Improvement of Red Color Development on the Surface of Kuruma Prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus under Various Conditions

The degree of red color development on the surface of prawns by cooking is an important index for food quality. In this study, we tested several factors that are thought to influence the red color development to identify possible correlations with various conditions. Live kuruma prawns, Marsupenaeus japonicus, (15.4 cm, 25.2 g on average) were used in this study. In case of cooking at 100 °C for 1 min after 24 h of storage at 0 °C, 5 °C, and 20 °C, the red color development rate of prawns stored at 5 °C and 20 °C was significantly lower than that of prawns cooked just after killing. In case of cooking at 100 °C, 80 °C, and 60 °C after storage for 24 h at 0 °C, there was no color development at 60 °C and significantly less color development at 80 °C compared to cooking just after killing. Preparation using 1% sodium carbonate before cooking at 80 °C could compensate for the lack of red color development. Short exposure of live kuruma prawns to low‐oxygen conditions had no influence on the color development, but putting the prawns in freshwater for 3 h significantly reduced the red color development rate. In conclusion, the storage time has little influence on the red color development when the cooking temperature is sufficiently high. However, in case a large amount of prawns is cooked followed by lowering the cooking temperature and/or prawns are exposed to serious stresses before cooking, an alkaline preparation could compensate for the lack of red color development.     

Determination of Piezoelectric Fields Across InGaN/GaN Quantum Wells by Means of Electron Holography

Electron holography was used to determine the piezoelectric fields across an InGaN/GaN quantum-well structure. Holograms were taken with the sample intentionally tilted such that adjacent layers overlapped. The phase changes in the overlapping regions were analyzed to determine the piezoelectric fields in each well. It was shown that the piezoelectric field was strongest at the central part of the quantum-well structure. The field strength averaged over eight InGaN wells was ~2.2 MV/cm.     

EXPANSION AND STRESS RELAXATION OF EXPRESSED CAKE

ABSTRACT

Expansion and stress relaxation of expressed cake are discussed.

The expansion process of expressed cake after release of load is very similar to consolidation of solidndashliquid mixtures, although a liquid flow in the expansion process is opposite in direction to that in consolidalion. This process can be analyzed well by use of the Terzaghi Voigt combined model. It is shown that the rate of primary deformation in expansion is much smaller than that in consolidation under the same change in compressive pressure. It is also found that the ratio of secondary deformation to total deformation in expansion is much larger than that in consolidation.

Stress relaxation of expressed cake, which is observed when expression is stopped before attaining an equilibrium compression state of a material, can be explained by use of a consolidation and expansion theory. In the relaxation process, local expansion appears near the drainage surface while local consolndash idation appears near the center of the cake. The equilibrium cake stress is uniquely determined by the average consolidation ratio when the expression is interrupted.     

Testing Data Management by “The Zone Verification Method on Results Distribution”

As automation of clinical testing advances, quality has come to be required of clinical testing systems. CLINIEEL (Clinical Expert Engine Library), the zone verification method on results distribution, which was developed through the experience of Laboratory Automation System (LAS) and Laboratory Information System (LIS), is a real testing result verification system A&T produces as a system integrator.This is not as an extension of an operational processing system but the core of Total Automation System. Furthermore, as the step toward testing support and diagnosis-support system, CLINIEEL supports clinical testing with excellent quality.The zone verification method on results distribution is a new verification method which was developed by cooperation of A&T and Masashi Chiba, Tokyo Metropolitan Toshima Hospital. Its purpose lies in reduction of over re-testing. Over re-testing means needless retests. The re-testing rate of the conventional method is so high that it is of no use. Potential for diagnosis-support tends to be stressed, but it is important in the first place, to steadily get clean data. On the condition that testing values are reliable, diagnosis-support becomes possible. Therefore, the zone verification method can be said to be testing support.     

Quantitative evaluation of solid oxide fuel cell porous anode microstructure based on focused ion beam and scanning electron microscope technique and prediction of anode overpotentials

A three-dimensional microstructure of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode is directly observed by a focused ion beam and scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) technique. Microstructural parameters, which are closely related to transport phenomena and electrochemical reaction in a porous anode, are quantitatively evaluated, such as volume fraction, percolation probability, tortuosity factor, surface-to-volume ratio, and three-phase boundary density. A random-walk-based diffusion simulation is effectively used for quantification. As an application of the quantified parameters, 1D numerical simulation of a SOFC anode is conducted. The predicted anode overpotential agrees well with the experimental counterparts in the condition of 3.0% H₂O-97% H₂, 1273 K, while it is overestimated at high humidified and low temperature conditions.     

