser considerada como tendo um comportamento inaceitável. Por essa razão, é crucial que uma aplicação consiga manter as suas afirmações de correção e garantir a consistência dos seus dados. Para tratar os resultados gerados que estão dispersos pelo globo nos diversos clientes, implementámos um algoritmo que os compila para uma única sequência de operações ordenadas pelo tempo de execução. Como os nossos clientes utilizam relógios de diferentes máquinas, podem existir pequenas discrepâncias que levam às operações sendo incorretamente ordenadas. Para solucionar isto, são calculadas as diferenças entre os relógios dos nossos clientes. Estas diferenças vão ter impacto na posterior análise dos resultados por parte de um algoritmo, modificado para tratar de tais casos. Para testar a precisão deste algoritmo, construímos uma aplicação geo-replicada e utilizámos o JepREST para a testar a nível mundial. Os resultados mostram que o algoritmo é capaz de detetar anomalias presentes nas sequências de operações que não respeitam a consistência causal. Também desenhamos testes personalizados de operações para avaliar os limites do nosso algoritmo, para os quais o algoritmo foi capaz de apresentar os resultados esperados

Quality improvement of traditional dry fermented sausages based on innovative technological strategies

Dry fermented sausages are highly appreciated food specialties, mainly in Portugal and other southern European countries. Therefore, all research efforts aiming at improving the food quality and safety of traditional dry sausages are of interest, since they are likely to result in products with higher added value and quality standards most suited to the requirements and concerns of the modern consumers. Among those efforts, it may be highlighted the studies involving innovative processing parameters and technologies to overcome practical problems gathered in the meat industry, which are mostly associated with food quality and safety. Additionally, characterization of traditional dry sausages and rationalization of their processing are essential for further achievement of any official certification. Thus, this article attempts to point out some research lines of highest interest in meat science (and particularly to the broad variety of regional dry fermented sausages), towards to the valorisation of technological, nutritional and commercial features. In addition, it is here emphasized the importance for the continuous improvement of the quality and safety of meat products as a way to respond to the current concerns regarding its consumption and the general advices in reducing its daily intake

A geometric decomposition of spaces into cells of different types II: Homology theory

We develop the homology theory of CW (A)-complexes, generalizing the classical cellular homology theory for CW-complexes. A CW (A)-complex is a topological space which is built up out of cells of a certain core A.Fil: Minian, Elias Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Investigaciones Matemáticas "Luis A. Santaló". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Matemáticas "Luis A. Santaló"; ArgentinaFil: Ottina, Enzo Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Matemática; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentin

Server Placement with Shared Backups for Disaster-Resilient Clouds

A key strategy to build disaster-resilient clouds is to employ backups of virtual machines in a geo-distributed infrastructure. Today, the continuous and acknowledged replication of virtual machines in different servers is a service provided by different hypervisors. This strategy guarantees that the virtual machines will have no loss of disk and memory content if a disaster occurs, at a cost of strict bandwidth and latency requirements. Considering this kind of service, in this work, we propose an optimization problem to place servers in a wide area network. The goal is to guarantee that backup machines do not fail at the same time as their primary counterparts. In addition, by using virtualization, we also aim to reduce the amount of backup servers required. The optimal results, achieved in real topologies, reduce the number of backup servers by at least 40%. Moreover, this work highlights several characteristics of the backup service according to the employed network, such as the fulfillment of latency requirements.Comment: Computer Networks 201

Perfil de ácidos gordos em enchidos tradicionais do Alentejo: influência do genótipo, do teor de sal e do calibre

Com este trabalho pretendeu-se estudar o perfil em ácidos gordos em enchidos tradicionais do Alentejo, produzidos com carne e gordura de porco, verificando a influência do genótipo (Alentejano e Alentejano x Duroc) e do teor em sal (2 e 4 %). Os enchidos estudados foram: salsichão, catalão, chouriço preto, paio preto, linguiça e paio. O processo de fabrico é idêntico para salsichão e catalão, chouriço preto e paio preto, linguiça e paio, apenas variando o calibre do enchido. Desta forma foi ainda possível avaliar se há efeito do calibre no perfil de ácidos gordos. A quantificação do perfil em ácidos gordos nestes enchidos envolve uma etapa prévia de extracção da amostra. Assim, iniciou-se este trabalho com o desenvolvimento/optimização de um método extractivo baseado em extracção com líquido pressurizado (PLE), utilizando como solvente uma mistura de clorofórmio/metanol (60:40(v/v)) contendo BHT com agente antioxidante. A subsequente quantificação dos ácidos gordos presentes nos extractos lipídicos obtidos por PLE através de GC-FID envolve uma etapa prévia de derivatização da amostra com vista à obtenção dos correspondentes derivados ésteres metílicos. Este procedimento experimental engloba uma etapa de saponificação em meio alcalino seguido de esterificação, a quente, com BF3 em metanol. Os derivados ésteres metílicos obtidos foram identificados e quantificados por GC-FID mediante a comparação dos seus tempos de retenção com os de uma mistura padrão de composição conhecida assim como pela determinação dos índices de retenção lineares. Os resultados obtidos foram submetidos a uma análise de variância, de modo a avaliar o possível efeito dos três factores de variação no perfil em ácidos gordos dos enchidos

