Engineering Gold Nanotubes with Controlled Length and Near‐Infrared Absorption for Theranostic Applications

Important aspects in engineering gold nanoparticles for theranostic applications include the control of size, optical properties, cytotoxicity, biodistribution, and clearance. In this study, gold nanotubes with controlled length and tunable absorption in the near‐infrared (NIR) region have been exploited for applications as photothermal conversion agents and in vivo photoacoustic imaging contrast agents. A length‐controlled synthesis has been developed to fabricate gold nanotubes (NTs) with well‐defined shape (i.e., inner void and open ends), high crystallinity, and tunable NIR surface plasmon resonance. A coating of poly(sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate) (PSS) endows the nanotubes with colloidal stability and low cytotoxicity. The PSS‐coated Au NTs have the following characteristics: i) cellular uptake by colorectal cancer cells and macrophage cells, ii) photothermal ablation of cancer cells using single wavelength pulse laser irradiation, iii) excellent in vivo photoacoustic signal generation capability and accumulation at the tumor site, iv) hepatobiliary clearance within 72 h postintravenous injection. These results demonstrate that these PSS‐coated Au NTs have the ideal attributes to develop their potential as effective and safe in vivo imaging nanoprobes, photothermal conversion agents, and drug delivery vehicles. To the best of knowledge, this is the first in vitro and in vivo study of gold nanotubes.     

Elastomeric Electronic Skin for Prosthetic Tactile Sensation

This report demonstrates a wearable elastomer‐based electronic skin including resistive sensors for monitoring finger articulation and capacitive tactile pressure sensors that register distributed pressure along the entire length of the finger. Pressure sensitivity in the order of 0.001 to 0.01 kPa^?1 for pressures from 5 to 405 kPa, which includes much of the range of human physiological sensing, is achieved by implementing soft, compressible silicone foam as the dielectric and stretchable thin‐metal films. Integrating these sensors in a textile glove allows the decoupling of the strain and pressure cross‐sensitivity of the tactile sensors, enabling precise grasp analysis. The sensorized glove is implemented in a human‐in‐the‐loop system for controlling the grasp of objects, a critical step toward hand prosthesis with integrated sensing capabilities.     

Fabrication of Fischer–Tropsch Catalysts by Deposition of Iron Nanocrystals on Carbon Nanotubes

The fabrication of supported catalysts consisting of colloidal iron oxide nanocrystals with tunable size, geometry, and loading—homogeneously dispersed on carbon nanotube (CNT) supports—is described herein. The catalyst synthesis is performed in a two‐step approach. First, colloidal iron and iron oxide nanocrystals with a narrow size distribution are produced. Second, the nanocrystals are attached to CNT grains serving as support structure. Important features, like iron loading and nanocrystal density on the CNT support, are controlled by changing the nanocrystal concentration and ligand concentration, respectively. The Fischer–Tropsch performance reveals these new materials to be active, selective toward lower olefins (60% C of hydrocarbons produced in the absence of promoters), and remarkably stable against particle growth.     

Physical and Sensory Characteristics of Low Fat Ground Beef Patties

Ground beef patties with combinations of 0 and 10% added water and 0 and 0.25% added phosphate were compared with controls (22% fat and 0% added water and phosphate). Added water increased thaw and cooking losses but improved objective texture measurements and sensory panel ratings (P < 0.05). Added water and phosphate increased the percentage of water, decreased protein and did not affect fat. Added water and/or phosphate resulted in higher (P < 0.05) juiciness, tenderness and overall palatability scores. Low fat patties with added water were similar to 22% fat patties. Water and/or phosphate also improved sensory ratings for texture and flavor of 10% fat patties to equal those for 22% fat patties.     

D-Erythroascorbic Acid in Bakers'Yeast and Effects on Wheat Dough

Extraction of hydrated and freeze-dried bakers’yeast yielded ～ 50 μg erythroascorbic acid (EAA) and 5 μg ascorbic acid (AA)/g dry yeast as determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection. D-EAA (82 ppm based on flour) slightly increased the flow of dough as rest time increased. Gluten isolated from a flour-water dough containing 82 ppm D-EAA or 100 ppm Lcysteine stretched at a faster rate than control gluten. EAA like AA did not change dough development time. Unlike AA, EAA showed neither oxidizing effect on dough and gluten nor improving effects on bread.     

