Physicochemical properties of pre-treated cuttlebone powder and its potential as an alternative calcium source

This study was aimed to investigate the potential use of pre-treated cuttlebone powder (CBP) as an alternative calcium source by evaluating the physicochemical properties of CBP pre-treated with distilled water (CBP1), 1% acetic acid (CBP2), and 2% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions (CBP3). Proximate analysis revealed ash as the major component of all samples. The presence of phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and glycosides were detected but tannins appeared to be absent in cuttlebones. Mineral analysis indicated that CBP was rich in calcium, which means the material may be considered as a potential calcium source for food products or calcium supplements. The bulk density of CBP2 was significantly lower (p < .05) than those of CBP1 and CBP3, and the water holding capacity (WHC) of CBP1 was significantly higher (p < .05) than those of CBP2 and CBP3. The high bulk density, water and oil holding capacities of CBP demonstrated its potential use as a functional food ingredient.     

Glass reinforced GaAs beam lead Schottky diode with airbridge for millimetre wavelengths

We describe the fabrication and measurement of a glass reinforced beam lead Schottky diode with an airbridge for use at millimetre wavelengths. We report an extremely low single sideband (SSB) noise figure for these diodes of 7.9 dB at 94 GHz, including a 1.5 dH IF (30 MHz) contribution.     

Optical probe for absolute measurement of surface-acoustic-wave amplitude

A simple method is proposed for absolute measurement of s.a.w. mechanical deformation normal to the surface of propagation. Experimental results are given with an error smaller than 5%.     

Anterior and antero-lateral surgery of the lower cervical spine (25 years after H. Verbiest). 2: Indications, results, complications)

The present course on the anterior and antero-lateral surgical approach of the lower cervical spine was organized for the neurosurgery trainees by the French Speaking Neurosurgical Society, and was held during the winter meeting in December 1995. The aim of this course was to recall the basic technical principles of the microsurgical anterior cervical approach, and to discuss the main indications of this surgical treatment. Many theoretical points were strengthened by the author's personal experience and comments. In Part I, the technical bases of the different anterior or antero-lateral approaches were presented (1996, 42 : 105-122). In the present Part II, the main indications of the anterior surgical approach to the cervical disk or the vertebral body are detailed, and the requirement of a bone graft and/or an osteosynthesis are discussed with their consequences on the final results. Secondly, variants of the surgical technics in use in case of cervical spinal instability are commented. Then various approaches to the cervical spinal tumors and to the vertebral artery are detailed and commented. Lastly, general and specific complications of the anterior cervical approach are listed with their rate of occurrence, and their prevention and management are discussed.     

94 GHz microstrip monolithic GaAs mixer

A microstrip monolithic GaAs mixer has been designed and fabricated for operation in the millimetre-wave band. A 6.5 dB minimum conversion loss has be achieved in narrowband operation (fLO = 93.7GHz and fIF= 130MHz); this figure includes the effect of losses and mismatch in the circuit and test fixture.     

Electricity generation using membrane-less microbial fuel cell powered by sludge supplemented with lignocellulosic waste

A membrane-less microbial fuel cell (ML-MFC) is an electrochemical device that incorporates microorganisms into the design in order to produce electricity through biologically catalyzed oxidation of soluble, electron-donating substrates. In this study, three lignocellulosic raw materials were added into the ML-MFC whereby the sludge acted as the pseudomembrane. All three materials were used as the substrates in ML-MFC for the production of electricity that was measured using a digital multimeter. Results showed that the ML-MFC that contained sludge supplemented with banana peel produced the highest electricity, followed by corn bran and palm oil mill effluent (POME) at 237.1 mV (23.75 mW/m²), 176.8 mV (12.65 mW/m²), and 138 mV (22.03 mW/m²) after 138 h, 192 h, and 108 h of incubation period, respectively. For the control test (sludge only), about 162.7 mV was recorded at shorter incubation period (84 h). This showed that long-term operation of the ML-MFC using these complex lignocellulosic compounds as a direct substrate for electricity generation is feasible, though their degradation is slow.     

Simulation of the photopolymerization gradient inside a pigmented coating: Influence of TiO2 concentration on the gradient

The UV light behavior crossing a thick scattering and absorbing paint film has been modelled by a four-flux radiative transfer theory. For all that, the scattering characteristics of the coating as well as the calculation of the UV intensity decay through the coating thickness were measured versus TiO₂ pigment concentration. Thanks to these results, the conversion profiles in the coating thickness were obtained by numerical modeling and the influence of TiO₂ pigment concentration on these conversion profiles was discussed.