Impact of foaming conditions on quality for foam-mat drying of Butterfly pea flower by multiple regression analysis

In recent years, the Butterfly pea flower has been increasingly interested in its color and function. However, the preservation of the extract faced many difficulties; therefore, foam drying technology was applied to solve this problem. The study was conducted to determine the effect of foaming conditions, including albumin ratio, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) ratio, and whipping time on foam characteristics. At the same time, the multi-dimensional regression method was also used to determine the most suitable foaming conditions for the following process. The research results showed that all 3 factors strongly influenced the foaming process of pea flower extract. It could be concluded that the most suitable condition for foaming is to use 9.3% albumin, 0.79% CMC and stir for 19 min. Under these conditions, the foam expansion and stability were 584.79% and 96.44% respectively. The powder obtained from the foam drying of Butterfly pea flower extract was also analyzed for quality. The temperature of 65 oC for 4 hrs gave relatively high-quality powder with protein content, anthocyanin and antioxidant activity of 9.89 g/100g, 1.15 mg/g and 87.34% respectively. In conclusion, the foam-mat dried powder from butterfly pea flower extract is suitable for other processing processes, especially in the processing of folk cakes, pasta and bread industry

Uniformization, Calogero-Moser/Heun duality and Sutherland/bubbling pants

Inspired by the work of Alday, Gaiotto and Tachikawa (AGT), we saw the revival of Poincar{\'{e}}'s uniformization problem and Fuchsian equations obtained thereof. Three distinguished aspects are possessed by Fuchsian equations. First, they are available via imposing a classical Liouville limit on level-two null-vector conditions. Second, they fall into some A_1-type integrable systems. Third, the stress-tensor present there (in terms of the Q-form) manifests itself as a kind of one-dimensional "curve". Thereby, a contact with the recently proposed Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit was soon made on the one hand, whilst the seemingly mysterious derivation of Seiberg-Witten prepotentials from integrable models become resolved on the other hand. Moreover, AGT conjecture can just be regarded as a quantum version of the previous Poincar{\'{e}}'s approach. Equipped with these observations, we examined relations between spheric and toric (classical) conformal blocks via Calogero-Moser/Heun duality. Besides, as Sutherland model is also obtainable from Calogero-Moser by pinching tori at one point, we tried to understand its eigenstates from the viewpoint of toric diagrams with possibly many surface operators (toric branes) inserted. A picture called "bubbling pants" then emerged and reproduced well-known results of the non-critical self-dual c=1 string theory under a "blown-down" limit.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures; v2: corrections and references added; v3: Section 2.4.1 newly added thanks to JHEP referee advice. That classical four-point spheric conformal blocks reproducing known SW prepotentials is demonstrated via more examples, to appear in JHEP; v4: TexStyle changed onl

Modified digital image correlation aided measurement of the transverse to longitudinal deformation ratio for polymeric macro-fibres

Considering the increasing interest of polymeric macro-fibres reinforced concrete, a simple and straightforward method to assess the fibre’s transverse to longitudinal deformation ratio (¿f) becomes a determining aspect in terms of fibre both characterization and fibre–matrix interaction optimization. A noncontact optical measurement procedure to assess this ratio (¿f) - for concrete reinforcement - by a modified 2D Digital Image Correlation method is presented in this paper. This ratio (¿f) has influence on the matrix-fibre interaction and, thus, on the post-cracking tensile response of the concrete composite. Details on the definition, implementation and validation of this measurement procedure are presented. Additionally, an experimental program on 20 selected lab grade and commercial fibres was carried out to analyse the consistency of the measurements and the influence of the fibre’s geometric characteristics (flat, curved, embossed or crimped) on the ¿f. The outcomes of this research and the experimental procedure proposed are meant to assist fibre producers on the design process of optimized fibres to be used in structural concrete.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Data-driven optimization tool for the functional, economic, and environmental properties of blended cement concrete using supplementary cementitious materials

The need to produce more sustainable concrete is proving imminent given the rising environmental concerns facing the industry. Blended cement concrete, based on any of the prominent supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, silica fume, calcined clay and limestone powder, have proven to be the best candidates for sustainable concrete mixes. However, a reliable sustainability measure includes not only the environmental impact, but also the economic and functional ones. Within these five SCMs, their environmental, economic and functional properties are found to be conflicting at times, making a clear judgement on what would be the optimum mix not a straightforward path. A recent framework and tool for concrete sustainability assessment ECO2, sets a reliable methodology for including the functional performance of a concrete mix depending on project-based specifications. Therefore, in this study, a recently published regression model, Pre-bcc was used to predict the functional properties of a wide grid search of potentially suitable blended cement concrete mixes. Hence, an open access novel genetic algorithm tool “Opt-bcc” was developed and used to optimize the sustainability score of these mixes based on a set selection of user-defined project-specific functional criteria. The optimized mixes using the Opt-bcc model for each strength class were compared against the mix design proposed by other optimization models from the literature and were found to be at least 70% cheaper and of 30% less environmental impact.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Simplified methodology to evaluate the external sulfate attack in concrete structures

The external sulfate attack is a degradation process that causes expansion and cracking in concrete structures. Due to the absence of simplified methodologies to predict the potential damage, codes specify that sulfate resistant cement should be used whenever the surrounding sulfate concentration surpasses a predefined limit. This may lead to penalizing measures as the size of the element or the mechanical properties of the concrete used are not considered. In the present work, an alternative approach is proposed. A simplified chemo-mechanical methodology is deducted to assess the potential damage in concrete elements exposed to sulfate rich environments. Equations to estimate the penetration of sulfates are derived froma numericalmodel taking into account sulfate consumption, acceleration of the penetration induced by cracking and decrease in diffusivity caused by pore filling. Failure modes associated to this phenomenon are analyzed and a set of equations to assess the risk of failure are deducted. Finally, a parametric studywith different geometries of elements and surrounding sulfate contents is performed. The results show that the criterion included in codesmight be modified depending on the characteristics of the structure.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Evolution of avalanche conducting states in electrorheological liquids

