Optimisation of processing conditions and quality evaluation of honey mead

Honey based beverages are the oldest known fermented drinks. Fermentation of these beverages is a time consuming process with the average fermentation time for honey mead is 264 hours (11 days). The aim of this study was to develop a method to reduce the fermentation time of honey mead. In this research, the effects of type of inoculum, inoculum level and the addition nutritional supplements were investigated. Honey was dissolved in sterile water and pasteurised at 65°C for 10 minutes. The samples were inoculated with 1 and 2g yeast of strains EC1118 and 71B. The effect of no nutrition or with DAP (diammonium phosphate) or lupin flour as nutritional (nitrogen) supplement was investigated. Analysis of the amount of ethanol present in the honey mead was performed by using a GC-FID according to the methods used by (Debebe, Redi-Abshiro, & Chandravanshi, 2017). The highest concentration of ethanol 12.79 % (w/w) was obtained after fermenting with 71B yeast strain for 96 hr at 24°C with DAP supplementation. The lowest concentration of ethanol 3.89 % was obtained after fermenting the sample with 71B yeast strain for 24 hr at 24°C without any nutritional supplement. Compared to no nutritional supplement, addition of DAP significantly increased the amount of ethanol, whereas addition of lupin flour decreased the amount of ethanol produced. The overall amount of ethanol produced was not dependent on the quantity of inoculation. However the rate of ethanol production in the first 48 h was normally faster with 2g inoculation for both yeast strains. For the fermentation performed with no nutritional supplement or DAP yielded 8-10% ethanol within 2-3 days. Analysis of the aroma compounds was performed using a DVB/CAR/PDMS SPME fibre and measured by GC-MS. Acetic acid was the predominant aroma compound found in the honey mead samples other than ethanol

Damping Estimation of Plates for Statistical Energy Analysis

The Power Input Method (P.I.M.) and the Impulse Response Decay Method (I.R.D.M.) are used to evaluate how the accuracy of damping loss factor estimation for plates is affected with respect to various processing parameters, such as the frequency resolution, the frequency bandwidth, the number of measurement locations, and the signal to noise ratio. In several computational experiments, accuracy is assessed for a wide range of damping loss factors from low (0.1%) to moderate (1%) to high (10%). A wide range of frequency is considered, including "low frequencies" for which modal density is less than one per band. The Power Input Method (P.I.M.) is first validated with computational studies of an analytical single degree of freedom oscillator. Experimental loss factor estimates for plates (multiple degree of freedom systems) are also computed using the P.I.M. algorithm. The P.I.M. is shown to estimate loss factors with reasonable accuracy for highly damped plates in the 300 Hz - 4000 Hz, wherein modal density exceeds unit value. In this case "reasonable accuracy" means the estimated loss factors are within 10% of those predicted by the impulse response decay method. For lower damping levels the method fails. The analytical Impulse Response Decay Method (I.R.D.M.) is validated by the use of two computational models: a single degree of freedom oscillator and a uniform rectangular panel. The panel computational model is a finite element model of a rectangular plate mechanically excited at a single point. The computational model is used to systematically evaluate the effect of frequency resolution, frequency bandwidth, the number of measurement points used in the computations, and noise level for all the three levels of damping. The "optimized" I.R.D.M. is shown to accurately estimate damping in plate simulations with low to moderate levels of damping with a deviation of no more than 2% from the known damping value. For highly damped plates the I.R.D.M. tends to under-estimate loss factors at high frequency. Experimental loss factor estimation for an aluminum plate with full constrained layer damping treatment, classified as a highly damped plate, and an undamped steel plate, classified as a lightly damped plate are computed using the "optimized" I.R.D.M. algorithm. Statistical Energy Analysis (S.E.A.), which is a natural extension of the Power Input Method, is used to evaluate coupling loss factors for two sets of plates, one set joined along a line and the other set joined at a point. Two alternative coupling loss factor estimation algorithms are studied, one using individual plate loss factor estimations, and the other using the loss factors of the plates estimated when the plates are coupled. The modal parameters (modal density and coupling loss factors) for both sets of plates are estimated experimentally and are compared with theoretical results. The estimations show reasonable agreement between agreement and theory that is, within 5 % for the damped system of plates. For the undamped system of plates the results are less accurate with deviations of more than 100% at low modal density and approximately 30% variation at higher frequencies

Vitamin D deficiency may exacerbate or prolong arthritis in Chikungunya fever

Background: Chikungunya is a self-limiting acute febrile illness with acute arthritis. It is carried by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The disease mainly affected Africa and Asia, though sporadic cases occurred in the other regions of the world. Background: During an outbreak of this illness in India in 2015 we observed that a portion of the patients were suffering from prolonged arthritis. While investigating for the cause of prolonged arthritis we found that most of them were deficient in Vitamin D. Hence we carried up this study of Vitamin D deficiency in Chikungunya patients.Methods: All the probable cases of Chikungunya that attended our hospital between 20th July 2015 to 30th January 2016 were registered for study. Their symptoms and clinical signs were analyzed. All were investigated for hematological abnormalities and excluded for dengue fever by serological testing. Those who were hospitalized with severe arthritis were tested for vitamin D deficiency on the day of admission and those who had arthritis beyond a month on 30th day. Those who had a vitamin D deficiency were treated with supplementation and followed up for another three months.Results: Symptoms were analyzed and charted. Tenderness of the skin of the legs just above the ankle was found in 38% of patients which was not documented in the earlier study. 86% of patients had elevated C-reactive protein average being 21 mg/l. 90% 0f patients admitted to the hospital had Vitamin D deficiency and 62% of patients who had arthritis beyond one month had Vitamin D levels less than 20 ng/ml. Correction of vitamin D deficiency alleviated their pain early.Conclusions: Testing for Vitamin D deficiency in all the patients of Chikungunya admitted to the hospital and those suffering from joint pains beyond one month and treating with Vitamin D supplementation, may be prudent to alleviate the suffering of Chikungunya

