Effects of onion on physicochemical properties,lipid oxidation and microbial growth of fresh pork patties

Onions with or without heating (100 °C, 30 min) were extracted with water or methanol, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of onion extracts were evaluated. Product characteristics of fresh pork patties containing various onion extracts were measured during refrigerated storage. Water extracts of onions showed higher extraction yield and iron chelating ability than methanol extracts (P < 0.05), whereas, the latter was more effective than the former in phenolic compounds and reducing power (P < 0.05). The addition of onion extracts [water extract from fresh onion (WEFO), methanol extract from heated onion (MEHO) and their combinations (WEFMEHO)] to pork patties decreased redness, increased yellowness, and inhibited lipid peroxidation (P < 0.05). One per cent of WEFMEHO in pork patties had antioxidant activities as effective as butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT, 0.01%). Redness and yellowness decreased and increased with the addition of onion extract, respectively (P < 0.05).     

A new current‐mirror pixel circuit employing poly‐Si TFTs for active‐matrix organic light‐emitting‐diode displays

Abstract— A novel active‐matrix organic light‐emitting‐diode (AMOLED) display employing a new current‐mirror pixel circuit, which requires four‐poly‐Si TFTs and one‐capacitor and no additional signal lines, has been proposed and sucessfully fabricated. The experimental results show that a new current mirror can considerably compensate luminance non‐uniformity and scale down a data current more than a conventional current‐mirror circuit in order to reduce the pixel charging time and increase the minimum data current. Compared with a conventional two‐TFT pixel, the luminance non‐uniformity induced by the grain boundaries of poly‐Si TFTs can be decreased considerably from 41% to 9.1%.     

Ischemia/reperfusion injury in human kidney transplantation: an immunohistochemical analysis of changes after reperfusion

Organs used for transplantation undergo varying degrees of cold ischemia and reperfusion injury after transplantation. In renal transplantation, prolonged cold ischemia is strongly associated with delayed graft function, an event that contributes to inferior graft survival. At present, the pathophysiological changes associated with ischemia/reperfusion injury in clinical renal transplantation are poorly understood. We have performed an immunohistochemical analysis of pre- and postreperfusion biopsies obtained from cadaver (n = 55) and living/related donor (LRD) (n = 11) renal allografts using antibodies to adhesion molecules and leukocyte markers to investigate the intragraft changes after cold preservation and reperfusion. Neutrophil infiltration and P-selectin expression were detected after reperfusion in 29 of 55 (53%) and 24 of 55 (44%) cadaver renal allografts, respectively. In marked contrast, neutrophil infiltration was not observed in LRD allografts, and only 1 of 11 (9%) had an increased level of P-selectin after reperfusion. Immunofluorescent double-staining demonstrated that P-selectin expression resulted from platelet deposition and not from endothelial activation. No statistically significant association was observed between neutrophil infiltration and P-selectin expression in the glomeruli or intertubular capillaries despite the large number of cadaver renal allografts with postreperfusion changes. Neutrophil infiltration into the glomeruli was significantly associated with long cold ischemia times and delayed graft function. Elevated serum creatinine levels at 3 and 6 months after transplantation were also associated with the presence of neutrophils and platelets after reperfusion. Our results suggest that graft function may be influenced by early inflammatory events after reperfusion, which can be targeted for future therapeutic intervention.     

Reduction of poliovirus 1, bacteriophages,Salmonella montevideo,and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on strawberries by physical and disinfectant washes

The efficacy levels of different physical and chemical washing treatments in the reduction of viral and bacterial pathogens from inoculated strawberries were evaluated. Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Montevideo, poliovirus 1, and the bacteriophages PRD1, phiX174, and MS2 were used as model and surrogate organisms. Chemicals readily available to producers and/or consumers were evaluated as antimicrobial additives for the production of washes. The gentle agitation of contaminated strawberries in water for 2 min led to reductions in microbial populations ranging from 41 to 79% and from 62 to 90% at water temperatures of 22 and 43 degrees C, respectively. Significant reductions (> 98%) in numbers of bacteria and viruses were obtained with sodium hypochlorite (50 to 300 ppm of free chlorine), Oxine or Carnebon (200 ppm of product generating "stabilized chlorine dioxide"), Tsunami (100 ppm of peroxyacetic acid), and Alcide (100 or 200 ppm of acidified sodium chlorite) washes. Overall, 200 ppm of acidified sodium chlorite produced the greatest reductions of microorganisms. Hydrogen peroxide (0.5%) was slightly less effective than free chlorine in a strawberry wash and caused slight fruit discoloration. Cetylpyridinium chloride (0.1%) was effective in the reduction of bacterial species, while trisodium phosphate (1%) was effective against viruses. The consumer-oriented produce wash Fit was very effective (> 99%) in reducing the numbers of bacteria but not in reducing the numbers of viruses. Another wash, Healthy Harvest, was significantly less effective than Fit in reducing bacterial pathogens but more effective for viruses. The performance of automatic dishwashing detergent was similar to that of Healthy Harvest and significantly better than that of liquid dishwashing detergent. Solutions containing table salt (2% NaCl) or vinegar (10%) reduced the numbers of bacteria by about 90%, whereas only the vinegar wash reduced the numbers of viruses significantly (ca. 95%).     

