Interaction of wheat and rice starches with yellow mustard mucilage

The effect of yellow mustard mucilage (YMM) on gelatinization and retrogradation of wheat and rice starches were studied. Considerable interactions were observed between YMM and wheat and rice starches which were accompanied by a marked increase in viscosity. DSC studies showed that the presence of YMM did not affect peak gelatinization temperature (T_p) of wheat and rice starches, but slightly increased melting enthalpy (ΔH) and the phase transition temperature range (T_c−T₀). Addition of YMM markedly changed wheat and rice starch gel textures by increasing hardness, adhesiveness, chewiness and springiness. The addition of YMM–locust bean gum (LBG) mixture (9:1) similarly increased the viscosity of wheat and rice starches but decreased gel hardness. The swelling power as well as solubilized starch and amylose were decreased for both starches in the presence of YMM. Syneresis in wheat and rice starches was also decreased by the presence of YMM.     

Assessing the labile arsenic pool in contaminated paddy soils by isotopic dilution techniques and simple extractions

Arsenic (As) contamination of paddy soils threatens rice cultivation and the health of populations relying on rice as a staple crop. In the present study, isotopic dilution techniques were used to determine the chemically labile (E value) and phytoavailable (L value) pools of As in a range of paddy soils from Bangladesh, India, and China and two arable soils from the UK varying in the degree and sources of As contamination. The E value accounted for 6.2-21.4% of the total As, suggesting that a large proportion of soil As is chemically nonlabile. L values measured with rice grown under anaerobic conditions were generally larger than those under aerobic conditions, indicating increased potentially phytoavailable pool of As in flooded soils. In an incubation study, As was mobilized into soil pore water mainly as arsenite under flooded conditions, with Bangladeshi soils contaminated by irrigation of groundwater showing a greater potential of As mobilization than other soils. Arsenic mobilization was best predicted by phosphate-extractable As in the soils.     

Reactivity and mobility of new and old mercury deposition in a boreal forest ecosystem during the first year of the METAALICUS study. Mercury Experiment To Assess Atmospheric Loading In Canada and the US

The METAALICUS (Mercury Experiment To Assess Atmospheric Loading In Canada and the US) project is a whole ecosystem experiment designed to study the activity, mobility, and availability of atmospherically deposited mercury. To investigate the dynamics of mercury newly deposited onto a terrestrial ecosystem, an enriched stable isotope of mercury (202Hg) was sprayed onto a Boreal forest subcatchment in an experiment that allowed us, for the first time, to monitor the fate of 'new' mercury in deposition and to distinguish it from native mercury historically stored in the ecosystem. Newly deposited mercury was more reactive than the native mercury with respect to volatilization and methylation pathways. Mobility through runoff was very low and strongly decreased with time because of a rapid equilibration with the large native pool of "bound" mercury. Over one season, only approximately 8% of the added 212Hg volatilized to the atmosphere and less than 1% appeared in runoff. Within a few months, approximately 66% of the applied 202Hg remained associated with above ground vegetation, with the rest being incorporated into soils. The fraction of 202Hg bound to vegetation was much higher than seen for native Hg (<5% vegetation), suggesting that atmospherically derived mercury enters the soil pool with a time delay, after plants senesce and decompose. The initial mobility of mercury received through small rain events or dry deposition decreased markedly in a relatively short time period, suggesting that mercury levels in terrestrial runoff may respond slowly to changes in mercury deposition rates.     

Emulsifying and structural properties of pectin enzymatically extracted from pumpkin

The present study investigated the emulsifying and structural properties of pectin enzymatically extracted from pumpkin. Pumpkin pectin fraction A was obtained from raw pumpkin with an enzymatic preparation of cellulase and α-amylase. Pumpkin pectin fraction B was achieved by treating the fraction A solution with pronase to reduce protein content. According to the findings (on protein content, galacturonic acid content, neutral sugar composition, and molecular weight distribution), the pronase treatment could remove protein from the fraction A without considerably influencing any other chemical and molecular properties. Moreover, the fraction A exhibited emulsifying properties in water and oil mixture, whereas the removal of protein in the fraction B resulted in the loss of emulsifying properties. The FT-IR and 1D NMR analysis revealed that the backbone of pumpkin pectin is mainly composed of α-1,4-d-galacturonic acid in which a considerable portion of galacturonic acid residues is present as methyl esters, and some l-rhamnose are involved in the linear region of the backbone through α-1,2-linkages.     

