Effects of polyacrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid on cellulose production by Acetobacter xylinum

Polyacrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid (PA) added to shake flask cultures of Acetobacter xylinum at concentrations up to 3 g dm^?3 resulted in increased production of bacterial cellulose. For PA concentrations of 0–3 g dm^?3, 7‐day cellulose production rose monotonically from 2.7 ± 0.8 to 6.5 ± 0.5 g dm^?3 at a shaker speed of 175 rpm, and from 1.7 ± 0.01 to 3.7 ± 0.5 g dm^?3 at shaker speed of 375 rpm. Addition of PA also changed the morphology of the biomass from amorphous/stringy forms to spheroidal particles with diameters ≤2 mm. Similarly, bioreactor cultures grown in the absence of PA formed long fibrous masses which deposited on the internals, while those grown in the presence of 1–2 g dm^?3 PA formed small discrete particles with diameters ≤0.1 mm. Tests performed with 1 and 2 g dm^?3 PA, and stirrer speeds from 500 to 900 rpm, appeared to give the highest cellulose concentration of 5.3 ± 0.7 g dm^?3 in 64–68.5 h in the presence of 2 g dm^?3 PA at 700 rpm, although this value was statistically indistinguishable from that obtained at 1 g dm^?3 PA and 900 rpm. A qualitative model is proposed to describe the mechanisms by which PA affects biomass morphology, resulting in its advantageous formation as small, dispersed, spheroidal pellets. Quantitative analysis of the results gave inverse correlations between both the fraction of fructose carbon going to cellulose synthesis and the specific fructose consumption rate, and the maximum cellulose concentration and the fraction of fructose carbon going to by‐product formation. Since cellulose yield was almost universally improved by higher polyacrylamide concentration, it appears likely that increased viscosity reduces fructose uptake rate by limiting mass transfer. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of Conjugated Linoleic Acid, Salt, and Sodium Tripolyphosphate on Physical, Sensory, and Instrumental Color Characteristics of Beef Striploins

ABSTRACT:  USDA Select striploins (IMPS 180; n = 24) were cut into thirds (anterior, medial, and posterior) and assigned to 1 of 8 treatments utilizing a randomized incomplete block design. Treatments included (1) control (C); (2) 1.5% conjugated linoleic acid (conjugated linoleic acid = CLA) (CGA); (3) 0.4% sodium tripolyphosphate (PHO); (4) 0.5% salt (SAL); (5) 0.4% sodium tripolyphosphate, 0.5% salt (SPH); (6) 0.4% sodium tripolyphosphate, 1.5% CLA (PCL); (7) 0.5% salt, 1.5% CLA (SCL); and (8) 0.4% sodium tripolyphosphate, 0.5% salt, 1.5% CLA (SPC). Treatments were injected with solutions to 110% (10% pump) of their original weight. Treatments with CLA had higher ( P < 0.05) marbling scores than treatments that did not. Not including SAL, treatments with salt, or phosphate or a combination of the two had higher tenderness values when sampled by panelists. Fresh steaks with inclusion of CLA had greater amounts ( P < 0.05) of the CLA isomers than steaks not having CLA. Cooked steaks having CLA also had greater amounts ( P < 0.05) of CLA, except for SCL, which were not different ( P > 0.05) from the non-CLA treatments. Day was a significant source of variability for a *, b *, and saturation index. Treatment × day interactions were significant ( P < 0.05) for hue angle and L * values. These data suggest that inclusion of CLA can increase amounts of CLA isomers without major deleterious effects to instrumental, physical, and quality characteristics of beef striploin steaks.     

Evaluation of lubricant test data

An evaluation procedure is proposed, in which the results from various standard test machines are tabulated and correlated in seven categories. The order of merit of various lubricants can then readily be compared from one machine to another and a quantitative overall assessment made. By allocating selective weighting factors preference may still be given to certain tests or types of test, as considered relevant.It is suggested that this method provides a rapidly comprehensible analysis of differing test data. Detailed examples are given for a number of greases containing molybdenum disulphide.     

Particle-to-liquid mass transfer in fluidised beds

Nelson and Galloway's theory of particle to fluid mass transfer in dense systems of fine particles is re-examined and modified slightly to make it applicable to liquid fluidised beds. The resulting expression agrees with published data although these are inadequate to test it critically.