Results of soy-based meal replacement formula on weight,anthropometry, serum lipids &; blood pressure during a 40-week clinical weight loss trial

Background  

To evaluate the intermediate-term health outcomes associated with a soy-based meal replacement, and to compare the weight loss efficacy of two distinct patterns of caloric restriction.     

HEAT TRANSFER IN TUBES FITTED WITH TRAPEZOIDAL-CUT AND PLAIN TWISTED TAPE INSERTS

Experimental investigation of heat transfer and friction factor characteristics of a circular tube fitted with plain twisted tapes (PTT) and trapezoidal-cut twisted tapes (TTT) with twist ratios y = 2.0, 4.4, and 6.0 was carried out. The experimental data obtained from plain tube and PTT were verified with the standard correlation to ensure the validation of experimental results. The experimental results revealed that heat transfer rate, friction factor, and thermal enhancement factor in the tube equipped with TTT were significantly higher than in the tube fitted with PTT and the plain tube. The additional disturbance and secondary flow in the vicinity of the tube wall generated by the TTT compared to that induced by the PTT was determined as the reason for enhancement. Subsequently, an empirical correlation was also formulated to match with experimental results with ±6% and ±5% variation respectively for Nusselt number and the friction factor.     

GDQ Method for Natural Convection in a Cubic Cavity Using Velocity–Vorticity Formulation

ABSTRACT

Natural convection in a differentially heated cubic enclosure is studied by solving the velocity–vorticity form of the Navier–Stokes equations by a generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method. The governing equations in the form of velocity Poisson equations, vorticity transport equations, and energy equation are solved using a coupled numerical scheme via a single global matrix for velocities, vorticities, and temperature. Vorticity and velocity coupling at the solid boundaries is enforced through a higher-order approximation by the GDQ method, thus assuring accurate satisfaction of the continuity equation. Nusselt numbers computed for Ra = 10³, 10⁴, 10⁵, and 10⁶ show good agreement with the benchmark results. A mesh independence study indicates that the present numerical procedure requires much coarse mesh compared to other numerical schemes to produce the benchmark solutions of the flow and heat transfer problems.     

Spontaneously ordered TiO2 nanostructures

Titanium dioxide thin films were deposited on quartz substrates kept at different O₂ pressures using pulsed laser deposition technique. The effects of reactive atmosphere and annealing temperature on the structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties of the films are discussed. Growth of films with morphology consisting of spontaneously ordered nanostructures is reported. The films growth under an oxygen partial pressure of 3 × 10⁻⁴ Pa consist in nanoislands with voids in between them whereas the film growth under an oxygen partial pressure of 1 × 10⁻⁴ Pa, after having being subjected to annealing at 500 °C, consists in nanosized elongated grains uniformly distributed all over the surface. The growth of nanocrystallites with the increase in annealing temperature is explained on the basis of the critical nuclei-size model.     

Fun with photons: selective light induced reactions in solution and in water soluble nano-containers

Two distinct strategies for controlling selectivity, in particular stereoselectivity in photochemical reactions are reviewed. In the first strategy, supramolecular approach using cucurbituril nano-containers in catalytic amounts is employed to control selectivity during photochemical transformations. In the second approach, a generalized methodology for carrying out light-induced transformations in solution at ambient conditions is detailed where axially chiral motifs are employed to enantiospecifically transfer the axial chirality in the reactant to point chirality in the photoproduct(s).     

Bioremediation of PCDD/Fs-contaminated municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash by a potent microbial biocatalyst

Removal of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from fly ash poses a serious problem. In the study presented here, we used a microbial biocatalyst which is a mixture of 4 bacterial and 5 fungal dioxin-degrading strains. The ability of this biocatalyst to bioremediate PCDD/Fs from contaminated municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash was examined by solid-state fermentation under laboratory conditions. Treatment of MSWI fly ash with the microbial biocatalyst for 21 days resulted in a 68.7% reduction in total toxic PCDD/Fs. Further analyses revealed that the microbial biocatalyst also removed 66.8% of the 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners from the fly ash. During the treatment period, the presence of the individual strains composing the microbial biocatalyst was monitored by the amplification of strain-specific DNA sequences followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). This analysis showed that all of the bacterial and fungal strains composing this dioxin-degrading microbial mixture maintained under the dioxin treatment conditions. These results demonstrate that this microbial biocatalyst could potentially be used in the bioremediation of PCDD/Fs from contaminated fly ash.     

Hemodialysis: a therapeutic option for severe attacks of acute intermittent porphyria in developing countries