Effect of proteolysis and calcium equilibrium on functional properties of natural cheddar cheese during ripening and the resultant processed cheese

The changes in proteolysis, calcium (Ca) equilibrium, and functional properties of natural Cheddar cheeses during ripening and the resultant processed cheeses were investigated. For natural Cheddar cheeses, the majority of the changes in pH 4.6 soluble nitrogen as a percentage of total nitrogen (pH 4.6 SN/TN) and the soluble Ca content occurred in the first 90 d of ripening, and subsequently, the changes were slight. During ripening, functional properties of natural Cheddar cheeses changed, that is, hardness decreased, meltability was improved, storage modulus at 70 °C (G'T=70) decreased, and the maximum tan delta (TDmax) increased. Both pH 4.6 SN/TN and the soluble Ca were correlated with changes in functional properties of natural Cheddar cheeses during ripening. Kendall's partial correlation analysis indicated that pH 4.6 SN/TN was more significantly correlated with changes in hardness and TDmax. For processed cheeses manufactured from natural Cheddar cheeses with different ripening times, the soluble Ca content did not show significant difference, and the trends of changes in hardness, meltability, G'T=70, and TDmax were similar to those of natural Cheddar cheeses. Kendall's partial correlation analysis suggested that only pH 4.6 SN/TN was significantly correlated with the changes in functional properties of processed cheeses.     

Network economics of optical transport networks with soft decision forward error correction (SD-FEC) technology

The goal of long haul DWDM transmission is to deliver error-free digital information at extremely high data rates and over very long distances, ideally without the need for regeneration of the signal. Forward error correction (FEC) is a method of encoding a signal with additional overhead information so that optical receivers can detect and correct errors that occur in the transmission path. The latest enhancement for FEC is the use of a soft decision algorithm that significantly improves the optical reach. This study evaluates the impact of soft decision forward error correction (SD-FEC) technology upon network design and economics in a long haul optical transport network. The network study shows that the SD-FEC technology not only reduces the total cost of ownership, but also simplifies the network design. Real-world network models are utilized to quantify and compare results.     

用2.5D TSV实现多处理器SiP功能

本项目由Open-Silicon,GLOBALFOUNDRI ES和Amkor三家公司合作完成。两颗28nm的ARM处理器芯片,通过2.5D硅转接板实现集成。芯片的高性能集成通常由晶体管制程提高来实现,应用2.5D技术的Si P正成为传统芯片系统集成的有效替代。Open-Silicon负责芯片和硅转接板的设计,重点在于性能优化和成本降低。GLOBALFOUNDRI ES采用28nm超低能耗芯片工艺制造处理器芯片,而用65nm技术制造2.5D硅转接板。包括功耗优化和功能界面有效管理等概念得到验证。硅基板的高密度布线提供大量平行I/O,以实现高性能存储,并保持较低功耗。所开发的EDA设计参考流程可以用于优化2.5D设计。本文展示了如何将大颗芯片重新设计成较小的几颗芯片,通过2.5D硅转接板实现Si P系统集成,以降低成本,提高良率,增加设计灵活性和重复使用性,并减少开发风险。     

不同大豆分离蛋白凝胶的流变学性质

本文比较研究了三种不同大豆分离蛋白(分别为SG、ADM和ON)的凝胶性能。三种大豆分离蛋白的7S／11S比率和变性热焓类似，但表面疏水性和混浊度却明显不同。通过小变形振荡流变分析研究了三种大豆分离蛋白的热凝胶性能。在去离子水中，SG和ADM的凝胶浓度均是90mg／ml，且两者的凝胶强度接近；ON的凝胶浓度是110mg／ml。在1．0mol／L NaCl溶液中，ADM的凝胶强度高于SG。在NaSCN存在的情况下。ON的凝胶强度明显增加。尽管N-乙基马来酰亚胺(NEM)能够封闭巯基，但该试剂可增强三种大豆分离蛋白的凝胶强度。结果显示SG和ADM之间的凝胶性能的差别主要是由于表面疏水性不同，而造成ON凝胶性能较差的主要原因是大豆蛋白分子的聚集。