Data perturbation for fewer triangles in marching tetrahedra

A simple efficient method is proposed to reduce the total number of triangles in an isosurface extraction method based on tetrahedral decomposition. We slightly perturb the input volumetric data so that useless small and thin triangles are removed. The perturbed volumetric data contain the exact isovalues from which a mesh is extracted. Since the proposed method is a pre-process of an isosurface extraction, it is not necessary to modify the mesh structure unlike the other similar methods.     

Au–Sn flip-chip solder bump for microelectronic and optoelectronic applications

As an alternative to the time-consuming solder pre-forms and pastes currently used, a co-electroplating method of eutectic Au–Sn alloy was used in this study. Using a co-electroplating process, it was possible to plate the Au–Sn solder directly onto a wafer at or near the eutectic composition from a single solution. Two distinct phases, Au₅Sn (ζ-phase) and AuSn (δ-phase), were deposited at a composition of 30 at.%Sn. The Au–Sn flip-chip joints were formed at 300 and 400°C without using any flux. In the case where the samples were reflowed at 300°C, only an (Au,Ni)₃Sn₂ IMC layer formed at the interface between the Au–Sn solder and Ni UBM. On the other hand, two IMC layers, (Au,Ni)₃Sn₂ and (Au,Ni)₃Sn, were found at the interfaces of the samples reflowed at 400°C. As the reflow time increased, the thickness of the (Au,Ni)₃Sn₂ and (Au,Ni)₃Sn IMC layers formed at the interface increased and the eutectic lamellae in the bulk solder coarsened.     

Effect of displacement rate on ball shear properties for Sn–37Pb and Sn–3.5Ag BGA solder joints during isothermal aging

The interfacial reactions and ball shear properties of ball grid array (BGA) solder joints aged at 170 °C for up to 21 days were investigated with different displacement rates. Two different kinds of solders, Sn–37Pb and Sn–3.5Ag (all wt.%), and an electroplated Ni/Au BGA substrate were employed in this work. A continuous Ni₃Sn₄ intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was formed at the interfaces between both the Sn–37Pb and Sn–3.5Ag solders and the substrate during reflow. After aging, two different reaction layers, consisting of (Au_xNi_1−x)Sn₄ IMC and Pb-rich phase, were additionally observed between the Sn–37Pb solder and the Ni₃Sn₄ IMC layer. The thicknesses of these interfacial reaction layers increased with increasing aging time. After reflow, all the fractures occurred inside the bulk solder. The fracture location of the Sn–37Pb solder joints was shifted toward the solder/Ni interface with increasing aging time and displacement rate, whereas the fracture of the Sn–3.5Ag solder joints mainly occurred inside the bulk solder, irrespective of the aging time and displacement rate. Consequently, the shear properties of the Sn–37Pb solder joints significantly decreased with increasing aging time, whereas those of the Sn–3.5Ag solder joints slightly decreased. The tendency toward brittle fracture of the Sn–37Pb solder joints was intensified with increasing displacement rate. The shear properties of the ductile solder joints increased with increasing displacement rate, while the displacement until fracture, deformation energy and displacement rate sensitivity of the brittle solder joints significantly decreased with increasing displacement rate.     

Frequency-Domain Measurement Method for the Analysis of ESD Generators and Coupling

A method for analyzing electrostatic discharge (ESD) generators and coupling to equipment under test in the frequency domain is proposed. In ESD generators, the pulses are excited by the voltage collapse across relay contacts. The voltage collapse is replaced by one port of a vector network analyer (VNA). All the discrete and structural elements that form the ESD current pulse and the transient fields are excited by the VNA as if they were excited by the voltage collapse. In such a way, the method allows analyzing the current and field-driven linear coupling without having to discharge an ESD generator, eliminating the risk to the circuit and allowing the use of the wider dynamic range of a network analyzer relative to a real-time oscilloscope. The method is applicable to other voltage-collapse-driven tests, such as electrical fast transient, ultrawideband susceptibility testing but requires a linear coupling path.     

Fabrication of a 3-dimensional microstructure by sequential anodic oxidation (SAO)

Scanning probe lithography (SPL) has considerable potential for producing small features (<100 nm) with a high spatial precision, and would be useful for fabricating 2-dimensional (2D) structures. However, it has not been used successfully in the fabrication of 3-dimensional (3D) structures due to the low aspect ratio of the resulting feature. Herein, we describe a simple 3D pattering method with repeated SPL, in which precise layer-by-layer alignment is not needed. Results and processes of the pattern can be readily observed in real-time. Using the proposed method, we successfully fabricated a 3D pyramidal structure. Additional growth for repeated oxidation was observed due to the superposition of energy absorbed on the pre-oxidized species.