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A super-resolution restoration algorithm based on sample learning is to implement the “learning” between the images with high resolution and low resolution usually in the way of “search and paste”. To improve the quality of restored image by building a huge sample database. The mismatching in search results may lead lower reconstructed quality. To solve these questions, this paper proposes a facial image super-resolution reconstruction algorithm based on niche genetic algorithm. The algorithm processes in regions based on facial image’s textural features, to divide the solve space into multi layers, different distance constants can be used in each layer and to take advantage of the features in a niche that only have one individual to ensure algorithm would not easy to be involved in local optimum. The experimental results show that our algorithm can reach a preferable reconstructed quality and with faster running speed, which is an effective facial image super-resolution reconstruction method.

Background Postoperative hemorrhage following cardiopulmonary bypass in heart valve replacement patients may be caused by a mismatch of protamine and heparin. We hypothesized that a 2-titration-guided protamine dose would reduce protamine-heparin mismatch and bleeding in those patients. Methods Patients scheduled for elective cardiac valve replacement surgery (N = 60) were randomly divided into 3 groups. All patients received 2 titrations: the first at termination of cardiopulmonary bypass and the second at 5 minutes after the initial dose of protamine. In the control group, the initial protamine dose was based on the heparin dose received; the supplemental protamine dose was empirically determined. In the single-titration group, the initial dose was based on the first titration, while supplemental dose was empirically determined. In the 2-titration group, both initial and supplemental doses were based on titrations. Bleeding volumes were recorded from the time of first protamine dose to 24 hours after surgery. Results Most patients needed supplemental protamine according to second titrations. In the 2-titration group, 12 patients received supplemental protamine, whereas only 1 patient in the single-titration group and 6 in the control group received supplemental protamine ( P = 0.003). The blood loss was significantly less in the 2-titration group (526 ± 131 mL) than in the control group (730 ± 385 mL; P = 0.019). Conclusions A higher dosage of protamine based on 2 titrations reduced blood loss after surgery, supporting the hypothesis that inadequate dosage of protamine contributes to hemorrhage after valve replacement surgery.

To further understand the relationships between the SS genome of Sinapis arvensis and the AA, BB genomes in Brassica, genomic DNA of Sinapis arvensis was hybridized to the metaphase chromosomes of Brassica nigra (BB genome), and the metaphase chromosomes and interphase nucleus of Brassica rapa (AA genome) by comparative genomic in situ hybridization (cGISH). As a result, every chromosome of B. nigra had signals along the whole chromosomal length. However, only half of the condensed heterochromatic areas in the interphase nucleus and the chromosomes showed rich signals in Brassica rapa. Interphase nucleus and the metaphase chromosomes of S. arvensis were simultaneously hybridized with digoxigenin-labeled genomic DNA of B. nigra and biotin-labeled genomic DNA of B. rapa. Signals of genomic DNA of B. nigra hybridized throughout the length of all chromosomes and all the condensed heterochromatic areas in the interphase nucleus, except chromosome 4, of which signals were weak in centromeric regions. Signals of the genomic DNA of B. rapa patterned the most areas of ten chromosomes and ten condensed heterochromatic areas, others had less signals. The results showed that the SS genome had homology with AA and BB genomes, but the homology between SS genome and AA genome was clearly lower than that between the SS genome and BB genome.

In this paper, a dynamic model of a linear medium with mass flow, such as traveling strings, cables, belts, beams or pipes conveying fluids, is proposed, in the framework of Arbitrary-Lagrange–Euler (ALE) description. The material coordinate is introduced to characterize the mass-flow of the medium, and the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF) is employed to capture geometric nonlinearity of the linear media under large displacement and rotation. The governing equations are derived in terms of d'Alembert's principle. When using an ALE description, complex mass-flowing boundary conditions can be easily enforced. Numerical examples are presented to validate the proposed method by comparison with analytical results of simplified models. The computed critical fluid velocity for the stability of a cantilevered pipe conveying fluid is correlated with the available theory in literature. The large amplitude limit-cycle oscillations of flexible pipes conveying fluid are presented, and the effect of the velocity of the fluid on the static equilibrium of the pipe under gravity is investigated.

