Validation of a Method for Quantitation of Soybean Lectin in Commercial Varieties

Soybean agglutinin (SBA) protein, also known as soybean lectin, is regarded as an anti‐nutrient due to its negative effect on the ability of monogastric animals to gain weight following consumption of raw soybean seed. Historically, SBA has been measured using a time‐consuming and cumbersome hemagglutination procedure. The objective of our research was to obtain a validated methodology that is precise and accurate in the measurement of SBA while allowing minimally equipped laboratories to effectively conduct the analysis, thus our focus was on evaluating an existing commercially available ELISA, an enzyme‐linked‐lectin‐assay (ELLA), and a hybrid ELISA/ELLA. A new ELLA technique that can detect and quantify lectins was chosen and modified specifically for the quantitation of SBA in soybean seed. The proposed ELLA methodology is similar to a standard sandwich ELISA, and uses polyacrylamide‐linked N‐acetylgalactosamine (Gal–NAc–PAA) for a capture phase and the biotinylated version (Gal–NAc–PAA–Biotin) for detection. Based upon the validation data, the ELLA method can precisely and accurately determine soybean lectin levels in soybean seed. The validated ELLA method was used to quantify SBA in nine commercial soybean varieties introduced between 1972 and 2008 and demonstrated that the natural variability of SBA is subject to the effects of genotype and environment.     

Hedonic and utilitarian benefits as determinants of the application continuance intention in location-based applications: the mediating role of satisfaction

Multimedia Tools and Applications - The increase in the number of social media users and smartphone usage has a positive relationship with the diversity of applications. People use mobile...     

First and second law analysis of a new power and refrigeration thermodynamic cycle using a solar heat source

The first and second laws of thermodynamics were used to analyze a novel thermodynamic cycle proposed by Goswami in 1995 that uses an ammonia–water binary mixture as the working fluid, while producing both power and refrigeration simultaneously. The thermodynamic performance of the cycle was optimized for maximum second law efficiency using a commercially available optimization program. A maximum second law efficiency of 65.8% was obtained at a heat source temperature of 420 K. An exergy analysis was performed to study losses in different components of the cycle. It is seen that the largest contribution to cycle irreversibility comes from the absorber, with the rectifier and solution heat exchanger also contributing significantly. Irreversibility generation in the boiler is high at very low heat source temperatures, but drops at higher temperatures.     

Simulation of Nitrogen and Oxygen Spectra Emitted from High Density Hot Plasma

The expected emission spectra of nitrogen and oxygen high density plasma have been studied for different conditions. Expected nitrogen and oxygen plasma spectra at certain electron temperature range have been plotted. Suitable electron temperature ranges for nitrogen and oxygen plasma soft X-ray emission and extreme ultraviolet emission have been investigated. Numerical experiments confirm the possibility of developing nitrogen and oxygen plasma focus as a powerful X-ray radiation source for water-window X-ray microscopy, by selecting the working gas pressure, choosing corresponding design and operating parameters of the device. We have illustrated that the results obtained from XRAYFIL simulation could be used to provide spectroscopic information of the plasma focus simulated by Lee model.     

Effects of Power Terms and Thermodynamics on the Contraction of Pinch Radius in Plasma Focus Devices Using the Lee Model

The influence of the power terms Joule heating and radiative losses on the pinch radius in plasma focus devices is studied. Numerical experiments were carried out using the Lee model on three plasma focus devices spanning a large range of storage energy (PF400, INTI PF, PF1000) with different filling gases (N, O, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe). Six possible regimes each characterized by a combination of significant power terms affecting plasma focus dynamics are found and discussed. These six possible regimes are further moderated by thermodynamic effects related to the specific heat ratio SHR of the plasma. In PF1000, the thermodynamic compression effects are clearly apparent in the radius ratio versus pressure curve for nitrogen which with atomic number Z_n = 7 is less radiative than neon with Z_n = 10, the dominant line radiation being proportional to Z _n ⁴ . In neon radiative compression at optimum pressure is so dominant that it masks thermodynamic compression in the compression versus pressure graph. Results show that plasma radiation losses enhance the contraction of the plasma focus pinch radius within suitable pressure ranges characteristic of each machine for each gas discussed in this paper. The radiation enhancement of compression increases with the atomic number of the gas.     

Practical Optimization of AECS PF-2 Plasma Focus Device for Argon Soft X-ray Operation

For operation of the plasma focus in argon, a focus pinch compression temperature range of 1.4–5 keV (16.3 × 10⁶–58.14 × 10⁶ K) is found to be suitable for good yield of argon soft X-rays (SXR) Ysxr. This is based on reported temperature measurements of argon plasmas working at regime for X-ray output. Using this temperature window, numerical experiments have been investigated on AECS PF-2 plasma focus device with argon filling gas. The model was applied to characterize the 2.8 kJ plasma focus AECS PF-2. The optimum Ysxr was found to be 0.0035 J. Thus, we expect to increase the argon Ysxr of AECS PF-2, without changing the capacitor bank, merely by changing the electrode configuration and operating pressure. The Lee model code was also used to run numerical experiments on AECS PF-2 with argon gas for optimizing soft X-ray yield with reducing L₀, varying z₀ and ‘a’. From these numerical experiments we expect to increase the argon Ysxr of AECS PF-2 with reducing L₀, from the present computed 0.0035 J at L₀ = 270 nH to maximum value of near 0.082 J, with the corresponding efficiency is about 0.03%, at an achievable L₀ = 10 nH.     

