Geometrical model to calculate the consumption of sewing thread for 504 over-edge stitch

Sewing thread is one of the most important components of a sewn product that contributes significantly in the useful life of a product. Stitch class 504 is the one which is used in all types of sewn products. Its thread consumption is higher than class 300 and class 400. A mathematical model to predict the sewing thread consumption of stitch class 504 has been proposed in this paper. The model is based on the geometry of the stitch. The proposed model takes into account material thickness and stitch density. The model was validated by using 24 samples (with different material thickness and stitch densities). The accuracy of the model was found to be 99%. Sensitivity analysis revealed that stitch density has 62% effect and material thickness has 38% effect on thread consumption. The proposed model can predict the thread consumption accurately; therefore, it can be used for better estimation of required thread and encourage its better utilization in sewn product industry.     

Chromatographic Studies of Cottonseed Oils

Eight varieties of cottonseed cultivated in Pakistan have been studied. These contain 11.6-24.0% oil and their fatty acid composition as determined by G.L.C. is C_14:0 (0.7-2.0%), C_14:1 (0-0.3%), C_16:0(28.3-43.1%), C_16:1 (0.3-2.7%), C_18:0 (0.3-8.5%), C_18:1 (16.2-32.0%), C_18:2 (31.3-41.2%) and C_20:0 (0.2-0.3%).     

Biochemical composition and storage of Jamaican yams (Dioscorea sp)

Dioscorea yam tubers of 11 cultivars from five common species grown in Jamaica were analysed for the following: protein content, total phenolics, vitamin C, total lipids, fatty acid composition and activity of the polyphenol oxidase enzyme. The results show that the yams grown in Jamaica are of good nutritional value with considerable amounts of protein, vitamin C, low lipids with only one cultivar ‘renta yam’ (D alata) possessing high levels of phenolic compounds. The fatty acids present in the total lipid extracts show that yam tubers generally possess high levels of saturated fatty acids mainly palmitic acid. However, the species D alata (cv white yam) and the species D trifida (cv yampie) have high levels of the unsaturated fatty acid, linolenic. All the polyphenol oxidases from the 11 cultivars show activities towards the diphenol substrates, catechol and DL-DOPA (DL-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine). However, no oxidation was observed with L-tyrosine, a monophenol substrate. All cultivars studied were found to have different lengths of dormancy which varied with storage conditions. When the harvested tubers were washed, sunned and stored at 20?C in a dark cupboard, it was possible to extend their lengths of dormancy by a further 11 weeks.     

Prevalence and resistance to antibiotics for Aeromonas species from retail fish in Malaysia

A total of 87 market fish samples representing five types of fish were evaluated for the presence of Aeromonas spp. Of the samples examined, 69%, 55%, 11.5% and 2.3% harbored Aeromonas spp., A. veronii biovar sobria, A. hydrophila and A. caviae, respectively. The 60 isolated Aeromonas spp. strains were further examined for hemolytic activity, resistance to antimicrobial agents and presence of plasmids. Hemolytic activity varied widely among the isolated strains. Though all the isolates demonstrated resistance to three or more of the antibiotics tested, all were susceptible to ceptazidime. Thirty-four (56.7%) of the sixty isolates harbored plasmids, with sizes ranging from 2.3 to 15.7 kb. These results indicate that hemolytic, multiple antibiotic resistant and genetically diverse aeromonads are easily recovered from fish in this region.     

Oil and fatty acid distribution in different circles of sunflower head

Prevailing temperature at anthesis influences pollen health, fertilisation, seed filling, oil and fatty acid accumulation in different circles of sunflower head. Field experiments were conducted, during 2007 and 2008, at Pir Mehr Ali Shah, Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, to document oil and fatty acid distributions in different circles of sunflower head. Hybrid S-278 was planted in randomised complete block design with a two factors factorial experiment, with four replications. At maturity, heads were divided into three equal circles (outer, middle and central); thereafter, oil and fatty acid distributions were separately determined in each circle. Oil and fatty acid concentrations in three circles differed significantly. The outer circle accumulated high oil and oleic contents which decreased to a minimum in the central circle; however, linoleic acid consistently increased, from outer to central circle, during both the years.     