In this paper, a short summary of the formulation of absolute nodal coordinates elements, including beam, plate, and large deformation solid elements, is given and two aspects of the integration of the elements into a general-purpose flexible multibody system, i.e., constraints and contacts, are studied. As an alternative to the constraint method for coupling flexible and rigid bodies, the direct assembling of nodal absolute coordinates into those of rigid body’s is proposed to simultaneously reduce the number of system generalized coordinates and constraint equations. To enable the contacts between flexible and rigid bodies, the shape of contacting bodies are represented with basic geometries including sphere, brick, cylinder, and triangular patches, and the collision detections between bodies are converted into those of basic geometries or tessellated triangular meshes of the outer surface. Several numerical examples are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of presented methods.

This paper presents a dynamic model of a planar flexible inverted pendulum system under the frame of multi-body dynamics by floating frame of reference formulation (FFRF). By proper simplification and linearization, the state space equation of the system was established for linear analysis and control design. The simulation method for such a coupled system by multi-body dynamics program was also provided. The designed controller with a simple low-pass filter for the flexible inverted pendulum was validated by the simulation of a simple flexible pendulum sample. The result demonstrates a new method of designing and verifying a feedback controller of a flexible multi-body system.

Steaks from five bovine muscles [psoas major (PM), longissimus lumborum (LL), deep semimembranosus (DSM), superficial semimembranosus (SSM), and semitendinosus (ST)] were packaged in atmospheres containing 20% or 80% oxygen, with and without 0.4% carbon monoxide. Steaks were evaluated on d 0, 4, and 7 of retail display for instrumental (CIE L(∗), a(∗), and b(∗)) and visual colour, total- and metmyoglobin-reducing activity, and oxygen consumption rate. Combining carbon monoxide with either oxygen level had no effect (P0.05) on any measured attribute. Using higher oxygen levels increased colour stability and reduced variability (P0.05) among muscles for all measured attributes. In general, colour stability and reducing activity for the muscles were LLSTSSMPMDSM. Including 0.4% carbon monoxide with 20% or 80% oxygen may not have impacted colour, due to preferential formation of oxymyoglobin, rather than carboxymyoglobin, at these oxygen levels.

A kind of reflective all-fiber magnetic field sensor based on a non-adiabatically tapered microfiber with magnetic fluid is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The modal interference effect is caused by the abrupt tapers, which result in an approximately sinusoidal spectral response. The reflection spectra of the proposed sensor under different magnetic field strengths have been measured and theoretically analyzed. The maximum sensitivity of 174.4 pm/Oe is achieved at wavelength of around 1511 nm. Besides, an intensity tunability of −0.02 dB/Oe is also achieved. Comparing with the traditional sensors operating at transmission mode, the presented sensor in this work owns the advantages of smaller size and higher sensitivity and resolution due to the enhanced extinction ratio. The proposed structure is also promising for designing other tunable all-in-fiber photonic devices.

Simultaneous measurement of magnetic field and temperature is proposed and experimentalized with a magnetic fluid-clad long period fibergrating structure. Magnetic fluid is used as the surrounding material of the long period fiber grating. Both of the wavelength and intensityof the spectral resonance valley of the proposed structure can be influenced by the applied magnetic field and ambient temperaturevariation. A two-parameter matrix method is proposed and utilized to measure the magnetic field and temperature simultaneously. Thelinear relationship between the corresponding wavelength shift/intensity variation and magnetic field/temperature change is obtained atcertain ranges of magnetic field and temperature, which is favorable for sensing applications.

Mitochondria potentially influence Mb redox stability in meat by (1) decreasing partial oxygen pressure via oxygen consumption, (2) mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC)-linked reduction of MetMb, and/or (3) oxidation of mitochondrial membrane lipid. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of freeze-thaw and sonication treatments on mitochondrial oxygen consumption, ETC-dependent MetMb reducing activity, lipid oxidation, and Mb redox stability. Mitochondria were frozen and thawed (-18°C for 2h and 4°C for 0.5h) for 3 cycles, or sonicated for 30s with a sonic dismembrator. State III oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was decreased by both treatments at pH 7.2, and by sonication only at pH 5.6 (P0.05). There was no effect on state IV OCR (P0.05). Respiratory control ratio (RCR) was decreased by freeze-thaw and sonication at pH 7.2 and 5.6 (P0.05). Sonication increased mitochondrial lipid oxidation and MetMb formation (P0.05); a similar effect was observed in sonicated samples in the presence of ascorbic acid and ferric chloride (P0.05). Sonication also decreased mitochondrial ETC-dependent MetMb reduction (P0.05). These results suggested that sonication treatment had the potential to affect Mb stability via mitochondrial lipid oxidation and/or ETC-mediated MetMb reduction, but the effect on myoglobin stability by freeze-thaw treatment was minimal.

