Developing Sous Vide/Freezing Systems for Ready-Meal omponents

End of project reportSous vide cooking involves sealing raw or par-cooked food in a vacuumised laminated plastic pouch or container, cooking by controlled heating, rapid chilling and then re-heating for consumption. The chilled storage period is up to 21 days at 0 to 3oC. The recommended thermal process for sous vide products is 90oC for 10min or its time-temperature equivalent. Concerns about the safety of sous vide products, mainly due to the potential for temperature abuse in the chill chain, has prevented the widespread use of this technology. The role of the current project, therefore, was to investigate sous vide cooking followed by freezing, as a safe alternative to sous vide/chilling for 10 ready-meal components i.e. carbohydrates (potatoes, pasta, rice), vegetables (carrots, broccoli) and muscle foods (salmon, cod, chicken, beef and lamb).National Development Plan (NDP

Estimating The Annual Cost of Smoking-Related Diseases in Indonesia

Background: Smoking plays a role in the development of chronic diseases and causes substantial negative economic consequences. This study was carried out to estimate the annual cost of smoking-related cardio-cerebrovascular and pulmonary diseases in the population by taking into account the direct costs associated with such co-morbid conditions in Indonesia. Methods: Meta-analysis using the Mix-Programme Software of the data of patients from university medical centers who were active smokers for more than a year and more than 20-pack years or passive smokers for more than a year and diagnosed with Coronary Heart Disease, Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, COPD, Chronic bronchitis, or Lung Cancer had been conducted. Annual direct cost was taken into account using the Decision Analysis Tree Age Pro (=DATA) software; cost data related to health care expenditure were derived from secondary data sources in Jakarta. In addition, Population Attributable Risk (PAR) for each comorbid conditions was calculated based on published epidemiological data from local and international journals. Results: One-hundred and eighty-seven patients (96% male) satisfying the inclusion criteria, were analyzed, of whom confirmed diagnosis of Stroke was amongst 29% of the patients, CHD 16%, Myocardial Infarction 16%, Lung Cancer 15%, COPD 17%, and Chronic Bronchitis 7%. Mean direct annual cost was highest for Lung Cancer (Rp 51.6 million) followed by Myocardial infarction (Rp 38.5 million) and CHD (Rp 37.8 million); PAR for various co-morbid conditions (based on variations in relative risk and smoking prevalence estimates) were: Stroke ~16%-26%, CHD ~17%-27%, MCI ~ 22%-33%, Lung Cancer ~ 17%-26%, COPD ~ 13%-21%, Chronic Bronchitis ~ 42%-59%. Conclusions: Annual cost of smoking-related diseases in Indonesia has been estimated. The highest cost is for Lung Cancer. The highest PAR is for Chronic Bronchitis

Discovery of Par 1802 as a Low-Mass, Pre-Main-Sequence Eclipsing Binary in the Orion Star-Forming Region

We report the discovery of a pre-main-sequence, low-mass, double-lined, spectroscopic, eclipsing binary in the Orion star-forming region. We present our observations including radial velocities derived from optical high-resolution spectroscopy, and present an orbit solution that permits the determination of precise empirical masses for both components of the system. We measure that Par 1802 is composed of two equal mass (0.39+-0.03, 0.40+-0.03 Msun) stars in a circular, 4.7 day orbit. There is strong evidence, such as the system exhibiting strong Li lines and a center-of-mass velocity consistent with cluster membership, that this system is a member of the Orion star-forming region and quite possibly the Orion Nebula Cluster, and therefore has an age of only a few million years. As there are currently only a few empirical mass and radius measurements for low-mass, PMS stars, this system presents an interesting test for the predictions of current theoretical models of pre-main sequence stellar evolution.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables; Fig 2 caption edite

On the Selmer groups of abelian varieties over function fields of characteristic p>0

In this paper, we study a (p-adic) geometric analogue for abelian varieties over a function field of characteristic p of the cyclotomic Iwasawa theory and the non-commutative Iwasawa theory for abelian varieties over a number field initiated by Mazur and Coates respectively. We will prove some analogue of the principal results obtained in the case over a number field and we study new phenomena which did not happen in the case of number field case. We propose also a conjecture which might be considered as a counterpart of the principal conjecture in the case over a number field. \par This is a preprint which is distributed since 2005 which is still in the process of submision. Following a recent modification of some technical mistakes in the previous version of the paper as well as an amelioration of the presentation of the paper, we decide wider distribution via the archive.Comment: 21 page

Evaluation qualitative macroscopique et microscopique du grasset chez un modèle expérimental d'arthrose canine 90 jours après section du ligament croisé crânial

