Microwave Processing to Destroy Salmonellae in Corn-Soy-Milk Blends and Effect on Product Quality

Enriched corn-soy-milk (CSM) blends were inoculated with Salmonella senftenberg and packed in 50-lb (22.7 kg) bags. The inoculated product and CSM bags containing natural salmonellae contamination were heated from 21° to 56.7°C through 82.2°C in 3.9 – 10 min, respectively, using a 60 Kw (2450 MHz) continuous microwave tunnel, and then palletized with and without 4-cm spacers between rows. Spacer palletized bags cooled to 43°C after 9.7 hr with moving air and after 23.3 hr without moving air, but 60 hr was required with no spacers. Initial most probable numbers (MPN) of 4 × 10² cells/g for S. senftenberg were reduced 10²-fold to 10⁵-fold after processing at 56.7° through 82.2°C, respectively. Nutritional damage occurred at process temperatures of 77.8° and 82.2°C. At 61.1° and 67.2°C, MPN were reduced 2 × 10³-fold with no significant change in rheology, moisture, color, vitamins A and B₁, available lysine, and protein efficiency ratios.     

Variability of Nonionellina labradorica Dawson in Surface Sediments from Kongsfjorden,West Spitsbergen

Kongsfjorden is a fjord in Spitsbergen (Svalbard archipelago) that lies adjacent to both Arctic and Atlantic water masses and is therefore a suitable site to understand the effects of climate change on ecosystems. To decipher the effect of the lateral advection of transformed Atlantic water (TAW) within the fjord, spatial variations of foraminiferal tests, their test size variations and stable isotopic composition (δ13C and δ18O) in the surface sediments were studied. Total organic carbon and textural analyses were also carried out. The dominant benthic foraminifera included Nonionellina labradorica, Elphidium excavatum, Cassidulina reniforme, Quinqueloculina stalkeri and Islandiella islandica. Nonionellina labradorica was the predominant species in the outer fjord, whereas Elphidium excavatum and Cassidulina reniforme were dominant in the inner fjord. Total organic carbon and the test size of Nonionellina labradorica within the fjord were highly correlated (r = 0.97) and both showed a decreasing trend towards the inner fjord. Based on the distribution and abundance of Nonionellina labradorica as well as temperature profiles, we suggest that there was little or no major change in the lateral advection of TAW within the fjord in the immediate past.     

Dielectric response of PLZT ceramics <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>/57/43 across ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition

The dielectric properties of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramics [Pb(Zr_0·57Ti_0·43)O₃ + x at% of La, x = 3, 5, 6, 10 and 12] have been measured in the frequency range 1 Hz–1 MHz using the vector impedance spectroscopy (VIS) at different temperatures. All the compositions show both non-dispersive and dispersive dielectric responses in different temperature regions. The non-dispersive region obeys the universal dielectric response. A low frequency (<1 kHz) relaxation phenomenon with a high value of distribution parameter ‘h’ (~0·4 to 0·6) has been observed in all the compositions around the temperature corresponding to the maximum dielectric constant (T _m). The activation energies as calculated from the relaxation and d.c. conduction processes are comparable. The ferroelectric phase transition is diffuse in nature and broadening of the peak increases with La content.     

Influence of ZnO concentration on the optical and photocatalytic properties of Ni-doped ZnS/ZnO nanocomposite

Photocatalysts consisting of nickel-doped ZnS/ZnO core shell nanocomposites with varying concentrations of ZnO was synthesized through chemical precipitation method. The catalyst was deployed in photocatalytic degradation of indigo carmine dye as a model organic pollutant. Characterization of the samples was achieved through the use of X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The composites consist of wurtzite ZnO phase deposited on cubic ZnS. Optical absorption, crystallite sizes and photocatalytic degradation efficiency increased with increasing ZnO concentration. Bandgap values of ZnS also decreased appreciably with increase in ZnO concentration. Ni-doped ZnS/(0.5 M ZnO) was identified as the most efficient catalyst with 91% dye degradation efficiency at a rate of 15.38 × 10^?3 min^?1 in 180 min. Meanwhile, the pristine ZnS degraded 25% of the dye at the rate of 1.53 × 10^?3 min^?1 within the same time. The Ni-doped Zns/(0.5 M ZnO) was used to degrade the dye on the basis of influence of factors such as solution temperature, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and ethanol contents. Dye degradation increased with increase in temperature, but decreased with ethanol content. H₂O₂ content initially caused enhanced dye degradation but the efficiency decreased with higher H₂O₂ content.     

