Volatile aroma compounds of raw and roasted palm kernel

The volatile aroma compounds of raw and roasted palm kernel, isolated by hydrodistillation, were analysed by g.l.c. and g.c.-m.s. A number of compounds have been identified for the first time in this commodity. It was found that δ-lactones and ethyl esters were predominant in the flavour profile. In roasted palm kernels, flavour analysis showed the presence of a number of pyrazines formed during heating. Most of the lactones and esters identified in raw palm kernel were present in the roasted samples also. The flavour concentrate included a number of fatty acids in both the raw and roasted samples, in small amounts.     

Physical insights regarding design and performance of independent-gate FinFETs

Important physical insights regarding the design and performance of independent-gate FinFETs, e.g., the MIGFET , are gained from measured data and predictions from our process/physics-based double-gate (DG) MOSFET model (UFDG) in Spice3. Inversion charge-centroid shifting, modulated by gate biases as well as by quantum-confinement and short-channel effects, underlies the sensitivity of the MIGFET (front-gate) threshold voltage to the back-gate bias. MIGFET design and operation-mode options are examined for optimizing circuit applications. Further, novel design of a single-device RF mixer and a double-balanced counterpart using MIGFETs is studied with UFDG/Spice3. Reasonably good MIGFET mixers, with regard to conversion gain and linearity with small-size/low-voltage/low-power requirements, can be achieved with optimal biases on the two gates and good design of the MIGFET structure.     

Robust Transportation Network Design Under Demand Uncertainty

Abstract:   This article addresses the problem of a traffic network design problem (NDP) under demand uncertainty. The origin–destination trip matrices are taken as random variables with known probability distributions. Instead of finding optimal network design solutions for a given future scenario, we are concerned with solutions that are in some sense good for a variety of demand realizations. We introduce a definition of robustness accounting for the planner's required degree of robustness. We propose a formulation of the robust network design problem (RNDP) and develop a methodology based on genetic algorithm (GA) to solve the RNDP. The proposed model generates globally near-optimal network design solutions, f, based on the planner's input for robustness. The study makes two important contributions to the network design literature. First, robust network design solutions are significantly different from the deterministic NDPs and not accounting for them could potentially underestimate the network-wide impacts. Second, systematic evaluation of the performance of the model and solution algorithm is conducted on different test networks and budget levels to explore the efficacy of this approach. The results highlight the importance of accounting for robustness in transportation planning and the proposed approach is capable of producing high-quality solutions.     

Shigella and the fluorinated quinolones

An 8-year-old girl presented with marked shortening of the right forearm due to destruction of both the radius and ulna secondary to neonatal osteomyelitis. A one-bone forearm operation was performed to achieve a stable forearm. Two years later, the one-bone forearm was lengthened for 6 months by callus distraction (callotasis) achieving 12 cm of extra length. The patient was last followed up at the age of 16. The appearance and functional outcome of the right upper limb had been improved and she was independent in all activities of daily living.     

EXTRACTION OF TRANSITION METALS FROM WOOD PULP FIBERS USING SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE

The supercritical fluid extraction of manganese and iron from solid matrix (wood pulp) is demonstrated experimentally. Supercritical carbon diodixe is used together with lithium bis(trifluoroethyl) dithiocarbonate (FDDC) as the ion-pairing reagent. The metal content of the pulp samples was determined by inductively couple plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Optimum conditions were determined to be 30 min each of static and dynamic extraction with 200 atm pressure at 40 °C. Thermomechanical pulp (TMP) extracted under these parameters exhibits an 80% decrease in manganese content, and 91% after a second, sequential extraction. The simultaneous removal of iron was found to be only 6% and supports evidence that it is much more strongly bound to the TMP matrix than manganese.     

Amidinothiourea as a secondary accelerator in a binary system for the sulphur vulcanization of natural rubber

A study of a binary accelerator system using amidinothiourea as a secondary accelerator with mercaptobenzothiazyl disulfíde (MBTS), in sulphur vulcanization of natural rubber has been undertaken. This system was found to boost MBTS accelerator activity considerably. From the results, a nucleophilic reaction mechanism was established for this system. Different compositions of the amidinothiourea were tried in different mixes using standard recipes, and reference mixes were also vulcanized. Different cure characteristics of the mixes and important physical properties of the vulcanizates were evaluated. Optimum concentrations of amidinothiourea required were derived and the experimental mixes were found to have better cure characteristics, including an advantageous reduction in the optimum cure time. Many of the physical properties of the vulcanizates studied were also found to be better compared to those of the reference mixes. Evaluation of these properties both before and after ageing showed good retention of these properties as well. An attempt was also made to correlate the variation in physical properties to chemical crosslink formation in the various vulcanizates.     

Quantitation of Nizatidine in Capsules Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

A stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography method for the quantitation of nizatidine in capsules has been developed. The method is accurate and precise with a percent relative standard deviation of 0.34 based on 6 readings. A number of inactive ingredients present in the capsules did not interfere in the assay procedure. The recovery from the synthetic mixtures was quantitative. The extraction procedure from the capsules is very simple. The drug appears to be very sensitive to bases (such as sodium hydroxide) since 100% of the drug decomposed on boiling for 35 minutes. The drug was very stable when boiled with sulfuric acid.