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Sample records for terebellida functional properties

  1. Properties of Ambiguity Functions

    OpenAIRE

    Mulcahy-Stanislawczyk, John

    2014-01-01

    The use of ambiguity functions in radar signal design and analysis is very common. Understanding the various properties and meanings of ambiguity functions allow a signal designer to understand the time delay and doppler shift properties of a given signal. Through the years, several different versions of the ambiguity function have been used. Each of these functions essentially have the same physical meaning; however, the use of different functions makes it difficult to be sure that certai...

  2. Testing properties of generic functions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansson, P.; Jeuring, J.T.; Cabenda, L.; Engels, G.; Kleerekoper, J.; Mak, S.; Overeem, M.; Visser, Kees

    2007-01-01

    A datatype-generic function is a family of functions indexed by (the structure of) a type. Examples include equality tests, maps and pretty printers. Property based testing tools like QuickCheck and Gast support the de¯nition of properties and test-data generators, and they check if a

  3. properties and luminosity functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hektor Monteiro

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we present an investigation of a sample of 1072 stars extracted from the Villanova Catalog of Spectroscopically Identified White Dwarfs (2005 on-line version, studying their distribution in the Galaxy, their physical properties and their luminosity functions. The distances and physical properties of the white dwarfs are determined through interpolation of their (B-V or (b-y colors in model grids. The solar position relative to the Galactic plane, luminosity function, as well as separate functions for each white dwarf spectral type are derived and discussed. We show that the binary fraction does not vary significantly as a function of distance from the Galactic disk out to 100 pc. We propose that the formation rates of DA and non-DAs have changed over time and/or that DAs evolve into non-DA types. The luminosity functions for DAs and DBs have peaks possibly related to a star burst event.

  4. Topological Properties of Spatial Coherence Function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji-Rong, Ren; Tao, Zhu; Yi-Shi, Duan

    2008-01-01

    The topological properties of the spatial coherence function are investigated rigorously. The phase singular structures (coherence vortices) of coherence function can be naturally deduced from the topological current, which is an abstract mathematical object studied previously. We find that coherence vortices are characterized by the Hopf index and Brouwer degree in topology. The coherence flux quantization and the linking of the closed coherence vortices are also studied from the topological properties of the spatial coherence function

  5. Testing properties of generic functions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansson, P.; Jeuring, J.T.; Cabenda, L.; Engels, G.; Kleerekoper, J.; Mak, S.; Overeem, M.; Visser, Kees

    2006-01-01

    Software testing is an important part of the software devel- opment process. Testing comes in many flavours: unit testing, property testing, regression testing, contract checking, etc. QuickCheck is proba- bly one of the most advanced tools for testing properties of functional programs. It

  6. Functional properties of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoran Herceg

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Whey proteins are commonly used in the food industry due to their nutritive value and functional properties. The most important functional properties of whey proteins are solubility, viscosity, water holding capacity, emulsification and foaming. The aim of this study was to determine functional properties of main whey protein fractions (α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin which have the biggest influence on the functional properties of whey proteins. Particle size analysis and specific area of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin were performed by «Mie – theory» of «light scatering» using «Malvern Mastersizer X». The results of this analysis have shown that β-lactoglobulin had higher particle size and specific area than α-lactalbumin.By examining functional properties (solubility, dispersibility, emulsifiying properties – emulsion activity index (EAI and emulsion stability index (ESI and foaming properties of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin, it has been established that β-lactoglobulin has higher solubility, dispersibility, emulsifiying properties as well as foaming properties than α-lactalbumin. Rheological properties of protein suspensions were determined by rotational viscosimeter, Brookfiel DV-III at temperature 25°C. Rheological parameters, flow behavior indeks (n and consistency coefficient (k were determined by the power-law model. The results of investigation have shown that 10% suspenzion of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin are non-Newtonian fluids and they exhibited pseudoplastic properties.

  7. Functional Properties of Microorganisms in Fermented Foods

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    Jyoti Prakash Tamang

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Fermented foods have unique functional properties imparting some health benefits to consumers due to presence of functional microorganisms, which possess probiotics properties, antimicrobial, antioxidant, peptide production, etc. Health benefits of some global fermented foods are synthesis of nutrients, prevention of cardiovascular disease, prevention of cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, allergic reactions, diabetes, among others. The present paper is aimed to review the information on some functional properties of the microorganisms associated with fermented foods and beverages, and their health-promoting benefits to consumers.

  8. Properties of field functionals and characterization of local functionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brouder, Christian; Dang, Nguyen Viet; Laurent-Gengoux, Camille; Rejzner, Kasia

    2018-02-01

    Functionals (i.e., functions of functions) are widely used in quantum field theory and solid-state physics. In this paper, functionals are given a rigorous mathematical framework and their main properties are described. The choice of the proper space of test functions (smooth functions) and of the relevant concept of differential (Bastiani differential) are discussed. The relation between the multiple derivatives of a functional and the corresponding distributions is described in detail. It is proved that, in a neighborhood of every test function, the support of a smooth functional is uniformly compactly supported and the order of the corresponding distribution is uniformly bounded. Relying on a recent work by Dabrowski, several spaces of functionals are furnished with a complete and nuclear topology. In view of physical applications, it is shown that most formal manipulations can be given a rigorous meaning. A new concept of local functionals is proposed and two characterizations of them are given: the first one uses the additivity (or Hammerstein) property, the second one is a variant of Peetre's theorem. Finally, the first step of a cohomological approach to quantum field theory is carried out by proving a global Poincaré lemma and defining multi-vector fields and graded functionals within our framework.

  9. On Boolean functions with generalized cryptographic properties

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Braeken, A.; Nikov, V.S.; Nikova, S.I.; Preneel, B.; Canteaut, A.; Viswanathan, K.

    2004-01-01

    By considering a new metric, we generalize cryptographic properties of Boolean functions such as resiliency and propagation characteristics. These new definitions result in a better understanding of the properties of Boolean functions and provide a better insight in the space defined by this metric.

  10. Nanostructured thin films and coatings functional properties

    CERN Document Server

    Zhang, Sam

    2010-01-01

    The second volume in ""The Handbook of Nanostructured Thin Films and Coatings"" set, this book focuses on functional properties, including optical, electronic, and electrical properties, as well as related devices and applications. It explores the large-scale fabrication of functional thin films with nanoarchitecture via chemical routes, the fabrication and characterization of SiC nanostructured/nanocomposite films, and low-dimensional nanocomposite fabrication and applications. The book also presents the properties of sol-gel-derived nanostructured thin films as well as silicon nanocrystals e

  11. Properties and applications of chemically functionalized graphene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Craciun, M F; Khrapach, I; Barnes, M D; Russo, S

    2013-01-01

    The vast and yet largely unexplored family of graphene materials has great potential for future electronic devices with novel functionalities. The ability to engineer the electrical and optical properties in graphene by chemically functionalizing it with a molecule or adatom is widening considerably the potential applications targeted by graphene. Indeed, functionalized graphene has been found to be the best known transparent conductor or a wide gap semiconductor. At the same time, understanding the mechanisms driving the functionalization of graphene with hydrogen is proving to be of fundamental interest for energy storage devices. Here we discuss recent advances on the properties and applications of chemically functionalized graphene. (topical review)

  12. Some properties of plurisubharmonic functions

    OpenAIRE

    Ancona, Alano; Kaufmann, Lucas

    2014-01-01

    Two properties of plurisubharmonic functions are proven. The first result is a Skoda type integrability theorem with respect to a Monge-Amp\\`ere mass with H\\"older continuous potential. The second one says that locally, a p.s.h. function is $k$-Lipschitz outside a set of Lebesgue measure smaller that $c/k^2$.

  13. Measure theory and fine properties of functions

    CERN Document Server

    Evans, Lawrence Craig

    2015-01-01

    Measure Theory and Fine Properties of Functions, Revised Edition provides a detailed examination of the central assertions of measure theory in n-dimensional Euclidean space. The book emphasizes the roles of Hausdorff measure and capacity in characterizing the fine properties of sets and functions. Topics covered include a quick review of abstract measure theory, theorems and differentiation in ℝn, Hausdorff measures, area and coarea formulas for Lipschitz mappings and related change-of-variable formulas, and Sobolev functions as well as functions of bounded variation.The text provides complete proofs of many key results omitted from other books, including Besicovitch's covering theorem, Rademacher's theorem (on the differentiability a.e. of Lipschitz functions), area and coarea formulas, the precise structure of Sobolev and BV functions, the precise structure of sets of finite perimeter, and Aleksandrov's theorem (on the twice differentiability a.e. of convex functions).This revised edition includes countl...

  14. Surface properties of functional polymer systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Derek

    Polymer surface modification typically involves blending with other polymers or chemical modification of the parent polymer. Such strategies inevitably result in polymer systems that are spatially and chemically heterogeneous, and which exhibit the phenomenon of surface segregation. This work investigates the effects of chain architecture on the surface segregation behavior of such functionally modified polymers using a series of end- and center-fluorinated poly(D,L-lactide). Surface segregation of the fluorinated functional groups was observed in both chain architectures via AMPS and water contact angle. Higher surface segregation was noted for functional groups located at the chain end as opposed to those in the middle of the chain. A self-consistent mean-field lattice theory was used to model the composition depth profiles of functional groups and excellent agreement was found between the model predictions and the experimental AMPS data in both chain architectures. Polymer properties are also in general dependent on both time and temperature, and exhibit a range of relaxation times in response to environmental stimuli. This behavior arises from the characteristic frequencies of molecular motions of the polymer chain and the interrelationship between time and temperature has been widely established for polymer bulk properties. There is evidence that surface properties also respond in a manner that is time and temperature dependent and that this dependence may not be the same as that observed for bulk properties. AMPS and water contact angle experiments were used to investigate the surface reorganization behavior of functional groups using a series of anionically synthesized end-fluorinated and end-carboxylated poly(styrene). It was found that both types of functional end-groups reorganized upon a change in the polarity of the surface environment in order to minimize the surface free energy. ADXPS and contact angle results suggest that the reorganization depth was

  15. Effect of processing on functional properties of animal blood plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Hoyo, P; Rendueles, M; Díaz, M

    2008-04-01

    A number of functional and physical properties such as solubility, foam capacity, emulsifying stability and interfacial tension were compared for standard plasma, plasma decationed by ion exchange and plasma deionized by ultrafiltration (UF). The changes in functional properties can determine the use of a protein as an additive to a food product or invalidate its use. All samples had good functional properties and hence could be used in the formulation of food products. Results showed that ion exchange and UF improved emulsifying capacity while having little effect on the other functional properties.

  16. The Main Properties of q-Functions

    OpenAIRE

    Nina O. Virchenko; Olena V. Ovcharenko

    2017-01-01

    Background.  The new generalization of the function of complex variable (q-function) is considered, its main properties are investigated. Such distributions have a special place among the special functions due to their widespread use in many areas of applied mathematics. Objective. The aim of the paper is to study the new generalization of the function of complex variable for application in applied sciences. Methods. To obtain scientific results the general methods of the mathematical a...

  17. Properties of the Magnitude Terms of Orthogonal Scaling Functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tay, Peter C; Havlicek, Joseph P; Acton, Scott T; Hossack, John A

    2010-09-01

    The spectrum of the convolution of two continuous functions can be determined as the continuous Fourier transform of the cross-correlation function. The same can be said about the spectrum of the convolution of two infinite discrete sequences, which can be determined as the discrete time Fourier transform of the cross-correlation function of the two sequences. In current digital signal processing, the spectrum of the contiuous Fourier transform and the discrete time Fourier transform are approximately determined by numerical integration or by densely taking the discrete Fourier transform. It has been shown that all three transforms share many analogous properties. In this paper we will show another useful property of determining the spectrum terms of the convolution of two finite length sequences by determining the discrete Fourier transform of the modified cross-correlation function. In addition, two properties of the magnitude terms of orthogonal wavelet scaling functions are developed. These properties are used as constraints for an exhaustive search to determine an robust lower bound on conjoint localization of orthogonal scaling functions.

  18. The functional properties, modification and utilization of whey proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. G. Venter

    1986-03-01

    Full Text Available Whey protein has an excellent nutritional value and exhibits a functional potential. In comparison with certain other food proteins, the whey protein content of essential amino acids is extremely favourable for human consumption. Depending on the heat-treatment history thereof, soluble whey proteins with utilizable functional properties, apart from high biological value, true digestibility, protein efficiency ratio and nett protein utilization, can be recovered. Various technological and chemical recovery processes have been designed. Chemically and enzymatically modified whey protein is manufactured to obtain technological and functional advantages. The important functional properties of whey proteins, namely hydration, gelation, emulsifying and foaming properties, are reviewed.

  19. DISTRIBUTION OF PARASTATISTICS FUNCTIONS: AN OVERVIEW OF THERMODYNAMICS PROPERTIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Yosi Aprian Sari

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the thermodynamic properties of the parastatistics system of order two. The thermodynamic properties to be searched include the Grand Canonical Partition Function (GCPF Z, and the average number of particles N. These parastatistics systems is in a more general form compared to quantum statistical distribution that has been known previously, i.e.: the Fermi-Dirac (FD and Bose-Einstein (BE. Starting from the recursion relation of grand canonical partition function for parastatistics system of order two that has been known, recuresion linkages for some simple thermodynamic functions for parastatistics system of order two are derived. The recursion linkages are then used to calculate the thermodynamic functions of the model system of identical particles with limited energy levels which is similar to the harmonic oscillator. From these results we concluded that from the Grand Canonical Partition Function (GCPF, Z, the thermodynamics properties of parastatistics system of order two (paraboson and parafermion can be derived and have similar shape with parastatistics system of order one (Boson and Fermion. The similarity of the graph shows similar thermodynamic properties.   Keywords: parastatistics, thermodynamic properties

  20. Generalized Mittag-Leffler Function and Its Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Banu Yılmaz Yaşar

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Recently, Srivastava, Çetinkaya and Kıymaz defined the generalized Pochhammer symbol and obtained some relations. In this paper, we define the generalized Mittag-Leffler function via the generalized Pochhammer symbol and present some recurrence relation, derivative properties, integral representation. Moreover, we obtain a relation between Wright hypergeometric function and the generalized Mittag-Leffler function.

  1. Properties of Zero-Free Transfer Function Matrices

    Science.gov (United States)

    D. O. Anderson, Brian; Deistler, Manfred

    Transfer functions of linear, time-invariant finite-dimensional systems with more outputs than inputs, as arise in factor analysis (for example in econometrics), have, for state-variable descriptions with generic entries in the relevant matrices, no finite zeros. This paper gives a number of characterizations of such systems (and indeed square discrete-time systems with no zeros), using state-variable, impulse response, and matrix-fraction descriptions. Key properties include the ability to recover the input values at any time from a bounded interval of output values, without any knowledge of an initial state, and an ability to verify the no-zero property in terms of a property of the impulse response coefficient matrices. Results are particularized to cases where the transfer function matrix in question may or may not have a zero at infinity or a zero at zero.

  2. Effect of irradiation on functional properties of Gum Tragacanth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neda Mollakhalili meybodi

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective: irradiation is a physical treatment in which products are exposed to ionized radiation such as gamma and x rays to improve the security and quality. Hydrocolloids are components that are used in food science to improve texture properties. Exposing to irradiation treatment may change structural and functional properties. By regard to the importance of irradiation on decontaminating of hydrocolloids in food application, the aim of this study is studying the effect of irradiation at different doses on functional properties of Gum Tragacanth in food application. Material and methods: effect of irradiation treatment was studied on the rheological properties, zeta potential, particle size distribution and surface tension of dispersion systems contained 0/5% w/ w gum tragacanth that is irradiated at different doses (0, 0.75. 3, 5 kGy. The effect of irradiation on rheological properties was monitored by rheometer. In order to monitor the effect of irradiation treatment on particle size distribution, zeta potential and surface tension, particle sizer, Brookhaven zeta plus and tensiometer sere used respectively. All treatments were performed three times and the data were analyzed by one way ANOVA. Significant differences between means were identified (P values < 0.05 using Duncan test. Results: Irradiation, change rheologiacal properties and particle size distribution of dispersion contained gum tragacanth. Irradiation treatment up to 0.75 kGy increase zeta potential, but irradiating at higher doses decrease it again. Results of studying parameters showed that irradiation changes the functional properties by affecting on structure. These changes depend on irradiation dose Conclusion: Gum tragacanth irradiation may improve the functional properties by affecting on structure.

  3. Explanation and inference: Mechanistic and functional explanations guide property generalization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tania eLombrozo

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The ability to generalize from the known to the unknown is central to learning and inference. Two experiments explore the relationship between how a property is explained and how that property is generalized to novel species and artifacts. The experiments contrast the consequences of explaining a property mechanistically, by appeal to parts and processes, with the consequences of explaining the property functionally, by appeal to functions and goals. The findings suggest that properties that are explained functionally are more likely to be generalized on the basis of shared functions, with a weaker relationship between mechanistic explanations and generalization on the basis of shared parts and processes. The influence of explanation type on generalization holds even though all participants are provided with the same mechanistic and functional information, and whether an explanation type is freely generated (Experiment 1, experimentally provided (Experiment 2, or experimentally induced (Experiment 2. The experiments also demonstrate that explanations and generalizations of a particular type (mechanistic or functional can be experimentally induced by providing sample explanations of that type, with a comparable effect when the sample explanations come from the same domain or from a different domains. These results suggest that explanations serve as a guide to generalization, and contribute to a growing body of work supporting the value of distinguishing mechanistic and functional explanations.

  4. Explanation and inference: mechanistic and functional explanations guide property generalization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombrozo, Tania; Gwynne, Nicholas Z

    2014-01-01

    The ability to generalize from the known to the unknown is central to learning and inference. Two experiments explore the relationship between how a property is explained and how that property is generalized to novel species and artifacts. The experiments contrast the consequences of explaining a property mechanistically, by appeal to parts and processes, with the consequences of explaining the property functionally, by appeal to functions and goals. The findings suggest that properties that are explained functionally are more likely to be generalized on the basis of shared functions, with a weaker relationship between mechanistic explanations and generalization on the basis of shared parts and processes. The influence of explanation type on generalization holds even though all participants are provided with the same mechanistic and functional information, and whether an explanation type is freely generated (Experiment 1), experimentally provided (Experiment 2), or experimentally induced (Experiment 2). The experiments also demonstrate that explanations and generalizations of a particular type (mechanistic or functional) can be experimentally induced by providing sample explanations of that type, with a comparable effect when the sample explanations come from the same domain or from a different domains. These results suggest that explanations serve as a guide to generalization, and contribute to a growing body of work supporting the value of distinguishing mechanistic and functional explanations.

  5. Some completely monotonic properties for the $(p,q )$-gamma function

    OpenAIRE

    Krasniqi, Valmir; Merovci, Faton

    2014-01-01

    It is defined $\\Gamma_{p,q}$ function, a generalize of $\\Gamma$ function. Also, we defined $\\psi_{p,q}$-analogue of the psi function as the log derivative of $\\Gamma_{p,q}$. For the $\\Gamma_{p,q}$ -function, are given some properties related to convexity, log-convexity and completely monotonic function. Also, some properties of $\\psi_{p,q} $ analog of the $\\psi$ function have been established. As an application, when $p\\to \\infty, q\\to 1,$ we obtain all result of \\cite{Valmir1} and \\cite{SHA}.

  6. Membrane elastic properties and cell function.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Pontes

    Full Text Available Recent studies indicate that the cell membrane, interacting with its attached cytoskeleton, is an important regulator of cell function, exerting and responding to forces. We investigate this relationship by looking for connections between cell membrane elastic properties, especially surface tension and bending modulus, and cell function. Those properties are measured by pulling tethers from the cell membrane with optical tweezers. Their values are determined for all major cell types of the central nervous system, as well as for macrophage. Astrocytes and glioblastoma cells, which are considerably more dynamic than neurons, have substantially larger surface tensions. Resting microglia, which continually scan their environment through motility and protrusions, have the highest elastic constants, with values similar to those for resting macrophage. For both microglia and macrophage, we find a sharp softening of bending modulus between their resting and activated forms, which is very advantageous for their acquisition of phagocytic functions upon activation. We also determine the elastic constants of pure cell membrane, with no attached cytoskeleton. For all cell types, the presence of F-actin within tethers, contrary to conventional wisdom, is confirmed. Our findings suggest the existence of a close connection between membrane elastic constants and cell function.

  7. Jatropha seed protein functional properties for technical applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lestari, D.; Mulder, W.J.; Sanders, J.P.M.

    2011-01-01

    Jatropha press cake, by-product after oil expression from Jatropha seeds, contains 24–28% protein on dry basis. Objectives of this research were to investigate functional properties, such as solubility, emulsifying, foaming, film forming, and adhesive properties, of Jatropha press cake proteins and

  8. NONSTANDARD PROBLEMS IN STUDYING THE PROPERTIES FUNCTIONS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. I. Kuzmich

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we consider two non-standard problems that may be offered to students for independent solution in the study of fundamental properties of functions in the course of mathematical analysis. These tasks are wearing creativity and contribute to a better understanding of students to concepts such as monotonicity and continuity of the function.

  9. Nutritional and functional properties of whey proteins concentrate and isolate

    OpenAIRE

    Zoran Herceg; Anet Režek

    2006-01-01

    Whey protein fractions represent 18 - 20 % of total milk nitrogen content. Nutritional value in addition to diverse physico - chemical and functional properties make whey proteins highly suitable for application in foodstuffs. In the most cases, whey proteins are used because of their functional properties. Whey proteins possess favourable functional characteristics such as gelling, water binding, emulsification and foaming ability. Due to application of new process techniques (membrane fract...

  10. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): composition, chemistry, nutritional, and functional properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abugoch James, Lilian E

    2009-01-01

    Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), which is considered a pseudocereal or pseudograin, has been recognized as a complete food due to its protein quality. It has remarkable nutritional properties; not only from its protein content (15%) but also from its great amino acid balance. It is an important source of minerals and vitamins, and has also been found to contain compounds like polyphenols, phytosterols, and flavonoids with possible nutraceutical benefits. It has some functional (technological) properties like solubility, water-holding capacity (WHC), gelation, emulsifying, and foaming that allow diversified uses. Besides, it has been considered an oil crop, with an interesting proportion of omega-6 and a notable vitamin E content. Quinoa starch has physicochemical properties (such as viscosity, freeze stability) which give it functional properties with novel uses. Quinoa has a high nutritional value and has recently been used as a novel functional food because of all these properties; it is a promising alternative cultivar.

  11. Improving Multi-Functional Properties in Polymer Based Nano Composites by Interfacial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tajaddod, Navid

    Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) have become an area of increasing interest for study in the field of polymer science and technology since the rise of nanotechnology research. Despite the significant amount of progress being made towards producing high quality PNC materials, improvement in the mechanical, electrical, thermal and other functional properties still remain a challenge. To date, these properties are only a fraction of the expected theoretical values predicted for these materials. Development of interfacial regions between the filler and matrix within the composite has been found to be an important focus in terms of processing. Proper interfacial control and development may ensure excellent interaction and property transfer between the filler and polymer matrix in addition to improvement of multi-functional properties of PNCs. The property-structure importance for the existence of the interfacial and interphase region within PNCs is discussed in this thesis work. Two specific PNC systems are selected for study as part of this dissertation in order to understand the effect of interfacial region development on influencing multi-functional property trends. Polyethylene (PE)/boron nitride (BN) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites were selected to investigate their mechanical performance and thermal and electrical conductivity properties, respectively. For these systems it was found that the interfacial region structure is directly related to the enhancement of the subsequent multi-functional properties.

  12. Nutritional and functional properties of whey proteins concentrate and isolate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoran Herceg

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Whey protein fractions represent 18 - 20 % of total milk nitrogen content. Nutritional value in addition to diverse physico - chemical and functional properties make whey proteins highly suitable for application in foodstuffs. In the most cases, whey proteins are used because of their functional properties. Whey proteins possess favourable functional characteristics such as gelling, water binding, emulsification and foaming ability. Due to application of new process techniques (membrane fractionation techniques, it is possible to produce various whey - protein based products. The most important products based on the whey proteins are whey protein concentrates (WPC and whey protein isolates (WPI. The aim of this paper was to give comprehensive review of nutritional and functional properties of the most common used whey proteins (whey protein concentrate - WPC and whey protein isolate - WPI in the food industry.

  13. Optical and morphological properties of infrared emitting functionalized silica nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iovino, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo (Italy); Malvindi, M.A. [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Bio-Molecular Nanotechnologies@Unile, Via Barsanti, Arnesano, I-73010 Lecce (Italy); Agnello, S., E-mail: simonpietro.agnello@unipa.it [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo (Italy); Buscarino, G.; Alessi, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo (Italy); Pompa, P.P. [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Bio-Molecular Nanotechnologies@Unile, Via Barsanti, Arnesano, I-73010 Lecce (Italy); Gelardi, F.M. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo (Italy)

    2013-11-01

    The loading process of functionalized silica nanoparticles was investigated in order to obtain nanoparticles having functional groups on their surface and Near-Infrared (NIR) emission properties. The NIR emission induced by O{sub 2} loading was studied in silica nanoparticles, produced by pyrogenic and microemulsion methods, with size ranging from 20 to 120 nm. Loading was carried out by thermal treatments in O{sub 2} atmosphere up to 400 °C and 90 bar. The effects of the thermal treatments on the NIR emission and on the structural properties were studied by luminescence and Raman techniques, whereas the morphological features were investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. Our data show that silica nanoparticles produced by pyrogenic technique can be loaded with O{sub 2} at lower temperature than the ones obtained by microemulsion and have a higher luminescence intensity due to the internal porosity of the latter. The treatments do not affect the nanosize of the microemulsion particles and provide NIR emitting probes of selected size. Post-processing surface functionalization of the pyrogenic nanoparticles does not affect their emission properties and provides high efficiency NIR emitters with functionalized surface. - Highlights: • Pyrogenic and microemulsion silica nanoparticles with near infrared emission. • Functionalization of nanoparticles does not change the NIR emission. • Porosity limits the emission properties of nanoparticles.

  14. The functional and biological properties of whey proteins: prospects for the development of functional foods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. J. T. KORHONEN

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Advances in processing technologies and the accumulation of scientific data on the functional and biological properties of whey components have contributed to the growing commercial valuation of cheese whey over the last decade. New membrane separation and chromatographic techniques have made it possible to fractionate and enrich various components of whey more efficiently than before. The specific properties of these components can now be examined in greater detail and new applications developed accordingly. The utilisation of cheese whey is evolving into a new industry producing a multitude of purified ingredients for numerous purposes. The most significant areas of R&D related to whey proteins include functional foods, the rheological properties of foodstuffs, and biopharmaceuticals.

  15. Psychometric properties of the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beauchamp, Marla K; Schmidt, Catherine T; Pedersen, Mette M

    2014-01-01

    The choice of measure for use as a primary outcome in geriatric research is contingent upon the construct of interest and evidence for its psychometric properties. The Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) has been widely used to assess functional limitations and disability...... in studies with older adults. The primary aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current available evidence for the psychometric properties of the LLFDI....

  16. Density functional theory calculations of charge transport properties ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    ZIRAN CHEN

    2017-08-04

    Aug 4, 2017 ... properties of 'plate-like' coronene topological structures ... Keywords. Organic semiconductors; density functional theory; charge carrier mobility; ambipolar transport; ..... nology Department of Sichuan Province (Grant Number.

  17. Hybrid nanostructures: synthesis, morphology and functional properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Povolotskaya, A V; Povolotskiy, A V; Manshina, A A

    2015-01-01

    Hybrid nanostructures representing combinations of different materials and possessing properties that are absent in separate components forming the hybrid are discussed. Particular attention is given to hybrid structures containing plasmonic and magnetic nanoparticles, methods of their synthesis and the relationship between the composition, structure and properties. The functional features of the hybrid nanomaterials of various morphology (with core–shell structures, with encapsulated metal nanoparticles and with metal nanoparticles on the surface) are considered. The unique properties of these hybrid materials are demonstrated, which are of interest for solving problems of catalysis and photocatalysis, detecting impurities in various media, in vivo visualization, bioanalysis, as well as for the design of optical labels and multifunctional diagnostic nanoplatforms. The bibliography includes 182 references

  18. Functional properties of milk drinks flavored with mangaba pulp and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    luiz eduardo nascimento

    2016-08-24

    Aug 24, 2016 ... In this context, the functional properties of. *Corresponding ..... properties of fermented milk drinks. .... samples showed typical colony formation, which results .... skim milk in the presence of pectin and kappa-carrageenan.

  19. [Functional properties of mesquite bean protein (Prosopis juliflora)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmquist-Donquis, I; Ruíz de Rey, G

    1997-12-01

    A protein concentrate was prepared from whole mesquite bean (Prosopis juliflora) to evaluate and characterize its functional properties; solubility index, effects of moist heat on its solubility, water sorption, fat absorption, foaming capability and foam stability, emulsifying capacity, viscosity and the effects of NaCl and temperature on some of these properties. These properties were evaluated by procedures used to determine its potential application as a food ingredient and its market potential as a new protein source. The protein isoelectric point ranged between pH 4.00-4.50. Maximum solubility was obtained at a pH 10.00 in a 0.75 M NaCl solution and under heat treatment at 112 degrees C for 5 min. Under the studied conditions the amount of water absorbed and the fat absorption capacity, strongly suggest the mesquite bean protein utilization in foods where both properties are important in order to enhances flavor retention and mouth-feel improvement. Although its foaming capability was larger than that of the egg albumin under similar pH conditions, the protein concentrate did not show a good stability, however, both properties could be improved. Emulsifying capacity as a pH function, showed a positive correlation (r = 0.8435 with a signification level of p = 0.004) with the solubility index but, decreased with NaCl even at low concentrations. For these reasons, the uses of mesquite bean protein for this property will be determined by the pH and ionic strength of the product to be processed.

  20. The right of property and its social function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erida Pejo

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Rights of property are the main prerequisites for the existence of any political society, as it is an objective necessity for their normal functioning and continuity. Property and right of property are the constituent of autonomous life in the realization of the world of individual or collective goals, without the protection and guarantee of which, it is oft en stated that the respect and enjoyment of the entirety of other constitutional rights cannot be imagined. Rights of property are presented and considered as one of the most important issues of legal and political doctrines, and it represents one of the fundamental issues of national and international policy. The classic liberal property concept has dominated the modern legal and political debates and imagination. The property institution is oft en conceived as a quasi absolute subjective right, a concept that, in the modern era, competes with alternative concepts that have influenced both state policies and modern legal culture and consciousness, the consequences of which are reflected in legal systems. One of the most influential alternative concepts is the social function of property,1 of course in modern legal culture the property is understood as an individual right, limited not only by the rights of others, but also by the public interest. Thus, modern legal thinking, although it regards it as a basic element of the normal functioning of the Rule of Law, the private property institution has given a new emphasis to this right, altering the basis for the attribution of property power by the fact that, the relation of the individual to his/ her personality in a social organization, is considered as substantive to the juridical order, therefore the volume of ownership power may not be more unconditional. The social function cannot be identified with the external limitation of ownership which is reserved to collectivity, but it is presented as an elitist, unifying expression of the

  1. Properties of composite positive continuous functions in $\\mathbb{C}^n$

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. I. Bandura

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The properties of positive continuous functions with $Q^n_{\\mathbf{b}}$ and $Q$ are investigated. We prove that some composite functions with $Q$ belong to class $Q^n_{\\mathbf{b}}.$ A relation between functions with these classes are established.

  2. Optical properties (bidirectional reflectance distribution function) of shot fabric

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lu, Rong; Koenderink, Jan J.; Kappers, Astrid M L

    2000-01-01

    To study the optical properties of materials, one needs a complete set of the angular distribution functions of surface scattering from the materials. Here we present a convenient method for collecting a large set of bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) samples in the hemispherical

  3. Postlarval development of Nicolea uspiana (Polychaeta: Terebellidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André R. S. Garraffoni

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available The postlarval development of Nicolea uspiana (Nogueira, 2003, a small intertidal terebellid polychaete from rocky habitats on the southeastern and southern Brazilian coast, was studied based on postlarval, juvenile and adult specimens. The specimens, ranging from 8 to 43 segments, were collected between May 2006 and May 2007. The youngest postlarval specimen was found crawling outside of the tube. In specimens at different stages of growth, the number of ocelli and tentacles increased; the first pair of nephridial papillae appeared early (before 8-segmented specimen, and the second and third pairs appeared later (31-segmented specimen; the circulatory system only developed when the first pair of branchial bulbs arose (32-segmented specimen, and the second branchial pair appeared later (40-segmented specimen; and the inversion of the uncini positions in some rows occurred in the transition from larva to juvenile (17-segmented specimen. In the course of development, segments 2-3 lost the notochaetae, and segments 3-4 lost the neurochaetae. The changes involved in the development from postlarval to adult animals are illustrated by SEM micrographs and photographs.

  4. Chemical composition, physicochemical and functional properties of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The results of chemical composition, physicochemical and functional properties for both lupin samples indicated that lupins can be used as a raw material for various food products manufacturing and provide consistency in food processing, analogous to other food legumes. Therefore, the research findings can be used by ...

  5. Deterministic Differential Properties of the Compression Function of BMW

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guo, Jian; Thomsen, Søren Steffen

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we give some determinstic differential properties for the compression function of SHA-3 candidate Blue Midnight Wish (tweaked version for round 2). The computational complexity is about 20 compression function calls. This applies to security parameters 0/16, 1/15, and 2/14. The eff...

  6. Analytic properties of the whistler dispersion function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daniell, G.J.

    1986-01-01

    The analytic properties of the dispersion function of a whistler are investigated in the complex frequency plane. It possesses a pole and a branch point at a frequency equal to the minimum value of the electron gyrofrequency along the path of propagation. An integral equation relates the dispersion function to the distribution of magnetospheric electrons along the path and the solution of this equation is obtained. It is found that the electron density in the equatorial plane is very simply related to the dispersion function. A discussion of approximate formulae to represent the dispersion shows how particular terms can be related to attributes of the electron density distribution, and a new approximate formula is proposed. (author)

  7. Diazonium functionalized graphene: microstructure, electric, and magnetic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ping; Jing, Long; Zhu, Huarui; Gao, Xueyun

    2013-01-15

    The unique honeycomb lattice structure of graphene gives rise to its outstanding electronic properties such as ultrahigh carrier mobility, ballistic transport, and more. However, a crucial obstacle to its use in the electronics industry is its lack of an energy bandgap. A covalent chemistry strategy could overcome this problem, and would have the benefits of being highly controllable and stable in the ambient environment. One possible approach is aryl diazonium functionalization. In this Account, we investigate the micromolecular/lattice structure, electronic structure, and electron-transport properties of nitrophenyl-diazonium-functionalized graphene. We find that nitrophenyl groups mainly adopt random and inhomogeneous configurations on the graphene basal plane, and that their bonding with graphene carbon atoms leads to slight elongation of the graphene lattice spacing. By contrast, hydrogenated graphene has a compressed lattice. Low levels of functionalization suppressed the electric conductivity of the resulting functionalized graphene, while highly functionalized graphene showed the opposite effect. This difference arises from the competition between the charge transfer effect and the scattering enhancement effect introduced by nitrophenyl groups bonding with graphene carbon atoms. Detailed electron transport measurements revealed that the nitrophenyl diazonium functionalization locally breaks the symmetry of graphene lattice, which leads to an increase in the density of state near the Fermi level, thus increasing the carrier density. On the other hand, the bonded nitrophenyl groups act as scattering centers, lowering the mean free path of the charge carriers and suppressing the carrier mobility. In rare cases, we observed ordered configurations of nitrophenyl groups in local domains on graphene flakes due to fluctuations in the reaction processes. We describe one example of such a superlattice, with a lattice constant nearly twice of that of pristine graphene

  8. Structure-function-property-design interplay in biopolymers: spider silk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokareva, Olena; Jacobsen, Matthew; Buehler, Markus; Wong, Joyce; Kaplan, David L

    2014-04-01

    Spider silks have been a focus of research for almost two decades due to their outstanding mechanical and biophysical properties. Recent advances in genetic engineering have led to the synthesis of recombinant spider silks, thus helping to unravel a fundamental understanding of structure-function-property relationships. The relationships between molecular composition, secondary structures and mechanical properties found in different types of spider silks are described, along with a discussion of artificial spinning of these proteins and their bioapplications, including the role of silks in biomineralization and fabrication of biomaterials with controlled properties. Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Tuning the acid/base properties of nanocarbons by functionalization via amination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrigo, Rosa; Hävecker, Michael; Wrabetz, Sabine; Blume, Raoul; Lerch, Martin; McGregor, James; Parrott, Edward P J; Zeitler, J Axel; Gladden, Lynn F; Knop-Gericke, Axel; Schlögl, Robert; Su, Dang Sheng

    2010-07-21

    The surface chemical properties and the electronic properties of vapor grown carbon nanofibers (VGCNFs) have been modified by treatment of the oxidized CNFs with NH(3). The effect of treatment temperature on the types of nitrogen functionalities introduced was evaluated by synchrotron based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while the impact of the preparation methods on the surface acid-base properties was investigated by potentiometric titration, microcalorimetry, and zeta potential measurements. The impact of the N-functionalization on the electronic properties was measured by THz-Time Domain spectroscopy. The samples functionalized via amination are characterized by the coexistence of acidic and basic O and N sites. The population of O and N species is temperature dependent. In particular, at 873 K nitrogen is stabilized in substitutional positions within the graphitic structure, as heterocyclic-like moieties. The surface presents heterogeneously distributed and energetically different basic sites. A small amount of strong basic sites gives rise to a differential heat of CO(2) adsorption of 150 kJ mol(-1). However, when functionalization is carried out at 473 K, nitrogen moieties with basic character are introduced and the maximum heat of adsorption is significantly lower, at approximately 90 kJ mol(-1). In the latter sample, energetically different basic sites coexist with acidic oxygen groups introduced during the oxidative step. Under these conditions, a bifunctional acidic and basic surface is obtained with high hydrophilic character. N-functionalization carried out at higher temperature changes the electronic properties of the CNFs as evaluated by THz-TDS. The functionalization procedure presented in this work allows high versatility and flexibility in tailoring the surface chemistry of nanocarbon material to specific needs. This work shows the potential of the N-containing nanocarbon materials obtained via amination in catalysis as well as electronic

  10. Synthesis and electronic properties of chemically functionalized graphene on metal surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grüneis, Alexander

    2013-01-01

    A review on the electronic properties, growth and functionalization of graphene on metals is presented. Starting from the derivation of the electronic properties of an isolated graphene layer using the nearest neighbor tight-binding (TB) approximation for π and σ electrons, the TB model is then extended to third-nearest neighbors and interlayer coupling. The latter is relevant to few-layer graphene and graphite. Next, the conditions under which epitaxial graphene can be obtained by chemical vapor deposition are reviewed with a particular emphasis on the Ni(111) surface. Regarding functionalization, I first discuss the intercalation of monolayer Au into the graphene/Ni(111) interface, which renders graphene quasi-free-standing. The Au intercalated quasi-free-standing graphene is then the basis for chemical functionalization. Functionalization of graphene is classified into covalent, ionic and substitutional functionalization. As archetypical examples for these three possibilities I discuss covalent functionalization by hydrogen, ionic functionalization by alkali metals and substitutional functionalization by nitrogen heteroatoms.

  11. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Kolpakova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Traditionally rice and products of its processing are used to cook porridge, pilaf, lettuce, confectionery, fish, dairy and meat products. At the same time new ways of its processing with releasing of protein products for more effective using, including the use of a glutenfree diet, are developing. The task of this study was a comparative research of nutrition and biological value and functional properties of protein and protein-calcium concentrates produced from rice flour milled from white and brown rice. The traditional and special methods were used. Concentrates were isolated with enzyme preparations of xylanase and amylolytic activity with the next dissolution of protein in diluted hydrochloric acid. Concentrates differed in the content of mineral substances (calcium, zinc, iron and other elements, amino acids and functional properties. The values of the functional properties and indicators of the nutritional value of concentrates from white rice show the advisability of their using in food products, including gluten-free products prepared on the basis of the emulsion and foam systems, and concentrates from brown rice in food products prepared on the basis of using of the emulsion systems. Protein concentrates of brown rice have a low foaming capacity and there is no foam stability at all.

  12. Further properties of the zeros of Bessel functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Giordano

    1987-11-01

    Full Text Available New monotonicity and convexity properties for the zeros cνk  (k=1,2,... of the Bessel functions are proved. New inequalities for cνk are also given. These inequalities are useful for small values of ν.

  13. Cucurbitaceae Seed Protein Hydrolysates as a Potential Source of Bioactive Peptides with Functional Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César Ozuna

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Seeds from Cucurbitaceae plants (squashes, pumpkins, melons, etc. have been used both as protein-rich food ingredients and nutraceutical agents by many indigenous cultures for millennia. However, relatively little is known about the bioactive components (e.g., peptides of the Cucurbitaceae seed proteins (CSP and their specific effects on human health. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of latest research on bioactive and functional properties of CSP isolates and hydrolysates. Enzymatic hydrolysis can introduce a series of changes to the CSP structure and improve its bioactive and functional properties, including the enhanced protein solubility over a wide range of pH values. Small-sized peptides in CSP hydrolysates seem to enhance their bioactive properties but adversely affect their functional properties. Therefore, medium degrees of hydrolysis seem to benefit the overall improvement of bioactive and functional properties of CSP hydrolysates. Among the reported bioactive properties of CSP isolates and hydrolysates, their antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antihyperglycaemic activities stand out. Therefore, they could potentially substitute synthetic antioxidants and drugs which might have adverse secondary effects on human health. CSP isolates and hydrolysates could also be implemented as functional food ingredients, thanks to their favorable amino acid composition and good emulsifying and foaming properties.

  14. Functional and technological properties of camel milk proteins: a review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hailu, Yonas; Hansen, Egon Bech; Seifu, Eyassu

    2016-01-01

    This review summarises current knowledge on camel milk proteins, with focus on significant peculiarities in protein composition and molecular properties. Camel milk is traditionally consumed as a fresh or naturally fermented product. Within the last couple of years, an increasing quantity is being...... processed in dairy plants, and a number of consumer products have been marketed. A better understanding of the technological and functional properties, as required for product improvement, has been gained in the past years. Absence of the whey protein β-LG and a low proportion of к-casein cause differences...... in relation to dairy processing. In addition to the technological properties, there are also implications for human nutrition and camel milk proteins are of interest for applications in infant foods, for food preservation and in functional foods. Proposed health benefits include inhibition of the angiotensin...

  15. TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY AND TECHNICAL LEVEL INDICATORS APPLICATION FOR CIVIL AIRCRAFT FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vadim V. Efimov

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Functional properties characterize the purpose of the aircraft and are described by its flight performance characteristics such as range and cruising speed, payload, runway characteristics, etc. Functional properties also characterize the aircraft efficiency that determines the objective need for their analysis by both aircraft designers and operators in conditions of permanent and systematic efficiency increase necessity. When choosing the aircraft, it is important for the operator to make sure that a selected aircraft type has a high level of functional properties, which will allow it to provide high operational efficiency without obsolescence in the long term. However, when choosing from several aircraft types the operator has to face the fact that some characteristics of considered aircraft variants are better and the others are worse that does not allow to definitely determine what aircraft type has a higher level of functional properties.The possibility of applying technical efficiency indicators and a generalized technical level indicator for analyzing the functional properties of civil aviation aircraft is explored in this article. Fuel, weight and target efficiency values as well as the previously improved technical level indicator value were calculated for the different generations and modifications of Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families of medium-range airplanes, which was followed by the results interpretation within one airplane generation and when moving historically from one airplane generation to another. According to analysis results it is concluded that it is impossible to define the change of the aircraft functional properties level by the change in the values of separate technical efficiency indicators. Thus, it is proposed to use a generalized technical level indicator that determines the level of aircraft technical perfection for purpose and to use efficiency indicators to analyze the cost of providing this level of

  16. Nutritional, antioxidant, microstructural and pasting properties of functional pasta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir Gull

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed to characterize millet-pomace based pasta on the basis of functional, morphological, pasting and nutritional properties with control pasta (100% durum semolina. Functional pasta was developed by using blend of 20% finger millet flour, 12% pearl millet flour, 4% carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC and 64% composite flour containing durum semolina and carrot pomace. Nutritional analysis of developed pasta showed high content of minerals viz calcium, iron, zinc and dietary fiber compared to control pasta. The developed pasta showed better quality characteristics in terms of cooked weight, swelling index and water absorption. Color evaluation of developed pasta showed increase in L∗ and b∗ values. Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of developed pasta was significantly higher with respect to control. Also significant (p < 0.05 variations were observed in pasting properties between pasta samples. Microstructure evaluation of cooked pasta showed better interaction between starch and protein matrix with addition of carboxy methyl cellulose gum. Keywords: Pasta, Phenolic content, Antioxidant activity, Nutritional properties, Microstructure

  17. Optical properties (bidirectional reflectance distribution function) of shot fabric.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, R; Koenderink, J J; Kappers, A M

    2000-11-01

    To study the optical properties of materials, one needs a complete set of the angular distribution functions of surface scattering from the materials. Here we present a convenient method for collecting a large set of bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) samples in the hemispherical scattering space. Material samples are wrapped around a right-circular cylinder and irradiated by a parallel light source, and the scattered radiance is collected by a digital camera. We tilted the cylinder around its center to collect the BRDF samples outside the plane of incidence. This method can be used with materials that have isotropic and anisotropic scattering properties. We demonstrate this method in a detailed investigation of shot fabrics. The warps and the fillings of shot fabrics are dyed different colors so that the fabric appears to change color at different viewing angles. These color-changing characteristics are found to be related to the physical and geometrical structure of shot fabric. Our study reveals that the color-changing property of shot fabrics is due mainly to an occlusion effect.

  18. A density functional theory study of the influence of exchange-correlation functionals on the properties of FeAs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffin, Sinéad M; Spaldin, Nicola A

    2017-06-01

    We use density functional theory within the local density approximation (LDA), LDA  +  U, generalised gradient approximation (GGA), GGA  +  U, and hybrid-functional methods to calculate the properties of iron monoarsenide. FeAs, which forms in the MnP structure, is of current interest for potential spintronic applications as well as being the parent compound for the pnictide superconductors. We compare the calculated structural, magnetic and electronic properties obtained using the different functionals to each other and to experiment, and investigate the origin of a recently reported magnetic spiral. Our results indicate the appropriateness or otherwise of the various functionals for describing FeAs and the related Fe-pnictide superconductors.

  19. Functional properties and Solubility of date seed proteins as ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Med ali

    2013-03-06

    Mar 6, 2013 ... Key words: Phoenix dactylifera L, date palm seed, fibre, protein, functional properties. INTRODUCTION. The date .... was employed to perform dynamic measurements. ... are likely to be composed of high-molecular weight.

  20. Chemical Composition, antioxidant activity, functional properties and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Chemical Composition, antioxidant activity, functional properties and inhibitory action of unripe plantain ( M. Paradisiacae ) flour. ... of dry matter (48.00 ± 3.96%) and starch (31.10 ± 0.44%) but was low in phenol (1.42 ± 0.03%), protein (3.15 ± 0.042%), ash (5.50 ± 0.42%) and total soluble sugar (0.64 ± 0.001%) (p < 0.05).

  1. Surface structure and properties of functionalized nanodiamonds: a first-principles study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Datta, Aditi; Kirca, Mesut; Fu Yao; To, Albert C

    2011-01-01

    The goal of this work is to gain fundamental understanding of the surface and internal structure of functionalized detonation nanodiamonds (NDs) using quantum mechanics based density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The unique structure of ND assists in the binding of different functional groups to its surface which in turn facilitates binding with drug molecules. The ability to comprehensively model the surface properties, as well as drug-ND interactions during functionalization, is a challenge and is the problem of our interest. First, the structure of NDs of technologically relevant size (∼5 nm) was optimized using classical mechanics based molecular mechanics simulations. Quantum mechanics based density functional theory (DFT) was then employed to analyse the properties of smaller relevant parts of the optimized cluster further to address the effect of functionalization on the stability of the cluster and reactivity at its surface. It is found that functionalization is preferred over reconstruction at the (100) surface and promotes graphitization in the (111) surface for NDs functionalized with the carbonyl oxygen (C = O) group. It is also seen that the edges of ND are the preferred sites for functionalization with the carboxyl group (-COOH) vis-a-vis the corners of ND.

  2. Surface structure and properties of functionalized nanodiamonds: a first-principles study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Datta, Aditi; Kirca, Mesut; Fu Yao; To, Albert C, E-mail: albertto@pitt.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 (United States)

    2011-02-11

    The goal of this work is to gain fundamental understanding of the surface and internal structure of functionalized detonation nanodiamonds (NDs) using quantum mechanics based density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The unique structure of ND assists in the binding of different functional groups to its surface which in turn facilitates binding with drug molecules. The ability to comprehensively model the surface properties, as well as drug-ND interactions during functionalization, is a challenge and is the problem of our interest. First, the structure of NDs of technologically relevant size ({approx}5 nm) was optimized using classical mechanics based molecular mechanics simulations. Quantum mechanics based density functional theory (DFT) was then employed to analyse the properties of smaller relevant parts of the optimized cluster further to address the effect of functionalization on the stability of the cluster and reactivity at its surface. It is found that functionalization is preferred over reconstruction at the (100) surface and promotes graphitization in the (111) surface for NDs functionalized with the carbonyl oxygen (C = O) group. It is also seen that the edges of ND are the preferred sites for functionalization with the carboxyl group (-COOH) vis-a-vis the corners of ND.

  3. Stationary and related stochastic processes sample function properties and their applications

    CERN Document Server

    Cramér, Harald

    2004-01-01

    This graduate-level text offers a comprehensive account of the general theory of stationary processes, with special emphasis on the properties of sample functions. Assuming a familiarity with the basic features of modern probability theory, the text develops the foundations of the general theory of stochastic processes, examines processes with a continuous-time parameter, and applies the general theory to procedures key to the study of stationary processes. Additional topics include analytic properties of the sample functions and the problem of time distribution of the intersections between a

  4. Effects of Limited Hydrolysis and High-Pressure Homogenization on Functional Properties of Oyster Protein Isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Cuiping; Cha, Yue; Wu, Fan; Xu, Xianbing; Du, Ming

    2018-03-22

    In this study, the effects of limited hydrolysis and/or high-pressure homogenization (HPH) treatment in acid conditions on the functional properties of oyster protein isolates (OPI) were studied. Protein solubility, surface hydrophobicity, particle size distribution, zeta potential, foaming, and emulsifying properties were evaluated. The results showed that acid treatment led to the dissociation and unfolding of OPI. Subsequent treatment such as limited proteolysis, HPH, and their combination remarkably improved the functional properties of OPI. Acid treatment produced flexible aggregates, as well as reduced particle size and solubility. On the contrary, limited hydrolysis increased the solubility of OPI. Furthermore, HPH enhanced the effectiveness of the above treatments. The emulsifying and foaming properties of acid- or hydrolysis-treated OPI significantly improved. In conclusion, a combination of acid treatment, limited proteolysis, and HPH improved the functional properties of OPI. The improvements in the functional properties of OPI could potentiate the use of oyster protein and its hydrolysates in the food industry.

  5. Enhanced mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites by mixing noncovalently functionalized boron nitride nanoflakes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Dongju; Song, Sung Ho; Hwang, Jaewon; Jin, Sung Hwan; Park, Kwang Hyun; Kim, Bo Hyun; Hong, Soon Hyung; Jeon, Seokwoo

    2013-08-12

    The influence of surface modifications on the mechanical properties of epoxy-hexagonal boron nitride nanoflake (BNNF) nanocomposites is investigated. Homogeneous distributions of boron nitride nanoflakes in a polymer matrix, preserving intrinsic material properties of boron nitride nanoflakes, is the key to successful composite applications. Here, a method is suggested to obtain noncovalently functionalized BNNFs with 1-pyrenebutyric acid (PBA) molecules and to synthesize epoxy-BNNF nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties. The incorporation of noncovalently functionalized BNNFs into epoxy resin yields an elastic modulus of 3.34 GPa, and 71.9 MPa ultimate tensile strength at 0.3 wt%. The toughening enhancement is as high as 107% compared to the value of neat epoxy. The creep strain and the creep compliance of the noncovalently functionalized BNNF nanocomposite is significantly less than the neat epoxy and the nonfunctionalized BNNF nanocomposite. Noncovalent functionalization of BNNFs is effective to increase mechanical properties by strong affinity between the fillers and the matrix. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Pharmacological Properties of Melanin and its Function in Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    ElObeid, Adila Salih; Kamal-Eldin, Afaf; Abdelhalim, Mohamed Anwar K; Haseeb, Adil M

    2017-06-01

    The biological pigment melanin is present in most of the biological systems. It manifests a host of biological and pharmacological properties. Its role as a molecule with special properties and functions affecting general health, including photoprotective and immunological action, are well recognized. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, radioprotective, hepatic, gastrointestinal and hypoglycaemic benefits have only recently been recognized and studied. It is also associated with certain disorders of the nervous system. In this MiniReview, we consider the steadily increasing literature on the bioavailability and functional activity of melanin. Published literature shows that melanin may play a number of possible pharmacological effects such as protective, stimulatory, diagnostic and curative roles in human health. In this MiniReview, possible health roles and pharmacological effects are considered. © 2016 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

  7. Functional properties of irradiated starch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laouini, Wissal

    2011-01-01

    Irradiation is an effective method capable of modifying the functional properties of starches. Its effect depends on the specific structural and molecular organization of starch granules from different botanical sources. In this study, we have studied the effect of gamma irradiation (3, 5, 10, 20, 35, 50 kGy) on the rheological properties of some varieties of starch (potato, cassava and wheat). First, we were interested in determining dry matter content; the results showed that the variation in dry matter compared to the control (native starch) is almost zero. So it does not depend on the dose of irradiation. Contrariwise, it differs from a botanical species to another. The viscometer has shown that these starches develop different behaviors during shearing. The native potato starch gave the highest viscosity followed by wheat and cassava which have almost similar viscosities. For all varieties, the viscosity of starch decreases dramatically with an increasing dose of irradiation. At high doses (35 and 50 kGy) the behavior of different starch is similar to that of a viscous pure liquid. The textural analysis via the back-extrusion test showed that increasing the dose of radiation causes a decrease in extrusion force and the energy spent of the different starch throughout the test. Indeed, the extrusion resistance decreases with increasing dose.

  8. Algebraic and analyticity properties of the n-point function in quantum field theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bros, Jacques

    1970-01-01

    The general theory of quantized fields (axiomatic approach) is investigated. A systematic study of the algebraic properties of all the Green functions of a local field, which generalize the ordinary retarded and advanced functions, is presented. The notion emerges of a primitive analyticity domain of the n-point function, and of the existence of auxiliary analytic functions into which the various Green functions can be decomposed. Certain processes of analytic completion are described, and then applied to enlarging the primitive domain, particularly for the case n = 4; among the results the crossing property for all scattering amplitudes which involve two incoming and two outgoing particles is proved. (author) [fr

  9. Differential forms orthogonal to holomorphic functions or forms, and their properties

    CERN Document Server

    Aizenberg, L A

    1983-01-01

    The authors consider the problem of characterizing the exterior differential forms which are orthogonal to holomorphic functions (or forms) in a domain D\\subset {\\mathbf C}^n with respect to integration over the boundary, and some related questions. They give a detailed account of the derivation of the Bochner-Martinelli-Koppelman integral representation of exterior differential forms, which was obtained in 1967 and has already found many important applications. They study the properties of \\overline \\partial-closed forms of type (p, n - 1), 0\\leq p\\leq n - 1, which turn out to be the duals (with respect to the orthogonality mentioned above) to holomorphic functions (or forms) in several complex variables, and resemble holomorphic functions of one complex variable in their properties.

  10. Functional properties of Mozzarella cheese for its end use application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ah, Jana; Tagalpallewar, Govind P

    2017-11-01

    Cheese is an extremely versatile food product that has a wide range of flavor, textures and end uses. The vast majority of cheese is eaten not by itself, but as part of another food. As an ingredient in foods, cheese is required to exhibit functional characteristics in the raw as well as cooked forms. Melting, stretching, free-oil formation, elasticity and browning are the functional properties considered to be significant for Mozzarella cheese. When a cheese is destined for its end use, some of its unique characteristics play a significant role in the products acceptability. For instance pH of cheese determines the cheese structure which in turn decides the cheese shredability and meltability properties. The residual galactose content in cheese mass determines the propensity of cheese to brown during baking. Development of 'tailor-made cheese' involves focusing on manipulation of such unique traits of cheese in order to obtain the desired characteristics for its end use application suiting the varied consumer's whims and wishes. This comprehensive review paper will provide an insight to the cheese maker regarding the factors determining the functional properties of cheese and also for the pizza manufacturers to decide which age of cheese to be used which will perform well in baking applications.

