Small and large deformation rheology for hard wheat flour dough as influenced by mixing and resting.

The effects of mixing and resting on the physicochemical properties of doughs prepared with strong and weak hard wheat flours were investigated, specifically concerning aspects related to their rheological behavior and molecular mobility. Small deformation dynamic tests showed that, during the initial resting period, the complex modulus G* decreased and phase angle decreased for undermixed dough, whereas overmixed dough showed opposite trends. G* values for optimally mixed dough did not vary during the resting period investigated. This was more obvious for the strong dough. Large deformation tests more clearly showed differences among optimal, under-, and overmixed dough, and also between doughs prepared with strong and weak flour. Optimally mixed dough exhibited the highest peak stress and strain for both samples. In addition, the peak stress of dough prepared with the strong flour was higher than that of dough prepared with weak flour. Inconsistent results between small and large deformation tests implied that small and large deformation tests reflected different structural aspects of dough. NMR measurements were performed to estimate the relaxation properties of the sample upon resting. Decreased water mobility during resting, indicated by decreasing T(1) relaxation time, was possibly attributed to increasing molecular interactions caused by continued hydration. Evidence of additional molecular interactions created by mixing was also observed.

Characterization of water mobility and distribution in low- and intermediate-moisture food systems.

The mechanism of water uptake in low moisture cereals and cookies has been studied by NMR relaxometry and solid imaging technology implemented on a low-resolution benchtop NMR spectrometer. A comparison between classical MRI and SPRITE imaging are also presented to highlight the benefits of each technology. The spin lattice (T(1)) and spin spin (T(2)) relaxation times, the 1D and 2D SPRITE imaging, were determined on Smacks, corn flakes, chocolate chips cookies, soft caramel candies with a chocolate crème filler, and corn starch/water systems. The Smacks and corn flakes were studied based on the soaking time in milk, and the results showed that T(1) and T(2) decreased in the first 20 sec of soaking and then increased with the soaking time. For Smacks stored at different relative humidity, T(1) decreased during the first day of storage and then was relatively constant over storage time indicating that the system reached an equilibrium. 1D SPRITE profiles indicated an increase in signal intensity over storage time for cookies in 58% RH. However, the moisture uptake was insignificant indicating that the water mobility (and not the amount of water) changed due to various chemical interactions in the system (hydrogen bonding, starch retrogradation, glassy/rubbery equilibrium). The T(1) and T(2) of corn starch/water systems decreased as the concentration in starch increased and temperature increased from 30 degrees C to 60 degrees C. However, for temperatures higher than 60 degrees C, the relaxation times increased showing more mobility and flexibility of the polymer chains during gelatinization.

Autoregressive models for estimating phylogenetic and environmental effects: accounting for within-species variations.

Comparative methods are used to investigate the attributes of present species or higher taxa. Difficulties arise from the phylogenetic heritage: taxa are not independent and neglecting phylogenetic inertia can lead to inaccurate results. Within-species variations in life-history traits are also not negligible, but most comparative methods are not designed to take them into account. Taxa are generally described by a single value for each trait. We have developed a new model which permits the incorporation of both the phylogenetic relationships among populations and within-species variations. This is an extension of classical autoregressive models. This family of models was used to study the effect of fishing on six demographic traits measured on 77 populations of teleost fishes.

Method for estimation of ocean current velocity from satellite images.

Barotropic instability waves on a shear interface propagate at the average speed of the water on the two sides. Assuming the instability to be excited by tidal oscillations, the phase speed is the wavelength divided by the tidal period. If the water is at rest on one side of the shear layer the current speed on the other side can be calculated. This method, applied to the Gulf Stream beyond Cape Hatteras as seen in satellite images, gives estimates of current speed in general agreement with in situ observations.