Structural changes of injection molded starch during heat treatment in water atmosphere: Simultaneous wide and small‐angle X‐ray scattering study

Native starches with wide varying amylose content were processed by injection molding. The injection‐molded materials were conditioned in water for 20 days and sealed in glass capillaries. Simultaneous wide‐ and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS, respectively) were recorded during thermal heating using a synchrotron source. Crystallinity, SAXS invariant, Q, and long period, L, were measured as a function of heating temperature. The injection‐molding process provokes a destruction of the crystal forms A (cereal starch) and B (tubercle starch) but favors a development of the crystal form V_h. After wet conditioning, WAXS of the injection‐molded samples shows again the appearance of the crystal forms A or B, and crystallinity reaches values similar or larger than those of native starch. A constant heating rate (5°C/min) was particularly used for a comparison of potato and corn starch with a similar amylose content. While the crystallinity associated to forms A and B slowly decreases below 55°C and then rapidly decreases until its disappearance at 85–90°C, the invariant shows a maximum around 40°C and rapidly decreases thereafter. The total nanostructure disappearance occurs at temperatures about 10°C higher for the case of potato starch. In addition, a recovery of the WAXS and SAXS maxima during the subsequent cooling process before reaching room temperature was observed only for potato starch. Analysis of WAXS and SAXS for the rest of the starch materials reveals clear differences in the structural parameters of the samples that cannot be easily explained solely on the basis of the amylose content. Thus, for Cerestar and Roquette, it is noteworthy that there was a continuous decrease of L until its total disappearance as well as the persistence of crystallinity (form B), presumably stabilized by the presence of the V_h structure (12–15%). Real‐time crystallization experiments on two amorphous injection molded samples, waxy maize (free amylose starch) and potato starch, are also discussed. It is shown that the absence of amylose delays the recrystallization of amylopectine during the experiment. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 301–309, 2004     

On the performance of the approximate parametrization algorithm for curves

In Pérez-Díaz et al. (2009) [5], the authors present an algorithm to parametrize approximately ?-rational curves, and they show that the Hausdorff distance, w.r.t. the Euclidean distance, between the input and output curves is finite. In this paper, we analyze this distance for a family of curves randomly generated and we empirically find a reasonable upper bound of the Hausdorff distance between each input and output curve of the family.     

Dry surface biofilms in the food processing industry: An overview on surface characteristics,adhesion and biofilm formation,detection of biofilms,and dry sanitization methods

Bacterial biofilm formation in low moisture food processing (LMF) plants is related to matters of food safety, production efficiency, economic loss, and reduced consumer trust. Dry surfaces may appear dry to the naked eye, however, it is common to find a coverage of thin liquid films and microdroplets, known as microscopic surface wetness (MSW). The MSW may favor dry surface biofilm (DSB) formation. DSB formation is similar in other industries, it occurs through the processes of adhesion, production of extracellular polymeric substances, development of microcolonies and maturation, it is mediated by a quorum sensing (QS) system and is followed by dispersal, leading to disaggregation. Species that survive on dry surfaces develop tolerance to different stresses. DSB are recalcitrant and contribute to higher resistance to sanitation, becoming potential sources of contamination, related to the spoilage of processed products and foodborne disease outbreaks. In LMF industries, sanitization is performed using physical methods without the presence of water. Although alternative dry sanitizing methods can be efficiently used, additional studies are still required to develop and assess the effect of emerging technologies, and to propose possible combinations with traditional methods to enhance their effects on the sanitization process. Overall, more information about the different technologies can help to find the most appropriate method/s, contributing to the development of new sanitization protocols. Thus, this review aimed to identify the main characteristics and challenges of biofilm management in low moisture food industries, and summarizes the mechanisms of action of different dry sanitizing methods (alcohol, hot air, UV-C light, pulsed light, gaseous ozone, and cold plasma) and their effects on microbial metabolism.     

Sulfated zirconia catalysts promoted with Fe and Mn: Mn effect in the Fe dispersion

n-Butane conversion was studied over Fe- and Mn-promoted sulfated zirconia by pulse reaction over the temperature range of 423–503 K to explore the role of Mn in the catalytic activity of Fe-promoted sulfated zirconia. On a sample containing 2 wt.% Fe, the n-butane isomerization activity was found to decrease with decreasing Fe/Mn molar ratio beyond 0.65 wt.% Mn. Concomitantly, XPS showed that the surface Fe/Zr intensity ratio increases with the Mn content until it reaches a maximum at 0.65 wt.% Mn, and then decreases. This behavior reflects a higher Fe dispersion at relatively low Mn content. Thus, low concentrations of Mn disperse the iron on the surface.

Temperature programmed reduction data indicate that more sulfate species are accessible to reduction when metal promoters are present over sulfated zirconia. However, increasing Mn amount decreases the fraction of sulfate being reducible.     

Design of a CMOS closed-loop system with applications to bio-impedance measurements

This paper proposes a method for impedance measurements based on a closed-loop implementation of CMOS circuits. The proposed system has been conceived for alternate current excited systems, performing simultaneously driving and measuring functions, thanks to feedback. The system delivers magnitude and phase signals independently, which can be optimized separately, and can be applied to any kind of load (resistive and capacitive). Design specifications for CMOS circuit blocks and trade-offs for system accuracy and loop stability have been derived. Electrical simulation results obtained for several loads agree with the theory, enabling the proposed method to any impedance measurement problem, in special, to bio-setups including electrodes.     

Built-In Active Microneedle Patch with Enhanced Autonomous Drug Delivery

The use of microneedles has facilitated the painless localized delivery of drugs across the skin. However, their efficacy has been limited by slow diffusion of molecules and often requires external triggers. Herein, an autonomous and degradable, active microneedle delivery platform is introduced, employing magnesium microparticles loaded within the microneedle patch, as the built-in engine for deeper and faster intradermal payload delivery. The magnesium particles react with the interstitial fluid, leading to an explosive-like rapid production of H₂ bubbles, providing the necessary force to breach dermal barriers and enhance payload delivery. The release kinetics of active microneedles is evaluated in vitro by measuring the amount of IgG antibody (as a model drug) that passed through phantom tissue and a pigskin barrier. In vivo experiments using a B16F10 mouse melanoma model demonstrate that the active delivery of anti-CTLA-4 (a checkpoint inhibitor drug) results in greatly enhanced immune response and significantly longer survival. Moreover, spatially resolved zones of active and passive microneedles allow a combinatorial rapid burst response along with slow, sustained release, respectively. Such versatile and effective autonomous dynamic microneedle delivery technology offers considerable promise for a wide range of therapeutic applications, toward a greatly enhanced outcome, convenience, and cost.     

Bothrops jararaca snakes produce several bothrojaracin isoforms following an individual pattern

In previous work we have demonstrated that dehydroleucodine (DhL) prevents gastric damage induced by necrosis-inducing agents such as absolute ethanol (EtOH). In this study we examine the effects of DhL on gastroduodenal morphology and monoamine levels by histological and biochemical methods, respectively, as an approach to elucidating the cytoprotective mechanism of the drug. Histological evidence shows that DhL prevents formation of gastroduodenal mucosal lesions induced by EtOH and that this protective effect is related to the ability of the drug to stimulate mucus production. DhL itself does not affect the tissue concentration of NE, DA and 5-HT. However, it prevents the depletion of DA and 5-HT provoked by EtOH. We propose that the abundant mucoid blanket secreted after treatment with DhL acts as a diffusion barrier against EtOH. It is also possible that DhL could act as a "cell stabilizer," by inhibiting the degranulation of cells containing monoamines.