Lipoxygenase and Tocopherol Profiling of Soybean Genotypes Exposed to Electron Beam Irradiation

Electron beam (EB)-irradiation is increasingly being preferred to radioactive-based gamma irradiation in overcoming the constraints that affect the quality of food material. Soybean seeds of 3 soybean genotypes were exposed to 4 doses viz. 4.8, 9.2, 15.3 and 21.2 kGy of EB-irradiation and assessed for the changes in the contents of lipoxygenase isozymes and tocopherol isomers. Densitometry of protein profile revealed decreasing intensity of lipoxygenase with increasing EB dose. All the 3 lipoxygenase isozymes viz. lipoxygenase-1, -2 and -3 registered significant (P < 0.05) increasing reduction with increasing dose; though genotypic variation was noted for the magnitude of reduction at the same dose. Concomitantly, all the 3 genotypes exhibited significant (P < 0.05) decline in α-, γ- and δ-isomers of tocopherol. δ-Tocopherol was the most sensitive to EB-irradiation. EB dose, which caused minimum and maximum decline in total tocopherol content, was genotype-dependent. Decline in vitamin E activity corresponding to the dose, which induced maximum reduction for total lipoxygenase also varied in 3 genotypes. The study showed the usefulness of EB for significant inactivation of off-flavor generating lipoxygenases in soybean, with a non-significant effect on oil content and varied retention of tocopherol isomers and vitamin E activity depending upon genotype.     

Crystallization and oxidation resistance properties of boron modified silicon oxycarbides derived from polymeric precursors by sol–gel method

Boron modified silicon oxycarbides (SiBOCs) were prepared from sol–gel derived pre-ceramic polymeric gels followed by pyrolysis at 950 °C under nitrogen. As-prepared SiBOC was found to be amorphous in nature and partially crystallized to SiO₂ at 1500 °C. The effect of boron incorporation on the crystallization of SiBOC was studied and the result revealed that the tendency to crystallization decreased with increasing boron content. This is due to the formation of Si–O–B bridges at higher temperatures, which retards the crystallization of SiO₂, evidenced from FTIR studies. SiBOC also exhibited excellent oxidation resistance ability at high temperature.     

Potentiometric studies of N,N′-Bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)-N,N′-dimethyl-9,10 anthracenedimethanamine as a chemical sensing material for Zn(II) ions

A liquid membrane based Zn²⁺ ion selective electrode containing N,N′-Bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)-N,N′-dimethyl-9,10 anthracenedimethanamine (Bis(TMEDA) anthracene) (I) as ionophore has been prepared and characterized. The membrane comprises of PVC, ionophore and plasticizer in the ratio of 33:2:65, respectively. It showed the best response in terms of detection limit (1.5 × 10^− 6 M) and working concentration range (1.0 × 10^− 5 M to 1.0 × 10^− 1 M) with Nernstian response towards Zn²⁺ ions. The electrode responds within 15 s of coming in contact with the solution. The potential response remains almost unchanged over a pH range of 3.0 to 7.5. The electrode can be used for at least 3 months without any considerable alteration in its response behavior. The proposed electrode revealed good selectivity towards Zn²⁺ ions over a number of alkali, alkaline earth, transition metals and some other heavy metal ions. The electrode has been used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Zn²⁺ with EDTA. The proposed electrode also detected Zn²⁺ ions from real life samples.     

Biosorption of Cr(VI) by immobilized biomass of two indigenous strains of cyanobacteria isolated from metal contaminated soil

Biosorption of Cr(VI) using native strains of cyanobacteria from metal contaminated soil in the premises of textile mill has been reported in this paper. Biosorption was studied as a function of pH (1-5), contact time (5-180 min) and initial chromium ion concentration (5-20mg/l) to find out the maximum biosorption capacity of alginate immobilized Nostoc calcicola HH-12 and Chroococcus sp. HH-11. The optimum conditions for Cr(VI) biosorption are almost same for the two strains (pH 3-4, contact time 30 min and initial chromium concentration of 20mg/l) however, the biomass of Chroococcus sp. HH-11 was found to be more suitable for the development of an efficient biosorbent for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater, as it showed higher values of q(m) and K(f), the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm parameters. Both the isotherm models were suitable for describing the biosorption of Cr(VI) by the cyanobacterial biosorbents.     

