Effects of ball‐milling on the glass transition of wheat flour constituents

BACKGROUND: Starch and gluten, the major components of wheat flour, greatly influence the structural characteristics of food products made with wheat flour. The effects of ball‐milling on the change in the semicrystalline structure of starch granules to the amorphous state have been reported. However, the effects of ball‐milling of native wheat flour on physicochemical changes in wheat flour constituents have not been elucidated. Therefore in this study the effects of ball‐milling on the glass transition of wheat flour constituents were investigated. RESULTS: Crude gluten, non‐gluten proteins and separated starch were obtained from wheat flour ball‐milled for 0–10 h, and the glass transition temperature (T_g) of these constituents was evaluated. The T_g of all wheat flour constituents decreased with increasing ball‐milling time. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that changes in band position and intensity did not occur for gluten but did occur for non‐gluten proteins. X‐ray diffraction revealed decreased crystallinity and greater plasticisation by water in separated starch as the ball‐milling time was prolonged. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the ball‐milling process decreased the T_g of wheat flour constituents as a function of milling time. The decrease in T_g was probably due to changes in conformation of protein subunits in gluten and depolymerisation of the non‐gluten protein fraction. The information obtained here about the physical alteration of wheat flour constituents may enhance the ability to successfully use ball‐milled wheat flour in food applications. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

The neutral N‐linked glycans of the ustilaginomycete yeast Sympodiomycopsis paphiopedili

Sympodiomycopsis paphiopedili is a basidiomycetous yeast under the subphylum Ustilaginomycotina and is a commensal organism originally isolated from the nectar of a plant species in Japan. In this study, the neutral N‐linked glycans of S. paphiopedili were prepared and structurally analysed using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS). Glycosidase digestion analyses were also performed to verify certain glycan linkages. HPLC and MS analyses revealed the presence of neutral N‐linked glycans ranging from Man₃GlcNAc₂‐PA to Man₉GlcNAc₂‐PA in length. The most abundant neutral N‐linked glycan structure in this species was found to be the Manα1–2Manα1–6(Manα1–3)Manα1–6(Manα1–2Manα1–2Manα1–3)Manβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–4GlcNAc (M8A). Moreover, the second and third most abundant neutral N‐linked glycan in S. paphiopedili were the Manα1–2Manα1–6(Manα1–2Manα1–3)Manα1–6(Manα1–2Manα1–2Manα1–3)Manβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–4GlcNAc (M9A) and the Manα1–6(Manα1–3)Manβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–4GlcNAc (M3B). On the other hand, the effect of the combination of glycoprotein extraction methods (citrate buffer extraction or bead extraction) and the subsequent glycan release methods (hydrazinolysis or PNGase F digestion) on the detection of N‐linked glycan peaks was also examined for S. paphiopedili and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in order to avoid under‐representation of N‐linked glycan structures. High mannose and possible hypermannosylated glycan peaks were detected in all method combinations in S. cerevisiae with the citrate buffer extraction–hydrazinolysis method giving the highest peak yields as compared with the other methods. Here we report the first account of the structural analysis of the neutral N‐linked glycan of S. paphiopedili and the comparison of the effect of combinations of glycoprotein extraction methods and glycan release methods with that of the glycan analysis in S. paphiopedili and S. cerevisiae. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Developing a continental-scale measure of gross primary production by combining MODIS and AmeriFlux data through Support Vector Machine approach