  11. Structural and functional properties of alkali-treated high-amylose rice starch.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Jinwen; Yang, Yang; Man, Jianmin; Huang, Jun; Wang, Zhifeng; Zhang, Changquan; Gu, Minghong; Liu, Qiaoquan; Wei, Cunxu

    2014-02-15

    Native starches were isolated from mature grains of high-amylose transgenic rice TRS and its wild-type rice TQ and treated with 0.1% and 0.4% NaOH for 7 and 14 days at 35 °C. Alkali-treated starches were characterised for structural and functional properties using various physical methods. The 0.1% NaOH treatment had no significant effect on structural and functional properties of starches except that it markedly increased the hydrolysis of starch by amylolytic enzymes. The 0.4% NaOH treatment resulted in some changes in structural and functional properties of starches. The alkali treatment affected granule morphology and decreased the electron density between crystalline and amorphous lamellae of starch. The effect of alkali on the crystalline structure including long- and short-range ordered structure was not pronounced. Compared with control starch, alkali-treated TRS starches had lower amylose content, higher onset and peak gelatinisation temperatures, and faster hydrolysis of starch by HCl and amylolytic enzymes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Impact of exopolysaccharide production on functional properties of some Lactobacillus salivarius strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercan, Emin; İspirli, Hümeyra; Sert, Durmuş; Yılmaz, Mustafa Tahsin; Dertli, Enes

    2015-11-01

    The aim of this work was to characterize functional properties of Lactobacillus salivarius strains isolated from chicken feces. Detection of genes responsible for exopolysaccharide (EPS) production revealed that all strains harbored a dextransucrase gene, but p-gtf gene was only detected in strain E4. Analysis of EPS production levels showed significant alterations among strains tested. Biofilm formation was found to be medium composition dependant, and there was a negative correlation with biofilm formation and EPS production. Autoaggregation properties and coaggregation of L. salivarius strains with chicken pathogens were appeared to be specific at strain level. An increment in bacterial adhesion to chicken gut explants was observed in L. salivarius strains with the reduction in EPS production levels. This study showed that strain-specific properties can determine the functional properties of L. salivarius strains, and the interference of these properties might be crucial for final selection of these strains for technological purposes.

  13. Laser shape setting of superelastic nitinol wires: Functional properties and microstructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuissi, Ausonio; Coduri, Mauro; Biffi, Carlo Alberto

    Shape setting is one of the most important steps in the production route of Nitinol Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs), as it can fix the functional properties, such as the shape memory effect and the superelasticity (SE). The conventional method for making the shape setting is performed at 400-500∘C in furnaces. In this work, a laser beam was adopted for performing straight shape setting on commercially available austenitic Nitinol thin wires. The laser beam, at different power levels, was moved along the wire length for inducing the functional performances. Calorimetric, pseudo-elastic and microstructural features of the laser annealed wires were studied through differential scanning calorimetry, tensile testing and high energy X-ray diffraction, respectively. It can be stated that the laser technology can induce SE in thin Nitinol wires: the wire performances can be modulated in function of the laser power and improved functional properties can be obtained.

  14. Stability properties of an anisotropic guiding center plasma and relation with the Suydam function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choe, J.Y.; Davidson, R.C.

    1979-01-01

    The effect of pressure anisotropy on the equilibrium and stability properties of an unstable guiding center plasma and the dependence of associated stability properties on the Suydam function S are examined. An explicit solution of the guiding center plasma equilibrium equation is obtained as a function of the anitsotropy parameter αequivalentP/sub parallel//P/sub perpendicular/ (assumed constant), and the maximum growth rates for internal kink modes are numerically computed for the entire permissible range of α. For a typical tokamak field configuration with shear in straight cylindrical geometry, it is found that the maximum growth rate is a monotonically increasing function of α. A detailed parameter study of equilibrium and stability properties is presented. The dependence of stability properties on the Suydam function S is investigated by correlating maximum growth rates with the magnitude of S, and by examining the ratio of consecutive eigenvalues for each set of the parameters. The numerical analysis shows that, even though the Suydam function occurs naturally in studies of marginal stability, the maximum growth rate (except for a narrow range of α) is a monotonically decreasing function of S

  15. On certain properties of some generalized special functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pathan, M.A.; Khan, Subuhi

    2002-06-01

    In this paper, we derive a result concerning eigenvector for the product of two operators defined on a Lie algebra of endomorphisms of a vector space. The results given by Radulescu, Mandal and authors follow as special cases of this result. Further using these results, we deduce certain properties of generalized Hermite polynomials and Hermite Tricomi functions. (author)

  16. Studies on the proximate composition, functional properties and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The present study produced full fat and defatted flours from matured ackee apple arils and evaluated the proximate composition and the effect of pH and salt concentrations on some of the functional properties of the full fat flour and the defatted flour. Matured ackee apple arils were oven-dried at 60 oC and milled to obtain ...

  17. Some properties of generalized biregular functions with values in a Clifford algebra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Hung Son; Tran Quyet Thang.

    1992-09-01

    In this paper some properties of holomorphic functions such as the Identity Theorem, the Maximum Modulus Principle, the Hartogs Extension Theorem are proved for a class of more general functions taking values in a Clifford algebra than the regular and biregular functions. (author). 7 refs

  18. Intrinsic electrical properties of mammalian neurons and CNS function: a historical perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llinás, Rodolfo R.

    2014-01-01

    This brief review summarizes work done in mammalian neuroscience concerning the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of four neuronal types; Cerebellar Purkinje cells, inferior olivary cells, thalamic cells, and some cortical interneurons. It is a personal perspective addressing an interesting time in neuroscience when the reflex view of brain function, as the paradigm to understand global neuroscience, began to be modified toward one in which sensory input modulates rather than dictates brain function. The perspective of the paper is not a comprehensive description of the intrinsic electrical properties of all nerve cells but rather addresses a set of cell types that provide indicative examples of mechanisms that modulate brain function. PMID:25408634

  19. INTRINSIC ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF MAMMALIAN NEURONS AND CNS FUNCTION: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolfo R Llinas

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This brief review summarizes work done in mammalian neuroscience concerning the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of four neuronal types; Cerebellar Purkinje cells, inferior olivary cells, thalamic cells, and some cortical interneurons. It is a personal perspective addressing an interesting time in neuroscience when the reflex view of brain function, as the paradigm to understand global neuroscience, began to be modified towards one in which sensory input modulates rather than dictates brain function. The perspective of the paper is not a comprehensive description of the intrinsic electrical properties of all nerve cells but rather addresses a set of cell types that provide indicative examples of mechanisms that modulate brain function.

  20. Physicochemical and functional properties of dietary fiber from maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) liquor residue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jinjin; Zhao, Qingsheng; Wang, Liwei; Zha, Shenghua; Zhang, Lijun; Zhao, Bing

    2015-11-05

    Using maca (Lepidium meyenii) liquor residue as the raw material, dietary fiber (DF) was prepared by chemical (MCDF) and enzymatic (MEDF) methods, respectively, of which the physicochemical and functional properties were comparatively studied. High contents of DF were found in MCDF (55.63%) and MEDF (81.10%). Both fibers showed good functional properties, including swelling capacity, water holding capacity, oil holding capacity, glucose adsorption capacity and glucose retardation index. MEDF showed better functional properties, which could be attributed to its higher content of DF, more irregular surface and more abundant monosaccharide composition. The results herein suggest that maca DF prepared by enzymatic method from liquor residue is a good functional ingredient in food products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Styrene Butadiene Rubber - Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes Nanocomposites

    KAUST Repository

    Laoui, Tahar

    2013-01-01

    The effect of reinforcing styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) with functionalized carbon nanotubes on the mechanical and thermal properties of the nanocomposite was investigated. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were functionalized with phenol

  2. Electron beam technology for modifying the functional properties of maize starch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nemtanu, M.R.; Minea, R.; Kahraman, K.; Koksel, H.; Ng, P.K.W.; Popescu, M.I.; Mitru, E.

    2007-01-01

    Maize starch is a versatile biopolymer with a wide field of applications (e.g. foods, pharmaceutical products, adhesives, etc.). Nowadays there is a continuous and intensive search for new methods and techniques to modify its functional properties due to the fact that native form of starch may exhibit some disadvantages in certain applications. Radiation technology is frequently used to change the properties of different polymeric materials. Thus, the goal of the work is to discuss the application of accelerated electron beams on maize starch in the view of changing some of its functional properties. Maize starch has been irradiated with doses up to 52.15 kGy by using electron beam technology and the modifications of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and pasting characteristics, paste clarity, freezing and thawing stability as well as colorimetric characteristics have been investigated. The results of the study revealed that the measured properties can be modified by electron beam treatment and, therefore, this method can be an efficient and ecological alternative to obtain modified maize starch

  3. Appropriate Processing And Food Functional Properties Of Maize ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Starch, fat and fibre contents were the major contributing factors in the differences in functional properties exhibited by the two types of flours. DF products would produce more sticky and pasty products than those of nDF. (Af. J. of Science and Technology: 2002 3(1): 126-131). http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajst.v3i1.15297.

  4. The Extremism of Two Variable Function Based on the Positive Definite Property

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Lü Bao-xian; LI Xiu-li

    2004-01-01

    In this paper we give out a sufficientand solution of quadratic function's maximum with theory of quadratic form and give out the definition of the positivedefinite property of the following homogeneous polynomials of degree 2n two variables function, based on the definite of localmaximum of two variables function.

  5. LENSING PROPERTIES OF THE EINASTO PROFILE IN TERMS OF THE MEIJER G FUNCTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edwin Retana-Montenegro

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In N-body simulations of cold dark matter, it has been found that three-parameter models, particularly the Einasto profile, yield better fits to a wide range of dark matter haloes than two parameter models like the Navarro-Frenk-White profile. Recently, the analytical properties of the Einasto profile has been studied, allowing closed expressions for its surface mass density and lensing properties in terms of the Fox H and Meijer G functions, using a Mellin transform formalism. These expressions are valid for all values of the Einasto index in terms of the Fox H function, and valid for integer and half-integer values of Einasto index in terms of the Meijer G function. In this paper, we derive expressions for lensing properties of the Einasto profile for all rational values of the Einasto index in terms of the Meijer G function. Equivalency between these expressions and other recent results is also discussed

  6. Nutritional and functional properties of a complementary food based ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Faculty of Agriculture

    2012-04-02

    Apr 2, 2012 ... The effect of processing on the functional and nutritional properties of amaranth grain was analyzed. Two blends were prepared from raw and processed amaranth grains. Standard procedures of Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) were used to determine the proximate chemical composition ...

  7. Exploration work function and optical properties of monolayer SnSe allotropes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Zhen; Wang, Xia; Ding, Yingchun; Li, Meiqin

    2018-02-01

    The work function and optical properties are investigated with density functional theory for three monolayer SnSe allotropes. The calculated results indicate that the α-SnSe, δ-SnSe, ε-SnSe are semiconductor with the band gaps of 0.90, 1.25, and 1.50 eV, respectively. Meanwhile, the work function of δ-SnSe is lower than α-SnSe and ε-SnSe, which indicates that the δ-SnSe can be prepared of photoemission and field emission nanodevices. More importantly, the α-SnSe, δ-SnSe, ε-SnSe with the large static dielectric constants are 4.22, 5.48, and 3.61, which demonstrate that the three monolayer SnSe allotropes can be fabricated the capacitor. In addition, the static refractive index of δ-SnSe is larger than α-SnSe and ε-SnSe. The different optical properties with three monolayer SnSe allotropes reveal that the allotropes can regulate the properties of the materials. Moreover, our researched results show that the three monolayer SnSe allotropes are sufficient for fabrication of optoelectronic nanodevices.

  8. Effects of milling on functional properties of rice flour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadan, R S; Bryant, R J; Miller, J A

    2008-05-01

    A commercial long-grain rice flour (CRF) and the flours made by using a pin mill and the Udy mill from the same batch of broken second-head white long-grain rice were evaluated for their particle size and functional properties. The purpose of this study was to compare the commercial rice flour milling method to the pin and Udy milling methods used in our laboratory and pilot plant. The results showed that pin milled flour had more uniform particle size than the other 2 milled flours. The chalky kernels found in broken white milled rice were pulverized more into fines in both Udy milled flour and CRF than in the pin milled flour. The excessive amount of fines in flours affected their functional properties, for example, WSI and their potential usage in the novel foods such as rice breads (RB). The RB made from CRF collapsed more than loaves made from pin milled Cypress long-grain flours.

  9. Structural and electrical properties of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube/epoxy composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gantayat, S.; Rout, D.; Swain, S. K.

    2016-01-01

    The effect of the functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotube on the structure and electrical properties of composites was investigated. Samples based on epoxy resin with different weight percentage of MWCNTs were prepared and characterized. The interaction between MWCNT & epoxy resin was noticed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The structure of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube (f-MWCNT) reinforced epoxy composite was studied by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The dispersion of f-MWCNT in epoxy resin was evidenced by high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Electrical properties of epoxy/f-MWCNT nanocomposites were measured & the result indicated that the conductivity increased with increasing concentration of f-MWCNTs.

  10. Rheological and Functional Properties of Catfish Skin Protein Hydrolysates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Catfish skin is an abundant and underutilized resource that can be used as a unique protein source to make fish skin hydrolysates. The objectives of this study were to: isolating soluble and insoluble proteins from hydrolyzed catfish skin and study the chemical and functional properties of the prote...

  11. Modal functions. Properties and application for simulation of subject regions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudkevich, A.V.

    1988-01-01

    New type of information structures for simulation of undefined information in information retrieval systems is suggested. Main properties of modal functions have been proved. Algorithm of their applications for data retrieval is presented. 9 refs

  12. Physically unclonable functions constructions, properties and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Maes, Roel

    2013-01-01

    Physically unclonable functions (PUFs) are innovative physical security primitives that produce unclonable and inherent instance-specific measurements of physical objects; in many ways they are the inanimate equivalent of biometrics for human beings. Since they are able to securely generate and store secrets, they allow us to bootstrap the physical implementation of an information security system. In this book the author discusses PUFs in all their facets: the multitude of their physical constructions, the algorithmic and physical properties which describe them, and the techniques required to

  13. Nutritional and functional properties of a complementary food based ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The objective of this study was to determine the nutritional and functional properties of Amaranthus cruentus grain grown in Kenya for preparation of a ready-to-eat product that can be recommended as infant complementary food. Amaranth grains were subjected to steeping and steam pre-gelatinization to produce a ...

  14. Functional and pasting properties of cassava and sweet potato ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The functional and pasting properties of cassava starch and sweet potato starch mixtures at different ratios were investigated. Starches from four different cassava genotypes ('Adehye', AFS048, 'Bankye Botan' and OFF146) and one local sweet potato were used for the study. The swelling volume and swelling power of ...

  15. Poisson-type inequalities for growth properties of positive superharmonic functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luan, Kuan; Vieira, John

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we present new Poisson-type inequalities for Poisson integrals with continuous data on the boundary. The obtained inequalities are used to obtain growth properties at infinity of positive superharmonic functions in a smooth cone.

  16. Effect of drying temperatures on starch-related functional and thermal properties of acorn flours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correia, P R; Beirão-da-Costa, M L

    2011-03-01

    The application of starchy flours from different origins in food systems depends greatly on information about the chemical and functional properties of such food materials. Acorns are important forestry resources in the central and southern regions of Portugal. To preserve these fruits and to optimize their use, techniques like drying are needed. The effects of different drying temperatures on starch-related functional properties of acorn flours obtained from dried fruits of Quercus rotundifolia (QR) and Quercus suber (QS) were evaluated. Flours were characterized for amylose and resistant starch (RS) contents, swelling ability, and gelatinization properties. Drying temperature mainly affected amylose content and viscoamylographic properties. Amylograms of flours from fruits dried at 60 °C displayed higher consistency (2102 B.U. and 1560 B.U., respectively, for QR and QS). The transition temperatures and enthalpy were less affected by drying temperature, suggesting few modifications in starch structure during drying. QR flours presented different functional properties to those obtained from QS acorn flours. The effect of drying temperatures were more evident in QR.

  17. Production of Lupinus angustifolius protein hydrolysates with improved functional properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Millán, Francisco

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Protein hydrolysates wer e obtained from lupin flour and from the purified globulin α -conglutin, and their functional properties were studied. Hydrolysis with alcalase for 60 minutes yielded degrees of hydrolysis ranging from 4 % to 11 % for lupin flour, and from 4 % to 13% for α -conglutin. Protein solubility, oil absorption, foam capacity and stability, emulsifying activity, and emulsion stability of hydrolysates with 6% degree of hydrolysis were determined and compared with the properties of the original flour. The protein hydrolysates showed better functional properties than the original proteins. Most importantly, the solubility of the α -conglutin and L. angustifolius flour hydrolysates was increased by 43 % and 52 %, respectively. Thus, lupin seed protein hydrolysates have improved functional properties and could be used in the elaboration of a variety of products such as breads, cakes, and salad dressings.Se obtuvieron hidrolizados proteicos de la harina del altramuz y de la globulina α - conglutina purificada y se estudiaron sus propiedades funcionales. La hidrólisis con alcalasa durante 60 minutos produjo hidrolizados con grados de hidrólisis entre el 4 % y el 11 % para la harina y entre el 4 % y el 13 % para la α - conglutina. Se estudió en un hidrolizado con un 6 % de grado de hidrólisis la solubilidad proteica, absorción de aceite, capacidad y estabilidad espumante y actividad y estabilidad emulsificante. Los hidrolizados proteicos mostraron mejores propiedades funcionales que las proteínas originales. Más aún, la solubilidad de los hidrolizados de α - conglutina y la harina se incrementó en un 43 % y 52 % respectivamente. Así pues, hidrolizados de proteínas de semilla de lupino presentan mejores propiedades funcionales y podrían usarse en la elaboración de productos como pan, dulces, salsas o cremas.

  18. Can matter mark the hours? Eighteenth-century vitalist materialism and functional properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaitaro, Timo

    2008-12-01

    Eighteenth-century Montpellerian vitalism and contemporaneous French "vitalist" materialism, exemplified by the medical and biological materialism of La Mettrie and Diderot, differ in some essential aspects from some later forms of vitalism that tended to postulate immaterial vital principles or forces. This article examines the arguments defending the existence of vital properties in living organisms presented in the context of eighteenth-century French materialism. These arguments had recourse to technological metaphors and analogies, mainly clockworks, in order to claim that just as machines can have functional properties which its parts do not possess (e.g., showing time), so living organisms can, as material entities, also have organic or vital properties which its material parts do not possess. Such arguments, with the help of a healthy dose of epistemological scepticism, tend to strike a balance between two positions concerning the ontology of life which we now tend to label "vitalism" and "emergentism." Although there is nothing inconsistent in viewing vital properties as emergent, some ambiguity results if one does not draw a clear distinction between properties and functions. The philosophical problems related to these ambiguities are revealed in Diderot's apparent hesitation concerning sentience as "a general property of matter or the product of organization."

  19. Functional antagonistic properties of clozapine at the 5-HT3 receptor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermann, B; Wetzel, C H; Pestel, E; Zieglgänsberger, W; Holsboer, F; Rupprecht, R

    1996-08-23

    The atypical neuroleptic clozapine is thought to exert its psychopharmacological actions through a variety of neurotransmitter receptors. It binds preferentially to D4 and 5-HT2 receptors; however, little is known on it's interaction with the 5-HT3 receptor. Using a cell line stably expressing the 5-HT3 receptor, whole-cell voltage-clamp analysis revealed functional antagonistic properties of clozapine at low nanomolar concentrations in view of a binding affinity in the upper nanomolar range. Because the concentration of clozapine required for an interaction with the 5-HT3 receptor can be achieved with therapeutical doses, functional antagonistic properties at this ligand-gated ion channel may contribute to its unique psychopharmacological profile.

  20. Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Styrene Butadiene Rubber - Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes Nanocomposites

    KAUST Repository

    Laoui, Tahar

    2013-01-01

    The effect of reinforcing styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) with functionalized carbon nanotubes on the mechanical and thermal properties of the nanocomposite was investigated. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were functionalized with phenol functional group to enhance their dispersion in SBR matrix. Surface functionalization of the CNTs was carried out using acid treatment and FTIR technique was utilized so as to ascertain the presence of phenol functional group. This was followed with the dispersion of the functionalized CNTs into a polymer solution and a subsequent evaporation of the solvent. This study has demonstrated the inherent capability of CNTs as reinforcing filler as demonstrated by the substantial improvement in Young\\'s Modulus, tensile strength and energy of absorption of the nanocomposites. The tensile strength increased from 0.17 MPa (SBR) to 0.48 MPa while the Young\\'s Modulus increased from 0.25 MPa to 0.83 MPa when 10wt% functionalized CNTs was added. With the addition of 1wt% reinforcement-a peak value of 4.1 KJ energy absorption was obtained. The homogenous dispersion of CNT-Phenol is thought to be responsible for the considerable enhancement in the reported properties. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

  1. Exploring the Potential of Mesquite Gum-Nopal Mucilage Mixtures: Physicochemical and Functional Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortés-Camargo, Stefani; Gallardo-Rivera, Raquel; Barragán-Huerta, Blanca E; Dublán-García, Octavio; Román-Guerrero, Angélica; Pérez-Alonso, César

    2018-01-01

    In this work the physicochemical and functional properties of mesquite gum (MG) and nopal mucilage (NM) mixtures (75-25, 50-50, 25-75) were evaluated and compared with those of the individual biopolymers. MG-NM mixtures exhibited more negative zeta potential (ZP) values than those displayed by MG and NM, with 75-25 MG-NM showing the most negative value (-14.92 mV at pH = 7.0), indicative that this biopolymer mixture had the highest electrostatic stability in aqueous dispersions. Viscosity curves and strain amplitude sweep of aqueous dispersions (30% w/w) of the individual gums and their mixtures revealed that all exhibited shear thinning behavior, with NM having higher viscosity than MG, and all displaying fluid-like viscoelastic behavior where the loss modulus predominated over the storage modulus (G″>G'). Differential Scanning Calorimetry revealed that MG, NM, and MG-NM mixtures were thermally stable with decomposition peaks in a range from 303.1 to 319.6 °C. From the functional properties viewpoint, MG (98.4 ± 0.7%) had better emulsifying capacity than NM (51.9 ± 2.0%), while NM (43.0 ± 1.4%) had better foaming capacity than MG. MG-NM mixtures acquired additional functional properties (emulsifying and foaming) regarding the individual biopolymers. Therefore, MG-NM mixtures represent interesting alternatives for their application as emulsifying and foaming agents in food formulations. Mesquite gum (MG) and nopal mucilage (NM) are promising raw materials with excellent functional properties whose use has been largely neglected by the food industry. This work demonstrates MG-NM mixtures acquired additional functional properties regarding the individual biopolymers, making these mixtures multifunctional ingredients for the food industry. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  2. Some properties of the Catalan-Qi function related to the Catalan numbers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Feng; Mahmoud, Mansour; Shi, Xiao-Ting; Liu, Fang-Fang

    2016-01-01

    In the paper, the authors find some properties of the Catalan numbers, the Catalan function, and the Catalan-Qi function which is a generalization of the Catalan numbers. Concretely speaking, the authors present a new expression, asymptotic expansions, integral representations, logarithmic convexity, complete monotonicity, minimality, logarithmically complete monotonicity, a generating function, and inequalities of the Catalan numbers, the Catalan function, and the Catalan-Qi function. As by-products, an exponential expansion and a double inequality for the ratio of two gamma functions are derived.

  3. Seed treatments affect functional and antinutritional properties of amaranth flours

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gamel, T.H.; Linssen, J.P.H.; Mesallam, A.S.; Damir, A.A.; Shekib, L.A.

    2006-01-01

    The effects of seed treatments, including cooking, popping germination and flour air classification, on the functional properties and antinutritional factors of Amaranthus caudatus and Amaranthus cruentus seeds were studied. Thermal treatments increased the water absorption with a maximum value of

  4. Functional properties of myoglobins from five whale species with different diving capacities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helbo, Signe; Fago, Angela

    2012-10-01

    Whales show an exceptionally wide range of diving capabilities and many express high amounts of the O(2) carrier protein myoglobin (Mb) in their muscle tissues, which increases their aerobic diving capacity. Although previous studies have mainly focused on the muscle Mb concentration and O(2) carrying capacity as markers of diving behavior in whales, it still remains unexplored whether whale Mbs differ in their O(2) affinities and nitrite reductase and peroxidase enzymatic activities, all functions that could contribute to differences in diving capacities. In this study, we have measured the functional properties of purified Mbs from five toothed whales and two baleen whales and have examined their correlation with average dive duration. Results showed that some variation in functional properties exists among whale Mbs, with toothed whale Mbs having higher O(2) affinities and nitrite reductase activities (similar to those of horse Mb) compared with baleen whale Mbs. However, these differences did not correlate with average dive duration. Instead, a significant correlation was found between whale Mb concentration and average duration and depth of dives, and between O(2) affinity and nitrite reductase activity when including horse Mb. Despite the fact that the functional properties showed little species-specific differences in vitro, they may still contribute to enhancing diving capacity as a result of the increased muscle Mb concentration found in extreme divers. In conclusion, Mb concentration rather than specific functional reactivities may support whale diving performance.

  5. Tuning of electronic properties and dynamical stability of graphene oxide with different functional groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabhi, Shweta D.; Jha, Prafulla K.

    2017-09-01

    The structural, electronic and vibrational properties of graphene oxide (GO) with varying proportion of epoxy and hydroxyl functional groups have been studied using density functional theory. The functional groups and oxygen density have an obvious influence on the electronic and vibrational properties. The dependence of band gap on associated functional groups and oxygen density shows a possibility of tuning the band gap of graphene by varying the functional groups as well as oxidation level. The absorption of high oxygen content in graphene leads to the gap opening and resulting in a transition from semimetal to semiconductor. Phonon dispersion curves show no imaginary frequency or no softening of any phonon mode throughout the Brillouin zone which confirms the dynamical stability of all considered GO models. Different groups and different oxygen density result into the varying characteristics of phonon modes. The computed results show good agreement with the experimental observations. Our results present interesting possibilities for engineering the electronic properties of graphene and GO and impact the fabrication of new electronics.

  6. High maneuverability guidewire with functionally graded properties using new superelastic alloys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutou, Y; Yamauchi, K; Suzuki, M; Furukawa, A; Omori, T; Takagi, T; Kainuma, R; Nishida, M; Ishida, K

    2006-01-01

    Nitinol shape memory alloys (SMAs) are attracting considerable attention as core materials for medical guidewires because of their excellent flexibility and shape retention. However, since Nitinol guidewires possess low rigidity, the pushability and torquability of the guidewires are insufficient. On the other hand, although guidewires made of stainless steel have high pushability, plastic deformation occurs easily. We have developed a new class of superelastic guidewires with functionally graded properties from the tip to the end by using new SMA core materials such as Cu-Al-Mn-based or Ni-free Ti-Mo-Sn SMAs. The tip portion of the guidewire shows excellent superelasticity (SE), while the body portion possesses high rigidity. These functionally graded characteristics can be realized by microstructural control. These guidewires with functionally graded properties show excellent pushability and torquability and are considerably easier to handle than conventional guidewires with Nitinol or stainless steel cores. Moreover, a metallic catheter using a Ni-free Ti-based SMA with high biocompatibility is introduced.

  7. Comparative Evaluation of Functional Properties of Some Commonly Used Cereal and Legume Flours and Their Blends

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haq Nawaz

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Functional properties such as protein solubility, swelling capacity, water holding capacity, gelling ability, bulk density and foaming capacity of flours of some commonly used cereals and legume (wheat, refined wheat, maize and chickpea and their blends were studied. Blends of flours were prepared by mixing equal proportions of selected floors. Statistically significant difference  in studied functional properties except bulk density was observed among cereal flours and their blends. Chickpea flour was found to possess comparatively high water holding capacity, protein solubility index and swelling capacity. The functional properties of maize and wheat flours were found to be improved when blended with chickpea. Chickpea flour and its blends with cereal flours were found to possess good functional score and suggested as favorable candidates for use in the preparation of viscous foods and bakery products. The data provide guidelines regarding the improvement in functional properties of economically favorable cereal flours.

  8. Physical and functional properties of breakfast cereals from maize ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The results revealed the following ranges of physical and functional properties; pH (4.70- 6.56), bulk density (0.29 - 0.71g/ml), water absorption capacity (68.31- 76.39%), oil absorption capacity (0.87- 1.32%), foam capacity (2.48- 3.49%), viscosity (19.73-31.08%), gelation temperature (121-157°C), emulsification capacity ...

  9. Improvement of Functional Properties by Sever Plastic Deformation on Parts of Titanium Biomaterials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czán, Andrej; Babík, Ondrej; Daniš, Igor; Martikáň, Pavol; Czánová, Tatiana

    2017-12-01

    Main task of materials for invasive implantology is their biocompatibility with the tissue but also requirements for improving the functional properties of given materials are increasing constantly. One of problems of materials biocompatibility is the impossibility to improve of functional properties by change the percentage of the chemical elements and so it is necessary to find other innovative methods of improving of functional properties such as mechanical action in the form of high deformation process. This paper is focused on various methods of high deformation process such as Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) when rods with record strength properties were obtained.The actual studies of the deformation process properties as tri-axial compress stress acting on workpiece with high speed of deformation shows effects similar to results obtained using the other methods, but in lower levels of stress. Hydrostatic extrusion (HE) is applying for the purpose of refining the structure of the commercially pure titanium up to nano-scale. Experiments showed the ability to reduce the grain size below 100 nm. Due to the significant change in the performance of the titanium materials by severe plastic deformation is required to identify the processability of materials with respect to the identification of created surfaces and monitoring the surface integrity, where the experimental results show ability of SPD technologies application on biomaterials.

  10. The Intrinsic Electrophysiological Properties of Mammalian Neurons: Insights into Central Nervous System Function

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llinas, Rodolfo R.

    1988-12-01

    This article reviews the electroresponsive properties of single neurons in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). In some of these cells the ionic conductances responsible for their excitability also endow them with autorhythmic electrical oscillatory properties. Chemical or electrical synaptic contacts between these neurons often result in network oscillations. In such networks, autorhytmic neurons may act as true oscillators (as pacemakers) or as resonators (responding preferentially to certain firing frequencies). Oscillations and resonance in the CNS are proposed to have diverse functional roles, such as (i) determining global functional states (for example, sleep-wakefulness or attention), (ii) timing in motor coordination, and (iii) specifying connectivity during development. Also, oscillation, especially in the thalamo-cortical circuits, may be related to certain neurological and psychiatric disorders. This review proposes that the autorhythmic electrical properties of central neurons and their connectivity form the basis for an intrinsic functional coordinate system that provides internal context to sensory input.

  11. Physical and functional properties of arrowroot starch extrudates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jyothi, A N; Sheriff, J T; Sajeev, M S

    2009-03-01

    Arrowroot starch, a commercially underexploited tuber starch but having potential digestive and medicinal properties, has been subjected to extrusion cooking using a single screw food extruder. Different levels of feed moisture (12%, 14%, and 16%) and extrusion temperatures (140, 150, 160, 170, 180, and 190 degrees C) were used for extrusion. The physical properties--bulk density, true density, porosity, and expansion ratio; functional properties such as water absorption index, water solubility index, oil absorption index, pasting, rheological, and textural properties; and in vitro enzyme digestibility of the extrudates were determined. The expansion ratio of the extrudates ranged from 3.22 to 6.09. The water absorption index (6.52 to 8.85 g gel/g dry sample), water solubility index (15.92% to 41.31%), and oil absorption index (0.50 to 1.70 g/g) were higher for the extrudates in comparison to native starch (1.81 g gel/g dry sample, 1.16% and 0.60 g/g, respectively). The rheological properties, storage modulus, and loss modulus of the gelatinized powdered extrudates were significantly lower (P extruded at higher feed moisture and lower extrusion temperature, whereas snap force and energy were higher at lower feed moisture and temperature. There was a significant decrease in the percentage digestibility of arrowroot starch (30.07% after 30 min of incubation with the enzyme) after extrusion (25.27% to 30.56%). Extrusion cooking of arrowroot starch resulted in products with very good expansion, color, and lower digestibility, which can be exploited for its potential use as a snack food.

  12. Development of new functional properties in traditional ceramics field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carda, J.B.; Pedra, J.M.; Nunez, I.; Peiro, N.C.; Gil, C.; Navarro, E.; Gomez, J.J.; Chiva, L.

    2004-01-01

    In the present communication, several ways to obtain functional properties in ceramic tiles will be exposed, developed by the research group in Solid State Chemistry of Jaume I University from Castellon, in close collaboration with the ceramic industry set in Castellon (Spain). Then, searching for a new properties, those that involve advanced fields in ceramics, such as mechanical, electrical or optical properties have been chosen, transferring their application to traditional products, selecting for it the development of this properties in surface (as the obtaining if glass-ceramic glazes) or in the ceramic body (increasing its mechanical resistance, more dense and with less thickness of layer). Related to the surface properties interesting in traditional ceramics field, glass-ceramic glazes have been designed, presenting high resistance to abrasion and chemical agents attack, formulating systems of devitrification of α-SiO 2 crystallization (cristobalite), anoritite and zircon. Systems that reduce resistivity of glazes have been developed too, causing the discharge to the ground of the static charge, designing a semiconductor system SnO 2 -Sb 2 O 3 . o finish with surface properties, bactericidal properties glazes have been originated, working with CeO 2 -ZrO 2 and TiO 2 (anatase) systems. According to ceramic bodies, highly gressificated systems have been developed, with an open porosity lower than 0.5% of water absorption and with high mechanical resistance, aspects that open ways to develop multilayer systems allowing the reduction of body thickness without a decrease of its technical features. (author)

  13. Functional properties of plantain, cowpea flours and oat fiber in extruded products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drying effect on functional properties of two plantain and cowpea varieties and suitability of their flour blends in extruded snacks was determined. The functional and rheological behaviors of (plantain: cowpea): 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50 blends were evaluated. The extrusion product melt ...

  14. Effect of ultrasound treatments on functional properties and structure of millet protein concentrate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nazari, Bahman; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin; Shojaee-Aliabadi, Saeedeh

    2018-01-01

    In this study, the effect of high power ultrasound (US) probe in varying intensities and times (18.4, 29.58, and 73.95 W/cm2 for 5, 12.5 and 20 min respectively) on functional properties of millet protein concentrate (MPC) was investigated, and also the structural properties of best modified.......37 ± 5.51 ml), but increased upon US treatments at high intensities (749.7 ± 2 ml). In addition, EAI and ES increased after US treatments. One of the best US treatments that can improve the functional properties of MPC was 73.95 W/cm2 for 12.5 min that resulted in reduction of molecular weight and increase...

  15. Optical properties of Al nanostructures from time dependent density functional theory

    KAUST Repository

    Mokkath, Junais Habeeb; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

    2016-01-01

    The optical properties of Al nanostructures are investigated by means of time dependent density functional theory, considering chains of varying length and ladders/stripes of varying aspect ratio. The absorption spectra show redshifting

  16. Composition, structure and functional properties of protein concentrates and isolates produced from walnut (Juglans regia L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Xiaoying; Hua, Yufei

    2012-01-01

    In this study, composition, structure and the functional properties of protein concentrate (WPC) and protein isolate (WPI) produced from defatted walnut flour (DFWF) were investigated. The results showed that the composition and structure of walnut protein concentrate (WPC) and walnut protein isolate (WPI) were significantly different. The molecular weight distribution of WPI was uniform and the protein composition of DFWF and WPC was complex with the protein aggregation. H(0) of WPC was significantly higher (p structure of WPI was similar to WPC. WPI showed big flaky plate like structures; whereas WPC appeared as a small flaky and more compact structure. The most functional properties of WPI were better than WPC. In comparing most functional properties of WPI and WPC with soybean protein concentrate and isolate, WPI and WPC showed higher fat absorption capacity (FAC). Emulsifying properties and foam properties of WPC and WPI in alkaline pH were comparable with that of soybean protein concentrate and isolate. Walnut protein concentrates and isolates can be considered as potential functional food ingredients.

  17. Some Congruence Properties of a Restricted Bipartition Function cN(n

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nipen Saikia

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Let cN(n denote the number of bipartitions (λ,μ of a positive integer n subject to the restriction that each part of μ is divisible by N. In this paper, we prove some congruence properties of the function cN(n for N=7, 11, and 5l, for any integer l≥1, by employing Ramanujan’s theta-function identities.

  18. The angle property of positive real functions simply derived

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørsboe, Helge

    1973-01-01

    The angle property of positive real (rational) functionsZ(s), namely, that|arg s | geqq |arg Z(s)|in the right half of thes-plane, can be demonstrated very simply by an examination of the imaginary parts of the functionsln(s/Z(s))andln (sZ(s)), i.e.,arg s mp arg Z(s). In particular, on a contour...

  19. Microstructure, mechanical and functional properties of NiTi-based shape memory ribbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mehrabi, K.; Bruncko, M.; Kneissl, A.C.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Melt-spun samples exhibited martensite structure and shape memory effects immediately after processing at room temperature. ► Using a new etchant and interference contrast, it is possible to reveal the fine microstructures and grain boundaries. ► The martensite structure in NiTi is very fine, and nano-sized twin boundaries could be revealed using TEM only. ► Two-way effects have been successfully introduced by different thermomechanical training methods in NiTi, NiTiCu and NiTiW alloys, which can be used for several applications, e.g. microsensors and microactuators. - Abstract: The present work has been aimed to study the microstructures, functional properties and the influence of different thermomechanical training methods on the two-way shape memory effect in NiTi-based melt-spun ribbons. In order to get small-dimensioned shape memory alloys (SMAs) with good functional and mechanical properties, a rapid solidification technique was employed. Their fracture and elasticity characteristics have been determined, as well as shape memory properties by thermomechanical cycling. The ribbons were trained under tensile and bending deformation by thermal cycling through the phase transformation temperature range. The results displayed that all different training methods were effective in developing a two-way shape memory effect (TWSME). The influence of copper (5–25 at.% Cu) and tungsten (2 at.% W) on the microstructure, and the functional and mechanical behavior of NiTi thin ribbons was also investigated. All samples show a shape memory effect immediately after processing without further heat treatment. The melt-spun ribbons were trained under constant strain (bending and tensile deformation) by thermal cycling through the phase transformation temperature range. The addition of copper was effective to narrow the transformation hysteresis. The W addition has improved the TWSME stability of the NiTi alloys and mechanical properties. Results about

  20. Functional properties of tropical banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) protein hydrolysates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Felicia G; Jones, Owen G; O'Haire, Marguerite E; Liceaga, Andrea M

    2017-06-01

    Recently, the benefits of entomophagy have been widely discussed. Due to western cultures' reluctance, entomophagy practices are leaning more towards incorporating insects into food products. In this study, whole crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) were hydrolyzed with alcalase at 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0% (w/w) for 30, 60, and 90min. Degree of hydrolysis (DH), amino acid composition, solubility, emulsion and foaming properties were evaluated. Hydrolysis produced peptides with 26-52% DH compared to the control containing no enzyme (5% DH). Protein solubility of hydrolysates improved (p30% soluble protein at pH 3 and 7 and 50-90% at alkaline pH, compared with the control. Emulsion activity index ranged from 7 to 32m 2 /g, while foamability ranged from 100 to 155% for all hydrolysates. These improved functional properties demonstrate the potential to develop cricket protein hydrolysates as a source of functional alternative protein in food ingredient formulations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. High-Intensity Ultrasound to Improve Physical and Functional Properties of Lipids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagh, Ashwini; Birkin, Peter; Martini, Silvana

    2016-01-01

    High-intensity ultrasound (HIU) has been used in recent years to change the crystallization behavior of edible lipids. This technique can be used in combination with other processing technologies to tailor lipids' functional properties and broaden their application for various food products. In general, sonication induces crystallization, increases crystallization rate, and generates a harder and more elastic crystalline network characterized by smaller crystals with a sharper melting profile. An important application of HIU is to improve the hardness and elasticity of shortenings that have a low content of saturated fatty acids and are free of trans-fats. This review summarizes recent research that used HIU to change the physical and functional properties of edible lipids and focuses on the importance of controlling processing variables such as sonication power level and duration and crystallization temperature.

  2. Some Properties of the Distance Function and a Conjecture of De Giorgi

    OpenAIRE

    Eminenti, Manolo; Mantegazza, Carlo

    2003-01-01

    We analyse the geometric properties of the high derivatives of the distance function from a submanifold of the Euclidean space. In particular, we show some relations with the second fundamental form and its covariant derivatives of independent interest. As an application we prove a conjecture of Ennio De Giorgi on the evolution of submanifolds of the Euclidean space by the gradient of functionals depending on the derivatives of the distance function.

  3. Some functional properties of composite material based on scrap tires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plesuma, Renate; Malers, Laimonis

    2013-09-01

    The utilization of scrap tires still obtains a remarkable importance from the aspect of unloading the environment from non-degradable waste [1]. One of the most prospective ways for scrap tires reuse is a production of composite materials [2] This research must be considered as a continuation of previous investigations [3, 4]. It is devoted to the clarification of some functional properties, which are considered important for the view of practical applications, of the composite material. Some functional properties of the material were investigated, for instance, the compressive stress at different extent of deformation of sample (till 67% of initial thickness) (LVS EN 826) [5] and the resistance to UV radiation (modified method based on LVS EN 14836) [6]. Experiments were realized on the purposefully selected samples. The results were evaluated in the correlation with potential changes of Shore C hardness (Shore scale, ISO 7619-1, ISO 868) [7, 8]. The results showed noticeable resistance of the composite material against the mechanical influence and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The correlation with the composition of the material, activity of binder, definite technological parameters, and the conditions supported during the production, were determined. It was estimated that selected properties and characteristics of the material are strongly dependent from the composition and technological parameters used in production of the composite material, and from the size of rubber crumb. Obtained results show possibility to attain desirable changes in the composite material properties by changing both the composition and technological parameters of examined material.

  4. Methods for Fabricating Gradient Alloy Articles with Multi-Functional Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofmann, Douglas C. (Inventor); Borgonia, John Paul C. (Inventor); Dillon, Robert P. (Inventor); Suh, Eric J. (Inventor); Mulder, Jerry L. (Inventor); Gardner, Paul B. (Inventor)

    2015-01-01

    Systems and methods for fabricating multi-functional articles comprised of additively formed gradient materials are provided. The fabrication of multi-functional articles using the additive deposition of gradient alloys represents a paradigm shift from the traditional way that metal alloys and metal/metal alloy parts are fabricated. Since a gradient alloy that transitions from one metal to a different metal cannot be fabricated through any conventional metallurgy techniques, the technique presents many applications. Moreover, the embodiments described identify a broad range of properties and applications.

  5. Complete Monotonicity of a Difference Between the Exponential and Trigamma Functions and Properties Related to a Modified Bessel Function

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qi, Feng; Berg, Christian

    2013-01-01

    In the paper, the authors find necessary and sufficient conditions for a difference between the exponential function αeβ/t, α, β > 0, and the trigamma function ψ (t) to be completely monotonic on (0,∞). While proving the complete onotonicity, the authors discover some properties related to the fi...

  6. On Using Ilities of Non-Functional Properties for Subsystems and Components

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Y. Lee

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The use of ilities for systems engineering of subsystems and components is investigated. Prior work on ilities has emphasized or restricted their application to system level, non-functional properties. The premise of this work is that ilities can be applied with benefit, and in some cases out of necessity, to lower levels of systems as well. The veracity of this premise is established by providing examples that demonstrate how some ilities are passed and used as a non-functional property of electrical and structural subsystems in aircraft. It is further demonstrated that flowing ilities down to the subsystem level is not only a useful practice for systems engineers, it can also be an essential step to ensure that customer needs are actually met by the system under design or service. Systems engineers often lack the detailed knowledge of the subsystems or components required to translate ilities into functional requirements. Thus, the system ilities are passed down and translated from non-functional to functional requirements by subject matter experts. We first discuss the definition, characteristics and scope of ilities. Then, we formulate the application of ilities at a subsystem level. Next, we show aircraft engineering examples for ilities applications. The application process is formalized with diagrams, and ilities’ relation to system architecture engineering is discussed. The work concludes with a summary and suggestions for future work.

  7. Engineering and functional properties of biodegradable pellets developed from various agro-industrial wastes using extrusion technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jan, Kulsum; Riar, C S; Saxena, D C

    2015-12-01

    Different agro-industrial wastes were mixed with different plasticizers and extruded to form the pellets to be used further for development of biodegradable molded pots. Bulk density and macro-porosity are the important engineering properties used to determine the functional characteristics of the biodegradable pellets viz., expansion volume, water solubility, product colour, flowability and compactness. Significant differences in the functional properties of pellets with varying bulk densities (loose and tapped) and macro-porosities (loose, tapped) were observed. The observed mean bulk density of biodegradable pellets made from different formulations ranged between 0.213 and 0.560 g/ml for loose fill conditions and 0.248 to 0.604 g/ml for tapped fill conditions. Biodegradable pellets bear a good compaction for both loose and tapped fill methods. The mean macro-porosity of biodegradable pellets ranged between 1.19 and 54.48 % for loose fill condition and 0.29 to 53.35 % for tapped fill condition. Hausner ratio (HR) for biodegradable pellets varied from 1.026 to 1.328, indicating a good flowability of biodegradable pellets. Pearson's correlation between engineering properties and functional properties of biodegradable pellets revealed that from engineering properties functional properties can be predicted.

  8. Quality Characteristics, Changes in Physiochemical Properties and Functional Properties of Camembert Cheese Containing Red Ginseng Powder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jai-Sung; Bae, Inhyu

    2018-02-01

    Effects of quality, physicochemical properties and antioxidants in Camembert cheese added with red ginseng powder (RGP) were investigated. Cheese samples were prepared with 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20% RGP. and then monitored during ripening at 14°C for 28 d. The pH of the RGP amended treatment groups increased during the ripening period relative to the control ( p camembert cheese, but the ripening grade was similar to that of the common camembert cheese, and the additional function of the cheese was reinforced. Functional cheese could be developed.

  9. Fabrication and mechanical properties of aluminum composite reinforced with functionalized carbon nanotubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alavijeh, Elham Zamani; Kokhaei, Saeed; Dehghani, Kamran

    2018-01-01

    Composite aluminum alloy (5000 series) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were made using mechanical alloying, cold press and sintering. The quality of interactions between Al powders and CNTs in the metal matrix composite has a significant effect on mechanical properties. Motivated from the properties of functionalized CNTs, the current study use this material rather than the raw type, because of its reactivity. Besides, a poly-vinyl-alcohol pre-mixing is done, the aim of which is to enhance mixing process. The functionalized carbon nanotubes ware made by chemically method through refluxing with nitric acid. By this method functional groups have been created on CNTs surfaces. 1% and 3% functionalized carbon nanotubes were manufactured using the aforementioned method. To provide unbiased comparisons, 1% and 3% with raw CNTs and pure aluminum is produced with same manner. The numerical experiments affirm the superiority of the functionalized carbon nano-tubes in terms of the relative density and hardness of nanocomposites. As a final activity, the Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to characterize the carbon nanotubes and the powders.

  10. Tunable Electronic and Topological Properties of Germanene by Functional Group Modification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ceng-Ceng Ren

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Electronic and topological properties of two-dimensional germanene modified by functional group X (X = H, F, OH, CH3 at full coverage are studied with first-principles calculation. Without considering the effect of spin-orbit coupling (SOC, all functionalized configurations become semiconductors, removing the Dirac cone at K point in pristine germanene. We also find that their band gaps can be especially well tuned by an external strain. When the SOC is switched on, GeX (X = H, CH3 is a normal insulator and strain leads to a phase transition to a topological insulator (TI phase. However, GeX (X = F, OH becomes a TI with a large gap of 0.19 eV for X = F and 0.24 eV for X = OH, even without external strains. More interestingly, when all these functionalized monolayers form a bilayer structure, semiconductor-metal states are observed. All these results suggest a possible route of modulating the electronic properties of germanene and promote applications in nanoelectronics.

  11. Improvement of the bio-functional properties of TiO{sub 2} nanotubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roguska, A. [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland); Pisarek, M., E-mail: mpisarek@ichf.edu.pl [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland); Belcarz, A. [Chair and Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 1, 20-093 Lublin (Poland); Marcon, L. [Interdisciplinary Research Institute, USR CNRS 3078 Parc de la Haute Borne, 50 av. de Halley 59658 Villeneuve d’Ascq (France); Holdynski, M. [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland); Andrzejczuk, M. [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Wołoska 141, 02-507 Warsaw (Poland); Janik-Czachor, M. [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland)

    2016-12-01

    Highlights: • The methods of biofunctional properties improvement of TiO{sub 2} nanotubes are proposed. • The increase of TiO{sub 2} nanotubes diameter promotes the U2OS cell proliferation. • Calcium phosphate coating deposited TiO{sub 2} nanotube layer promotes the cell growth. • Deposition of Ag nanoparticles inhibits the survivability of S. epidermidis cells. - Abstract: Titanium oxide nanotubes with diameters from ca. 40–120 nm fabricated by the anodic oxidation of Ti at a constant voltage (10–28 V) were investigated to identify factors improving their bio-functional properties. Prepared substrates were subsequently annealed at 450 °C and 650 °C to obtain nanotubes having a crystalline structure, and were then examined by SEM, XRD, XPS, BET and contact angle measurement techniques. The thermally stabilized surfaces were subjected to bidirectional functionalization: by deposition of a thin layer of Ca-P and by loading with silver nanoparticles. Three factors were found to promote the proliferation of osteoblast (U2OS) cells: a larger nanotube diameter, a higher annealing temperature, and the presence of a thin Ca-P layer. Differentiation of these cells (by ALP test) was stimulated by a higher (650 °C) nanotube annealing temperature, but not by a thin Ca-P layer. The TiO{sub 2} nanotubes-modified samples exhibited noticeable antibacterial properties. Moreover, the additional deposition of Ag nanoparticles almost completely inhibited the survivability of S. epidermidis cells beyond 3 h of contact. In conclusion, TiO{sub 2} nanotubes-modified surfaces exhibit distinct bone forming ability and significant antibacterial properties, and can be easily functionalized by a thin Ca-P layer or nano-Ag deposition for further improvement of the above functionalities.

  12. Humic acids: Structural properties and multiple functionalities for novel technological developments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Melo, Bruna Alice Gomes; Motta, Fernanda Lopes; Santana, Maria Helena Andrade

    2016-05-01

    Humic acids (HAs) are macromolecules that comprise humic substances (HS), which are organic matter distributed in terrestrial soil, natural water, and sediment. HAs differ from the other HS fractions (fulvic acid and humins) in that they are soluble in alkaline media, partially soluble in water, and insoluble in acidic media. Due to their amphiphilic character, HAs form micelle-like structures in neutral to acidic conditions, which are useful in agriculture, pollution remediation, medicine and pharmaceuticals. HAs have undefined compositions that vary according to the origin, process of obtainment, and functional groups present in their structures, such as quinones, phenols, and carboxylic acids. Quinones are responsible for the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HAs, which are useful for wound healing and have fungicidal/bactericidal properties. Phenols and carboxylic acids deprotonate in neutral and alkaline media and are responsible for various other functions, such as the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of HAs. In particular, the presence of phenolic groups in HAs provides antioxidant properties due to their free radical scavenging capacity. This paper describes the main multifunctionalities of HAs associated with their structures and properties, focusing on human health applications, and we note perspectives that may lead to novel technological developments. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to address this topic from this approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. SIFAT FISIK, KIMIA, DAN FUNGSIONAL DAMAR [Brief Review on: Physical, Chemical and Functional Properties of Dammar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noryawati Mulyono1

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Dammar is one of Indonesian forestry products which is abundant. It has unique physical, chemical and functional properties. The important physical properties of dammar include its solubility in some organic solvents, softening temperature, viscosity and its absorbance. The important chemical properties reviewed here include its properties as resin, composition of terpenoid compounds present in dammar, and essential oil yielded from distillation of fresh dammar. Physical and chemical properties of dammar need to be studied further in order to optimize its functional properties. So far, dammar is widely used as weighting agent and source of essential oil. However, now, some species of dammar are being explored and developed for sal flour, fat source, triacylglycerol substituent for cocoa butter and wood preservatives.

  14. Property-driven functional verification technique for high-speed vision system-on-chip processor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nshunguyimfura, Victor; Yang, Jie; Liu, Liyuan; Wu, Nanjian

    2017-04-01

    The implementation of functional verification in a fast, reliable, and effective manner is a challenging task in a vision chip verification process. The main reason for this challenge is the stepwise nature of existing functional verification techniques. This vision chip verification complexity is also related to the fact that in most vision chip design cycles, extensive efforts are focused on how to optimize chip metrics such as performance, power, and area. Design functional verification is not explicitly considered at an earlier stage at which the most sound decisions are made. In this paper, we propose a semi-automatic property-driven verification technique. The implementation of all verification components is based on design properties. We introduce a low-dimension property space between the specification space and the implementation space. The aim of this technique is to speed up the verification process for high-performance parallel processing vision chips. Our experimentation results show that the proposed technique can effectively improve the verification effort up to 20% for the complex vision chip design while reducing the simulation and debugging overheads.

  15. Ethanol Sensing Properties of Au-functionalized NiO Nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Sunghoon; Kheel, Hyejoon; Sun, Gun-Joo; Hyun, Soong Keun; Park, Sang Eon; Lee, Chongmu

    2016-01-01

    Pristine and Au-functionalized nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple solvo thermal route and the ethanol sensing properties of multiple-networked Au-doped and undoped NiO nanoparticle sensors were examined. The pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed responses of 442 and 273%, respectively, to 1000 ppm of ethanol at 325 .deg. C. The Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed faster response than the pristine NiO counterpart, whereas the recovery time of the former was similar to that of the latter. The optimal operating temperature of the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles was 325 and 350 .deg. C, respectively, by Au-doping. Both the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensors showed selectivity for ethanol gas over methanol, acetone, benzene, and toluene gases. The underlying mechanism of the enhanced sensing performance of the Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles toward ethanol might be due to modulation of the depletion layer formed around Au particles and the Schottky barriers formed at the Au-NiO junction accompanying ethanol adsorption and desorption, the spill-over effect and high catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles and the smaller diameter of the particles in the Au-functionalized NiO sensor.

  16. Ethanol Sensing Properties of Au-functionalized NiO Nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Sunghoon; Kheel, Hyejoon; Sun, Gun-Joo; Hyun, Soong Keun; Park, Sang Eon; Lee, Chongmu [Inha University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    Pristine and Au-functionalized nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple solvo thermal route and the ethanol sensing properties of multiple-networked Au-doped and undoped NiO nanoparticle sensors were examined. The pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed responses of 442 and 273%, respectively, to 1000 ppm of ethanol at 325 .deg. C. The Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed faster response than the pristine NiO counterpart, whereas the recovery time of the former was similar to that of the latter. The optimal operating temperature of the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles was 325 and 350 .deg. C, respectively, by Au-doping. Both the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensors showed selectivity for ethanol gas over methanol, acetone, benzene, and toluene gases. The underlying mechanism of the enhanced sensing performance of the Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles toward ethanol might be due to modulation of the depletion layer formed around Au particles and the Schottky barriers formed at the Au-NiO junction accompanying ethanol adsorption and desorption, the spill-over effect and high catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles and the smaller diameter of the particles in the Au-functionalized NiO sensor.

  17. Appropriate Objective Functions for Quantifying Iris Mechanical Properties Using Inverse Finite Element Modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pant, Anup D; Dorairaj, Syril K; Amini, Rouzbeh

    2018-07-01

    Quantifying the mechanical properties of the iris is important, as it provides insight into the pathophysiology of glaucoma. Recent ex vivo studies have shown that the mechanical properties of the iris are different in glaucomatous eyes as compared to normal ones. Notwithstanding the importance of the ex vivo studies, such measurements are severely limited for diagnosis and preclude development of treatment strategies. With the advent of detailed imaging modalities, it is possible to determine the in vivo mechanical properties using inverse finite element (FE) modeling. An inverse modeling approach requires an appropriate objective function for reliable estimation of parameters. In the case of the iris, numerous measurements such as iris chord length (CL) and iris concavity (CV) are made routinely in clinical practice. In this study, we have evaluated five different objective functions chosen based on the iris biometrics (in the presence and absence of clinical measurement errors) to determine the appropriate criterion for inverse modeling. Our results showed that in the absence of experimental measurement error, a combination of iris CL and CV can be used as the objective function. However, with the addition of measurement errors, the objective functions that employ a large number of local displacement values provide more reliable outcomes.