Effect of Mn content on physical properties of CeOx–MnOy support and BaO–CeOx–MnOy catalysts for direct NO decomposition

A series of manganese–cerium mixed oxides were prepared by a glycothermal method, and the NO decomposition activities of the Ba-loaded Ce–Mn oxides were examined. Among the catalysts examined, the highest NO conversion was obtained on the BaO/Ce–Mn oxide catalyst with a Mn/(Ce+Mn) ratio of 0.25. The X-ray diffraction and Raman analyses indicated the formation of Ce–Mn oxide solid solutions with a cubic fluorite structure. The electron spin resonance analysis indicated the presence of paramagnetic Mn²⁺ species in the composite catalysts. Incorporation of Mn²⁺ in the fluorite structure of CeO₂ causes an increase in the concentration of oxygen vacancies, which play an important role in the NO decomposition activity of the catalysts. The catalysts were also characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature-programmed reduction techniques. Based on the results obtained, the relationship between the physical properties of the catalysts and their NO decomposition activities was discussed.     

A thin‐film silicon solar cell and module

We have developed a new light‐trapping scheme for a thin‐film Si stacked module (Si HYBRID PULS module), where a (a‐Si:H/transparent interlayer/microcrystalline Si) thin‐film was integrated into a large‐area solar cell module. An initial aperture efficiency of 13·1% has been achieved for a 910 × 455 mm Si HYBRID PLUS module, which was independently confirmed by AIST. This is the first report of the independently confirmed efficiency of a large‐area thin‐film Si module with an interlayer. The 19% increase of short‐circuit current of this module was obtained by the introduction of a transparent interlayer that caused internal light‐trapping. A mini‐module was shown to exhibit a stabilized efficiency of 12%. Outdoor performance of a Si HYBRID (a‐Si:H / micro‐crystalline Si stacked) solar cell module has been investigated for over 4 years with two different kinds of module (top and bottom cell limited, respectively). The HYBRID modules limited by the top cell have exhibited a more efficient performance than the modules limited by the bottom cell, in natural sunlight at noon. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sebaceous carcinoma of the submandibular gland with high-grade malignancy: report of a case

Inhibitors of 3-hydroxy,3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase have been reported to decrease the cholesterol saturation index (CSI) in duodenal bile in humans and to prevent formation of cholesterol gallstones in animal studies. We performed a prospective study to evaluate the role of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors as gallstone-dissolving agents. Fifty patients with radiolucent gallstones in a gallbladder opacifying at drip infusion cholecystography were treated with either 10 mg/day simvastatin plus 600 mg/day ursodeoxycholic acid (group 1, n=26) or 600 mg/day ursodeoxycholic acid alone (group 2, n=24) for 12 months. The ratio of solitary to multiple gallstone cases was 21:29. Plasma lipid levels were assessed and ultrasonographic examination of the gallbladder was performed at baseline and at 3-month intervals during treatment. Duodenal bile sampling was performed in five patients in each group at baseline and after 12 months of treatment. Plasma cholesterol decreased significantly in group 1 but not in group 2. In solitary gallstone cases, no significant difference in dissolution rates was observed between groups 1 (3 of 9, 33%) and 2 (4 of 12, 33%). In contrast, the dissolution rate in multiple gallstone cases was significantly higher in group 1 (12 of 17, 71%) than in group 2 (3 of 12, 25%) (p < 0.01). Bile cholesterol saturation index was significantly decreased (p < 0.01) but did not significantly differ between the two groups. These results suggest that combination therapy with simvastatin and ursodeoxycholic acid is more effective for cholesterol gallstone dissolution than ursodeoxycholic acid monotherapy in patients with multiple gallstones.     

Driving source-line cell architecture for sub-1-V high-speedlow-power applications

A novel SRAM cell architecture for sub-1-V high-speed operation is proposed that uses neither low-V_th MOSFETs nor modified cell layout patterns. A source-line, connected to the source terminals of the driver MOSFETs is controlled so that it is negative and floating in the read and write cycles, respectively. This improved the bit-line access time by 1/4-1/2 at supply voltages of 0.5-1.0 V. Limiting the bit-line swing reduces by 1/10 the writing power needed to charge them and allows faster write-recovery, as well. The achievability of low-power 100-MHz operation over a wide range of supply voltages is demonstrated