Extension of the shelf-life of fresh oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) by modified atmosphere packaging with chemical treatments

The objective of this study was to improve the preservation of fresh oyster mushrooms by modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and chemical treatments. The MAP effects and treatments on organoleptic quality, weight loss, cell permeability, texture changes and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity were studied. In addition, three packaging materials were used for MAP mushroom storage. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) proved to be a more suitable material than polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and LDPE-PVC as MAP materials. On the other hand, for mushrooms storage, MAP in combination with chemical treatments (sorbitol 0.05 g/100 g, CaCl2 1.0 g/100 g and citric acid 3.0 g/100 g) showed inhibitory effects on weight loss and mushrooms cell permeability. Furthermore, the results of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, texture and organoleptic analysis also showed that active MAP, composed of 1.5% O2 and 20% CO2 and combined with chemical treatments, was found to be beneficial in maintaining oyster mushrooms quality and shelf-life.Key words: Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), oyster mushroom, shelf-life, preservation, chemical treatments

Development of an Unequal Speed Co-axial Split-Rotor Thresher for Riceit

During high moisture paddy threshing, the separation losses are generally large. However,while attempting to increase cropping intensity, it is often necessary to handle the moist paddy for threshing. Furthermore, in absence of adequate sunshine hours in wet season, crop can’t be dried to a desired moisture level before threshing. Keeping these requirements in mind, a co-axial split-rotor thresher was designed for threshing high moisture paddy. This paper describes design and testing of a stationary thresher with an unequal speed co-axial split-rotor for rice in Thailand. First rotor serves mainly the threshing operation, whereas, rotating at relatively higher speed, the second rotor does mainly the separation of rice grains from husk. Faster rotation of second rotor increases separation performance by increasing centrifugal force. Optimum speed for threshing rotor was considered to be 25 m/s (600 rpm with 0.8 m diameter threshing rotor) and a speed for separation rotor was evaluated. For better grain separation, speed of 30.2 m/s (720 rpm with 0.8 m separation rotor) was found optimum. With the material feeding rate of 0.6-1.8 kg/s, the developed co-axial split-rotor thresher reduced the separation losses to 0.7-1.3% at the separation rotor speed range of 27.4-33.5 m/s. By increasing this speed above 33.5 m/s (800 rpm) the grain damage was increased

Tensile Strength Measurement for Foundry Sand Brick

Tensile strength is an important concept in engineering, especially in the fields of material science, mechanical engineering and structural Engineering. The tensile strength of a material is the maximum amount of tensile stress that can be applied to it before it ceases to be elastic. If more force is applied the material will become plastic or even break. Passed the elastic limit, the material will not relax to its initial shape after the force is removed. See Hooke's Law and Modulus of elasticity. The tensile strength where the material becomes plastic is called yield tensile strength. This is the point where the deformation (strain) of the material is unrecovered, and the work produced by external forces is not stored as elastic energy but will lead to contraction, cracks and ultimately failure of the construction. Clearly, this is a remarkable point for the engineering properties of the material since here the construction may lose its loading capacity or undergo large deformations. On the stress-strain curve below this point is in between the elastic and the plastic region. The Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of a material is the limit stress at which the material actually breaks, with sudden release of the stored elastic energy. Tensile strength is measured in units of force per unit area. In the SI system, the unit is Newton per square meter (N/m² or Pa - Pascal). The U.S customary unit is pounds per square inch (or PSI)

Towards an architecture for open archive networks in Agricultural Sciences and Technology

The AGRIS Network is an international initiative based on a collaborative network of institutions, whose aim is to promote free access to information on science and technology in agriculture and related subjects. The paper illustrates how the Open Access (OA) and the Open Archive Initiative (OAI) models can be used within the AGRIS Network as a means of solving the problems of dissemination and exchange of agricultural research outputs. The lack of adequate information exchange possibilities between researchers in agricultural sciences and technology represents a significant weakness limiting their ability to properly address the issues of agricultural development. The OA model promotes the dissemination of research output at international, national and regional levels thus removing the restrictions placed by the traditional scientific publishing model. This paper presents the possibility to address the accessibility, availability and interoperability issues of exchanging agricultural research output

Towards an architecture for open archive networks in Agricultural Sciences and Technology

