Call number: LD2668 .T4 1929 M63

LD2668 .T4 1962 P34

The over-tenderization of irradiated-sterilized meat is one of the more important adverse effects resulting from the use of irradiation for the preservation of meat. Although research has been reported on the activity and effect of the inherent proteolytic enzymes of irradiated meat, very little work has been directed toward the intimate causes of the textural problems induced by the irradiation treatment. In this study, the influence of irradiation-sterilization on some of the muscle characteristics involved in meat texture was investigated in an attempt to elucidate the over-tenderizing action of irradiation. In addition, the influence of treating the meat by several means prior to irradiation was also investigated to determine their effects upon the texture of the meat. Information relative to the above objectives was obtained by using analytical methods designed to show changes in muscle protein charges, water-holding capacity, acidic and basic groups, bound and free minerals, and disc electrophoretic analysis of the glycine soluble extracts of the treated and control samples. The results showed that the irradiation-sterilization of beef muscle at 4.5 megarads caused tenderization of the meat. Beef soaked in an equal amount of distilled water for 72 hours at 38°F prior to heat inactivation of the enzymes and irradiation was much firmer in texture than the unsoaked samples. Beef heated to an internal temperature of 160°F prior to irradiation also resulted in meat having a firm texture. However, irradiation tends to reverse the effects of both soaking and heating and/or the combination of these two treatments. When soaking, heating and irradiation are combined in one treatment, these factors tend to exert their effect individually and by different mechanisms. Soaking the meat appears to cause a partial denaturation and a net loss of anions of some of the muscle proteins resulting in a shift in the isoelectric region of such meat to a higher pH which results in a greater loss of water upon cooking and thus a firmer texture. Heating the meat to an internal temperature of 160°F results in a partial denaturation of the proteins and probably leads to the formation of stable cross linkages and a "salting-out" effect which may be responsible for a decrease in the water-holding capacity. Thus, meat would have a tighter or more "closed" structure and firmer texture. Irradiation exerts a fragmentation effect upon the beef muscle proteins. These fragments seem to be held together by hydrogen bonds and/or electrostatic forces. The fragmentary alterations of the muscle proteins, the incorporation of water within the fragments, and possibly a "salting-in" effect, appear to be the major factors responsible for effects of irradiation on beef muscle texture. The zinc cations appear to be involved with the heat-labile proteins or enzymes which are denaturated by heating to 160°F. The pH-water holding capacity curves were found to be a valuable technique for investigating some of the biochemical changes in the muscle proteins. / Graduation date: 1963

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. / Many improvements have been made in the design and manufacture of high efficiency solar cells. The need to understand the behavior of these new types of solar cells is crucial to the procurement of future space systems, both commercial and military. This thesis studies the results of irradiating three commonly used solar cells with 30 MeV electrons using the Naval Postgraduate School Linear Accelerator. A comparison of the performance characteristics of the three cells is made using commonly accepted parameters and notes the differences in failure mode. Additionally, the affect of current annealing is investigated. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Exposure to moderately high levels of ionizing radiation (<20 Gy) has in some instances shown a hormetic effect in numerous vegetable-type crops. Past experiments performed in outdoor cultivars have shown a somewhat unpredictable increase in growth rate with a higher overall yield in a specified time when the seeds are exposed to ionizing radiation prior to germination. This experiment has attempted to eliminate potentially confounding variables in the growth of a legume utilizing an Environmental Protection Agency controlled green house. The experiment was a completely randomized block design with six blocks and seven treatment groups. Each treatment group of pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were exposed to ������Co radiation, given doses of 5-20 Gy, planted and grown for 40 days. Due to the symbiotic relationship with rhizobium bacteria within a seed, the expected result was a lowered nitrogen fixation capacity as bacteria concentration was reduced due to sterilization by the high energy gamma, yielding a smaller plant mass. The predicted trend in reduction would be described by the linear no-threshold model. A statistically significant increase in overall plant mass occurred in the 5 Gy treatment group, with a subsequent linear trend in mass reduction at treatment levels of 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 Gy. The overall quality and plant mass decreased markedly at a treatment level of 20 Gy. Additional possible contributions to plant differences in growth within a green house were light intensity, temperature, CO��� level and soil water retention. The complete randomized block design attempts to remove these as potentially confounding variables. / Graduation date: 1999

No description available.