Development of chemically interesterified healthy coconut oil blends

Edible vegetable oil blends, such as coconut:linseed; coconut:safflower; coconut:sunflower; coconut:rice‐bran oils; in the ratio of 70:30 and 60:40 v/v and pure coconut oil (CNO) were interesterified using sodium methoxide 0.5% and subsequently refined to prepare nutritionally superior flowable CNO blends which remained liquid even at sub‐zero temperatures. The slip melting point of chemically interesterified fats could not be determined as they are liquified just after removing from freezing chamber in comparison with the slip melting point of 21.5–26.5 °C for their uninteresterified counterparts. These interesterified fats were liquid and flowable at 6 °C for more than 4 h in a cooling chamber and their solidification temperature ranged between ?2.0 and ?5.5 °C. Free fatty acids showed an increasing trend from 0.35% to 2.0% resulting in decrease in triglycerides After refining these oil blends showed values similar to their controls. However, iodine value of interesterified and uninteresterified oils were close to each other. Differential scanning calorimetry showed the onset of crystallisation at lower temperatures and lower solid fat content for interesterified fats. A nutritionally superior combination of CNO blend which is flowable at low temperature could be prepared.     

Comparison of the growth pattern and Rosharinic acid production in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) shoots and genetically transformed callus cultures

Abstract

Rosmarinic acid is a natural antioxidant and is found as a secondary metabolite in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). It is of interest in food preservation due to its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Previously maintained shoot‐based clonal line of rosemary designated as R‐l (based on RA content, total phenolics content, tolerance to Pseudomonas sp and RA stimulation) was used in this study to compare RA biosynthesis in shoot vs callus cultures. Callus cultures were generated from shoot cultures of R‐l line following transformation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes‐containing a natural plasmid that alters plant development. The shoot and transformed callus cultures of R‐l were isolated and maintained separately on hormone free Murashige and Skoog medium (MS/HF). The effect of light and dark conditions on callus growth and RA production was investigated. RA biosynthesis in shoot cultures was also compared due to its relevance to greenhouse production and organ culture. We found that callus maintained in light grows more rapidly when compared to shoot grown in light and callus grown in dark. The ratio of biomass accumulated by callus (Light): callus (Dark): Shoot was 4:1:1 based on fresh weight and 4:1:2 based on dry weight. The ratio of peak RA levels (expressed mg/g DW) was 1:1:10. RA production in callus was small compared to shoot and light had no effect on peak RA level in the callus system, but it effected the growth rate significantly.     

Application of ANN, Fuzzy Logic and Decision Tree Algorithms for the Development of Reservoir Operating Rules

Optimal use of scarce water resources is the prime objective for water resources development projects in the developing country like India. Optimal releases have been generally expressed as a function of reservoir state variables and hydrologic inputs by a relationship which ultimately allows the policy/water managers to determine the water to be released as a function of available information. Optimal releases were obtained by using optimal control theory with inflow series and revised reservoir characteristics such as elevation area capacity table, zero elevation level as input in this study. Operating rules for reservoir were developed as a function of demand, water level and inflow. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with back propagation algorithm, Fuzzy Logic and decision tree algorithms such as M5 and REPTree were used for deriving the operating rules using the optimal releases for an irrigation and power supply reservoir, located in northern India. It was found that fuzzy logic model performed well compared to other soft computing techniques such as ANN, M5P and REPTree investigated in this study.     

Pb in Tap Water Following Simulated Partial Lead Pipe Replacements

The concentrations of total, colloidal, and truly dissolved lead (Pb) were investigated in tap water following laboratory simulations of partial lead pipe replacements. Old lead pipes were recovered from service in New Orleans, La and mounted horizontally in an experimental apparatus at Tulane Univ. Municipal water was diverted for two weeks at low flowrates of 0.2 or 1.1?L/min (0.05 or 0.3?gal/min) through two pipe trains operated continuously and two pipe trains operated intermittently. Samples were collected to determine relative concentrations and time needed for each form of Pb (total, colloidal, and truly dissolved) to stabilize below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency action level (AL) of 15?μg/L Pb. Results demonstrate that total Pb concentrations exceeded the AL immediately following simulated partial pipe replacements. In most cases, total Pb concentrations were reduced below the AL by flushing for 15–30?min but subsequent sampling revealed total Pb concentrations greater than the AL. Continuous flow pattern flushing was more effective at stabilizing total Pb concentrations below the AL than intermittent flows. Results also demonstrate that colloidal Pb concentrations were 38–54% of total Pb and truly dissolved Pb concentrations were 41–60% of total Pb concentrations after stabilization.     