Model system evaluations of the effects of different levels of K(2)HPO(4) NaCl and oil temperature on emulsion stability and viscosity of fresh and frozen turkish style meat emulsions

The effects of different levels of K(2)HPO(4), NaCl, and the effects of oil temperature used in the evaluation of emulsion stability and viscosity of fresh and frozen beef (fat level adjusted with tail fat from sheep) was studied by utilizing a model system. Emulsion stability (ES) and emulsion viscosity (EV) of frozen meat tissue were both decreased, by 3·6% and 10·5% respectively, when compared to fresh meat. ES was decreased by 4·0% and 3·7% at 5°C and 11°C oil temperature respectively when compared to 21°C. While EV decreased 12·2% at 11°C compared to 21°C, it did not show any statistically significant (P < 0·01) change at 5°C oil temperature. ES and EV were elevated with the addition of phosphate and increasing phosphate levels. These increases for ES were 3·9% and 3·7% with 0·50% and 0·75% phosphate levels respectively, when compared to the 0·00% phosphate control group. Also, the increases for EV were 22·3% and 27·0% with 0·50% and 0·75% phosphate levels respectively, compared to the 0·00% phosphate control group. The alteration of the ES was not statistically P < 0·01) significant for the 0·50% phosphate level when compared to the 0·75% phosphate level. The ES decreased 1·1% for a 3·0% salt level when compared to a 2·5% salt level, and there was statistically (P < 0·05) no effect on the EV.     

Tenderness of ovine semimembranosus: Is collagen concentration or solubility the critical factor?

The concentration and heat-dependent solubility of collagen were measured in the semimembranosus (36 animals) and, for comparison, the gluteus (108) muscles of sheep aged 4 months to 5 years. For both muscles, solubility declined with age but concentration remained unchanged. Compared to gluteus and other major ovine muscles, the semimembranosus had markedly insoluble collagen at a relatively low concentration. To assess the relative importance of collagen concentration and solubility on tenderness/texture for a muscle with this profile, the semimembranosus muscles contralateral to those used for collagen analysis were cooked to an endpoint of 75°C and assessed by sensory panel and Warner-Bratzler shear tests. The panel data showed that collagen concentration was the more important determinant of eating quality, whereas shear data were more clearly related to solubility. The implications of the sensory results are discussed for muscles that contain a different collagen profile.     

The effect of preheated tendon as a lean meat replacement on the properties of fine emulsion sausages

Tendon from beef hind leg muscles was used to replace some of the lean in a conventional emulsion formulation. The tendon was homogenized and either used raw or preheated for 2·5 h at a range of temperatures (50, 60, 70, 80°C) before use. Texture analysis and sensory evaluation were performed on cylinders of cooked sausage. Texture analysis was carried out on formulations which had 20% of meat protein replaced by 20% tendons which were raw or had been preheated to 50, 60, 70, or 80°C. Fracturability decreased by about 40% with raw tendon, but was restored to within 20% of the no-replacement control if the tendon had been preheated. Hardness was approximately doubled by replacement with raw tendon or tendon heated at 50°C. At temperatures higher than that, hardness returned to approximately no-replacement levels. For sensory evaluation (0-25% replacement; preheating at 70°C), sausages were assessed by a 12-member panel for texture, flavour and overall acceptability. All attributes decreased with increasing collagen content, the decrease being less marked with preheated tendon. Thus more connective tissue could be added for the same panel score if the tissue was preheated. Comparison of the texture profile and the panel scores for texture at the same lean replacement level suggested that reduced fracturability was the texture parameter that panellists objected to when heated tendon replaced some of the lean. Other researchers have shown that connective tissue preheated to 100°C before addition in emulsion sausages results in improved yields and better sensory attributes, but the present results show that temperatures as low as 60°C can be effective for beef tendon.     

Measuring active wood fracture surfaces

This report describes a measurement method, based on image processing, for calculating the proportion of active wood fractures in a sheet of particle board that has been pulled apart. This method gives an indirect measurement of the effectiveness of the glue in a particle board. The basic procedure is to separate different surfaces on both sides of the tensile fracture. The separation of the glue covered surfaces from wood surfaces has been enhanced by a development process. The separated surfaces for each side, represented in the form of a binary image, are added, and a proportion of the surface with coinciding wood surfaces represents the proportion of wood fractures. The error analysis covers the randomly obtained coinciding surfaces.     

Optimization of Carrot Juice Color and Cloud Stability

Investigations were conducted on the effects of heating, acidification, and enzyme treatment on carrot juice color and cloud stability. Heating whole carrots to 93°C prior to milling and pressing improved juice color, but reduced juice yield compared to heating milled carrots to 93°C. Juice color was improved by acidification of milled carrots to pH 5 or 4 with citric acid prior to pressing. Juice from carrots heated before milling clarified quickly if not acidified before pressing. Acidification after juice extraction did not stabilize cloud. A commercial pectinase/hemicellulase preparation improved juice color, but not juice yield. Only 20% of potential β-carotene was extracted from carrots during pressing, and β-carotene was extracted to a greater extent than α-carotene.