Large magnetocaloric effect and magnetic properties of polymorphic RCrO4 (R=rare earth) oxides

Trabajo presentado al: "International Symposium on the Reactivity of Solids" celebrado en San Petersburgo (Rusia) del 9 al 13 de junio de 2014.-- et al.RCrO4 oxides, where R=rare earth, crystallize at ambient conditions with the tetragonal zircon-type structure, S.G. I41/amd. Recently, we have succeeded to synthesize the scheelite polymorphs (S.G. I41/a) for most of the R elements, by treating the zircon phases at 40 kbar and 813 K. These scheelite high pressure forms are quencheable after releasing the pressure, and TGA and X-ray diffraction data reveal a reversible transition from scheelite polymorph to zircon at 700 K. The coexistence of two paramagnetic ions in these phases, namely Cr5+ and R3+, constitutes a very interesting scenario to study 3d-4f magnetic interactions. In this sense, most of the zircon-type RCrO4 oxides behave as ferromagnetic, while the scheelite polymorphs are antiferromagnetic. The change in the sign of the magnetic interaction can be explained by considering the changes in both distances and bond angles of Cr-O-R pathway through which the superexchange interactions take place. Neutron diffraction studies have been used to determine the nuclear and magnetic structures for these zircon and scheelite RCrO4 polymorphs. The analysis of the data reveals the onset of new reflections below the estimated Néel temperature from the previous magnetic susceptiblity data corresponding to the scheelite phases. The magnetic structure for these scheelite RCrO4 oxides can be described with a propagation vector κ = [0 0 0], where the moments of R3+ and Cr5+ are aligned along the c-axis or confined in the ab-plane of the tetragonal structure depending on the nature of the R element. This behavior has been confirmed from heat capacity measurements where the onsets of λ-anomalies at the ordering temperatures are almost coincident with those determined from magnetic susceptibility and neutron diffraction analysis. A detailed analysis of the zircon and scheelite structural types is included in this work to explain the different magnetic behavior showed by these two polymorphic phases allowing establishing relationships structure-magnetic properties. Very recently it has been reported that the zircon RCrO4 (R= Ho and Dy) phases show large values of the magnetocaloric parameters that make of these oxides potential refrigerant materials to be used for the liquefaction of hydrogen. It is noting that the field induced magnetization in the case of the scheelite polymorphs yields magnetic moments larger than in the case of the homologous zircon phases and hence the magnetocaloric effect is expected to be larger for the scheelite polymorphs in comparison with the zircon ones. In this work a preliminary study has been done in order to determine the magnetocaloric parameters of the two polymorphic phases of TbCrO4 and HoCrO4. In this sense the isothermal entropy change, ΔST, as a function of temperature has been calculated for magnetic field variations from the measurements of magnetization versus field at different temperatures. Both magnetocaloric parameters, ΔST and the adiabatic temperature change, ΔTad, have also been evaluated from the entropy functions at different fields obtained from the heat capacity data.Peer Reviewe

A jornada de trabalho e o exame toxicológico obrigatório na Lei n° 13.103/15: um estudo a luz dos princípios constitucionais da dignidade da pessoa humana, da razoabilidade e da proteção

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso, apresentado para obtenção do grau de Bacharel no curso de Direito da Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, UNESC.O presente estudo tem como escopo, analisar a jornada de trabalho e a obrigatoriedade do exame toxicológico para os motoristas profissionais a luz dos princípios constitucionais da dignidade da pessoa humana, da razoabilidade e da proteção. O trabalho para uma melhor análise, foi dividido em três capítulos, respectivamente: a) um estudo sobre os princípios de proteção ao trabalhador na legislação brasileira; b) um estudo sobre motorista profissional: evolução histórica e exposição da legislação pertinente; c) um estudo acerca da obrigação do exame toxicológico para motoristas profissionais: alterações na legislação, estatísticas. O problema central do estudo está em relacionar a jornada de trabalho, a exigência do exame toxicológico, o objetivo do mesmo, com os princípios de proteção ao trabalhador. Na presente monografia utilizou-se a Lei Maior e legislações esparsas. Quanto aos resultados da pesquisa realizada, foi possível demonstrar que a obrigatoriedade do exame toxicológico não alcança seu objetivo de forma integral diante da jornada de trabalho exercida, além de gerar diversos conflitos. Neste contexto, conclui-se que devido aos pontos conflitantes e ausência de comprovada eficácia, esta obrigação não cumpre com o seu propósito