  18. Effects of Functionalized Graphene Nanoplatelets on the Morphology and Properties of Phenolic Resins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Dai

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Graphene nanoplatelets (Gnps were covalently functionalized by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550 and noncovalently functionalized by Triton X-100, respectively. The morphology and structure of KH550 modified graphene (K-Gnp and Triton X-100 modified graphene (T-Gnp were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron micrograph, and Raman spectrometer. The influences of K-Gnp and T-Gnp on thermal conductivity, fracture toughness, and thermal stability of the boron phenolic resin (BPR were investigated. Both covalently functionalized K-Gnp and noncovalently functionalized T-Gnp not only improve the dispersion of Gnp in the polymer matrix but also increase interfacial bonding strength between the BPR matrix and Gnp, thus leading to the enhanced mechanical property and thermal stability of nanocomposites. Besides this, mechanical property and thermal stability of the BPR containing K-Gnp are superior to those of BPR containing T-Gnp.

  19. The effect of polyether functional polydimethylsiloxane on surface and thermal properties of waterborne polyurethane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Guikai; Lu, Ming; Rui, Xiaoping

    2017-03-01

    Waterborne polyurethanes (WPU) modified with polyether functional polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were synthesized by pre-polymerization method using isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) as hard segments and polybutylene adipate glycol (PBA) and polyether functional PDMS as soft segments. The effect of polyether functional PDMS on phase separation, thermal properties, surface properties including surface composition, morphology and wettability were investigated by FTIR, contact angle measurements, ARXPS, SEM-EDS, AFM, TG and DSC. The results showed that the compatibility between urethane hard segment and PDMS modified with polyether was good, and there was no distinct phase separation in both bulk and surface of WPU films. The degradation temperature and low temperature flexibility increased with increasing amounts of polyether functional PDMS. The enrichment of polyether functional PDMS with low surface energy on the surface imparted excellent hydrophobicity to WPU films.

  20. Distinct transmitter release properties determine differences in short-term plasticity at functional and silent synapses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabezas, Carolina; Buño, Washington

    2006-05-01

    Recent evidence suggests that functional and silent synapses are not only postsynaptically different but also presynaptically distinct. The presynaptic differences may be of functional importance in memory formation because a proposed mechanism for long-term potentiation is the conversion of silent synapses into functional ones. However, there is little direct experimentally evidence of these differences. We have investigated the transmitter release properties of functional and silent Schaffer collateral synapses and show that on the average functional synapses displayed a lower percentage of failures and higher excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) amplitudes than silent synapses at +60 mV. Moreover, functional but not silent synapses show paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) at +60 mV and thus presynaptic short-term plasticity will be distinct in the two types of synapse. We examined whether intraterminal endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores influenced the release properties of these synapses. Ryanodine (100 microM) and thapsigargin (1 microM) increased the percentage of failures and decreased both the EPSC amplitude and PPF in functional synapses. Caffeine (10 mM) had the opposite effects. In contrast, silent synapses were insensitive to both ryanodine and caffeine. Hence we have identified differences in the release properties of functional and silent synapses, suggesting that synaptic terminals of functional synapses express regulatory molecular mechanisms that are absent in silent synapses.

  1. OFDM Signal Detector Based on Cyclic Autocorrelation Function and its Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. Fedra

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper is devoted to research of the general and particular properties of the OFDM signal detector based on the cyclic autocorrelation function. The cyclic autocorrelation function is estimated using DFT. The parameters of the testing signal have been chosen according to 802.11g WLAN. Some properties are described analytically; all events are examined via computer simulations. It is shown that the detector is able to detect an OFDM signal in the case of multipath propagation, inexact frequency synchronization and without time synchronization. The sensitivity of the detector could be decreased in the above cases. An important condition for proper value of the detector sampling interval was derived. Three types of the channels were studied and compared. Detection threshold SNR=-9 dB was found for the signal under consideration and for two-way propagation.

  2. Measurement Properties of the Functional Rating Index: A systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Zhongfei; Shu, Tian; Lu, Jiani; Niu, Wenxin

    2018-04-13

    A systematic review and meta-analysis. To assess the measurement properties of the Functional Rating Index (FRI) and determine whether its measurement properties are comparable with other region-specific questionnaires. In addition to low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP), multi-region spinal pain (SP) is a common problem with a considerable prevalence in the general population. The FRI was built to assess physical functioning in patients with SP. However, a systematic review assessing evidence of its measurement properties in separated populations and a comparison with other questionnaires regarding each measurement property is lacking. Articles concerning the FRI's measurement properties or head-to-head comparison with other questionnaires on measurement properties were obtained from MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Two reviewers independently reviewed the articles, extracted data, and conducted the methodological quality assessment. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. A total of 18 studies evaluating the FRI's measurement properties, including seven that carried out head-to-head comparisons in at least one measurement property with other questionnaires, were included in the current review. Our findings show strong positive evidence for structural validity and internal consistency in patients with SP and LBP. Evidence for most of the FRI's measurement properties is limited, conflicting, or even unknown. The current evidence shows that the FRI is comparable with both the ODI and the NDI in responsiveness. However, relevant information about the majority of the other measurement properties is lacking. Our finding suggests that clinicians and researchers should use the FRI with caution until there are more studies with high methodological quality that support the view that it is positive in all measurement properties

  3. Functionally-interdependent shape-switching nanoparticles with controllable properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halman, Justin R.; Satterwhite, Emily; Roark, Brandon; Chandler, Morgan; Viard, Mathias; Ivanina, Anna; Bindewald, Eckart; Kasprzak, Wojciech K.; Panigaj, Martin; Bui, My N.; Lu, Jacob S.; Miller, Johann; Khisamutdinov, Emil F.; Shapiro, Bruce A.; Dobrovolskaia, Marina A.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract We introduce a new concept that utilizes cognate nucleic acid nanoparticles which are fully complementary and functionally-interdependent to each other. In the described approach, the physical interaction between sets of designed nanoparticles initiates a rapid isothermal shape change which triggers the activation of multiple functionalities and biological pathways including transcription, energy transfer, functional aptamers and RNA interference. The individual nanoparticles are not active and have controllable kinetics of re-association and fine-tunable chemical and thermodynamic stabilities. Computational algorithms were developed to accurately predict melting temperatures of nanoparticles of various compositions and trace the process of their re-association in silico. Additionally, tunable immunostimulatory properties of described nanoparticles suggest that the particles that do not induce pro-inflammatory cytokines and high levels of interferons can be used as scaffolds to carry therapeutic oligonucleotides, while particles with strong interferon and mild pro-inflammatory cytokine induction may qualify as vaccine adjuvants. The presented concept provides a simple, cost-effective and straightforward model for the development of combinatorial regulation of biological processes in nucleic acid nanotechnology. PMID:28108656

  4. Ketamine changes the local resting-state functional properties of anesthetized-monkey brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Jia-Sheng; Liu, Zuxiang; Zhao, Can; Wei, Rui-Han; Zhao, Wen; Tian, Peng-Yu; Zhou, Xia; Yang, Zhao-Yang; Li, Xiao-Guang

    2017-11-01

    Ketamine is a well-known anesthetic. 'Recreational' use of ketamine common induces psychosis-like symptoms and cognitive impairments. The acute and chronic effects of ketamine on relevant brain circuits have been studied, but the effects of single-dose ketamine administration on the local resting-state functional properties of the brain remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of single-dose ketamine administration on the brain local intrinsic properties. We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to explore the ketamine-induced alterations of brain intrinsic properties. Seven adult rhesus monkeys were imaged with rs-fMRI to examine the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the brain before and after ketamine injection. Paired comparisons were used to detect the significantly altered regions. Results showed that the fALFF of the prefrontal cortex (p=0.046), caudate nucleus (left side, p=0.018; right side, p=0.025), and putamen (p=0.020) in post-injection stage significantly increased compared with those in pre-injection period. The ReHo of nucleus accumbens (p=0.049), caudate nucleus (p=0.037), and hippocampus (p=0.025) increased after ketamine injection, but that of prefrontal cortex decreased (pketamine administration can change the regional intensity and synchronism of brain activity, thereby providing evidence of ketamine-induced abnormal resting-state functional properties in primates. This evidence may help further elucidate the effects of ketamine on the cerebral resting status. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Formation of functionalized nanoclusters by solvent evaporation and their effect on the physicochemical properties of dental composite resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez, Henry A; Giraldo, Luis F; Casanova, Herley

    2015-07-01

    The aim of this work was to study the effect of silica nanoclusters (SiNC), obtained by a solvent evaporation method and functionalized by 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and MPS+octyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS) (50/50wt/wt), on the rheological, mechanical and sorption properties of urethane dimethylacrylate (UDMA)/triethylenglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) (80/20wt/wt) resins blend. Silica nanoparticles (SiNP) were silanized with MPS or MPS+OTMS (50/50wt/wt) and incorporated in an UDMA-isopropanol mix to produce functionalized silica nanoclusters after evaporating the isopropanol. The effect of functionalized SiNC on resins rheological properties was determined by large and small deformation tests. Mechanical, thermal, sorption and solubility properties were evaluated for composite materials. The UDMA/TEGDMA (80/20wt/wt) resins blend with added SiNC (ca. 350nm) and functionalized with MPS showed a Newtonian flow behavior associated to their spheroidal shape, whereas the resins blend with nanoclusters silanized with MPS+OTMS (50/50wt/wt) (ca. 400nm) showed a shear-thinning behavior due to nanoclusters irregular shape. Composite materials prepared with bare silica nanoclusters showed lower compressive strength than functionalized silica nanoclusters. MPS functionalized nanoclusters showed better mechanical properties but higher water sorption than functionalized nanoclusters with both silane coupling agents, MPS and OTMS. The solvent evaporation method applied to functionalized nanoparticles showed to be an alternative way to the sinterization method for producing nanoclusters, which improved some dental composite mechanical properties and reduced water sorption. The shape of functionalized silica nanoclusters showed to have influence on the rheological properties of SiNC resin suspensions and the mechanical and sorption properties of light cured composites. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Functional properties of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seed and its application as bakery product

    OpenAIRE

    Nyam, Kar-Lin; Leao, Sod-Ying; Tan, Chin-Ping; Long, Kamariah

    2012-01-01

    Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seed is a valuable food resource as it has an excellent source of dietary fibre. Therefore, this study examined the functional properties of roselle seeds. Replacement of cookie flour with roselle seed powder at levels of 0–30 % was investigated for its effect on functional and nutritional properties of cookies. Among the four formulations cookies, the most preferred by panelists was 20 % roselle seed powder cookie (F3), followed by 10 % roselle seed powder co...

  7. Analysis of the photophysical properties of zearalenone using density functional theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    The intrinsic photophysical properties of the resorcylic acid moiety of zearalenone offer a convenient label free method to determine zearalenone levels in contaminated agricultural products. Density functional theory and steady-state fluorescence methods were applied to investigate the role of stru...

  8. Characterisation of structure-dependent functional properties of lignin with infrared spectroscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boeriu, C.G.; Bravo, D.; Gosselink, R.J.A.; Dam, van J.E.G.

    2004-01-01

    Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was evaluated as an analytical technique for the estimation of the chemical composition and functional properties of lignin. A sample set containing various non-wood, hardwood and softwood lignins isolated by different processing technologies was

  9. Comparative studies on flour proximate compositions and functional properties of selected Pakistani rice varieties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jamal, S.; Qazi, I.M.; Ahmed, I.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the proximate and functional properties of flours obtained from various rice varieties, i.e., Super Basmati Shaheen, Super Basmati Kainat, Super Fine, JP5, Basmati 385, Fakhr-e-Malakand grown in different areas of Pakistan. Moisture content, ash content, crude protein, crude fat, water absorption index, water solubility and swelling power varied significantly (P<0.05) from each other. Moisture content, ash content, crude protein and crude fat of rice flour ranged from 5.46-7.08 percentage, 0.48-1.23 percentage, 8.02-9.85 percentage and 0.43-1.5 percentage, respectively. While, functional properties such as water absorption index, water solubility index and swelling power were found in the range of 5.38-6.26 (g/g), 1.95-4.94 percentage and 5.74-7.64 (g/g), respectively. The results showed that the functional properties of rice flour were greatly influenced by the compositional variations of various rice varieties. (author)

  10. Topological properties and functionalities in oxide thin films and interfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchida, Masaki; Kawasaki, Masashi

    2018-04-01

    As symbolized by the Nobel Prize in Physics 2016, ‘topology’ has been recognized as an essential standpoint to understand and control the physics of condensed matter. This concept may be spreading even into application areas such as novel electronics. In this trend, there has been reported a number of studies for oxide films and heterostructures with topologically non-trivial electronic or magnetic states. In this review, we overview the trends of new topological properties and functionalities in oxide materials by sorting out a number of examples. The technological advances in oxide film growth achieved over the last few decades are now opening the door for harnessing novel topological properties.

  11. Improved mechanical and functional properties of elastomer/graphite nanocomposites prepared by latex compounding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang Jian [Key Laboratory for Nano-materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing 100029 (China); Key Laboratory on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Tian Ming [Key Laboratory for Nano-materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing 100029 (China); Jia Qingxiu [Key Laboratory on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Shi Junhong [Key Laboratory for Nano-materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing 100029 (China); Zhang Liqun [Key Laboratory for Nano-materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing 100029 (China); Key Laboratory on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China)], E-mail: zhanglq@mail.buct.edu.cn; Lim Szuhui; Yu Zhongzhen [Centre for Advanced Materials Technology (CAMT), School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering (J07), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Mai Yiuwing [Centre for Advanced Materials Technology (CAMT), School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering (J07), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia)], E-mail: y.mai@usyd.edu.au

    2007-10-15

    The facile latex approach has been adopted to finely incorporate graphite nanosheets into elastomeric polymer matrix to obtain high-performance elastomeric nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties and functional properties. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction experiments show that the nanostructures of the final nanocomposites exhibit a high degree of exfoliation and intercalation of graphite in the nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) matrix. Mechanical and dynamic-mechanical tests demonstrate that the NBR/graphite nanocomposites possess greatly increased elastic modulus and tensile strength, and desirably strong interfaces. The unexpected self-crosslinking of elastomer/graphite nanocomposites was discovered and then verified by oscillating disc rheometry and equilibrium swelling experiments. After critically examining various polymer types by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron spin resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, a radical initiation mechanism was proposed to explain the self-crosslinking reaction. These NBR/graphite nanocomposites possess significantly improved wear resistance and gas barrier properties, and superior electrical/thermal conductivity. Such versatile functional properties make NBR nanocomposites a promising new class of advanced materials.

  12. Improved mechanical and functional properties of elastomer/graphite nanocomposites prepared by latex compounding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Jian; Tian Ming; Jia Qingxiu; Shi Junhong; Zhang Liqun; Lim Szuhui; Yu Zhongzhen; Mai Yiuwing

    2007-01-01

    The facile latex approach has been adopted to finely incorporate graphite nanosheets into elastomeric polymer matrix to obtain high-performance elastomeric nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties and functional properties. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction experiments show that the nanostructures of the final nanocomposites exhibit a high degree of exfoliation and intercalation of graphite in the nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) matrix. Mechanical and dynamic-mechanical tests demonstrate that the NBR/graphite nanocomposites possess greatly increased elastic modulus and tensile strength, and desirably strong interfaces. The unexpected self-crosslinking of elastomer/graphite nanocomposites was discovered and then verified by oscillating disc rheometry and equilibrium swelling experiments. After critically examining various polymer types by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron spin resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, a radical initiation mechanism was proposed to explain the self-crosslinking reaction. These NBR/graphite nanocomposites possess significantly improved wear resistance and gas barrier properties, and superior electrical/thermal conductivity. Such versatile functional properties make NBR nanocomposites a promising new class of advanced materials

  13. Functional properties of Virus-Encoded and Virus-Regulated 7TM Receptors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spiess, Katja; Rosenkilde, Mette Marie

    2014-01-01

    During co-evolution with their hosts, viruses have developed several survival strategies that involve exploitation of 7TM receptors. These include virus-encoded 7TM receptors and ligands and viral regulation of endogenous receptors. Many functional properties have been ascribed to virus-exploited...

  14. PROPERTIES OF PREPARATIONS FUNCTIONAL BIOPOLYMERS OF A FISH ORIGIN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. V. Antipova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Development of theoretical and practical bases of technology of biocompatible materials of a domestic production on the basis of the natural polymeric systems allocated from raw materials of an animal, fish and a phytogenesis is actual in interests of development of science, health care, ecology. Now practically there are no domestic materials on the basis of products of modification of biopolymers for production of biocompatible materials with adjustable physical and chemical and biological properties. In this regard the special importance is gained by works on studying of functional properties of natural biopolymers, in particular collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid. Interest of researchers to biopolymers of the proteinaceous nature is quite reasonable as they possess sufficient permeability, a big specific surface and sorption capacity, possibility of receiving convenient in technological forms, a low immunogenicity, possibility of regulation лизиса. Data on possible ways of use are presented in article secondary the collagenic wastes - skins of fishes of internal reservoirs of Russia. Innovative processing methods of processing of secondary raw materials with receiving functional biopolymers of a wide range of application are developed. With application of modern methods of researches their characteristics and property are defined. On a complex of organoleptic, physical and chemical indicators, indexes of biological activity the received preparations hyaluronic acid and collagen can find broad application in medicine, cosmetology. The resource-saving technology of receiving tanning semi-finished products easily giving in to further processing for the purpose of receiving leather haberdashery and textile production is developed. Thus, scientific new approaches in processing of skins of pond fishes on the basis of their deep processing are proved.

  15. Functional properties of honey supplemented with bee bread and propolis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowalski, S; Makarewicz, M

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this work was characterisation of functional properties of honey enriched with propolis and beebread. In first step of experiment, soft propolis extract (SPEx) was obtained by extraction of propolis with ethanol. SPEx (0.25 to 1.0% w/w) as well as beebread (5 to 15% w/w) were implemented into natural honey. Fortified honeys were investigated in terms of total phenolic content, radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power, also their effects on the micro-organisms growth was examined. It was found that beebread had the most significant influence on antioxidant properties. On the other hand, all tested honeys showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli but not against Micrococcus luteus. Honeys with 1% of propolis addition were the most effective in this case. Research has indicated that for antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of honey, it is beneficial to enrich it in both beebread and propolis.

  16. Molecular simulation of the thermophysical properties of N-functionalized alkylimidazoles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, C Heath; Cooper, Alex; Zhang, Zhongtao; Shannon, Matthew S; Bara, Jason E

    2012-06-07

    Molecular simulations are used to probe the thermophysical properties of a series of N-functionalized alkylimidazoles, ranging from N-methylimidazole to N-heptylimidazole. These compounds have been previously synthesized, and their solvation properties have been shown to be potentially useful for CO(2) capture from industrial sources. In this work, we use first-principles calculations to fit electrostatic charges to the molecular models, which are then used to perform a series of molecular dynamics simulations. Over a range of different temperatures, we benchmark the simulated densities and heat capacities against experimental measurements. Also, we predict the Henry's constants for CO(2) absorption and probe the solvents' structures using molecular simulation techniques, such as fractional free volume analysis and void distributions. We find that our simulations are able to closely reproduce the experimental benchmarks and add additional insight into the molecular structure of these fluids, with respect to their observed solvent properties.

  17. Curvature Dependence of Interfacial Properties for Associating Lennard—Jones Fluids: A Density Functional Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Zong-Li; Kang Yan-Shuang

    2011-01-01

    Classical density functional theory is used to study the associating Lennard—Jones fluids in contact with spherical hard wall of different curvature radii. The interfacial properties including contact density and fluid-solid interfacial tension are investigated. The influences of associating energy, curvature of hard wall and the bulk density of fluids on these properties are analyzed in detail. The results may provide helpful clues to understand the interfacial properties of other complex fluids. (condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties)

  18. Electronic transport properties of fullerene functionalized carbon nanotubes: Ab initio and tight-binding calculations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fürst, Joachim Alexander; Hashemi, J.; Markussen, Troels

    2009-01-01

    Fullerene functionalized carbon nanotubes-NanoBuds-form a novel class of hybrid carbon materials, which possesses many advantageous properties as compared to the pristine components. Here, we report a theoretical study of the electronic transport properties of these compounds. We use both ab init...

  19. Functional and rheological properties of amaranth albumins extracted from two Mexican varieties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva-Sánchez, C; González-Castañeda, J; de León-Rodríguez, A; Barba de la Rosa, A P

    2004-01-01

    The functional and rheological properties of amaranth albumins isolates extracted from two new Mexican varieties were determined. Functional properties tested were protein solubility, foaming, water and oil absorption capacities, emulsifying activity, and emulsion stability. The maximum solubility values for both amaranth albumins were found above pH 6 and values were compared to the solubility of egg albumins. Albumins from amaranth showed excellent foaming capacity and foaming stability at pH 5, suggesting that this protein could be used as whipping agents as egg albumins, also the water and oil absorption capacities reached their maximum values at acidic pH, suggesting that amaranth albumins could be appropriate in preparation of acidic foods. The rheological test based on farinograms and alveograms showed that wheat flour supplemented with 1% amaranth albumins improves the dough properties due to higher mixing stability and the bread had better crumb characteristics. In addition of the known high nutritional values of amaranth albumins, our results indicate the high potential for use of these proteins as an ingredient in food preparations.

  20. An expert system to characterize the surface morphological properties according to their functionalities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bigerelle, M; Mathia, T; Iost, A; Correvits, T; Anselme, K

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we propose a new methodology to characterize the morphological properties of a surface in relation with its functionality (tribological properties, surface coating adhesion, brightness, wettability...). We create a software based on experimental design and surface profile recording. Using an appropriate database structure, the roughness parameters are automatically computed at different scales. The surface files are saved in a hard disk directory and roughness parameters are computed at different scales. Finally, a statistical analysis system proposes the roughness parameter (or the pair of roughness parameters) that better describe(s) the functionality of the surface and the spatial scales at which the parameter(s) is (are) the more relevant.

  1. An expert system to characterize the surface morphological properties according to their functionalities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bigerelle, M [Laboratoire Roberval, UMR 6253, UTC/CNRS, UTC Centre de Recherches de Royallieu BP 20529, 60205 Compiegne France stol BS1 6BE (United Kingdom); Mathia, T [Laboratoire de Tribologie et Dynamique des Systemes, UMR 5513, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Av Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully Cedex (France); Iost, A [Laboratoire de Mecanique de Lille, UMR CNRS 8107, Arts et Metiers ParisTech - Lille, 8, boulevard Louis XIV 59046 Lille (France); Correvits, T [Laboratoire de Metrologie. Arts et Metiers ParisTech, ENSAM, 8 boulevard Louis XIV, 59046 LILLE Cedex (France); Anselme, K, E-mail: maxence.bigerelle@utc.fr [Institut De Sciences Des Materiaux De Mulhouse, CNRS LRC 7228, 15, rue Jean Starcky, Universite De Haute-Alsace, BP 2488, 68057 Mulhouse (France)

    2011-08-19

    In this paper we propose a new methodology to characterize the morphological properties of a surface in relation with its functionality (tribological properties, surface coating adhesion, brightness, wettability...). We create a software based on experimental design and surface profile recording. Using an appropriate database structure, the roughness parameters are automatically computed at different scales. The surface files are saved in a hard disk directory and roughness parameters are computed at different scales. Finally, a statistical analysis system proposes the roughness parameter (or the pair of roughness parameters) that better describe(s) the functionality of the surface and the spatial scales at which the parameter(s) is (are) the more relevant.

  2. A comparison of reflectance properties on polymer micro-structured functional surface

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Regi, Francesco; Li, Dongya; Nielsen, Jannik Boll

    In this study, a functional micro-structure surface [1] has been developed as a combination of arrays of micro ridges. The scope of the surface is to achieve specific directional optical properties: that is, under constrained lighting, maximizing the reflectance from a certain viewing direction, ...

  3. Dodecylamine functionalization of carbon nanotubes to improve dispersion, thermal and mechanical properties of polyethylene based nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, F. V.; Franceschi, W.; Menezes, B. R. C.; Brito, F. S.; Lozano, K.; Coutinho, A. R.; Cividanes, L. S.; Thim, G. P.

    2017-07-01

    This study presents the effect of dodecylamine (DDA) functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the thermo-physical and mechanical properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) based composites. Here, we showed that the functionalization with DDA improved the dispersion of the CNTs as well as the interfacial adhesion with the HDPE matrix via non-covalent interactions. The better dispersion and interaction of CNT in the HDPE matrix as a function of the surface chemistry was correlated with the improved thermo-physical and mechanical properties.

  4. gamma. radiation effect on the functional properties of the cotton ribosomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ibragimov, A P; Safarov, Sh

    1973-01-01

    A study is made of the action of radiation on the functional properties of ribosomes in irradiated organisms and on isolated ribosomes exposed to different doses. With increase in dose there occurs a reduction in the incorporation of labelled amino acids by the ribosomes released from irradiated sprouts and also during irradiation of isolated ribosomes. The study covered the functional activity of ribosomes irradiated at different doses with the use of synthetic poly-U and poly-A matrices synthesizing polyphenylalanine and polylysine, depending on the irradiation dose. The inhibition of the activity of the protein synthesis system at high doses is due to structural and functional changes in ribosomes and also to disturbance in the biosynthesis and functions of the messenger RNA.

  5. Preparation and Fatigue Properties of Functionally Graded Cemented Carbides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Yong; Liu Fengxiao; Liaw, Peter K.; He Yuehui

    2008-01-01

    Cemented carbides with a functionally graded structure have significantly improved mechanical properties and lifetimes in cutting, drilling and molding. In this work, WC-6 wt.% Co cemented carbides with three-layer graded structure (surface layer rich in WC, mid layer rich in Co and the inner part of the average composition) were prepared by carburizing pre-sintered η-phase-containing cemented carbides. The three-point bending fatigue tests based on the total-life approach were conducted on both WC-6wt%Co functionally graded cemented carbides (FGCC) and conventional WC-6wt%Co cemented carbides. The functionally graded cemented carbide shows a slightly higher fatigue limit (∼100 MPa) than the conventional ones under the present testing conditions. However, the fatigue crack nucleation behavior of FGCC is different from that of the conventional ones. The crack nucleates preferentially along the Co-gradient and perpendicular to the tension surface in FGCC, while parallel to the tension surface in conventional cemented carbides

  6. Local elastic properties of nano-confined fluids: A density functional study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Zongli, E-mail: zongli_sun@163.com [Science and Technology College, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071051 (China); Kang, Yanshuang [College of Science, Agriculture University of Hebei, Baoding 071001 (China)

    2014-05-01

    The understanding of mechanical properties of confined fluids is essential for modeling and manipulating of nano-scaled systems. Unlike the uniform phase, the confined fluids usually display different features in structure and related properties. Due to the presence of the confining geometry, the density profile and many physical and chemical properties may be position-dependent. The aim of our research is to derive an expression for the local elastic property by using the classical elastic theory. Both the bulk and shear moduli are expressed as functional of density of particle. The theoretical result derived is applied to the Lennard-Jones fluids confined in nano-cavity. Comparison of our numerical result and the simulation result is made and qualitative agreement is observed. Further, influence of bulk density, temperature and external potential on moduli is calculated and the physical mechanism is analyzed. Relationship between contact modulus and the interfacial tension is also calculated. Their opposite trend with temperature is observed.

  7. Local elastic properties of nano-confined fluids: A density functional study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Zongli; Kang, Yanshuang

    2014-01-01

    The understanding of mechanical properties of confined fluids is essential for modeling and manipulating of nano-scaled systems. Unlike the uniform phase, the confined fluids usually display different features in structure and related properties. Due to the presence of the confining geometry, the density profile and many physical and chemical properties may be position-dependent. The aim of our research is to derive an expression for the local elastic property by using the classical elastic theory. Both the bulk and shear moduli are expressed as functional of density of particle. The theoretical result derived is applied to the Lennard-Jones fluids confined in nano-cavity. Comparison of our numerical result and the simulation result is made and qualitative agreement is observed. Further, influence of bulk density, temperature and external potential on moduli is calculated and the physical mechanism is analyzed. Relationship between contact modulus and the interfacial tension is also calculated. Their opposite trend with temperature is observed.

  8. Physical characterization of functionalized spider silk: electronic and sensing properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eden Steven, Jin Gyu Park, Anant Paravastu, Elsa Branco Lopes, James S Brooks, Ongi Englander, Theo Siegrist, Papatya Kaner and Rufina G Alamo

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This work explores functional, fundamental and applied aspects of naturally harvested spider silk fibers. Natural silk is a protein polymer where different amino acids control the physical properties of fibroin bundles, producing, for example, combinations of β-sheet (crystalline and amorphous (helical structural regions. This complexity presents opportunities for functional modification to obtain new types of material properties. Electrical conductivity is the starting point of this investigation, where the insulating nature of neat silk under ambient conditions is described first. Modification of the conductivity by humidity, exposure to polar solvents, iodine doping, pyrolization and deposition of a thin metallic film are explored next. The conductivity increases exponentially with relative humidity and/or solvent, whereas only an incremental increase occurs after iodine doping. In contrast, iodine doping, optimal at 70 °C, has a strong effect on the morphology of silk bundles (increasing their size, on the process of pyrolization (suppressing mass loss rates and on the resulting carbonized fiber structure (that becomes more robust against bending and strain. The effects of iodine doping and other functional parameters (vacuum and thin film coating motivated an investigation with magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR to monitor doping-induced changes in the amino acid-protein backbone signature. MAS-NMR revealed a moderate effect of iodine on the helical and β-sheet structures, and a lesser effect of gold sputtering. The effects of iodine doping were further probed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy, revealing a partial transformation of β-sheet-to-amorphous constituency. A model is proposed, based on the findings from the MAS-NMR and FTIR, which involves iodine-induced changes in the silk fibroin bundle environment that can account for the altered physical properties. Finally, proof

  9. Physical characterization of functionalized spider silk: electronic and sensing properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steven, Eden; Brooks, James S [Department of Physics and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac, Tallahassee, FL 32310 (United States); Park, Jin Gyu [FAMU-FSU Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, High-Performance Materials Institute, Florida State University, 2005 Levy Ave., Tallahassee, FL 32310 (United States); Paravastu, Anant; Siegrist, Theo; Kaner, Papatya; Alamo, Rufina G [FAMU-FSU Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac, Tallahassee, FL 32310 (United States); Branco Lopes, Elsa [Departamento de Quimica, Instituto Tecnologico e Nuclear/CFMC-UL, P-2686-953 Sacavem (Portugal); Englander, Ongi, E-mail: esteven@magnet.fsu.edu [FAMU-FSU Department of Mechanical Engineering and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac, Tallahassee, Florida 32310 (United States)

    2011-10-15

    This work explores functional, fundamental and applied aspects of naturally harvested spider silk fibers. Natural silk is a protein polymer where different amino acids control the physical properties of fibroin bundles, producing, for example, combinations of {beta}-sheet (crystalline) and amorphous (helical) structural regions. This complexity presents opportunities for functional modification to obtain new types of material properties. Electrical conductivity is the starting point of this investigation, where the insulating nature of neat silk under ambient conditions is described first. Modification of the conductivity by humidity, exposure to polar solvents, iodine doping, pyrolization and deposition of a thin metallic film are explored next. The conductivity increases exponentially with relative humidity and/or solvent, whereas only an incremental increase occurs after iodine doping. In contrast, iodine doping, optimal at 70 deg. C, has a strong effect on the morphology of silk bundles (increasing their size), on the process of pyrolization (suppressing mass loss rates) and on the resulting carbonized fiber structure (that becomes more robust against bending and strain). The effects of iodine doping and other functional parameters (vacuum and thin film coating) motivated an investigation with magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) to monitor doping-induced changes in the amino acid-protein backbone signature. MAS-NMR revealed a moderate effect of iodine on the helical and {beta}-sheet structures, and a lesser effect of gold sputtering. The effects of iodine doping were further probed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, revealing a partial transformation of {beta}-sheet-to-amorphous constituency. A model is proposed, based on the findings from the MAS-NMR and FTIR, which involves iodine-induced changes in the silk fibroin bundle environment that can account for the altered physical properties. Finally, proof

  10. Physical characterization of functionalized spider silk: electronic and sensing properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steven, Eden; Brooks, James S; Park, Jin Gyu; Paravastu, Anant; Siegrist, Theo; Kaner, Papatya; Alamo, Rufina G; Branco Lopes, Elsa; Englander, Ongi

    2011-01-01

    This work explores functional, fundamental and applied aspects of naturally harvested spider silk fibers. Natural silk is a protein polymer where different amino acids control the physical properties of fibroin bundles, producing, for example, combinations of β-sheet (crystalline) and amorphous (helical) structural regions. This complexity presents opportunities for functional modification to obtain new types of material properties. Electrical conductivity is the starting point of this investigation, where the insulating nature of neat silk under ambient conditions is described first. Modification of the conductivity by humidity, exposure to polar solvents, iodine doping, pyrolization and deposition of a thin metallic film are explored next. The conductivity increases exponentially with relative humidity and/or solvent, whereas only an incremental increase occurs after iodine doping. In contrast, iodine doping, optimal at 70 deg. C, has a strong effect on the morphology of silk bundles (increasing their size), on the process of pyrolization (suppressing mass loss rates) and on the resulting carbonized fiber structure (that becomes more robust against bending and strain). The effects of iodine doping and other functional parameters (vacuum and thin film coating) motivated an investigation with magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) to monitor doping-induced changes in the amino acid-protein backbone signature. MAS-NMR revealed a moderate effect of iodine on the helical and β-sheet structures, and a lesser effect of gold sputtering. The effects of iodine doping were further probed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, revealing a partial transformation of β-sheet-to-amorphous constituency. A model is proposed, based on the findings from the MAS-NMR and FTIR, which involves iodine-induced changes in the silk fibroin bundle environment that can account for the altered physical properties. Finally, proof-of-concept applications of

  11. Physical, proximate, functional and pasting properties of flour produced from gamma irradiated cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, L. Walp)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darfour, B.; Wilson, D. D.; Ofosu, D. O.; Ocloo, F. C. K.

    2012-04-01

    Cowpeas are leguminous seeds widely produced and consumed in most developing countries of sub Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the physical, proximate, functional and pasting properties of flour obtained from gamma irradiated cowpea. Four cowpea cultivars were irradiated with gamma radiation at dose levels of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 kGy with the unirradiated cultivars serving as controls. The samples were hammer milled, sieved and stored at 4 °C for analysis. Physical, proximate, functional, pasting properties were determined using appropriate methods. In general, the irradiation dose applied to cowpea for insect control did not significantly affect the physical and proximate properties of the flour. However, significant increase (pcowpea affected both the functional and pasting properties of the flour.

  12. Quantitative structure-property relationships for chemical functional use and weight fractions in consumer articles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chemical functional use -- the functional role a chemical plays in processes or products -- may be a useful heuristic for predicting human exposure potential in that it comprises information about the compound's likely physical properties and the product formulations or articles ...

  13. Physicochemical and functional properties of protein isolate obtained from cottonseed meal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Mengting; Ren, Yanjing; Xie, Wei; Zhou, Dayun; Tang, Shurong; Kuang, Meng; Wang, Yanqin; Du, Shuang-Kui

    2018-02-01

    To investigate the effect of preparation methods of cottonseed meals on protein properties, the physicochemical and functional properties of proteins isolated from hot-pressed solvent extraction cottonseed meal (HCM), cold-pressed solvent extraction cottonseed meal (CCM) and subcritical fluid extraction cottonseed meal (SCM) were investigated. Cottonseed proteins had two major bands (at about 45 and 50kD), two X-ray diffraction peaks (8.5° and 19.5°) and one endothermic peak (94.31°C-97.72°C). Proteins of HCM showed relatively more β-sheet (38.3%-40.5%), and less β-turn (22.2%-25.8%) and α-helix (15.8%-19.5%), indicating the presence of highly denatured protein molecules. Proteins of CCM and SCM exhibited high water/oil absorption capacity, emulsifying abilities, surface hydrophobicity and fluorescence intensity, suggesting that the proteins have potential as functional ingredients in the food industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Radiation processing and functional properties of soybean (Glycine max)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pednekar, Mrinal; Das, Amit K.; Rajalakshmi, V; Sharma, Arun

    2010-01-01

    Effect of radiation processing (10, 20 and 30 kGy) on soybean for better utilization was studied. Radiation processing reduced the cooking time of soybean and increased the oil absorption capacity of soy flour without affecting its proximate composition. Irradiation improved the functional properties like solubility, emulsification activity and foam stability of soybean protein isolate. The value addition effect of radiation processing has been discussed for the products (soy milk, tofu and tofu fortified patties) prepared from soybean.

  15. Effect of land use change on soil properties and functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonutare, Tonu; Kõlli, Raimo; Köster, Tiina; Rannik, Kaire; Szajdak, Lech; Shanskiy, Merrit

    2014-05-01

    For good base of sustainable land management and ecologically sound protection of soils are researches on soil properties and functioning. Ecosystem approach to soil properties and functioning is equally important in both natural and cultivated land use conditions. Comparative analysis of natural and agro-ecosystems formed on similar soil types enables to elucidate principal changes caused by land use change (LUC) and to elaborate the best land use practices for local pedo-ecological conditions. Taken for actual analysis mineral soils' catena - rendzina → brown soils → pseudopodzolic soils → gley-podzols - represent ca 1/3 of total area of Estonian normal mineral soils. All soils of this catena differ substantially each from other by calcareousness, acidity, nutrition conditions, fabric and humus cover type. This catena (representative to Estonian pedo-ecological conditions) starts with drought-prone calcareous soils. Brown (distributed in northern and central Estonia) and pseudopodzolic soils (in southern Estonia) are the most broadly acknowledged for agricultural use medium-textured high-quality automorphic soils. Dispersedly distributed gley-podzols are permanently wet and strongly acid, low-productivity sandy soils. In presentation four complex functions of soils are treated: (1) being a suitable soil environment for plant cover productivity (expressed by annual increment, Mg ha-1 yr-1); (2) forming adequate conditions for decomposition, transformation and conversion of fresh falling litter (characterized by humus cover type); (3) deposition of humus, individual organic compounds, plant nutrition elements, air and water, and (4) forming (bio)chemically variegated active space for soil type specific edaphon. Capacity of soil cover as depositor (3) depends on it thickness, texture, calcareousness and moisture conditions. Biological activity of soil (4) is determined by fresh organic matter influx, quality and quantity of biochemical substances and humus

  16. Functional properties of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seed and its application as bakery product.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyam, Kar-Lin; Leao, Sod-Ying; Tan, Chin-Ping; Long, Kamariah

    2014-12-01

    Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seed is a valuable food resource as it has an excellent source of dietary fibre. Therefore, this study examined the functional properties of roselle seeds. Replacement of cookie flour with roselle seed powder at levels of 0-30 % was investigated for its effect on functional and nutritional properties of cookies. Among the four formulations cookies, the most preferred by panelists was 20 % roselle seed powder cookie (F3), followed by 10 % roselle seed powder cookie (F2) and 30 % roselle seed powder cookie (F4). The least preferred formulation among all was control cookie (F1). Cookie with 20 % roselle seed powder added showed higher content of total dietary fibre (5.6 g/100 g) as compared with control cookie (0.90 g/100 g). Besides that, cookies incorporated with roselle seed powder exhibited improved antioxidant properties. Thus, roselle seed powder can be used as a dietary fibre source and developed as a functional ingredient in food products.

  17. Profile and functional properties of seed proteins from six pea (Pisum sativum) genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barac, Miroljub; Cabrilo, Slavica; Pesic, Mirjana; Stanojevic, Sladjana; Zilic, Sladjana; Macej, Ognjen; Ristic, Nikola

    2010-01-01

    Extractability, extractable protein compositions, technological-functional properties of pea (Pisum sativum) proteins from six genotypes grown in Serbia were investigated. Also, the relationship between these characteristics was presented. Investigated genotypes showed significant differences in storage protein content, composition and extractability. The ratio of vicilin:legumin concentrations, as well as the ratio of vicilin + convicilin: Legumin concentrations were positively correlated with extractability. Our data suggest that the higher level of vicilin and/or a lower level of legumin have a positive influence on protein extractability. The emulsion activity index (EAI) was strongly and positively correlated with the solubility, while no significant correlation was found between emulsion stability (ESI) and solubility, nor between foaming properties and solubility. No association was evident between ESI and EAI. A moderate positive correlation between emulsion stability and foam capacity was observed. Proteins from the investigated genotypes expressed significantly different emulsifying properties and foam capacity at different pH values, whereas low foam stability was detected. It appears that genotype has considerable influence on content, composition and technological-functional properties of pea bean proteins. This fact can be very useful for food scientists in efforts to improve the quality of peas and pea protein products.

  18. Electronic properties of T graphene-like C-BN sheets: A density functional theory study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majidi, R.

    2015-11-01

    We have used density functional theory to study the electronic properties of T graphene-like C, C-BN and BN sheets. The planar T graphene with metallic property has been considered. The results show that the presence of BN has a considerable effect on the electronic properties of T graphene. The T graphene-like C-BN and BN sheets show semiconducting properties. The energy band gap is increased by enhancing the number of BN units. The possibility of opening and controlling band gap opens the door for T graphene in switchable electronic devices.

  19. Research of the complex of functional and technological properties of animal protein

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Олена Борисівна Дроменко

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The analysis of the results of analytical and practical research of the complex of functional and technological properties of animal protein Gelexcel A-95 as the basis for creation of complex functional additives is shown. The regularities of their changes are determined depending on technological factors. Rational parameters of animal protein rehydration, gelation conditions, emulsification for further use in the process of production of meat products are identified

  20. Measurement Properties of Indirect Assessment Methods for Functional Behavioral Assessment: A Review of Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floyd, Randy G.; Phaneuf, Robin L.; Wilczynski, Susan M.

    2005-01-01

    Indirect assessment instruments used during functional behavioral assessment, such as rating scales, interviews, and self-report instruments, represent the least intrusive techniques for acquiring information about the function of problem behavior. This article provides criteria for examining the measurement properties of these instruments…

  1. Understanding Service Composition with Non-functional Properties Using Declarative Model-to-model Transformations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Max Mäuhlhäuser

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Developing applications comprising service composition is a complex task. Therefore, to lower the skill barrier for developers, it is important to describe the problem at hand on an abstract level and not to focus on implementation details. This can be done using declarative programming which allows to describe only the result of the problem (which is what the developer wants rather than the description of the implementation. We therefore use purely declarative model-to-model transformations written in a universal model transformation language which is capable of handling even non functional properties using optimization and mathematical programming. This makes it easier to understand and describe service composition and non-functional properties for the developer.

  2. Engineering and functional properties of biodegradable pellets developed from various agro-industrial wastes using extrusion technology

    OpenAIRE

    Jan, Kulsum; Riar, C. S.; Saxena, D. C.

    2015-01-01

    Different agro-industrial wastes were mixed with different plasticizers and extruded to form the pellets to be used further for development of biodegradable molded pots. Bulk density and macro-porosity are the important engineering properties used to determine the functional characteristics of the biodegradable pellets viz., expansion volume, water solubility, product colour, flowability and compactness. Significant differences in the functional properties of pellets with varying bulk densiti...

  3. Green's function method with consideration of temperature dependent material properties for fatigue monitoring of nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koo, Gyeong-Hoi; Kwon, Jong-Jooh; Kim, Wanjae

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, a method to consider temperature dependent material properties when using the Green's function method is proposed by using a numerical weight function approach. This is verified by using detailed finite element analyses for a pressurizer spray nozzle with various assumed thermal transient load cases. From the results, it is found that the temperature dependent material properties can significantly affect the maximum peak stresses and the proposed method can resolve this problem with the weight function approach. Finally, it is concluded that the temperature dependency of the material properties affects the maximum stress ranges for a fatigue evaluation. Therefore, it is necessary to consider this effect to monitor fatigue damage when using a Green's function method for the real operating conditions in a nuclear power plant

  4. Turkish Tombul hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) protein concentrates: functional and rheological properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tatar, F; Tunç, M T; Kahyaoglu, T

    2015-02-01

    Turkish Tombul hazelnut consumed as natural or processed forms were evaluated to obtain protein concentrate. Defatted hazelnut flour protein (DHFP) and defatted hazelnut cake protein (DHCP) were produced from defatted hazelnut flour (DHF) and defatted hazelnut cake (DHC), respectively. The functional properties (protein solubility, emulsifying properties, foaming capacity, and colour), and dynamic rheological characteristics of protein concentrates were measured. The protein contents of samples varied in the range of 35-48 % (w/w, db) and 91-92 % (w/w, db) for DHF/DHC and DHFP/DHCP samples, respectively. The significant difference for water/fat absorption capacity, emulsion stability between DHF and DHC were determined. On the other hand, the solubility and emulsion activity of DHF and DHC were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Emulsion stability of DHFP (%46) was higher than that of DHCP (%35) but other functional properties were found similar. According to these results, the DHCP could be used as DHFP in food product formulations. The DHFP and DHCP samples showed different apparent viscosity at the same temperature and concentration, the elastic modulus (G' value) of DHPC was also found higher than that of DHFP samples.

  5. Density functional theory investigation of elastic properties and martensitic transformation of Ti-Ta alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chakraborty, Tanmoy; Rogal, Jutta; Drautz, Ralf [Interdisciplinary Centre for Advanced Materials Simulation, Ruhr- Universitaet Bochum (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    Ti-Ta alloys are considered as promising materials for high temperature shape memory alloys as well as biomedical applications. The properties of these alloys have been shown to be strongly composition dependent. The temperature for the martensitic transformation between the high temperature cubic austenite and the low temperature orthorhombic martensite decreases linearly with increasing Ta content. Likewise, the elastic properties show clear trends with changing composition. We use density functional theory to investigate the involved phases in Ti-Ta where the disordered phases are treated by special quasi-random structures. To compare the stability of the involved phases as a function of temperature we calculate free energies using the quasi-harmonic Debye model. The obtained trends in the stability are consistent with experimentally measured transformation temperatures. Furthermore, we determine elastic properties which are in good agreement with experimentally observed trends.

  6. Mapping specific soil functions based on digital soil property maps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pásztor, László; Fodor, Nándor; Farkas-Iványi, Kinga; Szabó, József; Bakacsi, Zsófia; Koós, Sándor

    2016-04-01

    Quantification of soil functions and services is a great challenge in itself even if the spatial relevance is supposed to be identified and regionalized. Proxies and indicators are widely used in ecosystem service mapping. Soil services could also be approximated by elementary soil features. One solution is the association of soil types with services as basic principle. Soil property maps however provide quantified spatial information, which could be utilized more versatilely for the spatial inference of soil functions and services. In the frame of the activities referred as "Digital, Optimized, Soil Related Maps and Information in Hungary" (DOSoReMI.hu) numerous soil property maps have been compiled so far with proper DSM techniques partly according to GSM.net specifications, partly by slightly or more strictly changing some of its predefined parameters (depth intervals, pixel size, property etc.). The elaborated maps have been further utilized, since even DOSoReMI.hu was intended to take steps toward the regionalization of higher level soil information (secondary properties, functions, services). In the meantime the recently started AGRAGIS project requested spatial soil related information in order to estimate agri-environmental related impacts of climate change and support the associated vulnerability assessment. One of the most vulnerable services of soils in the context of climate change is their provisioning service. In our work it was approximated by productivity, which was estimated by a sequential scenario based crop modelling. It took into consideration long term (50 years) time series of both measured and predicted climatic parameters as well as accounted for the potential differences in agricultural practice and crop production. The flexible parametrization and multiple results of modelling was then applied for the spatial assessment of sensitivity, vulnerability, exposure and adaptive capacity of soils in the context of the forecasted changes in

  7. Effect of roasting on physicochemical and functional properties of flaxseed flour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azhar Khan

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available An investigation was carried out on the physical, physicochemical, and functional properties of flaxseed. Physical properties viz. seed shape and size, geometric and arithmetic mean diameter, sphericity, aspect ratio, bulk and true density, porosity, angle of repose, and static friction coefficient were determined. Geometric and arithmetic mean diameter were 2.19 and 3.51 mm while average sphericity and aspect ratio were 40.34 and 62.58%. The average true density, bulk density, and porosity were 1.34 g/cm3, .66 g/cm3, and 51.56%. Angle of repose was 19.40° and coefficient of static friction obtained on glass, stainless steel, plywood perpendicular, and plywood parallel was .32, .36, .33, and .33, respectively. Flaxseeds were roasted and compositional and functional properties like water absorption capacity (WAC, oil absorption capacity (OAC, foaming capacity, foaming stability, sedimentation value, and least gelation concentration of roasted and unroasted flaxseed flour were performed. Foaming capacity (9.23% and foaming stability (54.43% were significantly higher for unroasted flaxseed than roasted flaxseed flour (7.82 and 48.60%. Roasted flour was observed to have highest values of WAC, bulk density, WSI, ash, fiber, carbohydrate, and lowest values of moisture, protein, fat, OAC, tap density, porosity, angle of repose, WAI, and sediment value as compared to unroasted flour.

  8. Soil surface protection by Biocrusts: effects of functional groups on textural properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Concostrina-Zubiri, Laura; Huber-Sannwald, Elisabeth; Martínez, Isabel; Flores Flores, José Luis; Escudero, Adrián

    2015-04-01

    In drylands, where vegetation cover is commonly scarce, soil surface is prone to wind and water soil erosion, with the subsequent loss of topsoil structure and chemical properties. These processes are even more pronounced in ecosystems subjected to extra erosive forces, such as grasslands and rangelands that support livestock production. However, some of the physiological and functional traits of biocrusts (i.e., complex association of cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, fungi and soil particles) make them ideal to resist in disturbed environments and at the same time to protect soil surface from mechanical perturbations. In particular, the filaments and exudates of soil cyanobacteria and the rhizines of lichen can bind together soil particles, forming soil aggregates at the soil surface and thus enhancing soil stability. Also, they act as "biological covers" that preserve the most vulnerable soil layer from wind and runoff erosion and raindrop impact, maintaining soil structure and composition. In this work, we evaluated soil textural properties and organic matter content under different functional groups of biocrusts (i.e., cyanobacteria crust, 3 lichen species, 1 moss species) and in bare soil. In order to assess the impact of livestock trampling on soil properties and on Biocrust function, we sampled three sites conforming a disturbance gradient (low, medium and high impact sites) and a long-term livestock exclusion as control site. We found that the presence of biocrusts had little effects on soil textural properties and organic matter content in the control site, while noticeable differences were found between bare soil and soil under biocrusts (e.g., up to 16-37% higher clay content, compared to bare soil and up to 10% higher organic matter content). In addition, we found that depending on morphological traits and grazing regime, the effects of biocrusts changed along the gradient. For example, soil under the lichen Diploschistes diacapsis, with thick thallus

  9. Measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in hip and knee osteoarthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dobson, F; Hinman, R S; Hall, M

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Electronic searches were performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO up to the end of June 2012. Two...... investigating measurement properties of performance measures, including responsiveness and interpretability in people with hip and/or knee OA, is needed. Consensus on which combination of measures will best assess physical function in people with hip/and or knee OA is urgently required....

  10. Materials properties utilization in a cumulative mechanical damage function for LMFBR fuel pin failure analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobs, D.C.

    1977-01-01

    An overview is presented of one of the fuel-pin analysis techniques used in the CRBRP program, the cumulative mechanical damage function. This technique, as applied to LMFBR's, was developed along with the majority of models used to describe the mechanical properties and environmental behavior of the cladding (i.e., 20 percent cold-worked, 316 stainless steel). As it relates to fuel-pin analyses the Cumulative Mechanical Damage Function (CDF) continually monitors cladding integrity through steady state and transient operation; it is a time dependent function of temperature and stress which reflects the effects of both the prior mechanical history and the variations in mechanical properties caused by exposure to the reactor environment

  11. Microstructure And Functional Properties Of Prosthetic Cobalt Alloys CoCrW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadolski M.

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The material subject to investigation was two commercial alloys of cobalt CoCrW (No. 27 and 28 used in prosthodontics. The scope of research included performing an analysis of microstructure and functional properties (microhardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance, as well as dilatometric tests. The examined alloys were characterized by diverse properties, which was considerably influenced by the morphology of precipitates in these materials. Alloy No. 27 has a higher corrosion resistance, whereas alloy No. 28 shows higher microhardness, better wear resistance and higher coefficient of linear expansion. Lower value of the expansion coefficient indicates less probability of initiation of a crack in the facing ceramic material.

  12. Quasistatic and dynamic functional properties of thin superelastic NiTi wires

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Heller, Luděk; Kujawa, A.; Šittner, Petr; Landa, Michal; Sedlák, Petr; Pilch, Jan

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 158, - (2008), s. 7-14 ISSN 1951-6355 Grant - others:AVALON(XE) NMP2-CT-2005-515813; UPWIND(XE) 019945(SES6) Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20760514; CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : shape memory alloys * functional properties * combined testing Subject RIV: JG - Metallurgy Impact factor: 0.689, year: 2008

  13. Effect of the metal work function on the electrical properties of carbon nanotube network transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Un Jeong; Ko, Dae Young; Kil, Joon Pyo; Lee, Jung Wha; Park, Wan Jun

    2012-01-01

    A nearly perfect semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotube random network thin film transistor array was fabricated, and its reproducible transport properties were investigated. The effects of the metal work function for both the source and the drain on the electrical properties of the transistors were systematically investigated. Three different metal electrodes, Al, Ti, and Pd, were employed. As the metal work function increased, p-type behavior became dominant, and the field effect hole mobility dramatically increased. Also, the Schottky barrier of the Ti-nanotube contact was invariant to the molecular adsorption of species in air.

  14. Enrichment of functional properties of ice cream with pomegranate by-products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çam, Mustafa; Erdoğan, Fatma; Aslan, Duygu; Dinç, Merve

    2013-10-01

    Pomegranate peel rich in phenolics, and pomegranate seed which contain a conjugated fatty acid namely punicic acid in lipid fraction remain as by-products after processing the fruit into juice. Ice cream is poor in polyunsaturated fatty acids and phenolics, therefore, this study was conducted to improve the functional properties of ice cream by incorporating pomegranate peel phenolics and pomegranate seed oil. Incorporation of the peel phenolics into ice cream at the levels of 0.1% and 0.4% (w/w) resulted in significant changes in the pH, total acidity, and color of the samples. The most prominent outcomes of phenolic incorporation were sharp improvements in antioxidant and antidiabetic activities as well as the phenolic content of ice creams. Replacement of pomegranate seed oil by milk fat at the levels of 2.0% and 4.0% (w/w) increased the conjugated fatty acid content. However, perception of oxidized flavor increased with the additional seed oil. When one considers the functional and nutritional improvements in the enrichment of the ice cream together with overall acceptability results of the sensory analysis, then it follows from this study that ice creams enriched with pomegranate peel phenolics up to 0.4% (w/w) and pomegranate seed oil up to 2.0% (w/w) could be introduced to markets as functional ice cream. Enrichment of ice creams with pomegranate by-products might provide consumers health benefits with striking functional properties of punicalagins in pomegranate peel, and punicic acid in pomegranate seed oil. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

  15. Mechanical Properties in Metal-Organic Frameworks: Emerging Opportunities and Challenges for Device Functionality and Technological Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burtch, Nicholas C.; Heinen, Jurn

    2017-01-01

    We report that some of the most remarkable recent developments in metal–organic framework (MOF) performance properties can only be rationalized by the mechanical properties endowed by their hybrid inorganic–organic nanoporous structures. While these characteristics create intriguing application prospects, the same attributes also present challenges that will need to be overcome to enable the integration of MOFs with technologies where these promising traits can be exploited. In this review, emerging opportunities and challenges are identified for MOF-enabled device functionality and technological applications that arise from their fascinating mechanical properties. This is discussed not only in the context of their more well-studied gas storage and separation applications, but also for instances where MOFs serve as components of functional nanodevices. Recent advances in understanding MOF mechanical structure–property relationships due to attributes such as defects and interpenetration are highlighted, and open questions related to state-of-the-art computational approaches for quantifying their mechanical properties are critically discussed.

  16. [Breast milk: its nutritional composition and functional properties].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tackoen, M

    2012-09-01

    Human milk is a complex biological fluid with thousands of components. The milk composition in the mammalian species is specific and adapted to the needs of the offspring. It contains macronutrients (proteins, lipids and carbohydrates), micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) and numerous biologically active substrates. Human milk not only covers the nutritional needs of the newborn but protects the baby against infection, inflammation and oxidative stress. It has immunomodulation properties and confers trophical protection to the intestinal mucosa. The newborn infant is particularly immature: innate immunity, adaptive immunity and intestinal immaturity. Human milk will offer this exogenous protective and immunomodulating source. The development of the composition of the intestinal microflora of the neonate will be impacted by pre- and probiotic components of human milk. Current scientific knowledge of human milk properties highlights interdependency of the different components, ontogeny of the intestinal function, development of the mucosal intestinal immune system, colonization by the intestinal microbiota and protection against pathogens. Quality of these interactions influences the newborn's short and long-term health status. The promotion of breastfeeding with the support of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) program and labeling has been shown to have positive impact in public health.

