Effect of domestic processing on flatus producing factors in ricebean (Vigna umbellata)

The effect of various processing treatments viz., soaking, pressure cooking, open pan cooking, germination followed by pressure cooking and roasting of whole ricebean and pressure cooking, open pan cooking and fermentation and frying of fermented batter of dehulled ricebean flour was assessed for total sugars and oligosaccharide contents. Dehulling caused a significant reduction in the raffinose and stachyose contents. Pre-soaking of ricebean caused appreciable losses in the oligosaccharide content. Germination (48 h) followed by pressure cooking and fermentation (18 h) followed by frying caused the maximum losses in the raffinose and stachyose contents.     

Differential sensitivity of Desi (small‐seeded) and Kabuli (large‐seeded) chickpea genotypes to water stress during seed filling: effects on accumulation of seed reserves and yield

Water stress during the reproductive phase, especially during seed development, is considered detrimental for chickpea yield. In the present study, the relative sensitivity of Desi and Kabuli chickpea types to water stress during seed filling was assessed in terms of effects on quantitative and qualitative aspects of seed yield. Leaves of both types experienced stress injury (evaluated as electrolyte leakage) to the same extent and possessed almost similar values of water potential at the end of 14 days of water stress. The stressed plants of Kabuli type lost more chlorophyll and had less photosynthesis than Desi type. At maturity, Desi type showed more diminution of vegetative dry matter due to stress over control than Kabuli type. On the other hand, Kabuli type showed a proportionally greater reduction in seed weight per plant, average seed weight, average seed size, number of pods (single‐ and double‐seeded) and harvest index. The stressed seeds of Kabuli type showed 48 and 46% reduction over control in starch and protein content compared with 25 and 40%, respectively in Desi type. The accumulation of soluble sugars was relatively greater due to stress in Kabuli (47%) than Desi type (23%). Fat and fiber content declined by 39 and 35% over control in Desi seeds because of stress whereas Kabuli type showed 46 and 67% decreases, respectively. Protein fractions, namely albumins, globulins, glutelins and prolamins, decreased in stressed seeds of Kabuli by 32, 40, 16 and 15% over control relative to 40, 48, 30 and 28%, respectively, in Kabuli type. The activities of sucrose synthase, invertase and soluble starch synthase were inhibited to a higher extent in Kabuli seeds than Desi seeds under stress. Kabuli seeds showed significantly more reduction in the accumulation of amino acids such as phenylalanine + tyrosine, tryptophan, valine, alanine and histidine and minerals (Ca, P, Fe) due to stress compared with Desi type. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Use of statistical methods for estimation of total number of charges in a mass spectrometry experiment

Estimation of the number of ions in a mass spectrometry experiment is needed to determine instrumentation parameters such as ionization efficiency, collision-induced dissociation efficiency, ion-transfer efficiency, ion trapping efficiency, and preamplifier detection limit. This work aims at analyzing the statistical characteristics (primarily variance) in the intensities of the isotopic distributions, which depend on the number of ions in the cell. A mathematical derivation was developed based on the maximum likelihood estimation method, which estimates the most likely number of ions in the cell using a method known as nonrandom parameter estimation. The performance of the method improves with increase in the number of observed distributions. The method works well provided the spectra show isotopic resolution and is independent of the instrument or method used to arrive at the spectra.     

Crystallization kinetics of bulk amorphous Se-Te-Sn system

In the present work crystallization kinetics of the amorphous Se_80–xTe₂₀Sn_x (0 x 9) system have been investigated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry. From the heating rate dependence of the glass transition temperature and the crystallization temperature the activation energy for the glass transition and that for crystallization have been determined using the Kissingers equation and Matusitas equation for non-isothermal crystallization of materials. The effect of addition of Sn to the Se-Te system on the dimentionality of crystal growth has been investigated. An increase in the glass transition temperature with increase in Sn content suggests that Sn plays a role in cross-linking the already existing Se-Te chains which causes an increase in the thermal stability of the material.     

Permeation enhancers for transdermal drug delivery

The transdermal route has been recognized as one of the highly potential routes of systemic drug delivery and provides the advantage of avoidance of the first-pass effect, ease of use and withdrawal (in case of side effects), and better patient compliance. However, the major limitation of this route is the difficulty of permeation of drug through the skin. Studies have been carried out to find safe and suitable permeation enhancers to promote the percutaneous absorption of a number of drugs. The present review includes the classification of permeation enhancers and their mechanism of action; thus, it will help in the selection of a suitable enhancer(s) for improving the transdermal permeation of poorly absorbed drugs.     

