Process Control of Pink Guava Puree Pasteurization Process: Simulation and Validation by Experiment

Recently, process control has been applied extensively in many food processes include pasteurization process. The purpose is to control and maintain the product temperature at desired value. In order to be able to control the process properly, the model of the process needs to be obtained. This research aims to obtain the empirical model and to determine the best control strategy in pasteurization process of pink guava puree. The PID controller tuned by different tuning methods was simulated using Simulink and closed loop responses were observed. Simulation results revealed that PID controller tuned by minimizing of integral absolute error (IAE) method were satisfactory adaptable in this process in term of faster settling time, less overshoot, smallest values of IAE and ISE that less than 1. Then, experiment was performed using this method in order to validate simulation results. In general, a good agreement was achieved between experimental data and dynamic simulation result in control of pasteurization temperature process with  R2=0.83. As the conclusion, the results obtained can be used as the recommendation for a suitable control strategy for the pasteurization process of pink guava puree in the industry

The association of various risk factors and plantar pressures in the development of peripheral neuropathy amongst diabetic patients attending outpatient clinics

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is associated with foot complications among diabetics. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with peripheral neuropathy and its association with the difference in plantar pressures in degree of severity of peripheral neuropathy. Methods and Material: Cross sectional study conducted in outpatient clinics at the University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), Malaysia. Diabetics aged 18-70 years were recruited. Exclusion criteria were those with amputated limb, gross foot deformity and existing peripheral neuropathy. Controls were non-diabetics who walk normally, no history of foot problem and attended the clinic as subjects' companion. Quantitative assessments for neuropathy Semmes-Weinstein monofilament and Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS). F-scan system was used to analyze the plantar pressures. Spearman's Rank test, Mann-Whitney test used to determine correlation between variables and logistic regression analysis used to determine risk factors associated with peripheral neuropathy. P value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: 91 subjects were recruited (72 diabetics; 19 non diabetic volunteers). Presence of callus was associated with higher NDS scores. Older age (P = 0.02), heavy weight (P = 0.03), HbA1c (P = 0.005) and duration of diabetes (P < 0.005) showed positive correlation with NDS. Forefoot to rearfoot (F/R) ratio of maximal plantar pressure in both feet showed no significant difference to callus or ulcers (p = 0.195) and degree of severity (p = 0.598). Conclusion: Age and weight were associated risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Plantar pressure is not a valuable tool for predicting foot ulceration among diabetes patients

5-6 GHz Front End Low Noise Amplifier

This paper presents 5-6 GHz front end Low Noise Amplifier application for IEEE standard 802.11 system for WLAN application. This amplifier uses FHX76LP Low noise SuperHEMT device designed for DBS application from Eudyna Device USA Inc.This paper is present design and simulation of single stage LNA circuits. A single stage LNA has successfully designed with 26.92 dB forward gain and 1.32 dB noise figure, which stable along the UNII frequency band

Utilization of Sodium Hydroxide (Naoh) to Treat Used Tyres as Sand Partial Replacement in Engineered Cementitious Composites

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) is distinct for the tensile strain-hardening behaviour and tensile ductility contrasting to the quasi-brittle nature of ordinary concrete. The blended materials of ECC only consist of cement, sand, water, fibre, and admixture. The depleting and limited resources of sand in many countries have led to the research on alternative materials to replace sand partially or fully in the concrete mixture. Therefore, this study aims to utilize the crumb rubber (CR) in ECC as a partial sand replacement to enhance the ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the composite. The additional of CR in the ECC cause reduction of compressive strength of the composites due to its smooth surface resulting to less bonding with cement matrix. Hence, the CR is being treated with 10% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to improve its surface roughness and enhance the adhesion between CR and cement matrix in the composites. The compressive strength results for ECC contained CR treated for duration of 2 days and 4 days were recorded. Two days is the optimum duration of CR treatment using 10% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to lessen the reduction of the compressive strength of the rubberized engineered cementitious composites (R-ECC)

Diesel and various blending nanoparticles based diesel, fuel properties study

In recent years, many researches have been performed to find suitable alternative fuels to petroleum products. In the present investigation, an experimental work has been carried out to examine the fuel properties test for pure diesel, diesel blended with silicon oxide nano, diesel blended with titanium oxide nano and diesel blended with graphene nanoplate which are namely as D, DS5, DT5 and DG5 respectively. The results indicated that the pure diesel fuel density is higher than DT5 by about 1%. However, this value is reduced to about 1% for DG5 and DS5 respectively compared to diesel fuel due to the blending effects. Meanwhile, in calorific value test, DS5 fuel energy content is lower than diesel by about 1.5%. However, this value is reduced to about 1.43% and 1.37% for DG5 and DT5 respectively compared to diesel fuel due to the blending effects