The storage stability and textural, physico-chemical and sensory quality of low-fat ground pork patties with Carrageenan as fat replacer

Low‐fat ground pork patties (<10% total fat) made with carrageenan added at either 0.25, 0.50 or 0.75% final concentration were processed and the compositional and sensory characteristics compared with control patties which contained 20% fat. The moisture content of raw and cooked low‐fat patties was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than control patties because of greater amounts of water added during formulation. Cooking yield, fat and moisture retention also improved significantly (P < 0.05) in low‐fat patties that had carrageenan incorporated when compared to a control product. The dimensions of the low‐fat patties were maintained better than those of the control product during cooking. The sensory attributes of low‐fat patties with 0.5% carrageenan were similar to those of the high‐fat control. The lipid profile revealed as much as a 47.7 or 44.1% decrease in total lipids and cholesterol content respectively, compared with the controls. The calorie content was reduced by 31.1% in low‐fat cooked patties compared with the controls. The texture profile of low‐fat patties that had been made with 0.5% carrageenan were similar to control patties with only a slight increase in hardness and gumminess in the low‐fat product. The low‐fat ground pork patties made in the present study remained stable without any appreciable loss of physico‐chemical, microbiological and organoleptic quality during refrigerated storage (4 ± 1 °C) for 21 and 35 days in aerobic and vacuum packaging respectively.     

Emergency department repair of hand lacerations using absorbable vicryl sutures

The use of absorbable suture material has a number of potential advantages when compared to nonabsorbable suture. We conducted a 5-year retrospective study of 102 patients with hand lacerations and compared the quality of scar formation and healing in these patients. Those patients who did not have tendon, nerve, or bone injury were included in the study. Lacerations were repaired with either 5-0 Vicryl or nylon. There were no reported complications or infections in any study group patient. The quality of scar, when compared visually and by palpation, was the same at the end of 6 months. In addition, there was no difference in the incidence of scar retraction. We conclude that the use of absorbable suture material is an acceptable alternative in the repair of hand lacerations.     

Triple Band Annular Ring Loaded Stacked Circular Patch Microstrip Antenna

In this paper a novel structure of annular ring loaded stacked circular patch microstrip antenna is theoretically analysed to observe various parameters such as return loss, input impedance, gain, directivity and radiation pattern. It is found that antenna possess three band of operation which signify the compactness and multiband operation of antenna. The antenna is resonating at three operating frequencies 1.720, 2.950, 3.060 GHz. The proposed theory is verified by simulation using Ansoft’s HFSS and theoretical results are in good agreement with simulated results. The antenna is useful for multi-services operations such as WLAN, GSM, UMTS, and WiMAX services.     

Multiwall carbon-nanotube-doped ion conducting polymer electrolyte for electrochemical application

Electrical, structural and optical properties of a composite containing a polymer electrolyte (namely polyethylene oxide complexed with sodium iodide) and multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) are reported. The films of these composites were ‘solution casted’ using the viscous solution of polyethylene oxide (PEO) complexed with sodium iodide (NaI) in desired ratios and characterised using various techniques. The conductivity versus composition plot in PEO:NaI shows conductivity maxima at 12?wt% NaI concentration while in MWCNTs doped polymer electrolyte it occurs at 40?wt% MWCNTs concentration. The surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows the enhancement in amorphous reason by MWCNTs doping which is a well-known favourable condition for conductivity enhancement. The differential scanning calorimetry shows that dispersal of MWCNTs reduces the crystallinity of polymer electrolyte that is well-supported by our polarised optical micrographs and SEM measurements.     

Rapid, online quantification of H2S in JP-8 fuel reformate using near-infrared cavity-enhanced laser absorption spectroscopy

One of the key challenges in reforming military fuels for use with fuel cells is their high sulfur content, which can poison the fuel cell anodes. Sulfur-tolerant fuel reformers can convert this sulfur into H(2)S and then use a desulfurizing bed to remove it prior to the fuel cell. In order to optimize and verify this desulfurization process, a gas-phase sulfur analyzer is required to measure H(2)S at low concentrations (<1 ppm(v)) in the presence of other reforming gases (e.g., 25-30% H(2), 10-15% H(2)O, 15% CO, 5% CO(2), 35-40% N(2), and trace amounts of light hydrocarbons). In this work, we utilize near-infrared cavity-enhanced optical absorption spectroscopy (off-axis ICOS) to quantify H(2)S in a JP-8 fuel reformer product stream. The sensor provides rapid (2 s), highly precise (±0.1 ppm(v)) measurements of H(2)S in reformate gases over a wide dynamic range (0-1000 ppm(v)) with a low detection limit (3σ = ±0.09 ppm(v) in 1 s) and minimal cross-interferences from other present species. It simultaneously quantifies CO(2) (±0.2%), CH(4) (±150 ppm(v)), C(2)H(4) (±30 ppm(v)), and H(2)O (±300 ppm(v)) in the reformed gas for a better characterization of the fuel reforming process. Other potential applications of this technology include measurement of coal syngas and H(2)S in natural gas. By including additional near-infrared, distributive feedback diode lasers, the instrument can also be extended to other reformate species, including CO and H(2).