La transection du ligament croisé crânial (CCLT) est une méthode couramment admise d'induction expérimentale d'arthrose (OA) au niveau du grasset chez le chien. Le but principal de cette étude était d'évaluer qualitativement les lésions d'arthrose induites par la CCLT par macroscopie et histologie 90 jours après chez 21 jeunes femelles de race beagle. Les lèvres de la trochlée fémorale présentaient le plus haut score ostéophytique tandis que la patelle présentait le plus bas et celui du condyle fémoral médial était supérieur à celui du condyle latéral. Les lésions méniscales ont été observées uniquement sur le ménisque médial de 5 genoux opérés. Les lésions macroscopiques du cartilage (stade de fibrillation) ont été notées dans un ordre de fréquence décroissant sur les condyles tibiaux médial et latéral, le condyle fémoral latéral, la trochlée fémorale, le condyle fémoral médial et enfin la patelle. L'examen histologique a révélé que la couche superficielle du cartilage était fibrillée et discontinue. La plupart des cellules étaient rondes et disposées tangentiellement à la surface. Dans les zones transitionnelle et profonde, quelques chondrocytes étaient modérément hypertrophiques et des amas de chondrocytes ont été uniquement observés dans la couche profonde. Concernant la membrane synoviale, un épaississement du mésothélium et une importante densité de collagène ont été notés et le rapport des épaisseurs mésothélium/fibres était entre 1/0.15 et 1/0.10 sur les genoux opérés et 1/0.05 sur les genoux témoins. Les images fournies ici pourront servir de références pour des travaux ultérieurs portant notamment sur les thérapies contre l'arthrose

Mediators and Cytokines in Persistent Allergic Rhinitis and Nonallergic Rhinitis with Eosinophilia Syndrome

Background: Patients with nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES) show typical symptoms of persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR). The aim of the present study was to compare nasal cytokine patterns between NARES and PAR. Methods: Nasal secretions of 31 patients suffering from NARES, 20 patients with PAR to house dust mite and 21 healthy controls were collected using the cotton wool method and analyzed for interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1 beta) by Bio-Plex Cytokine Assay as well as eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and tryptase by UniCAP-FEIA. Results: NARES and PAR presented elevated levels of tryptase, while ECP was markedly increased solely in NARES compared to both the controls and PAR. Elevated levels of IL-1 beta, IL-17, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and MCP-1 were found in NARES compared to the controls as well as PAR. MIP-1 beta was elevated in NARES and PAR, while IL-4, IL-6 and G-CSF showed increased levels in NARES, and IL-5 was elevated in PAR only. Conclusions: In patients with NARES and PAR, eosinophils and mast cells appear to be the pivotal cells of inflammation, reflected by high levels of tryptase and ECP as well as IL-5 and GM-CSF as factors for eosinophil migration and survival. The elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in NARES may indicate the chronic, self-perpetuating process of inflammation in NARES which seems to be more pronounced than in PAR. IL-17 might be a factor for neutrophilic infiltration or be responsible for remodeling processes in NARES. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

LA DISPARITION DE LA SANCTION AUTOMATIQUE D'INELIGIBILITE POUR LES COMPTABLES DE FAIT : QUEL AVENIR POUR LA SANCTION ELECTORALE ?

International audienceLa loi n° 2001-1248 du 21 décembre 2001 relative aux chambres régionales des comptes et à la Cour des comptes supprime la sanction automatique d’inéligibilité pour les élus déclarés gestionnaires de fait et la remplace par une suspension des fonctions d’ordonnateur. Cette nouvelle modalité entre dans une réflexion plus générale sur la modernisation du contrôle des actes financiers et budgétaires des collectivités locales par les chambres régionales des comptes. Mais elle conduit nécessairement à s’interroger sur les motivations ayant présidé à un tel changement et par la suite, à reconsidérer la question de l’inéligibilité automatique comme sanction électorale

La tuberculose bovine à Madagascar

Une enquête sur la tuberculose bovine a été réalisée à Madagascar, en 1969-1970, par les méthodes d'inspection d'abattoir et de tuberculination intra-dermique. La proportion des saisies pour tuberculose, effectuées dans tous les abattoirs de l'île au cours des dix dernières années, a été relevée et contrôlée par sondages régionaux: 21 p. 100 des 1.465.000 bovins inspectés ont été reconnus tuberculeux. Les résultats de 9.217 tuberculinations effectuées ont été analysés par race, sexe, âge et mode d'élevage des bovins éprouvés. Les solutions actuellement possibles à Madagascar pour abaisser le taux de tuberculose bovine sont envisagées. (Résumé d'auteur