Effect of montmorillonite clay addition on the morphological and physical properties of Jatropha curcas L. and Glycine max L. protein concentrate films

Protein concentrates from jatropha (JPC) and soy seeds (SPC) were obtained by solubilization and acid precipitation of proteins. JPC and SPC films were prepared by the casting method, using two different montmorillonite (MMT) clay concentrations and plasticized with glycerol. Film properties were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, tensile properties, water retention, and water vapor transmission rate (WVRT). Typical tactoid microcomposite structures were found to be heterogeneously dispersed in the films containing MMT. A small XRD peak was found in films with MMT. Slight improvements in thermal stability and tensile strength were observed in the films with MMT. Reductions in water retention and WVRT were obtained when MMT was added into the films. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44459.     

Polymerase chain reaction-mediated characterization of molds belonging to the Aspergillus flavus group and detection of Aspergillus parasiticus in peanut kernels by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction

The Aspergillus flavus group covers species of A. flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus as aflatoxin producers and Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus sojae as koji molds. Genetic similarity among these species is high, and aflatoxin production of a culture may be affected by cultivation conditions and substrate composition. Therefore, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-mediated method of detecting the aflatoxin-synthesizing genes to indicate the degree of risk a genotype has of being a phenotypic producer was demonstrated. In this study, 19 strains of the A. flavus group, including A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. oryzae, A. sojae, and one Aspergillus niger, were subjected to PCR testing in an attempt to detect four genes, encoding for norsolorinic acid reductase (nor-1), versicolorin A dehydrogenase (ver-1), sterigmatocystin O-methyltransferase (omt-1), and a regulatory protein (apa-2), involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis. Concurrently, the strains were cultivated in yeast-malt (YM) broth for aflatoxin detection. Fifteen strains were shown to possess the four target DNA fragments. With regard to aflatoxigenicity, all seven aflatoxigenic strains possessed the four DNA fragments, and five strains bearing less than the four DNA fragments did not produce aflatoxin. When peanut kernels were artificially contaminated with A. parasiticus and A. niger for 7 days, the contaminant DNA was extractable from a piece of cotyledon (ca. 100 mg), and when subjected to multiplex PCR testing using the four pairs of primers coding for the above genes, they were successfully detected. The target DNA fragments were detected in the kernels infected with A. parasiticus, and none was detected in the sound (uninoculated) kernels or in the kernels infected with A. niger.     

Recurrent Meesmann''s corneal epithelial dystrophy after penetrating keratoplasty

Endoscopic treatment of chronic pancreatitis has drawn benefits from endoscopic procedures previously described for the main bile duct. Endotherapy is developing throughout the world. Cyst drainage procedures certainly represent the largest step forward in that non-surgical approach, whatever it is either direct (through the stomach or the duodenum) or indirect through the papilla in the duodenum. This procedure gives similar results to surgery with a lower morbidity. Pancreatic duct drainage associated with stone clearance is feasible and provides good results which have not yet been compared with those obtained thanks to surgery. Nonetheless, when the duct is not widely dilated it has been proven to be a satisfactory alternative to surgery. By contrast, chronic cholestasis does not appear to be a good indication of endotherapy.     

Modeling and verification of the double frequency effect using a MEMS device

The derivation, verification, and implication of the nonlinear dynamic and frequency response of electrostatic actuator due to the double frequency effect (DFE) were reported in this study. In particular, an extra mode called half mode was observed and measured in various studies. However, a complete in-depth discussion of the effect was not reported in the past. In the present study, a second-order dynamical equation was adapted firstly to model the dynamic and frequency response of electrostatic actuator where typical harmonic input signal with a dc bias was used. Secondly, by solving the equation, complex waveform in dynamic response and an extra half mode in frequency response due to the double frequency effect can be observed and discussed. To verify the simulated result, an electrostatic driving device was fabricated using PolyMUMPS^© process. Note that in frequency response, when dc bias is equal to the amplitude of ac signal, simulated and experimental results indicated that the amplitude of half mode was one-fourth of first mode.     

Concurrent error detection in array multipliers forGF(2m) fields

Based on Lee-Lu-Lee's array multipliers and the RESO method, a concurrent error detection scheme in array multipliers for GF(2^m ) fields is presented and only one clock cycle is added. The fault tolerant capability in such array multipliers is also included and only two extra clock cycles are required     

Floor, wall and ceiling approach for ball-end tool pocket machining

This paper presents a floor-wall and ceiling (FWC) approach to determining the tool axes for five-axis pocket machining. The FWC method generates tool axes by simply linking the corresponding points between tool location paths on floor and tool axial paths on ceiling. The geometry of the floor, wall, and ceiling of a pocket are first discussed. The construction and manipulations of the tool location paths and the tool axial paths are then addressed. The relationship between the tool axis variation and the manipulations is analyzed such that the generated tool axes are guaranteed to be smooth, optimized, and collision-free. By using the FWC method, the complexity of determining the tool axes can be significantly reduced. Computer illustrations and example demonstrations are shown in this paper. The results reveal that the FWC method can generate much higher quality tool axes than the traditional methods.     

Inhibitory effects of interleukin-1 blockers on corneal fibroblast proliferation

The regulation of would healing is one of the most important fields of research in ophthalmology today. Rabbit corneal fibroblast cultures were used to study the effects of interleukin-1 (IL-1) blockers on the proliferation of fibroblasts which is closely related to the wound healing. It was found that IL-1 blockers, such as CK-17, CK-101A, CK-2 and CK-103A, suppress fibroblast proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. DNA synthesis was significantly inhibited by CK-17 and CK-103A but not by CK-101A and CK1-102. Although the synthesis of mRNA was reduced by all CK-compounds at most concentration tested, the synthesis of protein was only slightly reduced or unaffected. These results indicate that CK-compounds are potent fibroblast inhibitors but not cytolytic agents.