Tocotrienols for normalisation of hepatic echogenic response in nonalcoholic fatty liver: a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial

Background

Increased density of fast food restaurants is associated with increased prevalence of obesity in developed countries. However, less is known about this relationship in developing countries undergoing rapid urbanization and how differences in neighbourhood income affect the patronage of fast food outlets. The purpose of the study is to explore the differences in fast food preferences, perceptions, and patronage between Indians living in high- and low-income neighbourhoods.

Methods

This cross-sectional study recruited 204 men and women (35 to 65 years in age) from high- and low-income neighbourhoods who completed a questionnaire on fast food consumption. The questionnaire asked participants to define fast food and to provide reasons for and frequency of visits to fast food restaurants. The differences were analyzed using Chi square and t-tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively.

Results

Participants from a high-income neighbourhood were more likely to perceive Western -style fast food as fast food, while people from the low-income neighbourhood were more likely to identify food sold by street vendors as fast food (p <0.001). Furthermore, compared to participants from the high-income neighbourhood, people from the low-income neighbourhood were more likely to report buying food from street vendors while less likely to dine out at both fast food and non-fast food restaurants (p<0.001). Although the high-income neighbourhood group was more likely to report enjoying eating at fast food restaurants than their low-income neighbourhood counterparts, there were no significant differences in the reasons for visiting fast food restaurants (convenience, price, social enjoyment, and quality of meals) between the two groups. Both groups preferred home cooked over restaurant meals, and they recognized that home cooked food was healthier.

Conclusions

Overall, consumption of fast food was low. People from a high-income neighbourhood dined out more frequently and were more likely to perceive Western-style food as fast food compared to their counterparts from the low-income neighbourhood.     

A structural study of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR‐50) ring opening under mild acidic condition

A structural study of ring opening reaction of purified epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) with acetic acid was conducted using the NMR techniques and its thermal characteristic was evaluated with Thermal gravimetry/Differential Thermal Gravimetry (TG/DTG) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analyses. ¹H‐NMR revealed that 19.56% of epoxide was ring‐opened from the total amount of the epoxide unit in ENR‐50 and this was supported by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. ¹³C‐NMR suggests the fixation of alkyl (R) i.e., acetate group to the epoxide carbon via ester linkage and formation of hydroxyl groups in the polymer chains. The attachment location of R occurred at both most (↑) and least (↓) hindered carbons of the epoxide. The TG/DTG results of acid treated ENR‐50 showed three decomposition steps at 235–338, 338–523, 523–627 °C due to the presence of the polymer chains mixture, i.e., ring‐opened and intact epoxide of ENR‐50. This increases the T_g value of acid treated ENR‐50 at 24.6 °C as compared to purified ENR‐50 at −17.7 °C. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44123.     

Adsorptive capacity of spray-dried pH-treated bentonite and kaolin powders for ammonium removal

The effectiveness of ammonium (NH₄⁺) adsorption was investigated, using spray-dried, pH-treated bentonite, and kaolin as adsorbents. Each powder's adsorption capacity towards NH₄⁺ was examined after up to 120 min of sample exposure, and results were compared. The zeta potential values for bentonite samples were between ?1.1 and ?19.4 mV, while for kaolin samples, they were between ?35.7 and ?40.9 mV (pH range examined was 2–10). The adsorption isotherm for bentonite showed a fit with the Langmuir model. The pH 10-treated bentonite and as-received bentonite (dispersed as pH 10 in distilled water) showed the highest adsorption capacity towards NH₄⁺. Meanwhile, for kaolin, the adsorption capacity was low and observed only at low NH₄⁺ concentration (100 mg/L and 200 mg/L), with pH 10-treated kaolin showed the highest adsorption capacity.     

Effect of heat generation on mixed convection in porous cavity with sinusoidal heated moving lid and uniformly heated or cooled bottom walls

Effect of heat generation and absorption on mixed convection flows in a sinusoidal heated lid-driven square cavity filled with a porous medium is investigated numerically. Both the vertical walls of the enclosure are insulated while the bottom wall is uniformly heated or cooled. The top wall is moving at a constant speed and is heated sinusoidally. The governing equations and boundary conditions are non-dimensionalized and solved numerically by using finite volume method approach along with SIMPLE algorithm together with non-uniform grid system. The effect of Darcy and heat generation parameters are investigated in terms of the flow, heat transfer, and Nusselt number. The results for stream function and isotherm are plotted and it is found that there have significant influence with the presence of heat generation and porous medium.

     

Engine performance and optimum injection timing for 4-cylinder direct injection hydrogen fueled engine

This paper presents the engine performance and optimum injection timing for 4-cylinder direct injection hydrogen fueled engine. The 4-cylinder direct injection hydrogen engine model was developed utilizing the GT-Power commercial software. This model employed one dimensional gas dynamics to represent the flow and heat transfer in the components of engine model. Sequential pulse injectors are adopted to inject hydrogen gas fuel within the compression stroke. Injection timing was varied from 110° before top dead center (BTDC) until top dead center (TDC) timing. Engine speed was varied from 2000 rpm to 6000 rpm, while the equivalence ratio was varied from 0.2 to 1.0. The validation was performed with the existing previous experimental results. The negative effects of the interaction between ignition timing and injection duration was highlighted and clarified. The results showed that optimum injection timing and engine performance are related strongly to the air fuel ratio and engine speed. The acquired results show that the air fuel ratio and engine speed are strongly influence on the optimum injection timing and engine performance. It can be seen that the indicated efficiency increases with increases of AFR while decreases of engine speed. The power and torque increases with the decreases of AFR and engine speed. The indicated specific fuel consumption (ISFC) decreases with increases of AFR from rich conditions to lean while decreases of engine speed. The injection timing of 60° BTDC was the overall optimum injection timing with a compromise.     