Maximum Acceptable Vibrato Excursion as a Function of Vibrato Rate in Musicians and Non-musicians

Human vibrato is mainly characterized by two parameters: vibrato extent and vibrato rate. These parameters have been found to exhibit an interaction both in physical recordings of singers’ voices and in listener’s preference ratings. This study was concerned with the way in which the maximum acceptable vibrato excursion varies as a function of vibrato rate in normal-hearing (NH) musicians and non-musicians. Eight NH musicians and six non-musicians adjusted the maximum vibrato excursion of a synthesized vowel for vibrato rates between 3 and 8 Hz. Individual thresholds varied across vibrato rate and, in most listeners, exhibited a peak at medium vibrato rates (5–7 Hz). Large across-subject variability was observed, and no significant effect of musical experience was found. Overall, most listeners were not solely sensitive to the vibrato excursion and there was a listener-dependent rate for which larger vibrato excursions were favored. The observed interaction between maximum excursion thresholds and vibrato rate may be due to the listeners’ judgments relying on cues provided by the rate of frequency changes (RFC) rather than excursion per se. Further studies are needed to evaluate the contribution of the RFC to vibrato perception and the possible effects of age and hearing impairment

Analysis of Continuous Rectangular Plates on Flexible Beam Supports by Flexibility Methods

Civil Engineerin

Non-purulent pharyngitis: adult still’s disease

 Adult Still’s disease is rare and may present as pyrexia of unknown origin. Due to lack of expertise, diagnosis may be delayed inadvertently. The patient usually presents with spiked fever, polyarthralgia or arthritis, evanescent skin rash, non-purulent pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Leukocytosis, predominantly of neutrophils, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein without obvious infection are the hallmarks of the disease. Delay in diagnosis may expose the patient to the side effects of antibiotics as they are repeatedly prescribed in view of elevated leukocytes. The majority of patients report pain in the throat without evidence of infection. This was an important clue to our diagnosis of this patient. Grossly elevated serum ferritin is diagnostic of adult onset still's disease. As the white cell counts are grossly elevated, a bone marrow examination to rule out hematological malignancy may be mandatory. Serum ferritin value has prognostic value too. Minor illness may respond to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but steroids are the mainstay of the treatment.  Methotrexate is of additional value for those presenting predominantly with arthritis. Anakinra, Infliximab and Tocilizumab are other options. Those patients presenting with severe disease and organ involvement require high dose intravenous steroids followed by high dose oral steroids

Orogenital ulcers and the Behcet’s disease

Behcet’s’s disease is a systemic vasculitis involving small to large veins and arteries. It is a sporadic disease, mostly prevalent among the ancestors of the silk route. It is characterized by recurrent oral ulcers, genital ulcers, and uveitis. It also can manifest as skin, vascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, cardiac, and renal involvement. Though overall mortality is around 5%, delay in diagnosis and treatment may lead to significant morbidity. Cardiovascular and pulmonary arterial aneurysms are dreadful complications of this disease. Being uncommon in south India it is liable to be wrongly diagnosed and treated. Delay in the diagnosis and treatment may lead to severe complications. Here we present a case of Behcet’s disease which was managed at primary health care inadequately. We also demonstrated a quick response to steroids which are the mainstay of treatment. In this case presentation we illustrated pre and post treatment scrotal and oral Behcet’s’s lesions for clinicians to memorize. We also discussed international criteria to diagnose Behcet’s disease (ICBD) in concurrence with our case. In this presentation, we briefly described the involvement of other systems and their treatment. This article also elaborated on the latest developments in the treatment of Behcet’s disease

Wheezy adult with chicken bone in the chest

A large foreign body aspiration in a healthy adult is rare in the literature. It is a frequent problem in children and adolescents. Adults are affected in altered sensorium, either due to sedation or neurological problems. Acute upper airway obstruction though rare in adults requires establishment of an airway using Laryngoscope or rigid bronchoscope. At times we have to recourse to tracheostomy to save the life. Foreign body often travels down the right sided airways, here we present a case of 30mm Chicken bone being lodged in the left main bronchus. The patient presented with unremitting cough and normal chest skiagram. Monophonic wheeze on auscultation and focused attention on the patient narration made us clinch the diagnosis. New onset wheezy chest or unremitting chronic airway disease on adequate therapy, with history of choking needs special attention. The CT scan is a better modality of the investigation. Three dimensional CT with multi-slice virtual bronchoscopy is advantageous. We discussed foreign body aspirations in adults, the various causes and presentations. Fiber optic bronchoscopy is the ideal method for visualization and extraction of non-life-threatening foreign bodies in adults. Once a foreign body is identified, it has to be removed as early as possible. Retained foreign bodies can precipitate many complications related to infection and inflammation. At rare incidence we may have to resort to thoracotomy to remove a complicated foreign body