Krzywicki's equations have been widely used for estimating the relative proportions of myoglobin (Mb) redox forms in aqueous solution. However, these equations have generated negative values for some redox forms, and total Mb estimates obtained by summation of the individual redox forms have deviated from unity. The inappropriate selection of wavelengths (545, 565, and 572 nm) used to generate these equations appears to have been responsible for these problems. Therefore, Krzywicki's equations were modified by using wavelength maxima at 503, 557, and 582 nm, representative for metmyoglobin, deoxymyoglobin, and oxymyoglobin, respectively. Millimolar extinction coefficients at these wavelengths were calculated, and a set of modified equations was established for determining the relative proportions of Mb redox forms in aqueous solution. The new equations demonstrated improved performance in decreasing the occurrence and magnitude of negative values and in estimating total Mb, when compared with Krzywicki' original equations.

This study was performed to investigate the effects of food-grade reducing agents on counteracting premature browning (PMB) and to determine the relative heat stability of different redox states of bovine myoglobin (Mb). Sodium erythorbate (SE), erythorbic acid (EA), sodium ascorbate (SA), ascorbic acid (AA) and ascorbyl palmitate (AP) were added to ground beef (15% fat) at a concentration of 2.3 mM; patties were prepared and stored at 4 °C and at −18 °C. Surface redness ( a * values), lipid oxidation and total reducing activity (TRA) were measured on raw beef, and a * values recorded from cooked internal surfaces. Bovine Mb was purified from biceps femoris muscle and heat capacity was measured using differential scanning calorimetry. All reducing agents decreased lipid oxidation and increased TRA relative to controls ( p p T m , of metmyoglobin appeared lower than that of oxymyoglobin and deoxymyoglobin. Reducing agents can maintain Mb in the reduced state, and their addition to ground beef may be one method of preventing PMB.

Off-flavor and discoloration of meat products result from lipid oxidation and myoglobin (Mb) oxidation, respectively, and these two processes appear to be interrelated. The objective of this study was to investigate their potential interaction in mitochondria and the effects of mitochondrial alpha-tocopherol concentrations on lipid oxidation and metmyoglobin (MetMb) formation in vitro. The addition of ascorbic acid and ferric chloride (AA-Fe(3+)) increased ovine and bovine mitochondrial lipid oxidation when compared with their controls (p0.05); MetMb formation also increased with increased lipid oxidation relative to controls (p0.05). Reactions containing Mb and mitochondria with greater alpha-tocopherol concentrations demonstrated less lipid oxidation and MetMb formation than mitochondria with lower alpha-tocopherol concentrations. Greater mitochondrial alpha-tocopherol concentration was also correlated with increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption in vitro and with a more pronounced effect at pH 7.2 than at pH 5.6. Relative to controls, succinate addition to bovine mitochondria resulted in increased concentrations of ubiquinol 10 and alpha-tocopherol and decreased lipid and Mb oxidation (p0.05). Mitochondrial lipid oxidation was closely related to MetMb formation; both processes were inhibited by alpha-tocopherol in a concentration-dependent manner.

Reduction of ferric myoglobin (metmyoglobin, MetMb) to its ferrous form is important for maintaining fresh meat color because only reduced myoglobin can bind oxygen to form the consumer-preferred cherry red color in fresh meat. The objective of this study was to characterize an apparent mitochondria electron transport chain (ETC)-linked pathway for MetMb reduction in vitro. MetMb was reduced in the presence of mitochondria and succinate (p0.05); mitochondria or succinate alone did not facilitate MetMb reduction relative to controls (p0.05). Flushing samples with oxygen greatly decreased MetMb reduction, while flushing with argon increased MetMb reduction when compared with controls (p0.05). ETC inhibitors were used to localize the site where electrons became available for MetMb reduction. MetMb reduction was increased by rotenone addition and decreased by malonic acid (p0.05); the reduction was completely abolished by additions of antimycin A or myxothiazol when compared with controls (p0.05). These results suggest that electrons become available for MetMb reduction at a site(s) between complex III and IV. Mitochondrial ETC-linked MetMb reduction increased with increased mitochondrial density and succinate concentration (p0.05); the greatest MetMb reduction was observed at pH 7.2 and 37 degrees C, and ETC-linked MetMb reducing activity decreased with time postmortem (p0.05). These results indicate that ETC-linked MetMb reduction exists but would be minimally active in postmortem muscles.

