Effect of trehalose and lactose as cryoprotectant during freeze‐drying,in vitro gastro‐intestinal transit and survival of microencapsulated freeze‐dried Lactobacillus casei 431 cells

A novel microencapsulation technique for Lactobacillus casei 431 cells was developed, and the bacterial stability was studied. Cryoprotective solutes were incorporated in the encapsulation mix to improve freeze‐drying survival. The losses of viable cells during drying were recorded as 1.7, 0.84 and 0.38 log Colony‐forming units (cfu)/g for control and samples with trehalose and lactose, respectively. During the simulated gastric‐intestinal transit, trehalose and lactose contributed to higher survivals of 3.1 and 3.0 log cfu/g, respectively, in gastric fluid and 1.3 log and 0.9 log cfu/g, respectively, in 1% bile extract solution. Higher temperature storage was found to be detrimental for cell viability.     

Modeling the economics of testing: a DFT perspective

Decision-makers typically make test tradeoffs using models that mainly represent direct costs such as test generation time and tester use. Analyzing a test strategy's impact on other significant factors such as test quality and yield learning requires an understanding of the dynamic nature of the interdomain dependencies of test, manufacturing, and design. Our research centers on modeling the tradeoffs between these domains. To answer the DFT question, we developed the Carnegie Mellon University Test Cost Model, a DFT cost-benefit model, derived inputs to the model for various IC cases with different assumptions about volume, yield, chip size, test attributes, and so forth; and studied DFT's impact on these cases. We used the model to determine the domains for which DFT is beneficial and for which DFT should not be used. The model is a composite of simple cause-and-effect relationships derived from published research. It incorporates many factors affecting test cost, but we don't consider it a complete model. Our purpose is to illustrate the necessity of using such models in assessing the effectiveness of various test strategies     

Evaluation of Mesua ferrea L. seed oil modified polyurethane paints

Two types of stoving paints have been prepared from Mesua ferrea L. seed oil (MFLSO) modified poly(urethane ester) (PUE) binder systems. One stoving paint system was prepared from partially butylated melamine formaldehyde (MF) resin modified MFLSO-based PUE (70:30 weight ratio) and other one comprised of bisphenol-A-based epoxy resin modified with MFLSO-based PUE (50:50 weight ratio). Paints made with these two resin systems as binders were evaluated against the standard paint system. The physical properties of the paint systems viz. non-volatile content, specific gravity, viscosity, drying time, flexibility, adhesion, scratch hardness, gloss, etc. and chemical properties such as corrosion resistance, salt spray resistance, UV resistance, etc. were measured as per the standard methods and were compared. Thermal stability and surface morphology of the paints were also studied by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The performance characteristics of both the test paints were found to be comparable with the corresponding industrial standard paints. Out of the two test paints, the epoxy modified PUE-based stoving paint has been found to be preferred.     

Functionalization of styrene–butadiene rubber with meta‐pentadecenyl phenol for better processing: A multifunctional additive and renewable resource

Meta‐pentadecenyl phenol, a nonisoprenoid phenolic lipid, is a renewable agricultural resource and also a byproduct of the cashew industry; it is popularly known as cardanol. This study throws light on the grafting of cardanol, which has been established as a multifunctional additive for natural rubber, onto the main‐chain backbone of styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR), a synthetic polymer used to imbibe the multifunctional properties of the former, such as those of a plasticizer, curing promoter, process aid, and antioxidant, into the latter. The grafting was carried out in the solution stage on a trial basis with a peroxide catalyst, and all of the grafting parameters were optimized with a Taguchi methodology. The grafting of cardanol onto the SBR backbone was successfully confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and NMR analysis. Thermal analysis of the cardanol‐grafted styrene–butadiene rubber (C‐g‐SBR) revealed a higher thermal stability and better plasticizing effect than that those found in the virgin SBR. The rheological properties of the grafted rubber indicated the improvement of the pseudo‐plastic (shear‐thinning) nature compared to that in gum SBR. The unfilled C‐g‐SBR vulcanizates exhibited physicomechanical properties comparable to 5‐phr processing‐oil‐containing SBR [oil‐plasticized styrene–butadiene rubber (OPSBR)] vulcanizates. The carbon‐black‐filled C‐g‐SBR vulcanizates exhibited improved plasticization, a faster curing rate, easy processability, and better physicomechanical properties compared to the 5‐phr OPSBR vulcanizates. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45150.     

Effects of thermal contact resistance on film growth rate in a horizontal MOCVD reactor

Effects of thermal contact resistance between heater and susceptor, susceptor and graphite board in a MOCVD reactor on temperature distribution and film growth rate were analyzed. One-dimensional thermal resistance model considering thermal contact resistance and heat transfer area was made up at first to find the temperature drop at the surface of graphite board. This one-dimensional model predicted the temperature drop of 18K at the board surface. Temperature distribution of a reactor wall from the three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analysis including the gap at the wafer position showed the temperature drop of 20K. Film growth rates of InP and GaAs were predicted using computational fluid dynamics technique with chemical reaction model. Temperature distribution from the three-dimensional heat transfer calculation was used as a thermal boundary condition to the film growth rate simulations. Temperature drop due to the thermal contact resistance affected to the GaAs film growth a little but not to the InP film growth.     

