Optical scattering in beef steak to predict tenderness using hyperspectral imaging in the VIS-NIR region

The objective of this research is to develop a non-destructive method for predicting cooked beef tenderness using optical scattering of light on fresh beef muscle tissue. A hyperspectral imaging system (λ = 496–1,036 nm) that consists of a CCD camera and an imaging spectrograph, was used to acquire beef steak images. The hyperspectral image consisted of 120 bands with spectral intervals of 4.54 nm. Sixty-one fresh beef steaks, including 44 strip loin and 17 tenderloin cuts, were collected. After imaging, the steaks were cooked and Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force values were collected as tenderness references. The optical scattering profiles were derived from the hyperspectral images and fitted to the modified Lorentzian function. Parameters, such as the peak height, full scattering width at half maximum (FWHM), and the slope around the FWHM were determined at each wavelength. Stepwise regression was used to identify 7 key wavelengths and parameters. The parameters were then used to predict the WBS scores. The model was able to predict WBS scores with an R = 0.67. Optical scattering implemented with hyperspectral imaging shows limited success for predicting current status of tenderness in beef steak.     

Distributed diagnosis in dynamic fault environments

The problem of distributed diagnosis in the presence of dynamic failures and repairs is considered. To address this problem, the notion of bounded correctness is defined. Bounded correctness is made up of three properties: bounded diagnostic latency, which ensures that information about state changes of nodes in the system reaches working nodes with a bounded delay, bounded start-up time, which guarantees that working nodes determine valid states for every other node in the system within bounded time after their recovery, and accuracy, which ensures that no spurious events are recorded by working nodes. It is shown that, in order to achieve bounded correctness, the rate at which nodes fail and are repaired must be limited. This requirement is quantified by defining a minimum state holding time in the system. Algorithm heartbeatcomplete is presented and it is proven that this algorithm achieves bounded correctness in fully-connected systems while simultaneously minimizing diagnostic latency, start-up time, and state holding time. A diagnosis algorithm for arbitrary topologies, known as algorithm forwardheartbeat, is also presented. Forwardheartbeat is shown to produce significantly shorter latency and state holding time than prior algorithms, which focused primarily on minimizing the number of tests at the expense of latency.     

Control of attendance applied in higher education through mobile NFC technologies

This paper presents an improved attendance control system, required for continuous evaluation which has become compulsory following the Bologna Process. It provides a solution based on NFC technology and is based on a real project developed and pilot tested at the “Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, Campus Madrid”.     

Optical,electrical, mechanical,and thermal properties and non-isothermal decomposition behavior of poly(vinyl alcohol)–ZnO nanocomposites

Iranian Polymer Journal - Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposites incorporated with ZnO nanofiller were prepared and examined to study the influence of nanofiller on their properties. All the...     

Analysis of Porcine Gelatin DNA in a Commercial Capsule Shell Using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for Halal Authentication

The presence of pig derivatives, such as porcine gelatin, in any products is prohibited to be consumed by Muslim community. This study is intended to develop a specific primer from mytochondrial D-loop capable of amplifying DNA from porcine gelatin in commercial capsule shells. Two pairs of primers designed from mitochondrial D-loop region were tested in order to confirm the primer specificity in gelatin sources (pork, beef, and catfish) and fresh tissue (pig, cows, goat, chickens, and rat). Primers were then used to perform sensitivity test of six dilution series (1000, 200, 100, 10, 5, and 1 pg/µL) of porcine gelatin and porcine capsule shell. The amplification was also performed on capsule shell from porcine-bovine mixture gelatin at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 100% concentration. The repeatability test was performed by measuring amplification capsule shells from porcine–bovine gelatin mixture. Real time polymerase chain reaction method using primers designed was further applied to analyze capsule shells purchased from markets. From two primers have been designed specifically, only primer D-Loop 108 (forward: 5’-CGT ATG CAA AAA ACC ACG CCA-3’; reverse: 5’-CTT ACT ATA GGG AGC TGC ATG-3’) had the capability to identify the presence of porcine DNA in fresh tissue and gelatin sources at optimum annealing temperature of 58.4ºC. Sensitivity of the developed method expressed as limit of detection of DNA in gelatin and capsule shells is 5 pg.     