Wide range electrostatic MEMS Fabry Perot optical tunable filter: modelling an electrostatic and mechanic beam deflection

A novel wide range electrostatic microelectromechanical system floating Fabry Perot optical tunable filter (MEMS f-FPOTF) is modelled and analyzed in terms of its electro-mechanic behaviour. The composite beam approach has been used to model the floating Fabry Perot cavity. The floating dual membrane FPOTF consists of multi layer Si/SiO₂/Si thin films with an optical cavity in the middle structure. The filter tuning range has been improved by utilizing bonded silicon on insulator wafers that permits the floating cavity to be deflected both ways; up and down. Electro-mechanic analysis shows a 7% (STRUCTURE1) and 5% (STRUCTURE2) difference between analytical and finite element modelling in which the 7% difference in light incident angle contributes to a 0.5 nm shift while the 5% difference in length of cavity indicates a 4 nm shift in MEMS f-FPOTF operating wavelength. This analysis validates the analytical modelling of this device as a wavelength selector in coarse wavelength division multiplexing.     

Combustion of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using bimetallic chromium-copper supported on modified H-ZSM-5 catalyst

The paper reports on the performance of chromium or/and copper supported on H-ZSM-5(Si/Al = 240) modified with silicon tetrachloride (Cr1.5/SiCl4-Z, Cu1.5/SiCl4-Z and Cr1.0Cu0.5/SiCl4-Z) as catalysts in the combustion of chlorinated VOCs (Cl-VOCs). A reactor operated at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 32,000 h(-1), a temperature between 100 and 500 degrees C with 2500 ppm of dichloromethane (DCM), trichloromethane (TCM) and trichloroethylene (TCE) is used for activity studies. The deactivation study is conducted at a GHSV of 3800 h(-1), at 400 degrees C for up to 12 h with a feed concentration of 35,000 ppm. Treatment with silicon tetrachloride improves the chemical resistance of H-ZSM-5 against hydrogen chloride. TCM is more reactive compared to DCM but it produces more by-products due to its high chlorine content. The stabilization of TCE is attributed to resonance effects. Water vapor increases the carbon dioxide yield through its role as hydrolysis agent forming reactive carbocations and acting as hydrogen-supplying agent to suppress chlorine-transfer reactions. The deactivation of Cr1.0Cu0.5/SiCl4-Z is mainly due to the chlorination of its metal species, especially with higher Cl/H feed. Coking is limited, particularly with DCM and TCM. In accordance with the Mars-van Krevelen model, the weakening of overall metal reducibility due to chlorination leads to a loss of catalytic activity.     

Chemical resistance,void content and tensile properties of oil palm/jute fibre reinforced polymer hybrid composites

Tri layer hybrid composites of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) and jute fibres was prepared by keeping oil palm EFB as skin material and jute as the core material and vice versa. The chemical resistance, void content and tensile properties of oil palm EFB/Jute composites was investigated with reference to the relative weight of oil palm EFB/Jute, i.e. 4:1, the fibre loading was optimized and different layering pattern were investigated. It is found from the chemical resistance test that all the composites are resistant to various chemicals. It was observed that marked reduction in void content of hybrid composites in different layering pattern. From the different layering pattern, the tensile properties were slightly higher for the composite having jute as skin and oil palm EFB as core material. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study tensile fracture surfaces of different composites.     

Current state of science and technology in the Muslim world

Reviews the current state of science and technology in the Muslim world in the light of the CASTASIA 1968 and the International Conference on Science in Islamic Polity 1983 recommendations of allocating 1.0 percent of GNP for R&D. The data presented indicates that the Muslim countries have not been able to achieve this target. OIC countries on the average spend 0.45 percent of their GNP on R&D as compared to 2.30 percent by OECD countries. Egypt which leads the Muslim countries spends 0.86 percent of its GNP on R&D as compared to 2.27 percent by Israel. Indonesia spends 0.17 percent as compared to 1.78 percent by Taiwan. Annual growth of R&D expenditure in a few Muslim countries, especially Turkey and Malaysia, is very encouraging. Muslims are also far behind in terms of R&D manpower. OIC countries have 8.5 scientists, engineers and technicians per 1,000 population as compared to 40.7 of world average and 139.3 for OECD countries. The contribution of Muslim countries to world science literature is also meagre. Forty-six Muslim countries contribute 1.17 percent to world science literature as compared to 1.66 percent by India and 1.48 percent by Spain. Twenty Arab countries contribute 0.55 percent as compared to 0.89 percent by Israel alone. Contribution to science literature is also analyzed on the basis of total population, literate population, and GNP per capita. Growth of science literature in many Muslim countries is faster than OECD countries.