Acute intermittent prophyria (AIP) is an autosomal dominant disease that results from a defect in the enzyme porphobilinogen deaminase. Acute intermittent porphyria is the most common of hepatic porphyrias and can tax the therapeutic capabilities of the physician to the limit. Motor weakness is a major feature of an acute attack, and flaccid paralysis of all extremities can occur rapidly, within a matter of days. The acute attacks may be life threatening. Hematin (Heme Arginate) should be given early during an acute attack to prevent neurologic sequel. Hemodialysis and hemoperfusion have been tried in the treatment of acute attacks of AIP with success. As hematin is not available in India, a severe acute attack of AIP in a patient was managed with hemodialysis successfully. Later, hematin was imported and provided to the patient. An 18-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital with recurrent abdominal pain and 2 episodes of convulsions. She had undergone an appendectomy earlier at another hospital for abdominal pain. On evaluation, she had hyponatremia, episodic abnormal behavior, generalized muscle pain, hypertension, and sinus tachycardia. In view of the above clinical picture, a clinical diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria was made. Her 24-hr urinary porphobilinogen was 90.8 mg/day (<2 mg-normal) and alpha amino levalunic acid was 108.8 mg/day (1-7 mg-normal), consistent with the diagnosis. Her hyponatremia was corrected. Arrangements were made to import hematin and she was managed with dextrose infusion. Meanwhile, she developed flaccid quardriparesis with urinary incontinence and bulbar palsy. Her brain MRI was normal. Her nerve conduction study was suggestive of motor radiculoneuropathy. Specific treatment for severe porphyric crisis was planned. She failed to improve with dextrose infusion alone. As hematin was not readily available in the country, other therapeutic options were considered. As few case reports of AIP being successfully treated with hemodialysis were available, the option of dialytic support was explained to the family. After procuring informed consent, she was subjected to hemodialysis for 4 hr in the first day, increasing to 6 hr a day for the next 6 days. Her abdominal pain and myalgia subsided on the third day of dialysis. Her lower limb muscle power improved and she became ambulant by the fourth day. Urinary retention improved within 4 days. Hematin was imported by then from the United States. Later, 2 doses of hematin (4 mg/kg-160 mg in 20% albumin) were given via a central vein. She was maintained on physiotherapy. Repeat nerve conduction study revealed recovery. She has been provided with a list of drugs that have to be avoided. Currently, she is on outpatient follow-up with occasional abdominal pain, which subsides with intravenous dextrose therapy.     

Effect of irradiation on Salmonella survival and quality of 2 varieties of whole green onions

Abstract: Two varieties of green onions, Banner and Baja Verde, were inoculated with a cocktail of 3 Salmonella strains using dip and spot inoculation and irradiated at 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 kGy using electron beam. Salmonella survivors were enumerated using a XLD underlay/TSAYE overlay plating method. The D values were in the range of 0.26 to 0.32 kGy depending on variety but not on the method of inoculation. This indicated that a 5‐log reduction of Salmonella can be achieved at a dose of 1.6 kGy. For the quality study, both varieties of green onions were irradiated at 0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 kGy and evaluated for changes in microbial counts, color, texture, and visual quality during storage at 4 °C. Irradiation reduced total plate counts and psychrotrophs by 3 logs. Although the counts increased during storage, they did not exceed the initial counts of control. No significant difference was observed in color and texture between irradiated samples and control. The control maintained good visual quality for about 13 d as compared to 15 d for 1.5 and 2.5 kGy samples. The 2.0 kGy samples maintained good visual quality for 17 d suggesting that irradiation can increase shelf life by reducing spoilage microorganisms but higher doses can be detrimental to quality. At the dose levels required to achieve a 5‐log reduction in Salmonella, the shelf life of whole green onion can be extended. This study shows that irradiation can be used to enhance safety without adverse effects on quality.     

Impact of genotype,seasons and manufacturing process on the activities of peptidase and lipoxygenase in tea

Tea flush shoots comprising three leaves and a bud were harvested from five different cultivars planted in a single area of UPASI Tea Research Farm and analysed for lipoxygenase (LOX) and peptidase activities. Among the cultivars, UPASI-3 recorded high peptidase activity, while UPASI-9 registered significantly higher lipoxygenase activity. This study suggested the influence of genotype on these enzymes. Green leaves sampled during mid-April to May (Premonsoon) exhibited higher peptidase activities, while LOX activity was predominant during monsoon period (June to August). Peptidase activity was higher in actively growing tea tissues (bud) and decreased with shoot maturity, whereas LOX activity significantly increased with the maturity of shoot from bud to third leaf and rapid decline in the internodes. During manufacturing process, the activity of both the enzymes varied widely and maximum peptidase activity was observed in withered leaves and cut dhool had maximum LOX activity. The flavour analysis was carried out in green leaf, withered leaf, cut dhool, fermented dhool and black tea which indicated that the value of flavour index was higher in final black tea and lowest in green leaf. This provides significant information that most of the aroma compounds are formed during processing (after harvesting only).     

Effect of channel and plenum aspect ratios on the performance of microchannel heat sink under different flow arrangements

Microchannels based heat sinks are considered as potential thermal management solution for electronic devices. The overall thermal performance of a microchannel heat sink depends on the flow characteristics within microchannels as well as within the inlet and outlet plenum and these flow phenomena are influenced by channel aspect ratio, plenum aspect ratio and flow arrangements at the inlet and outlet plenums. In the present research work an experimental investigation has been carried out to understand how the heat transfer and pressure drop attributes vary with different plenum aspect ratio and channel aspect ratio under different flow arrangements. For this purpose microchannel test pieces with two channel aspect ratios, 4.72 and 7.57 and three plenum aspect ratios, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.75 have been tested under three flow arrangements, namely U-, S- and P-types. Test runs were performed by maintaining three constant heat inputs, 125 W, 225 W and 375 W in the range 224.3 ?? R_e ?? 1121.7. Reduction in channel width (increase in aspect ratio, defined as depth to width of channel) in the present case has shown about 126 to 165% increase in Nusselt number, whereas increase in plenum length (reduction in plenum aspect ratio defined as width to length of plenum) has resulted in 18 to 26% increase in Nusselt number.