Charge transport in electrorheological fluids is studied experimentally under strongly nonequlibrium conditions. By injecting an electrical current into a suspension of conducting nanoparticles we are able to initiate a process of self-organization which leads, in certain cases, to formation of a stable pattern which consists of continuous conducting chains of particles. The evolution of the dissipative state in such system is a complex process. It starts as an avalanche process characterized by nucleation, growth, and thermal destruction of such dissipative elements as continuous conducting chains of particles as well as electroconvective vortices. A power-law distribution of avalanche sizes and durations, observed at this stage of the evolution, indicates that the system is in a self-organized critical state. A sharp transition into an avalanche-free state with a stable pattern of conducting chains is observed when the power dissipated in the fluid reaches its maximum. We propose a simple evolution model which obeys the maximum power condition and also shows a power-law distribution of the avalanche sizes.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

Nomenclature for alleles of the thiopurine methyltransferase gene

The drug-metabolizing enzyme thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) has become one of the best examples of pharmacogenomics to be translated into routine clinical practice. TPMT metabolizes the thiopurines 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, and azathioprine, drugs that are widely used for treatment of acute leukemias, inflammatory bowel diseases, and other disorders of immune regulation. Since the discovery of genetic polymorphisms in the TPMT gene, many sequence variants that cause a decreased enzyme activity have been identified and characterized. Increasingly, to optimize dose, pretreatment determination of TPMT status before commencing thiopurine therapy is now routine in many countries. Novel TPMT sequence variants are currently numbered sequentially using PubMed as a source of information; however, this has caused some problems as exemplified by two instances in which authors' articles appeared on PubMed at the same time, resulting in the same allele numbers given to different polymorphisms. Hence, there is an urgent need to establish an order and consensus to the numbering of known and novel TPMT sequence variants. To address this problem, a TPMT nomenclature committee was formed in 2010, to define the nomenclature and numbering of novel variants for the TPMT gene. A website (http://www.imh.liu.se/tpmtalleles) serves as a platform for this work. Researchers are encouraged to submit novel TPMT alleles to the committee for designation and reservation of unique allele numbers. The committee has decided to renumber two alleles: nucleotide position 106 (G>A) from TPMT*24 to TPMT*30 and position 611 (T>C, rs79901429) from TPMT*28 to TPMT*31. Nomenclature for all other known alleles remains unchanged

Maximising response to postal questionnaires – A systematic review of randomised trials in health research

Background Postal self-completion questionnaires offer one of the least expensive modes of collecting patient based outcomes in health care research. The purpose of this review is to assess the efficacy of methods of increasing response to postal questionnaires in health care studies on patient populations. Methods The following databases were searched: Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, CDSR, PsycINFO, NRR and ZETOC. Reference lists of relevant reviews and relevant journals were hand searched. Inclusion criteria were randomised trials of strategies to improve questionnaire response in health care research on patient populations. Response rate was defined as the percentage of questionnaires returned after all follow-up efforts. Study quality was assessed by two independent reviewers. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios. Results Thirteen studies reporting fifteen trials were included. Implementation of reminder letters and telephone contact had the most significant effect on response rates (odds ratio 3.7, 95% confidence interval 2.30 to 5.97 p = <0.00001). Shorter questionnaires also improved response rates to a lesser degree (odds ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval 1.19 to 1.54). No evidence was found that incentives, re-ordering of questions or including an information brochure with the questionnaire confer any additional advantage. Conclusion Implementing repeat mailing strategies and/or telephone reminders may improve response to postal questionnaires in health care research. Making the questionnaire shorter may also improve response rates. There is a lack of evidence to suggest that incentives are useful. In the context of health care research all strategies to improve response to postal questionnaires require further evaluation

Development of a Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay for the detection of ruminant DNA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously validated a real-time PCR-based assay that is currently being used by the FDA and several state laboratories as the official screening method. Due to several shortcomings to the assay, a multiplex real-time PCR assay (MRTA) to detect three ruminant species (bovine, caprine, and ovine) was developed using a lyophilized bead design. The assay contained two primer or probe sets: a "ruminant" set to detect bovine-, caprine-, and ovine-derived materials and a second set to serve as an internal PCR control, formatted using a lyophilized bead design. Performance of the assay was evaluated against stringent acceptance criteria developed by the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine's Office of Research. The MRTA for the detection of ruminant DNA passed the stringent acceptance criteria for specificity, sensitivity, and selectivity. The assay met sensitivity and reproducibility requirements by detecting 30 of 30 complete feed samples fortified with meals at 0.1 % (wt/wt) rendered material from each of the three ruminant species. The MRTA demonstrated 100 % selectivity (0.0 % false positives) for negative controls throughout the assessment period. The assay showed ruggedness in both sample selection and reagent preparation. Second and third analyst trials confirmed the quality of the written standard operating procedure with consistency of results. An external laboratory participating in a peer-verification trial demonstrated 100 % specificity in identifying bovine meat and bone meal, while exhibiting a 0.03 % rate of false positives. The assay demonstrated equal levels of sensitivity and reproducibility compared with the FDA's current validated real-time PCR assay. The assay detected three prohibited species in less than 1.5 h of total assay time, a significant improvement over the current real-time assay. These results demonstrated this assay's suitability for routine regulatory use both as a primary screening tool and as a confirmatory test