Modification of Corn Starch and Fine Flour by Acid and Gamma Irradiation. Part 1. Chemical Investigation of the Modified Products

Fine flour from corn and the isolated starch were dextrinized in the presence of acid and irradiated with y-rays. Starch irradiated with high doses of y-rays was highly modified while fine flour was less affected. The irradiated starch was reduced with sodium borohydride and then hydrolysed. Erythritol and other compounds were identified in the hydrolysate. It was concluded that the C2-C3 bonds in the intermediate glucose units are probably broken by irradiation. Such hypothesis was confirmed by periodate oxidation, hydrolysis with α-amylase and ferricyanide number determination of the irradiated starch.     

Effect of Ozonated Water Treatment on Fatty Acid Composition and Some Quality Parameters of Olive Oil

The organic olives from Çine-Ayd?n (Turkey) were washed with tap or ozonated water for 2 and 5 min, respectively, and pressed to olive oil. The effects of wash treatments on fatty acid composition and several quality parameters of the oils were determined. The maximum values after 2-min ozonated water washes were 9.58 meqO₂/kg, 0.73%, 2.44 and 0.16 for peroxide, free acid, K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀ values, respectively, which were under the standard limits for extra-virgin olive oil. Five min of ozonated water washes also yielded acceptable results, except for a slight excess on K₂₃₂ value. Ozonated water washes had almost no effect on fatty acid composition.     

Computational Techniques for Closed–loop Reservoir Modeling with Application to a Realistic Reservoir

Abstract

Real-time model-based reservoir management requires efficient computational techniques for optimizing reservoir performance under uncertainty. A variety of algorithms addressing various aspects of this “closed-loop” methodology have been presented by various investigators, but substantial effort is still needed to make the entire process robust and efficient. In our recent work, we introduced an approximate feasible direction optimization algorithm for treating nonlinear path constraints (which are constraints such as maximum liquid production rate, which must be satisfied at every time step) and a new parameterization based on kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) for multipoint geostatistical models. The KPCA representation allows for the use of a gradient-based history-matching procedure that is able to maintain a higher degree of geological realism in the history-matched model. In this article, we combine these procedures with our general adjoint-based optimization technique to provide a full closed-loop capability. This integrated set of algorithms is then applied to a realistic field case. Specifically, we describe the key computational procedures and highlight the linkages required to provide the closed-loop capability. The example case considered is based on a Gulf of Mexico reservoir and involves three injection wells and four production wells operating under bottom hole pressure, total injection rate, and maximum water cut constraints. For this case, it is demonstrated that application of the closed-loop methodology provides a 25% increase in the net present value (NPV) over predictions for a realistic base case. This improvement is almost the same as that achieved using an open-loop approach, which is an idealized formulation in which the geological model is assumed to be known. These results demonstrate that the overall closed-loop procedure will indeed be applicable for practical cases with uncertain geology.     

Yielding behaviour of thermoplastic/elastomer blends cured by gamma irradiation

Mechanical blends of thermoplastic medium density polyethylene (MDPE) and elastomeric ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) have been prepared with a fixed composition of 60/40 wt%. They have been used either in their gum form or loaded with two different reinforcing fillers, high abrasion furnace (HAF) carbon black or precipitated SiO₂ (Hi Sil) of concentration 25–100 phr (parts per hundred parts of resin) with respect to the blend. Curing was achieved by gamma irradiation. Yielding properties (yield stress, yield strain and cold drawing) have been followed as a function of irradiation dose for different blend compositions. Yield stress values increased with irradiation dose and with the content of the reinforcing filler, but yield strain and cold drawing values decreased with irradiation dose and also with the filler content. The data obtained reveal that Hi Sil is more effective as a reinforcing filler, and the prepared blends are suitable for load‐bearing applications. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

High quality biodiesel and its diesel engine application: A review

The continuous increasing demand for energy and the diminishing tendency of petroleum resources has led to the search for alternative renewable and sustainable fuel. Biodiesel is best substitute for petro-diesel and also most advantageous over petro-diesel for its environmental friendliness. The quality of biodiesel fuel was found to be significant for its successful use on compression ignition engines and subsequent replacement of non-renewable fossil fuels. Conventional biodiesel separation and purification technologies were noticed to yield lower quality biodiesel fuel with resultant excessive energy and water consumptions. Membrane technology showed more potential for effective and efficient separation and purification of biodiesel. This technology need be explored for the attainment of better quality biodiesel fuels. This paper reviews the technologies used for the biodiesel separation and purification, biodiesel quality, and its effects on diesel engines. Biodiesel biodegradability, lubricity, stability, economic importance, and gaseous emissions have been discussed.     