  17. Properties of Bulk Sintered Silver As a Function of Porosity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wereszczak, Andrew A [ORNL; Vuono, Daniel J [ORNL; Wang, Hsin [ORNL; Ferber, Mattison K [ORNL; Liang, Zhenxian [ORNL

    2012-06-01

    This report summarizes a study where various properties of bulk-sintered silver were investigated over a range of porosity. This work was conducted within the National Transportation Research Center's Power Device Packaging project that is part of the DOE Vehicle Technologies Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors Program. Sintered silver, as an interconnect material in power electronics, inherently has porosity in its produced structure because of the way it is made. Therefore, interest existed in this study to examine if that porosity affected electrical properties, thermal properties, and mechanical properties because any dependencies could affect the intended function (e.g., thermal transfer, mechanical stress relief, etc.) or reliability of that interconnect layer and alter how its performance is modeled. Disks of bulk-sintered silver were fabricated using different starting silver pastes and different sintering conditions to promote different amounts of porosity. Test coupons were harvested out of the disks to measure electrical resistivity and electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, and yield stress. The authors fully recognize that the microstructure of processed bulk silver coupons may indeed not be identical to the microstructure produced in thin (20-50 microns) layers of sintered silver. However, measuring these same properties with such a thin actual structure is very difficult, requires very specialized specimen preparation and unique testing instrumentation, is expensive, and has experimental shortfalls of its own, so the authors concluded that the herein measured responses using processed bulk sintered silver coupons would be sufficient to determine acceptable values of those properties. Almost all the investigated properties of bulk sintered silver changed with porosity content within a range of 3-38% porosity. Electrical resistivity, electrical conductivity

  18. Critical properties and high-pressure volumetric behavior of the carbon dioxide+propane system at T=308.15 k. Krichevskii function and related thermodynamic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanco, Sofía T; Gil, Laura; García-Giménez, Pilar; Artal, Manuela; Otín, Santos; Velasco, Inmaculada

    2009-05-21

    Critical properties and volumetric behavior for the {CO2(1)+C3H8(2)} system have been studied. The critical locus was measured with a flow apparatus and detected by critical opalescence. For the mixtures, repeatabilities in critical temperature and pressure are rTcStructural properties such as direct and total correlation function integrals and cluster size were calculated using the Krichevskii function concept. Both the critical and volumetric behavior have been compared with literature data and with those obtained from the PC-SAFT and Patel-Teja equations of state.

  19. Comparative study of the functional properties of three legume seed isolates: adzuki, pea and soy bean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barac, Miroljub B; Pesic, Mirjana B; Stanojevic, Sladjana P; Kostic, Aleksandar Z; Bivolarevic, Vanja

    2015-05-01

    The aim of this work was to compare functional properties including solubility, emulsifying and foaming properties of native and thermally treated adzuki, soy and pea protein isolates prepared under the same conditions. These functional properties were tested at four pH values: pH 3.0, pH 5.0, pH 7.0 and pH 8.0. The lowest solubility at all pH values were obtained for isolate of adzuki whereas isolates of soybean had the highest values at almost all pHs. Thermal treatment reduced solubility of soy and pea isolates at all pH values, whereas solubility of adzuki isolate was unchanged, except at pH 8. Native isolate of adzuki had the best emulsifying properties at pH 7.0 whereas at the other pH values some of native pea and soybean protein isolates were superior. After thermal treatment, depending on tested pH and selected variety all of three species could be a good emulsifier. Native soy protein isolates formed the most stable foams at all pHs. Thermal treatment significantly improved foaming properties of adzuki isolate, whereas reduced foaming capacity of soy and pea isolates, but could improve foam stability of these isolates at specific pH. Appropriate selection of legume seed as well as variety could have great importance in achievement of desirable functional properties of final products. All three tested species could find specific application in wide range of food products.

  20. Local electronic and electrical properties of functionalized graphene nano flakes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chutia, Arunabhiram; Sahnoun, Riadh; Deka, Ramesh C.; Zhu, Zhigang; Tsuboi, Hideyuki; Takaba, Hiromitsu; Miyamoto, Akira

    2011-01-01

    Based on experimental findings models of amorphous graphene related carbon materials were generated using graphene nano flakes. On the optimized structures detailed local electronic properties were investigated using density functional theory. The electrical conductivities of all these models were also estimated using an in-house program based on tight-binding method. The calculated electrical conductivity values of all the models agreed well with the trend of calculated energy gap and graphitic character.

  1. Measurement Properties of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Saurabh P; Fulton, Allison; Quach, Cedric; Thistle, Megan; Toledo, Cesar; Evans, Neil A

    2016-03-01

    Systematic review of measurement properties. Many primary studies have examined the measurement properties, such as reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change, of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) in different clinical populations. A systematic review summarizing these properties for the LEFS may provide an important resource. To locate and synthesize evidence on the measurement properties of the LEFS and to discuss the clinical implications of the evidence. A literature search was conducted in 4 databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL), using predefined search terms. Two reviewers performed a critical appraisal of the included studies using a standardized assessment form. A total of 27 studies were included in the review, of which 18 achieved a very good to excellent methodological quality level. The LEFS scores demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients ranging between 0.85 and 0.99) and demonstrated the expected relationships with measures assessing similar constructs (Pearson correlation coefficient values of greater than 0.7). The responsiveness of the LEFS scores was excellent, as suggested by consistently high effect sizes (greater than 0.8) in patients with different lower extremity conditions. Minimal detectable change at the 90% confidence level (MDC90) for the LEFS scores varied between 8.1 and 15.3 across different reassessment intervals in a wide range of patient populations. The pooled estimate of the MDC90 was 6 points and the minimal clinically important difference was 9 points in patients with lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions, which are indicative of true change and clinically meaningful change, respectively. The results of this review support the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the LEFS scores for assessing functional impairment in a wide array of patient groups with lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions.

  2. Nitinol laser cutting: microstructure and functional properties of femtosecond and continuous wave laser processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biffi, C. A.; Tuissi, A.

    2017-03-01

    Thermal processing can affect the properties of smart materials, and the correct selection of the best manufacturing technology is fundamental for producing high tech smart devices, containing embedded functional properties. In this work cutting of thin superelastic Nitinol plates using a femtosecond (fs) and continuous wave (CW) laser was studied. Diamond shaped elements were cut to characterize the kerf qualitative features; microstructural analysis of the cross sections allowed identification of thermal damage characteristics introduced into the material during the laser processes. A thermally undamaged microstructure was observed for fs laser cutting, while CW was seen to be characterized by a large heat-affected zone. Functional properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and tensile testing of laser cut microelements and of the reference material. It was seen that the martensitic transformation behavior of Nitinol is not affected by fs regime, while cw cutting provokes an effect equivalent to a high temperature thermal treatment in the material surrounding the cutting kerf, degradating the material properties. Finally, tensile testing indicated that superelastic performances were guaranteed by fs regime, while strong reduction of the recoverable strain was detected in the CW processed sample.

  3. Evaluation of the measurement properties of self-reported health-related work-functioning instruments among workers with common mental disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abma, Femke I; van der Klink, Jac J L; Terwee, Caroline B; Amick, Benjamin C; Bültmann, Ute

    2012-01-01

    During the past decade, common mental disorders (CMD) have emerged as a major public and occupational health problem in many countries. Several instruments have been developed to measure the influence of health on functioning at work. To select appropriate instruments for use in occupational health practice and research, the measurement properties (eg, reliability, validity, responsiveness) must be evaluated. The objective of this study is to appraise critically and compare the measurement properties of self-reported health-related work-functioning instruments among workers with CMD. A systematic review was performed searching three electronic databases. Papers were included that: (i) mainly focused on the development and/or evaluation of the measurement properties of a self-reported health-related work-functioning instrument; (ii) were conducted in a CMD population; and (iii) were fulltext original papers. Quality appraisal was performed using the consensus-based standards for the selection of health status measurement instruments (COSMIN) checklist. Five papers evaluating measurement properties of five self-reported health-related work-functioning instruments in CMD populations were included. There is little evidence available for the measurement properties of the identified instruments in this population, mainly due to low methodological quality of the included studies. The available evidence on measurement properties is based on studies of poor-to-fair methodological quality. Information on a number of measurement properties, such as measurement error, content validity, and cross-cultural validity is still lacking. Therefore, no evidence-based decisions and recommendations can be made for the use of health-related work functioning instruments. Studies of high methodological quality are needed to properly assess the existing instruments' measurement properties.

  4. Determinants of Functional and Structural Properties of Large Arteries in Healthy Individuals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tolezani, Elaine Cristina; Costa-Hong, Valéria, E-mail: hong.valeria@gmail.com; Correia, Gustavo; Mansur, Alfredo José; Drager, Luciano Ferreira; Bortolotto, Luiz Aparecido [Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2014-11-15

    Changes in the properties of large arteries correlate with higher cardiovascular risk. Recent guidelines have included the assessment of those properties to detect subclinical disease. Establishing reference values for the assessment methods as well as determinants of the arterial parameters and their correlations in healthy individuals is important to stratify patients. To assess, in healthy adults, the distribution of the values of pulse wave velocity, diameter, intima-media thickness and relative distensibility of the carotid artery, in addition to assessing the demographic and clinical determinants of those parameters and their correlations. This study evaluated 210 individuals (54% women; mean age, 44 ± 13 years) with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was measured with a Complior{sup ®} device. The functional and structural properties of the carotid artery were assessed by using radiofrequency ultrasound. The means of the following parameters were: pulse wave velocity, 8.7 ± 1.5 m/s; diameter, 6,707.9 ± 861.6 μm; intima-media thickness, 601 ± 131 μm; relative distensibility, 5.3 ± 2.1%. No significant difference related to sex or ethnicity was observed. On multiple linear logistic regression, the factors independently related to the vascular parameters were: pulse wave velocity, to age (p < 0.01) and triglycerides (p = 0.02); intima-media thickness, to age (p < 0.01); diameter, to creatinine (p = 0.03) and age (p = 0.02); relative distensibility, to age (p < 0.01) and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). Pulse wave velocity showed a positive correlation with intima media thickness (p < 0.01) and with relative distensibility (p < 0.01), while diameter showed a positive correlation with distensibility (p = 0.03). In healthy individuals, age was the major factor related to aortic stiffness, while age and diastolic blood pressure related to the carotid functional measure

  5. Determinants of Functional and Structural Properties of Large Arteries in Healthy Individuals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tolezani, Elaine Cristina; Costa-Hong, Valéria; Correia, Gustavo; Mansur, Alfredo José; Drager, Luciano Ferreira; Bortolotto, Luiz Aparecido

    2014-01-01

    Changes in the properties of large arteries correlate with higher cardiovascular risk. Recent guidelines have included the assessment of those properties to detect subclinical disease. Establishing reference values for the assessment methods as well as determinants of the arterial parameters and their correlations in healthy individuals is important to stratify patients. To assess, in healthy adults, the distribution of the values of pulse wave velocity, diameter, intima-media thickness and relative distensibility of the carotid artery, in addition to assessing the demographic and clinical determinants of those parameters and their correlations. This study evaluated 210 individuals (54% women; mean age, 44 ± 13 years) with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was measured with a Complior ® device. The functional and structural properties of the carotid artery were assessed by using radiofrequency ultrasound. The means of the following parameters were: pulse wave velocity, 8.7 ± 1.5 m/s; diameter, 6,707.9 ± 861.6 μm; intima-media thickness, 601 ± 131 μm; relative distensibility, 5.3 ± 2.1%. No significant difference related to sex or ethnicity was observed. On multiple linear logistic regression, the factors independently related to the vascular parameters were: pulse wave velocity, to age (p < 0.01) and triglycerides (p = 0.02); intima-media thickness, to age (p < 0.01); diameter, to creatinine (p = 0.03) and age (p = 0.02); relative distensibility, to age (p < 0.01) and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). Pulse wave velocity showed a positive correlation with intima media thickness (p < 0.01) and with relative distensibility (p < 0.01), while diameter showed a positive correlation with distensibility (p = 0.03). In healthy individuals, age was the major factor related to aortic stiffness, while age and diastolic blood pressure related to the carotid functional measure. The

  6. Determinants of Functional and Structural Properties of Large Arteries in Healthy Individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaine Cristina Tolezani

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Changes in the properties of large arteries correlate with higher cardiovascular risk. Recent guidelines have included the assessment of those properties to detect subclinical disease. Establishing reference values for the assessment methods as well as determinants of the arterial parameters and their correlations in healthy individuals is important to stratify patients. Objective: To assess, in healthy adults, the distribution of the values of pulse wave velocity, diameter, intima-media thickness and relative distensibility of the carotid artery, in addition to assessing the demographic and clinical determinants of those parameters and their correlations. Methods: This study evaluated 210 individuals (54% women; mean age, 44 ± 13 years with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was measured with a Complior® device. The functional and structural properties of the carotid artery were assessed by using radiofrequency ultrasound. Results: The means of the following parameters were: pulse wave velocity, 8.7 ± 1.5 m/s; diameter, 6,707.9 ± 861.6 μm; intima-media thickness, 601 ± 131 μm; relative distensibility, 5.3 ± 2.1%. No significant difference related to sex or ethnicity was observed. On multiple linear logistic regression, the factors independently related to the vascular parameters were: pulse wave velocity, to age (p < 0.01 and triglycerides (p = 0.02; intima-media thickness, to age (p < 0.01; diameter, to creatinine (p = 0.03 and age (p = 0.02; relative distensibility, to age (p < 0.01 and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively. Pulse wave velocity showed a positive correlation with intima media thickness (p < 0.01 and with relative distensibility (p < 0.01, while diameter showed a positive correlation with distensibility (p = 0.03. Conclusion: In healthy individuals, age was the major factor related to aortic stiffness, while age and diastolic

  7. Functional Properties and Amino Acid Profile of Spirulina Platensis Protein Isolates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bashir, S.; Sharif, M. K.; Butt, M. S.; Shahid, M.

    2016-01-01

    Protein malnutrition and food insecurity represent serious obstructions to sustainable development, poverty reduction and food quality throughout the world. The present study has been designed to evaluate the Spirulina platensis (SP) as a protein alternative source for the utilization in food products. A protein isolate was prepared from S. platensis powder through extraction with 0.1N NaOH, precipitation at pH 3, neutralization of the dispersed precipitate to pH 6.8-7.0, and subsequent freeze drying. The S. platensis isolate amino acids compositions revealed that the total essential amino acids contribution was comparatively higher in SPI (31.16±1.43 g/100 g) as compared with SP (27.75±1.21 g/100 g). Moreover, oil and water absorption capacities, foaming and emulsifying properties, surface hydrophobicity and nitrogen solubility index were found better functional properties under laboratory conditions except emulsion properties. Conclusively, SP and its isolates might be used in various food products to curtail protein energy malnutrition. (author)

  8. Thermal and mechanical interfacial properties of epoxy composites based on functionalized carbon nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin Fanlong; Ma Changjie; Park, Soo-Jin

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → CNTs were functionalized by acid and amine treatments. → Epoxy resin/CNT composites were prepared. → T g of the composites increased by about 10 deg. C compared to neat epoxy resins. → Toughness of the composites was significantly improved by the addition of functionalized CNTs. - Abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were treated by a mixture of acid and functionalized subsequently by amine treatment to improve interfacial interactions and dispersion of CNTs in epoxy matrix. The thermal stabilities and mechanical interfacial properties of epoxy/CNT composites were investigated using several techniques. The dispersion state of CNTs in the epoxy matrix was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As a result, the glass transition temperature of epoxy/CNT composites increased by about 11 deg. C compared to neat epoxy resins. The mechanical interfacial property of the composites was significantly increased by the addition of amine treated CNTs. The SEM and TEM results showed that the separation and uniform dispersion of CNTs in the epoxy matrix.

  9. Regularity of p(ṡ)-superharmonic functions, the Kellogg property and semiregular boundary points

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamowicz, Tomasz; Björn, Anders; Björn, Jana

    2014-11-01

    We study various boundary and inner regularity questions for $p(\\cdot)$-(super)harmonic functions in Euclidean domains. In particular, we prove the Kellogg property and introduce a classification of boundary points for $p(\\cdot)$-harmonic functions into three disjoint classes: regular, semiregular and strongly irregular points. Regular and especially semiregular points are characterized in many ways. The discussion is illustrated by examples. Along the way, we present a removability result for bounded $p(\\cdot)$-harmonic functions and give some new characterizations of $W^{1, p(\\cdot)}_0$ spaces. We also show that $p(\\cdot)$-superharmonic functions are lower semicontinuously regularized, and characterize them in terms of lower semicontinuously regularized supersolutions.

  10. Certain Properties of Some Families of Generalized Starlike Functions with respect to q-Calculus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ben Wongsaijai

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available By making use of the concept of q-calculus, various types of generalized starlike functions of order α were introduced and studied from different viewpoints. In this paper, we investigate the relation between various former types of q-starlike functions of order α. We also introduce and study a new subclass of q-starlike functions of order α. Moreover, we give some properties of those q-starlike functions with negative coefficient including the radius of univalency and starlikeness. Some illustrative examples are provided to verify the theoretical results in case of negative coefficient functions class.

  11. Certain properties of some special functions of two variables and two indices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, Subuhi

    2002-07-01

    In this paper, we derive a result concerning eigenvector and eigenvalue for a quadratic combination of four operators defined on a Lie algebra of endomorphisms of a vector space. Further, using this result, we deduce certain properties of some special functions of two variables and two indices. (author)

  12. LENSING PROPERTIES OF THE EINASTO PROFILE IN TERMS OF THE MEIJER G FUNCTION

    OpenAIRE

    Edwin Retana-Montenegro; Francisco Frutos-Alfaro

    2014-01-01

    In N-body simulations of cold dark matter, it has been found that three-parameter models, particularly the Einasto profile, yield better fits to a wide range of dark matter haloes than two parameter models like the Navarro-Frenk-White profile. Recently, the analytical properties of the Einasto profile has been studied, allowing closed expressions for its surface mass density and lensing properties in terms of the Fox H and Meijer G functions, using a Mellin transform formalism. These expressi...

  13. [Aberrant topological properties of whole-brain functional network in chronic right-sided sensorineural hearing loss: a resting-state functional MRI study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lingling; Liu, Bin; Xu, Yangwen; Yang, Ming; Feng, Yuan; Huang, Yaqing; Huan, Zhichun; Hou, Zhaorui

    2015-02-03

    To investigate the topological properties of the functional brain network in unilateral sensorineural hearing loss patients. In this study, we acquired resting-state BOLD- fMRI data from 19 right-sided SNHL patients and 31 healthy controls with normal hearing and constructed their whole brain functional networks. Two-sample two-tailed t-tests were performed to investigate group differences in topological parameters between the USNHL patients and the controls. Partial correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationships between the network metrics and USNHL-related variables. Both USNHL patients and controls exhibited small-word architecture in their brain functional networks within the range 0. 1 - 0. 2 of sparsity. Compared to the controls, USNHL patients showed significant increase in characteristic path length and normalized characteristic path length, but significant decrease in global efficiency. Clustering coefficient, local efficiency and normalized clustering coefficient demonstrated no significant difference. Furthermore, USNHL patients exhibited no significant association between the altered network metrics and the duration of USNHL or the severity of hearing loss. Our results indicated the altered topological properties of whole brain functional networks in USNHL patients, which may help us to understand pathophysiologic mechanism of USNHL patients.

  14. Functionalization of Cellulose Fibres with Oxygen Plasma and ZnO Nanoparticles for Achieving UV Protective Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katja Jazbec

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Low-pressure oxygen plasma created by an electrodeless radiofrequency (RF discharge was applied to modify the properties of cellulosic fibrous polymer (cotton in order to improve adsorption properties towards zinc oxide (ZnO nanoparticles and to achieve excellent ultraviolet (UV protective properties of cotton fabric. The chemical and physical surface modifications of plasma-treated cotton fabric were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The mechanical properties of plasma-treated samples were evaluated, measuring strength and elongation of the fabrics. The quantity of zinc on the ZnO-functionalized cotton samples was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS and the effectiveness of plasma treatment for UV protective properties of cotton fabrics was evaluated using UV-VIS spectrometry, measuring the UV protection factor (UPF. The results indicated that longer plasma treatment times cause higher concentration of oxygen functional groups on the surface of fibres and higher surface roughness of fibres. These two conditions are crucial in increasing the content of ZnO nanoparticles on the fibres, providing excellent UV protective properties of treated cotton, with UPF factor up to 65.93.

  15. Improving surface functional properties of tofu whey-derived peptides by chemical modification with fatty acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matemu, Athanasia Oswald; Katayama, Shigeru; Kayahara, Hisataka; Murasawa, Hisashi; Nakamura, Soichiro

    2012-04-01

    Effect of acylation with saturated fatty acids on surface functional properties of tofu whey-derived peptides was investigated. Tofu whey (TW) and soy proteins (7S, 11S, and acid-precipitated soy protein [APP]) were hydrolyzed by Protease M 'Amano' G, and resulting peptide mixtures were acylated with esterified fatty acids of different chain length (6C to 18C) to form a covalent linkage between the carboxyl group of fatty acid and the free amino groups of peptide. Acylation significantly (P properties of 7S, 11S, and APP peptides independent of fatty acid chain length. Acylation decreased water binding capacity although oil binding capacity of acylated tofu whey ultra filtered fraction (UFTW acids had shown significant higher surface hydrophobicity as in contrast with acylated UFTW acids can further affect functional properties of soy proteins. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  16. Apparatus and test method for characterizing the temperature regulating properties of thermal functional porous polymeric materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Bao-Guo; Zhang, Shan; Zhang, De-Pin

    2017-05-01

    In order to evaluate the temperature regulating properties of thermal functional porous polymeric materials such as fabrics treated with phase change material microcapsules, a new apparatus was developed. The apparatus and the test method can measure the heat flux, temperature, and displacement signals during the dynamic contact and then quickly give an evaluation for the temperature regulating properties by simulating the dynamic heat transfer and temperature regulating process when the materials contact the body skin. A series of indices including the psychosensory intensity, regulating capability index, and relative regulating index were defined to characterize the temperature regulating properties. The measurement principle, the evaluation criteria and grading method, the experimental setup and the test results discussion, and the gage capability analysis of the apparatus are presented. The new apparatus provides a method for the objective measurement and evaluation of the temperature regulating properties of thermal functional porous polymeric materials.

  17. [Functional meat products; development and evaluation of their health-promoting properties].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olmedilla-Alonso, Begoña; Jiménez-Colmenero, Francisco

    2014-06-01

    For a number of reasons, meat products are an exceptionally adequate means for introducing different bioactive compounds into the diet without modifying eating habits. In recent years, there has been a notable development of meat products designed as potentially functional foods. Within the framework of the functional food, this article provides a general view of the reasons that motivate and justify their formulation, with special emphasis on: a) aspects to be considered in their design in order to be able to make nutrition claims and statements concerning their health-promoting properties; b) the strategies employed to optimize the presence of functional ingredients, favoring the presence of beneficial bioactive compounds and limiting others with negative consequences for our health, and c) the procedures for demonstrating a relationship between the consumption of potentially functional meat products with beneficial effects on health and the way in which these studies are reflected in the literature. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  18. Analytic properties of the Ruelle ζ-function for mean field models of phase transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hallerberg, Sarah; Just, Wolfram; Radons, Guenter

    2005-01-01

    We evaluate by analytical means the Ruelle ζ-function for a spin model with global coupling. The implications of the ferromagnetic phase transitions for the analytical properties of the ζ-function are discussed in detail. In the paramagnetic phase the ζ-function develops a single branch point. In the low-temperature regime two branch points appear which correspond to the ferromagnetic state and the metastable state. The results are typical for any Ginsburg-Landau-type phase transition

  19. A (time-dependent) density functional theory study of the optoelectronic properties of bis-triisopropylsilylethynyl-functionalized acenes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malloci, G.; Cappellini, G.; Mulas, G.; Mattoni, A.

    2013-01-01

    We report a comparative study of the optoelectronic properties of small acenes (benzene, anthracene, and pentacene) and their bis-triisopropylsilylethynyl (TIPS) functionalized counterparts. We computed the fundamental gap using density functional theory (DFT) in the framework of the ΔSCF scheme, and the optical absorption spectra by means of time-dependent DFT. Upon TIPS functionalization we observed a lowering of the ionization energy and a rise of the electron affinity; we consequently predict a systematic reduction of the fundamental electronic gap which decreases from ∼ 40% for benzene to ∼ 16% for pentacene. This trend is reflected in the computed optical absorption spectra: for all TIPS-molecules the onset of absorption is red-shifted as compared to their plain precursors. In the case of TIPS-pentacene, in particular, the computed spectrum agrees with the available experimental data. - Highlights: • We evaluate the effect of triisopropylsilylethynyl (TIPS)-substitution on acenes. • We compared the fundamental gap and the optical absorption as a function of size. • We found a general gap reduction following TIPS functionalization. • The gap reduction decreases at increasing size, from 40% for n = 1 to 16% for n = 5. • The onset of absorption is red-shifted as compared to TIPS precursors

  20. A (time-dependent) density functional theory study of the optoelectronic properties of bis-triisopropylsilylethynyl-functionalized acenes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malloci, G., E-mail: giuliano.malloci@dsf.unica.it [Istituto Officina dei Materiali (CNR-IOM), Unità di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, I-09042 Monserrato (Italy); Cappellini, G. [Istituto Officina dei Materiali (CNR-IOM), Unità di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, I-09042 Monserrato (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, I-09042 Monserrato (Italy); Mulas, G. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Strada 54, Località Poggio dei Pini, I-09012 Capoterra (Italy); Mattoni, A. [Istituto Officina dei Materiali (CNR-IOM), Unità di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, I-09042 Monserrato (Italy)

    2013-09-30

    We report a comparative study of the optoelectronic properties of small acenes (benzene, anthracene, and pentacene) and their bis-triisopropylsilylethynyl (TIPS) functionalized counterparts. We computed the fundamental gap using density functional theory (DFT) in the framework of the ΔSCF scheme, and the optical absorption spectra by means of time-dependent DFT. Upon TIPS functionalization we observed a lowering of the ionization energy and a rise of the electron affinity; we consequently predict a systematic reduction of the fundamental electronic gap which decreases from ∼ 40% for benzene to ∼ 16% for pentacene. This trend is reflected in the computed optical absorption spectra: for all TIPS-molecules the onset of absorption is red-shifted as compared to their plain precursors. In the case of TIPS-pentacene, in particular, the computed spectrum agrees with the available experimental data. - Highlights: • We evaluate the effect of triisopropylsilylethynyl (TIPS)-substitution on acenes. • We compared the fundamental gap and the optical absorption as a function of size. • We found a general gap reduction following TIPS functionalization. • The gap reduction decreases at increasing size, from 40% for n = 1 to 16% for n = 5. • The onset of absorption is red-shifted as compared to TIPS precursors.

  1. Determination of the functional properties of Kappaphycus alvarezii seaweed powder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sjamsiah; Nazaruddin Ramli; Rusli Daik; Mohd Ambar Yarmo

    2013-01-01

    Seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii powder prepared by spray drying (SD), freeze drying (FD) and sun drying(SND) were determined their functional properties such as swelling capacity (SWC), water holding capacity (WHC), oil holding capacity (OHC), viscosity and gel strength. The study showed that the Kappaphycus alvarezii seaweed powder obtained by FD and SND have the ability to swell to 25 mL/ g and 50 mL/ g respectively, while the SD powder formed a homogeneous solution and it exhibited highly viscous solution (SWC 100 mL/ g). The WHC of SND powder (30.67 g/ g) was higher (p<0.05) than the FD (21.33 g/ g) and SD (4.67 g/ g) powders. The OHC of FD powder (19.81 g/ g) was higher (p<0.05) than the SD (5.11 g/ g) and SND (4.67 g/ g) powders. While the viscosity of the FD, SND and SD powders were 0.22, 0.17 and 0.06 Pa.s respectively. Meanwhile, the gel strength of the SD powder (82.77 gf) was higher (p<0.05) than the FD (57.1 gf) and SND (35.01 gf) powders. These results on determination of functional properties shows that the SD powder had the most potential to be applied as a viscosity modifier in the manufacturing of beverages.(author)

  2. Optical properties of Al nanostructures from time dependent density functional theory

    KAUST Repository

    Mokkath, Junais Habeeb

    2016-04-05

    The optical properties of Al nanostructures are investigated by means of time dependent density functional theory, considering chains of varying length and ladders/stripes of varying aspect ratio. The absorption spectra show redshifting for increasing length and aspect ratio. For the chains the absorption is dominated by HOMO → LUMO transitions, whereas ladders and stripes reveal more complex spectra of plasmonic nature above a specific aspect ratio.

  3. Assessing the functional mechanical properties of bioengineered organs with emphasis on the lung.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suki, Béla

    2014-09-01

    Recently, an exciting new approach has emerged in regenerative medicine pushing the forefront of tissue engineering to create bioartificial organs. The basic idea is to create biological scaffolds made of extracellular matrix (ECM) that preserves the three-dimensional architecture of an entire organ. These scaffolds are then used as templates for functional tissue and organ reconstruction after re-seeding the structure with stem cells or appropriately differentiated cells. In order to make sure that these bioartificial organs will be able to function in the mechanical environment of the native tissue, it is imperative to fully characterize their mechanical properties and match them with those of the normal native organs. This mini-review briefly summarizes modern measurement techniques of mechanical function characterized mostly by the material or volumetric stiffness. Micro-scale and macro-scale techniques such as atomic force microscopy and the tissue strip stress-strain approach are discussed with emphasis on those that combine mechanical measurements with structural visualization. Proper micro-scale stiffness helps attachment and differentiation of cells in the bioartificial organ whereas macro-scale functionality is provided by the overall mechanical properties of the construct. Several approaches including failure mechanics are also described, which specifically probe the contributions of the main ECM components including collagen, elastin, and proteoglycans to organ level ECM function. Advantages, drawbacks, and possible pitfalls as well as interpretation of the data are given throughout. Finally, specific techniques to assess the functionality of the ECM of bioartificial lungs are separately discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Starch Digestibility and Functional Properties of Rice Starch Subjected to Gamma Radiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luís Fernando Polesi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the effect of gamma radiation on the digestibility and functional properties of rice starch. Rice cultivars IRGA417 and IAC202 were used for isolation of starch by the alkaline method. Starch samples were irradiated with 1, 2 and 5 kGy doses of 60Co at a rate of 0.4 kGy/h. A control sample, which was not irradiated, was used for comparison. Irradiated and control starches were characterized by in vitro starch digestibility, total dietary fiber, color, water absorption index, water solubility index, syneresis, swelling factor, amylose leaching, pasting properties and gel firmness. Irradiations changed starch digestibility differently in either cultivar. Increasing radiation doses promoted increase in the color parameter b* (yellow, elevation in the capacity to absorb water, and solubility in water as well as the amylose leached from granules for both cultivars. Pasting properties showed a decrease that was proportional to the dose applied, caused by the depolymerization of starch molecules. Gel firmness of the starch from IAC202 was inversely proportional to the radiation dose applied, whereas for IRGA417, there was a reduction at 5 kGy dose. Rice starches can be modified by irradiation to exhibit different functional characteristics and they can be used by the food industries in products such as soups, desserts, flans, puddings and others.

  5. Functional Properties of Human Stem Cell-Derived Neurons in Health and Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason P. Weick

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Stem cell-derived neurons from various source materials present unique model systems to examine the fundamental properties of central nervous system (CNS development as well as the molecular underpinnings of disease phenotypes. In order to more accurately assess potential therapies for neurological disorders, multiple strategies have been employed in recent years to produce neuronal populations that accurately represent in vivo regional and transmitter phenotypes. These include new technologies such as direct conversion of somatic cell types into neurons and glia which may accelerate maturation and retain genetic hallmarks of aging. In addition, novel forms of genetic manipulations have brought human stem cells nearly on par with those of rodent with respect to gene targeting. For neurons of the CNS, the ultimate phenotypic characterization lies with their ability to recapitulate functional properties such as passive and active membrane characteristics, synaptic activity, and plasticity. These features critically depend on the coordinated expression and localization of hundreds of ion channels and receptors, as well as scaffolding and signaling molecules. In this review I will highlight the current state of knowledge regarding functional properties of human stem cell-derived neurons, with a primary focus on pluripotent stem cells. While significant advances have been made, critical hurdles must be overcome in order for this technology to support progression toward clinical applications.

  6. Analytic properties for the honeycomb lattice Green function at the origin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joyce, G. S.

    2018-05-01

    The analytic properties of the honeycomb lattice Green function are investigated, where is a complex variable which lies in a plane. This double integral defines a single-valued analytic function provided that a cut is made along the real axis from w  =  ‑3 to . In order to analyse the behaviour of along the edges of the cut it is convenient to define the limit function where . It is shown that and can be evaluated exactly for all in terms of various hypergeometric functions, where the argument function is always real-valued and rational. The second-order linear Fuchsian differential equation satisfied by is also used to derive series expansions for and which are valid in the neighbourhood of the regular singular points and . Integral representations are established for and , where with . In particular, it is proved that where J 0(z) and Y 0(z) denote Bessel functions of the first and second kind, respectively. The results derived in the paper are utilized to evaluate the associated logarithmic integral where w lies in the cut plane. A new set of orthogonal polynomials which are connected with the honeycomb lattice Green function are also briefly discussed. Finally, a link between and the theory of Pearson random walks in a plane is established.

  7. Functional properties of composite material from recycled tires and polyurethane binder in water medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plesuma, R.; Malers, L.

    2016-01-01

    The present research is as a continuation of the authors’ previous research of composite material and practical application of composite material largely connected with water. The aim of present study was to establish certain functional properties of the material in water medium. Water permeability, absorption and swelling of the composite material after being exposed to water for certain period were determined. Water absorption, permeability and swelling of the composite material showed close correlation with polymer reactivity. Molding pressure, temperature and the distribution of rubber particle sizes also demonstrate a direct influence on the water absorption and permeability of the composite material. The obtained results are useful for the practical application of selected composite material with desirable and predictable functional properties. (paper)

  8. The aesthetic and functional properties of enamel coatings on steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scrinzi, E.; Rossi, S.

    2010-01-01

    In this work, the aesthetic and functional properties of enamelled steel panels were investigated. Enamelling is one of the oldest techniques to protect metallic substrates from corrosive phenomena and to improve the aesthetic aspects. This kind of coating is still up-to-date because of its durability, the possibility of creating different aesthetic effects and the eco-sustainability of the production process. Therefore, these kinds of coatings present a great potential in the field of product design. In this work, the durability and the change in the surface properties of different types of enamels are investigated. Chemical resistance, abrasion resistance and ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure resistance were studied. To determine the chemical resistance, the samples were immersed in acid and basic solutions. Gloss and colour changes were measured. The falling abrasive test was used to evaluate the abrasion resistance: gloss changes were measured to determine the loss of aesthetic properties, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to evaluate the loss of protective properties. Gloss and colour changes were measured after 1000 h of UV exposure. Optical microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy were used to study the morphology of the damage and correlate it to the gloss and colour changes. All the samples presented good resistance in acid solution and good UV exposure resistance. For the other tests the results varied and were correlated to the characteristics of the enamels in terms of composition, thickness, surface roughness and application technique.

  9. Characterization of maximally random jammed sphere packings. III. Transport and electromagnetic properties via correlation functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klatt, Michael A.; Torquato, Salvatore

    2018-01-01

    In the first two papers of this series, we characterized the structure of maximally random jammed (MRJ) sphere packings across length scales by computing a variety of different correlation functions, spectral functions, hole probabilities, and local density fluctuations. From the remarkable structural features of the MRJ packings, especially its disordered hyperuniformity, exceptional physical properties can be expected. Here we employ these structural descriptors to estimate effective transport and electromagnetic properties via rigorous bounds, exact expansions, and accurate analytical approximation formulas. These property formulas include interfacial bounds as well as universal scaling laws for the mean survival time and the fluid permeability. We also estimate the principal relaxation time associated with Brownian motion among perfectly absorbing traps. For the propagation of electromagnetic waves in the long-wavelength limit, we show that a dispersion of dielectric MRJ spheres within a matrix of another dielectric material forms, to a very good approximation, a dissipationless disordered and isotropic two-phase medium for any phase dielectric contrast ratio. We compare the effective properties of the MRJ sphere packings to those of overlapping spheres, equilibrium hard-sphere packings, and lattices of hard spheres. Moreover, we generalize results to micro- and macroscopically anisotropic packings of spheroids with tensorial effective properties. The analytic bounds predict the qualitative trend in the physical properties associated with these structures, which provides guidance to more time-consuming simulations and experiments. They especially provide impetus for experiments to design materials with unique bulk properties resulting from hyperuniformity, including structural-color and color-sensing applications.

  10. Physical, proximate, functional and pasting properties of flour produced from gamma irradiated cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, L. Walp)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darfour, B.; Wilson, D.D.; Ofosu, D.O.; Ocloo, F.C.K.

    2012-01-01

    Cowpeas are leguminous seeds widely produced and consumed in most developing countries of sub Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the physical, proximate, functional and pasting properties of flour obtained from gamma irradiated cowpea. Four cowpea cultivars were irradiated with gamma radiation at dose levels of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 kGy with the unirradiated cultivars serving as controls. The samples were hammer milled, sieved and stored at 4 °C for analysis. Physical, proximate, functional, pasting properties were determined using appropriate methods. In general, the irradiation dose applied to cowpea for insect control did not significantly affect the physical and proximate properties of the flour. However, significant increase (p<0.05) was achieved in paste bulk density, water and oil absorption capacities, foam capacities and least gelation concentrations of flour in general, which may be attributed to the irradiation. The radiation reduced the swelling power and water solubility index significantly. The peak temperature, peak viscosity and setback viscosity of the pastes were significantly (p<0.05) reduced while breakdown viscosity was significantly (p<0.05) increased by the radiation. It was established that the doses used on cowpea affected both the functional and pasting properties of the flour. - Highlights: ► We investigated the effects of gamma irradiation of cowpea on quality characteristics of its resultant flour. ► Flour was prepared from four cowpea cultivars irradiated at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 kGy. ► Proximate and physical properties of flour from irradiated cowpea were generally not affected by the radiation doses used. ► Functional properties of flour samples were affected by gamma irradiation of cowpea. ► Pasting parameters studied were also affected by the radiation at various radiation doses.

  11. UV-Vis optoelectronic properties of α-SnWO4: A comparative experimental and density functional theory based study

    KAUST Repository

    Ziani, Ahmed

    2015-09-03

    We report a combined experimental and theoretical study on the optoelectronic properties of α-SnWO4 for UV-Vis excitation. The experimentally measured values for thin films were systematically compared with high-accuracy density functional theory and density functional perturbation theory using the HSE06 functional. The α-SnWO4 material shows an indirect bandgap of 1.52 eV with high absorption coefficient in the visible-light range (>2 × 105 cm−1). The results show relatively high dielectric constant (>30) and weak diffusion properties (large effective masses) of excited carriers.

  12. Effect of number and washing solutions on functional properties of surimi-like material from duck meat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramadhan, Kurnia; Huda, Nurul; Ahmad, Ruzita

    2014-02-01

    Duck meat is less utilized than other meats in processed products because of limitations of its functional properties, including lower water holding capacity, emulsion stability, and higher cooking loss compared with chicken meat. These limitations could be improved using surimi technology, which consists of washing and concentrating myofibrillar protein. In this study, surimi-like materials were made from duck meat using two or three washings with different solutions (tap water, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium phosphate buffer). Better improvement of the meat's functional properties was obtained with three washings versus two washings. Washing with tap water achieved the highest gel strength; moderate elevation of water holding capacity, pH, lightness, and whiteness; and left a small amount of fat. Washing with sodium bicarbonate solution generated the highest water holding capacity and pH and high lightness and whiteness values, but it resulted in the lowest gel strength. Processing duck meat into surimi-like material improves its functional properties, thereby making it possible to use duck meat in processed products.

  13. Mesoscale structure and techno-functional properties of enzymatically cross-linked a-lactalbumin nanoparticles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dhayal, S.K.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract

    The aim of this thesis is to understand the connection between molecular, meso and macroscales of enzymatically cross-linked proteins. It was hypothesised that the techno-functional properties at macroscale, such as bulk rheology and foam stability, are affected

  14. Voxel Scale Complex Networks of Functional Connectivity in the Rat Brain: Neurochemical State Dependence of Global and Local Topological Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam J. Schwarz

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Network analysis of functional imaging data reveals emergent features of the brain as a function of its topological properties. However, the brain is not a homogeneous network, and the dependence of functional connectivity parameters on neuroanatomical substrate and parcellation scale is a key issue. Moreover, the extent to which these topological properties depend on underlying neurochemical changes remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated both global statistical properties and the local, voxel-scale distribution of connectivity parameters of the rat brain. Different neurotransmitter systems were stimulated by pharmacological challenge (d-amphetamine, fluoxetine, and nicotine to discriminate between stimulus-specific functional connectivity and more general features of the rat brain architecture. Although global connectivity parameters were similar, mapping of local connectivity parameters at high spatial resolution revealed strong neuroanatomical dependence of functional connectivity in the rat brain, with clear differentiation between the neocortex and older brain regions. Localized foci of high functional connectivity independent of drug challenge were found in the sensorimotor cortices, consistent with the high neuronal connectivity in these regions. Conversely, the topological properties and node roles in subcortical regions varied with neurochemical state and were dependent on the specific dynamics of the different functional processes elicited.

  15. Identifying the molecular functions of electron transport proteins using radial basis function networks and biochemical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le, Nguyen-Quoc-Khanh; Nguyen, Trinh-Trung-Duong; Ou, Yu-Yen

    2017-05-01

    The electron transport proteins have an important role in storing and transferring electrons in cellular respiration, which is the most proficient process through which cells gather energy from consumed food. According to the molecular functions, the electron transport chain components could be formed with five complexes with several different electron carriers and functions. Therefore, identifying the molecular functions in the electron transport chain is vital for helping biologists understand the electron transport chain process and energy production in cells. This work includes two phases for discriminating electron transport proteins from transport proteins and classifying categories of five complexes in electron transport proteins. In the first phase, the performances from PSSM with AAIndex feature set were successful in identifying electron transport proteins in transport proteins with achieved sensitivity of 73.2%, specificity of 94.1%, and accuracy of 91.3%, with MCC of 0.64 for independent data set. With the second phase, our method can approach a precise model for identifying of five complexes with different molecular functions in electron transport proteins. The PSSM with AAIndex properties in five complexes achieved MCC of 0.51, 0.47, 0.42, 0.74, and 1.00 for independent data set, respectively. We suggest that our study could be a power model for determining new proteins that belongs into which molecular function of electron transport proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Phylogenetic conservation of the regulatory and functional properties of the Vav oncoprotein family

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Couceiro, Jose R.; Martin-Bermudo, Maria D.; Bustelo, Xose R.

    2005-01-01

    Vav proteins are phosphorylation-dependent GDP/GTP exchange factors for Rho/Rac GTPases. Despite intense characterization of mammalian Vav proteins both biochemically and genetically, there is little information regarding the conservation of their biological properties in lower organisms. To approach this issue, we have performed a characterization of the regulatory, catalytic, and functional properties of the single Vav family member of Drosophila melanogaster. These analyses have shown that the intramolecular mechanisms controlling the enzyme activity of mammalian Vav proteins are already present in Drosophila, suggesting that such properties have been set up before the divergence between protostomes and deuterostomes during evolution. We also show that Drosophila and mammalian Vav proteins have similar catalytic specificities. As a consequence, Drosophila Vav can trigger oncogenic transformation, morphological change, and enhanced cell motility in mammalian cells. Gain-of-function studies using transgenic flies support the implication of this protein in cytoskeletal-dependent processes such as embryonic dorsal closure, myoblast fusion, tracheal development, and the migration/guidance of different cell types. These results highlight the important roles of Vav proteins in the signal transduction pathways regulating cytoskeletal dynamics. Moreover, they indicate that the foundations for the regulatory and enzymatic activities of this protein family have been set up very early during evolution

  17. Influence of amino-functional macro and micro silicone softeners on the properties of cotton fabric

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jatoi, A.W.; Khatri, Z.

    2015-01-01

    Amino-functional silicone softeners are most widely used type of soft finishes owing to their outstanding permanent softness, smoothness and handle characteristics. These soft finishes are prepared in different emulsion droplet sizes such as macro and micro emulsions providing varying characteristics on the textile on which they are applied. The macroemulsions due to their larger droplet sizes lubricate fabric and yarn surfaces, while the micro-emulsion, thanks to their smaller sizes penetrate inside fiber pores. In this research amino-functional macro and micro emulsions have been applied on dyed cotton fabric in 1:1 combination and compared against their influence on physical properties such as bending length, abrasion resistance, tensile strength, crease resistance and water repellency. These emulsions have also been compared for their influence on colorimetric properties; color difference and color strength (K/S values). The results reveal that the softener application in combination improves the properties deteriorated by each softener when applied separately. (author)

  18. Network structure and functional properties of transparent hydrogel sanxan produced by Sphingomonas sanxanigenens NX02.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Mengmeng; Shi, Zhong; Huang, Haidong; Qu, Jianmei; Dai, Xiaohui; Tian, Xuefeng; Wei, Weiying; Li, Guoqiang; Ma, Ting

    2017-11-15

    The micro-network structure and functional properties of sanxan, a novel polysaccharide produced by Sphingomonas sanxanigenens NX02, were investigated. Transparent hydrogel sanxan was a high acyl polymer containing 8.96% acetyl and 4.75% glyceroyl. The micro-network structure of sanxan was mainly cyclic configurations composed of side-by-side intermolecular associations, with many rounded nodes found. Sanxan exhibited predominant gelation behavior at concentrations above 0.1%, which was enhanced by adding cations, especially Ca 2+ . The gel strength of sanxan was much higher than that of low acyl gellan, but slightly lower than that of high acyl gellan. Furthermore, the conformation transition temperature was increased in the presence of added cations. Moreover, sanxan showed excellent emulsifying and emulsion stabilizing properties. Consequently, such excellent functional properties make sanxan a good candidate as a gelling, stabilizing, emulsifying, or suspending agent in food and cosmetics industries, and in medical and pharmaceutical usage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Mechanical Properties of Al-Si-Mg Alloy Castings as a Function of Structure Refinement and Porosity Fraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hajkowski M.

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available During design of the casting products technology, an important issue is a possibility of prediction of mechanical properties resulting from the course of the casting solidification process. Frequently there is a need for relations describing mechanical properties of silumin alloys as a function of phase refinement in a structure and a porosity fraction, and relations describing phase refinement in the structure and the porosity fraction as a function of solidification conditions. The study was conducted on castings of a 22 mm thick plate, made of EN AC-AlSi7Mg0,3 alloy in moulds: of quartz sand, of quartz sand with chill and in permanent moulds. On the basis of cooling curves, values of cooling rate in various casting parts were calculated. The paper also presents results of examination of distance between arms in dendrites of a solid solution α (DASL, precipitations length of silicon in an eutectic (DlSi and gas-shrinkage porosity (Por as a function of cooling rate. Statistical relations of DASL, DlSi, Por as a function of cooling rate and statistical multiparameter dependencies describing mechanical properties (tensile strength, yield strength, elongation of alloy as a function of DASL, DlSi and Por are also presented in the paper.

  20. Assessment of the measurement properties of the post stroke motor function instruments available in Brazil: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Elaine; Teixeira-Salmela, Luci F; Simões, Luan; Guerra, Ana C C; Lemos, Andrea

    2016-03-15

    While there are several instruments in Brazil that measure motor function in patients after stroke, it is unknown whether the measurement properties of these instruments are appropriate. To identify the motor function instruments available in Brazil for patients after stroke. To assess the methodological quality of the studies and the results related to the measurement properties of these instruments. Two independent reviewers conducted searches on PubMed, LILACS, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus. Studies that aimed to cross-culturally adapt an existing instrument or create a Brazilian instrument and test at least one measurement property related to motor function in patients after stroke were included. The methodological quality of these studies was checked by the COSMIN checklist with 4-point rating scale and the results of the measurement properties were analyzed by the criteria developed by Terwee et al. A total of 11 instruments were considered eligible, none of which were created in Brazil. The process of cross-cultural adaptation was inadequate in 10 out of 11 instruments due to the lack of back-translation or due to inappropriate target population. All of the instruments presented flaws in the measurement properties, especially reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity. The flaws observed in both cross-cultural adaptation process and testing measurement properties make the results inconclusive on the validity of the available instruments. Adequate procedures of cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of these instruments are strongly needed.

  1. Assessment of the measurement properties of the post stroke motor function instruments available in Brazil: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaine Lima

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background While there are several instruments in Brazil that measure motor function in patients after stroke, it is unknown whether the measurement properties of these instruments are appropriate. Objective To identify the motor function instruments available in Brazil for patients after stroke. To assess the methodological quality of the studies and the results related to the measurement properties of these instruments. Method Two independent reviewers conducted searches on PubMed, LILACS, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus. Studies that aimed to cross-culturally adapt an existing instrument or create a Brazilian instrument and test at least one measurement property related to motor function in patients after stroke were included. The methodological quality of these studies was checked by the COSMIN checklist with 4-point rating scale and the results of the measurement properties were analyzed by the criteria developed by Terwee et al. Results A total of 11 instruments were considered eligible, none of which were created in Brazil. The process of cross-cultural adaptation was inadequate in 10 out of 11 instruments due to the lack of back-translation or due to inappropriate target population. All of the instruments presented flaws in the measurement properties, especially reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity. Conclusion The flaws observed in both cross-cultural adaptation process and testing measurement properties make the results inconclusive on the validity of the available instruments. Adequate procedures of cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of these instruments are strongly needed.

  2. Mung bean proteins and peptides: nutritional, functional and bioactive properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhu Yi-Shen

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available To date, no extensive literature review exists regarding potential uses of mung bean proteins and peptides. As mung bean has long been widely used as a food source, early studies evaluated mung bean nutritional value against the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/the World Health Organization (WHO amino acids dietary recommendations. The comparison demonstrated mung bean to be a good protein source, except for deficiencies in sulphur-containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine. Methionine and cysteine residues have been introduced into the 8S globulin through protein engineering technology. Subsequently, purified mung bean proteins and peptides have facilitated the study of their structural and functional properties. Two main types of extraction methods have been reported for isolation of proteins and peptides from mung bean flours, permitting sequencing of major proteins present in mung bean, including albumins and globulins (notably 8S globulin. However, the sequence for albumin deposited in the UniProt database differs from other sequences reported in the literature. Meanwhile, a limited number of reports have revealed other useful bioactivities for proteins and hydrolysed peptides, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity, anti-fungal activity and trypsin inhibitory activity. Consequently, several mung bean hydrolysed peptides have served as effective food additives to prevent proteolysis during storage. Ultimately, further research will reveal other nutritional, functional and bioactive properties of mung bean for uses in diverse applications.

  3. Mechanical and biological properties of the micro-/nano-grain functionally graded hydroxyapatite bioceramics for bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Changchun; Deng, Congying; Chen, Xuening; Zhao, Xiufen; Chen, Ying; Fan, Yujiang; Zhang, Xingdong

    2015-08-01

    Functionally graded materials (FGM) open the promising approach for bone tissue repair. In this study, a novel functionally graded hydroxyapatite (HA) bioceramic with micrograin and nanograin structure was fabricated. Its mechanical properties were tailored by composition of micrograin and nanograin. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicated that the graded HA ceramics had similar mechanical property compared to natural bones. Their cytocompatibility was evaluated via fluorescent microscopy and MTT colorimetric assay. The viability and proliferation of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on ceramics indicated that this functionally graded HA ceramic had better cytocompatibility than conventional HA ceramic. This study demonstrated that functionally graded HA ceramics create suitable structures to satisfy both the mechanical and biological requirements of bone tissues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Extraction, characterization, nutritional and functional properties of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn seed proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatoumata Tounkara

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Physicochemical, nutritional and functional properties of protein fractions and protein isolate (RSPI from Roselle seedwere investigated. The protein content was 91.50, 93.77, 81.55, 71.30 and 40.83% for RSPI, globulin, albumin, glutelin andprolamin, respectively. The functional properties were variable among samples. Glutelin possessed the highest water holdingcapacity and albumin the lowest. The oil holding capacity ranged from 3.47 to 7.23 mL/g and the emulsifying capacity from95 to 18 mL/g. Glutelin had the higher foam capacity, while RSPI showed the more stable foam. The molecular weight of allsamples ranged from 55,000 Da to below 14,300 Da. All the estimated nutritional parameters based on amino acids compositionsuggested that Roselle protein fractions and its isolates have good nutritional quality and could be a good source of proteinfortification for a variety of food products for protein deficient consumers as well as a potential food ingredient.

  5. Periodic density functional theory study of structural and electronic properties of single-walled zinc oxide and carbon nanotubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marana, Naiara L. [Modeling and Molecular Simulations Group, São Paulo State University, UNESP, 17033-360 Bauru, SP (Brazil); Albuquerque, Anderson R. [Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Sertão Pernambucano, 56400-000 Floresta, PE (Brazil); La Porta, Felipe A. [Chemistry Department, Federal Technological University of Paraná, 86036-370 Londrina, PR (Brazil); Longo, Elson [São Paulo State University, Chemistry Institute, UNESP, 14801-907 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Sambrano, Julio R. [Modeling and Molecular Simulations Group, São Paulo State University, UNESP, 17033-360 Bauru, SP (Brazil)

    2016-05-15

    Periodic density functional theory calculations with the B3LYP hybrid functional and all-electron Gaussian basis set were performed to simulate the structural and electronic properties as well as the strain and formation energies of single-walled ZnO nanotubes (SWZnONTs) and Carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with different chiralities as functions of their diameters. For all SWZnONTs, the band gap, strain energy, and formation energy converge to ~4.5 eV, 0.0 eV/atom, and 0.40 eV/atom, respectively. This result suggests that the nanotubes are formed more easily from the surface than from the bulk. For SWCNTs, the strain energy is always positive, while the formation energy is negative for armchair and zigzag nanotubes, therefore suggesting that these types of nanotubes can be preferentially formed from the bulk. The electronic properties of SWCNTs depend on the chirality; all armchair nanotubes are metallic, while zigzag and chiral nanotubes can be metallic or semiconducting, depending on the n and m vectors. - Graphical abstract: DFT/B3LYP were performed to simulate the structural and electronic properties as well as the strain and formation energies of SWZnONTs and SWCNTs with different chiralities as functions of their diameters. - Highlights: • The energies of SWZnONTs converge for chirality with diameters up 20 Å. • SWCNTs electronic properties depend on the chirality. • The properties of SWZnONTs are very similar to those of monolayer surface.

  6. Recent progress in predicting structural and electronic properties of organic solids with the van der Waals density functional

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yanagisawa, Susumu, E-mail: shou@sci.u-ryukyu.ac.jp [Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213 (Japan); Okuma, Koji; Inaoka, Takeshi [Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213 (Japan); Hamada, Ikutaro, E-mail: Hamada.Ikutaro@nims.go.jp [International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba 305-0044 (Japan)

    2015-10-01

    Highlights: • Review of theoretical studies on organic solids with the density-functional methods. • van der Waals (vdW)-inclusive methods to predict cohesive properties of oligoacenes. • A variant of the vdW density functional describes the structures accurately. • The molecular configuration and conformation crucially affects the band dispersion. - Abstract: We review recent studies on electronic properties of the organic solids with the first-principles electronic structure methods, with the emphasis on the roles of the intermolecular van der Waals (vdW) interaction in electronic properties of the organic semiconductors. After a brief summary of the recent vdW inclusive first-principle theoretical methods, we discuss their performance in predicting cohesive properties of oligoacene crystals as examples of organic crystals. We show that a variant of the van der Waals density functional describes structure and energetics of organic crystals accurately. In addition, we review our recent study on the zinc phthalocyanine crystal and discuss the importance of the intermolecular distance and orientational angle in the band dispersion. Finally, we draw some general conclusions and the future perspectives.

  7. Recent progress in predicting structural and electronic properties of organic solids with the van der Waals density functional

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yanagisawa, Susumu; Okuma, Koji; Inaoka, Takeshi; Hamada, Ikutaro

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Review of theoretical studies on organic solids with the density-functional methods. • van der Waals (vdW)-inclusive methods to predict cohesive properties of oligoacenes. • A variant of the vdW density functional describes the structures accurately. • The molecular configuration and conformation crucially affects the band dispersion. - Abstract: We review recent studies on electronic properties of the organic solids with the first-principles electronic structure methods, with the emphasis on the roles of the intermolecular van der Waals (vdW) interaction in electronic properties of the organic semiconductors. After a brief summary of the recent vdW inclusive first-principle theoretical methods, we discuss their performance in predicting cohesive properties of oligoacene crystals as examples of organic crystals. We show that a variant of the van der Waals density functional describes structure and energetics of organic crystals accurately. In addition, we review our recent study on the zinc phthalocyanine crystal and discuss the importance of the intermolecular distance and orientational angle in the band dispersion. Finally, we draw some general conclusions and the future perspectives.