Non-classical homogeneous precipitation mediated by compositional fluctuations in titanium alloys

This paper presents experimental evidence of homogeneous precipitation of the α-phase within the β matrix of a titanium alloy, and then accounts for this phase transformation by a new, non-classical mechanism involving compositional fluctuations, based on the pseudo-spinodal concept [1]. This mechanism involves local compositional fluctuations of small amplitude which, when of a certain magnitude, can favor thermodynamically certain regions of the β matrix to transform congruently to the α-phase but with compositions far from equilibrium. Subsequently, as measured experimentally using the tomographical atom probe, continuous diffusional partitioning between the parent β- and product α-phases during isothermal annealing drives their compositions towards equilibrium. For a given alloy composition, the decomposition mechanism is strongly temperature dependent, which would be expected for homogeneous precipitation via the compositional fluctuation-mediated mechanism but not necessarily for one based on classical nucleation theory. The applicability of this mechanism to phase transformations in general is noted.     

Physical characteristics of mustard oil solvent miscella

During commercial solvent extraction of oil from an oil-seed, it is necessary to determine oil content in the miscella, drawn intermittently from the extractor, to obtain an overall extraction rate. We measured optical density, specific gravity, refractive index and viscosity of miscella of different known oil concentrations. These four characteristics were measured by calculating deviations from the actual values. The deviations were maximum for optical density, intermediate for specific gravity and viscosity, and small for refractive index, suggesting the latter to be an appropriate rapid method of determining miscella oil content.     

The road to forgiveness: A meta-analytic synthesis of its situational and dispositional correlates.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 137(2) of Psychological Bulletin (see record 2011-03899-006). In Table 2, weighted population correlations and associated standard errors and confidence intervals are incorrectly reported. In Table 3, weighted population correlations and associated confidence intervals are incorrectly reported, as well as the Q statistic for trait forgiveness. Corrected data are presented. The authors note that substantive interpretations of the results are not affected by the corrections. The median absolute value correction for the weighted population correlations in both tables is r = .01.] Forgiveness has received widespread attention among psychologists from social, personality, clinical, developmental, and organizational perspectives alike. Despite great progress, the forgiveness literature has witnessed few attempts at empirical integration. Toward this end, we meta-analyze results from 175 studies and 26,006 participants to examine the correlates of interpersonal forgiveness (i.e., forgiveness of a single offender by a single victim). A tripartite forgiveness typology is proposed, encompassing victims' (a) cognitions, (b) affect, and (c) constraints following offense, with each consisting of situational and dispositional components. We tested hypotheses with respect to 22 distinct constructs, as correlates of forgiveness, that have been measured across different fields within psychology. We also evaluated key sample and study characteristics, including gender, age, time, and methodology as main effects and moderators. Results highlight the multifaceted nature of forgiveness. Variables with particularly notable effects include intent (r? = ?.49), state empathy (r? = .51), apology (r? = .42), and state anger (r? = ?.41). Consistent with previous theory, situational constructs are shown to account for greater variance in forgiveness than victim dispositions, although within-category differences are considerable. Sample and study characteristics yielded negligible effects on forgiveness, despite previous theorizing to the contrary: The effect of gender was nonsignificant (r? = .01), and the effect of age was negligible (r? = .06). Preliminary evidence suggests that methodology may exhibit some moderating effects. Scenario methodologies led to enhanced effects for cognitions; recall methodologies led to enhanced effects for affect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of the Crystallization Behavior of Fe-Si-B-Cu and Fe-Si-B-Cu-Nb-Based Amorphous Soft Magnetic Alloys

The role of the solute elements, copper, and niobium, on the different stages of de-vitrification or crystallization of two amorphous soft magnetic alloys, Fe_73.5Si_13.5B₉Nb₃Cu₁, also referred to as FINEMET, and a Fe_76.5Si_13.5B₉Cu₁ alloy, a model composition without Nb, has been investigated in detail by coupling atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy. The effects of copper clustering and niobium pile-up at the propagating interface between the α-Fe₃Si nanocrystals and the amorphous matrix, on the nucleation and growth kinetics have been addressed. The results demonstrate that while Cu clustering takes place in both alloys in the early stages, the added presence of Nb in FINEMET severely restricts the diffusivity of solute elements such as Cu, Si, and B. Therefore, the kinetics of solute partitioning and mobility of the nanocrystal/amorphous matrix interface is substantially slower in FINEMET as compared to the Fe_76.5Si_13.5B₉Cu₁ alloy. Consequently, the presence of Nb limits the growth rate of the α-Fe₃Si nanocrystals in FINEMET and results in the activation of a larger no. of nucleation sites, leading to a substantially more refined microstructure as compared to the Fe_76.5Si_13.5B₉Cu₁ alloy.