Seed-mediated grown platinum nanocrystal: A correlation between seed volume and catalytic performance of formic acid and ethanol oxidation

Platinum (Pt) nanocrystals of cubic and octopod structures were synthesized via seed-mediated solvothermal growth with monoethanolamine as the solvent. The combination of nanocube and octopod structures was formed using 0.025 ml seeds loading, while increasing the seeds volume to 0.050 ml and 0.100 ml produced nanocube as the primary product. The octopod structure evolves from the overgrown nanocube via kinetic growth mechanism. Pt nanocube formed with 0.050 ml seeded solution has the potential to serve as a catalyst in formic acid oxidation by virtue of its high electrochemical surface area of 10.93 m²/g, over that of Pt black at 8.62 m²/g and resistance to poisonous CO. Nonetheless, it is less catalytically active in ethanol oxidation as depicted by the small electrochemical surface area of 8.64 m²/g and low current density in longer period.     

Preparation and properties of probiotic concentrated yoghurt (labneh) fortified with conjugated linoleic acid

Milk of high conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) level (1.25 g per 100 g milk fat) was produced by inclusion of fish oil and rousted soy bean in the ration of Holstein cows as compared to 0.55 g per 100 g milk fat in the milk of animals receiving control diet. Milk of normal (control) and high CLA content (treatment) was spray‐dried. Labneh was made from 20 g L^?1 reconstituted milk using 3 mL per 100 mL yoghurt starter and 2 mL per 100 mL of probiotic cultures of Lactobacillus casei or Lactobacillus acidophilus. The control (C) and high CLA (T) labneh were analysed chemically and microbiologically, and their viscosities were determined during cold storage for 15 days. The fat content of labneh of high CLA was less than that of the control, but the total solids (TS) were unaffected by the CLA level. Labneh made with Lb. acidophilus had lower TS and higher acidity, exopolysaccharides and acetaldehyde contents and viscosity than that made with the use of Lb. casei. Labneh from the different treatments retained high counts of the added probiotic (>10⁸ cfu g^?1) throughout the storage period. The storage period had significant effects on all parameters determined.     

Origin of Surface Irregularities on Ti–10V–2Fe–3Al Beta Titanium Alloy

We studied the origin of different characteristics and properties of a Ti–10V–2Fe–3Al beta (β) titanium alloy with surface height irregularities that occurred during machining. The height differences were observed in two different regions, labeled as “soft region” and “hard region.” The present study showed a higher Fe and a lower Al content in the hard region, which resulted in higher β-phase stability to resist primary alpha (α_p) phase precipitation caused by a failure of the solution treatment process. In contrast, the soft region contained a higher volume fraction of α_p phase and a lower volume fraction of the matrix, which consisted of a combination of β and secondary alpha (α_s) phase. A high number of α_s/β interface in the matrix with a predicted hardness of 520 HV generated an improvement of hardness in the hard region. Therefore, the hard and the soft regions had different abilities to resist wear during machining process, resulting in surface height irregularities.     

Heart rate variability in low birth weight growth restricted children during sleep and wake stages

Intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) individuals have greater predisposition to develop a metabolic syndrome in later life manifesting itself as obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Poor fetal growth may alter the regularity mechanism of cardiac autonomic system that is involved in the development of these diseases. The malfunctioning of the cardiac autonomic system assessed by decrease in heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with negative cardiovascular outcomes. This study is aimed at investigating the risk of development of coronary heart disease in IUGR children in later life. For that purpose HRV analysis of normal and growth restricted children was performed during sleep and wake stages. The study group consisted of 9–10 years old, 32 normal, 20 low birth weight IUGR children. The standard time domain HRV metrics (mean RR, SDNN, RMSSD, NN50 and pNN50) and Poincaré indices (SD₁ and SD₂) were used to analyse and compare the RR-interval time series of these groups. The IUGR children showed lower HRV as compared with normal children during both sleep and wake stages. The significantly decreased HRV during sleep provide an evidence of autonomic derangement that may be associated with higher risk of lethal arrhythmias in the IUGR children in later life.     

Interval timing accuracy and scalar timing in C57BL/6 mice.

In many species, interval timing behavior is accurate—appropriate estimated durations—and scalar—errors vary linearly with estimated durations. Whereas accuracy has been previously examined, scalar timing has not been clearly demonstrated in house mice (Mus musculus), raising concerns about mouse models of human disease. The authors estimated timing accuracy and precision in C57BL/6 mice, the most used background strain for genetic models of human disease, in a peak-interval procedure with multiple intervals. Both when timing 2 intervals (Experiment 1) or 3 intervals (Experiment 2), C57BL/6 mice demonstrated varying degrees of timing accuracy. An important finding was that, both at the individual and group levels, their precision varied linearly with the subjective estimated duration. Further evidence for scalar timing was obtained using an intraclass correlation statistic. This is the first report of consistent, reliable scalar timing in a sizable sample of house mice, thus validating the peak-interval procedure as a valuable technique, the intraclass correlation statistic as a powerful test of the scalar property, and the C57BL/6 strain as a suitable background for behavioral investigations of genetically engineered mice modeling disorders of interval timing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)