  8. Nonlinear optical and optical limiting properties of fullerene, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene and their derivatives with oxygen-containing functional groups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Xiao-Liang; Li, Xiao-Chun; Liu, Zhi-Bo; Yan, Xiao-Qing; Tian, Jian-Guo; Chen, Yong-Sheng

    2015-01-01

    Nonlinear optical properties (NLO) and optical limiting effect of fullerene (C 60 ), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and their oxygenated derivatives were investigated by open-aperture Z-scan technique with nanosecond pulses at 532 nm. C 60 functionalized by oxygen-containing functional groups exhibits weaker NLO properties than that of pristine C 60 . Graphene oxide (GO) with many oxygen-containing functional groups also shows weaker NLO properties than that of RGO. That can be attributed to the disruption of conjugative structures of C 60 and graphene by oxygen-containing functional groups. However, MWNTs and their oxygenated derivatives exhibit comparable NLO properties due to the small weight ratio of these oxygen-containing groups. To investigate the correlation between structures and NLO response for these carbon nanomaterials with different dimensions, nonlinear scattered signal spectra versus input fluence were also measured. (paper)

  9. 1,3-disubstituted ureas functionalized with ether groups are potent inhibitors of the soluble epoxide hydrolase with improved pharmacokinetic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, In-Hae; Tsai, Hsing-Ju; Nishi, Kosuke; Kasagami, Takeo; Morisseau, Christophe; Hammock, Bruce D

    2007-10-18

    Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a therapeutic target for treating hypertension and inflammation. 1,3-Disubstituted ureas functionalized with an ether group are potent sEH inhibitors. However, their relatively low metabolic stability leads to poor pharmacokinetic properties. To improve their bioavailability, we investigated the effect of incorporating various polar groups on the ether function on the inhibition potencies, physical properties, in vitro metabolic stability, and pharmacokinetic properties. The structure-activity relationship studies showed that a hydrophobic linker between the urea group and the ether function is necessary to keep their potency. In addition, urea-ether inhibitors having a polar group such as diethylene glycol or morpholine significantly improved their physical properties and metabolic stability without any loss of inhibitory potency. Furthermore, improved pharmacokinetic properties in murine and canine models were obtained with the resulting inhibitors. These findings will facilitate the usage of sEH inhibitors in animal models of hypertension and inflammation.

  10. How Glycerol and Water Contents Affect the Structural and Functional Properties of Starch-Based Edible Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewelina Basiak

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available As starch is an inexpensive, filmogenic, easily processable and a widely available material, it is a material that can be utilized in the creation of biodegradable films and containers, presenting as a viable alternative to polymers derived from petrol. Moreover, starch could also be used to create edible coatings for fresh foods in order to extend shelf life. As such, wheat starch films with two glycerol contents were formulated to mimic the effects of compounds currently used to coat fruit. Their structural and functional properties were characterized. This study found that the transfer properties of starch films containing 33% of plasticizer was less effective than film comprised of 50% glycerol. Water diffusivity, oxygen permeability, and water vapor permeability at two different humidity gradients, surface tension, works of surface adhesion and cohesion, and moisture sorption were tested. Glycerol content does not play a significant role on the color or mechanical properties. This work shows that glycerol can strongly affect the functional properties of starch-based coatings and films.

  11. Functional properties of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) gasket working in nuclear reactor conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wyszkowska, Edyta; Leśniak, Magdalena; Kurpaska, Lukasz; Prokopowicz, Rafal; Jozwik, Iwona; Sitarz, Maciej; Jagielski, Jacek

    2018-04-01

    In this study structural and nanomechanical properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) used as a gasket in the nuclear reactor have been deeply investigated. In order to reveal structural changes caused by long-term pressure, temperature and irradiation (possibly neutron and gamma), methods such as SEM, X-ray diffraction and Raman Spectroscopy have been used. Nanomechanical properties such as Young Modulus and hardness were investigated by means of the nanoindentation technique. Presented study confirmed the influence of working (radiative) environment on the functional properties of PTFE. The results of Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques revealed shift of the major band positions and band intensities increase. Moreover, changes of hardness and Young Modulus values of the irradiated material with respect to the virgin specimen have been recorded. This phenomenon can be attributed to the modifications in crystallinity of the material. Presented work suggest that morphology of the irradiated material altered from well-ordered parallel fibers to more dense and thicker ones.

  12. Physicochemical, functional and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory properties of amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) 7S globulin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quiroga, Alejandra V; Aphalo, Paula; Ventureira, Jorge L; Martínez, E Nora; Añón, María C

    2012-01-30

    Amaranth 7S globulin is a minor globulin component and its impact on the properties of an amaranth protein ingredient depends on its proportion in the variety of amaranth being considered. Some physicochemical, functional and angiotesin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory properties of amaranth vicilin were studied in this work and compared with the 11S globulin. Fluorescence spectroscopy results indicated that 7S globulin tryptophans were more exposed to the solvent and, by calorimetry, the 7S globulin denaturation temperature (T(d) ) was found lower than the 11S globulin T(d) , suggesting a more flexible structure. The 7S globulin surface hydrophobicity was higher than that of the 11S globulin, which is in agreement with the better emulsifying properties of the 7S globulin. The solubility in neutral buffer of the 7S globulin (851 ± 25 g kg(-1) ) was also higher than that of the 11S globulin (195 ± 6 g kg(-1) ). Bioinformatic analyses showed the presence of ACE inhibitory peptides encrypted in 7S tryptic sequences and peptides released after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion showed a high ACE-inhibitory capacity (IC(50) = 0.17 g L(-1) ), similar to that of 11S globulin peptides. Compared with the 11S globulin, the 7S globulin presents similar ACE inhibitory activity and some functional advantages, better solubility and emulsifying activity, which suits some food requirements. The functional behavior has been related with the structural properties. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Avian magnetic compass: Its functional properties and physical basis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roswitha WILTSCHKO, Wolfgang WILTSCHKO

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The avian magnetic compass was analyzed in bird species of three different orders – Passeriforms, Columbiforms and Galliforms – and in three different behavioral contexts, namely migratory orientation, homing and directional conditioning. The respective findings indicate similar functional properties: it is an inclination compass that works only within a functional window around the ambient magnetic field intensity; it tends to be lateralized in favor of the right eye, and it is wavelength-dependent, requiring light from the short-wavelength range of the spectrum. The underlying physical mechanisms have been identified as radical pair processes, spin-chemical reactions in specialized photopigments. The iron-based receptors in the upper beak do not seem to be involved. The existence of the same type of magnetic compass in only very distantly related bird species suggests that it may have been present already in the common ancestors of all modern birds, where it evolved as an all-purpose compass mechanism for orientation within the home range [Current Zoology 56 (3: 265–276, 2010].

  14. Effects of surface functionalization on the electronic and structural properties of carbon nanotubes: A computational approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, M. S.; Pascoini, A. L.; Knupp, W. G.; Camps, I.

    2017-12-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have important electronic, mechanical and optical properties. These features may be different when comparing a pristine nanotube with other presenting its surface functionalized. These changes can be explored in areas of research and application, such as construction of nanodevices that act as sensors and filters. Following this idea, in the current work, we present the results from a systematic study of CNT's surface functionalized with hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. Using the entropy as selection criterion, we filtered a library of 10k stochastically generated complexes for each functional concentration (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%). The structurally related parameters (root-mean-square deviation, entropy, and volume/area) have a monotonic relationship with functionalization concentration. Differently, the electronic parameters (frontier molecular orbital energies, electronic gap, molecular hardness, and electrophilicity index) present and oscillatory behavior. For a set of concentrations, the nanotubes present spin polarized properties that can be used in spintronics.

  15. Functionalized PLA polymers to control loading and/or release properties of drug-loaded nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thauvin, Cédric; Schwarz, Bettina; Delie, Florence; Allémann, Eric

    2017-11-15

    Advantages associated with the use of polylactic acid (PLA) nano- or microparticles as drug delivery systems have been widely proven in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. These biodegradable and biocompatible carriers have demonstrated different loading and release properties depending on interactions with the cargo, preparation methods, particles size or molecular weight of PLA. In this study, we sought to show the possibility of influencing these properties by modifying the structure of the constituting polymer. Seven non-functionalized or functionalized PLA polymers were specifically designed and synthesized by microwave-assisted ring-opening polymerization of d,l-lactide. They presented short hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic groups thanks to the use of C20 aliphatic chain, mPEG1000, sorbitan esters (Spans ® ) or polysorbates (Tweens ® ), their PEGylated analogues, as initiators. Then, seven types of drug-loaded nanoparticles (NP) were prepared from these polymers and compared in terms of physico-chemical characteristics, drug loading and release profiles. Although the loading properties were not improved with any of the functionalized PLA NP, different release profiles were observed in an aqueous medium at 37 °C and over a period of five days. The presence of PEG moieties in the core of PLA-polysorbates NP induced a faster release while the addition of a single aliphatic chain induced a slower release due to better interactions with the active molecule. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Microstructure, mechanical properties, and biological response to functionally graded HA coatings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rabiei, Afsaneh; Blalock, Travis; Thomas, Brent; Cuomo, Jerry; Yang, Y.; Ong, Joo

    2007-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HA) [Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 ] is the primary mineral content, representing 43% by weight, of bone. Applying a thin layer of HA, to the surface of a metal implant, can promote osseointegration and increase the mechanical stability of the implant. In this study, a biocompatible coating comprising an HA film with functionally graded crystallinity is being deposited on a heated substrate in an Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) system. The microstructure of the film was studied using Transmission Electron Microscopy techniques. Finally, initial cell adhesion and cell differentiation on the coating was evaluated using ATCC CRL 1486 human embryonic palatal mesenchymal cell, an osteoblast precursor cell line. The results have shown superior mechanical properties and biological response to the functionally graded HA film

  17. Tunable band gap and optical properties of surface functionalized Sc2C monolayer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Shun; Du Yu-Lei; Liao Wen-He

    2017-01-01

    Using the density functional theory, we have investigated the electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional Sc 2 C monolayer with OH, F, or O chemical groups. The electronic structures reveal that the functionalized Sc 2 C monolayers are semiconductors with a band gap of 0.44–1.55 eV. The band gap dependent optical parameters, like dielectric function, absorption coefficients, reflectivity, loss function, and refraction index were also calculated for photon energy up to 20 eV. At the low-energy region, each optical parameter shifts to red, and the peak increases obviously with the increase of the energy gap. Consequently, Sc 2 C monolayer with a tunable band gap by changing the type of surface chemical groups is a promising 2D material for optoelectronic devices. (paper)

  18. Properties and DEFC tests of nafion added functionalized titanate nanotubes prepared by extrusion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matos, B.R.; Goulart, C.A.; Isidoro, R.A.; Silva, J.S. da; Santiago, E.I.; Fonseca, F.C.; Tavares, A.C. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2016-07-01

    Full text: Composite electrolyte membranes based on the incorporation of a second inorganic phase into ionomer matrices such as Nafion revealed to possess enhanced properties such as increased mechanical resistance and reduced permeability of solvents. It has been reported that surface functionalized titanate nanotubes (H2Ti3O7.nH2O) display a proton conductivity of ∼ 10-2 Scm-1, which is attractive for the use of such composites in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFC). Herein, composite membranes based on the addition of sulfonic acid groups functionalized titanate nanotubes into Nafion matrix were prepared by grafting followed by extrusion. These membranes were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), acid-base titration, proton conductivity measurements and DEFC tests. FTIR measurements confirmed both the grafting of the titanate nanotubes. BET measurements showed that the functionalized titanate nanotubes possess a high surface specific area. Acid-base titration evidenced that additional sulfonic acid groups are present in the composite membranes compared to the pristine ionomer. The conductivity measurements show that the increase in the titanate nanotube volume fraction into the ionomers has not resulted in a decrease of the proton conductivity. The results show that the addition of functionalized titanate nanotubes into Nafion polymer matrix resulted in an improvement of the electric transport properties, reduction of the fuel crossover and, consequently, a higher DEFC performance for the composites were observed with respect to the pristine Nafion. (author)

  19. Properties and DEFC tests of nafion added functionalized titanate nanotubes prepared by extrusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matos, B.R.; Goulart, C.A.; Isidoro, R.A.; Silva, J.S. da; Santiago, E.I.; Fonseca, F.C.; Tavares, A.C.

    2016-01-01

    Full text: Composite electrolyte membranes based on the incorporation of a second inorganic phase into ionomer matrices such as Nafion revealed to possess enhanced properties such as increased mechanical resistance and reduced permeability of solvents. It has been reported that surface functionalized titanate nanotubes (H2Ti3O7.nH2O) display a proton conductivity of ∼ 10-2 Scm-1, which is attractive for the use of such composites in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFC). Herein, composite membranes based on the addition of sulfonic acid groups functionalized titanate nanotubes into Nafion matrix were prepared by grafting followed by extrusion. These membranes were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), acid-base titration, proton conductivity measurements and DEFC tests. FTIR measurements confirmed both the grafting of the titanate nanotubes. BET measurements showed that the functionalized titanate nanotubes possess a high surface specific area. Acid-base titration evidenced that additional sulfonic acid groups are present in the composite membranes compared to the pristine ionomer. The conductivity measurements show that the increase in the titanate nanotube volume fraction into the ionomers has not resulted in a decrease of the proton conductivity. The results show that the addition of functionalized titanate nanotubes into Nafion polymer matrix resulted in an improvement of the electric transport properties, reduction of the fuel crossover and, consequently, a higher DEFC performance for the composites were observed with respect to the pristine Nafion. (author)

  20. Time-dependent density functional theory for nonlinear properties of open-shell systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rinkevicius, Zilvinas; Jha, Prakash Chandra; Oprea, Corneliu I; Vahtras, Olav; Agren, Hans

    2007-09-21

    This paper presents response theory based on a spin-restricted Kohn-Sham formalism for computation of time-dependent and time-independent nonlinear properties of molecules with a high spin ground state. The developed approach is capable to handle arbitrary perturbations and constitutes an efficient procedure for evaluation of electric, magnetic, and mixed properties. Apart from presenting the derivation of the proposed approach, we show results from illustrating calculations of static and dynamic hyperpolarizabilities of small Si(3n+1)H(6n+3) (n=0,1,2) clusters which mimic Si(111) surfaces with dangling bond defects. The results indicate that the first hyperpolarizability tensor components of Si(3n+1)H(6n+3) have an ordering compatible with the measurements of second harmonic generation in SiO2/Si(111) interfaces and, therefore, support the hypothesis that silicon surface defects with dangling bonds are responsible for this phenomenon. The results exhibit a strong dependence on the quality of basis set and exchange-correlation functional, showing that an appropriate set of diffuse functions is required for reliable predictions of the first hyperpolarizability of open-shell compounds.

  1. Milk protein tailoring to improve functional and biological properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JEAN-MARC CHOBERT

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Proteins are involved in every aspects of life: structure, motion, catalysis, recognition and regulation. Today's highly sophisticated science of the modifications of proteins has ancient roots. The tailoring of proteins for food and medical uses precedes the beginning of what is called biochemistry. Chemical modification of proteins was pursued early in the twentieth century as an analytical procedure for side-chain amino acids. Later, methods were developed for specific inactivation of biologically active proteins and titration of their essential groups. Enzymatic modifications were mainly developed in the seventies when many more enzymes became economically available. Protein engineering has become a valuable tool for creating or improving proteins for practical use and has provided new insights into protein structure and function. The actual and potential use of milk proteins as food ingredients has been a popular topic for research over the past 40 years. With today's sophisticated analytical, biochemical and biological research tools, the presence of compounds with biological activity has been demonstrated. Improvements in separation techniques and enzyme technology have enabled efficient and economic isolation and modification of milk proteins, which has made possible their use as functional foods, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals and medical foods. In this review, some chemical and enzymatic modifications of milk proteins are described, with particular focus on their functional and biological properties.

  2. Electronic, Magnetic, and Transport Properties of Polyacrylonitrile-Based Carbon Nanofibers of Various Widths: Density-Functional Theory Calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Partovi-Azar, P.; Panahian Jand, S.; Kaghazchi, P.

    2018-01-01

    Edge termination of graphene nanoribbons is a key factor in determination of their physical and chemical properties. Here, we focus on nitrogen-terminated zigzag graphene nanoribbons resembling polyacrylonitrile-based carbon nanofibers (CNFs) which are widely studied in energy research. In particular, we investigate magnetic, electronic, and transport properties of these CNFs as functions of their widths using density-functional theory calculations together with the nonequilibrium Green's function method. We report on metallic behavior of all the CNFs considered in this study and demonstrate that the narrow CNFs show finite magnetic moments. The spin-polarized electronic states in these fibers exhibit similar spin configurations on both edges and result in spin-dependent transport channels in the narrow CNFs. We show that the partially filled nitrogen dangling-bond bands are mainly responsible for the ferromagnetic spin ordering in the narrow samples. However, the magnetic moment becomes vanishingly small in the case of wide CNFs where the dangling-bond bands fall below the Fermi level and graphenelike transport properties arising from the π orbitals are recovered. The magnetic properties of the CNFs as well as their stability have also been discussed in the presence of water molecules and the hexagonal boron nitride substrate.

  3. Some properties of the functions satisfying Bell's inequalities in relation to quantum mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roussel, P.

    1986-01-01

    A detailed comparison of Bell's inequalities (B.I.) and quantum mechanics (Q.M.) in an E.P.R.B. situation is given. It is first shown that Q.M. violates the original (3 directions) or generalized (4 directions) B.I. almost everywhere. The properties of functions satisfying the original B.I. are then derived and compared to Q.M. predictions. Finally, the behaviour of functions which satisfy B.I. and attempt to fit Q.M. is described. Altogether, an incompatibility is shown to be stronger than that resulting from just the usual examination

  4. Metal-functionalized single-walled graphitic carbon nitride nanotubes: a first-principles study on magnetic property

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shenoy Vivek

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The magnetic properties of metal-functionalized graphitic carbon nitride nanotubes were investigated based on first-principles calculations. The graphitic carbon nitride nanotube can be either ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic by functionalizing with different metal atoms. The W- and Ti-functionalized nanotubes are ferromagnetic, which are attributed to carrier-mediated interactions because of the coupling between the spin-polarized d and p electrons and the formation of the impurity bands close to the band edges. However, Cr-, Mn-, Co-, and Ni-functionalized nanotubes are antiferromagnetic because of the anti-alignment of the magnetic moments between neighboring metal atoms. The functionalized nanotubes may be used in spintronics and hydrogen storage.

  5. Non-local exchange correlation functionals impact on the structural, electronic and optical properties of III-V arsenides

    KAUST Repository

    Anua, N. Najwa; Ahmed, Rashid; Shaari, Amiruddin; Saeed, Mohammad Alam; Ul Haq, Bakhtiar; Goumri-Said, Souraya

    2013-01-01

    our electronic bandstructure calculations at the level of mBJ-LDA potential show considerable improvements over the other XC functionals, even the sX-LDA hybrid functional. We report also the optical properties within mBJ potential, which show a nice

  6. The structural and electronic properties of amine-functionalized boron nitride nanotubes via ammonia plasmas: a density functional theory study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Fenglei; Ji Yuemeng; Zhao Cunyuan; Ren Wei

    2009-01-01

    The reaction behavior of the chemical modification of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with ammonia plasmas has been investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Unlike previously studied functionalization with NH 3 and amino functional groups, we found that NH 2 * radicals involved in the ammonia plasmas can be covalently incorporated to BNNTs through a strong single B-N bond. Subsequently, the H * radicals also involved in the ammonia plasmas would prefer to combine with the N atoms neighboring the NH 2 -functionalized B atoms. Our study revealed that this reaction behavior can be elucidated using the frontier orbital theory. The calculated band structures and density of states (DOS) indicate that this modification is an effective method to modulate the electronic properties of BNNTs. We have discussed various defects on the surface of BNNTs generated by collisions of N 2 + ions. For most defects considered, the reactivity of the functionalization of BNNTs with NH 2 * are enhanced. Our conclusions are independent of the chirality, and the diameter dependence of the reaction energies is presented.

  7. Graph theoretical analysis reveals disrupted topological properties of whole brain functional networks in temporal lobe epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Junjing; Qiu, Shijun; Xu, Yong; Liu, Zhenyin; Wen, Xue; Hu, Xiangshu; Zhang, Ruibin; Li, Meng; Wang, Wensheng; Huang, Ruiwang

    2014-09-01

    Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is one of the most common forms of drug-resistant epilepsy. Previous studies have indicated that the TLE-related impairments existed in extensive local functional networks. However, little is known about the alterations in the topological properties of whole brain functional networks. In this study, we acquired resting-state BOLD-fMRI (rsfMRI) data from 26 TLE patients and 25 healthy controls, constructed their whole brain functional networks, compared the differences in topological parameters between the TLE patients and the controls, and analyzed the correlation between the altered topological properties and the epilepsy duration. The TLE patients showed significant increases in clustering coefficient and characteristic path length, but significant decrease in global efficiency compared to the controls. We also found altered nodal parameters in several regions in the TLE patients, such as the bilateral angular gyri, left middle temporal gyrus, right hippocampus, triangular part of left inferior frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal but supramarginal and angular gyri, and left parahippocampus gyrus. Further correlation analysis showed that the local efficiency of the TLE patients correlated positively with the epilepsy duration. Our results indicated the disrupted topological properties of whole brain functional networks in TLE patients. Our findings indicated the TLE-related impairments in the whole brain functional networks, which may help us to understand the clinical symptoms of TLE patients and offer a clue for the diagnosis and treatment of the TLE patients. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. The effect of Gamma-irradiation on the functional properties of starch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    BenBettaieb, Nasreddine

    2008-01-01

    Irradiation is one of the effective methods able to change starch structure and its functional properties. In this research the effect of gamma-irradiation (3, 5, 10, 20 and 50kGy) on the rheological, structural, thermal and morphological properties of corn starch was studied. Viscoamylograph test showed that the maximal consistency of the starch paste and its corresponding temperature decrease with increasing irradiation dose. Textural analysis of paste starch using strain-relaxation test showed the dominance of behaviour elastic after irradiation. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) revealed a good discrimination of the irradiation doses among rheological parameters in the strain-relaxation test. FTIR spectra showed that the irradiated starch displayed a significant decrease in the intensity of the O.H stretch (3000.3600 cm 1 ), C.H stretch (2800.3000 cm 1 ), bending mode of water (1600.1800 cm 1 ) and bending mode of glycosidic linkage (900-950 cm-1). The X-ray diffraction spectra show that did not any modification in the sharp and intensity of peaks after irradiation dose. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of corn starch showed decreases in onset (To), final (Tf) and peak (Tp) gelatinisation temperature with increasing irradiation dose. icrophotographs of polarized light microscopy (LPM) showed that up to 50 kGy irradiation did not present any visible physical effect on the corn starch granule. (Author)

  9. Web building and silk properties functionally covary among species of wolf spider.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lacava, Mariángeles; Camargo, Arley; Garcia, Luis F; Benamú, Marco A; Santana, Martin; Fang, Jian; Wang, Xungai; Blamires, Sean J

    2018-04-15

    Although phylogenetic studies have shown covariation between the properties of spider major ampullate (MA) silk and web building, both spider webs and silks are highly plastic so we cannot be sure whether these traits functionally covary or just vary across environments that the spiders occupy. As MaSp2-like proteins provide MA silk with greater extensibility, their presence is considered necessary for spider webs to effectively capture prey. Wolf spiders (Lycosidae) are predominantly non-web building, but a select few species build webs. We accordingly collected MA silk from two web-building and six non-web-building species found in semirural ecosystems in Uruguay to test whether the presence of MaSp2-like proteins (indicated by amino acid composition, silk mechanical properties and silk nanostructures) was associated with web building across the group. The web-building and non-web-building species were from disparate subfamilies so we estimated a genetic phylogeny to perform appropriate comparisons. For all of the properties measured, we found differences between web-building and non-web-building species. A phylogenetic regression model confirmed that web building and not phylogenetic inertia influences silk properties. Our study definitively showed an ecological influence over spider silk properties. We expect that the presence of the MaSp2-like proteins and the subsequent nanostructures improves the mechanical performance of silks within the webs. Our study furthers our understanding of spider web and silk co-evolution and the ecological implications of spider silk properties. © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

  10. Functional properties of edible agar-based and starch-based films for food quality preservation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phan, The D; Debeaufort, F; Luu, D; Voilley, A

    2005-02-23

    Edible films made of agar (AG), cassava starch (CAS), normal rice starch (NRS), and waxy (glutinous) rice starch (WRS) were elaborated and tested for a potential use as edible packaging or coating. Their water vapor permeabilities (WVP) were comparable with those of most of the polysaccharide-based films and with some protein-based films. Depending on the environmental moisture pressure, the WVP of the films varies and remains constant when the relative humidity (RH) is >84%. Equilibrium sorption isotherms of these films have been measured; the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) model was used to describe the sorption isotherm and contributed to a better knowledge of hydration properties. Surface hydrophobicity and wettability of these films were also investigated using the sessile drop contact angle method. The results obtained suggested the migration of the lipid fraction toward evaporation surface during film drying. Among these polysaccharide-based films, AG-based film and CAS-based film displayed more interesting mechanical properties: they are transparent, clear, homogeneous, flexible, and easily handled. NRS- and WRS-based films were relatively brittle and have a low tension resistance. Microstructure of film cross section was observed by environmental scanning electron microscopy to better understand the effect of the structure on the functional properties. The results suggest that AG-based film and CAS-based films, which show better functional properties, are promising systems to be used as food packaging or coating instead of NRS- and WRS-based films.

  11. Enhancing the functional properties and nutritional quality of ice cream with processed amla (Indian gooseberry).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goraya, Rajpreet Kaur; Bajwa, Usha

    2015-12-01

    Amla (Indian gooseberry) and its processed products are rich source of vitamin C, phenols, dietary fibre and antioxidants. In contrast, ice cream is a poor source of these phytochemicals and antioxidants; therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to enhance the functional properties and nutritional quality of ice cream with the incorporation of processed amla. Ice cream was prepared using amla shreds, pulp, preserve and candy at 5 to 20 % and powder at 0.5 to 2.0 % levels in ice cream mix prior to freezing. Inclusion of amla products at augmented levels resulted in significant changes in physico-chemical properties and phytochemical content of ice cream. The total solids decreased on addition of shreds and pulp and increased with preserve, candy and powder in ice cream at increasing levels. The functional constituents i.e. fibre, total phenols, tannins, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity increased with greater level of inclusion. Incorporation of processed amla raised the melting resistance of ice cream and decreased the overrun. The samples with 5 % shreds and pulp, 10 % preserve and candy and 0.5 % powder were found to have highest overall acceptability scores. Inclusion of amla in all the forms i.e. shreds, pulp, preserve, candy and powder enhanced the functional properties and nutritional value of ice cream.

  12. Functional properties of PSE (Pale, Soft, Exudative) broiler meat in the production of mortadella

    OpenAIRE

    Kissel,Cassiana; Soares,Adriana Lourenço; Rossa,Alessandro; Shimokomaki,Massami

    2009-01-01

    This work was carried out in order to evaluate whether the functional properties of broiler meat are affected by the factors that lead to PSE (Pale, Soft, Exudative). PSE meat was characterized by pH and L* values, and mortadella formulations consisted of isolated soy protein, sodium tripolyphosphate, and cassava starch in addition to PSE and normal meats. The functionality of the meat was evaluated by examining the water holding capacity (WHC), texture profile, emulsion stability (ES) and co...

  13. Chemical and functional properties of different common Brazilian bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cultivars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milene Marquezi

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Six different common bean cultivars (BRS Embaixador, BRS Pitanga, BRS Estilo, Pérola, BRS Campeiro and BRS Esplendor were characterized aiming to determine possible uses for them in various food products. The samples were analysed to determine their chemical composition, weight per hundred beans, pH, water and oil absorption capacities (WAC and OAC, respectively, foaming at pH 2.5, 5.6 and 8.0 and emulsifying properties. The relationship between the physicochemical and functional properties was described using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA. The results of the chemical composition, weight per hundred beans, WAC and OAC showed differences even between cultivars of the same commercial group. Foaming also varied between the cultivars and foaming capacity and stability were greatest at pH 5.6 and 8.0. The emulsifying capacity proved quite high for all cultivars, as well as the stability of the emulsion. According to these properties, with the contribution of the PCA, each different bean cultivar can be destined to specific applications according to its physicochemical properties.

  14. SEARCHING FOR ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES, PHENOMENA AND MECHANISMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FUNCTION OF CHROMOSOMES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Kanev

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Our studies reveal previously unidentified electrical properties of chromosomes: (1 chromosomes are amazingly similar in construction and function to electrical transformers; (2 chromosomes possess in their construction and function, components similar to those of electric generators, conductors, condensers, switches, and other components of electrical circuits; (3 chromosomes demonstrate in nano-scale level electromagnetic interactions, resonance, fusion and other phenomena similar to those described by equations in classical physics. These electrical properties and phenomena provide a possible explanation for unclear and poorly understood mechanisms in clinical genetics including: (a electrically based mechanisms responsible for breaks, translocations, fusions, and other chromosomal abnormalities associated with cancer, intellectual disability, infertility, pregnancy loss, Down syndrome, and other genetic disorders; (b electrically based mechanisms involved in crossing over, non-disjunction and other events during meiosis and mitosis; (c mechanisms demonstrating heterochromatin to be electrically active and genetically important.

  15. Properties of resonance wave functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    More, R. M.; Gerjuoy, E.

    1973-01-01

    Construction and study of resonance wave functions corresponding to poles of the Green's function for several illustrative models of theoretical interest. Resonance wave functions obtained from the Siegert and Kapur-Peierls definitions of the resonance energies are compared. The comparison especially clarifies the meaning of the normalization constant of the resonance wave functions. It is shown that the wave functions may be considered renormalized in a sense analogous to that of quantum field theory. However, this renormalization is entirely automatic, and the theory has neither ad hoc procedures nor infinite quantities.

  16. Tunable optical properties of graphene oxide by tailoring the oxygen functionalities using infrared irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maiti, R; Ray, S K; Midya, A; Narayana, C

    2014-01-01

    The modification of individual oxygen functional groups and the resultant optical properties of a graphene oxide suspension were investigated using a controlled photothermal reduction by infrared irradiation. The evolution of the structural and optical characteristics of GO suspensions was obtained from Raman spectra, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, optical absorption, and steady state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. The results suggest the gradual restoration of sp 2 clusters within the sp 3 matrix with an increase of the reduction time and power density. The yellow-red emission (∼610 nm) originated from the defect-assisted localized states in GO due to epoxy/hydroxyl (C-O/-OH) functional groups and that of the blue emission (∼500 nm) was ascribed to the carbonyl (C=O)-assisted localized electronic states. With an increase in the reduction time and IR power density, the intensity of the yellow-red emission was found to decrease, with the blue emission being prominent. These experimental findings open up a new dimension for controlling the optical absorption and emission properties of graphene oxide by tailoring the oxygen functional groups, which may lead to the potential application of graphene-based optoelectronic devices. (paper)

  17. Structural and thermal properties of carboxylic acid functionalized polythiophenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ariane de França Mescoloto

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Polythiophenes functionalized with polar groups at the end of side-chain have emerged as an alternative method to obtain good compatibility between this class of conjugated polymers and electron acceptor compounds. The aim is to prevent phase segregation and to improve the efficiency of the polythiophene technological devices. However, homopolymers synthesized from thiophene rings with high polar groups at the end of the side-chain, such as hydroxyl and carboxylic acid groups, are poorly soluble in common volatile organic solvents. We report on a systematic preparation of copolymers of 3-hexylthiophene (HT and thiophene-3-acetic acid (TAA, using different feed ratios. The chemical structures of the copolymers were confirmed by FTIR and ¹H-NMR. The TAA content in these copolymers were 33, 38 and 54 mol %. HPSEC results did not show any remarkable correlation with TAA contents in the copolymers. In contrast, the thermal analyses showed a decrease in the thermal stability and an increase in rigidity of their backbones, for the copolymers with high amounts of TAA. The solubility and optical property of copolymers were also related to the TAA contents. Thus, the properties of these copolymers can be modulated by a simple control of feed ratio of TAA in the copolymerization.

  18. Chemical characteristic and functional properties of arenga starch-taro (Colocasia esculanta L.) flour noodle with turmeric extracts addition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ervika Rahayu N., H.; Ariani, Dini; Miftakhussolikhah, E., Maharani P.; Yudi, P.

    2017-01-01

    Arenga starch-taro (Colocasia esculanta L.) flour noodle is an alternative carbohydrate source made from 75% arenga starch and 25% taro flour, but it has a different color with commercial noodle product. The addition of natural color from turmeric may change the consumer preference and affect chemical characteristic and functional properties of noodle. This research aims to identify chemical characteristic and functional properties of arenga starch-taro flour noodle with turmeric extract addition. Extraction was performed using 5 variances of turmeric rhizome (0.06; 0.12; 0.18; 0.24; and 0.30 g (fresh weight/ml water). Then, noodle was made and chemical characteristic (proximate analysis) as well as functional properties (amylose, resistant starch, dietary fiber, antioxidant activity) were then evaluated. The result showed that addition of turmeric extract did not change protein, fat, carbohydrate, amylose, and resistant starch content significantly, while antioxidant activity was increased (23,41%) with addition of turmeric extract.

  19. Impaired physical function, loss of muscle mass and assessment of biomechanical properties in critical ill patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Jesper Brøndum

    2012-01-01

    Intensive care unit (ICU) admission is associated with muscle weakness and ICU survivors report sustained limitation of physical capacity for years after discharge. Limited information is available on the underlying biomechanical properties responsible for this muscle function impairment. A plaus......Intensive care unit (ICU) admission is associated with muscle weakness and ICU survivors report sustained limitation of physical capacity for years after discharge. Limited information is available on the underlying biomechanical properties responsible for this muscle function impairment....... A plausible contributor to the accentuated catabolic drive in ICU patients is a synergistic response to inflammation and inactivity leading to loss of muscle mass. As these entities are predominantly present in the early phase of ICU stay, interventions employed during this time frame may exhibit the greatest...... potential to counteract loss of muscle mass. Despite the obvious clinical significance of muscle atrophy for the functional impairment observed in ICU survivors, no preventive therapies have been identified as yet. The overall aim of the present dissertation is to characterize aspects of physical function...

  20. First passage Brownian functional properties of snowmelt dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubey, Ashutosh; Bandyopadhyay, Malay

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we model snow-melt dynamics in terms of a Brownian motion (BM) with purely time dependent drift and difusion and examine its first passage properties by suggesting and examining several Brownian functionals which characterize the lifetime and reactivity of such stochastic processes. We introduce several probability distribution functions (PDFs) associated with such time dependent BMs. For instance, for a BM with initial starting point x0, we derive analytical expressions for : (i) the PDF P(tf|x0) of the first passage time tf which specify the lifetime of such stochastic process, (ii) the PDF P(A|x0) of the area A till the first passage time and it provides us numerous valuable information about the total fresh water availability during melting, (iii) the PDF P(M) associated with the maximum size M of the BM process before the first passage time, and (iv) the joint PDF P(M; tm) of the maximum size M and its occurrence time tm before the first passage time. These P(M) and P(M; tm) are useful in determining the time of maximum fresh water availability and in calculating the total maximum amount of available fresh water. These PDFs are examined for the power law time dependent drift and diffusion which matches quite well with the available data of snowmelt dynamics.

  1. Functional Groups Determine Biochar Properties (pH and EC as Studied by Two-Dimensional (13C NMR Correlation Spectroscopy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoming Li

    Full Text Available While the properties of biochar are closely related to its functional groups, it is unclear under what conditions biochar develops its properties. In this study, two-dimensional (2D (13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR correlation spectroscopy was for the first time applied to investigate the development of functional groups and establish their relationship with biochar properties. The results showed that the agricultural biomass carbonized to biochars was a dehydroxylation/dehydrogenation and aromatization process, mainly involving the cleavage of O-alkylated carbons and anomeric O-C-O carbons in addition to the production of fused-ring aromatic structures and aromatic C-O groups. With increasing charring temperature, the mass cleavage of O-alkylated groups and anomeric O-C-O carbons occurred prior to the production of fused-ring aromatic structures. The regression analysis between functional groups and biochar properties (pH and electrical conductivity further demonstrated that the pH and electrical conductivity of rice straw derived biochars were mainly determined by fused-ring aromatic structures and anomeric O-C-O carbons, but the pH of rice bran derived biochars was determined by both fused-ring aromatic structures and aliphatic O-alkylated (HCOH carbons. In summary, this work suggests a novel tool for characterising the development of functional groups in biochars.

  2. Intrinsic electrical properties of mammalian neurons and CNS function: a historical perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Llinás, Rodolfo R.

    2014-01-01

    This brief review summarizes work done in mammalian neuroscience concerning the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of four neuronal types; Cerebellar Purkinje cells, inferior olivary cells, thalamic cells, and some cortical interneurons. It is a personal perspective addressing an interesting time in neuroscience when the reflex view of brain function, as the paradigm to understand global neuroscience, began to be modified towards one in which sensory input modulates rather than dictate...

  3. Synthesis and characterization of thiol-ene functionalized siloxanes and evaluation of their polymerization kinetics, network properties, and dental applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Megan A.

    We explored formation-structure-property relationships in thiol-ene functionalized oligosiloxanes to create crosslinked networks. Specifically, nine oligomers were synthesized, three with thiol-functional silane repeats and three with allyl-functional silane repeats. Structural variations in each oligomer were systematically induced through the incorporation of non-reactive repeats bearing either diphenyl or di-n-octyl moieties, and the oligomer molecular weight was limited by the presence of monofunctional silane condensation species. The molecular weights and chain compositions of all oligomers were ascertained and subsequently used in the evaluation of network properties formed upon photopolymerization of thiol- and ene-functional reactants. Polymerization kinetics of the thiol-ene functionalized siloxanes were also investigated using photoinitiation owing to the spatial and temporal control afforded by this technique. In particular, the effects of the viscosity of the ene-functionalized oligomer and the degree of thiol functionalization on the observed polymerization rate were determined. Results showed that the speed of polymerization varied with changes to the rate-limiting step, which was heavily influenced by neighboring non-reactive functionalities. Moreover, the thiol-ene reaction was found to exhibity unimolecular termination exclusively in siloxane-based systems. Proposed use of the thiol-ene functionalized siloxane system as a dental impression material necessitated the development of a redox initiation scheme. Evaluation of the benzoylperoxide/dimethyl-p-toluidine redox pair in traditional systems showed bulk thiol-ene polymerizations comparable to photoinitiation with the added advantage of uninhibited depth control, as also demonstrated in small molecule thiol-ene coupling reactions initiated by this same redox system. Application of the redox pair to the siloxane system allowed for the viscoelastic properties as well as the feature replication

  4. Fluorescence properties of dansyl groups covalently bonded to the surface of oxidatively functionalized low-density polyethylene film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes-Farley, S. R.; Whitesides, G. M.

    1985-12-01

    Brief oxidation of low-density polyethylene film with chromic acid in aqueous sulfuric acid introduced carboxylic acid and ketone and/or aldehyde groups onto the surface of the film. The carboxylic acid moieties can be used to attach more complex functionality to the polymer surface. We are developing this surface-functionalized polyethylene (named polyethylene carboxylic acid, PE-CO2H, to emphasize the functional group that dominates its surface properties) as a substrate with which to study problems in organic surface chemistry--especially wetting, polymer surface reconstruction, and adhesion--using physical-organic techniques. This document describes the preparation, characterization, and fluorescence properties of derivatives of PE-CO2H in which the Dansyl (5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl) group has been covalently attached by amide links to the surface carbonyl moieties.

  5. Identification of the Types Properties and Functional Characteristics of Telomerase Expressing Cells in Breast Cancer

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hines, William

    2003-01-01

    ... biochemical and functional properties may be characterized. Through examining the role of telomerase in cancer, this project also fosters the education of the candidate through the interaction with several experts in breast cancer pathology, epidemiology, bio...

  6. Electronic and Optical Properties of Sodium Niobate: A Density Functional Theory Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Fritsch

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, much effort has been devoted to replace the most commonly used piezoelectric ceramic lead zirconate titanate Pb[ZrxTi1−x]O3 (PZT with a suitable lead-free alternative for memory or piezoelectric applications. One possible alternative to PZT is sodium niobate as it exhibits electrical and mechanical properties that make it an interesting material for technological applications. The high-temperature simple cubic perovskite structure undergoes a series of structural phase transitions with decreasing temperature. However, particularly the phases at room temperature and below are not yet fully characterised and understood. Here, we perform density functional theory calculations for the possible phases at room temperature and below and report on the structural, electronic, and optical properties of the different phases in comparison to experimental findings.

  7. Eco-friendly synthesis of size-controllable amine-functionalized graphene quantum dots with antimycoplasma properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Feng; Chen, Daiqin; Li, Ruimin; Wang, Yucheng; Zhang, Guoqiang; Li, Shumu; Zheng, Junpeng; Huang, Naiyan; Gu, Ying; Wang, Chunru; Shu, Chunying

    2013-02-07

    Size-controllable amine-functionalized graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are prepared by an eco-friendly method with graphene oxide sheets, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide as starting materials. Using a Sephadex G-25 gel column for fine separation, for the first time we obtain GQDs with either single or double layers. By atomic force microscopy characterization, we confirm that hydrogen peroxide and ammonia play a synergistic role on graphene oxide (GO), in which the former cuts the GO into small pieces and the latter passivates the active surface to give amine-modified GQDs. Due to the low cytotoxicity and excellent biocompatibility of the obtained amine-functionalized GQDs, besides the multiwavelength imaging properties of GQDs, for the first time we find that this kind of GQD exhibits good antimycoplasma properties. Given the superior antimycoplasma effect of the GQDs and their eco-friendly mass production with low cost, these new GQDs may offer opportunities for the development of new antimycoplasma agents, thus extending their widespread application in biomedicine.

  8. Physico-functional and mechanical properties of chitosan and calcium salts incorporated fish gelatin scaffolds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeevithan, E; Jeya Shakila, R; Varatharajakumar, A; Jeyasekaran, G; Sukumar, D

    2013-09-01

    Four types of fish gelatin scaffolds viz. gelatin (G), gelatin-chitosan (GC), gelatin-calcium acetate (GCA) and gelatin-chitosan-calcium acetate (GCCA) prepared were investigated for their functional properties, biomechanical strength, microstructural changes in relation to biodegradation. GC scaffold was superior with pH 3.15 and viscosity 9.40 cP. Chitosan and calcium acetate improved tensile strength (TS) and Young's modulus (YM), but lowered elongation at break (EAB). GCCA scaffold possessed moderate TS of 19.6 MPa, EAB of 4.76% and YM of 185 MPa. Foaming ability ratio of GC scaffold was high (3.41). GCA and GCCA scaffolds remained for 4 days before complete in vitro biodegradation. GC scaffold had larger cavities (180-300 μm) that were responsible for low swelling ratios and shrinkage factor. GCCA scaffold with moderate swelling rates, mechanical, functional properties and lowered biodegradation rate were found more suitable for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Effects of Incorporation of Jackfruit Rind Powder on Chemical and Functional Properties of Bread.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felli, Reza; Yang, Tajul Aris; Abdullah, Wan Nadiah Wan; Zzaman, Wahidu

    2018-03-01

    Nowadays, there is a rising interest towards consuming health beneficial food products. Bread-as one of the most popular food products-could be improved to 'healthy bread' by addition of ingredients high in protein, dietary fiber and low in calorie. Incorporating Jackfruit rind powder (JRP) as a by-product rich in dietary fiber in bread, could not only provide health beneficial bread products, but also lead to develop an environmental friendly technology by solving the problem of waste disposal of residues. In this study, addition of jackfruit rind powder (JRP) as a high dietary fiber and functional ingredient in bread was examined. The results showed that incorporation of JRP in bread improved functional properties of flour such as Oil Holding Capacity (OHC), Water Holding Capacity (WHC) and pasting properties. Addition of 5%, 10% and 15% of JRP in wheat flour caused significantly (p bread products. Results from proximate composition indicated that all breads substituted with JRP, contained significantly (p bread products.

  10. Early Response of Soil Properties and Function to Riparian Rainforest Restoration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gageler, Rose; Bonner, Mark; Kirchhof, Gunnar; Amos, Mark; Robinson, Nicole; Schmidt, Susanne; Shoo, Luke P.

    2014-01-01

    Reforestation of riparian zones is increasingly practiced in many regions for purposes of biodiversity conservation, bank stabilisation, and improvement in water quality. This is in spite of the actual benefits of reforestation for recovering underlying soil properties and function remaining poorly understood. Here we compare remnant riparian rainforest, pasture and reforestation plantings aged 2–20 years in an Australian subtropical catchment on ferrosols to determine the extent to which reforestation restores key soil properties. Of the nine soil attributes measured (total nitrogen, nitrate and ammonium concentrations, net nitrification and ammonification rates, organic carbon, bulk density, fine root biomass and water infiltration rates), only infiltration rates were significantly lower in pasture than remnant riparian rainforest. Within reforestation plantings, bulk density decreased up to 1.4-fold and infiltration rates increased up to 60-fold with time post-reforestation. Our results suggest that the main outcome of belowground processes of early reforestation is the recovery of the soils' physical structure, with potential beneficial ecosystem services including reduced runoff, erosion and associated sediment and nutrient loads in waterways. We also demonstrate differential impacts of two commonly planted tree species on a subset of soil properties suggesting that preferential planting of select species could accelerate progress on specific restoration objectives. PMID:25117589

  11. Early response of soil properties and function to riparian rainforest restoration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rose Gageler

    Full Text Available Reforestation of riparian zones is increasingly practiced in many regions for purposes of biodiversity conservation, bank stabilisation, and improvement in water quality. This is in spite of the actual benefits of reforestation for recovering underlying soil properties and function remaining poorly understood. Here we compare remnant riparian rainforest, pasture and reforestation plantings aged 2-20 years in an Australian subtropical catchment on ferrosols to determine the extent to which reforestation restores key soil properties. Of the nine soil attributes measured (total nitrogen, nitrate and ammonium concentrations, net nitrification and ammonification rates, organic carbon, bulk density, fine root biomass and water infiltration rates, only infiltration rates were significantly lower in pasture than remnant riparian rainforest. Within reforestation plantings, bulk density decreased up to 1.4-fold and infiltration rates increased up to 60-fold with time post-reforestation. Our results suggest that the main outcome of belowground processes of early reforestation is the recovery of the soils' physical structure, with potential beneficial ecosystem services including reduced runoff, erosion and associated sediment and nutrient loads in waterways. We also demonstrate differential impacts of two commonly planted tree species on a subset of soil properties suggesting that preferential planting of select species could accelerate progress on specific restoration objectives.

  12. Enhancing the functional properties of thermophilic enzymes by chemical modification and immobilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowan, Don A; Fernandez-Lafuente, Roberto

    2011-09-10

    The immobilization of proteins (mostly typically enzymes) onto solid supports is mature technology and has been used successfully to enhance biocatalytic processes in a wide range of industrial applications. However, continued developments in immobilization technology have led to more sophisticated and specialized applications of the process. A combination of targeted chemistries, for both the support and the protein, sometimes in combination with additional chemical and/or genetic engineering, has led to the development of methods for the modification of protein functional properties, for enhancing protein stability and for the recovery of specific proteins from complex mixtures. In particular, the development of effective methods for immobilizing large multi-subunit proteins with multiple covalent linkages (multi-point immobilization) has been effective in stabilizing proteins where subunit dissociation is the initial step in enzyme inactivation. In some instances, multiple benefits are achievable in a single process. Here we comprehensively review the literature pertaining to immobilization and chemical modification of different enzyme classes from thermophiles, with emphasis on the chemistries involved and their implications for modification of the enzyme functional properties. We also highlight the potential for synergies in the combined use of immobilization and other chemical modifications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The Olivo-cerebellar System: A Key to understanding the functional significance of intrinsic oscillatory brain properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolfo R Llinas

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The reflexological view of brain function (Sherrington 1906 has played a crucial role in defining both the nature of connectivity and the role of the synaptic interactions among neuronal circuits. One implicit assumption of this view, however, has been that CNS function is fundamentally driven by sensory input. This view was questioned as early as the beginning of the last century when a possible role for intrinsic activity in CNS function was proposed by Thomas Graham Brow (Brown 1911; Brown 1914. However, little progress was made in addressing intrinsic neuronal properties in vertebrates until the discovery of calcium conductances in vertebrate central neurons leading dendritic electroresponsiveness (Llinas and Hess 1976, Llinas and Sugimori 1980a and b and subthreshold neuronal oscillation in mammalian inferior olive (IO neurons (Llinas and Yarom 1981; Llinas and Yarom 1981.This happened in parallel with a similar set of findings concerning invertebrate neuronal system (Marder and Bucher 2001. The generalization into a more global view of intrinsic rhythmicity, at forebrain level, occurred initially with the demonstration that the thalamus has similar oscillatory properties (Llinas and Jahnsen 1982 and the ionic properties responsible for some oscillatory activity were, in fact, similar to those in the IO (Jahnsen and Llinas 1984; Llinas 1988. Thus lending support to the view that not only motricity, but cognitive properties, are organized as coherent oscillatory states (Pare, deCurtis et al. 1992; Singer 1993; Hardcastle 1997; Llinas, Ribary et al. 1998; Varela, Lachaux et al. 2001.

  14. Determination of composition and physical properties of partially ionized plasmas in the function of temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaporowski, B.

    1992-01-01

    The investigations of various kinds of partially ionized plasma were conducted for the pressure of 0.1 MPa and in the range of temperature of 298.15 K to 24000 K. The physical properties of various kinds of partially ionized plasma depend mainly of their composition and temperature. The composition of particular kinds of partially ionized plasmas varies also in the function of temperature. Simultaneous going on of physical and chemical processes in plasma is the reason of difficulties in the calculations of plasma's physical properties. The use of the laws of macroscopic thermodynamics for the calculations of physical properties of partially ionized plasma is impossible. There are enough exact methods for measuring of physical properties of partially ionized plasma. For these reasons the theoretical method using the base of statistic physics was used to calculate the composition and physical properties of various kinds of partially ionized plasma. (author) 2 refs., 2 figs

  15. Noncovalently Functionalized Tungsten Disulfide Nanosheets for Enhanced Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Epoxy Nanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahu, Megha; Narashimhan, Lakshmi; Prakash, Om; Raichur, Ashok M

    2017-04-26

    In the present study, noncovalently functionalized tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ) nanosheets were used as a toughening agent for epoxy nanocomposites. WS 2 was modified with branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) to increase the degree of interaction of nanosheets with the epoxy matrix and prevent restacking and agglomeration of the sheets in the epoxy matrix. The functionalization of WS 2 sheets was confirmed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The exfoliation of the bulk WS 2 was confirmed through X-ray diffraction and various microscopic techniques. Epoxy nanocomposites containing up to 1 wt % of WS 2 -PEI nanosheets were fabricated. They showed a remarkable improvement in fracture toughness (K IC ). K IC increased from 0.94 to 1.72 MPa m -1/2 for WS 2 -PEI nanosheet loadings as low as 0.25 wt %. Compressive and flexural properties also showed a significant improvement as incorporation of 0.25 wt % of WS 2 -PEI nanosheets resulted in 43 and 65% increase in the compressive and flexural strengths of epoxy nanocomposites, respectively, compared with neat epoxy. Thermal stability and thermomechanical properties of the WS 2 -PEI-modified epoxy also showed a significant improvement. The simultaneous improvement in the mechanical and thermal properties could be attributed to the good dispersion of WS 2 -PEI nanosheets in the matrix, intrinsic high strength and thermal properties of the nanosheets, and improved interaction of the WS 2 nanosheets with the epoxy matrix owing to the presence of PEI molecules on the surface of the WS 2 nanosheets.

  16. Wetlands - different types, their properties and functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kellner, Erik

    2003-08-01

    In this report, different Swedish wetland types are presented with emphasis on their occurrence, vegetation cover, soil physical and chemical properties and functions. Three different main groups of wetlands are identified: bogs, fens and marshes. The former two are peat forming environments while the term 'marshes' covers all non-peat forming wetlands. Poor fens are the most common type in Sweden but (tree-covered) marshes would probably be dominating large areas in Southern Sweden if not affected by human activity such as drainage for farming. Fens and bogs are often coexisting next to each other and bogs are often seen to be the next step after fens in the natural succession. However, the development of wetlands and processes of succession between different wetland types are resulting from complicated interactions between climate, vegetation, geology and topography. For description of the development at individual sites, the hydrological settings which determine the water flow paths seem to be most crucial, emphasizing the importance of geology and topography. For modelling the growth of peat, simple models have so far dominated, but these are often restricted in general use. Therefore, more physical-based models have been developed, but the natural heterogeneity and climate shifts bring uncertainty of how they should be parameterised. The use of coupled groundwater-substance transport models have shown to help understand how water flows and soil chemistry are developing in response to different peat forms. The peat is characterised by a high porosity (80-95%) which is decreasing with decomposition and depth. The most important change is then that the actively conducting pores are getting clogged and closed. The storage coefficient of the peat is then decreasing with decomposition as well as the hydraulic conductivity. The variation of hydraulic conductivity (k) can be large and current understanding of the connections between hydraulic conductivity and other

  17. Wetlands - different types, their properties and functions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kellner, Erik [Uppsala Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Earth Sciences/Hydrology

    2003-08-01

    In this report, different Swedish wetland types are presented with emphasis on their occurrence, vegetation cover, soil physical and chemical properties and functions. Three different main groups of wetlands are identified: bogs, fens and marshes. The former two are peat forming environments while the term 'marshes' covers all non-peat forming wetlands. Poor fens are the most common type in Sweden but (tree-covered) marshes would probably be dominating large areas in Southern Sweden if not affected by human activity such as drainage for farming. Fens and bogs are often coexisting next to each other and bogs are often seen to be the next step after fens in the natural succession. However, the development of wetlands and processes of succession between different wetland types are resulting from complicated interactions between climate, vegetation, geology and topography. For description of the development at individual sites, the hydrological settings which determine the water flow paths seem to be most crucial, emphasizing the importance of geology and topography. For modelling the growth of peat, simple models have so far dominated, but these are often restricted in general use. Therefore, more physical-based models have been developed, but the natural heterogeneity and climate shifts bring uncertainty of how they should be parameterised. The use of coupled groundwater-substance transport models have shown to help understand how water flows and soil chemistry are developing in response to different peat forms. The peat is characterised by a high porosity (80-95%) which is decreasing with decomposition and depth. The most important change is then that the actively conducting pores are getting clogged and closed. The storage coefficient of the peat is then decreasing with decomposition as well as the hydraulic conductivity. The variation of hydraulic conductivity (k) can be large and current understanding of the connections between hydraulic conductivity

  18. Using the CARDAMOM framework to retrieve global terrestrial ecosystem functioning properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Exbrayat, Jean-François; Bloom, A. Anthony; Smallman, T. Luke; van der Velde, Ivar R.; Feng, Liang; Williams, Mathew

    2016-04-01

    Terrestrial ecosystems act as a sink for anthropogenic emissions of fossil-fuel and thereby partially offset the ongoing global warming. However, recent model benchmarking and intercomparison studies have highlighted the non-trivial uncertainties that exist in our understanding of key ecosystem properties like plant carbon allocation and residence times. It leads to worrisome differences in terrestrial carbon stocks simulated by Earth system models, and their evolution in a warming future. In this presentation we attempt to provide global insights on these properties by merging an ecosystem model with remotely-sensed global observations of leaf area and biomass through a data-assimilation system: the CARbon Data MOdel fraMework (CARDAMOM). CARDAMOM relies on a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm to retrieve confidence intervals of model parameters that regulate ecosystem properties independently of any prior land-cover information. The MCMC method thereby enables an explicit representation of the uncertainty in land-atmosphere fluxes and the evolution of terrestrial carbon stocks through time. Global experiments are performed for the first decade of the 21st century using a 1°×1° spatial resolution. Relationships emerge globally between key ecosystem properties. For example, our analyses indicate that leaf lifespan and leaf mass per area are highly correlated. Furthermore, there exists a latitudinal gradient in allocation patterns: high latitude ecosystems allocate more carbon to photosynthetic carbon (leaves) while plants invest more carbon in their structural parts (wood and root) in the wet tropics. Overall, the spatial distribution of these ecosystem properties does not correspond to usual land-cover maps and are also partially correlated with disturbance regimes. For example, fire-prone ecosystems present statistically significant higher values of carbon use efficiency than less disturbed ecosystems experiencing similar climatic conditions. These results

  19. Thermodynamic and redox properties of graphene oxides for lithium-ion battery applications: a first principles density functional theory modeling approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sunghee; Kim, Ki Chul; Lee, Seung Woo; Jang, Seung Soon

    2016-07-27

    Understanding the thermodynamic stability and redox properties of oxygen functional groups on graphene is critical to systematically design stable graphene-based positive electrode materials with high potential for lithium-ion battery applications. In this work, we study the thermodynamic and redox properties of graphene functionalized with carbonyl and hydroxyl groups, and the evolution of these properties with the number, types and distribution of functional groups by employing the density functional theory method. It is found that the redox potential of the functionalized graphene is sensitive to the types, number, and distribution of oxygen functional groups. First, the carbonyl group induces higher redox potential than the hydroxyl group. Second, more carbonyl groups would result in higher redox potential. Lastly, the locally concentrated distribution of the carbonyl group is more beneficial to have higher redox potential compared to the uniformly dispersed distribution. In contrast, the distribution of the hydroxyl group does not affect the redox potential significantly. Thermodynamic investigation demonstrates that the incorporation of carbonyl groups at the edge of graphene is a promising strategy for designing thermodynamically stable positive electrode materials with high redox potentials.

