Milk is one of the eight major food allergens. Cow's milk allergy is the most common allergy in children under 2 years of age. About 1.6 to 2.8 percent of children under this age are reported to have cow's milk allergy. Casein, β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin are major milk protein allergens. Nonthermal treatments like high intensity ultrasound, ultraviolet (UV) light and nonthermal plasma treatments have been reported in the literature to be effective in reducing the allergenicity of different food proteins. Hence it was expected for these treatments to reduce cow milk allergenicity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of high intensity ultrasound, nonthermal atmospheric plasma and UV-C light treatments in reducing the allergenicity of isolated major milk proteins. Sonics Vibracell VC 505 ultrasonic liquid processor was used to perform high intensity ultrasound treatments. UV light treatments were performed using a DDK Scientific Corporation UV tunnel. A nonthermal atmospheric plasma setup assembled in Department of Microbiology lab was used to perform plasma treatments. Samples were analyzed using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to estimate the change in protein concentration and enzyme linked immuno sorbent assays (ELISA) to observe the change in IgE binding. A one-way analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the relationship between treatment time and percent IgE binding at 95% confidence level. Further investigation was conducted with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy on treated casein to assess any change in the structure of protein. SDS-PAGE results for ultrasound and plasma treatments didn't show any change in gel band intensities for casein, β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin indicating no significant change in protein concentration. Ci-ELISA analysis showed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in IgE binding values for control and treated samples in ultrasound and plasma treatment conditions tested in this study. The intensities of all the three protein bands in SDS-PAGE gel were reduced by UV-C light treatment at 15 min treatment time. In Ci-ELISA, there was a significant difference (p< 0.05) in IgE binding values for control and treated samples and a reduction in allergenicity of proteins (25% reduction for casein and 28% reduction for whey protein fractions) was observed. Further investigations using in vivo clinical trials need to be conducted to confirm this result. NMR results didn't show any noticeable changes in the structures of casein with all three different treatments. In conclusion, UV-C light treatment can reduce the allergenicity of isolated major milk proteins to some extent. High intensity ultrasound and nonthermal atmospheric plasma treatments failed to generate effective results for reducing allergenicity at the conditions tested in this study. Higher intensity and longer treatment conditions might yield better results with ultrasound treatment. Different power and gas flow rates used to generate plasma with direct exposure of proteins might yield better results towards reducing the allergenicity of major milk allergens.

Understanding the composition of camel milk coupled with studying the effects of thermal and non-thermal treatments on its components and bacterial inactivation were the general objectives of this dissertation. In the first study (Chapter 2), the gross composition of camel milk including milk protein, fat, casein, total solids, lactose, ash, and mineral content were analyzed. In addition, fatty acid profile, amino acid profile, protein fractions, and volatile compounds were evaluated as well. Our results revealed that camel milk has its unique nutrients profile. These findings make it easier for the researchers and consumers to understand some of the nutritional attributes of camel milk.The impact of non-thermal ultrasound treatment (900 W, 20 kHz, 100% power level) on some milk-borne microorganisms and the components of camel milk was studied in Chapter3. We reported that continuous ultrasound processing was efficient in inactivating Escherichia coli (E.coli) O157: H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) in camel milk without detrimental effects on milk fatty acids profile, lipid peroxides, and protein fractions except for some changes in milk volatile compounds (VC). In Chapter 4, another non-thermal technique, ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light, was applied to camel milk to study the effects of different UV-C light doses on the viability of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium and the chemical changes to milk components. The main findings of this study were: (i) UV-C treatment at a dose of 12.45 mJ/cm2 resulted in only 3.9-log10 for both bacterial strains which did not meet the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for the 5-log pathogen reduction; (ii) the UV-C treatment at the above dose, had limited effects on camel milk components. Thermal pasteurization of milk was first introduced to prevent milk-borne infectious diseases, however, its effects on camel milk components and quality are still unknown. Therefore, in Chapter 5, we investigated the efficacy of three previously reported thermal methods: PAST-1 (65ºC/30 min), PAST-2 (72ºC/5 min), and PAST-3 (80ºC/5 min) on bacterial inactivation and some camel milk components such as the fatty acid profile, lipid peroxidation, VC, and milk protein fractions. Complete elimination (6 log10 CFU/ml reduction) of E. coli O157: H7 was achieved using all pasteurization methods, however, only 3.4 log10 CFU/ml reduction of the total viable counts was reported using PAST-1 and PAST-3 methods. We also reported that the PAST-1 and PAST-3 methods did not affect the chemical composition of camel milk. In conclusion, we assessed the main components of camel milk along with the amino fatty acid profile, acid profile, volatile compounds, and protein fractions. Thermal methods were more effective than the non-thermal methods in terms of microbial inactivation and most camel milk components were not significantly influenced by thermal and non-thermal methods.