Premature browning (PMB) describes cooked beef that may appear done before reaching 71 °C. Ground beef from paired Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Psoas major (PM) muscles was formed into patties. Patties were cooked immediately, and after 48 and 96 h storage at 4 °C. Total reducing activity (TRA) and external color were measured immediately prior to cooking. Patties were cooked to internal end point temperatures of 60, 66, 71 or 77 °C and internal cooked color (L(*), a(*) and b(*) values) was measured. Raw PM patties had greater L(*) values and lesser a(*) values than those from LL (P0.05). For LL and PM, raw a(*) and b(*) values decreased with storage from 0 h to 96 h (P0.05). At 0 and 48 h storage, cooked patties prepared from PM had greater a(*) values than those prepared from LL at all internal endpoint temperatures (P0.05). Internal cooked a(*) values of patties from PM decreased with storage of raw patties, whereas it was stable for LL patties (P0.05).

The oxidation of oxymyoglobin (OxyMb) to metmyoglobin (MetMb) is responsible for fresh meat discoloration. Glutathione (GSH) is an important tripeptide reductant that can protect lipid and protein from oxidation. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of GSH on MetMb formation in vitro and in bovine skeletal muscle cytosol. Equine MetMb formation was greater in the presence of GSH than controls at pH 5.6 or 7.2 and 25 or 37 degrees C (p0.05); GSH addition to purified bovine OxyMb solution also resulted in more MetMb formation at pH 7.2 and 25 or 37 degrees C (p0.05). This effect on MetMb formation was partly or completely inhibited by EDTA or catalase in the GSH-equine OxyMb system (p0.05). The addition of GSH to bovine muscle cytosol inhibited MetMb formation at pH 5.6 or 7.2 and 4 or 25 degrees C (p0.05); the effect was concentration-dependent. The inhibitory effect was observed in a high molecular weight (HMW) but not low molecular weight fraction of cytosol at pH 7.2 and 25 degrees C (p0.05); there was no effect when HMW was heated at 90 degrees C for 15 min. These results suggest the antioxidant effect of GSH on bovine OxyMb is dependent on heat-sensitive HMW cytosolic component(s).

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is related to diabetes. Uric acid-induced inflammation and oxidative stress are risk factors for diabetes and its complications. Human urate transporter 1 (URAT1) regulates the renal tubular reabsorption of uric acid. IA-2(5)-P2-1, a potent immunogenic carrier designed by our laboratory, can induce high-titer specific antibodies when it carries a B cell epitope, such as B cell epitopes of DPP4 (Dipeptidyl peptidase-4), xanthine oxidase. In this report, we describe a novel multi-epitope vaccine composing a peptide of URAT1, an anti-diabetic B epitope of insulinoma antigen-2(IA-2) and a Th2 epitope (P2:IPALDSLTPANED) of P277 peptide in human heat shock protein 60 (HSP60). Immunization with the multi-epitope vaccine in streptozotocin-induced diabetes C57BL/6J mice successfully induced specific anti-URAT1 antibody, which inhibited URAT1 action and uric acid reabsorption, and increased pancreatic insulin level with a lower insulitis incidence. Vaccination with U-IA-2(5)-P2-1 (UIP-1) significantly reduced blood glucose and uric acid level, increased Th2 cytokines interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-4, and regulated immune reactions through a balanced Th1/Th2 ratio. These results demonstrate that the URAT1-based multi-epitope peptide vaccine may be a suitable therapeutic approach for diabetes and its complications.