An analytical drain current model for graded channel cylindrical/surrounding gate MOSFET

In the present paper, a comprehensive drain current model incorporating various effects such as drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL), channel length modulation and impact ionization has been developed for graded channel cylindrical/surrounding gate MOSFET (GC CGT/SGT) and the expressions for transconductance and drain conductance have been obtained. It is shown that GC design leads to drain current enhancement, reduced output conductance and improved breakdown voltage. The effectiveness of GC design was examined by comparing uniformly doped (UD) devices with GC devices of various L₁/L₂ ratios and doping concentrations and it was found that GC devices offer superior characteristics as compared to the UD devices. The results so obtained have been compared with those obtained from 3D device simulator ATLAS and are found to be in good agreement.     

Sorption Isotherms and Drying Characteristics of Tomato Peel Isolated from Tomato Pomace

Tomato peel was separated from pomace by sedimentation and dried in cabinet and fluidized-bed dryer at 50–70°C using 4–12 kg/m²tray load. The drying of tomato peel took place under the falling rate period and the drying behavior was well described by Page's model with coefficient of determination greater than 0.99 and standard error of 0.003–0.016. A fluidized-bed dryer was much more efficient than a cabinet dryer to dry tomato peel. The moisture adsorption isotherms of tomato peel were obtained by equilibrating above saturated salt solutions of known a _w (0.113–0.92) at 20–60°C. The data were analyzed using fifteen sorption models based on coefficient of determination, standard error, and residual plots. Modified Henderson was the best model for tomato peel with coefficient of determination >0.99, standard error <0.210, and a scattered residual plot. The net isostearic heat of sorption, estimated using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, was 0.74–23.23 kJ/mol at 2.0–2.5% moisture content (dry basis).     

Microstructure and protein digestibility of beef: The effect of cooking conditions as used in stews and curries

Beef meat was cooked at 373 K for 10 and 30 min to investigate the effect of the cooking conditions generally used during beef stew and curry preparation on protein digestibility. The cooked meats, along with a raw control, were digested using an in vitro digestion model to simulate gastric and small-intestinal conditions. Samples taken at different digestion times were analyzed using SDS-PAGE, RP-HPLC, ninhydrin assays for amino N and transmission electron microscopy. Simulated gastric conditions quickly led to the loss of basic sarcomere structure in raw meat myofibrils whereas the sarcomere structure of the compact cooked meat myofibrils remained intact after 30 min of gastric digestion. Prolonged cooking of meat (30 min) resulted in incomplete digestion of small MW (<10 kDa) peptides, as observed from SDS-PAGE. This agreed with the amount of ninhydrin-reactive amino N released during digestion, which decreased with an increase in cooking time. The RP-HPLC peak areas of the major identified amino acids (tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylalanine) also decreased with an increase in cooking time. This suggested the formation of “limit peptides” during prolonged cooking of beef, which were not further broken down into free amino acids by digestive enzymes and therefore might not be bioavailable.     

Preparation of cobalt ferrite from the thermolysis of cobalt tris(malonato)ferrate(III)trihydrate precursor

Thermal decomposition of cobalt tris(malonato)ferrate(III)trihydrate precursor, Co₃[Fe(CH₂C₂O₄)₃]·3H₂O has been investigated from ambient temperature to 600 °C in static air atmosphere using various physico-chemical techniques, i.e. TG–DTG–DSC, XRD, Mössbauer and IR spectroscopic techniques. The precursor undergoes dehydration and decomposition simultaneously to yield cobalt malonate and iron(II) malonate intermediates at 205 °C. At higher temperature (325 °C) these intermediate species undergo exothermic decomposition to yield CoO and α-Fe₂O₃, respectively. Finally cobalt ferrite, CoFe₂O₄, has been obtained as a result of solid–solid reaction between Fe₂O₃ and CoO at a temperature (380 °C) much lower than that of ceramic method. SEM analysis of the final thermolysis product reveals the formation of monodisperse cobalt ferrite nano-particles with an average particle size of 45 nm. Magnetic studies show that these particles have a saturation magnetization of 3095 G and Curie temperature of 504 °C. Lower magnitude of these parameters as compared to the bulk values is attributed to the smaller particle size.     

A study of austenitization of SG iron

Austenitization process of three SG irons with varying compositions and as cast matrix microstructure has been studied at three austenitization temperatures of 850, 900 and 950C for different time periods. Microstructure, hardness and X-ray diffraction have been used to reveal the nature of dependence of the process on austenitization temperature, time and as cast structure. The optimum austenitization time is maximum for ferritic and minimum for pearlitic matrix.