Influence of Lipid Composition on the Water and Fat Exudation and Gel Strength of Meat Batters

Blends of lard with eight separate fats or oils (70:30 w/w) were prepared and used as the fat component of meat batters. After cooking, the batters were analyzed for water and fat exudation and gel strength. None differed significantly from the control of 100% lard. Positive correlation coefficients, however, were significant between percent monounsaturated triglycerides and water exudation, polyunsaturated triglycerides and fat exudation and saturated triglycerides and gel strength. Addition of lecithin, cholesterol or methyl palmitate to the lard increased fat exudation and decreased gel strength. Sodium laurate had the opposite effect whether added to the lard or to the aqueous phase.     

Interdisciplinary research: roles for self-organization

No generally accepted principles and guidelines currently exist to help engineers design local interaction mechanisms that result in a desired global behavior. However, several communities have developed ways of approaching this problem in the context of niched application areas. Because the ideas underlying these approaches are often obscured or underemphasized in technical papers, the authors review the role of self-organization in their work. They provide a better picture of the status of the emerging field of self-organizing systems or autonomic computing.     

OTDM transmitter using WDM-TDM conversion with an electroabsorptionwavelength converter

An all-optical multiplexing technique using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM)-time division multiplexing (TDM) conversion with an electroabsorption wavelength converter has been proposed and demonstrated. The effectiveness of this WDM-TDM conversion technique for various pulsewidth settings was experimentally investigated. The fluctuation of the signal performance, which was inevitably caused by the coherent crosstalk between adjacent pulses in the conventional optical time division multiplexing (OTDM) technique, were successfully suppressed, even in the case of wide pulse duration. High Q-factor performance has been maintained for a wide range of duty ration from 36% to 74%. By introducing this technique to the optical time division multiplexer, a highly stable and high-quality 40-Gb/s optical signal can be effectively produced without generating the short pulse or setting two tributaries at orthogonal polarization states, and without introducing high-speed electronics for signal multiplexing. The WDM-TDM conversion with an electroabsorption wavelength converter was extended to 60-Gb/s operation by using three 20-Gb/s tributaries. A clear eye opening was confirmed for a waveform after the WDM-TDM conversion of the 60-Gb/s signal     

A systematic techno-economic assessment of a WEC system installation for low-cost electrification of a habitable dwelling

This paper deals with the technical feasibility and economic viability of a grid connected wind-energy conversion system (WECS) used to cover the energy demand of an average habitable dwelling. The various parts of the wind-energy system are described and the useful electrical energy production is determined using a simulation program based on the Monte Carlo method. An economic analysis of the WEC system is performed using a computerized assessment tool. Important financial indices are calculated and financial scenarios investigated.     

Fatigue reliability in welded joints of offshore structures

Metal fatigue in welded joints in offshore structures is considered. Due to the considerable variability of conditions, a probabilistic approach is used. Theoretical studies of various aspects of the fatigue reliability problem in welded joints are presented. These include a study of the Palmgren-Miner rule, a modified linear model on S/N data, the use of the rainflow method of counting, and a closed form expression for the probability of fatigue failure. A probability model is derived as a suggested basis for an approach to fatigue design.     

Worst-case tolerance optimization of antenna systems

The application of recently developed algorithms to antenna systems design is demonstrated by the worst-case tolerance optimization of linear broadside arrays, using both spacings and excitation coefficients as design parameters. The resulting arrays are optimally immunized against deviations of the design parameters from their nominal values.     

Molecular correlations in sheared thermotropic copolyesters showing banded textures

Banded textures produced in a thermotropic liquid crystal polymer by shearing between glass slides are examined by using both transmission electron and polarized light microscopy. The periodic variation in director orientation about the shear axis, as measured by light microscopy, is shown to be distinctly different from that indicated by electron diffraction. Measurements of birefringence and observation of Zernicke phase contrast indicate periodic variations in optical properties of the polymer, in step with the bands. Such effects are accounted for in terms of a synchronous rotation of the planar aromatic groups about the molecular chain axes. Evidence for an out-of-plane component of molecular orientation is also presented.