Ultrasonic Attenuation Measurements of the Mixing,Agglomeration, and Sedimentation of Sucrose Crystals Suspended in Oil

The structure and properties of solid-in-oil dispersions are important in many industrial products, notably chocolate, yet are difficult to characterize by existing methodologies. Sensors based on ultrasonic attenuation measurements offer potential to characterize changes in these systems. Sucrose crystals (d ~ 29.8 μm) were dispersed into corn oil (8–16 wt%) in a stirred tank. The dispersed crystals were agglomerated by the addition of small volumes of water (<1%) and finally allowed to sediment quiescently. The processes were monitored continuously by ultrasonic attenuation measurements (2.25 MHz). Ultrasonic attenuation increased with increasing sucrose crystal concentration and with the degree of agglomeration. Adding water also decreased the equilibrium sediment density and decreased the time taken for the sucrose to sediment out quiescently. Water-induced agglomeration led to the formation of a few very large particles as inferred from sedimentation kinetics and confirmed by micrometer measurements of crystal agglomerates. In conclusion, ultrasonic attenuation measurements provide a variety of novel approaches that can be used to characterize suspensions of particles in oil.     

The cardiovascular and subjective effects of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and a stable analogue, dimethyl proline-TRH, in healthy volunteers

1. The cardiovascular effects of TRH 0.5 mg and 1 mg and a stable TRH analogue, dimethylproline-TRH (RX77368) 1 mg, infused intravenously over 1 min were assessed in healthy volunteers in two randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled crossover studies. 2. Both doses of TRH produced significant but transient increases in blood pressure (peak delta systolic: 0.5 mg = 9.2 mm Hg, 1.0 mg = 5.2 mm Hg; peak delta diastolic: 0.5 mg = 6.4 mm Hg, 1.0 mg = 5.4 mm Hg). 3. Beat-to-beat Finapres monitoring demonstrated a rapid onset of effects of RX77368 1 mg, with significant blood pressure effects by 45-60 s from the start of the infusion (delta systolic BP: 14.2 mm Hg, delta diastolic BP: 15.8 mm Hg and delta heart rate: 8.9 mm Hg at 60 s). 4. The pressor effects of RX77368 1 mg recorded by Dinamap (peak delta systolic: 14.3 mm Hg; peak delta diastolic: 11.8 mm Hg) were sustained, with diastolic pressure still elevated (delta diastolic: 8.2 mm Hg) at 60 min. Heart rate was more transiently elevated (peak delta heart rate: 9.0 beats min-1) during the first 6 min post infusion. 5. Mild apprehension was reported for the first 6 min after RX77368 1 mg, whereas paraesthesiae were noted after TRH. Otherwise both drugs were similar in the type (flushing, nausea, acid taste, urethral sensations) and duration of subjective effects.     

Computer-aided lens assembly

We propose a computer-aided method of lens manufacture that allows assembly, adjustment, and test phases to be run concurrently until an acceptable level of optical performance is reached. Misalignment of elements within a compound lens is determined by a comparison of the results of physical ray tracing by use of an array of Gaussian laser beams with numerically obtained geometric ray traces. An estimate of misalignment errors is made, and individual elements are adjusted in an iterative manner until performance criteria are achieved. The method is illustrated for the alignment of an air-spaced doublet.     

Geometric Type-1 and Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems

This paper presents a novel approach to the representation of type-1 and type-2 fuzzy sets utilising computational geometry. To achieve this our approach borrows ideas from the field of computational geometry and applies these techniques in the novel setting of fuzzy logic. We provide new algorithms for various operations on type-1 and type-2 fuzzy sets and for defuzzification. Results of experiments indicate that this approach reduces the execution speed of these operations     

High-speed pattern-recognition systems using parallel-access optical disks

We discuss the use of parallel-access optical disks for high-speed pattern-recognition systems. Three practical configurations that make use of the unique properties of optical disks are discussed. A practical incoherent disk-based correlator is described, and its performance illustrated by use of both matched filters and computer-generated minimum average correlation energy filters.     