The effects of the gas pressure (pg), microcavity height (t), Au vapor addition, and microwave frequency on the properties of three-dimensional confined microwave-induced microplasmas were discussed in light of simulation results of a glow microdischarge in a three-dimensional microcavity (diameter dh = 1000 μm) driven at constant voltage loading on the drive electrode (Vrf) of 180 V. The simulation was performed using the PIC/MCC method, whose results were experimentally verified. In all the cases we investigated in this study, the microplasmas were in the γ-mode. When pg increased, the maximum electron (ne) or ion density (nAr+) distributions turned narrow and close to the discharge gap due to the decrease in the mean free path of the secondary electron emission (SEE) electrons (λSEE-e). The peak ne and nAr+ were not a monotonic function of pg, resulting from the two conflicting effects of pg on ne and nAr+. The impact of ions on the electrode was enhanced when pg increased. This was determined after comparing the results of ion energy distribution function (IEDFs) at various pg. The effects of t on the peaks and distributions of ne and nAr+ were negligible in the range of t from 1.0 to 3.0 mm. The minimum t of 0.6 mm for a steady glow discharge was predicted for pg of 800 Pa and Vrf of 180 V. The Au vapor addition increased the peaks of ne and nAr+, due to the lower ionization voltage of Au atom. The acceleration of ions in the sheaths was intensified with the addition of Au vapor because of the increased potential difference in the sheath at the drive electrode.

To further understand the relationships between the SS genome of Sinapis arvensis and the AA, BB genomes in Brassica, genomic DNA of Sinapis arvensis was hybridized to the metaphase chromosomes of Brassica nigra (BB genome), and the metaphase chromosomes and interphase nucleus of Brassica rapa (AA genome) by comparative genomic in situ hybridization (cGISH). As a result, every chromosome of B. nigra had signals along the whole chromosomal length. However, only half of the condensed heterochromatic areas in the interphase nucleus and the chromosomes showed rich signals in Brassica rapa. Interphase nucleus and the metaphase chromosomes of S. arvensis were simultaneously hybridized with digoxigenin-labeled genomic DNA of B. nigra and biotin-labeled genomic DNA of B. rapa. Signals of genomic DNA of B. nigra hybridized throughout the length of all chromosomes and all the condensed heterochromatic areas in the interphase nucleus, except chromosome 4, of which signals were weak in centromeric regions. Signals of the genomic DNA of B. rapa patterned the most areas of ten chromosomes and ten condensed heterochromatic areas, others had less signals. The results showed that the SS genome had homology with AA and BB genomes, but the homology between SS genome and AA genome was clearly lower than that between the SS genome and BB genome.

Objective:Aprotinin is frequentlyusedto reduce bloodlossduring cardiacsurgery; however, it also causes renalinjury. Sinceaprotinin reduces nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin I2 (PGI2), and both cause vasodilation and inhibit activation of neutrophils and platelets, their reduction may be responsible for the injury. This study was to determine whether the combination of aprotinin with NO and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1, an analogue of PGI2) can attenuate renal injury associated with aprotinin during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods: Thirty mongrel dogs were equally divided into five groups, with each group receiving CPB and aprotinin, NO, PGE1, a combination of the three or no treatment (control). Serum creatinine and creatinine clearance were determined. To elucidate the mechanism, neutrophil, platelet and thrombin activations were also assessed. Results: After CPB, serum creatinine increased and creatinine clearance decreased in all dogs. These changes were similar among the NO, PGE1, aprotinin and control groups, but were significantly smaller in the combination group. Similarly, myeloperoxidase activities in tissues, CD11b expression, plasma elastase, prothrombin fragment (PTF) 1 + 2 and platelet activation factor were lower, whereas neutrophil and platelet counts were higher in the combination group than in the other groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Aprotinin combined with NO and PGE1 produced synergistic protective effects and improved renal function, due partly to inhibition of platelet and neutrophil activation and suppression of thrombin formation. # 2010 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A virtual experiment system is built for material mechanical performance testing. The development process, including object modeling, 3D scene building, VRML connecting to the real-time database, design of interactive virtual 3D scene and complex virtual interaction, is discussed in this paper. In addition, the following key problems have been solved during the system development: virtual models building and geometrical transforming, database designing and optimizing, 3D virtual experimental scenes combining dynamically, the realization of database accessing and the communication of virtual entities.

A kind of magnetic field sensor using a microfiber coupler (MFC) surrounded with magnetic fluid (MF) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. As the MFC is strongly sensitive to the surrounding refractive index (RI) and MF's RI is sensitive to magnetic field, the magnetic field sensing function of the proposed structure is realized. Interrogation of magnetic field strength is achieved by measuring the dip wavelength shift and transmission loss change of the transmission spectrum. The experimental results show that the sensitivity of the sensor is wavelength-dependent. The maximum sensitivity of 191.8 pm/Oe is achieved at wavelength of around 1537 nm in this work. In addition, a sensitivity of −0.037 dB/Oe is achieved by monitoring variation of the fringe visibility. These suggest the potential applications of the proposed structure in tunable all-in-fiber photonic devices such as magneto-optical modulator, filter, and sensing.

