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BACKGROUND:Freezing is commonly used for food preservation. It is usually done under constant atmospheric pressure (isobaric). While extending the life of the produce, isobaric freezing has detrimental effects. It causes loss of food weight and changes in food quality. Using thermodynamic analysis, we have developed a theoretical model of the process of freezing in a constant volume system (isochoric). The mathematical model suggests that the detrimental effects associated with isobaric freezing may be reduced in an isochoric freezing system. To explore this hypothesis, we performed a preliminary study on the isochoric freezing of a produce with which our group has experience, the potato. METHOD:Experiments were performed in an isochoric freezing device we designed. The device is robust and has no moving parts. For comparison, we used a geometrically identical isobaric freezing device. Following freezing and thawing, the samples were weighed, examined with colorimetry, and examined with microscopy. RESULTS:It was found that potatoes frozen to -5 °C in an isochoric system experienced no weight loss and limited enzymatic browning. In contrast the -5 °C isobaric frozen potato experienced substantial weight loss and substantial enzymatic browning. Microscopic analysis shows that the structural integrity of the potato is maintained after freezing in the isochoric system and impaired after freezing in the isobaric system. DISCUSSION:Tissue damage during isobaric freezing is caused by the increase in extracellular osmolality and the mechanical damage by ice crystals. Our thermodynamic analysis predicts that during isochoric freezing the intracellular osmolality remains comparable to the extracellular osmolality and that isochoric systems can be designed to eliminate the mechanical damage by ice. The results of this preliminary study seem to confirm the theoretical predictions. CONCLUSION:This is a preliminary exploratory study on isochoric freezing of food. We have shown that the quality of a food product preserved by isochoric freezing is better than the quality of food preserved to the same temperature in isobaric conditions. Obviously, more extensive research remains to be done to extend this study to lower freezing temperatures and other food items.

This study is the first experimental evidence showing that a living multicellular organism, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, can survive subfreezing temperatures in an isochoric (constant volume) thermodynamic system, while immersed in a simple isotonic solution, without the addition of cryoprotectants. Some of the test conditions were more extreme than those found at the ice/water interface of the Antarctic subglacial Vostok lake. On earth, life takes place in an isobaric (constant pressure) environment. In isobaric systems, subfreezing temperature survival of organisms in nature and subfreezing temperature preservation of living material for biotechnology and medicine, is made possible by use of cryoprotective chemicals additives. Our theoretical thermodynamic studies suggested that in an isochoric system, living biological material could survive subfreezing temperatures, without any cryoprotective chemicals. By confirming the theoretical predictions, this paper suggests a new technology for subfreezing preservation of cells, organs and organisms of possible value for biotechnology and medicine as well as new possible mechanisms of living organism survival in nature.

Globalization globally represents the increase in trade, production and consumption of certain goods to the new standards of current technology. We all know that it is quite difficult for the impact of globalization on the environment to be assessed, but this paper tries to highlight certain aspects of how the phenomenon influences our lives. At the same time, economic globalization influences sustainable development and the business environment through a multitude of channels. The purpose of the paper is to identify the key link between commerce and the environment, which are the structural and compositional effects, as well as the product and technology, and finally we will report on the behavior of multinational companies in Romania towards the environment through the phenomenon of globalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this Standard is to describe the accounting treatment for tangible assets. The main problem for the accounting of tangible assets it is identifying the moment of recognition of such assets, of the carrying amount and associated amortization. The paper discusses the possibilities of respecting these requirements and the implications for the practice and theory of accounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public procurement is represented by everything that is bought with public money, namely works, goods and services obtained by national, regional or local public authorities. The paper provides details on the rules that should be respected and discusses the implications of their application by using a case study. It results that transparency is one of the most important condition to be met for ensuring the proper conditions for the negotiation of public procurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this Standard is to describe the accounting treatment for tangible assets. The main problem for the accounting of tangible assets it is identifying the moment of recognition of such assets, of the carrying amount and associated amortization. The paper discusses the possibilities of respecting these requirements and the implications for the practice and theory of accounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Strategic Universe Journal / Univers Strategic is the property of Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University, Institute for Security Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present paper shows how the international productivity and competitiveness of a country depend on the rapid accumulation of knowledge based on the entrepreneurial innovative education and on the real transfer of the new technologies and positive experience. Although there is no explicit relationship between investments in education and the GDP variation the paper shows the existence of an influence of the education and scientific research on the economic growth of a country. We made a long term evolutionary analysis of the GDP and we showed that investments in education and research made four-five years ago are implicitly reflected in the GDP growth. By studying the investments evolution in education and research the paper demonstrates the existence of a similitude between the previous shape of the investments' curve in education and research and an ulterior shape of the GDP's curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In more general terms, uneven geographical development refers to the fact that social, political, and economic processes in the context of capitalism are not uniformly or homogeneously distributed on the Earth's surface but are always organized within configurations, thus having socio-spatial developments distinct urban areas, regional clusters, rural, national territories, is supranational economic blocs, and so on, which are characterized by divergent socio-economic conditions, capacity development and institutional arrangements. Thus, within a capitalist political-economic system, inequalities are expressed not only socially, in the form of class and stratification of income, but also spatially, through the polarization of development between different territories, regions, places and entities. While these polarization models to the periphery are always articulated in contextspecific forms, they generally involve the systematic concentration of advanced socio- economic assets and development capacities in certain core areas and, at the same time, chronic marginalization or peripheralization to other places and territories. Consequently, each phase of capitalism is based on historical models specific geographical development is uneven and contradictory interaction articulated equalization and differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with an imperfect reality, supporters of free trade require the removal and dismantling of all obstacles to the free movement of goods, persons and financial capital. The utopian goal is a perfect global market, a homogeneous economic space without frontiers and frictions. In order to achieve this ideal state, it is necessary to identify market imperfections and to eliminate trade distortions by aligning the existing real world with the laws and norms of the free trade model. Traders are therefore in a radical but consistent position. For them, the emphasis is essentially on the free movement of goods, with as little as possible interference with noneconomic actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CFD - Computational Fluid Dynamics Method is the modern scientific method, for prediction of fluid flow, heat and mass transfer and other related phenomena, by numerical solving the mathematical equations governing those phenomena, such as the law of mass, momentum and energy conservation. CFD method is very useful when it comes to conceptual studies for new model of buildings, detailed development of certain parts of a building, useful for solving problems that appear during construction or exploitation of a particular system that is part of a building etc. CFD analysis complements the numerical modeling and experimental modeling, reducing the effort and cost for experiment and data acquisition systems. This paper presents a few results for heat transfer and fluid flow, made on a box double-skin façade, in Brasov, Romania, as a part of a PhD thesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practical assessment of intellectual property is a complex and difficult issue because there are many factors that influence it, and apply the methodologies differ from one country to another, from one continent to another. Therefore, the responsibility of carrying out transactions these intangible assets is maximum, because they have social implications and / or political. Classical methods of assessment of intellectual property are the same as those used for measuring intangible assets or intangible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Quality - Access to Success is the property of Romanian Society for Quality Assurance (SRAC) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The most important factor in social and industrial development is international communication. A culture can learn from one another by imitation, innovation, or both processes. In modern times there is no culture which have become highly civilized and industrialized without communication with other cultures. Human capital of a culture can be increased interaction other cultures. A problem that should be investigated is to determine the influences on economic development, where the two nations have identical capital and a stable population, but their attitudes in terms of improving human capital are different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]