Utilization of Sodium Hydroxide (Naoh) to Treat Used Tyres as Sand Partial Replacement in Engineered Cementitious Composites

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) is distinct for the tensile strain-hardening behaviour and tensile ductility contrasting to the quasi-brittle nature of ordinary concrete. The blended materials of ECC only consist of cement, sand, water, fibre, and admixture. The depleting and limited resources of sand in many countries have led to the research on alternative materials to replace sand partially or fully in the concrete mixture. Therefore, this study aims to utilize the crumb rubber (CR) in ECC as a partial sand replacement to enhance the ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the composite. The additional of CR in the ECC cause reduction of compressive strength of the composites due to its smooth surface resulting to less bonding with cement matrix. Hence, the CR is being treated with 10% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to improve its surface roughness and enhance the adhesion between CR and cement matrix in the composites. The compressive strength results for ECC contained CR treated for duration of 2 days and 4 days were recorded. Two days is the optimum duration of CR treatment using 10% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to lessen the reduction of the compressive strength of the rubberized engineered cementitious composites (R-ECC)

Human local adaptation of the TRPM8 cold receptor along a latitudinal cline

Ambient temperature is a critical environmental factor for all living organisms. It was likely an important selective force as modern humans recently colonized temperate and cold Eurasian environments. Nevertheless, as of yet we have limited evidence of local adaptation to ambient temperature in populations from those environments. To shed light on this question, we exploit the fact that humans are a cosmopolitan species that inhabits territories under a wide range of temperatures. Focusing on cold perception, which is central to thermoregulation and survival in cold environments, we show evidence of recent local adaptation on TRPM8. This gene encodes for a cation channel that is, to date, the only temperature receptor known to mediate an endogenous response to moderate cold. The upstream variant rs10166942 shows extreme population differentiation, with frequencies that range from 5% in Nigeria to 88% in Finland (placing this SNP in the 0.02% tail of the FST empirical distribution). When all populations are jointly analysed, allele frequencies correlate with latitude and temperature beyond what can be explained by shared ancestry and population substructure. Using a Bayesian approach, we infer that the allele originated and evolved neutrally in Africa, while positive selection raised its frequency to different degrees in Eurasian populations, resulting in allele frequencies that follow a latitudinal cline. We infer strong positive selection, in agreement with ancient DNA showing high frequency of the allele in Europe 3,000 to 8,000 years ago. rs10166942 is important phenotypically because its ancestral allele is protective of migraine. This debilitating disorder varies in prevalence across human populations, with highest prevalence in individuals of European descent, precisely the population with the highest frequency of rs10166942 derived allele. We thus hypothesize that local adaptation on previously neutral standing variation may have contributed to the genetic differences that exist in the prevalence of migraine among human populations today

STUDY AND SIMULATION OF AN EDGE COUPLE SPLIT RING RESONATOR (EC-SRR) ON TRUNCATED PYRAMIDAL MICROWAVE ABSORBER

Split ring resonator (SRR) structure can potentially be incorporated onto the truncated pyramidal microwave absorber. This study considers three different patterns of edge couple split ring resonator (EC-SRR) designs. Each EC-SRR design is then placed onto the truncated pyramidal microwave absorber. Outer split gap dimension widths of the EC-SRR are varied, and the various S21 performances are compared. This EC-SRR truncated pyramidal microwave absorber is simulated using CST Microwave Studio simulation software. The study and simulation are performed in low frequency range (0.01 GHz to 1 GHz) as well as in microwave frequencies range (1 GHz to 20 GHz). Simulation results of this EC-SRR show improvement of reflection loss and S11 performance in the high frequency range of the pyramidal truncated microwave absorber

Simulation Of Cascading LNA And RF Amplifier For Front-End Direct-Conversion Receiver At 5.8 GHz

In this paper, a simulation of cascaded LNA and RF amplifier for front-end direct conversion receiver at 5.8-GHz frequency band is presented. By using direct conversion architecture, the image rejection performance is improved, lower complexity and the component is reduced. The cascading LNA and RF amplifier has 27 dB gain and 2.17 dB noise figure. The LNA and RF amplifier is simulated using Ansoft Designer software and fabricated with Duroid 5880 as the microstrip material