UV- und lichthärtenden Acrylatklebstoffen steht ein breites Anwendungsspektrum im Konstruktiven Glasbau offen. Ihr farbloses und klares Erscheinungsbild fördert eine Konstruktion, die transparent und leicht wirken soll. Kurze Aushärtezeiten, die sich im Sekunden- oder einstelligen Minutenbereich bewegen, ermöglichen eine schnelle Herstellung und reduzieren die Lagerzeiten. Die geklebten Konstruktionen können direkt weiterverarbeitet werden. Durch diese Vorteile heben sie sich von den Silikonklebstoffen ab, die für ausge-wählte Anwendungen im Fassadenbau (Structural-Sealant-Glazing-Systems - SSGS) bauaufsichtlich zugelassen sind. Gegenstand dieser Arbeit ist die Aufstellung von Empfehlungen zur Planung und Berechnung struktureller Klebungen mit strahlungshärtenden Acrylaten. Dafür werden Klebstoffe an dem reinen Material sowie in Verbindungen mit Glas und Metall untersucht. Für ein umfangreiches Bild über das Verhalten des Materials bieten sich Substanzprüfkörper an, die mit überschaubarem Aufwand eine Auswertung verschiedener Einflüsse - beispielsweise Temperatur und Prüfgeschwindigkeit - erlauben. An in-situ-Prüfkörpern kann der Klebstoff in der Verbindung betrachtet werden. Durch Wechselwirkungen zwischen Klebstoff und Fügeteil bildet sich eine sogenannte Grenzschicht aus, die gradierte Eigenschaften besitzt und die Materialkennwerte - besonders bei dünnen Klebfugen - beeinflusst. Weiterhin erlauben diese Prüfkörper eine Aussage über das Tragverhalten der Klebverbindung. Um das Potenzial der Acrylatklebungen in der Glasarchitektur aufzuzeigen und in der Anwendung zu prüfen, werden Bauteile mit punktförmig geklebten Halterungen untersucht. Absturzsicherungen werden statischen und dynamischen Belastungen unterworfen. An Überkopfverglasungen werden Trag- und Resttragfähigkeitsuntersuchungen durchgeführt. Bauteile im Freien geben Aufschluss über das Alterungsverhalten unter natürlichen klimatischen Bedingungen. / UV and light curing acrylates present a whole host of possibilities for the implementation of glass construction. Their clear and colourless appearance produces a transparent and lightweight construction. Short curing times consisting of no more than mere minutes allow for quick production with minimal downtime within the overall process. Processing can be resumed immediately once bonding has occurred. The advantages of acrylates can be compared to the characteristics and properties of adhesive silicones which have been widely approved by building authorities for specific façade applications (Structural-Sealant-Glazing-Systems - SSGS). The subject matter of this study is the development of auxiliary tools to plan and design adhesively bonded joints of UV and light curing acrylates. These adhesives are, therefore, analysed both generally as bulk material and in applications as a joint between glass and metal. The use of dog bone shaped specimens is recommended to analyze the material behaviour under a variety of influence factors such as temperature and testing rate. The bonded joints of test specimens provide an opportunity to examine the interaction between the adhesive and the materials to which they are adhered. An interface with graded properties is formed based upon the interactions between adhesive joints and each particular substrate. Further on, bonded specimens enable the development of a statement concerning the load-bearing capacity of joints. Constructions having spot bonded joints are tested to demonstrate the potential use of acrylic joints in architectural glass treatments. Safety barriers are tested under both static and dynamic loads. Sloped roof systems are tested to substantiate load-bearing capacity and to verify any residual carrying capacity. Components are exposed to natural weathering in order to examine the affects of ageing on the adhesive.

