Application of an Automatic Yarn Dismantler to Track Changes in Cotton Fiber Properties During Processing on a Miniature Spinning Line

This paper reports on the application of a newly developed automatic yarn dismantler for dismantling short staple ring-spun yarns, to track changes in cotton fiber properties from lint to yarn, during processing on a miniature spinning line. The results obtained on different Upland cottons have clearly demonstrated the practical value of the yarn dismantler in enabling yarns to be automatically dismantled into their constituent fibers. Based upon Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) fiber tests, miniature opening and cleaning, on a Shirley Analyzer, increased fiber neps and short fiber content and decreased fiber length, whereas the miniature card did not have a consistent effect on mean fiber length, but decreased neps substantially. The first miniature drawframe passage resulted in a significant increase in mean fiber length, fiber linear density, and maturity ratio and a decrease in short fiber content, immature fiber content, and neps. The mean length of fibers from the dismantled yarn tended to be slightly longer than that of the fibers just prior to the miniature spinning frame, while the immature fiber content tended to be slightly lower and the maturity ratio slightly higher.     

Bone morphogenetic protein 15 and growth differentiation factor 9 co-operate to regulate granulosa cell function

The oocyte-secreted polypeptide growth factors, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15, also known as GDF9B) have both been shown to be essential for ovarian follicular growth and function. The effects of murine (m) and ovine (o) GDF9 as well as oBMP15, alone or together, on 3H-thymidine uptake and progesterone and inhibin production by granulosa cells from rats were determined. Murine GDF9 stimulated thymidine incorporation by granulosa cells whereas oGDF9 and oBMP15 alone had no effect. However, oBMP15 given together with mGDF9 or oGDF9 was very potent in stimulating 3H-thymidine incorporation by granulosa cells with a greater than 3-fold stimulation compared with any growth factor alone. The synergistic effect of oBMP15 and oGDF9 was almost completely blocked by antibodies generated against these growth factors when administered either alone or in combination. While neither GDF9 (murine or ovine) nor oBMP15 were able to modulate FSH-stimulated progesterone production on their own, FSH-stimulated progesterone production by granulosa cells was potently inhibited when BMP15 and GDF9 were administered together. Immunoreactive alpha-inhibin levels increased more than 15-fold from granulosa cells when BMP15 and GDF9 were given together whereas consistent stimulatory effects of either growth factor alone were not observed. The effects of GDF9 and BMP15, when added together, were different than those observed for the growth factors alone. Therefore, we hypothesize that within the ovary, these oocyte-secreted growth factors co-operate to regulate proliferation and gonadotropin-induced differentiation of granulosa cells in mammals.     

An exploratory observational study to develop an improved method for quantifying beef carcass salable meat yield

Eighty-seven grain-finished steers were harvested, evaluated, and fabricated into wholesale cuts to determine what measured composition indicators most accurately describe the percentage of closely trimmed salable meat yield. Indicators of lean and fat composition present at the cross-section between the 12th and 13th ribs were objectively evaluated using Assess image analysis software. Salable meat yield ranged from 50.18% to 72.92%, trimmable fat yield ranged from 12.87% to 36.69%, and bone yield ranged from 10.07% to 19.21%. Regression models were developed to estimate percentage of total salable meat yield. Composition indicators chosen to predict salable meat yield included hot carcass weight (HCW), perinephric fat weight, longissimus muscle area (LMA), subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), ratio of LMA to subcutaneous fat area, and ratio of subcutaneous fat depth to HCW. These results indicate that prediction of beef carcass salable meat yield can be improved via modification to current measures used in the USDA yield grade equation and addition of new measures.     

Structural features of bovine caseinomacropeptide A and B by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Samples of bovine caseinomacropeptide (CMP) were isolated from kappa-casein A and kappa-casein B and fractionated to give aglycosylated CMP A and CMP B and monoglycosylated CMP A. The secondary structures of these three peptides were compared under neutral and acidic (pH 4.2) conditions, using two-dimensional (2D) 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The differences between the spectra at pH 4.2 and 7.0 and the spectra of the aglycosylated and glycosylated CMP A were subtle, indicating little change in backbone conformation with these changes. These results Suggest that differences in the coagulation properties of milks containing either kappa-casein A or kappa-casein B are more likely to be related to factors, such as micelle size or charge, than to structural differences arising from altered backbone conformation of the macropeptide segments of the kappa-caseins.     

Combustion synthesis of carbon nanotubes and related nanostructures

Recently flames have emerged as a viable alternative method for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes and related nanostructures. The flame volume provides a carbon-rich chemically reactive environment capable of generating nanostructures during short residence times in a continuous single-step process. Various flame configurations, fuel types, and catalytic materials have been employed in an attempt to achieve controlled growth of multi-walled and single-walled carbon nanotubes as well as other carbon nanostructures such as nanofibers, carbon micro-trees, and whiskers. Premixed and non-premixed flames in co-flow and counterflow geometries were examined using low atmospheric and elevated pressures, various hydrocarbon fuels, oxygen enrichment, and dilution with inert gases were employed as well. Catalytic materials in the form of solid untreated supports, solid supports with pre-fabricated catalytic sites, and also in the form of aerosol have demonstrated high activity and selectivity in the growth of various nanostructures. The ability to synthesize and control carbon nanotube orientation, length, diameter, uniformity, purity, and internal morphology is essential for the fabrication of nanomechanical and electrical devices. An understanding of the growth mechanism and development of control methods such as the electric field, particle loading, and nanotemplates is critically important to address these issues. Today, flames are envisioned as the alternative technique for the synthesis of SWNTs in tons/year production scale leading to the development of related technologies such as purification and separation methods.     

THE DETECTION OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA

An examination of lactic acid bacteria involved in beer spoilage has demonstrated that many Pediococci and Lactobacilli are capable of growth on glucose media but incapable of growth on sucrose within 6 days. Some Lactobacilli are incapable of utilizing glucose for growth and are also unable to grow on media based on sucrose. All Lactobacilli studied which could not utilize glucose could utilize maltose. The results presented suggest that the use of a detection medium incorporating both glucose and maltose will result in increased ability to detect lactic acid bacteria.     

Testable embedded system firmware development: the out–in methodology

Reliability is of paramount importance to just about any embedded system firmware. This paper presents the out–in methodology (OIM), a new reliability-driven approach to developing such a system, which is intended to detect static and, more importantly, dynamic errors much faster than the usual firmware development methods. In this approach, the core functionality is developed together with an interface software that is used specifically for testing the core functionality. This paper describes the use of this approach in a real life situation and discusses the benefits, potential pitfalls, and other possible application areas.     

Composite Electrolytes for Lithium Rechargeable Batteries

The paper reviews and presents attributes of emerging polymer-ceramic composite electrolytes for lithium rechargeable batteries. The electrochemical data of a diverse range of composite electrolytes reveal that the incorporation of a ceramic component in a polymer matrix leads to enhanced conductivity, increased lithium transport number, and improved electrode-electrolyte interfacial stability. The conductivity enhancement depends upon the weight fraction of the ceramic phase, annealing parameters, nature of polymer-ceramic system, and temperature. The ceramic additive also increases the effective glass transition temperature and thus decouples structural and electrical relaxation modes which in turn increases the lithium transport number. The ceramic additives also provide a range of free energy of reactions with lithium. A few of the ceramic materials (MgO, CaO, Si₃N₄) have positive free energy of reaction and they should not passivate lithium electrodes.