Double Layer Coatings: A New Technique for Maintaining Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Antioxidant Properties of Dragon Fruit During Storage

A double layer coating was evaluated for maintenance of quality of dragon fruit during storage at 10?±?2 °C and 80?±?5 % RH for 28 days. Significant differences (p?<?0.05) were observed between control and the treated fruit. However, a double layer coating with 600 nm droplet size?+?1.0 % conventional chitosan showed promising results in all the tested parameters, while the fruit treated with 1,000 nm droplet size?+?1.0 % conventional chitosan showed some negative effects on fruit surface. Increase in weight loss was 12.0 % in fruit treated with 600 nm droplet size and 1.0 % conventional chitosan as compared to the control. Antioxidants and gaseous analysis also proved the efficacy of double layer coatings with 600 nm droplet size?+?1.0 % conventional chitosan. Thus it can be concluded from the present investigation that double layer coating could be used for maintaining quality in dragon fruit for up to 28 days without any off-flavours.     

Conformations of aniline black (polyaniline) molecules

Conformations of aniline black molecules were studied using a semi-empirical computer-aided analysis. A strong deformation of the ‘planar structure’ of the molecules has been found.     

High resolution solid-state 13C CPMAS study of neutral and partially oxidized aluminium polyfluorophthalocyanines

This paper reports a high resolution solid-state ¹³C CPMAS study of the low dimensional phthalocyanine (Pc = C₃₂H₁₆N₈) conductors (PcAlF)-(MoF₆)_0.38, (PcAlF)(IF₅)_0.43 and (PcAlF)(XeF₂)_0.35 as well as the precursor (PcAlF)_n. This study confirms that the stacking configuration of Pc rings along polymeric chains of neutral polymer is eclipsed. The four inequivalent carbon sites resulting from this structure are clearly separate and identified. From this study it is concluded that intrachain disorder is more extended in MoF₆- and IF₅-doped compounds than in the XeF₂-doped one.     

Gas hazards and preventative equipment

The safety hazards gases pose to users in the photovoltaic industry are reviewed. Information describing gas handling equipment is also outlined. Basic gas handling considerations are discussed with an explanation of the salient hazardous characteristics of gases such as flammability, explosivity, toxicity, corrosivity and reactivity.A tabulation of the specific hazards each gas possesses is presented along with key physical properties. An extensive reactivity table is presented depicting gases that can be mixed with each other safely. Emphasis is placed on clearly understanding the chemistry of the gas used and its hazardous characteristics so that a good design and appropriate equipment can be chosen to handle the gas in an environmentally safe manner while also protecting employees.A summary of the equipment developed to minimize hazards is described. The use of equipment such as cabinets, limiting orifices, scrubbers etc. attempts to minimize the risks to the environment and the employee associated with cylinder handling, storage, process use and exhausting and venting of process gases.     

Geometric view factors for thermal radiation hazard assessment

Estimating the thermal radiation field surrounding a large fire involves characterization of the flame geometry and computation of radiant intensity at a given location. The latter requires computation of geometric view factors. In this article, closed form expressions that are common in the design of impoundment systems. These include tilted cylindrical and rectangular geometries. The computed geometric view factors compare very well with limited experimental data for circular geometries. The closed form expressions allow rapid computation of view factors that are necessary in estimating the fire hazards associated with large hydrocarbon pool fires.     

Power system stability improvement using dynamic output feedback compensators

A novel approach is presented for the design of physically realizable dynamic output feedback compensators for linear time-invariant single-input single-output systems. The simplicity and effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by an example of feedback compensator design for a power system.     

Solution of an inverse dynamics problem using an eigenvalue reduction technique

The inverse dynamics problem is one in which measurements are made on some of the state variables and it is desired to find the unknown forcing function. This paper describes the use of an eigenvalue reduction technique to reduce the order of the system, in conjunction with dynamic programming, to estimate the forcing function. Several numerical experiments were performed to ascertain the effects of noise, the weighting parameters, and the reduction of modes on the solution.     

Annular denuder method for sampling reactive gases and aerosols in the atmosphere

The annular denuder method (ADM), consisting of a denuder-filter pack assembly, has been developed to measure several gaseous and aerosol species without sampling artifacts. Its application to the determination of gaseous acids and ammonia in the atmosphere indicates that this aim is achieved, even though the ratio of analytes in the gas phase and particulate matter is extremely low. The procedure is particularly suitable for the measurement of trace levels (0.1 μg m⁻³) of HNO₃ and SO₂ (even in the presence of high levels of sulfate and nitrate) as well as of HNO₂ (by making correction for the positive interference of NO₂ and PAN).The ADM sampling and analysis precision for the examined gases does not exceed ±10% in the 0.1–10 μg m⁻³ range. By sampling at an air flow rate of 151 min⁻¹, the minimum detectable atmospheric concentrations is ∼0.1 μgm⁻³ for each species over a 3 h interval.     

Patterns of lead excretion in patients with gout and chronic renal failure — A comparative German and Australian study

The 6 day calcium EDTA lead excretion test was performed on German and Australian subjects with normal and impaired renal function, some of whom had gout, in order to determine if the pattern of results differed between the two countries. The German subjects lived around Heidelberg in an industrialized area where chronic lead nephropathy had not hitherto been thought to exist, while the Australian subjects were all from the State of Queensland where chronic lead nephropathy from the ingestion of lead paint during childhood continues to contribute to morbidity and mortality.Apart from the subjects with normal renal function, the German subjects consistently excreted less lead than the Queensland subjects and a strikingly consistent pattern was found: in both countries, subjects with a history of lead exposure, whether gouty or not, had greater EDTA lead excess values than subjects with gout but no lead exposure, these subjects in turn having greater EDTA lead excess values than subjects with neither gout nor lead exposure. In each country, the highest median EDTA lead excess occurred not in the group with gout and lead exposure, but in the group without gout and with lead exposure.     

Children's blood lead and exposure to lead in household dust and water — a basis for an environmental standard for lead in dust

Good quantitative evidence on the role of lead in household dust as a source of exposure to children has been lacking. A study of 495 children in Edinburgh, Scotland shows a significant relationship between lead in dust vacuumed from the floors of the children's homes and their blood lead levels. A multiple regression analysis incorporating drinking water and household dust estimates that a 1,000 μg g⁻¹ increase in dust lead concentration would increase blood lead by 1.9 μg dl⁻¹, for a child with the median population blood lead of 10.1 μg dl⁻¹. Dust lead concentration is a more useful predictor of blood lead than lead loading. The sanding or blow-lamp stripping of old paint is found to be an important source of the higher household dust lead concentrations. Finally, the dust lead-blood lead relationship is used to derive a standard for lead in house dust, as no such standard exists for this exposure route.