UV- und lichthärtenden Acrylatklebstoffen steht ein breites Anwendungsspektrum im Konstruktiven Glasbau offen. Ihr farbloses und klares Erscheinungsbild fördert eine Konstruktion, die transparent und leicht wirken soll. Kurze Aushärtezeiten, die sich im Sekunden- oder einstelligen Minutenbereich bewegen, ermöglichen eine schnelle Herstellung und reduzieren die Lagerzeiten. Die geklebten Konstruktionen können direkt weiterverarbeitet werden. Durch diese Vorteile heben sie sich von den Silikonklebstoffen ab, die für ausge-wählte Anwendungen im Fassadenbau (Structural-Sealant-Glazing-Systems - SSGS) bauaufsichtlich zugelassen sind. Gegenstand dieser Arbeit ist die Aufstellung von Empfehlungen zur Planung und Berechnung struktureller Klebungen mit strahlungshärtenden Acrylaten. Dafür werden Klebstoffe an dem reinen Material sowie in Verbindungen mit Glas und Metall untersucht. Für ein umfangreiches Bild über das Verhalten des Materials bieten sich Substanzprüfkörper an, die mit überschaubarem Aufwand eine Auswertung verschiedener Einflüsse - beispielsweise Temperatur und Prüfgeschwindigkeit - erlauben. An in-situ-Prüfkörpern kann der Klebstoff in der Verbindung betrachtet werden. Durch Wechselwirkungen zwischen Klebstoff und Fügeteil bildet sich eine sogenannte Grenzschicht aus, die gradierte Eigenschaften besitzt und die Materialkennwerte - besonders bei dünnen Klebfugen - beeinflusst. Weiterhin erlauben diese Prüfkörper eine Aussage über das Tragverhalten der Klebverbindung. Um das Potenzial der Acrylatklebungen in der Glasarchitektur aufzuzeigen und in der Anwendung zu prüfen, werden Bauteile mit punktförmig geklebten Halterungen untersucht. Absturzsicherungen werden statischen und dynamischen Belastungen unterworfen. An Überkopfverglasungen werden Trag- und Resttragfähigkeitsuntersuchungen durchgeführt. Bauteile im Freien geben Aufschluss über das Alterungsverhalten unter natürlichen klimatischen Bedingungen. / UV and light curing acrylates present a whole host of possibilities for the implementation of glass construction. Their clear and colourless appearance produces a transparent and lightweight construction. Short curing times consisting of no more than mere minutes allow for quick production with minimal downtime within the overall process. Processing can be resumed immediately once bonding has occurred. The advantages of acrylates can be compared to the characteristics and properties of adhesive silicones which have been widely approved by building authorities for specific façade applications (Structural-Sealant-Glazing-Systems - SSGS). The subject matter of this study is the development of auxiliary tools to plan and design adhesively bonded joints of UV and light curing acrylates. These adhesives are, therefore, analysed both generally as bulk material and in applications as a joint between glass and metal. The use of dog bone shaped specimens is recommended to analyze the material behaviour under a variety of influence factors such as temperature and testing rate. The bonded joints of test specimens provide an opportunity to examine the interaction between the adhesive and the materials to which they are adhered. An interface with graded properties is formed based upon the interactions between adhesive joints and each particular substrate. Further on, bonded specimens enable the development of a statement concerning the load-bearing capacity of joints. Constructions having spot bonded joints are tested to demonstrate the potential use of acrylic joints in architectural glass treatments. Safety barriers are tested under both static and dynamic loads. Sloped roof systems are tested to substantiate load-bearing capacity and to verify any residual carrying capacity. Components are exposed to natural weathering in order to examine the affects of ageing on the adhesive.