The objective was to characterize the beef psoas major (PM), longissimus lumborum (LL), superficial semimembranosus (SSM), deep semimembranosus (DSM), and semitendinosus (ST) muscles for differences in instrumental and visual color, metmyoglobin-reducing activity (MRA), total reducing activity (TRA), and cytochrome c oxidase activity. The LL and ST had the most color stability and MRA (p < 0.05), the DSM and PM had the least (p < 0.05), and values for the SSM were intermediate. Visual color (r = −0.66) and a* and chroma (r = 0.68) were more correlated with MRA than with TRA (r < 0.14 for all measures). This research supports previous reports that color stability among muscles is variable and that MRA is more useful than TRA for explaining the role of reducing activity in muscle-color stability. Keywords: Beef; color; color stability; cytochrome c oxidase; reducing activity

The objective of this study was to assess the morphological integrity and functional potential of mitochondria from postmortem bovine cardiac muscle and evaluate mitochondrial interactions with myoglobin (Mb) in vitro. Electron microscopy revealed that mitochondria maintained structural integrity at 2 h postmortem; prolonged storage resulted in swelling and breakage. At 2 h, 96 h, and 60 days postmortem, the mitochondrial state III oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and respiratory control ratio decreased with time at pH 7.2 and 5.6 (p0.05). Mitochondria isolated at 60 days did not exhibit ADP-induced transitions from state IV to state III oxygen consumption. Tissue oxygen consumption also decreased with time postmortem (p0.05). Mitochondrial oxygen consumption was inhibited by decreased pH in vitro (p0.05). In a closed system, mitochondrial respiration resulted in decreased oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)) and enhanced conversion of oxymyoglobin (OxyMb) to deoxymyoglobin (DeoMb) or metmyoglobin (MetMb). Greater mitochondrial densities caused rapid decreases in pO(2) and favored DeoMb formation at pH 7.2 in closed systems (p0.05); there was no effect on MetMb formation (p0.05). MetMb formation was inversely proportional to mitochondrial density at pH 5.6 in closed systems. Mitochondrial respiration in open systems resulted in greater MetMb and DeoMb formation at pH 5.6 and pH 7.2, respectively, vs controls (p0.05). The greatest MetMb formation was observed with a mitochondrial density of 0.5 mg/mL at both pH values in open systems. Mitochondrial respiration facilitated a shift in Mb form from OxyMb to DeoMb or MetMb, and this was dependent on pH, oxygen availability, and mitochondrial density.

Premature browning (PMB) was investigated in ground beef patties with (0.04%, w/w) and without erythorbate. In Experiment 1, patties were stored at 4 °C for 48 h; at -18 °C for 21 days; or at -18 °C for 21 days, thawed at 4 °C for 24 h; and cooked. Bulk ground beef was stored at -18 °C for 24 days, thawed for 24 h at 4 °C, and patties prepared and cooked immediately. In Experiment 2, fresh patties were overwrapped with oxygen-permeable film or packaged in 80% O(2)/20% N(2) (MAP), and stored for 48 h at 4 °C, or at -18 °C for 21 days, and cooked. Total reducing activity and color (L*, a* and b* values) were measured immediately prior to cooking. Patties were cooked to internal temperatures of 60, 66, 71 and 77 °C and internal cooked color was measured. Total reducing activity was higher for the erythorbate treatment than controls for all storage conditions (P

Mesoporous carbon (MC) with high mesopore content and narrow pore size distribution was prepared using colloidal silica as hard template and Pluronic F127 triblock copolymer as soft template, re- spectively. Then highly dispersed Pt catalyst supported on MC was achieved by ethylene glycol (EG) reduc- tion method. Electrooxidation behavior of EG on the Pt/MC catalyst electrode in sulfuric solution was inves- tigated using cyclic voltammogram (CV), chronoamperometry, linear sweeping voltammogram (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) analysis. The experimental results indicate that the electrocatalytic performance of the Pt/MC catalyst for EG oxidation is much higher than that of Pt/XC72R catalyst. EIS analysis further reveals that the electrooxidation reaction of EG on the Pt/MC catalyst electrode has a lower charge-transfer resistance. The higher electrocatalytic activity of the Pt/MC catalyst may be due to the pro