Heat and mass transfer effects on MHD flow of a couple‐stress fluid in a horizontal wavy channel with viscous dissipation and porous medium

This paper looks at heat and mass transfer effects on an unsteady MHD flow of a couple‐stress fluid in a horizontal wavy porous space with travelling thermal waves in the presence of a heat source and viscous dissipation. Initially the temperatures of the walls are maintained at different constant temperatures. The analytical expressions for velocity, temperature, and concentration field are obtained by the regular perturbation technique. The results are presented graphically for various values of emerging dimensionless parameters of the problem and are discussed to show interesting aspects of the solution. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/htj). DOI 10.1002/htj.21040 PACS: 44.15.+a, 44.30.+f, 44.27.nd, 47.50.Cd     

Antagonism of croton oil inflammation by topical emu oil in CD-1 mice

Emu oil is derived from the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), which originated in Australia, and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation was induced in anesthetized CD-1 mice by applying 50 μL of 2% croton oil to the inner surface of the left ear. After 2 h, the area was treated with 5μL of emu, fish, flaxseed, olive, or liquified chicken fat, or left untreated. Animals were euthanized at 6 h postapplication of different oils, and earplugs (FP) and plasma samples were collected. Inflammation was evaluated by change in earlobe thickness, increase in weight of EP tissue (compared to the untreated ear), and induction in cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in EP homogenates. Al-though reductions relative to control (croton oil) were noted for all treatments, auricular thickness and EP weights were, significantly reduced (−72 and −71%, respectively) only in the emu oil-treated group. IL-1α levels in homogenates of auricular tissue were significantly reduced in the fish oil (−57%) and emu oil (−70%) groups relative to the control group. The cytokine TNF-α from auricular homogenates was significantly reduced in the olive oil (−52%) and emu oil (−60%) treatment groups relative to the control group. Plasma cytokine levels were not changed by croton oil treatment. Although auricular thickness and weight were significantly correlated with each other (r=0.750, P<0.003), auricular thickness but not weight was significantly correlated with cytokine IL-1α (r=0.750, P<0.006) and TNF-α (r=0.690, P<0.02). These studies indicate that topical emu oil has anti-inflammatory properties in the CD-1 mouse that are associated with decreased auricular thickness and weight, and with the cytokines IL-1α and TNF-α.     

Efficacy of mycosynthesised AgNPs from Earliella scabrosa as an in vitro antibacterial and wound healing agent

The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with their unique chemical and physical properties are proving as a new therapeutical agent. In the present study, the AgNPs synthesised from an aqueous extract of a macrofungus, Earliella scabrosa, were characterised by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX), high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and further evaluate for its in vitro antibacterial and wound healing efficacy. The mycosynthesised AgNPs exhibited the surface plasmon resonance peak at 410 nm with good stability over a period of a month. The FESEM and EDX analyses revealed the spherical‐shaped AgNPs of an average size of 20 nm and the presence of elemental Ag, respectively. The XRD pattern showed the crystalline nature of AgNPs. The FTIR spectra confirmed the conversion of Ag⁺ ions to AgNPs due to reduction by biomolecules of macrofungus extract. The mycosynthesised AgNPs showed effective antibacterial activity against two Gram‐positive bacteria, namely Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, and two Gram‐negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The pathogens were highly sensitive to AgNPs, whereas less sensitive to AgNO₃. The mycosynthesised AgNPs showed significant wound healing potential with 68.58% of wound closure.Inspec keywords: surface plasmon resonance, wounds, X‐ray diffraction, nanoparticles, molecular biophysics, nanomedicine, antibacterial activity, biomedical materials, reduction (chemical), silver, microorganisms, X‐ray chemical analysis, nanofabrication, transmission electron microscopy, particle size, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectraOther keywords: high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, healing efficacy, mycosynthesised AgNPs, spherical‐shaped AgNPs, wound healing agent, in vitro antibacterial efficacy, Earliella scabrosa, silver nanoparticles, physical properties, chemical properties, therapeutical agent, aqueous extract, macrofungus, field emission scanning electron microscopy, FESEM, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis, EDX, X‐ray diffraction, XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance peak, crystalline nature, biomolecules, Gram‐positive bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Gram‐negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, pathogens, wound closure, Ag     

Corrosion behavior of metals and alloys in marine-industrial environment

This work deals with atmospheric corrosion to assess the degrading effects of air pollutants on ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, which are mostly used as engineering materials. An exposure study was conducted in the Tuticorin port area located on the east coast of South India, in the Gulf of Mannar with Sri Lanka to the southeast. Common engineering materials, namely mild steel, galvanized iron, Zn, Al, Cu and Cu–Zn alloys (Cu–27Zn, Cu–30Zn and Cu–37Zn), were used in the investigation. The site was chosen where the metals are exposed to marine and industrial atmospheres. Seasonal 1 to 12 month corrosion losses of these metals and alloys were determined by a weight loss method. The weight losses showed strong corrosion of mild steel, galvanized iron, Cu and Zn and minor effect on Al and Cu–Zn alloys. Linear regression analysis was conducted to study the mechanism of corrosion. The composition of corrosion products formed on the metal surfaces was identified by x-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.