Remote sensing is a potentially powerful technology with which to extrapolate eddy covariance-based gross primary production (GPP) to continental scales. In support of this concept, we used meteorological and flux data from the AmeriFlux network and Support Vector Machine (SVM), an inductive machine learning technique, to develop and apply a predictive GPP model for the conterminous U.S. In the following four-step process, we first trained the SVM to predict flux-based GPP from 33 AmeriFlux sites between 2000 and 2003 using three remotely-sensed variables (land surface temperature, enhanced vegetation index (EVI), and land cover) and one ground-measured variable (incident shortwave radiation). Second, we evaluated model performance by predicting GPP for 24 available AmeriFlux sites in 2004. In this independent evaluation, the SVM predicted GPP with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 1.87 gC/m²/day and an R² of 0.71. Based on annual total GPP at 15 AmeriFlux sites for which the number of 8-day averages in 2004 was no less than 67% (30 out of a possible 45), annual SVM GPP prediction error was 32.1% for non-forest ecosystems and 22.2% for forest ecosystems, while the standard Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer GPP product (MOD17) had an error of 50.3% for non-forest ecosystems and 21.5% for forest ecosystems, suggesting that the regionally tuned SVM performed better than the standard global MOD17 GPP for non-forest ecosystems but had similar performance for forest ecosystems. The most important explanatory factor for GPP prediction was EVI, removal of which increased GPP RMSE by 0.85 gC/m²/day in a cross-validation experiment. Third, using the SVM driven by remote sensing data including incident shortwave radiation, we predicted 2004 conterminous U.S. GPP and found that results were consistent with expected spatial and temporal patterns. Finally, as an illustration of SVM GPP for ecological applications, we estimated maximum light use efficiency (e_max), one of the most important factors for standard light use efficiency models, for the conterminous U.S. by integrating the 2004 SVM GPP with the MOD17 GPP algorithm. We found that e_max varied from ∼ 0.86 gC/MJ in grasslands to ∼ 1.56 gC/MJ in deciduous forests, while MOD17 e_max was 0.68 gC/MJ for grasslands and 1.16 gC/MJ for deciduous forests, suggesting that refinements of MOD17 e_max may be beneficial.     

Driving characteristics of X–Y linear induction motor with two‐dimensional primary winding

In the linear induction motor (LIM), the secondary can be made to move in two directions (X and Y) by placing the primary coils two‐dimensionally. When these coils are excited in the direction of 45 electrical degrees, the secondary moves in the direction which is determined by the pole pitches of both directions and the load condition. In this paper, we propose a new type of winding scheme composed of four groups of primary exciting coils, which are shifted spatially by π/2 in both the X and Y directions. Next, we compare the proposed winding scheme with another one using two independent exciting coils in both directions. We first made both of flat‐type X–Y LIMs with the proposed winding scheme and with a normal scheme. Then, we analyzed the magnetic fields in the air gaps of these motors by a three‐dimensional finite element analysis based on the A –ϕ method, and compared the results with experimental data. Finally, we applied the motor with the proposed winding scheme to a branch apparatus. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 128(2): 83–90, 1999     

A method for improving the flicker problem of Plasma Display Panel using RBC

The PDP (Plasma Display Panel) is a light‐emitting matrix display device using the luminescence of a gas discharge. It has such features as thin depth, wide view angle, freedom from geographical distortion, and high brightness. The gray scale is controlled by a subfield driving method using binary weighted pulse width modulation (LSB to MSB sequences). The subfield method essentially has a flicker problem in displaying moving images. When two similar gray values are displayed in a particular interval (field frequency), the flicker phenomenon appears. In this paper, the time‐amplitude comodulation subfield method using RBC (Redundant Binary Code) is proposed. This driving method increases the conventional two‐level gray scale {0, 1} to a three‐level gray scale {0, 1/2, 1}, combining the light‐emitting time and amplitude, and selecting the driving waveform so as not to produce flicker. Even if two similar gray values are displayed alternately in field time, the light‐emitting frequency is no longer divided into frame frequencies. The proposed driving method improves flicker compared to the conventional subfield method. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 129(1): 46–52, 1999     

Vibration Analysis of Vehicle Floor Panel Using Hybrid Method of FEM and SEA

In order to improve the mass efficiency of an automotive soundproof package, it is important to predict the middle to high frequency range of noise and vibration during vehicle operation. A hybrid method of experimental and analytical SEA （statistical energy analysis） has been applied for the prediction of air-borne noise. However, for predicting structure-borne noise, there are no definitive simulation methods that can address the soundproof specifications in an actual vehicle. Thus, in this paper, a FEM （finite element method）＇SEA hybrid method is used. The FEM＇SEA hybrid method predicts structure-borne noise in the middle to high frequency range. First, we explain the basic concept of the FEM＇SEA hybrid method; Second, we describe our experiment to verify the analytical results of the FEM＇SEA hybrid method; Third, we provide the details of the FEM model versus the FEM＇SEA hybrid model; Finally, we verify the validity and availability of the FEM＇SEA hybrid method through comparisons of the FEM analysis results, FEM-SEA analysis results and measured results.     