  20. Processing effects on bioactive components and functional properties of moringa leaves: development of a snack and quality evaluation

    OpenAIRE

    Devisetti, Rajesh; Sreerama, Yadahally N.; Bhattacharya, Sila

    2015-01-01

    The effect of alkali pre-treatment on the nutritional, anti-nutritional and functional properties of moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf flour (MLF), and sensory assessment of MLF-based snack product was investigated. The pre-treatment reduced the content of anti-nutrients, but improved the functional properties of MLF. The MLF-based ready-to-eat puffed snack exhibited high protein (21.6 g/100 g) and dietary fiber (14.8 g/100 g) contents while it contained a low fat content of 3.7 g/100 g. The HP...

  1. Synthesis selective transport properties of cleft-type ionophores having two convergent hydroxamic acid functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Duck Hee; Choi, Mi Jung; Chang, Suk Kyu

    2001-01-01

    A series of cleft-type ionophores having two convergent hydroxamic acid functions are prepared and their selective ionophoric properties toward heavy metal and transition metal ions have been investigated. Hydroxamic acids 3 exhibited a prominent selectivity toward heavy metal ions of Hg 2+ and Pb 2+ , and transition metal ions of Cu 2+ over other transition metal and alkaline earth metal ions from slightly acidic source phase (pH 6) to an acidic receiving phase (pH 1). Selective ionophoric properties toward Pb 2+ and Cu 2+ ions over other surveyed metal ions are also confirmed by the FAB-MS measurements

  2. Thermoelectric properties of currently available Au/Pt thermocouples related to the valid reference function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edler F.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Au/Pt thermocouples are considered to be an alternative to High Temperature Standard Platinum Resistance Thermometers (HTSPRTs for realizing temperatures according to the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90 in the temperature range between aluminium (660.323 °C and silver (961.78 °C. The original aim of this work was to develop and to validate a new reference function for Au/Pt thermocouples which reflects the properties of presently commercially available Au and Pt wires. The thermoelectric properties of 16 Au/Pt thermocouples constructed at different National Metrological Institutes by using wires from different suppliers and 4 commercially available Au/Pt thermocouples were investigated. Most of them exhibit significant deviations from the current reference function of Au/Pt thermocouples caused by the poor performance of the Au-wires available. Thermoelectric homogeneity was investigated by measuring immersion profiles during freezes at the freezing point of silver and in liquid baths. The thermoelectric inhomogeneities were found to be one order of magnitude larger than those of Au/Pt thermocouples of the Standard Reference Material® (SRM® 1749. The improvement of the annealing procedure of the gold wires is a key process to achieve thermoelectric homogeneities in the order of only about (2–3 mK, sufficient to replace the impracticable HTSPRTs as interpolation instruments of the ITS-90. Comparison measurements of some of the Au/Pt thermocouples against a HTSPRT and an absolutely calibrated radiation thermometer were performed and exhibit agreements within the expanded measurement uncertainties. It has been found that the current reference function of Au/Pt thermocouples reflects adequately the thermoelectric properties of currently available Au/Pt thermocouples.

  3. Molecular level computational studies of polyethylene and polyacrylonitrile composites containing single walled carbon nanotubes: effect of carboxylic acid functionalization on nanotube-polymer interfacial properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shayesteh eHaghighatpanah

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Molecular dynamics and molecular mechanics methods have been used to investigate additive-polymer interfacial properties in single walled carbon nanotube – polyethylene and single walled carbon nanotube – polyacrylonitrile composites. Properties such as the interfacial shear stress and bonding energy are similar for the two composites. In contrast, functionalizing the single walled carbon nanotubes with carboxylic acid groups leads to an increase in these properties, with a larger increase for the polar polyacrylonitrile composite. Increasing the percentage of carbon atoms that were functionalized from 1% to 5% also leads to an increase in the interfacial properties. In addition, the interfacial properties depend on the location of the functional groups on the single walled carbon nanotube wall.

  4. The neuromechanical functional contractile properties of the thigh muscles measured using tensiomyography in male athletes and non-athletes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toskić Lazar

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Involuntary neuromechanical muscle contractile properties, especially of the extensor muscles and knee joint flexors as the largest muscle groups of the caudal part of the body, play an important role in both everyday movement and sport. Based on these data we can obtain important information on the functional properties of muscles. The basic means of evaluation of the functional involuntary neuromechanical muscles contractile properties is the non-invasive tensiomyographic method (TMG. The aim of this study was to determine the differences between the involuntary neuromechanical contractile properties of the thigh muscles measured using the TMG method on a sample of male athletes and non-athletes. The sample of participants was made up of 17 athletes and 10 non-athletes. By applying the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA and the t-test, we achieved results which indicate that of the overall 30 variables, a difference was determined among 13 of them. Most of the differences were determined for the extensor muscles of the right knee, especially of the rectus femoris muscle. It was also shown that in addition to the main knee joint extensor muscle (rectus femoris the main knee joint flexor muscle (biceps femoris also takes part in the definition of the difference between athletes and non-athletes. The results have shown that the following variables: contraction time (Tc and delay contraction time (Td are the functional parameters for which the highest difference between athletes and non-athletes were determined (from t = -2.284, p < 0.05 for the vastus lateralis of the right leg to t = -4.018, p < 0.01 for the rectus femoris of the left leg. These results have shown that it is possible to determine the differences in the functional involuntary neuromechanical contractile properties of the thigh muscles among trained and untrained individuals using the tensiomyographic method, but at the same time indicated that these differences were very

  5. Structural properties of metal-organic frameworks within the density-functional based tight-binding method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lukose, Binit; Supronowicz, Barbara; Kuc, Agnieszka B.; Heine, Thomas [School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen (Germany); Petkov, Petko S.; Vayssilov, Georgi N. [Faculty of Chemistry, University of Sofia (Bulgaria); Frenzel, Johannes [Lehrstuhl fuer Theoretische Chemie, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum (Germany); Seifert, Gotthard [Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany)

    2012-02-15

    Density-functional based tight-binding (DFTB) is a powerful method to describe large molecules and materials. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), materials with interesting catalytic properties and with very large surface areas, have been developed and have become commercially available. Unit cells of MOFs typically include hundreds of atoms, which make the application of standard density-functional methods computationally very expensive, sometimes even unfeasible. The aim of this paper is to prepare and to validate the self-consistent charge-DFTB (SCC-DFTB) method for MOFs containing Cu, Zn, and Al metal centers. The method has been validated against full hybrid density-functional calculations for model clusters, against gradient corrected density-functional calculations for supercells, and against experiment. Moreover, the modular concept of MOF chemistry has been discussed on the basis of their electronic properties. We concentrate on MOFs comprising three common connector units: copper paddlewheels (HKUST-1), zinc oxide Zn{sub 4}O tetrahedron (MOF-5, MOF-177, DUT-6 (MOF-205)), and aluminum oxide AlO{sub 4}(OH){sub 2} octahedron (MIL-53). We show that SCC-DFTB predicts structural parameters with a very good accuracy (with less than 5% deviation, even for adsorbed CO and H{sub 2}O on HKUST-1), while adsorption energies differ by 12 kJ mol{sup -1} or less for CO and water compared to DFT benchmark calculations. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  6. Semantic Web Service Delivery in Healthcare Based on Functional and Non-Functional Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schweitzer, Marco; Gorfer, Thilo; Hörbst, Alexander

    2017-01-01

    In the past decades, a lot of endeavor has been made on the trans-institutional exchange of healthcare data through electronic health records (EHR) in order to obtain a lifelong, shared accessible health record of a patient. Besides basic information exchange, there is a growing need for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to support the use of the collected health data in an individual, case-specific workflow-based manner. This paper presents the results on how workflows can be used to process data from electronic health records, following a semantic web service approach that enables automatic discovery, composition and invocation of suitable web services. Based on this solution, the user (physician) can define its needs from a domain-specific perspective, whereas the ICT-system fulfills those needs with modular web services. By involving also non-functional properties for the service selection, this approach is even more suitable for the dynamic medical domain.

  7. Modeling the Mechanical Properties of Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes and Their Composites: Design at the Atomic Level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qing-Sheng Yang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This investigation focuses on the design of functionalization configuration at the atomic level to determine the influence of atomic structure on the mechanical properties of functionalized carbon nanotubes (F-CNTs and their composites. Tension and compressive buckling behaviors of different configurations of CNTs functionalized by H atoms are studied by a molecular dynamics (MD method. It is shown that H-atom functionalization reduces Young’s modulus of CNTs, but Young’s modulus is not sensitive to the functionalization configuration. The configuration does, however, affect the tensile strength and critical buckling stress of CNTs. Further, the stress-strain relations of composites reinforced by nonfunctionalized and various functionalized CNTs are analyzed.

  8. Development and Psychometric Properties of the OCD Family Functioning (OFF) Scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, S. Evelyn; Hu, Yu-Pei; Hezel, Dianne M.; Proujansky, Rachel; Lamstein, Abby; Walsh, Casey; Ben-Joseph, Elana Pearl; Gironda, Christina; Jenike, Michael; Geller, Daniel A.; Pauls, David L.

    2013-01-01

    Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) influences not only patients but also family members. Although the construct of family accommodation has received attention in OCD literature, no measures of overall family functioning are currently available. The OCD Family Functioning (OFF) Scale was developed to explore the context, extent, and perspectives of functional impairment in families affected by OCD. It is a three-part, self-report measure capturing independent perspectives of patients and relatives. A total of 400 subjects were enrolled between 2008 and 2010 from specialized OCD clinics and OCD research studies. Psychometric properties of this scale were examined including internal consistency, test–retest reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and exploratory factor analyses. Both patient and relative versions of the OFF Scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient = 0.96). The test–retest reliability was also adequate (ICC = 0.80). Factor analyses determined that the OFF Scale comprises a family functioning impairment factor and four OCD symptom factors that were consistent with previously reported OCD symptom dimension studies. The OFF Scale demonstrated excellent convergent validity with the Family Accommodation Scale and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale. Information gathered regarding emotional impact and family role-specific impairment was novel and not captured by other examined scales. The OFF Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for the clinical and research assessment of family functioning in pediatric and adult OCD. This will facilitate the exploration of family functioning impairment as a potential risk factor, as a moderator and as a treatment outcome measure in OCD. PMID:21553962

  9. Psychometric properties of the PROMIS Physical Function item bank in patients receiving physical therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martine H P Crins

    Full Text Available The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS is a universally applicable set of instruments, including item banks, short forms and computer adaptive tests (CATs, measuring patient-reported health across different patient populations. PROMIS CATs are highly efficient and the use in practice is considered feasible with little administration time, offering standardized and routine patient monitoring. Before an item bank can be used as CAT, the psychometric properties of the item bank have to be examined. Therefore, the objective was to assess the psychometric properties of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Physical Function item bank (DF-PROMIS-PF in Dutch patients receiving physical therapy.Cross-sectional study.805 patients >18 years, who received any kind of physical therapy in primary care in the past year, completed the full DF-PROMIS-PF (121 items.Unidimensionality was examined by Confirmatory Factor Analysis and local dependence and monotonicity were evaluated. A Graded Response Model was fitted. Construct validity was examined with correlations between DF-PROMIS-PF T-scores and scores on two legacy instruments (SF-36 Health Survey Physical Functioning scale [SF36-PF10] and the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability-Index [HAQ-DI]. Reliability (standard errors of theta was assessed.The results for unidimensionality were mixed (scaled CFI = 0.924, TLI = 0.923, RMSEA = 0.045, 1th factor explained 61.5% of variance. Some local dependence was found (8.2% of item pairs. The item bank showed a broad coverage of the physical function construct (threshold-parameters range: -4.28-2.33 and good construct validity (correlation with SF36-PF10 = 0.84 and HAQ-DI = -0.85. Furthermore, the DF-PROMIS-PF showed greater reliability over a broader score-range than the SF36-PF10 and HAQ-DI.The psychometric properties of the DF-PROMIS-PF item bank are sufficient. The DF-PROMIS-PF can now be used as short forms or CAT to measure the level of

  10. Soybean-oil-based waterborne polyurethane dispersions: effects of polyol functionality and hard segment content on properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Yongshang; Larock, Richard C

    2008-11-01

    The environmentally friendly vegetable-oil-based waterborne polyurethane dispersions with very promising properties have been successfully synthesized without difficulty from a series of methoxylated soybean oil polyols (MSOLs) with different hydroxyl functionalities ranging from 2.4 to as high as 4.0. The resulting soybean-oil-based waterborne polyurethane (SPU) dispersions exhibit a uniform particle size, which increases from about 12 to 130 nm diameter with an increase in the OH functionality of the MSOL from 2.4 to 4.0 and decreases with increasing content of the hard segments. The structure and thermophysical and mechanical properties of the resulting SPU films, which contain 50-60 wt % MSOL as renewable resources, have been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and mechanical testing. The experimental results reveal that the functionality of the MSOLs and the hard segment content play a key role in controlling the structure and the thermophysical and mechanical properties of the SPU films. These novel films exhibit tensile stress-strain behavior ranging from elastomeric polymers to rigid plastics and possess Young's moduli ranging from 8 to 720 MPa, ultimate tensile strengths ranging from 4.2 to 21.5 MPa, and percent elongation at break values ranging from 16 to 280%. This work has addressed concerns regarding gelation and higher cross-linking caused by the high functionality of vegetable-oil-based polyols. This article reports novel environmentally friendly biobased SPU materials with promising applications as decorative and protective coatings.

  11. Synthesis, photophysical and photochemical properties of zinc phthalocyanines bearing fluoro-functionalized substituents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aktaş, Ayşe; Pişkin, Mehmet; Durmuş, Mahmut; Bıyıklıoğlu, Zekeriya

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the synthesis of phthalonitrile derivatives bearing fluoro-functionalized groups and their peripherally-tetra substituted zinc phthalocyanine complexes were reported. The phthalonitrile derivatives 2a–5a were prepared by nucleophilic substitution of 4-nitrophthalonitrile with 2-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]ethanol, 2-{2-[3-(trifluoromethyl) phenoxy]ethoxy}ethanol, 2-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenoxy)ethanol, 2-[2-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenoxy)ethoxy]ethanol, respectively. Zinc phthalocyanines bearing fluoro-functionalized groups (2b–5b) were obtained from the corresponding phthalonitrile derivatives. The newly synthesized phthalocyanines displayed good solubility in organic solvents such as chloroform (CHCl 3 ), dichloromethane (DCM), tetrahydrofuran (THF), toluene, dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). On the other hand, the singlet oxygen, photodegradation, fluorescence quantum yields and fluorescence lifetime of these complexes were determined in DMSO. The effects of the substitution with fluoro-functionalized groups on these parameters were also compared. -- Highlights: • Synthesis of peripherally substituted zinc phthalocyanines. • Photophysical and photochemical properties in DMSO for phthalocyanines. • Photodynamic therapy studies

  12. Synthesis, photophysical and photochemical properties of zinc phthalocyanines bearing fluoro-functionalized substituents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aktaş, Ayşe [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon (Turkey); Pişkin, Mehmet [Marmara University, Faculty of Art and Science, Department of Chemistry, 34722 Kadikoy-Istanbul (Turkey); Durmuş, Mahmut [Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, PO Box 141, Gebze 41400, Kocaeli (Turkey); Bıyıklıoğlu, Zekeriya, E-mail: zekeriya_61@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon (Turkey)

    2014-01-15

    In this study, the synthesis of phthalonitrile derivatives bearing fluoro-functionalized groups and their peripherally-tetra substituted zinc phthalocyanine complexes were reported. The phthalonitrile derivatives 2a–5a were prepared by nucleophilic substitution of 4-nitrophthalonitrile with 2-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]ethanol, 2-{2-[3-(trifluoromethyl) phenoxy]ethoxy}ethanol, 2-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenoxy)ethanol, 2-[2-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenoxy)ethoxy]ethanol, respectively. Zinc phthalocyanines bearing fluoro-functionalized groups (2b–5b) were obtained from the corresponding phthalonitrile derivatives. The newly synthesized phthalocyanines displayed good solubility in organic solvents such as chloroform (CHCl{sub 3}), dichloromethane (DCM), tetrahydrofuran (THF), toluene, dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). On the other hand, the singlet oxygen, photodegradation, fluorescence quantum yields and fluorescence lifetime of these complexes were determined in DMSO. The effects of the substitution with fluoro-functionalized groups on these parameters were also compared. -- Highlights: • Synthesis of peripherally substituted zinc phthalocyanines. • Photophysical and photochemical properties in DMSO for phthalocyanines. • Photodynamic therapy studies.

  13. Characterisation and functional properties of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seed proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wani, Ali Abas; Sogi, Dalbir Singh; Singh, Preeti; Wani, Idrees Ahmed; Shivhare, Uma S

    2011-01-15

    People in developing countries depend largely on non-conventional protein sources to augment the availability of proteins in their diets. Watermelon seed meal is reported to contain an adequate amount of nutritional proteins that could be extracted for use as nutritional ingredients in food products. Osborne classification showed that globulin was the major protein (≥500 g kg (-1)) present in watermelon seed meal, followed by albumin and glutelin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the polypeptides had low molecular weights ranging from 35 to 47 kDa. Isoelectric focusing revealed that the isoelectric point of most proteins was in the acidic range 4-6. These proteins are rich in aspartic acid, glutamic acid and serine. An increase in pH (5-9) significantly (P watermelon protein fractions respectively, while surface hydrophobicity ranged from 126.4 to 173.2 and from 125.8 to 169.3 respectively. The foaming and emulsifying properties of albumin were better than those of the other proteins studied. The good nutritional and functional properties of watermelon seed meal proteins suggest their potential use in food formulations. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

  14. 1,3-Disubstituted Ureas Functionalized with Ether Groups are Potent Inhibitors of the Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase with Improved Pharmacokinetic Properties

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, In-Hae; Tsai, Hsing-Ju; Nishi, Kosuke; Kasagami, Takeo; Morisseau, Christophe; Hammock, Bruce D.

    2007-01-01

    Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a therapeutic target for treating hypertension and inflammation. 1,3-Disubstituted ureas functionalized with an ether group are potent sEH inhibitors. However, their relatively low metabolic stability leads to poor pharmacokinetic properties. To improve their bioavailability, we investigated the effect of incorporating various polar groups on the ether function on the inhibition potencies, physical properties, in vitro metabolic stability, and pharmacokineti...

  15. Functional and conformational properties of phaseolin (Phaseolus vulgris L.) and kidney bean protein isolate: a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Shou-Wei; Tang, Chuan-He; Wen, Qi-Biao; Yang, Xiao-Quan

    2010-03-15

    Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgris L.) seed is an underutilised plant protein source with good potential to be applied in the food industry. Phaseolin (also named G1 globulin) represents about 50 g kg(-1) of total storage protein in the seed. The aim of the present study was to characterise physicochemical, functional and conformational properties of phaseolin, and to compare these properties with those of kidney bean protein isolate (KPI). Compared with kidney bean protein isolate (KPI), the acid-extracted phaseolin-rich protein product (PRP) had much lower protein recovery of 320 g kg(-1) (dry weight basis) but higher phaseolin purity (over 950 g kg(-1)). PRP contained much lower sulfhydryl (SH) and disulfide bond contents than KPI. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses showed that the phaseolin in PRP was less denatured than in KPI. Thermal analyses in the presence or absence of dithiothreitol, in combination with SH and SS content analyses showed the contributions of SS to the thermal stability of KPI. The analyses of near-UV circular dichroism and intrinsic fluorescence spectra indicated more compacted tertiary conformation of the proteins in PRP than in KPI. PRP exhibited much better protein solubility, emulsifying activity index, and gel-forming ability than KPI. The relatively poor functional properties of KPI may be associated with protein denaturation/unfolding, with subsequent protein aggregation. The results presented here suggest the potential for acid-extracted PRP to be applied in food formulations, in view of its functional properties.

  16. Identification of material properties of orthotropic composite plate using experimental frequency response function data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tam, Jun Hui; Ong, Zhi Chao; Ismail, Zubaidah; Ang, Bee Chin; Khoo, Shin Yee

    2018-05-01

    The demand for composite materials is increasing due to their great superiority in material properties, e.g., lightweight, high strength and high corrosion resistance. As a result, the invention of composite materials of diverse properties is becoming prevalent, and thus, leading to the development of material identification methods for composite materials. Conventional identification methods are destructive, time-consuming and costly. Therefore, an accurate identification approach is proposed to circumvent these drawbacks, involving the use of Frequency Response Function (FRF) error function defined by the correlation discrepancy between experimental and Finite-Element generated FRFs. A square E-glass epoxy composite plate is investigated under several different configurations of boundary conditions. It is notable that the experimental FRFs are used as the correlation reference, such that, during computation, the predicted FRFs are continuously updated with reference to the experimental FRFs until achieving a solution. The final identified elastic properties, namely in-plane elastic moduli, Ex and Ey, in-plane shear modulus, Gxy, and major Poisson's ratio, vxy of the composite plate are subsequently compared to the benchmark parameters as well as with those obtained using modal-based approach. As compared to the modal-based approach, the proposed method is found to have yielded relatively better results. This can be explained by the direct employment of raw data in the proposed method that avoids errors that might incur during the stage of modal extraction.

  17. Mechanical properties and filler distribution as a function filler content in silica filled PDMS samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hawley, Marilyn E.; Wrobleski, Debra A.; Orler, E. Bruce; Houlton, Robert J.; Chitanvis, Kiran E.; Brown, Geoffrey W.; Hanson, David E.

    2004-01-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) phase imaging and tensile stress-strain measurements are used to study a series of model compression molded fumed silica filled polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) samples with filler content of zero, 20, 35, and 50 parts per hundred (phr) to determine the relationship between filler content and stress-strain properties. AFM phase imaging was used to determine filler size, degree of aggregation, and distribution within the soft PDMS matrix. A small tensile stage was used to measure mechanical properties. Samples were not pulled to break in order to study Mullins and aging effects. Several identical 35 phr samples were subjected to an initial stress, and then one each was reevaluated over intervals up to 26 weeks to determine the degree to which these samples recovered their initial stress-strain behavior as a function of time. One sample was tested before and after heat treatment to determine if heating accelerated recovery of the stress-strain behavior. The effect of filler surface treatment on mechanical properties was examined for two samples containing 35 phr filler treated or untreated with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDZ), respectively. Fiduciary marks were used on several samples to determine permanent set. 35 phr filler samples were found to give the optimum mechanical properties. A clear Mullins effect was seen. Within experimental error, no change was seen in mechanical behavior as a function of time or heat-treatment. The mechanical properties of the sample containing the HDMZ treated silica were adversely affected. AFM phase images revealed aggregation and nonuniform distribution of the filler for all samples. Finally, a permanent set of about 3 to 6 percent was observed for the 35 phr samples.

  18. Evaluation of nutritional value, characteristics, functional properties of Cymodocea nodosa and its benefits on health diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolsi, Rihab Ben Abdallah; Salah, Hichem Ben; Saidi, Saber Abdelkader; Allouche, Noureddine; Belghith, Hafedh; Belghith, Karima

    2017-12-08

    Nutritional fact study has prime importance to make the species edible and commercially viable to the food consumers. This is the first report that indicates the chemical characterization, functional, antioxidant and antihypertensive properties of Cymodocea nodosa to evaluate its nutritional status. Physico-chemical determination was determined by colorimetric and spectroscopic analysis. The functional and texture properties were evaluated since a desirable texture should be retained. Bioactive substances were determined by liquid chromatography-high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS2 analysis. Health benefit of this plant was highlighting by the antioxidant and antihypertensive potentials. Results showed that the seagrass powder was characterized by a high content of fibers (56.4%), the fatty acids profile was dominated by the oleic acid, which represents about 62.0% of the total fatty acids and the functional properties proved important values of swelling capacity (6.71 ± 0.2) and water holding capacity (12.26 ± 0.25), that were comparable to those of some foodstuffs. Finally, the physico-chemical analysis shows the wealth in phenolic compounds, that could be explained by the high antioxidant and antihypertensive ability which was concentration dependent. The results from this study suggested that this marine plant could be utilized as a healthy food item for human consumption.

  19. Constraints on the exploitation of the functional properties of objects in expert tool-using chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Povinelli, Daniel J; Frey, Scott H

    2016-09-01

    Many species exploit immediately apparent dimensions of objects during tool use and manufacture and operate over internal perceptual representations of objects (they move and reorient objects in space, have rules of operation to deform or modify objects, etc). Humans, however, actively test for functionally relevant object properties before such operations begin, even when no previous percepts of a particular object's qualities in the domain have been established. We hypothesize that such prospective diagnostic interventions are a human specialization of cognitive function that has been entirely overlooked in the neuropsychological literature. We presented chimpanzees with visually identical rakes: one was functional for retrieving a food reward; the other was non-functional (its base was spring-loaded). Initially, they learned that only the functional tool could retrieve a distant reward. In test 1, we explored if they would manually test for the rakes' rigidity during tool selection, but before using it. We found no evidence of such behavior. In test 2, we obliged the apes to deform the non-functional tool's base before using it, in order to evaluate whether this would cause them to switch rakes. It did not. Tests 3-6 attempted to focus the apes' attention on the functionally relevant property (rigidity). Although one ape eventually learned to abandon the non-functional rake before using it, she still did not attempt to test the rakes for rigidity prior to use. While these results underscore the ability of chimpanzees to use novel tools, at the same time they point toward a fundamental (and heretofore unexplored) difference in causal reasoning between humans and apes. We propose that this behavioral difference reflects a human specialization in how object properties are represented, which could have contributed significantly to the evolution of our technological culture. We discuss developing a new line of evolutionarily motivated neuropsychological research on

  20. Corticostriatal Divergent Function in Determining the Temporal and Spatial Properties of Motor Tics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Israelashvili, Michal; Bar-Gad, Izhar

    2015-12-16

    Striatal disinhibition leads to the formation of motor tics resembling those expressed during Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders. The spatial properties of these tics are dependent on the location of the focal disinhibition within the striatum; however, the factors affecting the temporal properties of tic expression are still unknown. Here, we used microstimulation within the motor cortex of freely behaving rats before and after striatal disinhibition to explore the factors underlying the timing of individual tics. Cortical activation determined the timing of individual tics via an accumulation process of inputs that was dependent on the frequency and amplitude of the inputs. The resulting tics and their neuronal representation within the striatum were highly stereotypic and independent of the cortical activity properties. The generation of tics was limited by absolute and relative tic refractory periods that were derived from an internal striatal state. Thus, the precise time of the tic expression depends on the interaction between the summation of incoming excitatory inputs to the striatum and the timing of the previous tic. A data-driven computational model of corticostriatal function closely replicated the temporal properties of tic generation and enabled the prediction of tic timing based on incoming cortical activity and tic history. These converging experimental and computational findings suggest a clear functional dichotomy within the corticostriatal network, pointing to disparate temporal (cortical) versus spatial (striatal) encoding. Thus, the abnormal striatal inhibition typical of Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders results in tics due to cortical activation of the abnormal striatal network. The factors underlying the temporal properties of tics expressed in Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders have eluded clinicians and scientists for decades. In this study, we highlight the key role of corticostriatal activity in determining the

  1. Thermo-kinetic properties of the new materials for functional layers of flat heating elements

    OpenAIRE

    Kovbasyuk, Taras; Shapran, Yuliia

    2015-01-01

    Thermokinetic properties of the dielectric coatings on the basis of glass-ceramic system PbO-ZnO-B2O3-SiO2-Al2O3 (Sytal-Tsement) on a stainless steel substrate were studied. The advantages and disadvantages in comparison with modern functional layers of flat heating elements were analyzed.

  2. Effects of seed preparation and oil pressing on milkweed (Asclepias spp.) protein functional properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    The effects of seed cooking and oil processing conditions on functional properties of milkweed seed proteins were determined to identify potential value-added uses for the meal. Milkweed seeds were flaked and then cooked in the seed conditioner at 82°C for 30, 60 or 90 min. Oil was extracted by scre...

  3. Effect of differences in tendon properties on functionality of the passive stay apparatus in horses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gussekloo, S.W.S.; Lankester, J.; Kersten, W.; Back, W.

    2011-01-01

    Objective—To determine the effect of differences in structural and mechanical tendon properties on functionality of the passive stay apparatus in horses. Sample—5 forelimbs each from nondwarf Friesians, dwarf Friesians, and ponies. Procedures—Harvested forelimbs were loaded to test the passive stay

  4. Poly(Butylene Terephthalate Based Composites Containing Alumina Whiskers: Influence of Filler Functionalization on Dielectric Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pietro Russo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Poly(butylene terephthalate (PBT is one of the most widely used semicrystalline thermoplastics polyester because of its superior thermal and mechanical properties, high dimensional stability and excellent processability. In this research PBT-based nanocomposites, including various amounts (up to 10 wt% of commercial alumina whiskers, have been prepared by using a Brabender internal chamber mixer and analysed in terms of morphological features and dielectric properties. Specific attention has been focused on the effect of the filler functionalization considering 3-glycidoxy propylmethoxysilane (GPS or 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS as coupling agents. Tests, performed on compounds filled with neat and functionalized alumina whiskers, show a clear dependence of relative dielectric permittivity εr, invariance of dissipation factor (tgδ, and a sensible increase of volume electrical resistivity (ρv with the filler’s content and are encouraging for a future introduction of such composites in many electrical applications.

  5. Diverse Functional Properties of Wilson Disease ATP7B Variants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huster, Dominik; Kühne, Angelika; Bhattacharjee, Ashima; Raines, Lily; Jantsch, Vanessa; Noe, Johannes; Schirrmeister, Wiebke; Sommerer, Ines; Sabri, Osama; Berr, Frieder; Mössner, Joachim; Stieger, Bruno; Caca, Karel; Lutsenko, Svetlana

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS Wilson disease is a severe disorder of copper metabolism caused by mutations in ATP7B, which encodes a copper-transporting adenosine triphosphatase. The disease presents with a variable phenotype that complicates the diagnostic process and treatment. Little is known about the mechanisms that contribute to the different phenotypes of the disease. METHODS We analyzed 28 variants of ATP7B from patients with Wilson disease that affected different functional domains; the gene products were expressed using the baculovirus expression system in Sf9 cells. Protein function was analyzed by measuring catalytic activity and copper (64Cu) transport into vesicles. We studied intracellular localization of variants of ATP7B that had measurable transport activities and were tagged with green fluorescent protein in mammalian cells using confocal laser scanning microscopy. RESULTS Properties of ATP7B variants with pathogenic amino-acid substitution varied greatly even if substitutions were in the same functional domain. Some variants had complete loss of catalytic and transport activity, whereas others lost transport activity but retained phosphor-intermediate formation or had partial losses of activity. In mammalian cells, transport-competent variants differed in stability and subcellular localization. CONCLUSIONS Variants in ATP7B associated with Wilson disease disrupt the protein’s transport activity, result in its mislocalization, and reduce its stability. Single assays are insufficient to accurately predict the effects of ATP7B variants the function of its product and development of Wilson disease. These findings will contribute to our understanding of genotype–phenotype correlation and mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. PMID:22240481

  6. Quantized Dirac field in curved Riemann--Cartan background. I. Symmetry properties, Green's function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nieh, H.T.; Yan, M.L.

    1982-01-01

    In the present series of papers, we study the properties of quantized Dirac field in curved Riemann--Cartan space, with particular attention on the role played by torsion. In this paper, we give, in the spirit of the original work of Weyl, a systematic presentation of Dirac's theory in curved Riemann--Cartan space. We discuss symmetry properties of the system, and derive conservation laws as direct consequences of these symmetries. Also discussed is conformal gauge symmetry, with torsion effectively playing the role of a conformal gauge field. To obtain short-distance behavior, we calculate the spinor Green's function, in curved Riemann--Cartan background, using the Schwinger--DeWitt method of proper-time expansion. The calculation corresponds to a generalization of DeWitt's calculation for a Riemannian background

  7. Non-local exchange correlation functionals impact on the structural, electronic and optical properties of III-V arsenides

    KAUST Repository

    Anua, N. Najwa

    2013-08-20

    Exchange correlation (XC) energy functionals play a vital role in the efficiency of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, more soundly in the calculation of fundamental electronic energy bandgap. In the present DFT study of III-arsenides, we investigate the implications of XC-energy functional and corresponding potential on the structural, electronic and optical properties of XAs (X = B, Al, Ga, In). Firstly we report and discuss the optimized structural lattice parameters and the band gap calculations performed within different non-local XC functionals as implemented in the DFT-packages: WIEN2k, CASTEP and SIESTA. These packages are representative of the available code in ab initio studies. We employed the LDA, GGA-PBE, GGA-WC and mBJ-LDA using WIEN2k. In CASTEP, we employed the hybrid functional, sX-LDA. Furthermore LDA, GGA-PBE and meta-GGA were employed using SIESTA code. Our results point to GGA-WC as a more appropriate approximation for the calculations of structural parameters. However our electronic bandstructure calculations at the level of mBJ-LDA potential show considerable improvements over the other XC functionals, even the sX-LDA hybrid functional. We report also the optical properties within mBJ potential, which show a nice agreement with the experimental measurements in addition to other theoretical results. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  8. Some properties of the functions satisfying Bell's inequalities in relation to quantum mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roussel, P.

    1985-01-01

    Having recalled the 1935 debate between A. Einstein and N. Bohr about quantum mechanics (Q.M.) the thought-experiment of D. Bohm is described and a new derivation of the Bell's inequalities is established to test the class of theories based on the hypothesis of hidden-parameters in the common past. It is shown that Q.M. violates these inequalities almost everywhere. The general properties of functions satisfying Bell's inequalities are studied in order to compare them to Q.M. predictions as regards derivatives, integrals, values, intervals, amplitudes and finally the overall behaviour: a few of the Bell's functions chosen to approach somehow Q.M. are given. Altogether, in the comparison between Q.M. and functions satisfying Bell's inequalities, an incompatibility is revealed that is stronger then that resulting from consideration of just the inequalities [fr

  9. Electronic and optical properties of families of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: A systematic (time-dependent) density functional theory study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malloci, G.; Cappellini, G.; Mulas, G.; Mattoni, A.

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Electronic absorption spectra of the neutral molecules of the four PAH classes considered, as computed using the real-time real-space TD-DFT. Highlights: →We present a systematic comparative study of families of PAHs. → We computed electronic, optical, and transport properties as a function of size. → We considered oligoacenes, phenacenes, circumacenes, and oligorylenes. → Circumacenes have the best transport properties compared to the other classes. → Oligorylenes are much more efficient in absorbing low-energy photons. - Abstract: Homologous classes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in their crystalline state are among the most promising materials for organic opto-electronics. Following previous works on oligoacenes we present a systematic comparative study of the electronic, optical, and transport properties of oligoacenes, phenacenes, circumacenes, and oligorylenes. Using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT we computed: (i) electron affinities and first ionization energies; (ii) quasiparticle correction to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gap; (iii) molecular reorganization energies and (iv) electronic absorption spectra of neutral and ±1 charged systems. The excitonic effects are estimated by comparing the optical gap and the quasiparticle corrected HOMO-LUMO energy gap. For each molecular property computed, general trends as a function of molecular size and charge state are discussed. Overall, we find that circumacenes have the best transport properties, displaying a steeper decrease of the molecular reorganization energy at increasing sizes, while oligorylenes are much more efficient in absorbing low-energy photons in comparison to the other classes.

  10. Phenotypic and Functional Properties of Tumor-Infiltrating Regulatory T Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gap Ryol Lee

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Regulatory T (Treg cells maintain immune homeostasis by suppressing excessive immune responses. Treg cells induce tolerance against self- and foreign antigens, thus preventing autoimmunity, allergy, graft rejection, and fetus rejection during pregnancy. However, Treg cells also infiltrate into tumors and inhibit antitumor immune responses, thus inhibiting anticancer therapy. Depleting whole Treg cell populations in the body to enhance anticancer treatments will produce deleterious autoimmune diseases. Therefore, understanding the precise nature of tumor-infiltrating Treg cells is essential for effectively targeting Treg cells in tumors. This review summarizes recent results relating to Treg cells in the tumor microenvironment, with particular emphasis on their accumulation, phenotypic, and functional properties, and targeting to enhance the efficacy of anticancer treatment.

  11. Bacterial Reaction Centers Purified with Styrene Maleic Acid Copolymer Retain Native Membrane Functional Properties and Display Enhanced Stability**

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swainsbury, David J K; Scheidelaar, Stefan; van Grondelle, Rienk; Killian, J Antoinette; Jones, Michael R

    2014-01-01

    Integral membrane proteins often present daunting challenges for biophysical characterization, a fundamental issue being how to select a surfactant that will optimally preserve the individual structure and functional properties of a given membrane protein. Bacterial reaction centers offer a rare opportunity to compare the properties of an integral membrane protein in different artificial lipid/surfactant environments with those in the native bilayer. Here, we demonstrate that reaction centers purified using a styrene maleic acid copolymer remain associated with a complement of native lipids and do not display the modified functional properties that typically result from detergent solubilization. Direct comparisons show that reaction centers are more stable in this copolymer/lipid environment than in a detergent micelle or even in the native membrane, suggesting a promising new route to exploitation of such photovoltaic integral membrane proteins in device applications. PMID:25212490

  12. On some properties of bone functional adaptation phenomenon useful in mechanical design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowak, Michał

    2010-01-01

    The paper discusses some unique properties of trabecular bone functional adaptation phenomenon, useful in mechanical design. On the basis of the biological process observations and the principle of constant strain energy density on the surface of the structure, the generic structural optimisation system has been developed. Such approach allows fulfilling mechanical theorem for the stiffest design, comprising the optimisations of size, shape and topology, using the concepts known from biomechanical studies. Also the biomimetic solution of multiple load problems is presented.

  13. Optimization of Sigma Phase Precipitates with Respect to the Functional Properties of Duplex Cast Steel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. Stradomski

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results of examination concerning optimization of the σ phase precipitates with respect to the functional properties of ferritic-austenitic cast steel. The examined material comprised two grades of corrosion-resistant cast steel, namely GX2CrNiMoN25-6-3 and GX2CrNiMoCuN25-6-3-3, used for example in elements of systems of wet flue gas desulphurisation in power industry. The operating conditions in media heated up to 70°C and containing Cl- and SO4 ions and solid particles produce high erosive and corrosive wear. The work proposes an application of the σ phase as a component of precipitation strengthening mechanism in order to increase the functional properties of the material. Morphology and quantities of σ phase precipitates were determined, as well as its influence on the erosion and corrosion wear resistance. It was shown that annealing at 800°C or 900°C significantly improves tribological properties as compared with the supersaturated state, and the best erosion and corrosion wear resistance achieved due to the ferrite decomposition δ → γ’ + σ was exhibited in the case of annealing at the temperature of 800°C for 3 hours.

  14. Physicochemical and functional properties of ultrasonic-treated tragacanth hydrogels cross-linked to lysozyme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koshani, Roya; Aminlari, Mahmoud

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to prepare, characterize and investigate physiochemical and functional attributes of hen egg white lysozyme (LZM) cross-linked with ultrasonic-treated tragacanth (US-treated TGC) under mild Maillard reactions conditions. FT-IR spectroscopy together with OPA assay revealed that covalent attachment of LZM with TCG's. Under optimum condition (pH=8.5, 60°C, RH=79%, 8 days), only one of the free amino group of LZM was blocked by TGC whereas under the same condition, US treated-TGC's blocked about three amino groups. The thermal stability of the LZM-TGC conjugates differed depending on the lengths of the main and branch chains. The microstructure of LZM-TGC conjugates was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. US-treated TGC-LZM exhibited improved solubility, emulsion properties, foam capacity and stability as compared with the native LZM. Since this gum is extensively used in food industry and application of LZM as a natural antimicrobial agents in different food systems is recommended and practiced in some countries, the results of this study indicates that a conjugated product of these two polymers combines different properties into one macromolecule and improves the property of each. These properties may make the conjugate an attractive food ingredient. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Properties of Gribov region and horizon function in the SU(N) Maximal Abelian Gauge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Capri, Marcio Andre Lopes; Gomez, A.J.; Guimaraes, M.S.; Lemes, Vitor Emanuel Rodino; Sorella, Silvio Paolo

    2011-01-01

    Full text: The problem of the Gribov copies deals with the impossibility of to choose a unique gauge condition in the quantization process in the Yang Mills theories. In the Landau gauge, several properties of the Gribov region are established, the implementation of the Gribov copies in the path integral is taking account by the introduction of the horizon function directly in the action giving rise to modifications in the ghost and gluon propagator in the infrared regime. However, is interesting to looking at other gauge choices for obtain additional information of the phenomena, and compare our results in the landau gauge. In this work we address the issue of the Gribov copies in SU(N),N ¿ 2, Euclidean Yang-Mills theories quantized in the maximal Abelian gauge. A few properties of the Gribov region in this gauge are established. Similarly to the case of SU(2), the Gribov region turns out to be convex, bounded along the off-diagonals directions in field space, and unbounded along the diagonal ones. The implementation of the restriction to the Gribov region in the functional integral is discussed through the introduction of the horizon function, whose construction will be outlined in detail. The influence of this restriction on the behavior of the gluon and ghost propagators of the theory is also investigated together with a set of dimension two condensates. (author)

  16. Molecular Design of Bioinspired Nanostructures for Biomedical Applications: Synthesis, Self-Assembly and Functional Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Hesheng Victor; Zheng, Xin Ting; Mok, Beverly Yin Leng; Ibrahim, Salwa Ali; Yu, Yong; Tan, Yen Nee

    2016-08-01

    Biomolecules are the nanoscale building blocks of cells, which play multifaceted roles in the critical biological processes such as biomineralization in a living organism. In these processes, the biological molecules such as protein and nucleic acids use their exclusive biorecognition properties enabled from their unique chemical composition, shape and function to initiate a cascade of cellular events. The exceptional features of these biomolecules, coupled with the recent advancement in nanotechnology, have led to the emergence of a new research field that focuses on the molecular design of bioinspired nanostructures that inherit the extraordinary function of natural biomaterials. These “bioinspired” nanostructures could be formulated by biomimetic approaches through either self-assembling of biomolecules or acting as a biomolecular template/precursor to direct the synthesis of nanocomposite. In either situation, the resulting nanomaterials exhibit phenomenal biocompatibility, superb aqueous solubility and excellent colloidal stability, branding them exceptionally desirable for both in vitro and in vivo biomedical applications. In this review, we will present the recent developments in the preparation of “bioinspired” nanostructures through biomimetic self-assembly and biotemplating synthesis, as well as highlight their functional properties and potential applications in biomedical diagnostics and therapeutic delivery. Lastly, we will conclude this topic with some personal perspective on the challenges and future outlooks of the “bioinspired” nanostructures for nanomedicine.

  17. Effects of extrusion cooking on the chemical composition and functional properties of dry bean powders

    Science.gov (United States)

    This study aimed to investigate the impacts of extrusion cooking on the chemical composition and functional properties of bean powders from four bean varieties. The raw bean powders were extruded under eight different conditions, and the extrudates were then dried and ground (particle size = 0.5 mm)...

  18. Wheat gluten in extruded fish feed: Effects on morphology and on physical and functional properties

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Draganovic, V.; Goot, van der A.J.; Boom, R.M.; Jonkers, J.

    2013-01-01

    This article focuses on understanding the role of vital wheat gluten on the structural parameters of extruded fish feed and its correlation to the physical and functional properties. Gluten–soy protein concentrate blends with five gluten concentrations (0–200 g kg-1) were produced. An abrupt

  19. Structural, electronic transport and optical properties of functionalized quasi-2D TiC{sub 2} from first-principles calculations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berdiyorov, G.R., E-mail: gberdiyorov@qf.org.qa; Madjet, M.E., E-mail: mmadjet@qf.org.qa

    2016-12-30

    Highlights: • Effect of surface termination on the optoelectronic properties of TiC{sub 2} is studied. • Fluorinated, oxidized and hydroxylated surfaces are considered. • Partial charges are calculated. • Absorption of the system increases by surface passivation. • Electronic transport reduces considerably due to the termination. - Abstract: Using the first-principles density functional theory, we study the effect of surface functionalization on the structural and optoelectronic properties of recently proposed quasi-two-dimensional material TiC{sub 2} [T. Zhao, S. Zhang, Y. Guo, Q. Wang, Nanoscale 8 (2016) 233]. Hydrogenated, fluorinated, oxidized and hydroxylated surfaces are considered. Significant changes in the lattice parameters and partial charge distributions are found due to the surface termination. Direct contribution of the adatoms to the system density of states near the Fermi level is obtained, which has a major impact on the optoelectronic properties of the material. For example, surface termination results in larger absorption in the visible range of the spectrum. The electronic transport is also affected by the surface functionalization: the current in the system can be reduced by an order of magnitude. These findings indicate the importance of the effects of surface passivation on optoelectronic properties of this quasi-2D material.

  20. Benchmarking Density Functional Theory Based Methods To Model NiOOH Material Properties: Hubbard and van der Waals Corrections vs Hybrid Functionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaffran, Jeremie; Caspary Toroker, Maytal

    2016-08-09

    NiOOH has recently been used to catalyze water oxidation by way of electrochemical water splitting. Few experimental data are available to rationalize the successful catalytic capability of NiOOH. Thus, theory has a distinctive role for studying its properties. However, the unique layered structure of NiOOH is associated with the presence of essential dispersion forces within the lattice. Hence, the choice of an appropriate exchange-correlation functional within Density Functional Theory (DFT) is not straightforward. In this work, we will show that standard DFT is sufficient to evaluate the geometry, but DFT+U and hybrid functionals are required to calculate the oxidation states. Notably, the benefit of DFT with van der Waals correction is marginal. Furthermore, only hybrid functionals succeed in opening a bandgap, and such methods are necessary to study NiOOH electronic structure. In this work, we expect to give guidelines to theoreticians dealing with this material and to present a rational approach in the choice of the DFT method of calculation.

  1. Processing effects on bioactive components and functional properties of moringa leaves: development of a snack and quality evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devisetti, Rajesh; Sreerama, Yadahally N; Bhattacharya, Sila

    2016-01-01

    The effect of alkali pre-treatment on the nutritional, anti-nutritional and functional properties of moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf flour (MLF), and sensory assessment of MLF-based snack product was investigated. The pre-treatment reduced the content of anti-nutrients, but improved the functional properties of MLF. The MLF-based ready-to-eat puffed snack exhibited high protein (21.6 g/100 g) and dietary fiber (14.8 g/100 g) contents while it contained a low fat content of 3.7 g/100 g. The HPLC analysis of phenolics revealed that chlorogenic and gallic acids were the predominant phenolic acids present in the raw leaf flour, whereas p-coumaric, caffeic and gallic acids were the major phenolic acids in the pre-treated leaf flour. Flavonoids such as catechin, kaempferol, rutin and luteolin were present in both MLFs and the prepared snack. Overall sensory quality indicated that the snacks had acceptable textural attributes and improved nutritional profile at the 20 % level of substitution. It is possible to develop a ready-to-eat convenience food product with good functional and nutritional properties using pre-treated moringa leaf.

  2. Protic ammonium carboxylate ionic liquids: insight into structure, dynamics and thermophysical properties by alkyl group functionalization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Th Dhileep N; Mallik, Bhabani S

    2017-04-19

    This study is aimed at characterising the structure, dynamics and thermophysical properties of five alkylammonium carboxylate ionic liquids (ILs) from classical molecular dynamics simulations. The structural features of these ILs were characterised by calculating the site-site radial distribution functions, g(r), spatial distribution functions and structure factors. The structural properties demonstrate that ILs show greater interaction between cations and anions when alkyl chain length increases on the cation or anion. In all ILs, spatial distribution functions show that the anion is close to the acidic hydrogen atoms of the ammonium cation. We determined the role of alkyl group functionalization of the charged entities, cations and anions, in the dynamical behavior and the transport coefficients of this family of ionic liquids. The dynamics of ILs are described by studying the mean square displacement (MSD) of the centres of mass of the ions, diffusion coefficients, ionic conductivities and hydrogen bonds as well as residence dynamics. The diffusion coefficients and ionic conductivity decrease with an increase in the size of the cation or anion. The effect of alkyl chain length on ionic conductivity calculated in this article is consistent with the findings of other experimental studies. Hydrogen bond lifetimes and residence times along with structure factors were also calculated, and are related to alkyl chain length.

  3. The effect of conformational transition of gelatin-polysaccharide polyelectrolyte complex on its functional properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomáš Valenta

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The blends of gelatin and shear-thinning hydrocolloids (guar gum, kappa-carrageenan and xanthan gum were examined to determine the effect of the conformational change on the functional properties of the solutions. The polyelectrolyte complexes of 0.5% gelatin/0.5% polysaccharide in 70 mM KCl or 70 mM NaCl were investigated by the laboratory rheometer and conductivity meter in the temperature range 25 - 45 °C. The rheological data were fitted by the power-law and Herschel-Bulkley model to obtain the flow parameters. The functional properties of the samples were substantially affected by the conformational change of the polysaccharide, as well as by the type of the hydrocolloid and salt solution. There was an evident change of viscosity and conductivity of the solutions upon heating, corresponding to the helix-coil transition of the polysaccharide at temperature about 35 °C. The type of the salt solvent had an effect on the gelation properties of the samples. Gelatin/kappa-carrageenan blend in NaCl provided a gel of high consistency at ambient temperature (20 - 25 °C, whereas the blend in KCl did not gel in the studied temperature range. The potential stability of the blends was determined by zeta-potential analysis. The low values of ζ-potential indicate that the gelatin/polysaccharide blends are electrically unstable systems which tend to coagulate. The mixtures of gelatin/polysaccharide electrostatic complexes may have a great potential in many food applications.

  4. Effect of radiation processing on nutritional, functional, sensory and antioxidant properties of red kidney beans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marathe, S.A.; Deshpande, R.; Khamesra, Arohi; Ibrahim, Geeta; Jamdar, Sahayog N.

    2016-01-01

    In the present study dry red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), irradiated in the dose range of 0.25–10.0 kGy were evaluated for proximate composition, functional, sensory and antioxidant properties. Radiation processing up to 10 kGy did not affect proximate composition, hydration capacity and free fatty acid value. All the sensory attributes were unaffected at 1.0 kGy dose. The dose of 10 kGy, showed lower values for odor and taste, however, they were in acceptable range. Significant improvement in textural quality and reduction in cooking time was observed at dose of 10 kGy. Antioxidant activity of radiation processed samples was also assessed after normal processing such as soaking and pressure cooking. Both phenolic content and antioxidant activity evaluated in terms of DPPH free radical scavenging assay and inhibition in lipid peroxidation using rabbit erythrocyte ghost system, were marginally improved (5–10%) at the dose of 10 kGy in dry and cooked samples. During storage of samples for six months, no significant change was observed in sensory, cooking and antioxidant properties. Thus, radiation treatment of 1 kGy can be applied to get extended shelf life of kidney beans with improved functional properties without impairing bioactivity; nutritional quality and sensory property. - Highlights: • Nutritional and sensory aspects of kidney beans are not altered up to 10 kGy dose of gamma radiation. • Radiation processing at 10 kGy improves cooking quality of kidney bean seeds. • Radiation processing at 10 kGy increases antioxidant activity of kidney bean seeds.

  5. Irradiation of shell egg on the physicochemical and functional properties of liquid egg white.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min, B; Nam, K C; Jo, C; Ahn, D U

    2012-10-01

    This study was aimed at determining the effect of irradiation of shell eggs on the physiochemical and functional properties of liquid egg white during storage. Color and textural parameters of irradiated liquid egg white after cooking were also determined. Shell eggs were irradiated at 0, 2.5, 5, or 10 kGy using a linear accelerator. Egg white was separated from yolk and stored in at 4°C up to 14 d. Viscosity, pH, turbidity, foaming properties, color, and volatile profile of liquid egg white, and color and texture properties of cooked egg white were determined at 0, 7, and 14 d of storage. Irradiation increased the turbidity but decreased viscosity of liquid egg white. Foaming capacity and foam stability were not affected by irradiation at lower dose (2.5 kGy), but were deteriorated at higher doses (≥5.0 kGy) of irradiation. Sulfur-containing volatiles were generated by irradiation and their amounts increased as the irradiation dose increased. However, the sulfur volatiles disappeared during storage under aerobic conditions. Lightness (L* value) and yellowness (b* value) decreased, but greenness (-a* value) increased in cooked egg white in irradiation dose-dependent manners. All textural parameters (hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and resilience) of cooked egg white increased as the irradiation dose increased, but those changes were marginal. Our results indicated that irradiation of shell egg at lower doses (up to 2.5 kGy) had little negative impact on the physiochemical and functional properties of liquid egg white, but can improve the efficiency of egg processing due to its viscosity-lowering effect. Therefore, irradiation of shell eggs at the lower doses has high potential to be used by the egg processing industry to improve the safety of liquid egg without compromising its quality.

  6. Electronic properties of B and Al doped graphane: A hybrid density functional study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mapasha, R. E.; Igumbor, E.; Andriambelaza, N. F.; Chetty, N.

    2018-04-01

    Using a hybrid density functional theory approach parametrized by Heyd, Scuseria and Ernzerhof (HSE06 hybrid functional), we study the energetics, structural and electronic properties of a graphane monolayer substitutionally doped with the B (BCH) and Al (AlCH) atoms. The BCH defect can be integrated within a graphane monolayer at a relative low formation energy, without major structural distortions and symmetry breaking. The AlCH defect relaxes outward of the monolayer and breaks the symmetry. The density of states plots indicate that BCH doped graphane monolayer is a wide band gap semiconductor, whereas the AlCH defect introduces the spin dependent mid gap states at the vicinity of the Fermi level, revealing a metallic character with the pronounced magnetic features. We further examine the response of the Al dependent spin states on the multiple charge states doping. We find that the defect formation energy, structural and electronic properties can be altered via charge state modulation. The +1 charge doping opens an energy band gap of 1.75 eV. This value corresponds to the wavelength in the visible spectrum, suggesting an ideal material for solar cell absorbers. Our study fine tunes the graphane band gap through the foreign atom doping as well as via defect charge state modulation.

  7. Proximate composition, mineral content and functional properties of Tarap (Artocarpus odoratissimus seed flour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noorfarahzilah, M.

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Tarap seed (Artocarpus odoratissimus is one of the popular snacks among Borneo Island people especially in Sabah, Malaysia. Their flesh and seed are such a potential food source but they are not fully exploited. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine its nutritional composition, mineral content and functional properties of Tarap seed flour (TSF. The proximate analysis (protein, carbohydrate, fat, crude fiber, ash, moisture, minerals content and functional properties (powder particle size, bulk density, oil and water absorption capacity, emulsion capacity, foaming ability, least gelling concentration, swelling ability and pasting properties were determined. The proximate analysis results obtained showed that TSF had 49.65% carbohydrate, 15.60% crude fat, 12.3% crude fibers, 8.8% crude protein, 1.17 % ash and 12.5% moisture. Most abundant mineral found in Tarap flour was potassium, followed by magnesium, calcium, and natrium. The results showed that TSF has an average particle size of 166.02μm with low bulk density (0.57g/cm3 as compared to wheat flour. Water and oil absorption capacities of TSF were 2.61 and 1.69g/g, respectively, while the efficiency of emulsification was 14.8%. Least gelation concentration was found to be 12% while foaming ability was 7%. Swelling ability results showed a steady increment from 60°C to 70°C but sharp increased observed from 70°C to 80°C. From the results presented, it can be concluded that TSF has a great potential for use in the formulation of composite flours to be used as ingredients in the food industry.

  8. Novel Functional Properties of Drosophila CNS Glutamate Receptors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Yan; Dharkar, Poorva; Han, Tae-Hee; Serpe, Mihaela; Lee, Chi-Hon; Mayer, Mark L.