Development of polybutadiene (BR)–polyethylene (LDPE) blend based microcellular soles for low‐temperature applications

Microcellular (MC) soles based on polybutadiene (BR) and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) blends for low‐temperature applications were developed. A part of BR in BR–LDPE blend was replaced by natural rubber (NR) for property improvement. The BR–NR–LDPE blend‐based MC sole shows good technical properties. Sulphur curing and DCP curing were tried in BR–LDPE and NR–BR–LDPE blends. Study shows that sulphur‐cured MC sheets possess better technical properties than DCP‐cured MC sheets. 90/10 BR–LDPE and 60/30/10 BR–NR–LDPE blend combinations are found to be suitable for low‐temperature applications. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 76: 277–281, 2000     

Studies on conductive silicone rubber compounds

The electrical conductivity of silicone rubber vulcanizates containing carbon blacks [e.g., acetylene black, lamp black, and ISAF (N-234) black] were investigated. The change in electrical conductivity with varying amounts of carbon blacks and the temperature dependence was measured. The mechanical properties like tensile strength, tear strength, elongation at break, hardness, etc., of the vulcanizates were determined. A comparative study of the electrical conductivity of the composites revealed that the electrical conductivity of the composites made with acetylene black was higher than that of the composites made of other blacks. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 1043–1050, 1998     

Nutrient composition of tomato products prepared using tomato grown under sodic condition with gypsum and farmyard manure treatment

BACKGROUND: The use of sodic water for crop irrigation decreases the availability of nutrients such as nitrogen, calcium, magnesium and zinc to plants and harms crop yield and quality. Crops irrigated with sodic water have been utilised in various product formulations. Gypsum and farmyard manure (FYM) are known to provide good soil amendment under sodic water irrigation. This research was therefore conducted to study the variation in nutrient composition of tomato products prepared from tomatoes irrigated with canal water (control) and those irrigated with sodic water treated with gypsum and FYM at two levels, i.e. 50% neutralisation of sodicity (G₁F₂) and complete neutralisation of sodicity (G₂F₂). RESULTS: The contents of protein, fat, crude fibre, ash, carbohydrate and total soluble sugars in three types of tomato product were in the ranges 1.08–1.68, 0.20–0.31, 0.43–1.07, 0.83–1.06, 6.17–7.22 and 2.32–4.81 g kg^?1 respectively. Tomato products prepared from tomatoes irrigated with G₁F₂‐treated water contained significantly (P < 0.05) less protein, fat, crude fibre, dietary fibre, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc and sulfate but more ash, carbohydrate, total soluble sugars, oxalic acid, polyphenols, sodium, chloride and bicarbonate than those prepared from tomatoes irrigated with canal water and G₂F₂‐treated water. CONCLUSION: The results showed that tomato crops irrigated with sodic water treated with gypsum and FYM to varying extent were effective in maintaining and improving the nutrient composition of various tomato products. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Doping effects of Li–Sb content on the structure and electrical properties of [(Na0.5K0.5)1 − x(Li)x(Sb)x(Nb)1 − xO3] lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

Ceramic samples of [Na_0.5K_0.5]_1 ? x(Li)_x(Sb)_x(Nb)_1 ? xO₃ (NKNLS) (x = 0.04–0.06) were prepared by high temperature solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction analysis of the powder samples suggests the formation of a single-phase material with transformation from orthorhombic to tetragonal crystal structure with increase in Sb content. Dielectric studies show a diffuse phase transition about 100 °C and another phase ferroelectric–paraelectric transition at 330 °C. Polarization vs. electric field (P–E) hysteresis studies show maximum remanent polarization (Pr ～ 0.66 C m^?2) for composition x = 0.05. AC conductivity in the compound increases with increase in temperature which may be attributed due to oxygen vacancies and show negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR) effect.     

Propagation of waves in transversely isotropic micropolar generalized thermoelastic half space

The propagation of waves in a transversely isotropic micropolar medium possessing thermoelastic properties based on Lord and Shulaman (L–S), Green and Lindsay (G–L) and Coupled thermoelasticity (C-T) theories are discussed. After developing the solution, the phase velocities and attenuation quality factor have been obtained. The expressions for amplitudes of stresses, displacements, microrotation and temperature distribution have been derived and computed numerically. The numerical results have been plotted graphically.