Modulation of physicochemical properties of emulsified lipids by chitosan addition

Electrostatic interactions between polysaccharides and proteins at oil–water interfaces alter the physicochemical properties and stability of emulsions. In this research, we studied the influence of chitosan addition on the properties of oil-in-water emulsions containing whey protein-coated lipid droplets. Experiments were carried out under conditions where the protein and polysaccharide had similar charges (pH 3.0) or opposite charges (pH 6.5). At pH 3.0, chitosan addition (0–0.025%) had little influence on droplet charge, aggregation, creaming stability or shear viscosity of whey protein emulsions, which was attributed to the fact that the cationic chitosan molecules did not adsorb to the cationic droplet surfaces due to electrostatic repulsion. At pH 6.5, chitosan addition caused a decrease in particle negative charge, an increase in particle size, a decrease in creaming stability, and an increase in viscosity. These effects were attributed to droplet aggregation caused by charge neutralization and bridging resulting from attraction of cationic chitosan molecules to anionic patches on the protein-coated droplet surfaces. Addition of cationic polyelectrolytes to protein-stabilized emulsions may be utilized to control their physicochemical properties, stability and biological fate, which may be useful for developing commercial products with novel or improved functional properties.     

Analysing utility tunnels and highway networks coordination dilemma

Utilities are an integral component of the total transportation network comprising highways, railways, airways, and waterways, as well as pipelines, wires, and cables that transport people, goods, and public services. The perennial dilemma of mutual interference between utility lines and transportation networks could be minimised making use of utility tunnel systems. Utilidors most striking feature is that they house several types of power, water, sewage, communications, gas and other statutory services in an easily accessible space. Placing utilities in tunnels under public rights-of-way reduces the continual cutting of pavements resulting from utility burial practices and facilitates the installation, inspection, replacement, and maintenance operations. Utility tunnels and transportation networks may not be compatible at transmission levels. Highway systems are generally planned to avoid high-density areas insofar as is possible. However, where the location of utility networks coincides sufficiently with the highway routes, the situation becomes more favourable to the utility tunnel concept. This paper discusses how compatibility of utility system networks with highway system networks could be greatly improved by appropriate attention to utilidor systems in urban planning. A sustainable approach to the dilemma of where to locate utilities in urban streets and highways has become urgent as the need for services expands in our modern cities. Interference between the safety and flow of highway traffic and utility tunnel operation could be a problem unless adequate measures are undertaken.     

Monte Carlo Simulation of Massive Absorbers for Cryogenic Calorimeters

There is a growing interest in cryogenic calorimeters with macroscopic absorbers for applications such as dark matter direct detection and rare event search experiments. The physics of energy transport in calorimeters with absorber masses exceeding several grams is made complex by the anisotropic nature of the absorber crystals as well as the changing mean free paths as phonons decay to progressively lower energies. We present a Monte Carlo model capable of simulating anisotropic phonon transport in cryogenic crystals. We have initiated the validation process and discuss the level of agreement between our simulation and experimental results reported in the literature, focusing on heat pulse propagation in germanium. The simulation framework is implemented using Geant4, a toolkit originally developed for high-energy physics Monte Carlo simulations. Geant4 has also been used for nuclear and accelerator physics, and applications in medical and space sciences. We believe that our current work may open up new avenues for applications in material science and condensed matter physics.     

Effect of the curing régime on compressive strength

In a previous issue the Instituto Eduardo Torroja in Spain described the development of lightweight panels made from ordinary Portland cement and rice husk ash (RHA). This paper discusses the crucial effect of the curing régime on compressive strength with temperatures maintained at 30C and relative humidity at 80 percent.     

Synthesis,structure, and magnetic property of hexagonal perovskite Ba5Sn1.1Mn3.9O15

A new compound Ba₅Sn_1.1Mn_3.9O₁₅ has been synthesized at 1300 °C by solid-state reaction. The structure was characterized by X-ray, electron and neutron diffraction methods. Ba₅Sn_1.1Mn_3.9O₁₅ crystallizes in hexagonal space group P6₃/mmc with a = 5.717 Å and c = 23.534 Å. The magnetic measurement reveals that Ba₅Sn_1.1Mn_3.9O₁₅ has a spin glass transition at 7 K.