Minerals and Total Polyphenolic Content of Some Vegetal Powders

The total polyphenolic content and minerals were determined for chia seeds, Psyllium husks and watermelon rind powder. The minerals content was performed by using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emissions Spectrometer and Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, technique FIAS-Furnace (for Se). The sample with the highest content of polyphenols was chia (2.69 mg GAE/g s.) followed by the watermelon rind powder. Reduced amounts of polyphenols were found in the Psyllium husks. Also, the total polyphenol concentration increased with the increase of the extraction time on the ultrasonic water bath. Minerals analysis indicated that powders obtained from chia seeds and watermelon rind contained large amounts of potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. The most abundant mineral in the Psyllium husks powder was found potassium, followed by calcium. In conclusion, these powders can be used as ingredients for functional food and food supplements production due to the high nutritional content and bioactive properties

Speed factors computed for pumping schedules in Water Distribution Networks: DDA versus PDA formulations

This paper focuses on a methodology allowing to derive the pumping schedule in Water Distribution Networks (WDN), upon a time dependent water demand. The selected test case is a previously studied WDN. Two pumping algorithms give different pumping rules. By solving the nonlinear system of equations, consisting of energy balance equations, mass balance equations and pumping rules, one gets the pumps speed factors. Solutions attached to the Pressure Driven Analysis (PDA) correspond to energy and cost savings, with respect to the solutions given by the Demand Driven Analysis (DDA). The methodology described in this paper is simple and rapid, but the iterative numerical method used to solve the system of equations is highly dependent on the starting guess

Experimental test rig designed to analyse pumping station operation controlled by pressure at different key points

The operation of pumps within a pumping station can be controlled by the Pressure Set Point (PSP) value compared to the reading of a pressure sensor placed either at the exit of the pumping station, on the main discharge pipe (classical PSP method), or at a critical/monitoring point within the water distribution network (termed further as remote-control PSP method). We designed and built an experimental test rig, allowing to study both control methods, in the attempt to check the advantage of the remote-control PSP method, with respect to the classical PSP method, since governing equations show that they are equivalent. The design relies on the theoretical approach and numerical results presented within this paper

In vitro bovine embryos evaluation based on OCT4, SOX2, IGF1R and IGF2R expression level

In vitro production of bovine embryos comprises a lot of factors that can influence the successful of this technique, oxidative stress being one of them. These factors can influence the evolution of important development processes such as the maternal to zygotic transition and the embryonic genome activation. Adding antioxidants to in vitro culture media exerts the key role to reduce the effects of reactive oxidative species produced during assisted reproduction technique, influencing in a positive way also the early embryonic developement. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of antioxidant rosmarinic acid (105 μM), added to in vitro bovine oocytes maturation media, on the quality of embryo produced based on gene expression level of OCT4, SOX2, IGF1R and IGF2R. For this purpose, we used 35 bovine ovaries taken from slougtherhouse from which we obtain 202 cumulus-oocyte-complexes and 127 of them were maturated in vitro based on morphological aspects. The cumulus-oocyte-complexes were divided in two groups: control (M1, M2, M3) and with acid rozmarinic (AR1, AR2 and AR3). The levels of OCT4, SOX2, IGF1R and IGF2R were the highest in group AR1, embryos obtain from oocytes class I supplemented with rozmarinic acid, where OCT4 expression was 4.08, SOX2 was 27.66, IGF1R and IGF2R were 53.44 and 25.10

Collection of blastomeres in order to establish sex and isolate genetic material-review

Globally, limited access to food needs in relation to meat or milk production has required the establishment of the sex of offspring from the embryonic stage. While the meat industry uses males, the dairy industry relies on females. During the period of exploitation, the number of products obtained from a female bovine is 5-6 individuals, their sex being able to be influenced by means of sexed semen. Embryo sexing programs can result in a large number of conception products, in a shorter period of time taking into account the desired sex. The use of the desired sex embryo facilitates the improvement of the genetic value. Embryonic sexing procedures involve the collection by biopsy of a minimum amount of genetic material that can ensure the determination of sex. Both invasive and non-invasive biopsy and sexing procedures can influence the subsequent viability of embryos prepared for embryo transfer. This paper highlights the methods of embryonic sexing along with the advantages and disadvantages of each technique involved in determining sex