Enhanced activity of in and Ga-supported sol-gel alumina catalysts for NO reduction by hydrocarbons in lean conditions

Nitrogen monoxide was reduced efficiently by hydrocarbons in the presence of oxygen over sol-gel alumina supported indium, gallium, cobalt and tin catalysts. The support alumina prepared by a sol-gel method had high surface area and accordingly active alumina sites for the reaction. Particularly indium/alumina showed a high activity to reduce NO preferably by propene, propane and ethene but also by alcohols in the absence and the presence of water vapor. The activities of alumina supported cobalt, silver and tin catalysts were increased when calcinating the catalysts at 800°C instead of 600°C. In the case of gallium/alumina, NO₂ has higher reactivity than NO to nitrogen when propene was used as a reductant, proving the significance of the oxidation step of NO to NO₂. The step of NO oxidation was promoted by preparing a physical mixture of 5 wt% Mn₃O₄ with indium/alumina or gallium/alumina. The NO conversion to nitrogen was increased from 58 to 84% with the manganese oxide promotion over indium/alumina in the presence of water. The reaction mechanistic differences between the alumina supported catalysts and Cu/ZSM-5 were also discussed.     

Characteristics and oil absorption in deep‐fat fried batter prepared from ball‐milled wheat flour

BACKGROUND: The porous structure generated during frying influences oil absorption and textural qualities. The alteration in physical properties of wheat flour is suspected to affect the structure formation. The present study investigated the effect of physicochemical changes in wheat flour by the ball‐milling process on structure formation and consequently oil absorption of a fried wheat flour batter model. RESULTS: Batter models containing 600 g kg^?1 moisture were made of 0–10 h ball‐milled wheat flour and then fried in frying oil at 150 °C for 1–7 min. The samples made of milled flour possess larger pores and exhibit lower oil absorption than sample made of 0 h milled flour. The fracture force of a fried sample prepared from 5 and 10 h milled flour is lower than that of a sample prepared from 0 h milled flour. CONCLUSION: The decrease in glass transition temperature (T_g) and melting temperature (T_m) of milled flour affect the microstructure formation in the fried wheat flour batter. The microstructure is responsible for oil absorption and fracturability in fried food. The samples made of flour of longer ball‐milling time have lower oil absorption and higher crispness. Ball‐milling may be a tool to produce mechanically modified wheat flour which can reduce oil absorption for fried batter. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Carbon-coated graphite for anode of lithium ion rechargeable batteries: Graphite substrates for carbon coating

Anode performance in lithium ion rechargeable batteries (LIBs) was studied on four kinds of graphite powders, including synthetic graphite. Carbon-coated synthetic graphite gave a smaller irreversible capacity of about 20 mAh g⁻¹ and a better cyclic performance in an electrolyte solution of EC/DMC than natural graphite, though its discharge capacity of about 300 mAh g⁻¹ is a little smaller than natural graphite. Even in a PC-containing solution as EC/PC = 3/1, carbon-coated synthetic graphite had almost the same anode performance as in the solution without PC. Carbon coating of above 5 mass% on graphite particles was found to be effective to improve the anode performance at a low temperature of −5 °C, high retention in discharge capacity of about 90% being obtained. On both natural and synthetic graphite powders, carbon coating by the amount of 3–10 mass% at a temperature of 700–1000 °C was found to be optimum for the improvement of anode performance in LIBs, to have a lower irreversible capacity and higher retention in discharge capacity at −5 °C than without carbon coating.     

Large [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl (PCBM) hexagonal crystals grown by solvent-vapor annealing

We propose that solvent-vapor annealing is an efficient method for fabricating large [6,6]-phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl (PCBM) single crystals. The morphology and size of PCBM crystals are influenced by different substrates and annealing solvents. Hexagonal PCBM crystals >150 μm in size were obtained when crystallization was performed on bare SiO₂ substrate under the saturated vapor of chloroform for annealing. The proposed method was also applied to a bi-component system, which led to the spontaneous formation of PCBM and dioctylbenzothienobenzothiophene single crystals.