Water Sorption and Water Plasticization Behavior of Vacuum Dried Honey

The present study investigated effects of total solids content of honey maltodextrin systems and the component ratio on water sorption isotherm and water plasticization behavior of the vacuum-dried solids. The Guggenheim, Anderson, and de Boer model fitted well to the water sorption data with monolayer water contents over the range of 4.8–6.2 g water/100 g of solids. Water plasticization of the powder followed the Gordon–Taylor equation, with the T_g of dry solids of 30–43°C depending on composition. The critical water content of dried honey at 25°C was lower than the monolayer water content. A maltodextrin ratio more than 50% decreased water plasticization sensitivity to the highest extent.     

Beta-Carotene Stability in Extruded Snacks Produced Using Interface Engineered Emulsions

The objectives of the present study were to produce snack-type extrudates and to investigate their ability to encapsulate and protect β-carotene (0.05% w/w in sunflower oil) using single layer and layer-by-layer emulsions as an ingredient. The dry feed composed of wheat flour (60% w/w dry solids), maltodextrin (DE 23-27, 20% w/w dry solids), and lactose (20% w/w dry solids). The extrudates (0.6 a_w) were ground and sealed in vials under vacuum, placed in vacuum-sealed plastic pouches, and stored at 20, 40, and 60°C. Analysis of the beta-carotene content during storage was carried out using HPLC with a C30 column and diode array detector. The results showed rapid loss of β-carotene during the first six days at all temperatures. Further losses of β-carotene at 20 and 40°C occurred gradually leveling off at 27 days. It was noted that the percentage of retention of β-carotene was generally higher in layer-by-layer extrudates with layer-by-layer upon storage for 27 days. It can be concluded that the layer-by-layer emulsion may enhance protection of bio-sensitive compounds in glassy membranes.     

Food emulsions as delivery systems for flavor compounds: A review

Food flavor is an important attribute of quality food, and it largely determines consumer food preference. Many food products exist as emulsions or experience emulsification during processing, and therefore, a good understanding of flavor release from emulsions is essential to design food with desirable flavor characteristics. Emulsions are biphasic systems, where flavor compounds are partitioning into different phases, and the releases can be modulated through different ways. Emulsion ingredients, such as oils, emulsifiers, thickening agents, can interact with flavor compounds, thus modifying the thermodynamic behavior of flavor compounds. Emulsion structures, including droplet size and size distribution, viscosity, interface thickness, etc., can influence flavor component partition and their diffusion in the emulsions, resulting in different release kinetics. When emulsions are consumed in the mouth, both emulsion ingredients and structures undergo significant changes, resulting in different flavor perception. Special design of emulsion structures in the water phase, oil phase, and interface provides emulsions with great potential as delivery systems to control flavor release in wider applications. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of flavor release from emulsions, and how emulsions can behave as delivery systems for flavor compounds to better design novel food products with enhanced sensorial and nutritional attributes.     

Motion adaptive scan rate up-conversion

The interlaced scan format and the low frame rate in current television systems cause visible degradation in picture quality. To improve the picture, scan rate up-conversion can be implemented in the receiver. Typically, the up-conversion algorithms needed in stationary scenes are different from those needed in nonstationary scenes. In this paper we discuss problems related to scan rate up conversion and motion detection. We present an algorithm that adapts to the motion in the picture and yet effectively eliminates most of the artifacts caused by imperfect motion detection. The algorithm is based on a weighted median filter structure and a simple motion detector. The weights of the median filter are adapted according to the motion detector output. All algorithms discussed have been tested with real sequences using a video sequencer.Invited Paper     

MASAHIKO HIGASHI - ECOLOGIST,MASTER WEAVER AUGUST 11, 1954-MARCH 27, 2000

M.C. Escher is a graphic artist whose visual-spatial illusions scientists, and especially mathematicians eagerly study. However, there is much more than that. It seems that Escher's optical illusions have strikingly deeper theoretical, conceptual and philosophical layers not yet revealed. It is worth while using the abductive research method utilizing the possibilities of systems approach to reveal some of their mysteries. Escher's lithograph Reptiles is not only a work belonging to the theme of the illusion of space as Bruno Ernst, a close friend of Escher, states. This paper aims at proving in what ways Reptiles actually illustrates the concepts of onticity as reality and ontology as conceptual representation of reality, and their conceptual intermingling in a complex and systemic way. Thus, it appears that onticity and ontology, which are our ways of conceptual cognition are two facets of our systemic understanding. This paper also touches some aspects of Fuenmayor's phenomenological ontology.     

Fundamentals of technology diffusion and mobile phone case study

The fundamentals of technology diffusion are introduced in this paper. Mathematical and heuristic (loose) modeling are defined and illustrated with real data. Starting with the embryonic phase, diffusion undergoes growing and mature phases and ends in the aging phase. The cumulative adoption function (of time) denoting the total number of users of a certain product is the output of the diffusion model used to either predict future trends (e.g. sales) or estimate certain model parameters. Problems often encountered in mathematical modeling and analysis are presented. Some of these shortcomings can be alleviated through loose modeling. A case study of mobile telephone diffusion in Finland is presented to illustrate some of the modeling principles and analysis.     

Long binary narrow-sense BCH codes are normal

Let C be the binary narrow-sense BCH code of length n = (2 ^m − l)/h, where m is the order of 2 modulo n. Using characters of finite fields and a theorem of Weil, and results of Vladut-Skorobogatov and Lang-Weil we prove that the code C is normal in the non-primitive case h > 1 if 2^m ≥ 4(2th)^{4t + 2}, and in the primitive case h = 1 if m ≥ m ₀ where the constant m ₀ depends only on t.     

In vitro adhesion of staphylococci to diamond-like carbon polymer hybrids under dynamic flow conditions

This study compares the ability of selected materials to inhibit adhesion of two bacterial strains commonly implicated in implant-related infections. These two strains are Staphylococcus aureus (S-15981) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 35984). In experiments we tested six different materials, three conventional implant metals: titanium, tantalum and chromium, and three diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings: DLC, DLC–polydimethylsiloxane hybrid (DLC–PDMS-h) and DLC–polytetrafluoroethylene hybrid (DLC–PTFE-h) coatings. DLC coating represents extremely hard material whereas DLC hybrids represent novel nanocomposite coatings. The two DLC polymer hybrid films were chosen for testing due to their hardness, corrosion resistance and extremely good non-stick (hydrophobic and oleophobic) properties. Bacterial adhesion assay tests were performed under dynamic flow conditions by using parallel plate flow chambers (PPFC). The results show that adhesion of S. aureus to DLC–PTFE-h and to tantalum was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than to DLC–PDMS-h (0.671 ± 0.001 × 10⁷/cm² and 0.751 ± 0.002 × 10⁷/cm² vs. 1.055 ± 0.002 × 10⁷/cm², respectively). No significant differences were detected between other tested materials. Hence DLC–PTFE-h coating showed as low susceptibility to S. aureus adhesion as all the tested conventional implant metals. The adherence of S. epidermidis to biomaterials was not significantly (P < 0.05) different between the materials tested. This suggests that DLC–PTFE-h films could be used as a biomaterial coating without increasing the risk of implant-related infections.     

The fifth archetype of electricity market: the blockchain marketplace

Wireless Networks - Enabling and empowering the diverse energy resources to have active yet efficient participation in the smart grid and energy market is an unrivaled challenge for the energy...