Background: Collagen cross-linking of the sclera is a promising approach to strengthen scleral rigidity and thus to inhibit eye growth in progressive myopia. Additionally, cross-linking might inhibit degrading processes in idiopathic melting or in ocular inflammatory diseases of the sclera. Different cross-linking treatments were tested to increase resistance to enzymatic degradation of the rabbit sclera. Methods: Scleral patches from rabbit eyes were cross-linked using paraformaldehyde, glutaraldehyde or riboflavin combined with UV-A-light or with blue light. The patches were incubated with collagenase I (MMP1) for various durations up to 24 h to elucidate differences in scleral resistance to enzymatic degradation. Degraded protein components in the supernatant were detected and quantified using measurements of Fluoraldehyde o-Phthaldialdehyde (OPA) fluorescence . Results: All cross-linking methods reduced the enzymatic degradation of rabbit scleral tissue by MMP1. Incubation with glutaraldehyde (1%) and paraformaldehyde (4%) caused nearly a complete inhibition of enzymatic degradation (down to 7% ± 2.8 of digested protein compared to control). Cross-linking with riboflavin/UV-A-light reduced the degradation by MMP1 to 62% ± 12.7 after 24 h. Cross-linking with riboflavin/blue light reduced the degradation by MMP1 to 77% ± 13.5 after 24 h. No significant differences could be detected comparing different light intensities, light exposure times or riboflavin concentrations. Conclusions: The application of all cross-linking methods increased the resistance of rabbit scleral tissue to MMP1-degradation. Especially, gentle cross-linking with riboflavin and UV-A or blue light might be a clinical approach in future.

Les minéraux absorbent la lumière proche des UV (comme TiO2, Fe2O3, MgO) présents dans les aérosols minéraux interagissent avec les gaz traces présents dans l'atmosphère et peuvent initier une nouvelle chimie hétérogène photo-induite potentiellement significative et actuellement peu documentée. Cette thèse vise à aborder différentes questions sur la réactivité des poussières minérales vers les composés organiques et évaluer l'impact de ces interactions sur plusieurs aspects des sciences de l'atmosphère. Nous avons étudié expérimentalement l'interaction physico-chimique d'aérosols minéraux, purs ou revêtus de matériaux organiques/inorganiques avec des gaz traces de plusieurs familles chimiques (alcools, cétones, acides carboxyliques), dans des conditions simulées proches de l'environnement reel (concernant l'humidité, la concentration en phase gazeuse, la longueur d'onde et l'intensité de l'irradiation, la pression et la température) évaluant les effets des conditions ambiantes sur la cinétique de capture et la génération de produits en phase gazeuse. Dans l'ensemble, nos résultats montrent clairement que les reactions photochimique des poussières minérales doit être considéré comme une source de composés réactifs et comme un processus clé affectant leur action sur la nucléation de la glace et les noyaux de condensation des nuages / Minerals that absorb light near UV/Vis present in dust aerosols interact with trace gases in the atmosphere and can initiate a new and potentially significant photo-induced heterogeneous chemistry, which is currently poorly documented. This thesis aims to address different issues of mineral dust reactivity towards organic compounds and, therefore, assesses the impact of these interactions on several aspects of atmospheric sciences. We investigated experimentally the physicochemical interaction of mineral aerosols (synthetic and natural), pure or coated with organic/inorganic materials with trace gases from several chemical families (alcohols, ketones, carboxylic acids, etc.), under simulated conditions close to the real environment (regarding to humidity, concentration in the gas phase, wavelength and intensity of irradiation, pressure and temperature). In a first approach, we studied the uptake of oxygenated organics onto different dust proxies such as SiO2, TiO2 and Arizona test dust (ATD) evaluating the effects of ambient conditions on the uptake kinetics and product generation. Then, we discussed the chemistry of 5 dicarboxylic acids (C4-C8) on ATD particles upon UV-A irradiation monitoring products in the gas phase as well as those whose stay adsorbed on the particulate phase. Lastly, we investigated the influence of nitrate anions on the uptake of acetone on ATD and SiO2 and in the photochemical product formation of glutaric acid on ATD. Overall, our results clearly show that photochemical processing of dust aerosols should be considered as a source of reactive compounds and as a key process affecting their action as ice nucleation and cloud condensation nuclei