Structure Optimization of FePt Nanoparticles of Various Sizes for Magnetic Data Storage

Surfactant-coated, fcc disordered FePt nanoparticles of three different sizes between 3 and 7 nm were prepared and washed according to a modified reaction route based on Sun et al.[1] Hexane dispersions of nanoparticles were dried on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids, and the resulting monolayers were annealed by a sinter-free procedure at 600 °C and at 650 °C for 2 hours, respectively, developing the L1₀ phase while preserving their monodispersity. The order parameter of the L1₀ phase was measured using electron diffraction from statistically large ensembles of nanoparticles using an X-ray-like signal collection technique. The order parameter increases with particle size and with the temperature in the range 600 °C to 650 °C, being close to unity for the 7.2-nm particles annealed at 650 °C for 2 hours. Electronic supplementary material   The online version of this article (doi: ) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorised users. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium entitled “Phase Transformations in Magnetic Materials”, which occurred during the TMS Annual Meeting, March 12–16, 2006, in SanAntonio, Texas, under the auspices of the Joint TMS-MPMD and ASMI-MSCTS Phase Transformations Committee.

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Organ Specific Distribution of PAHs in a Carnivorous Fish Species Following Chronic Exposure to Used Synthetic-Based Drilling Mud

The rapid growth of offshore oil and gas exploration on the Western Indian Continental shelf has generated the need for both general and region-specific scientific information on the environmental consequences of drilling activities. Much of the toxicity related to drilling mud discharges has been attributed to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) content. This study addressed concerns related to the potential for contamination and subsequent bioaccumulation of PAHs in Oreochromis Mossambicus from the disposal of used synthetic-based drilling mud (SBM). The LC₅₀, 96 h for solid phase and suspended particulate liquid phase, was 37,550 mg/L and 40,390 mg/L, respectively, which was within the acceptable limits as per the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) Notification, New Delhi, dated August 30, 2005. After chronic exposure (for 55 days) to used SBM, higher mean values of PAHs accumulation were obtained from the Tilapias exposed to higher SBM concentration. The highest level of accumulation was noted for Naphthalenes and the lowest for Benzo (a) pyrenes. Liver was the primary organ for PAH accumulation, while least was observed in muscle. From the observations made on PAH levels in control as well as exposed fish, we found SBM concentration dependant bioaccumulation, suggesting the potential high risk of PAH toxicity to the fish inhabiting in the vicinity of disposal site.     

ADI Method for Heat Conduction Problems in an Orthogonal Coordinate System

A mathematical model has been developed for the time-dependent heat conduction process in a region of arbitrary geometry. An alternating direction implicit (ADI) scheme has been worked out for the computer solution of the problem in three space dimensions. The time and nodal propagation of the errors are depicted graphically. Also included in the computer software is a subroutine for plotting the isotherms in various geometries.     

Effect of the earth's conductivity on the radiation characteristics of monopole antenna †

An expression for the electric and magnetic fields at a far point due to a monopole antenna on the conductive Earth is obtained. With the Earth's conductivity term included the radiated power and the radiation resistance of the monopole antenna have been calculated. The variation of radiation resistance with conductivity of the Earth and radiation frequency has been studied.     

Synchrotron radiation from the magnetoplasma

Numerical studies of the synchrotron radiation from relativistic elections in the magnetoplasma are presented. Effects of a background medium on the synchrotron radiation is considered by moans of a solar corona model. We demonstrate that the low-frequency radiation is suppressed     

A soluble-lead redox flow battery with corrugated graphite sheet and reticulated vitreous carbon as positive and negative current collectors

A soluble-lead redox flow battery with corrugated-graphite sheet and reticulated-vitreous carbon as positive and negative current collectors is assembled and performance tested. In the cell, electrolyte comprising of 1·5 M lead (II) methanesulfonate and 0·9 M methanesulfonic acid with sodium salt of lignosulfonic acid as additive is circulated through the reaction chamber at a flow rate of 50 ml min^???1. During the charge cycle, pure lead (Pb) and lead dioxide (PbO₂) from the soluble lead (II) species are electrodeposited onto the surface of the negative and positive current collectors, respectively. Both the electrodeposited materials are characterized by XRD, XPS and SEM. Phase purity of synthesized lead (II) methanesulfonate is unequivocally established by single crystal X-ray diffraction followed by profile refinements using high resolution powder data. During the discharge cycle, electrodeposited Pb and PbO₂ are dissolved back into the electrolyte. Since lead ions are produced during oxidation and reduction at the negative and positive plates, respectively there is no risk of crossover during discharge cycle, preventing the possibility of lowering the overall efficiency of the cell. As the cell employs a common electrolyte, the need of employing a membrane is averted. It has been possible to achieve a capacity value of 114 mAh g^???1 at a load current-density of 20 mA cm^???2 with the cell at a faradaic efficiency of 95%. The cell is tested for 200 cycles with little loss in its capacity and efficiency.