    2016-12-01

    Phylogenetic analysis reveals AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptor families in insect genomes, suggesting conserved functional properties corresponding to their vertebrate counterparts. However, heterologous expression of the Drosophila kainate receptor DKaiR1D and the AMPA receptor DGluR1A revealed novel ligand selectivity at odds with the classification used for vertebrate glutamate receptor ion channels (iGluRs). DKaiR1D forms a rapidly activating and desensitizing receptor that is inhibited by both NMDA and the NMDA receptor antagonist AP5; crystallization of the KaiR1D ligand-binding domain reveals that these ligands stabilize open cleft conformations, explaining their action as antagonists. Surprisingly, the AMPA receptor DGluR1A shows weak activation by its namesake agonist AMPA and also by quisqualate. Crystallization of the DGluR1A ligand-binding domain reveals amino acid exchanges that interfere with binding of these ligands. The unexpected ligand-binding profiles of insect iGluRs allows classical tools to be used in novel approaches for the study of synaptic regulation.

  9. Measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in hip and knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobson, F; Hinman, R S; Hall, M; Terwee, C B; Roos, E M; Bennell, K L

    2012-12-01

    To systematically review the measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA). Electronic searches were performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO up to the end of June 2012. Two reviewers independently rated measurement properties using the consensus-based standards for the selection of health status measurement instrument (COSMIN). "Best evidence synthesis" was made using COSMIN outcomes and the quality of findings. Twenty-four out of 1792 publications were eligible for inclusion. Twenty-one performance-based measures were evaluated including 15 single-activity measures and six multi-activity measures. Measurement properties evaluated included internal consistency (three measures), reliability (16 measures), measurement error (14 measures), validity (nine measures), responsiveness (12 measures) and interpretability (three measures). A positive rating was given to only 16% of possible measurement ratings. Evidence for the majority of measurement properties of tests reported in the review has yet to be determined. On balance of the limited evidence, the 40 m self-paced test was the best rated walk test, the 30 s-chair stand test and timed up and go test were the best rated sit to stand tests, and the Stratford battery, Physical Activity Restrictions and Functional Assessment System were the best rated multi-activity measures. Further good quality research investigating measurement properties of performance measures, including responsiveness and interpretability in people with hip and/or knee OA, is needed. Consensus on which combination of measures will best assess physical function in people with hip/and or knee OA is urgently required. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. The Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Physical Function item bank exhibited strong psychometric properties in patients with chronic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crins, Martine H P; Terwee, Caroline B; Klausch, Thomas; Smits, Niels; de Vet, Henrica C W; Westhovens, Rene; Cella, David; Cook, Karon F; Revicki, Dennis A; van Leeuwen, Jaap; Boers, Maarten; Dekker, Joost; Roorda, Leo D

    2017-07-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Dutch-Flemish Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function item bank in Dutch patients with chronic pain. A bank of 121 items was administered to 1,247 Dutch patients with chronic pain. Unidimensionality was assessed by fitting a one-factor confirmatory factor analysis and evaluating resulting fit statistics. Items were calibrated with the graded response model and its fit was evaluated. Cross-cultural validity was assessed by testing items for differential item functioning (DIF) based on language (Dutch vs. English). Construct validity was evaluated by calculation correlations between scores on the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Physical Function measure and scores on generic and disease-specific measures. Results supported the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Physical Function item bank's unidimensionality (Comparative Fit Index = 0.976, Tucker Lewis Index = 0.976) and model fit. Item thresholds targeted a wide range of physical function construct (threshold-parameters range: -4.2 to 5.6). Cross-cultural validity was good as four items only showed DIF for language and their impact on item scores was minimal. Physical Function scores were strongly associated with scores on all other measures (all correlations ≤ -0.60 as expected). The Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Physical Function item bank exhibited good psychometric properties. Development of a computer adaptive test based on the large bank is warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Measurement properties of instruments assessing permanent functional impairment of the spine: a systematic review protocol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trask, Catherine M; Boden, Catherine; Bath, Brenna; Hendrick, Paul; Clay, Lynne; Zeng, Xiaoke; Milosavljevic, Stephan

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Permanent functional impairment (PFI) of the spine is a rating system used by compensation authorities, such as workers compensation boards, to establish an appropriate level of financial compensation for persistent loss of function. Determination of PFI of the spine is commonly based on the assessment of spinal movement combined with other measures of physical and functional impairments; however, the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments used for these evaluations have yet to be established. The aim of this study is to systematically review and synthesise the literature concerning measurement properties of the various and different instruments used for assessing PFI of the spine. Methods Three conceptual groups of terms (1) PFI, (2) spinal disorder and (3) measurement properties will be combined to search Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, PEDro, OTSeeker and Health and Safety Science Abstracts. We will examine peer-reviewed, full-text articles over the full available date range. Two reviewers will independently screen citations (title, abstract and full text) and perform data extraction. Included studies will be appraised as to their methodological quality using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments criteria. Findings will be summarised and presented descriptively, with meta-analysis pursued as appropriate. Ethics and dissemination This review will summarise the current level of evidence of measurement properties of instruments used for assessing PFI of the spine. Findings of this review may be applicable to clinicians, policy-makers, workers’ compensation boards, other insurers and health and safety organisations. The findings will likely provide a foundation and direction for future research priorities for assessing spinal PFI. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017060390. PMID:29374671

  12. Mechanical properties of novel forms of graphyne under strain: A density functional theory study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majidi, Roya

    2017-06-01

    The mechanical properties of two forms of graphyne sheets named α-graphyne and α2-graphyne under uniaxial and biaxial strains were studied. In-plane stiffness, bulk modulus, and shear modulus were calculated based on density functional theory. The in-plane stiffness, bulk modulus, and shear modulus of α2-graphyne were found to be larger than that of α-graphyne. The maximum values of supported uniaxial and biaxial strains before failure were determined. The α-graphyne was entered into the plastic region with the higher magnitude of tension in comparison to α2-graphyne. The mechanical properties of α-graphyne family revealed that these forms of graphyne are proper materials for use in nanomechanical applications.

  13. Tunable properties of novel tetra-functional fluorene-based benzoxazines from mixed amines: Synthesis, characterization and curing kinetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, Tiantian; Wang, Jun; Pan, Lan; Derradji, Mehdi; Ramdani, Noureddine; Liu, Wenbin; Zhou, Haoran

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Synthesis of tetra-functional fluorene-based benzoxazines with tunable properties. • Cure reaction could be successfully described with the autocatalytic model. • The benzoxazines show an excellent heat resistance with T_g of 291–307 °C. • The benzoxazines exhibit good thermal stability with T_5 over 340 °C. - Abstract: A series of tetra-functional fluorene-based benzoxazines containing both flexible linear aliphatic chain and rigid aromatic structure in their backbones were synthesized using mixed amines such as aniline and n-octylamine, 2,7-dihydroxy-9,9-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)fluorene (THPF) and paraformaldehyde as raw materials via Mannich reaction. The prepared benzoxazine monomers were identified by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance ("1H NMR). In addition, the curing behavior, curing kinetics and rheological properties of these monomers as well as the thermal and mechanical properties of their cured resins were studied using a rheometer, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and dynamic thermomechanical analyzer (DMA). The newly developed benzoxazines show good processibility, excellent thermal stability and high glass transition temperature (T_g) values ranging from 291 to 307 °C. By varying the proportion of n-octylamine to aniline, the properties of these resins are tuned.

  14. Localized Quantitative Characterization of Chemical Functionalization Effects on Adhesion Properties of SWNT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Lu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Chemical modification of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT has been found to be an excellent method to promote SWNT dispersion, and possibly to improve interaction with matrices via covalent bonding. It is thus a quite promising technique to enhance the mechanical properties of SWNT-reinforced nanocomposites. However, the underlying mechanism of SWNT chemical functionalization effects on interfacial strength is not quantitatively understood, limiting their usefulness in the design of nanocomposites. In this work, an atomic force microscopy (AFM- based adhesive force mapping technique combined with a statistical analysis method were developed and implemented to study adhesive interactions of small SWNT bundles functionalized by amino, epoxide, and hydroperoxide groups as compared to SDS-treated SWNT in controlled environment. Finally, the importance of such localized quantitative measurements in SWNT-reinforced nanocomposites design and fabrication was also discussed.

  15. Impact of variety type and particle size distribution on starch enzymatic hydrolysis and functional properties of tef flours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abebe, Workineh; Collar, Concha; Ronda, Felicidad

    2015-01-22

    Tef grain is becoming very attractive in the Western countries since it is a gluten-free grain with appreciated nutritional advantages. However there is little information of its functional properties and starch digestibility and how they are affected by variety type and particle size distribution. This work evaluates the effect of the grain variety and the mill used on tef flour physico-chemical and functional properties, mainly derived from starch behavior. In vitro starch digestibility of the flours by Englyst method was assessed. Two types of mills were used to obtain whole flours of different granulation. Rice and wheat flours were analyzed as references. Protein molecular weight distribution and flour structure by SEM were also analyzed to justify some of the differences found among the cereals studied. Tef cultivar and mill type exhibited important effect on granulation, bulking density and starch damage, affecting the processing performance of the flours and determining the hydration and pasting properties. The color was darker although one of the white varieties had a lightness near the reference flours. Different granulation of tef flour induced different in vitro starch digestibility. The disc attrition mill led to higher starch digestibility rate index and rapidly available glucose, probably as consequence of a higher damaged starch content. The results confirm the adequacy of tef flour as ingredient in the formulation of new cereal based foods and the importance of the variety and the mill on its functional properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Antioxidant Properties of Kynurenines: Density Functional Theory Calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    Kynurenines, the main products of tryptophan catabolism, possess both prooxidant and anioxidant effects. Having multiple neuroactive properties, kynurenines are implicated in the development of neurological and cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. Autoxidation of 3-hydroxykynurenine (3HOK) and its derivatives, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA) and xanthommatin (XAN), leads to the hyperproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which damage cell structures. At the same time, 3HOK and 3HAA have been shown to be powerful ROS scavengers. Their ability to quench free radicals is believed to result from the presence of the aromatic hydroxyl group which is able to easily abstract an electron and H-atom. In this study, the redox properties for kynurenines and several natural and synthetic antioxidants have been calculated at different levels of density functional theory in the gas phase and water solution. Hydroxyl bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) and ionization potential (IP) for 3HOK and 3HAA appear to be lower than for xanthurenic acid (XAA), several phenolic antioxidants, and ascorbic acid. BDE and IP for the compounds with aromatic hydroxyl group are lower than for their precursors without hydroxyl group. The reaction rate for H donation to *O-atom of phenoxyl radical (Ph-O*) and methyl peroxy radical (Met-OO*) decreases in the following rankings: 3HOK ~ 3HAA > XAAOXO > XAAENOL. The enthalpy absolute value for Met-OO* addition to the aromatic ring of the antioxidant radical increases in the following rankings: 3HAA* < 3HOK* < XAAOXO* < XAAENOL*. Thus, the high free radical scavenging activity of 3HAA and 3HOK can be explained by the easiness of H-atom abstraction and transfer to O-atom of the free radical, rather than by Met-OO* addition to the kynurenine radical. PMID:27861556

  17. Physicochemical and functional properties of two cowpea cultivars grown in temperate Indian climate

    OpenAIRE

    Saima Hamid; Sabeera Muzzafar; Idrees Ahmed Wani; Farooq Ahmad Masoodi

    2015-01-01

    Flours of two local cowpea cultivars namely Red cowpea and Black cowpea were analysed for proximate composition, pasting and functional properties. The crude protein and fat contents were higher for Black cultivar than the Red cultivar. The apparent amylose content was significantly higher for Red cowpea (25.54%) than Black cowpea (15.09%). Polyphenols were significantly higher for Red cowpea than Black cowpea. The pasting profile of two cultivars revealed significantly higher values of peak ...

  18. Enhanced functional connectivity properties of human brains during in-situ nature experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zheng; He, Yujia; Yu, Yuguo

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the impacts of in-situ nature and urban exposure on human brain activities and their dynamics. We randomly assigned 32 healthy right-handed college students (mean age = 20.6 years, SD = 1.6; 16 males) to a 20 min in-situ sitting exposure in either a nature (n = 16) or urban environment (n = 16) and measured their Electroencephalography (EEG) signals. Analyses revealed that a brief in-situ restorative nature experience may induce more efficient and stronger brain connectivity with enhanced small-world properties compared with a stressful urban experience. The enhanced small-world properties were found to be correlated with "coherent" experience measured by Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS). Exposure to nature also induces stronger long-term correlated activity across different brain regions with a right lateralization. These findings may advance our understanding of the functional activities during in-situ environmental exposures and imply that a nature or nature-like environment may potentially benefit cognitive processes and mental well-being.

  19. Preparation and characterization of functional poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes with ultraviolet-absorbing property

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Li; Liu, Xiangdong; Xiong, Zhengrong; Sheng, Dekun; Lin, Changhong; Zhou, Yan; Yang, Yuming

    2018-06-01

    We first reported a strategy to prepare functional poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes with excellent ultraviolet-absorbing property through chemically induced grafting. Herein, the polymerizable ultraviolet (UV) absorber 2-hydroxy-4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxylpropoxy) benzophenone (BPMA) made by ourselves was grafted onto the PVDF chains that have been pretreated with tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAH) alkaline solution. Moreover, the effect of experiment conditions such as the alkali and monomer concentrations, alkali treatment time on the UV-absorbing property of the obtained PVDF-g-PBPMA membranes were studied in detail. The chemical structure of the modified membranes was confirmed by 1H NMR, FT-IR and XPS measurements. Meanwhile, the thermal and UV-absorbing properties were characterized by TGA, DSC and UV-Vis spectrophotometer, respectively. The results indicated that BPMA side chains were successfully introduced onto PVDF backbones. Most importantly, the obtained PVDF-g-PBPMA membranes exhibited excellent UV-absorbing property. The transmittance of UV light at 300 nm decreased to as low as 0.02% and the UV light below 388 nm could be completely absorbed by the PVDF-g-PBPMA membrane made under optimal condition.

  20. Effects of the alkylamine functionalization of graphene oxide on the properties of polystyrene nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Jinhee; Pham, Viet Hung; Rajagopalan, Balasubramaniyan; Hur, Seung Hyun; Chung, Jin Suk

    2014-05-01

    Alkylamine-functionalized graphene oxides (FGOs) have superior dispersibility in low-polar solvents and, as a result, they interact with low-polar polymers such as polystyrene. In this work, the functionalization of graphene oxide using three types of alkylamines, octylamine (OA), dodecylamine (DDA), and hexadecylamine (HDA), was performed, and nanocomposites of polystyrene (PS) and FGOs were prepared via solution blending. Different dispersions of FGOs over PS were obtained for the three alkylamines, and the properties of the PS composites were influenced by the length of the alkylamine. A better thermal stability was observed with a longer chain length of the alkylamine. On the other hand, functionalization with the shortest chain length alkylamine resulted in the highest increase in the storage modulus (3,640 MPa, 140%) at a 10 wt.% loading of FGO.

  1. Electromagnetic interference shielding and thermal properties of non-covalently functionalized reduced graphene oxide/epoxy composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suman Chhetri

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Graphene oxide (GO was non-covalently functionalized using sulfanilic acid azocromotrop (SAC followed by hydrazine reduction to achieve SAC functionalized reduced GO (SAC-rGO. Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis and electrical conductivity measurements confirmed the successful functionlization and reduction of GO. The electrical conductivity of ~515 S•m−1 for SAC-rGO was recorded. The non-covalently functionalized reduced GO was subsequently dispersed in epoxy matrix at the loading level of 0.3 to 0.5 wt% to investigate its electromagnetic interference (EMI shielding properties. The morphological and structural characterization of the SAC-rGO/epoxy composites was carried out using X-ray diffraction and Transmission electron microscopy analysis, which revealed the good dispersion of SAC-rGO in the epoxy. The SAC-rGO/epoxy composites showed the EMI shielding of −22.6 dB at the loading of 0.5 wt% SAC-rGO. Dynamical mechanical properties of the composites were studied to establish the reinforcing competency of the SAC-rGO. The storage modulus of the composites was found to increase within the studied temperature. Thermal stability of pure epoxy and its composites were compared by selecting the temperatures at 10 and 50% weight loss, respectively.

  2. Functional properties and utilization of Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam seed starch from new species in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yanjun; Hu, Meijie; Zhu, Kexue; Wu, Gang; Tan, Lehe

    2018-02-01

    Jackfruit is now receiving extensive attention as a new source of starch. However, jackfruit seeds are discarded as waste, although they are rich in starch. The functional properties of the starches were investigated from new Chinese jackfruit species. All the starches have a high amylose (26.56-38.34%) with a potential to become functional foods rich in resistant starch. The jackfruit starches varied from trigonal and tetragonal, round to semi-oval/bell shapes and showed significant variations in particle sizes (5.53-14.46μm). These variations led to significant differences in their functional properties, and significant correlations were found in their pasting, thermal, crystal and texture parameters. Hierarchical cluster analysis sorted the samples into three groups of 1) Malaysia 8 (M8) and ZhenZhu (ZZ); 2) Malaysia 2, Malaysia 3 and Malaysia 4, (M2, M3, M4); and 3) Xiangyinsuo 11, Xiangyinsuo 4, Xiangyinsuo 3 and Xiangyinsuo 2 (X11, X4, X3, X2). The first group could be used as food thickening or gelling agents. The second group could be applied in glutinous foods. The third group make them suitable for fillings in confectionery or weaning foods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Psychometric Properties of Questionnaires on Functional Health Status in Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: A Systematic Literature Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Speyer, Renée; Cordier, Reinie; Kertscher, Berit; Heijnen, Bas J

    2014-01-01

    Introduction. Questionnaires on Functional Health Status (FHS) are part of the assessment of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Objective. To conduct a systematic review of the literature on the psychometric properties of English-language FHS questionnaires in adults with oropharyngeal dysphagia. Methods. A systematic search was performed using the electronic databases Pubmed and Embase. The psychometric properties of the questionnaires were determined based on the COSMIN taxonomy of measurement properties and definitions for health-related patient-reported outcomes and the COSMIN checklist using preset psychometric criteria. Results. Three questionnaires were included: the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), the Swallowing Outcome after Laryngectomy (SOAL), and the Self-report Symptom Inventory. The Sydney Swallow Questionnaire (SSQ) proved to be identical to the Modified Self-report Symptom Inventory. All FHS questionnaires obtained poor overall methodological quality scores for most measurement properties. Conclusions. The retrieved FHS questionnaires need psychometric reevaluation; if the overall methodological quality shows satisfactory improvement on most measurement properties, the use of the questionnaires in daily clinic and research can be justified. However, in case of insufficient validity and/or reliability scores, new FHS questionnaires need to be developed using and reporting on preestablished psychometric criteria as recommended in literature. PMID:24877095

  4. Effects of thermally induced denaturation on technological-functional properties of whey protein isolate-based films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmid, M; Krimmel, B; Grupa, U; Noller, K

    2014-09-01

    This study examined how and to what extent the degree of denaturation affected the technological-functional properties of whey protein isolate (WPI)-based coatings. It was observed that denaturation affected the material properties of WPI-coated films significantly. Surface energy decreased by approximately 20% compared with native coatings. Because the surface energy of a coating should be lower than that of the substrate, this might result in enhanced wettability characteristics between WPI-based solution and substrate surface. Water vapor barrier properties increased by about 35% and oxygen barrier properties increased by approximately 33%. However, significant differences were mainly observed between coatings made of fully native WPI and ones with a degree of denaturation of 25%. Higher degrees of denaturation did not lead to further improvement of material properties. This observation offers cost-saving potential: a major share of denatured whey proteins may be replaced by fully native ones that are not exposed to energy-intensive heat treatment. Furthermore, native WPI solutions can be produced with higher dry matter content without gelatinizing. Hence, less moisture has to be removed through drying, resulting in reduced energy consumption. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. A comparative density functional study on electrical properties of layered penta-graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Zhi Gen, E-mail: yuzg@ihpc.a-star.edu.sg; Zhang, Yong-Wei, E-mail: zhangyw@ihpc.a-star.edu.sg [Institute of High Performance Computing, Singapore 138632 (Singapore)

    2015-10-28

    We present a comparative study of the influence of the number of layers, the biaxial strain in the range of −3% to 3%, and the stacking misalignments on the electronic properties of a new 2D carbon allotrope, penta-graphene (PG), based on hybrid-functional method within the density functional theory (DFT). In comparison with local exchange-correlation approximation in the DFT, the hybrid-functional provides an accurate description on the degree of p{sub z} orbitals localization and bandgap. Importantly, the predicted bandgap of few-layer PG has a weak layer dependence. The bandgap of monolayer PG is 3.27 eV, approximately equal to those of GaN and ZnO; and the bandgap of few-layer PG decreases slowly with the number of layers (N) and converge to 2.57 eV when N ≥ 4. Our calculations using HSE06 functional on few-layer PG reveal that bandgap engineering by stacking misalignment can further tune the bandgap down to 1.37 eV. Importantly, there is no direct-to-indirect bandgap transition in PG by varying strain, layer number, and stacking misalignment. Owing to its tunable, robustly direct, and wide bandgap characteristics, few-layer PG is promising for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications.

  6. Effect of the double-counting functional on the electronic and magnetic properties of half-metallic magnets using the GGA+U method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsirogiannis, Christos; Galanakis, Iosif

    2015-01-01

    Methods based on the combination of the usual density functional theory (DFT) codes with the Hubbard models are widely used to investigate the properties of strongly correlated materials. Using first-principle calculations we study the electronic and magnetic properties of 20 half-metallic magnets performing self-consistent GGA+U calculations using both the atomic-limit (AL) and around-mean-field (AMF) functionals for the double counting term, used to subtract the correlation part from the DFT total energy, and compare these results to the usual generalized-gradient-approximation (GGA) calculations. Overall the use of AMF produces results similar to the GGA calculations. On the other hand the effect of AL is diversified depending on the studied material. In general the AL functional produces a stronger tendency towards magnetism leading in some cases to unphysical electronic and magnetic properties. Thus the choice of the adequate double-counting functional is crucial for the results obtained using the GGA+U method. - Highlights: • Ab initio study of half-metallic magnets. • Role of electronic correlations. • Double-counting term. • Atomic-limit vs around-mean-field functionals

  7. Property Rights and Functioning of Judicial System in Kosovo as a Preconditions for Economic Development of the Country

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haxhi Gashi

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The issues related to property rights and their protections are deeply complex ones that affect the life of all citizens of Republic of Kosovo. Even though, improvements on the functioning of judicial system in Kosovo are evident in recent years, continuous challenges regarding judicial affectivity and efficiency as well as independence, continue to impact negatively upon the rule of law and access to justice in Kosovo. Therefore this has direct impact on implementation of some of basic international human rights standards in the field of property rights. Furthermore, these challenges in the field of property rights and rule of law have direct impact on the foreign investments and economic development of the country. This paper will try to address some of main challenges that Kosovo judicial system is facing, in particular related to protection of property rights as well as challenges on functioning of civil judicial system in Kosovo. These challenges have other effects on investments and welfare of society, creating barriers for a proper economic development of the country and therefore producing uncertainty among population and creating the idea of migration in order to seek new opportunities.

  8. Coffee polyphenols extracted from green coffee beans improve skin properties and microcirculatory function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukagawa, Satoko; Haramizu, Satoshi; Sasaoka, Shun; Yasuda, Yuka; Tsujimura, Hisashi; Murase, Takatoshi

    2017-09-01

    Coffee polyphenols (CPPs), including chlorogenic acid, exert various physiological activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of CPPs on skin properties and microcirculatory function in humans. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 49 female subjects with mildly xerotic skin received either a test beverage containing CPPs (270 mg/100 mL/day) or a placebo beverage for 8 weeks. The ingestion of CPPs significantly lowered the clinical scores for skin dryness, decreased transepidermal water loss, skin surface pH, and increased stratum corneum hydration and the responsiveness of skin blood flow during local warming. Moreover, the amounts of free fatty acids and lactic acid in the stratum corneum significantly increased after the ingestion of CPPs. These results suggest that an 8-week intake of CPPs improve skin permeability barrier function and hydration, with a concomitant improvement in microcirculatory function, leading to efficacy in the alleviation of mildly xerotic skin.

  9. Effect of fertiliser on functional properties of flour from four rice varieties grown in Sri Lanka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunaratne, Anil; Sirisena, Nihal; Ratnayaka, Upul Kumari; Ratnayaka, Jennet; Kong, Xiangli; Vidhana Arachchi, Lal Peruma; Corke, Harold

    2011-05-01

    Fertiliser is an essential agro-chemical input in modern rice farming. Fertiliser affects the grain quality and yield of rice. Although much research has been carried out to investigate the influence of fertiliser (recommended NPK addition) on yield and quality of rice grain, little is known about the effect of fertiliser on thermal, pasting, gelling and retrogradation properties of rice flour. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of recommended fertilisation on functional properties of rice flour from four popular high yielding rice varieties grown in Sri Lanka. Fertiliser (recommended NPK addition) increased the protein content but reduced the apparent amylose content in rice flour except in BG 357. Swelling power and amylose leaching were decreased by fertilizer. [corrected] Pasting onset temperature, cold paste viscosity and setback were increased but peak viscosity and granular breakdown decreased. In response to the fertiliser application, gelatinisation peak temperature was reduced in all varieties except BG 300. However, compared to pasting properties, gelatinisation parameters were not much affected by fertilisation. The extent of amylopectin retrogradation was decreased by fertiliser in BG 305 and BG 352 but unchanged in the other two varieties. Except in BG 305, fertiliser reduced the gel hardness of rice flour but increased the gel cohesiveness. It is apparent that the increased protein and reduced amylose content caused by fertiliser affect the functional properties of rice flour. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

  10. Molecular and Functional Properties of Regional Astrocytes in the Adult Brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morel, Lydie; Chiang, Ming Sum R; Higashimori, Haruki; Shoneye, Temitope; Iyer, Lakshmanan K; Yelick, Julia; Tai, Albert; Yang, Yongjie

    2017-09-06

    The molecular signature and functional properties of astroglial subtypes in the adult CNS remain largely undefined. By using translational ribosome affinity purification followed by RNA-Seq, we profiled astroglial ribosome-associated (presumably translating) mRNAs in major cortical and subcortical brain regions (cortex, hippocampus, caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, thalamus, and hypothalamus) of BAC aldh1l1 -translational ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) mice (both sexes). We found that the expression of astroglial translating mRNAs closely follows the dorsoventral axis, especially from cortex/hippocampus to thalamus/hypothalamus posteriorly. This region-specific expression pattern of genes, such as synaptogenic modulator sparc and transcriptional factors ( emx2 , lhx2 , and hopx ), was validated by qRT-PCR and immunostaining in brain sections. Interestingly, cortical or subcortical astrocytes selectively promote neurite growth and synaptic activity of neurons only from the same region in mismatched cocultures, exhibiting region-matched astrocyte to neuron communication. Overall, these results generated new molecular signature of astrocyte types in the adult CNS, providing insights into their origin and functional diversity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We investigated the in vivo molecular and functional heterogeneity of astrocytes inter-regionally from adult brain. Our results showed that the expression pattern of ribosome-associated mRNA profiles in astrocytes closely follows the dorsoventral axis, especially posteriorly from cortex/hippocampus to thalamus/hypothalamus. In line with this, our functional results further demonstrated region-selective roles of cortical and subcortical astrocytes in regulating cortical or subcortical neuronal synaptogenesis and maturation. These in vivo studies provide a previously uncharacterized and important molecular atlas for exploring region-specific astroglial functions. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/378706-12$15.00/0.

  11. The influence of physical activity during youth on structural and functional properties of the Achilles tendon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lenskjold, A; Kongsgaard, M; Larsen, J O

    2015-01-01

    were either physically active (HAY) or inactive (LAY) in young age. Twelve men in HAY group and eight men in LAY group participated. Structural, functional, and biochemical properties of Achilles tendon were estimated from magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound video recordings, mechanical tests...

  12. Nitrile functionalized halloysite nanotubes/poly(arylene ether nitrile) nanocomposites: Interface control, characterization, and improved properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Xinyi; Zhan, Yingqing; Zeng, Guangyong; He, Yi

    2017-01-01

    To develop high-performance halloysite nanotube (HNT)-based nanocomposites, the two key issues need to be considered: precise interface control and the dispersal of HNTs. This study presents an efficient way to functionalize halloysite nanotubes with 3-aminophenoxy-phthalonitrile, followed by compounding with poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN), to prepare functional nanocomposite films. The surface functionalization of HNTs was characterized and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Compared with neat PEN, the tensile strength and modulus of the resulting PEN nanocomposites with 3 wt% functionalized HNTs were found to increase by 25.7% and 20.7%, respectively. The good dispersion and high capacitance of the dielectric layer resulted in PEN/HNTs nancomposites with enhanced dielectric permittivity and relatively low dielectric loss. Moreover, the addition of functional HNTs greatly improved the thermal stability of PEN, which could be further enhanced through the chemical cross-linking reaction between the functional HNTs and the PEN matrix. This work provides a new path toward obtaining advanced polymer-based nanocomposites with functional properties.

  13. The Positive Properties of Green’s Function for Fractional Differential Equations and Its Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fuquan Jiang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider the properties of Green’s function for the nonlinear fractional differential equation boundary value problem: D0+αu(t+f(t,u(t+e(t=0,0function, we give some multiple positive solutions for singular boundary value problems by means of Schauder fixed-point theorem.

  14. Effect of degree of hydrolysis on the functional properties of some oilseed proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim, M. A.

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Hydrolyzing soybean, sesame, and ricebran meals with papain and bromelain enzymes under previously determined optimum conditions was accomplished. Aliquots were withdrawn from the bulk hydrolysates at different time intervals to determine the rate of enzymatic degradation,as well as the degree of hydrolysis of the hydrolysates at different time intervals. Twelve hydrolysates were then chosen with low and high degree of hydrolysis. They also represented hydrolysates from the three substrates hydrolysed with the two enzymes used. Some functional properties of the twelve hydrolysates were examined and then an attempt to correlate the functional properties with the degree of hydrolysis was done. The investigated functional properties included: wettability, dispersibility, flowability, bulk density,nitrogen solubility index,water absorption capacity, oil holding capacity, gelation, thermostability, emulsifying capacity and foam stability.Results showed a direct relation between increasing degree of hydrolysis and nitrogen solubility and dispersibility. Wettability, flowability and emulsifying capacity gave better results with low degree of hydrolysis.Se ha efectuado la hidrólisis de harinas de haba de soja, sésamo y germen de arroz con las enzimas papaina y bromelaina bajo condiciones óptimas previamente determinadas. Se sacaron alicuotas de los hidrolizados a diferentes intervalos de tiempo para determinar la velocidad de degradación enzimática, así como el grado de hidrólisis de los hidrolizados. Con estos datos se eligieron doce hidrolizados con bajo y alto grado de hidrólisis, que fueron representativos de los tres sustratos y los dos enzimas ensayados. Se examinaron algunas propiedades funcionales de estos doce hidrolizados y luego se llevó a cabo un intento de correlacionarlas con el grado de hidrólisis. Las propiedades funcionales investigadas incluyeron: humectabilidad, dispersabilidad, fluidez, densidad volumétrica, índice de

  15. Synthesis, hybridization characteristics, and fluorescence properties of oligonucleotides modified with nucleobase-functionalized locked nucleic acid adenosine and cytidine monomers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaura, Mamta; Kumar, Pawan; Hrdlicka, Patrick J

    2014-07-03

    Conformationally restricted nucleotides such as locked nucleic acid (LNA) are very popular as affinity-, specificity-, and stability-enhancing modifications in oligonucleotide chemistry to produce probes for nucleic acid targeting applications in molecular biology, biotechnology, and medicinal chemistry. Considerable efforts have been devoted in recent years to optimize the biophysical properties of LNA through additional modification of the sugar skeleton. We recently introduced C5-functionalization of LNA uridines as an alternative and synthetically more straightforward approach to improve the biophysical properties of LNA. In the present work, we set out to test the generality of this concept by studying the characteristics of oligonucleotides modified with four different C5-functionalized LNA cytidine and C8-functionalized LNA adenosine monomers. The results strongly suggest that C5-functionalization of LNA pyrimidines is indeed a viable approach for improving the binding affinity, target specificity, and/or enzymatic stability of LNA-modified ONs, whereas C8-functionalization of LNA adenosines is detrimental to binding affinity and specificity. These insights will impact the future design of conformationally restricted nucleotides for nucleic acid targeting applications.

  16. Structural, electronic, and optical properties of GaInO{sub 3}: A hybrid density functional study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, V., E-mail: wangvei@icloud.com; Ma, D.-M.; Liu, R.-J.; Yang, C.-M. [Department of Applied Physics, Xi' an University of Technology, Xi' an 710054 (China); Xiao, W. [State Key Lab of Nonferrous Metals and Processes, General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals, Beijing 100088 (China)

    2014-01-28

    The structural, electronic, and optical properties of GaInO{sub 3} have been studied by first-principles calculations based on Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof hybrid functional theory. The optical properties, including the optical reflectivity, refractive index, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, and electron energy loss are discussed for radiation up to 60 eV together with the calculated electronic structure. Our results predicted that GaInO{sub 3} displays good transparency over the whole vision region, which is in good agreement with the experimental data available in the literature.

  17. Development of functional beverages from blends of Hibiscus sabdariffa extract and selected fruit juices for optimal antioxidant properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogundele, Oluwatoyin M A; Awolu, Olugbenga O; Badejo, Adebanjo A; Nwachukwu, Ifeanyi D; Fagbemi, Tayo N

    2016-09-01

    The demand for functional foods and drinks with health benefit is on the increase. The synergistic effect from mixing two or more of such drinks cannot be overemphasized. This study was carried out to formulate and investigate the effects of blends of two or more of pineapple, orange juices, carrot, and Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts (HSE) on the antioxidant properties of the juice formulations in order to obtain a combination with optimal antioxidant properties. Experimental design was carried out using optimal mixture model of response surface methodology which generated twenty experimental runs with antioxidant properties as the responses. The DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] radical scavenging abilities, ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), vitamin C, total phenolics, and total carotenoids contents of the formulations were evaluated as a test of antioxidant property. In all the mixtures, formulations having HSE as part of the mixture showed the highest antioxidant potential. The statistical analyzes, however, showed that the formulations containing pineapple, carrot, orange, and HSE of 40.00, 16.49, 17.20, and 26.30%, respectively, produced optimum antioxidant potential and was shown to be acceptable to a research laboratory guidance panel, thus making them viable ingredients for the production of functional beverages possessing important antioxidant properties with potential health benefits.

  18. Exploring functionally related enzymes using radially distributed properties of active sites around the reacting points of bound ligands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ueno Keisuke

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Structural genomics approaches, particularly those solving the 3D structures of many proteins with unknown functions, have increased the desire for structure-based function predictions. However, prediction of enzyme function is difficult because one member of a superfamily may catalyze a different reaction than other members, whereas members of different superfamilies can catalyze the same reaction. In addition, conformational changes, mutations or the absence of a particular catalytic residue can prevent inference of the mechanism by which catalytic residues stabilize and promote the elementary reaction. A major hurdle for alignment-based methods for prediction of function is the absence (despite its importance of a measure of similarity of the physicochemical properties of catalytic sites. To solve this problem, the physicochemical features radially distributed around catalytic sites should be considered in addition to structural and sequence similarities. Results We showed that radial distribution functions (RDFs, which are associated with the local structural and physicochemical properties of catalytic active sites, are capable of clustering oxidoreductases and transferases by function. The catalytic sites of these enzymes were also characterized using the RDFs. The RDFs provided a measure of the similarity among the catalytic sites, detecting conformational changes caused by mutation of catalytic residues. Furthermore, the RDFs reinforced the classification of enzyme functions based on conventional sequence and structural alignments. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the application of RDFs provides advantages in the functional classification of enzymes by providing information about catalytic sites.

  19. A comparison of blood nitric oxide metabolites and hemoglobin functional properties among diving mammals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fago, Angela; Parraga, Daniel Garcia; Petersen, Elin E; Kristensen, Niels; Giouri, Lea; Jensen, Frank B

    2017-03-01

    The ability of marine mammals to hunt prey at depth is known to rely on enhanced oxygen stores and on selective distribution of blood flow, but the molecular mechanisms regulating blood flow and oxygen transport remain unresolved. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that may be important in regulating blood flow, we measured concentration of nitrite and S-nitrosothiols (SNO), two metabolites of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO), in the blood of 5 species of marine mammals differing in their dive duration: bottlenose dolphin, South American sea lion, harbor seal, walrus and beluga whale. We also examined oxygen affinity, sensitivity to 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) and nitrite reductase activity of the hemoglobin (Hb) to search for possible adaptive variations in these functional properties. We found levels of plasma and red blood cells nitrite similar to those reported for terrestrial mammals, but unusually high concentrations of red blood cell SNO in bottlenose dolphin, walrus and beluga whale, suggesting enhanced SNO-dependent signaling in these species. Purified Hbs showed similar functional properties in terms of oxygen affinity and sensitivity to DPG, indicating that reported large variations in blood oxygen affinity among diving mammals likely derive from phenotypic variations in red blood cell DPG levels. The nitrite reductase activities of the Hbs were overall slightly higher than that of human Hb, with the Hb of beluga whale, capable of longest dives, having the highest activity. Taken together, these results underscore adaptive variations in circulatory NO metabolism in diving mammals but not in the oxygenation properties of the Hb. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Measurement properties of instruments assessing permanent functional impairment of the spine: a systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goes, Suelen Meira; Trask, Catherine M; Boden, Catherine; Bath, Brenna; Ribeiro, Daniel Cury; Hendrick, Paul; Clay, Lynne; Zeng, Xiaoke; Milosavljevic, Stephan

    2018-01-27

    Permanent functional impairment (PFI) of the spine is a rating system used by compensation authorities, such as workers compensation boards, to establish an appropriate level of financial compensation for persistent loss of function. Determination of PFI of the spine is commonly based on the assessment of spinal movement combined with other measures of physical and functional impairments; however, the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments used for these evaluations have yet to be established. The aim of this study is to systematically review and synthesise the literature concerning measurement properties of the various and different instruments used for assessing PFI of the spine. Three conceptual groups of terms (1) PFI, (2) spinal disorder and (3) measurement properties will be combined to search Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, PEDro, OTSeeker and Health and Safety Science Abstracts. We will examine peer-reviewed, full-text articles over the full available date range. Two reviewers will independently screen citations (title, abstract and full text) and perform data extraction. Included studies will be appraised as to their methodological quality using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments criteria. Findings will be summarised and presented descriptively, with meta-analysis pursued as appropriate. This review will summarise the current level of evidence of measurement properties of instruments used for assessing PFI of the spine. Findings of this review may be applicable to clinicians, policy-makers, workers' compensation boards, other insurers and health and safety organisations. The findings will likely provide a foundation and direction for future research priorities for assessing spinal PFI. CRD42017060390. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise

  1. Systematic study of the thermophysical properties of imidazolium-based ionic liquids with cyano-functionalized anions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neves, Catarina M S S; Kurnia, Kiki Adi; Coutinho, João A P; Marrucho, Isabel M; Lopes, José N Canongia; Freire, Mara G; Rebelo, Luís Paulo N

    2013-09-05

    In the past few years, ionic liquids (ILs) with cyano-functionalized anions have shown to be improved candidates for electrochemical and separation applications. Nevertheless, only scattered data exist hitherto and a broad analysis of their structure-property relationship has yet to be attempted. Therefore, in this work, a systematic study of the densities, viscosities and refractive indices of imidazolium-based ILs with cyano-functionalized anions was carried out at 0.1 MPa within a broad temperature range (from 278 to 363 K). The ILs under study are based on 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations (alkyl = ethyl, butyl and hexyl) combined with the [SCN](-), [N(CN)2](-), [C(CN)3](-) and [B(CN)4](-) anions. The selected matrix of cation/anion combinations allows us to provide a detailed and comprehensive investigation of the influence of the -CN group through an analysis of the thermophysical properties of the related ILs. The results show that, regardless of the cation, the densities decrease with an increase in the number of cyano groups or anion molecular weight. Moreover, for a fixed cation and temperature, the refractive index of the ILs decreases according to the rank: [SCN](-) > [N(CN)2](-) ≈ [C(CN)3](-) > [B(CN)4](-). On the other hand, no clear trend was observed for the viscosity of ILs and the respective number of -CN groups. The viscosity dependence on the cyano-functionalized anions decreases in the order: [SCN](-) > [B(CN)4](-) > [N(CN)2](-) > [C(CN)3](-). The isobaric thermal expansion coefficient, the derived molar refraction, the free volume, and the viscosity energy barrier of all compounds were estimated from the experimental data and are presented and discussed. Finally, group contribution models were applied, and new group contribution parameters are presented, extending these methods to the prediction of the ILs properties.

  2. Complex Estimation of Strength Properties of Functional Materials on the Basis of the Analysis of Grain-Phase Structure Parameters

    OpenAIRE

    Gitman, M.B.; Klyuev, A.V.; Stolbov, V.Y.; Gitman, I.M.

    2017-01-01

    The technique allows analysis using grain-phase structure of the functional material to evaluate its performance, particularly strength properties. The technique is based on the use of linguistic variable in the process of comprehensive evaluation. An example of estimating the strength properties of steel reinforcement, subject to special heat treatment to obtain the desired grain-phase structure.

  3. Mechanical, Thermal and Functional Properties of Green Lightweight Foamcrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md Azree Othuman Mydin

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available In recent times, the construction industry has revealed noteworthy attention in the use of lightweight foamcrete as a building material due to its many favourable characteristics such as lighter weight, easy to fabricate, durable and cost effective. Foamcrete is a material consisting of Portland cement paste or cement filler matrix (mortar with a homogeneous pore structure created by introducing air in the form of small bubbles. With a proper control in dosage of foam and methods of production, a wide range of densities (400 – 1600 kg/m 3 of foamcrete can be produced thus providing flexibility for application such as structural elements, partition, insulating materials and filling grades. Foamcrete has so far been applied primarily as a filler material in civil engineering works. However, its good thermal and acoustic performance indicates its strong potential as a material in building construction. The focus of this paper is to classify literature on foamcrete in terms of its mechanical, thermal and functional properties.

  4. Tribological properties of epoxy composite coatings reinforced with functionalized C-BN and H-BN nanofillers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jingjing; Zhao, Wenjie; Wu, Yinghao; Wang, Deliang; Feng, Ruotao

    2018-03-01

    A series of epoxy resin (EP) composite coatings reinforced with functionalized cubic boron nitride (FC-BN) and functionalized hexagonal boron nitride (FH-BN) were fabricated successfully on 316L stainless steel by hand lay-up technique. The structure properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphologies were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, UMT-3 tribometer and surface profiler were used to investigate tribological behaviors of as-prepared composite coatings under dry friction and seawater conditions respectively. The results demonstrated that the presence of FC-BN or FH-BN fillers could greatly decrease the friction coefficient (COF) and wear rate of epoxy, in addition, composite coatings possess better tribological properties under seawater condition which was attributed to the lubricating effect of seawater. Moreover, FC-BN endows the composite coatings the highest wear resistance, and FH-BN /EP composite coatings exhibited the best friction reduction performance which is attributed to the self-lubricating performance of lamella structure for FH-BN sheet.

  5. Edentulation alters material properties of cortical bone in the human craniofacial skeleton: functional implications for craniofacial structure in primate evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dechow, Paul C.; Wang, Qian; Peterson, Jill

    2011-01-01

    Skeletal adaptations to reduced function are an important source of skeletal variation and may be indicative of environmental pressures that lead to evolutionary changes. Humans serve as a model animal to investigate the effects of loss of craniofacial function through edentulation. In the human maxilla, it is known that edentulation leads to significant changes in skeletal structure such as residual ridge resorption and loss of cortical thickness. However, little is known about changes in bone tissue structure and material properties, which are also important for understanding skeletal mechanics but are often ignored. The aims of this study were to determine cortical material properties in edentulous crania and to evaluate differences with dentate crania and thus examine the effects of loss of function on craniofacial structure. Cortical bone samples from fifteen edentulous human skulls were measured for thickness and density. Elastic properties and directions of maximum stiffness were determined by using ultrasonic techniques. These data were compared to those from dentate crania reported in a previous investigation. Cortical bone from all regions of the facial skeleton of edentulous individuals is thinner than in dentate skulls. Elastic and shear moduli, and density are similar or greater in the zygoma and cranial vault of edentulous individuals, while these properties are less in the maxilla. Most cortical bone, especially in edentulous maxillae, has reduced directional orientation. The loss of significant occlusal loads following edentulation may contribute to the change in material properties and the loss of orientation over time during the normal process of bone remodeling. These results suggest that area-specific cortical microstructural changes accompany bone resorption following edentulation. They also suggest that functional forces are important for maintaining bone mass throughout the craniofacial skeleton, even in areas such as the browridges, which

  6. Ground-state properties of rare-earth metals: an evaluation of density-functional theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Söderlind, Per; Turchi, P E A; Landa, A; Lordi, V

    2014-01-01

    The rare-earth metals have important technological applications due to their magnetic properties, but are scarce and expensive. Development of high-performance magnetic materials with less rare-earth content is desired, but theoretical modeling is hampered by complexities of the rare earths electronic structure. The existence of correlated (atomic-like) 4f electrons in the vicinity of the valence band makes any first-principles theory challenging. Here, we apply and evaluate the efficacy of density-functional theory for the series of lanthanides (rare earths), investigating the influence of the electron exchange and correlation functional, spin-orbit interaction, and orbital polarization. As a reference, the results are compared with those of the so-called ‘standard model’ of the lanthanides in which electrons are constrained to occupy 4f core states with no hybridization with the valence electrons. Some comparisons are also made with models designed for strong electron correlations. Our results suggest that spin–orbit coupling and orbital polarization are important, particularly for the magnitude of the magnetic moments, and that calculated equilibrium volumes, bulk moduli, and magnetic moments show correct trends overall. However, the precision of the calculated properties is not at the level of that found for simpler metals in the Periodic Table of Elements, and the electronic structures do not accurately reproduce x-ray photoemission spectra. (paper)

  7. Electronic and thermoelectric properties of InN studied using ab initio density functional theory and Boltzmann transport calculations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borges, P. D., E-mail: pdborges@gmail.com, E-mail: lscolfaro@txstate.edu; Scolfaro, L., E-mail: pdborges@gmail.com, E-mail: lscolfaro@txstate.edu [Department of Physics, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas 78666 (United States)

    2014-12-14

    The thermoelectric properties of indium nitride in the most stable wurtzite phase (w-InN) as a function of electron and hole concentrations and temperature were studied by solving the semiclassical Boltzmann transport equations in conjunction with ab initio electronic structure calculations, within Density Functional Theory. Based on maximally localized Wannier function basis set and the ab initio band energies, results for the Seebeck coefficient are presented and compared with available experimental data for n-type as well as p-type systems. Also, theoretical results for electric conductivity and power factor are presented. Most cases showed good agreement between the calculated properties and experimental data for w-InN unintentionally and p-type doped with magnesium. Our predictions for temperature and concentration dependences of electrical conductivity and power factor revealed a promising use of InN for intermediate and high temperature thermoelectric applications. The rigid band approach and constant scattering time approximation were utilized in the calculations.

  8. Functional properties and synaptic integration of genetically labelled dopaminergic neurons in intrastriatal grafts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Andreas Toft; Thompson, Lachlan; Kirik, Deniz

    2005-01-01

    in the dopamine-depleted striatum than of those in the intact striatum. Our findings define specific electrophysiological characteristics of transplanted fetal dopaminergic neurons, and we provide the first direct evidence of functional synaptic integration of these neurons into host neural circuitries......., the electrophysiological properties grafted cells need to have in order to induce substantial functional recovery are poorly defined. It has not been possible to prospectively identify and record from dopaminergic neurons in fetal transplants. Here we used transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein under control...... of the rat tyrosine hydroxylase promoter for whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of endogenous and grafted dopaminergic neurons. We transplanted ventral mesencephalic tissue from E12.5 transgenic mice into striatum of neonatal rats with or without lesions of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. The transplanted...

  9. Conflict between constitutional norms: monopoly of nuclear ore and the social function of property in Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Costa-de-Moura, Jorge

    2014-01-01

    This monograph broaches about the conflict existing between the social Constitution of 1988, in relation to what is disposed in the Article 5, XXIII and XXIV, entrenchment clause of immediate application that determines the social function of property in Brazil, and articles 21, XXIII, and 177, V, that stipulate the monopoly of ores containing nuclear elements, i.e., those containing the chemical elements uranium, thorium, and plutonium in economically exploitable amounts. Initially, the work deals with legal definitions for nuclear ore, nuclear policy of some countries, the economical concepts of the social function of property and the negative aspects related to the maintenance of the nuclear ore in the state monopole regime in confrontation with the economic and social interest also expressed in the Constitutional Valance of 1988. Finally, it is presented an actualized compilation of nuclear laws related to the Brazilian nuclear policy and a glossary of terms used in the nuclear policy conducted by the Brazilian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (CNEN). (author)

  10. Dramatic property enhancement in polyetherimide using low-cost commercially functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes via a facile solution processing method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Sandeep; Li Bin; Caceres, Santiago; Zhong Weihong; Maguire, Russ G

    2009-01-01

    Polyetherimide (PEI) has excellent mechanical and thermal properties, and exceptional fire resistance. Developing even broader multi-functionality in PEI/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites for industrial applications is an alluring but challenging goal, due to processing difficulties related to the high pressure and temperature needed to achieve effective flow for this polymer, and costly and complex treatments of the CNTs. Here we report the fabrication of PEI nanocomposite films using low-cost commercially functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), and a simple and innovative process, achieving exceptional properties with only 0.5 wt% of MWNTs, including an increase in electrical conductivity of 12 orders of magnitude, accompanied by an unprecedented increase of 86 0 C in thermal decomposition temperature (higher service temperature). Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed a high degree of uniform dispersion among the MWNTs, superb polymer-MWNT interaction and formation of a spatially homogeneous nanotube network within the matrix. The enhancement in these properties suggests great potential use for this developed processing approach and the resulting nanocomposites for multi-functional coating or interfacing materials in aerospace and electronic industries.

  11. Transport properties of diazonium functionalized graphene: chiral two-dimensional hole gases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Ping; Jing Long; Zhu Huarui; Gao Xueyun

    2012-01-01

    The electric transport properties of diazonium functionalized graphene (DFG) were investigated. The temperature dependence of the resistivity (ρ-T) and the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation of the DFG revealed two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) behaviors. The DFGs exhibited unusual weak localization behaviors in which both inelastic and chirality-breaking elastic scattering processes should be taken into account, meaning that graphene chirality was maintained. Because of the giant decrease in the diffusion coefficient, the scattering rates remained relatively low in the presence of suppression of the scattering lengths. The decreases of both the mean free path and the Fermi velocity were responsible for the suppression of the diffusion coefficient and hence the charge mobility. (paper)

  12. Peptides from Fish By-product Protein Hydrolysates and Its Functional Properties: an Overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamora-Sillero, Juan; Gharsallaoui, Adem; Prentice, Carlos

    2018-04-01

    The inadequate management of fish processing waste or by-products is one of the major problems that fish industry has to face nowadays. The mismanagement of this raw material leads to economic loss and environmental problems. The demand for the use of these by-products has led to the development of several processes in order to recover biomolecules from fish by-products. An efficient way to add value to fish waste protein is protein hydrolysis. Protein hydrolysates improve the functional properties and allow the release of peptides of different sizes with several bioactivities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, or antihyperglycemic among others. This paper reviews different methods for the production of protein hydrolysates as well as current research about several fish by-products protein hydrolysates bioactive properties, aiming the dual objective: adding value to these underutilized by-products and minimizing their negative impact on the environment.

  13. Infuence of gamma radiation on the rheological and functional properties of bread wheats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paredes-Lopez, O.; Covarrubias-Alvarez, M.M.

    1984-01-01

    The effects of gamma irradiation on some biochemical, rheological and functional properties of bread wheats were studied. Two wheat cultivars were selected to represent medium-strong and weak dough mixing strengths. Falling number values were severely depressed at doses of 500 and 1000 krad. Rheological dough properties, as assessed with the mixograph and farinograph, were also investigated. Radiation at medium doses produced an increase in the farinograph water absorption for both wheats. Radiation decreased the amount of bound water as compared to the control sample. For the medium-strong wheat low levels of radiation produced bread with volumes and overall bread quality equal to or slightly better than those of the control flour, whereas for the weak wheat an improvement of the baking performance was obtained at all the low doses of radiation. However, the overall bread quality of both wheats was highly reduced at medium doses of radiation. (author)

  14. Self-assembly and omniphobic property of fluorinated unit end-functionalized poly(methyl methacrylate)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junyan, Liang; Pingdi, Xu; Jingxian, Bao; Ling, He; Nan, Zhu

    2018-03-01

    The self-assembly behavior of fluorinated unit end-functionalized poly(methyl methacrylate) (PDFHM-ef-PMMA) in solution and its influence on the surface microstructure, elemental composition and omniphobic property of cast film was investigated in this work. Specifically, three mixed solutions of tetrahydrofuran (THF)/methanol (MeOH), THF/H2O and THF/H2O/MeOH in various compositions were employed separately as the selective solvents. In THF/MeOH solution, the aggregate morphologies of PDFHM-ef-PMMA changed gradually from core-shell spheres to worm, and then to elliptical vesicles as MeOH content increased. In THF/H2O solution, spherical and bowl-shaped aggregates with significantly larger sizes than those in THF/MeOH solution were favored despite lower H2O content. The further addition of MeOH to THF/H2O mixture could reduce the size of aggregate but hardly change original aggregate morphology. During the film formation process, those self-assembled aggregates in THF/MeOH solution fused with one another to form a smooth surface. When such surface was fully covered by fluorinated segments, the outstanding hexadecane and water slide-off properties and ink-resistant property required for antifouling application were demonstrated. Instead, the aggregates formed in THF/H2O/MeOH mixture were subjected to secondary aggregation of PDFHM-ef-PMMA chains during solvent evaporation, leading to the formation of a particulate film with poor adhesion towards glass plate and hexadecane-repellent property.

  15. The effect of irradiation on the functional properties of spray-dried egg white protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clark, D.C.; Kiss, I.F.; Wilde, P.J.; Wilson, D.R.

    1992-01-01

    The foaming properties of spray-dried egg white powder were examined as a function of dosage with ionizing radiation. Foam stability was studied by a micro-conductimetric method. A marked increase in foam stability was observed in all the irradiated samples examined (2–16 kGy) when compared to a non-irradiated control. The drainage rate and minimum thickness of air-suspended thin liquid films stabilised with egg white protein was measured interferometrically. The rate of film thinning decreased with increasing dose suggesting a dose related change in the bulk viscosity. There were minor changes in the secondary and tertiary structure of the irradiated protein determined by circular dichroism, which may account for the observed changes in functionality

  16. Elaboration of colloidal silica sols in aqueous medium: functionalities, optical properties and chemical detection of coating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Guevel, X.

    2006-03-01

    The aim of this work was to study surface reactivity of silica nanoparticles through physical and chemical properties of sols and coatings. Applications are numerous and they are illustrated in this work by optical coating preparation for laser components and chemical gas sensor development for nitroaromatics detection. On one hand, protocol synthesis of colloidal silica sols has been developed in water medium using sol-gel process (0 to 100 w%). These sols, so-called BLUESIL, are time-stable during at least one year. Homogeneous coatings having thickness fixed to 200 nm, have been prepared on silica substrate and show high porosity and high transparence. Original films have been developed using catalytic curing in gas atmosphere (ammonia curing) conferring good abrasive resistance to the coating without significant properties modification. In order to reduce film sensitivity to molecular adsorption (water, polluting agents... ), specific BLUESIL coatings have been prepared showing hydrophobic property due to apolar species grafting onto silica nanoparticles. Using this route, coatings having several functional properties such as transparence, hydrophobicity, high porosity and good abrasive resistance have been elaborated. On the other hand, we show that colloidal silica is a material specifically adapted to the detection of nitro aromatic vapors (NAC). Indeed, the use of colloidal silica as chemical gas sensor reveals very high sensitivity, selectivity to NAC compared to Volatile Organic Compound (V.O.C) and good detection performances during one year. Moreover, chemical sensors using functionalized colloidal silica have exhibited good results of detection, even in high humidity medium (≥70 %RH). (author)

  17. TECHNOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA: THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE MICROORGANISMS FOR FOOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda de Souza Motta

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Eacters of coccus or rods Gram-positive, catalase negative, non-sporulating, which produce lactic acid as the major end product during the fermentation of carbohydrates. When applied on food, provides beneficial effects to consumers through its functional and technological properties. With this the present review article, explore the potential application of lactic acid bacteria in food. The following genera are considered the principal lactic acid bacteria: Aerococcus, Carnobacterium, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Oenococcus, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, Tetragenococcus, Vagococcus and Weissella. These cultures have been used as starter or adjunct cultures for the fermentation of foods and beverages due to their contributions to the sensorial characteristics of these products and by microbiological stability. Their probiotic properties have also been investigated. More recent studies by indigenous cultures have received increased attention in light of the search for isolated cultures of a given raw material and a certain region. These microorganisms are being investigated for its functional and technological potential that may be applied in product development with its own characteristics and designation of origin. Those properties will be discussed in the present review in order to highlight the performance of these bacteria and the high degree of control over the fermentation process and standardization of the final product. The use of autochthonous cultures will be considered due the increase of studies of new cultures of lactic acid bacteria isolated of milk and meat of distinct products.

