Production of soft unripened cheeses using acidic and salty coagulants: Investigation of technological and sensory characteristics.

Soft cheeses are coagulated milk products obtained through acidification or applying a combination of acids and heat. In this research, in order to improve technological characteristics, the effects of different coagulants (salt and acids) and process parameters (temperature and homogenization pressure) on the organoleptic, textural, and functional characteristics of soft (unripened) cheese were investigated. The results revealed significant differences between cheeses coagulated with acid and mineral salt regarding protein recovery, fat content, and moisture content (p < .05). Acidic coagulants (74%-94%) resulted in higher cheese yield compared to mineral salt (66%-88%). Texture analysis indicated that the cheese produced with acetic acid had a firmer texture, while samples treated with citric acid exhibited better cohesiveness. Cheeses produced with minerals displayed more acceptable organoleptic characteristics regarding flavor, odor, and texture. This study offers valuable technological insights into cheese production with the highest yield and maximum acceptability.

Investigation the effect of dissimilar laser welding parameters on temperature field, mechanical properties and fusion zone microstructure of inconel 600 and duplex 2205 stainless steel via response surface methodology.

This study focused on dissimilar welding characterization of Inconel 600 and duplex 2205 stainless steel using central composite design (CCD) of experiments the response surface methodology (RSM). This study determined the effect of laser welding parameters and the reactions of the temperature field on the melt pool, the mechanical characteristics of the weld joint, and the geometry of the melt pool. According to the ANOVA results, the power of laser and focal distance were found to be the most influential factors on the temperature of both Inconel 600 and duplex stainless steel. The weld joint's tensile strength and elongation were significantly influenced by laser power and focal distance. Increasing the laser power from 250 to 450 W raised the tensile strength from 250 to 550 MPa. The Mo rich phases formed at the inter-dendritic region according to the EDS phase analysis results in loss of ductility and the resultant tensile strength of the samples failure from the fusion zone adjacent to the duplex stainless steel. At high laser power levels, the samples fractured from fusion zone while at lower laser powers below 350 W, the samples fractured from the HAZ and the areas adjacent to the duplex steel fusion line. The micro-hardness value of the weld joint at different laser power of 525 W and 375 W was increased to the maximum values of 370 and 325 HV, respectively from the fusion line of Inconel 600 to the center of the fusion zone. Further, molten pool microstructure of the dissimilar joint zone was mainly composed of a cellular and columnar dendritic structure Variations in melt flow, temperature gradient and solidification rate from the molten scan line to the weld center clearly changed the grain growth and the resultant microstructure in different areas of the fusion zone. By transferring the laser light to the center of the Inconel 600 and duplex stainless steel joint, the molten pool depth was increased from 0.2 to 1.5 mm.

The use of morphometric characters to discriminate populations of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae).

In a survey of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in the northwest of Iran, eleven isolates of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were recovered mainly from the soil samples of apple orchards. The isolates were identified morphologically and molecularly. To unravel intraspecific variation, morphometric characters of different life stages, including hermaphrodite, female, male and infective juvenile (IJ), were evaluated to see efficiencies in discrimination of H. bacteriophora populations isolated from relatively limited geographical regions. Morphometric data were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), canonical analysis (CAN), and also cluster analysis. Significant differences in morphometrics were recorded between the studied populations. The results of the PCA on IJ variables showed that the first two PC account for more than 99% of the total variance. Variables including distance from anterior end to the base of the pharynx (Es) and distance from anterior end to nerve ring (Nr) showed the highest factor loading. Cluster analysis put the studied populations in five well-defined groups. Resulted PC1 and PC2 for females account 63% of the total variance. Females variables include body length (L), distance from anterior end to excretory pore (EP), length divided by width (A), length divided by Es (B), length divided by tail length (C), and anal body width (Abw), tail length (TL), EP divided by TL ×100 (E) were effective in discrimination of the populations into three distinct groups. The first two PC from hermaphrodite variables accounted for 66% of the total variance. Variables include L, A, B, and C had efficient factor loading on PC1, and PC2. Cluster analysis of hermaphrodite morphometrics yielded five distinct groups among populations. For male variables PC1, and PC2 accounted 60.04% of the total variance, and body width, Abw, TL and, E were the most efficient in PC1 and PC2 was affected efficiently by Es and EP. The results of PCA showed that the highest discrimination among the studied H. bacteriophora population occurred with female variables.