Fractionation of palm kernel oil by short path distillation

Fractionation of palm kernel oil (PKO) by short path distillation (SPD) at two feed flow rates (135 g/h and 195 g/h) and six distillation temperatures, TDis (200, 210, 220, 230, 240 and 250 °C) was investigated. Other distillation parameters, such as vacuum pressure (0.001 mbar), blade rotation speed (400 rpm) and temperature of the feed material (60 °C) were kept constant. The fractionated products, known as residue and distillate, were analysed for physico-chemical properties including fatty acid composition (FAC), triacylglycerol (TAG) composition, slip melting point (SMP), thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and solid fat content (SFC). Product yield was measured as well. Crystallisation behaviour of PKO and the fractionated products were studied by measurement of isothermal crystallisation, TCr at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 °C. The distillates, collected at all fractionation temperatures, were enriched with caprylic, capric and lauric acids. These fractions were also concentrated with low molecular weight and C36 TAGs. Distillates obtained at higher TDis (230-250 °C) exhibited higher in SMP and SFC. On the other hand, the residual oils collected at all fractionation temperatures contained higher amount of long-chain fatty acid and palmitic acid. These fractions were enriched with high molecular weight TAGs. Residues obtained at lower TDis (200-220 °C) were low in SMP and comparable SFC with PKO. Changes in fatty acid and TAG composition resulted in different crystallisation behaviour of the fractions. Distillates collected at all fractionation temperatures crystallised in a sharper peak while residues obtained at higher TDis (230-250 °C) showed broader crystallisation peaks, as shown by the DSC thermograms

Estudio de las preferencia de consumidores y distribuidores especializados respecto del producto ecológico

[EN] Increasing concern about food security and environmental consevation might enhance demand for ecological food products. However, consumption has not kept pace with production. Higher prices than conventional food products, distribution deficiencies and lack of knowledge might explain it. The goal of this paper is to analyse those limitations in depth. To attain this objective, two surveys were addressed to consumers and distributors, in Pamplona. These are the two main actors in the agrofood chain involved in the future development of the organic market. Consumers have been segmented according to lifestyles and distributors according to their performance on business administration, in order to define the most interested groups in organic food. Then, conjoint analysis has been applied to identify the preferences structure of each segment. Finally market shares for organic food have been simulated under different scenarios.[ES] La creciente preocupación por la seguridad alimentaria y la mayor sensibilidad al deterioro medioambiental pueden favorecer la expansión de los productos ecológicos. No obstante, el consumo de este tipo de productos no ha crecido al mismo ritmo que la producción. El diferencial de precios respecto de los productos convencionales, los deficientes canales de distribución, y su desconocimiento parecen estar en la raíz del problema. El objetivo de este trabajo se centra en estudiar en profundidad estas limitaciones. Con este fin, se han realizado dos entrevistas, en Pamplona, a los miembros de la cadena agroalimentaria básicos para el posible desarrollo de dicho mercado: consumidores y distribuidores. El primer colectivo se ha segmentado en función de sus actuaciones frente a la alimentación y de sus estilos de vida y el segundo sobre la base de sus actuaciones en la dirección del negocio, con el objeto de delimitar los grupos más interesados en este tipo de productos. A partir de allí, el análisis conjunto ha sido aplicado para identificar la estructura de preferencias en cada segmento y las cuotas de mercado alcanzables por distintos productos bajo escenarios competitivos alternativos.Sánchez, M.; Sanjuán, AI.; Gil Roig, JM.; Gracia, A.; Soler, F. (2002). Organic produce: a study of consumer and specialist distributor preferences. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 2(2):93-114. doi:10.7201/earn.2002.02.05SWORD931142

Gout. Epidemiology of gout

Gout is the most prevalent form of inflammatory arthropathy. Several studies suggest that its prevalence and incidence have risen in recent decades. Numerous risk factors for the development of gout have been established, including hyperuricaemia, genetic factors, dietary factors, alcohol consumption, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, obesity, diuretic use and chronic renal disease. Osteoarthritis predisposes to local crystal deposition. Gout appears to be an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, additional to the risk conferred by its association with traditional cardiovascular risk factors