Photostabilization of ascorbic acid with citric acid, tartaric acid and boric acid in cream formulations

This study involves the evaluation of the effect of certain stabilizers, that is, citric acid (CT), tartaric acid (TA) and boric acid (BA) on the degradation of ascorbic acid (AH(2) ) in oil-in-water cream formulations exposed to the UV light and stored in the dark. The apparent first-order rate constants (0.34-0.95 × 10(-3) min(-1) in light, 0.38-1.24 × 10(-2) day(-1) in dark) for the degradation reactions in the presence of the stabilizers have been determined. These rate constants have been used to derive the second-order rate constants (0.26-1.45 × 10(-2) M(-1) min(-1) in light, 3.75-8.50 × 10(-3) M(-1) day(-1) in dark) for the interaction of AH(2) and the individual stabilizers. These stabilizers are effective in causing the inhibition of the rate of degradation of AH(2) both in the light and in the dark. The inhibitory effect of the stabilizers is in the order of CT > TA > BA. The rate of degradation of AH(2) in the presence of these stabilizers in the light is about 120 times higher than that in the dark. This could be explained on the basis of the deactivation of AH(2) -excited triplet state by CT and TA and by the inhibition of AH(2) degradation through complex formation with BA. AH(2) leads to the formation of dehydroascorbic acid (A) by chemical and photooxidation in cream formulations.     

Quality changes of sea bass slices wrapped with gelatin film incorporated with lemongrass essential oil

Microbiological, chemical and physical changes of sea bass slices wrapped with gelatin film incorporated with 25% (w/w) lemongrass essential oil (LEO) during storage of 12 days at 4 °C were investigated. Sea bass slices wrapped with LEO film had the retarded growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), psychrophilic bacteria and spoilage microorganisms including H?S-producing bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae throughout storage of 12 days in comparison with the control and those wrapped with gelatin film without LEO (G film) (P<0.05). Lowered changes of colour, K value, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB) and TBARS value were also found in LEO film wrapped samples, compared with those wrapped with G film and control, respectively. Therefore, the incorporation of LEO into gelatin film could enhance the antimicrobial and antioxidative properties of the film, thereby maintaining the qualities and extending the shelf-life of the sea bass slices stored at refrigerated temperature.     

Investigation on bonding quality of beech wood (Fagus orientalis L.) veneer during high temperature drying and aging

In the present study, the effects of high drying temperature and UV light induced aging on bonding quality of plywood manufactured from untreated and treated veneer layers were investigated. Rotary cut veneers with dimensions of 500 mm×500 mm×2 mm produced from beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) log were selected for topochemical, chemical and mechanical analyses. The veneer sheets were oven-dried at 100°C and 180°C after the peeling process. Afterwards, the surfaces were exposed to artificial UV irradiation in an UV chamber for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h representing natural sun irradiation of 2, 4 and 6 months, respectively. Topochemical distribution of lignin and phenolic extractives of the treated and untreated veneers was investigated on a cellular level using UV microspectrophotometry (UMSP). For the chemical characterization of accessory compounds high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used. Furthermore, the shear and bending strengths of plywood manufactured from the treated samples are determined in order to study the bonding quality. The UV microscopic detection shows that after high drying temperature and aging treatment, lignin condensation occurs. With increasing drying temperature and aging duration, more phenolic extractives are situated in parenchyma cells and vessel lumens which can be proved by increased absorbance at 278 nm. The HPLC analysis of the treated tissue showed distinct signals of polymerized compounds such as catechin and 2,6-dimethoxybenzoquinone which are chromophoric compounds in discolored beech wood. The mechanical properties of plywood showed that with increasing drying temperature up to 180°C does not negatively affect shear and bending strengths of samples. After exposure of the veneers to UV irradiation (especially 6 months), decreasing shear and bending strengths of plywood samples can be observed.