The AGRIS Network is an international initiative based on a collaborative network of institutions, whose aim is to promote free access to information on science and technology in agriculture and related subjects. The paper illustrates how the Open Access (OA) and the Open Archive Initiative (OAI) models can be used within the AGRIS Network as a means of solving the problems of dissemination and exchange of agricultural research outputs. The lack of adequate information exchange possibilities between researchers in agricultural sciences and technology represents a significant weakness limiting their ability to properly address the issues of agricultural development. The OA model promotes the dissemination of research output at international, national and regional levels thus removing the restrictions placed by the traditional scientific publishing model. This paper presents the possibility to address the accessibility, availability and interoperability issues of exchanging agricultural research output

Ontology-based Navigation of Bibliographic Metadata

This paper describes the work done within the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on providing an ontology-based navigation for the Food, Nutrition and Agriculture (FNA) Journal. The aim of the revised navigation was to provide more efficient and effective browsing of the Food and Nutrition Publications using a knowledge model to guide the user with concepts and relationships relevant to a specific subject area. With this approach, data from two different bibliographical databases was merged, unified and presented to the user with improved services. A preliminary metadata merge was needed to combine all the information into one system in order to produce a metadata-ontology. Resource Description Framework Schema (RDFS) was chosen to exploit semantic relationships, e.g. the possibilities of browsing the data in different ways (by keywords, categories, authors, etc.), and the creation of a multilingual concept-based advanced search

Sequential two stage release for genu valgum correction in total knee replacement

Background: Valgus deformity presents a major challenge in total knee replacement, especially in moderate or severe cases. Many surgical techniques have been described to balance the soft tissues in correction of a severe valgus deformity during total knee replacement. The structures most commonlyreleased in a valgus knee include the posterolateralaspect of the capsule, iliotibial band (IT band), the lateral collateral ligament (LCL), the popliteustendon, and the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle.Methods: thirty two patients undergoing unilateral total knee replacement were followed for the evaluation of study. There were 22 female (68%) and 10 males (32%) with an age of 62.7±6.9 years (range 50-75) with valgus deformity of 18.59˚±8.32˚ (range 10-40˚). Preoperative diagnosis was rheumatoid arthritis in 23 patients (72%) and osteoarthritis in 9 patients (28%). Posterior stabilizing cemented implants were used.Results: Based on total knee score we achieved 21 (63.64%) excellent, 10 (31.82%) good and 1 (4%) fair results. With the total functional score we had 16 (50%) excellent, 15 (45.45%) good and 1 (4%) fair results. In patients with only step1 release (17 patients) we achieved 84% (15 pts) excellent, 8% (1 pt) good, 8% (1 pt) fair with knee score; and 67% (11pts) excellent, 33% (6pts) good with functional score. In step 2 release group (15 pt) we achieved 10% (1 pt) excellent, 90% (14 pts) good with knee score; and 10% (1pt) excellent, 80% (13 pts) good and 10% (1 pt) fair with functional score. Conclusions: Good to excellent results can be achieved with two step sequential lateral release of posterolateral capsule and IT band pie-crusting which has direct correlation with severity of valgus deformity. The safety, simplicity, and high success rate of the two step sequential lateral release of posterolateral capsule and pie-crusting of IT band justify its routine use to correct every valgus deformity in total knee replacement

Numerical modelling of the flow in a swelling preform during LCM mould filling

Composite industry increasingly uses natural fibres because of their environment-friendly advantages. These natural fibres may swell during the mould filling process when they absorb resin, and this swelling reduces the porosity and permeability of the preform. Hence, computational modelling of the flow in swelling porous media would be useful to model the different mould filling processes with the swelling effect. This paper demonstrates the possibility of using computational fluid dynamics to study the effect of swelling on liquid composite moulding mould filling in isotropic and orthotropic porous media. An empirical relation for local permeability changes is used to model the flow of resin under constant volume flow rate and constant injection pressure conditions. The flow front locations and inlet pressure predicted by the computational fluid dynamics simulations are in good agreement with the experimental data for 1D rectilinear flow case. Further, to capture the flow patterns, two different arrangements employing point injection are considered. It was observed that the volume fraction of resin in swelling porous medium is 6 less than rigid porous medium at any given time. It was also observed that the location of the inlet and outlet has a considerable effect on the flow front advancement

Assessment of Influence and Inter-Relationships of Soil Properties in Irrigated Rice Fields of Bangladesh by GIS and Factor Analysis

Rosana G. Moreira, Editor-in-Chief; Texas A&M UniversityThis is a paper from International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR, Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) E-Journal Volume 9 (2007): Assessment of Influence and Inter-Relationships of Soil Properties in Irrigated Rice Fields of Bangladesh by GIS and Factor Analysis. Manuscript LW 07 022. Vol. IX. November, 2007