Aroma Release from Solid Droplet Emulsions: Effect of Lipid Type

Aroma compounds partition between the different phases of a food emulsion and the headspace but only those in the headspace are perceived. Phase transitions in the lipid droplets profoundly affect the position of the partitioning equilibria and hence headspace aroma concentration. The release of four volatile aroma compounds (ethyl butanoate, pentanoate, heptanoate and octanoate) from eicosane, hydrogenated palm fat or Salatrim^® emulsions stabilized with sodium caseinate were investigated as a function of fat crystallization, particle size and droplet concentration. For all compounds, the headspace aroma concentration in equilibrium with solid droplet emulsions was significantly higher than that in equilibrium with liquid droplet emulsions. The partitioning of volatile aroma compounds from emulsion does not depend on the type of liquid lipid, however, the interactions between solid lipid droplets and aroma compounds are significantly influenced by the nature of the crystalline fat. Notably, partitioning into the headspace was much lower for solid triglyceride droplet emulsions than for solid alkane emulsions. It was proposed that both residual liquid lipid in solid triglycerides and aroma co-crystallization with solid lipid could be responsible for higher aroma absorption by solid triglycerides.     

Coherent detection in Doppler global velocimetry: a simplified method to measure subsonic fluid flow fields

The principles of an entirely new method to demodulate Doppler signals in Doppler global velocimetry (DGV) are discussed. The method makes use of coherent detection and streak imaging to record both temporal and spatial information on a single image. The method retains the simplicity of the basic DGV technique yet increases its applicability to subsonic flow regimes. The combination of a straightforward optical configuration and the ability to collect large data sets efficiently make this technique particularly useful in high-cost experimental facilities such as wind-tunnel testing where large quantities of data must be collected in a relatively short time period.     

Effect of pH and Ionic Strength on the Physicochemical Properties of Coconut Milk Emulsions

ABSTRACT:  Coconut milk (16% to 17% fat, 1.8% to 2% protein) was extracted from coconut ( Cocos nucifera L.) endosperm and diluted in buffer to produce natural oil-in-water emulsions (10 wt% oil). The effect of pH (3 to 7) and NaCl (0 to 200 mM) on the properties and stability, namely, mean particle size, ζ-potential, viscosity, microstructure, and creaming stability, of the natural coconut milk emulsions was investigated. At pH values close to the isoelectric point (IEP) of the coconut proteins (pH 3.5 to 4) and in the absence of NaCl, coconut milk flocculated, but did not coalesce. Flocculation corresponded to low surface charges and was accompanied by an increase in emulsion viscosity. Adding up to 200 mM NaCl to those flocculated emulsions did not change the apparent degree of flocculation. Coconut milk emulsion at pH 6 was negatively charged and not flocculated. Upon addition of salt, the ζ-potential decreased from –16 to –6 mV (at 200 mM NaCl) but this was not sufficient to induce flocculation in coconut milk emulsions. At low pH (< IEP), the positively charged droplets of coconut milk emulsions only flocculated when the NaCl concentration exceeded 50 mM, as the ζ-potential approached zero.     

Practical Considerations of Dissolved Oxygen Levels for Platelet Function under Hypoxia

Investigating human platelet function in low-oxygen environments is important in multiple settings, including hypobaric hypoxia (e.g., high altitude), sea level hypoxia-related disease, and thrombus stability. These studies often involve drawing blood from which platelets are isolated and analysed at atmospheric conditions or re-exposed to low oxygen levels in hypoxia chambers before testing. However, it remains unknown how the in vitro handling of the samples itself changes their dissolved oxygen concentration, which might affect platelet function and experimental results. Here, we prepared healthy donor platelet-rich plasma and washed platelet (WP) suspensions and exposed them to 2% oxygen. We found that the use of hypoxia pre-equilibrated tubes, higher platelet concentrations (>2 × 10⁸/mL versus 2 × 10⁷/mL), smaller volumes (600 µL versus 3 mL), and presence of plasma reduced the time for samples to reach 2% oxygen. Notably, oxygen levels decreased below 2% in most suspensions, but also in WP maintained at atmospheric 21% oxygen. Additionally, platelet spreading on fibrinogen was decreased when using hypoxic fibrinogen-coated culture plates regardless of the oxygen percentage (2% or 21%) in which platelet incubation took place. Thus, sample handling and experimental conditions should be carefully monitored in platelet-hypoxia studies as they might compromise results interpretation and comparison across studies.