Biomechanical Effects of Prefabricated Foot Orthoses and Rocker-Sole Footwear in Individuals with First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of prefabricated foot orthoses and rocker-sole footwear on spatiotemporal parameters, hip and knee kinematics, and plantar pressures in people with first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: A total of 102 people with first MTP joint OA were randomly allocated to receive prefabricated foot orthoses or rocker-sole footwear. The immediate biomechanical effects of the interventions (compared to usual footwear) were examined using a wearable sensor motion analysis system and an in-shoe plantar pressure measurement system. RESULTS: Spatiotemporal/kinematic and plantar pressure data were available from 88 and 87 participants, respectively. The orthoses had minimal effect on spatiotemporal or kinematic parameters, while the rocker-sole footwear resulted in reduced cadence, percentage of the gait cycle spent in stance phase, and sagittal plane hip range of motion. The orthoses increased peak pressure under the midfoot and lesser toes. Both interventions significantly reduced peak pressure under the first MTP joint, and the rocker-sole shoes also reduced peak pressure under the second through fifth MTP joints and heel. When the effects of the orthoses and rocker-sole shoes were directly compared, there was no difference in peak pressure under the hallux, first MTP joint, or heel; however, the rocker-sole shoes exhibited lower peak pressure under the lesser toes, second through fifth MTP joints, and midfoot. CONCLUSION: Prefabricated foot orthoses and rocker-sole footwear are effective at reducing peak pressure under the first MTP joint in people with first MTP joint OA, but achieve this through different mechanisms. Further research is required to determine whether these biomechanical changes result in improvements in symptoms

All-sky LIGO Search for Periodic Gravitational Waves in the Early S5 Data

We report on an all-sky search with the LIGO detectors for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency range 50--1100 Hz and with the frequency's time derivative in the range -5.0E-9 Hz/s to zero. Data from the first eight months of the fifth LIGO science run (S5) have been used in this search, which is based on a semi-coherent method (PowerFlux) of summing strain power. Observing no evidence of periodic gravitational radiation, we report 95% confidence-level upper limits on radiation emitted by any unknown isolated rotating neutron stars within the search range. Strain limits below 1.E-24 are obtained over a 200-Hz band, and the sensitivity improvement over previous searches increases the spatial volume sampled by an average factor of about 100 over the entire search band. For a neutron star with nominal equatorial ellipticity of 1.0E-6, the search is sensitive to distances as great as 500 pc--a range that could encompass many undiscovered neutron stars, albeit only a tiny fraction of which would likely be rotating fast enough to be accessible to LIGO. This ellipticity is at the upper range thought to be sustainable by conventional neutron stars and well below the maximum sustainable by a strange quark star.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur

Search for Gravitational Wave Bursts from Soft Gamma Repeaters

We present the results of a LIGO search for short-duration gravitational waves (GWs) associated with Soft Gamma Repeater (SGR) bursts. This is the first search sensitive to neutron star f-modes, usually considered the most efficient GW emitting modes. We find no evidence of GWs associated with any SGR burst in a sample consisting of the 27 Dec. 2004 giant flare from SGR 1806-20 and 190 lesser events from SGR 1806-20 and SGR 1900+14 which occurred during the first year of LIGO's fifth science run. GW strain upper limits and model-dependent GW emission energy upper limits are estimated for individual bursts using a variety of simulated waveforms. The unprecedented sensitivity of the detectors allows us to set the most stringent limits on transient GW amplitudes published to date. We find upper limit estimates on the model-dependent isotropic GW emission energies (at a nominal distance of 10 kpc) between 3x10^45 and 9x10^52 erg depending on waveform type, detector antenna factors and noise characteristics at the time of the burst. These upper limits are within the theoretically predicted range of some SGR models.Comment: 6 pages, 1 Postscript figur

Quantum state preparation and macroscopic entanglement in gravitational-wave detectors

Long-baseline laser-interferometer gravitational-wave detectors are operating at a factor of 10 (in amplitude) above the standard quantum limit (SQL) within a broad frequency band. Such a low classical noise budget has already allowed the creation of a controlled 2.7 kg macroscopic oscillator with an effective eigenfrequency of 150 Hz and an occupation number of 200. This result, along with the prospect for further improvements, heralds the new possibility of experimentally probing macroscopic quantum mechanics (MQM) - quantum mechanical behavior of objects in the realm of everyday experience - using gravitational-wave detectors. In this paper, we provide the mathematical foundation for the first step of a MQM experiment: the preparation of a macroscopic test mass into a nearly minimum-Heisenberg-limited Gaussian quantum state, which is possible if the interferometer's classical noise beats the SQL in a broad frequency band. Our formalism, based on Wiener filtering, allows a straightforward conversion from the classical noise budget of a laser interferometer, in terms of noise spectra, into the strategy for quantum state preparation, and the quality of the prepared state. Using this formalism, we consider how Gaussian entanglement can be built among two macroscopic test masses, and the performance of the planned Advanced LIGO interferometers in quantum-state preparation

First LIGO search for gravitational wave bursts from cosmic (super)strings

We report on a matched-filter search for gravitational wave bursts from cosmic string cusps using LIGO data from the fourth science run (S4) which took place in February and March 2005. No gravitational waves were detected in 14.9 days of data from times when all three LIGO detectors were operating. We interpret the result in terms of a frequentist upper limit on the rate of gravitational wave bursts and use the limits on the rate to constrain the parameter space (string tension, reconnection probability, and loop sizes) of cosmic string models.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures. Replaced with version submitted to PR