Dependence of Plasma Focus Argon Soft X-Ray Yield on Storage Energy, Total and Pinch Currents

Numerical experiments are carried out systematically to determine the argon soft X-Ray yield Y_sxr for optimized argon plasma focus with storage energy E₀ from 1 kJ to 1 MJ. The ratio c = b/a, of outer to inner radii; and the operating voltage V₀ are kept constant. E₀ is varied by changing the capacitance C₀. These numerical experiments were investigated on argon plasma focus at different operational gas pressures (0.41, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2.5 and 3 Torr) for two different values of static inductance L₀ (270 and 10 nH). Scaling laws on argon soft X-Ray yield, in terms of storage energies E₀, peak discharge current I_peak and focus pinch current I_pinch were found. It was found that the argon X-ray yields scale well with \textY_\textsxr = 8 ×10 ^{- 11} \textI_\textpinch^4.12 {\text{Y}}_{\text{sxr}} = 8 \times 10^{ - 11} {\text{I}}_{\text{pinch}}^{4.12} for the high inductance (270 nH) and \textY_\textsxr = 7 ×10 ^{- 13} \textI_\textpinch^4.94 {\text{Y}}_{\text{sxr}} = 7 \times 10^{ - 13} {\text{I}}_{\text{pinch}}^{4.94} for the low inductance (10 nH), (where yields are in joules and current in kilo amperes). While the soft X-ray yield scaling laws in terms of storage energies were found to be as \textY_\textsxr = 0.05 ×\textE₀^0.94 {\text{Y}}_{\text{sxr}} = 0.05 \times {\text{E}}_{0}^{0.94} at energies in the 1–100 kJ region. The scaling ‘drops’ as E₀ is increased, and Y_sxr scales as \textY_\textsxr = 1.01 ×\textE₀^0.33 {\text{Y}}_{\text{sxr}} = 1.01 \times {\text{E}}_{0}^{0.33} at high energies towards 1 MJ for 10 nH at argon gas pressure of 1 Torr. The optimum efficiencies for SXR yield were found to be 0.00077% with a capacitor bank energy of 112.5 kJ for high inductance (270 nH) and 0.005% with a capacitor bank energy of 4.5 kJ for low inductance (10 nH). Therefore for larger devices, it may be necessary to operate at a higher voltage and use higher driver impedance to ensure increasing X-ray yield efficiency beyond the optimum values. As storage energy is changed the required electrode geometry for optimum yield is obtained and the resultant plasma pinch parameters are found. Required values of axial speed for argon soft X-ray emission were found to be in the range 11–14 cm/μs.     

Structural and plasma characterization of the power effect on the chromium thin film deposited by DC magnetron sputtering

The chromium (Cr) films on silicon Si(100) substrate are prepared using DC magnetron sputtering technique at an argon gas pressure of 3 Torr for different applied powers (40—140 W). The chemical composition, the thicknesses and the structural characterization of the deposited Cr films are studied and analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. Furthermore, the generated plasma parameters, including floating potential, plasma potential, electron density, ion density and electron temperature, have been measured, and the automated Langmuir probe is used for the Cr films deposition. The ion and metal fluxes are also determined. The results show that the Cr film thickness enhances with the higher applied power. The Cr deposited films properties are characterized and correlated with the measured plasma parameters.     

Yield Optimization of Helium and Lyman Emissions in Low Energy Plasma Focus Operated with Argon

Numerical experiments have been investigated on UNU/ICTP PFF low energy plasma focus device with argon filling gas. In these experiments, the temperature window of 1.4–5?keV has been used as suitable temperature range for argon soft X-rays. The Lee model was applied to characterize the UNU/ICTP PFF plasma focus. The optimum Ysxr was found to be 0.039?J, with the corresponding efficiency being 0.0014% at pressure of 0.673?Torr and the end axial speed was to be V_a?=?8.6?cm/μs. The optimum combination of p₀, z₀ and ‘a’ for argon Ysxr was found to be as 1.31?Torr, 12?cm and 0.7?cm respectively, with the outer radius b?=?2.37?cm. This combination gives Ysxr?=?0.045?J, with the corresponding efficiency is about 0.0016% and the end axial speed is of 8?cm/μs. Thus we expect to increase the argon Ysxr of UNU/ICTP PFF, without changing the capacitor bank, merely by changing the electrode configuration and operating pressure. The Lee model code was also used to run numerical experiments on UNU/ICTP PFF with argon gas for optimizing soft X-ray yield with reducing L₀, varying z₀ and ‘a’. From these numerical experiments we expect to increase the argon Ysxr of UNU/ICTP PFF with reducing L₀, from the present computed 0.039?J at L₀?=?110 nH to maximum value of near 0.266?J, with the corresponding efficiency is about 0.01%, at an achievable L₀?=?10 nH.     

Pinch Current and Soft X-Ray Yield Limitations by Numerical Experiments on Nitrogen Plasma Focus

The modified version of the Lee model code RADPF5-15a is used to run numerical experiments with nitrogen gas, for optimizing the nitrogen soft X-ray yield on PF-SY1. The static inductance L ₀ of the capacitor bank is progressively reduced to assess the effect on pinch current I _pinch. The experiments confirm the I _pinch, limitation effect in plasma focus, where there is an optimum L ₀ below which although the peak total current, I _peak, continues to increase progressively with progressively reduced inductance L ₀, the I _pinch and consequently the soft X-ray yield, Ysxr, of that plasma focus would not increase, but instead decreases. For the PF-SY1 with capacitance of 25 μF, the optimum L ₀ = 5 nH, at which I _pinch = 254 kA, Ysxr = 5 J; reducing L ₀ further increases neither I _pinch nor nitrogen Ysxr. The obtained results indicate that reducing the present L ₀ of the PF-SY1 device will increase the nitrogen soft X-ray yield.