  18. Influence of template/functional monomer/cross‐linking monomer ratio on particle size and binding properties of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yoshimatsu, Keiichi; Yamazaki, Tomohiko; Chronakis, Ioannis S.

    2012-01-01

    A series of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles have been synthesized employing various template/functional monomer/crosslinking monomer ratio and characterized in detail to elucidate the correlation between the synthetic conditions used and the properties (e.g., particle size and templat...... tuning of particle size and binding properties are required to fit practical applications. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012...

  19. Dietary fibers from mushroom sclerotia: 1. Preparation and physicochemical and functional properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Ka-Hing; Cheung, Peter C K

    2005-11-30

    Preparation of three novel dietary fibers (DFs) from mushroom sclerotia, namely, Pleurotus tuberregium, Polyporous rhinocerus, and Wolfiporia cocos, by a scale-up modified AOAC procedure using industrial enzymes was investigated. A remarkably high level of total dietary fiber (TDF) ranging from 81.7 to 96.3% sample dry matter (DM), in which a content of nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) ranging from 86.6 to 94.3% sclerotial TDF DM, was obtained from the three sclerotia. All sclerotial DFs were rich in beta-glucan (the glucose residue ranged from 89.7 to 94.5% NSP DM) with a very low level of resistant glycogen (ranged from 3.77 to 3.94% sclerotial TDF DM). All three novel sclerotial DFs also exhibited similar, if not better, physicochemical and functional properties (pH, color, water binding capacity, oil holding capacity, and emulsifying properties) as those of barely DF control and commercial DF-rich ingredients. The potential use of the three mushroom sclerotial DFs as a new beta-glucan type DF-rich ingredient in the food industry was discussed.

  20. Enhanced functional connectivity properties of human brains during in-situ nature experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zheng Chen

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we investigated the impacts of in-situ nature and urban exposure on human brain activities and their dynamics. We randomly assigned 32 healthy right-handed college students (mean age = 20.6 years, SD = 1.6; 16 males to a 20 min in-situ sitting exposure in either a nature (n = 16 or urban environment (n = 16 and measured their Electroencephalography (EEG signals. Analyses revealed that a brief in-situ restorative nature experience may induce more efficient and stronger brain connectivity with enhanced small-world properties compared with a stressful urban experience. The enhanced small-world properties were found to be correlated with “coherent” experience measured by Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS. Exposure to nature also induces stronger long-term correlated activity across different brain regions with a right lateralization. These findings may advance our understanding of the functional activities during in-situ environmental exposures and imply that a nature or nature-like environment may potentially benefit cognitive processes and mental well-being.

  1. Properties of three-body decay functions derived with time-like jet calculus beyond leading order

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugiura, Tetsuya

    2002-01-01

    Three-body decay functions in time-like parton branching are calculated using the jet calculus to the next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD). The phase space contributions from each of the ladder diagrams and interference diagrams are presented. We correct part of the results for the three-body decay functions calculated previously by two groups. Employing our new results, the properties of the three-body decay functions in the regions of soft partons are examined numerically. Furthermore, we examine the contribution of the three-body decay functions modified by the restriction resulting from the kinematical boundary of the phase space for two-body decay in the parton shower model. This restriction leads to some problems for the parton shower model. For this reason, we propose a new restriction introduced by the kinematical boundary of the phase space for two-body decay. (author)

  2. Arctic Tundra Vegetation Functional Types Based on Photosynthetic Physiology and Optical Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huemmrich, Karl Fred; Gamon, John A.; Tweedie, Craig E.; Campbell, Petya K. Entcheva; Landis, David R.; Middleton, Elizabeth M.

    2013-01-01

    Non-vascular plants (lichens and mosses) are significant components of tundra landscapes and may respond to climate change differently from vascular plants affecting ecosystem carbon balance. Remote sensing provides critical tools for monitoring plant cover types, as optical signals provide a way to scale from plot measurements to regional estimates of biophysical properties, for which spatial-temporal patterns may be analyzed. Gas exchange measurements were collected for pure patches of key vegetation functional types (lichens, mosses, and vascular plants) in sedge tundra at Barrow, AK. These functional types were found to have three significantly different values of light use efficiency (LUE) with values of 0.013 plus or minus 0.0002, 0.0018 plus or minus 0.0002, and 0.0012 plus or minus 0.0001 mol C mol (exp -1) absorbed quanta for vascular plants, mosses and lichens, respectively. Discriminant analysis of the spectra reflectance of these patches identified five spectral bands that separated each of these vegetation functional types as well as nongreen material (bare soil, standing water, and dead leaves). These results were tested along a 100 m transect where midsummer spectral reflectance and vegetation coverage were measured at one meter intervals. Along the transect, area-averaged canopy LUE estimated from coverage fractions of the three functional types varied widely, even over short distances. The patch-level statistical discriminant functions applied to in situ hyperspectral reflectance data collected along the transect successfully unmixed cover fractions of the vegetation functional types. The unmixing functions, developed from the transect data, were applied to 30 m spatial resolution Earth Observing-1 Hyperion imaging spectrometer data to examine variability in distribution of the vegetation functional types for an area near Barrow, AK. Spatial variability of LUE was derived from the observed functional type distributions. Across this landscape, a

  3. Functional properties of PSE (Pale, Soft, Exudative broiler meat in the production of mortadella

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cassiana Kissel

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available This work was carried out in order to evaluate whether the functional properties of broiler meat are affected by the factors that lead to PSE (Pale, Soft, Exudative. PSE meat was characterized by pH and L* values, and mortadella formulations consisted of isolated soy protein, sodium tripolyphosphate, and cassava starch in addition to PSE and normal meats. The functionality of the meat was evaluated by examining the water holding capacity (WHC, texture profile, emulsion stability (ES and color of the final products. The results show that in mortadella prepared with PSE meat, the protein denaturation affected the ES. Additives are necessary to enhance the functional properties of PSE meat.Este trabalho foi realizado para avaliar o efeito dos fatores que conduzem à formação das carnes PSE (Pale, Soft, Exudative sobre as propriedades funcionais da carne de frango. Carnes PSE foram caracterizadas pelos valores de pH e L* e as formulações da mortadela consistiram de proteina isolada de soja, trifosfato de sódio, amido de mandioca e a adição das carnes normal e PSE. A funcionalidade da carne foi avaliada medindo a capacidade de retenção de água (CRA, perfil de textura, estabilidade de emulsão (EE, e cor dos produtos finais. Os resultados mostraram que na mortadela preparada com carnes PSE, as proteinas desnaturadas afetaram a EE. Aditivos são necessários para potencializar as propriedades funcionais da carne PSE.

  4. Effect of hemicellulose from rice bran on low fat meatballs chemical and functional properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Guohua; Yu, Wenjian

    2015-11-01

    The paper study the functional properties of hemicellulose B (RBHB) and rice bran insoluble dietary fibre (RBDF) to develop an acceptable low fat meat product enriched with high content fibre from defatted rice bran. Meatballs were produced with three different formulations including 2%, 4% and 6% RBHB or RBDF addition. The total trans fatty acids were lower and the ratio of total unsaturated fatty acids to total saturated fatty acids was higher in the samples with added RBHB than in the control meatballs. Meatballs containing RBHB had lower concentrations of total fat and total trans fatty acids than the control samples. Sensory evaluations revealed that meatballs with 2%, 4% and 6% RBHB were overall acceptable. This confirms that the RBHB preparation from defatted rice bran has great potential in food applications, especially in development of functional foods including functional meat products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Chimeric Peptides as Implant Functionalization Agents for Titanium Alloy Implants with Antimicrobial Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yucesoy, Deniz T.; Hnilova, Marketa; Boone, Kyle; Arnold, Paul M.; Snead, Malcolm L.; Tamerler, Candan

    2015-04-01

    Implant-associated infections can have severe effects on the longevity of implant devices and they also represent a major cause of implant failures. Treating these infections associated with implants by antibiotics is not always an effective strategy due to poor penetration rates of antibiotics into biofilms. Additionally, emerging antibiotic resistance poses serious concerns. There is an urge to develop effective antibacterial surfaces that prevent bacterial adhesion and proliferation. A novel class of bacterial therapeutic agents, known as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), are receiving increasing attention as an unconventional option to treat septic infection, partly due to their capacity to stimulate innate immune responses and for the difficulty of microorganisms to develop resistance towards them. While host and bacterial cells compete in determining the ultimate fate of the implant, functionalization of implant surfaces with AMPs can shift the balance and prevent implant infections. In the present study, we developed a novel chimeric peptide to functionalize the implant material surface. The chimeric peptide simultaneously presents two functionalities, with one domain binding to a titanium alloy implant surface through a titanium-binding domain while the other domain displays an antimicrobial property. This approach gains strength through control over the bio-material interfaces, a property built upon molecular recognition and self-assembly through a titanium alloy binding domain in the chimeric peptide. The efficiency of chimeric peptide both in-solution and absorbed onto titanium alloy surface was evaluated in vitro against three common human host infectious bacteria, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli. In biological interactions such as occur on implants, it is the surface and the interface that dictate the ultimate outcome. Controlling the implant surface by creating an interface composed chimeric peptides may therefore

  6. Generalized functions

    CERN Document Server

    Gelfand, I M; Graev, M I; Vilenkin, N Y; Pyatetskii-Shapiro, I I

    Volume 1 is devoted to basics of the theory of generalized functions. The first chapter contains main definitions and most important properties of generalized functions as functional on the space of smooth functions with compact support. The second chapter talks about the Fourier transform of generalized functions. In Chapter 3, definitions and properties of some important classes of generalized functions are discussed; in particular, generalized functions supported on submanifolds of lower dimension, generalized functions associated with quadratic forms, and homogeneous generalized functions are studied in detail. Many simple basic examples make this book an excellent place for a novice to get acquainted with the theory of generalized functions. A long appendix presents basics of generalized functions of complex variables.

  7. Clay-cement suspensions - rheological and functional properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojcik, L.; Izak, P.; Mastalska-Poplawska, J.; Gajek, M.

    2017-01-01

    The piping erosion in soil is highly unexpected in civil engineering. Elimination of such damages is difficult, expensive and time-consuming. One of the possibility is the grouting method. This method is still developed into direction of process automation as well as other useful properties of suspensions. Main way of modernization of the grouting method is connected it with rheology of injection and eventuality of fitting them to specific problems conditions. Very popular and useful became binders based on modified clays (clay-cement suspensions). Important principle of efficiency of the grouting method is using of time-dependent pseudothixotropic properties of the clay-cement suspensions. The pseudo-rheounstability aspect of the suspensions properties should be dedicated and fitted to dynamic changes of soil conditions destructions. Whole process of the modification of the suspension rheology is stimulated by the specific agents. This article contains a description of practical aspects of the rheological parameters managing of the clay-cement suspensions, dedicated to the building damages, hydrotechnic constructions etc.

  8. Synthesis and optoelectronic properties of oxadiazole-functionalized iridium complexes in the poly(vinylcarbazole)-hosted devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Zhonglian; Luo Cuiping; Jiang Changyun; Zhu Meixiang; Cao, Yong; Zhu Weiguo

    2008-01-01

    A class of oxadiazole-functionalized iridium complexes was used as phosphor emitters in poly (vinylcarbazole)-hosted devices. Efficient green electrophosphorescences were achieved in the devices with a maximum luminance efficiency of 9.3 cd/A at 10.6 mA/cm 2 and brightness of 3882 cd/m 2 at 92.1 mA/cm 2 . More importantly, the iridium complexes-doped devices exhibited a low turn-on voltage of 7.0 V and an applied voltage of 9.2 V at 500 cd/m 2 . The good optoelectronic properties of the complexes were attributed to the enhanced electron-injection and transport properties resulting from the effect of oxadiazole ligands in the complexes

  9. Pedotransfer functions estimating soil hydraulic properties using different soil parameters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Børgesen, Christen Duus; Iversen, Bo Vangsø; Jacobsen, Ole Hørbye

    2008-01-01

    Estimates of soil hydraulic properties using pedotransfer functions (PTF) are useful in many studies such as hydrochemical modelling and soil mapping. The objective of this study was to calibrate and test parametric PTFs that predict soil water retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity...... parameters. The PTFs are based on neural networks and the Bootstrap method using different sets of predictors and predict the van Genuchten/Mualem parameters. A Danish soil data set (152 horizons) dominated by sandy and sandy loamy soils was used in the development of PTFs to predict the Mualem hydraulic...... conductivity parameters. A larger data set (1618 horizons) with a broader textural range was used in the development of PTFs to predict the van Genuchten parameters. The PTFs using either three or seven textural classes combined with soil organic mater and bulk density gave the most reliable predictions...

  10. Effect of drying methods on the structure, thermo and functional properties of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) protein isolate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feyzi, Samira; Varidi, Mehdi; Zare, Fatemeh; Varidi, Mohammad Javad

    2018-03-01

    Different drying methods due to protein denaturation could alter the functional properties of proteins, as well as their structure. So, this study focused on the effect of different drying methods on amino acid content, thermo and functional properties, and protein structure of fenugreek protein isolate. Freeze and spray drying methods resulted in comparable protein solubility, dynamic surface and interfacial tensions, foaming and emulsifying properties except for emulsion stability. Vacuum oven drying promoted emulsion stability, surface hydrophobicity and viscosity of fenugreek protein isolate at the expanse of its protein solubility. Vacuum oven process caused a higher level of Maillard reaction followed by the spray drying process, which was confirmed by the lower amount of lysine content and less lightness, also more browning intensity. ΔH of fenugreek protein isolates was higher than soy protein isolate, which confirmed the presence of more ordered structures. Also, the bands which are attributed to the α-helix structures in the FTIR spectrum were in the shorter wave number region for freeze and spray dried fenugreek protein isolates that show more possibility of such structures. This research suggests that any drying method must be conducted in its gentle state in order to sustain native structure of proteins and promote their functionalities. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Effect of grain moisture content during milling on pasting profile and functional properties of amaranth fractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, K Vishnuswamy Preetham; Dharmaraj, Usha; Sakhare, Suresh D; Inamdar, Aashitosh A

    2016-05-01

    Evaluation of functional properties of milled fractions of grain amaranth may be useful to decide the end uses of the grain. Hence, pasting profiles of amaranth fractions obtained by milling the grains at different moisture contents were studied in relation with their starch profile and also with their swelling power and solubility indices. It was observed that, for flour fraction, the viscosity parameters were lowest at 14-16 % moisture content. Swelling power and solubility indices of the samples varied as a function of grain moisture content. The middling fraction also showed similar pasting pattern with the variation of grain moisture content. The seed coat fractions showed higher gelatinization temperature compared to that of fine flour and middling fractions. However, starch content of the fine seed coat fraction was comparable with that of the flour and middling fractions. The coarse seed coat fraction showed lower viscosity parameters than the other samples. Viscosity parameters correlated well among themselves while, they did not show significant correlation with the starch content. However, the viscosity parameters showed negative correlation with the soluble amylose content. The study revealed that, the fractions obtained by milling the grains at different moisture content show differential pasting profiles and functional properties.

  12. Contested Property Claims

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Property relations are such a common feature of social life that we can sometimes forget the immense complexity of the web of laws, practices, and ideas that allow a property regime to function smoothly. But we are quickly reminded of this complexity when social conflict over property erupts. When...... social actors confront a property regime – for example by squatting – they enact what can be called ‘contested property claims’. These confrontations raise crucial issues of social justice and show the ways in which property conflicts often reflect wider social conflicts. Through a series of case studies...... from across the globe, this multidisciplinary anthology exploring contested property claims brings together works from anthropologists, legal scholars, and geographers, who show how disagreements give us a privileged window onto how property regimes function and illustrates the many ways...

  13. Contested Property Claims

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Property relations are such a common feature of social life that the complexity of the web of laws, practices, and ideas that allow a property regime to function smoothly are often forgotten. But we are quickly reminded of this complexity when conflict over property erupts. When social actors...... confront a property regime – for example by squatting – they enact what can be called ‘contested property claims’. As this book demonstrates, these confrontations raise crucial issues of social justice and show the ways in which property conflicts often reflect wider social conflicts. Through a series...... of case studies from across the globe, this multidisciplinary anthology brings together works from anthropologists, legal scholars, and geographers, who show how exploring contested property claims offers a privileged window onto how property regimes function, as well as an illustration of the many ways...

  14. Influence of Chemical Extraction on Rheological Behavior, Viscoelastic Properties and Functional Characteristics of Natural Heteropolysaccharide/Protein Polymer from Durio zibethinus Seed

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamed Mirhosseini

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the demand for a natural plant-based polymer with potential functions from plant sources has increased considerably. The main objective of the current study was to study the effect of chemical extraction conditions on the rheological and functional properties of the heteropolysaccharide/protein biopolymer from durian (Durio zibethinus seed. The efficiency of different extraction conditions was determined by assessing the extraction yield, protein content, solubility, rheological properties and viscoelastic behavior of the natural polymer from durian seed. The present study revealed that the soaking process had a more significant (p < 0.05 effect than the decolorizing process on the rheological and functional properties of the natural polymer. The considerable changes in the rheological and functional properties of the natural polymer could be due to the significant (p < 0.05 effect of the chemical extraction variables on the protein fraction present in the molecular structure of the natural polymer from durian seed. The natural polymer from durian seed had a more elastic (or gel like behavior compared to the viscous (liquid like behavior at low frequency. The present study revealed that the natural heteropolysaccharide/protein polymer from durian seed had a relatively low solubility ranging from 9.1% to 36.0%. This might be due to the presence of impurities, insoluble matter and large particles present in the chemical structure of the natural polymer from durian seed.

  15. Spin glass: thermal properties and characterization of the ± J Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model partition function zeros

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faria, A.C. de.

    1990-01-01

    A detailed study of the S-K model through the analysis of the zeros of the partition function in the complex temperature plane is performed. By the exact way, the notable thermodynamical properties of the system to a variety of the length (N=5→25 spins) are calculated, using only standards concepts (without the use of tricks like that of replicas). Dilute models had been also considered. The principal result of this work is the characterization of the zeros of the partition function of the S-K model. (author)

  16. An Examination of Psychometric Properties of Positive Functional Attitudes Scale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saide Umut ZEYBEK

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of Coping Attitudes Scale: Measure of Positive Attitudes in Depression (CAS among Turkish young adult community sample and determine the psychometric properties (validity and reliability of this scale. This study was conducted with 419 students attending different departments in Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Faculty of Education in the spring semester of academic year of 2015-2016. Positive Functional Attitudes Scale, Beck Depression Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Automatic Thoughts Scale, Positivity Scale and Developed Automatic Thoughts Scale.were used as data collection tools. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA were used for investigation of the psychometric properties of the PFAS. Also, criterion-related validity, test-retest validity, and internal consistency were used calculated. The CFA results showed that standardized item estimates of the CAS ranged between 0.45 and 0.47. Also the CFA results showed that the original factor structure of the PFAS confirmed on the Turkish sample. internal consistency was calculated using the total community sample’s PFAS score. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ort he total scale (.93 was high. Test-retest results of the subscales were 0.76. The findings showed that factor structures of the PFAS’ life perspective, personal accomplishment, positive future, self-worth, coping with problems had psychometric quality in Turkish version. As a result of the study, the Turkish version of PFAS has good validity and reliability for young adult community sample. [JCBPR 2017; 6(2.000: 59-66

  17. Functional significance of O-GlcNAc modification in regulating neuronal properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Hongik; Rhim, Hyewhon

    2018-03-01

    Post-translational modifications (PTMs) covalently modify proteins and diversify protein functions. Along with protein phosphorylation, another common PTM is the addition of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to serine and/or threonine residues. O-GlcNAc modification is similar to phosphorylation in that it occurs to serine and threonine residues and cycles on and off with a similar time scale. However, a striking difference is that the addition and removal of the O-GlcNAc moiety on all substrates are mediated by the two enzymes regardless of proteins, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), respectively. O-GlcNAcylation can interact or potentially compete with phosphorylation on serine and threonine residues, and thus serves as an important molecular mechanism to modulate protein functions and activation. However, it has been challenging to address the role of O-GlcNAc modification in regulating protein functions at the molecular level due to the lack of convenient tools to determine the sites and degrees of O-GlcNAcylation. Studies in this field have only begun to expand significantly thanks to the recent advances in detection and manipulation methods such as quantitative proteomics and highly selective small-molecule inhibitors for OGT and OGA. Interestingly, multiple brain regions, especially hippocampus, express high levels of both OGT and OGA, and a number of neuron-specific proteins have been reported to undergo O-GlcNAcylation. This review aims to discuss the recent updates concerning the impacts of O-GlcNAc modification on neuronal functions at multiple levels ranging from intrinsic neuronal properties to synaptic plasticity and animal behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Influence of multiwall carbon nanotube functionality and loading on mechanical properties of PMMA/MWCNT bone cements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ormsby, Ross; McNally, Tony; Mitchell, Christina; Dunne, Nicholas

    2010-08-01

    Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement-multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites with weight loadings ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 wt% were prepared. The MWCNTs investigated were unfunctionalised, carboxyl and amine functionalised MWCNTs. Mechanical properties of the resultant nanocomposite cements were characterised as per international standards for acrylic resin cements. These mechanical properties were influenced by the type and wt% loading of MWCNT used. The morphology and degree of dispersion of the MWCNTs in the PMMA matrix at different length scales were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy. Improvements in mechanical properties were attributed to the MWCNTs arresting/retarding crack propagation through the cement by providing a bridging effect and hindering crack propagation. MWCNTs agglomerations were evident within the cement microstructure, the degree of these agglomerations was dependent on the weight fraction and functionality of MWCNTs incorporated into the cement.

  19. A Tour de Force: The Discovery, Properties, and Function of Piezo Channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottlieb, P A

    2017-01-01

    Mechanical transducers appear throughout cell biology and are used to convert mechanical stress into chemical or electrical signals that allow the cell to respond to environmental changes. In the past six years, a eukaryotic mechanical channel family with two members, Piezo1 and Piezo2, has been identified. Piezo1 was shown to be a cation-selective channel that does not require ancillary proteins for activity. Mouse Piezo1 is large, with over 2500 amino acids, and is not homologous to other ion channels. Both piezo channels have rapid voltage-dependent inactivation with a reversal potential near 0mV. The CryoEm structure of Piezo1 at 4.8Å shows trimer stoichiometry. Since the discovery of the piezo channels, their roles in the physiological response of cells have started to emerge. Significant progress has been made in understanding the intrinsic properties of the channels and how these properties are modulated by cytoskeletal elements. Specific diseases, such as hereditary xerocytosis affecting red blood cells, have mutations in Piezo1 that alter the cell's response to force, typically slowing inactivation and introducing a latency for activation. A number of physiological functions for piezo channels have been identified. These range from sensing the stiffness of surrounding substrate, to the response to light touch, to serotonin release from the gut. This review provides a general overview of the properties and roles of Piezo1 and Piezo2 in eukaryotic mechanotransduction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Proof-of-principle functionals for the shape function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ayers, Paul W.

    2005-01-01

    Recently, it has been shown that the density per particle, or shape function, determines all the properties of molecules and, more generally, finite Coulomb systems (e.g., clusters). Here, we provide numerical evidence for this 'existence' theorem, showing that atomic properties (specifically the kinetic energy and exchange energy) have simple approximate expressions in terms of the shape function. While the accuracy of our results is limited, this provides 'proof-of-principle' evidence that shape-functional theory represents an alternative to density-functional theory for finite Coulomb systems

  1. Some physical and functional properties of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) obtained in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramashia, S E; Gwata, E T; Meddows-Taylor, S; Anyasi, T A; Jideani, A I O

    2018-02-01

    The study determined the physical properties of finger millet (FM) (Eluesine coracana) grains and the functional properties of FM flour. Physical properties such as colour attributes, sample weight, bulk density, true density, porosity, surface area, sample volume, aspect ratio, sphericity, dimensional properties and moisture content of grain cultivars were determined. Water absorption capacity (WAC), bulk density (BD), dispersibility, viscosity and micro-structure of FM flours were also evaluated. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 23.0. Results showed that milky cream cultivar was significantly higher (pmillet, used as a control, was significantly different from FM flour on all dimensional properties. Moisture content of milky cream showed higher significant difference for both grains and flours as compared to brown and black grain/flours. Milky cream cultivar was significantly different in L*, b*, C*, H* values, WAC, BD and dispersibility for both FM grains and flours. Data showed that brown flour was significantly higher in viscosity than in milky and black flours. Microstructure results revealed that starch granules of raw FM flours had oval/spherical and smooth surface. The study is important for agricultural and food engineers, designers, scientists and processors in the design of equipment for FM grain processing. Results are likely to be useful in assessing the quality of grains used to fortify FM flour. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  2. Function Modelling Of The Market And Assessing The Degree Of Similarity Between Real Properties - Dependent Or Independent Procedures In The Process Of Office Property Valuation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barańska Anna

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Referring to the developed and presented in previous publications (e.g. Barańska 2011 two-stage algorithm for real estate valuation, this article addresses the problem of the relationship between the two stages of the algorithm. An essential part of the first stage is the multi-dimensional function modelling of the real estate market. As a result of selecting the model best fitted to the market data, in which the dependent variable is always the price of a real property, a set of market attributes is obtained, which in this model are considered to be price-determining. In the second stage, from the collection of real estate which served as a database in the process of estimating model parameters, the selected objects are those which are most similar to the one subject to valuation and form the basis for predicting the final value of the property being valued. Assessing the degree of similarity between real properties can be carried out based on the full spectrum of real estate attributes that potentially affect their value and which it is possible to gather information about, or only on the basis of those attributes which were considered to be price-determining in function modelling. It can also be performed by various methods. This article has examined the effect of various approaches on the final value of the property obtained using the two-stage prediction. In order fulfill the study aim precisely as possible, the results of each calculation step of the algorithm have been investigated in detail. Each of them points to the independence of the two procedures.

  3. Guinea Pig Oxygen-Sensing and Carotid Body Functional Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Obeso, Elvira; Docio, Inmaculada; Olea, Elena; Cogolludo, Angel; Obeso, Ana; Rocher, Asuncion; Gomez-Niño, Angela

    2017-01-01

    Mammals have developed different mechanisms to maintain oxygen supply to cells in response to hypoxia. One of those mechanisms, the carotid body (CB) chemoreceptors, is able to detect physiological hypoxia and generate homeostatic reflex responses, mainly ventilatory and cardiovascular. It has been reported that guinea pigs, originally from the Andes, have a reduced ventilatory response to hypoxia compared to other mammals, implying that CB are not completely functional, which has been related to genetically/epigenetically determined poor hypoxia-driven CB reflex. This study was performed to check the guinea pig CB response to hypoxia compared to the well-known rat hypoxic response. These experiments have explored ventilatory parameters breathing different gases mixtures, cardiovascular responses to acute hypoxia, in vitro CB response to hypoxia and other stimuli and isolated guinea pig chemoreceptor cells properties. Our findings show that guinea pigs are hypotensive and have lower arterial pO2 than rats, probably related to a low sympathetic tone and high hemoglobin affinity. Those characteristics could represent a higher tolerance to hypoxic environment than other rodents. We also find that although CB are hypo-functional not showing chronic hypoxia sensitization, a small percentage of isolated carotid body chemoreceptor cells contain tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme and voltage-dependent K+ currents and therefore can be depolarized. However hypoxia does not modify intracellular Ca2+ levels or catecholamine secretion. Guinea pigs are able to hyperventilate only in response to intense acute hypoxic stimulus, but hypercapnic response is similar to rats. Whether other brain areas are also activated by hypoxia in guinea pigs remains to be studied. PMID:28533756

  4. Guinea Pig Oxygen-Sensing and Carotid Body Functional Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Obeso, Elvira; Docio, Inmaculada; Olea, Elena; Cogolludo, Angel; Obeso, Ana; Rocher, Asuncion; Gomez-Niño, Angela

    2017-01-01

    Mammals have developed different mechanisms to maintain oxygen supply to cells in response to hypoxia. One of those mechanisms, the carotid body (CB) chemoreceptors, is able to detect physiological hypoxia and generate homeostatic reflex responses, mainly ventilatory and cardiovascular. It has been reported that guinea pigs, originally from the Andes, have a reduced ventilatory response to hypoxia compared to other mammals, implying that CB are not completely functional, which has been related to genetically/epigenetically determined poor hypoxia-driven CB reflex. This study was performed to check the guinea pig CB response to hypoxia compared to the well-known rat hypoxic response. These experiments have explored ventilatory parameters breathing different gases mixtures, cardiovascular responses to acute hypoxia, in vitro CB response to hypoxia and other stimuli and isolated guinea pig chemoreceptor cells properties. Our findings show that guinea pigs are hypotensive and have lower arterial pO 2 than rats, probably related to a low sympathetic tone and high hemoglobin affinity. Those characteristics could represent a higher tolerance to hypoxic environment than other rodents. We also find that although CB are hypo-functional not showing chronic hypoxia sensitization, a small percentage of isolated carotid body chemoreceptor cells contain tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme and voltage-dependent K + currents and therefore can be depolarized. However hypoxia does not modify intracellular Ca 2+ levels or catecholamine secretion. Guinea pigs are able to hyperventilate only in response to intense acute hypoxic stimulus, but hypercapnic response is similar to rats. Whether other brain areas are also activated by hypoxia in guinea pigs remains to be studied.

  5. Effect of extrusion cooking on the functional properties and starch components of lentil/banana blends: Response surface analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Hernández-Nava, R.G.; Bello-Pérez, L.A.; San Martín-Martínez, E.; Hernández-Sánchez, H.; Mora-Escobedo, R.

    2011-01-01

    Banana and lentil flour blends were processed in a sing le screw extruder modifying the flour properties of the blend (20.5-79.5%), at selected range of die temperature (145-175 ºC) and the feeding moisture content (20-24%). Functional characteristics evaluated in the extrudates were water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), bulk density (BD), paste viscosity properties, microstructure and resistant starch content. The concentration of lentil/banana blends and temperature we...

  6. Diversity and functional properties of acid-tolerant bacteria isolated from tea plantation soil of Assam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goswami, Gunajit; Deka, Priyadarshini; Das, Pompi; Bora, Sudipta Sankar; Samanta, Ramkrishna; Boro, Robin Chandra; Barooah, Madhumita

    2017-07-01

    In this study, we report on the bacterial diversity and their functional properties prevalent in tea garden soils of Assam that have low pH (3.8-5.5). Culture-dependent studies and phospholipid fatty acid analysis revealed a high abundance of Gram-positive bacteria. Further, 70 acid-tolerant bacterial isolates characterized using a polyphasic taxonomy approach could be grouped to the genus Bacillus, Lysinibacillus, Staphylococcus, Brevundimonas, Alcaligenes, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Escherichia, and Aeromonas. Among the 70 isolates, 47 most promising isolates were tested for their plant growth promoting activity based on the production of Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), siderophore, and HCN as well as solubilization of phosphate, zinc, and potassium. Out of the 47 isolates, 10 isolates tested positive for the entire aforesaid plant growth promoting tests and further tested for quantitative analyses for production of IAA, siderophore, and phosphate solubilization at the acidic and neutral condition. Results indicated that IAA and siderophore production, as well as phosphate solubilization efficiency of the isolates decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in the acidic environment. This study revealed that low soil pH influences bacterial community structure and their functional properties.

  7. Electrical Properties of Conductive Cotton Yarn Coated with Eosin Y Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eunju; Arul, Narayanasamy Sabari; Han, Jeong In

    2016-06-01

    This study reports the fabrication and investigation of the electrical properties of two types of conductive cotton yarns coated with eosin Y or eosin B functionalized reduced graphene (RGO) and bare graphene oxide (GO) using dip-coating method. The surface morphology of the conductive cotton yarn coated with reduced graphene oxide was observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Due to the strong electrostatic attractive forces, the negatively charged surface such as the eosin Y functionalized reduced graphene oxide or bare GO can be easily coated to the positively charged polyethyleneimine (PEI) treated cotton yarn. The maximum current for the conductive cotton yarn coated with eosin Y functionalized RGO and bare GO with 20 cycles repetition of (5D + R) process was found to be 793.8 μA and 3482.8 μA. Our results showed that the electrical conductivity of bare GO coated conductive cotton yarn increased by approximately four orders of magnitude with the increase in the dipping cycle of (5D+R) process.

  8. Conceptual design of tetraazaporphyrin- and subtetraazaporphyrin-based functional nanocarbon materials: electronic structures, topologies, optical properties, and methane storage capacities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belosludov, Rodion V; Rhoda, Hannah M; Zhdanov, Ravil K; Belosludov, Vladimir R; Kawazoe, Yoshiyuki; Nemykin, Victor N

    2016-05-11

    A large variety of conceptual three- and fourfold tetraazaporphyrin- and subtetraazaporphyrin-based functional 3D nanocage and nanobarrel structures have been proposed on the basis of in silico design. The designed structures differ in their sizes, topology, porosity, and conjugation properties. The stability of nanocages of Oh symmetry and nanobarrels of D4h symmetry was revealed on the basis of DFT and MD calculations, whereas their optical properties were assessed using a TDDFT approach and a long-range corrected LC-wPBE exchange-correlation functional. It was shown that the electronic structures and vertical excitation energies of the functional nanocage and nanobarrel structures could be easily tuned via their size, topology, and the presence of bridging sp(3) carbon atoms. TDDFT calculations suggest significantly lower excitation energies in fully conjugated nanocages and nanobarrels compared with systems with bridging sp(3) carbon fragments. Based on DFT and TDDFT calculations, the optical properties of the new materials can rival those of known quantum dots and are superior to those of monomeric phthalocyanines and their analogues. The methane gas adsorption properties of the new nanostructures and nanotubes generated by conversion from nanobarrels were studied using an MD simulation approach. The ability to store large quantities of methane (106-216 cm(3) (STP) cm(-3)) was observed in all cases with several compounds being close to or exceeding the DOE target of 180 cm(3) (STP) cm(-3) for material-based methane storage at a pressure of 3.5 MPa and room temperature.

  9. Connecting Structure-Property and Structure-Function Relationships across the Disciplines of Chemistry and Biology: Exploring Student Perceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohn, Kathryn P.; Underwood, Sonia M.; Cooper, Melanie M.

    2018-01-01

    While many university students take science courses in multiple disciplines, little is known about how they perceive common concepts from different disciplinary perspectives. Structure-property and structure-function relationships have long been considered important explanatory concepts in the disciplines of chemistry and biology, respectively.…

  10. Variation of some chemical and functional properties of Bambara groundnut (Voandzeia Subterranean L. Thouars during sort time storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Augustin GOUDOUM

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The storage susceptibility of Bambara groundnut (B. G. (Voandzeia Subterranean (L. Thouars to Callosobruchus maculatus and chemical and functional properties of 11 varieties form Far-North of Cameroon were investigate using standard analytical methods. Storage susceptibility shown that, after five months within treatment, C. maculatus destroy 10 to 50% of grains. The chemical characteristics of none attack grains of 11 varieties were range to 18.64 at 21.08%, 6.85 at 7.44%, 49.75 at 52.68% and to 6.05 at 7.55% respectively for protein, fat, starch and free carbohydrate. These chemical characteristics significantly (p < 0.05 decreases form attacks varieties. For the functional parameters, the none attacks grains was range of 130 at 135%, 19.15 at 20.91%, 18.20 at 21.13%, 2.76 at 3.21% and of 8.54 at 10.14% respectively for water capacity absorption, solubility index, gel length, ash and humidity. The results of this study indicated that storage susceptibility, chemical and functional properties of B. G. be dependant to the varieties.

  11. Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Vegetable and Cereal Proteins as Potential Sources of Novel Food Ingredients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cintya Soria-Hernández

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Proteins from vegetable and cereal sources are an excellent alternative to substitute animal-based counterparts because of their reduced cost, abundant supply and good nutritional value. The objective of this investigation is to study a set of vegetable and cereal proteins in terms of physicochemical and functional properties. Twenty protein sources were studied: five soya bean flour samples, one pea flour and fourteen newly developed blends of soya bean and maize germ (fi ve concentrates and nine hydrolysates. The physicochemical characterization included pH (5.63 to 7.57, electrical conductivity (1.32 to 4.32 mS/cm, protein content (20.78 to 94.24 % on dry mass basis, free amino nitrogen (0.54 to 2.87 mg/g and urease activity (0.08 to 2.20. The functional properties showed interesting differences among proteins: water absorption index ranged from 0.41 to 18.52, the highest being of soya and maize concentrates. Nitrogen and water solubility ranged from 10.14 to 74.89 % and from 20.42 to 95.65 %, respectively. Fat absorption and emulsification activity indices ranged from 2.59 to 4.72 and from 3936.6 to 52 399.2 m2/g respectively, the highest being of pea flour. Foam activity (66.7 to 475.0 % of the soya and maize hydrolysates was the best. Correlation analyses showed that hydrolysis affected solubility-related parameters whereas fat-associated indices were inversely correlated with water-linked parameters. Foam properties were better of proteins treated with low heat, which also had high urease activity. Physicochemical and functional characterization of the soya and maize protein concentrates and hydrolysates allowed the identification of differences regarding other vegetable and cereal protein sources such as pea or soya bean.

  12. Functional and rheological properties of proteins in frozen turkey breast meat with different ultimate pH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, J T Y; Omana, D A; Betti, M

    2011-05-01

    Functional and rheological properties of proteins from frozen turkey breast meat with different ultimate pH at 24 h postmortem (pH(24)) have been studied. Sixteen breast fillets from Hybrid Tom turkeys were initially selected based on lightness (L*) values for each color group (pale, normal, and dark), with a total of 48 breast fillets. Further selection of 8 breast samples was made within each class of meat according to the pH(24). The average L* and pH values of the samples were within the following range: pale (L* >52; pH ≤5.7), normal (46 meat, respectively. Ultimate pH did not cause major changes in the emulsifying and foaming properties of the extracted sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins. An SDS-PAGE profile of proteins from low and normal pH meat was similar, which revealed that the extent of protein denaturation was the same. Low pH meat had the lowest water-holding capacity compared with normal and high pH meat as shown by the increase in cooking loss, which can be explained by factors other than protein denaturation. Gel strength analysis and folding test revealed that gel-forming ability was better for high pH meat compared with low and normal pH meat.Dynamic viscoelastic behavior showed that myosin denaturation temperature was independent of pH(24). Normal and high pH meat had similar hardness, springiness, and chewiness values as revealed by texture profile analysis. The results from this study indicate that high pH meat had similar or better functional properties than normal pH meat. Therefore, high pH meat is suitable for further processed products, whereas low pH meat may need additional treatment or ingredient formulations to improve its functionality.

  13. Structural and magnetic properties of turmeric functionalized CoFe2O4 nanocomposite powder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mehran, E; Farjami Shayesteh, S; Sheykhan, M

    2016-01-01

    The structural and magnetic properties of the synthesized pure and functionalized CoFe 2 O 4 magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are studied by analyzing the results from the x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT–IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry (TG), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). To extract the structure and lattice parameters from the XRD analysis results, we first apply the pseudo-Voigt model function to the experimental data obtained from XRD analysis and then the Rietveld algorithm is used in order to optimize the model function to estimate the true intensity values. Our simulated intensities are in good agreement with the experimental peaks, therefore, all structural parameters such as crystallite size and lattice constant are achieved through this simulation. Magnetic analysis reveals that the synthesized functionalized NPs have a saturation magnetization almost equal to that of pure nanoparticles (PNPs). It is also found that the presence of the turmeric causes a small reduction in coercivity of the functionalized NPs in comparison with PNP. Our TGA and FTIR results show that the turmeric is bonded very well to the surface of the NPs. So it can be inferred that a nancomposite (NC) powder of turmeric and nanoparticles is produced. As an application, the anti-arsenic characteristic of turmeric makes the synthesized functionalized NPs or NC powder a good candidate for arsenic removal from polluted industrial waste water. (paper)

  14. Pressure-Dependent Electronic and Transport Properties of Bulk Platinum Oxide by Density Functional Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kansara, Shivam; Gupta, Sanjeev K.; Sonvane, Yogesh; Nekrasov, Kirill A.; Kichigina, Natalia V.

    2018-02-01

    The structural, electronic, and vibrational properties of bulk platinum oxide (PtO) at compressive pressures in the interval from 0 GPa to 35 GPa are investigated using the density functional theory. The calculated electronic band structure of PtO shows poor metallicity at very low density of states on the Fermi level. However, the hybrid pseudopotential calculation yielded 0.78 eV and 1.30 eV direct band and indirect gap, respectively. Importantly, our results predict that PtO has a direct band gap within the framework of HSE06, and it prefers equally zero magnetic order at different pressures. In the Raman spectra, peaks are slightly shifted towards higher frequency with the decrease in pressure. We have also calculated the thermoelectric properties, namely the electronic thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, with respect to temperature and thermodynamic properties such as entropy, specific heat at constant volume, enthalpy and Gibbs free energy with respect to pressure. The result shows that PtO is a promising candidate for use as a catalyst, in sensors, as a photo-cathode in water electrolysis, for thermal decomposition of inorganic salt and fuel cells.

  15. Structural and photoluminescence properties of ZrO2:Eu3+ SiO2 nanophosphors as a function of annealing temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parma, Alvise; Freris, Isidora; Riello, Pietro; Enrichi, Francesco; Cristofori, Davide; Benedetti, Alvise

    2010-01-01

    The synthesis, morphology and luminescence properties of two systems comprising luminescent Eu 3+ -doped zirconium oxide nanocrystals embedded in an amorphous silica matrix are reported. The two systems, prepared with the same overall wt% composition of silica (75%) and Eu x Zr (1-x) O (2-x/2) solid solution (25%), have been annealed in the range 135-1000 o C and subsequently functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. Detailed X-ray diffraction analyses and transmission electron micrographs, combined with infrared spectroscopy and luminescence spectroscopy data, have been used to demonstrate the influence of annealing temperature on the: (i) nanostructure, (ii) luminescence properties and (iii) availability of superficial -OH groups for efficient surface functionalization. The optimum calcination temperature was found to be 700 o C for each series in terms of luminescence lifetime efficiency and post-functionalization efficiency with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane.

  16. Electron dynamics and optical properties modulation of monolayer MoS{sub 2} by femtosecond laser pulse: a simulation using time-dependent density functional theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Su, Xiaoxing; Jiang, Lan [Beijing Institute of Technology, Laser Micro/Nano Fabrication Laboratory, School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing (China); Wang, Feng [Beijing Institute of Technology, School of Physics, Beijing (China); Su, Gaoshi [Beijing Institute of Technology, School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing (China); Qu, Liangti [Beijing Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cluster Science, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beijing (China); Lu, Yongfeng [University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Electrical Engineering, Lincoln, NE (United States)

    2017-07-15

    In this study, we adopted time-dependent density functional theory to investigate the optical properties of monolayer MoS{sub 2} and the effect of intense few-cycle femtosecond laser pulses on these properties. The electron dynamics of monolayer MoS{sub 2} under few-cycle and multi-cycle laser irradiation were described. The polarization direction of the laser had a marked effect on the energy absorption and electronic excitation of monolayer MoS{sub 2} because of anisotropy. Change in the polarization direction of few-cycle pulse changed the absorbed energy by a factor over 4000. Few-cycle pulse showed a higher sensitivity to the electronic property of material than multi-cycle pulse. The modulation of the dielectric properties of the material was observed on the femtosecond time scale. The negative divergence appeared in the real part of the function at low frequencies and photoinduced blue shift occurred due to Burstein-Moss effect. The irradiation of femtosecond laser caused the dielectric response within the infrared region and introduced anisotropy to the in-plane optical properties. Laser-based engineering of optical properties through controlling transient electron dynamics expands the functionality of MoS{sub 2} and has potential applications in direction-dependent optoelectronic devices. (orig.)

  17. Power and limitation of soil properties as predictors of rangeland health and ecosystem functioning in a Northern mixed-grass prairie[Abstract

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soil properties are thought to affect rangeland ecosystem functioning (e.g. primary productivity, hydrology), and thus soil variables that are consistently correlated with key ecosystem functions may be general indicators of rangeland health. We summarize results from several studies in mixed-grass...

  18. The basic properties of Bloch functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph A. Cima

    1979-01-01

    Full Text Available A Bloch function f(z is an analytic function on the unit disc whose derivative grows no faster than a constant times the reciprocal of the distance from z to ∂. We reprove here the basic analytic facts concerning Bloch functions. We establish the Banach space structure and collect facts concerning the geometry of the space. We indicate duality relationships, and known isomorphic correspondences are given. We give a rather complete list of references for further study in the case of several variables.

  19. An analytical longitudinal dielectric function of primitive electrolyte solutions and its application in predicting thermodynamic properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao, Tiejun

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, the longitudinal dielectric function ϵ_l(k) of primitive electrolyte solutions is discussed. Starting from a modified mean spherical approximation, an analytical dielectric function in terms of two parameters is established. These two parameters can be related to the first two decay parameters k_1_,_2 of the dielectric response modes of the bulk system, and can be determined using constraints of k_1_,_2 from statistical theories. Furthermore, a combination of this dielectric function and the molecular Debye-Hückel theory[J. Chem. Phys. 135(2011)104104] leads to a self-consistent mean filed description of electrolyte solutions. Our theory reveals a relationship between the microscopic structure parameters of electrolyte solutions and the macroscopic thermodynamic properties, which is applied to concentrated electrolyte solutions.

  20. Effect of fatty acids on functional properties of normal wheat and waxy wheat starches: A structural basis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shujun; Wang, Jinrong; Yu, Jinglin; Wang, Shuo

    2016-01-01

    The effects of three saturated fatty acids on functional properties of normal wheat and waxy wheat starches were investigated. The complexing index (CI) of normal wheat starch-fatty acid complexes decreased with increasing carbon chain length. In contrast, waxy wheat starch-fatty acid complexes presented much lower CI. V-type crystalline polymorphs were formed between normal wheat starch and three fatty acids, with shorter chain fatty acids producing more crystalline structure. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy presented the similar results with XRD. The formation of amylose-fatty acid complex inhibited granule swelling, gelatinization progression, retrogradation and pasting development of normal wheat starch, with longer chain fatty acids showing greater inhibition. Amylopectin can also form complexes with fatty acids, but the amount of complex was too little to be detected by XRD, FTIR, Raman and DSC. As a consequence, small changes were observed in the functional properties of waxy wheat starch with the addition of fatty acids. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Nitrile functionalized halloysite nanotubes/poly(arylene ether nitrile) nanocomposites: Interface control, characterization, and improved properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wan, Xinyi; Zhan, Yingqing; Zeng, Guangyong; He, Yi

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Novel nitrile functionalized HNTs were realized through the covalent bonding. • Then modified HNTs showed good dispersion and interfacial adhesion with PEN. • The modified HNTs exhibited excellent reinforcement effect on PEN. • The chemical crosslinking between HNTs and PEN further enhanced the performance of nanocomposites. - Abstract: To develop high-performance halloysite nanotube (HNT)-based nanocomposites, the two key issues need to be considered: precise interface control and the dispersal of HNTs. This study presents an efficient way to functionalize halloysite nanotubes with 3-aminophenoxy-phthalonitrile, followed by compounding with poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN), to prepare functional nanocomposite films. The surface functionalization of HNTs was characterized and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Compared with neat PEN, the tensile strength and modulus of the resulting PEN nanocomposites with 3 wt% functionalized HNTs were found to increase by 25.7% and 20.7%, respectively. The good dispersion and high capacitance of the dielectric layer resulted in PEN/HNTs nancomposites with enhanced dielectric permittivity and relatively low dielectric loss. Moreover, the addition of functional HNTs greatly improved the thermal stability of PEN, which could be further enhanced through the chemical cross-linking reaction between the functional HNTs and the PEN matrix. This work provides a new path toward obtaining advanced polymer-based nanocomposites with functional properties.

  2. Nitrile functionalized halloysite nanotubes/poly(arylene ether nitrile) nanocomposites: Interface control, characterization, and improved properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wan, Xinyi [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, 8 Xindu Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500 (China); Zhan, Yingqing, E-mail: 201599010032@swpu.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, 8 Xindu Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500 (China); Oil & Gas Field Applied Chemistry Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, 610500 (China); Zeng, Guangyong [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, 8 Xindu Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500 (China); He, Yi, E-mail: heyi007@163.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, 8 Xindu Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500 (China); Oil & Gas Field Applied Chemistry Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, 610500 (China); State Key Lab of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, 8Xindu Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610500 (China)

    2017-01-30

    Highlights: • Novel nitrile functionalized HNTs were realized through the covalent bonding. • Then modified HNTs showed good dispersion and interfacial adhesion with PEN. • The modified HNTs exhibited excellent reinforcement effect on PEN. • The chemical crosslinking between HNTs and PEN further enhanced the performance of nanocomposites. - Abstract: To develop high-performance halloysite nanotube (HNT)-based nanocomposites, the two key issues need to be considered: precise interface control and the dispersal of HNTs. This study presents an efficient way to functionalize halloysite nanotubes with 3-aminophenoxy-phthalonitrile, followed by compounding with poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN), to prepare functional nanocomposite films. The surface functionalization of HNTs was characterized and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Compared with neat PEN, the tensile strength and modulus of the resulting PEN nanocomposites with 3 wt% functionalized HNTs were found to increase by 25.7% and 20.7%, respectively. The good dispersion and high capacitance of the dielectric layer resulted in PEN/HNTs nancomposites with enhanced dielectric permittivity and relatively low dielectric loss. Moreover, the addition of functional HNTs greatly improved the thermal stability of PEN, which could be further enhanced through the chemical cross-linking reaction between the functional HNTs and the PEN matrix. This work provides a new path toward obtaining advanced polymer-based nanocomposites with functional properties.

  3. Research Note:Determination of soil hydraulic properties using pedotransfer functions in a semi-arid basin, Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Tombul

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Spatial and temporal variations in soil hydraulic properties such as soil moisture q(h and hydraulic conductivity K(q or K(h, may affect the performance of hydrological models. Moreover, the cost of determining soil hydraulic properties by field or laboratory methods makes alternative indirect methods desirable. In this paper, various pedotransfer functions (PTFs are used to estimate soil hydraulic properties for a small semi-arid basin (Kurukavak in the north-west of Turkey. The field measurements were a good fit with the retention curve derived using Rosetta SSC-BD for a loamy soil. To predict parameters to describe soil hydraulic characteristics, continuous PTFs such as Rosetta SSC-BD (Model H3 and SSC-BD-q33q1500 (Model H5 have been applied. Using soil hydraulic properties that vary in time and space, the characteristic curves for three soil types, loam, sandy clay loam and sandy loam have been developed. Spatial and temporal variations in soil moisture have been demonstrated on a plot and catchment scale for loamy soil. It is concluded that accurate site-specific measurements of the soil hydraulic characteristics are the only and probably the most promising method to progress in the future. Keywords: soil hydraulic properties, soil characteristic curves, PTFs

  4. New Caledonian crows attend to multiple functional properties of complex tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    St Clair, James J H; Rutz, Christian

    2013-11-19

    The ability to attend to the functional properties of foraging tools should affect energy-intake rates, fitness components and ultimately the evolutionary dynamics of tool-related behaviour. New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides use three distinct tool types for extractive foraging: non-hooked stick tools, hooked stick tools and tools cut from the barbed edges of Pandanus spp. leaves. The latter two types exhibit clear functional polarity, because of (respectively) a single terminal, crow-manufactured hook and natural barbs running along one edge of the leaf strip; in each case, the 'hooks' can only aid prey capture if the tool is oriented correctly by the crow during deployment. A previous experimental study of New Caledonian crows found that subjects paid little attention to the barbs of supplied (wide) pandanus tools, resulting in non-functional tool orientation during foraging. This result is puzzling, given the presumed fitness benefits of consistently orienting tools functionally in the wild. We investigated whether the lack of discrimination with respect to (wide) pandanus tool orientation also applies to hooked stick tools. We experimentally provided subjects with naturalistic replica tools in a range of orientations and found that all subjects used these tools correctly, regardless of how they had been presented. In a companion experiment, we explored the extent to which normally co-occurring tool features (terminal hook, curvature of the tool shaft and stripped bark at the hooked end) inform tool-orientation decisions, by forcing birds to deploy 'unnatural' tools, which exhibited these traits at opposite ends. Our subjects attended to at least two of the three tool features, although, as expected, the location of the hook was of paramount importance. We discuss these results in the context of earlier research and propose avenues for future work.

  5. Surface modification of carbon nanotubes using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane to improve mechanical properties of nanocomposite based polymer matrix: Experimental and Density functional theory study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamed Mashhadzadeh, A.; Fereidoon, Ab.; Ghorbanzadeh Ahangari, M.

    2017-10-01

    In current study we combined theoretical and experimental studies to evaluate the effect of functionalization and silanization on mechanical behavior of polymer-based/CNT nanocomposites. Epoxy was selected as thermoset polymer, polypropylene and poly vinyl chloride were selected as thermoplastic polymers. The whole procedure is divided to two sections . At first we applied density functional theory (DFT) to analyze the effect of functionalization on equilibrium distance and adsorption energy of unmodified, functionalized by sbnd OH group and silanized epoxy/CNT, PP/CNT and PVC/CNT nanocomposites and the results showed that functionalization increased adsorption energy and reduced the equilibrium distance in all studied nanocomposites and silanization had higher effect comparing to OH functionalizing. Then we prepared experimental samples of all mentioned nanocomposites and tested their tensile and flexural strength properties. The obtained results showed that functionalization increased the studied mechanical properties in all evaluated nanocomposites. Finally we compared the results of experimental and theoretical sections with each other and estimated a suitable agreement between these parts.

  6. Functional and antioxidant properties of protein hydrolysates obtained from white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latorres, J M; Rios, D G; Saggiomo, G; Wasielesky, W; Prentice-Hernandez, C

    2018-02-01

    Protein hydrolysates from white shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) with different degrees of hydrolysis (DH-10 and 20%) were prepared using the enzymes Alcalase 2.4 L and Protamex. The hydrolysates were evaluated for amino acid composition, solubility, foaming properties, emulsifying and antioxidant activity. All the hydrolysates showed high concentrations of Glutamic Acid, Aspartic acid, Arginine, Glycine, Lysine, Proline. It was found that the increase in the production of negatively charged amino acids was related to increase in DH. The hydrophobic amino acids were higher for hydrolysates obtained with Alcalase (10% DH) and Protamex (20% DH). The results indicated that higher degree of hydrolysis showed positive relation with the protein solubility of the hydrolysates, while negatively influenced foam and emulsification properties. The antioxidant properties presented by the white shrimp protein hydrolysates were influenced by the composition and peptides size. Hydrolysates with higher peptide chain showed the highest antioxidant power for the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and reducing power, while hydrolysates with lower peptide chain showed higher antioxidant power for 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline sulfonic acid) radical scavenging. All hydrolysates showed dose-dependent antioxidant activities. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that white shrimp is a potential source of protein hydrolysates as bioactive ingredients for the use in the formulation of functional foods as well as natural antioxidants in lipid food systems.

  7. Firm Growth Function and Extended-Gibrat’s Property

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atushi Ishikawa

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available We analytically show that the logarithmic average sales of firms first follow power-law growth and subsequently follow exponential growth, if the growth-rate distributions of the sales obey the extended-Gibrat’s property and Gibrat’s law. Here, the extended-Gibrat’s property and Gibrat’s law are statistically observed in short-term data, which denote the dependence of the growth-rate distributions on the initial values. In the derivation, we analytically show that the parameter of the extended-Gibrat’s property is identical to the power-law growth exponent and that it also decides the parameter of the exponential growth. By employing around one million bits of exhaustive sales data of Japanese firms in the ORBIS database, we confirmed our analytic results.

  8. Electronic Transport Properties of One Dimensional Zno Nanowires Studied Using Maximally-Localized Wannier Functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xu; Gu, Yousong; Wang, Xueqiang

    2012-08-01

    One dimensional ZnO NWs with different diameters and lengths have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and Maximally Localized Wannier Functions (MLWFs). It is found that ZnO NWs are direct band gap semiconductors and there exist a turn on voltage for observable current. ZnO nanowires with different diameters and lengths show distinctive turn-on voltage thresholds in I-V characteristics curves. The diameters of ZnO NWs are greatly influent the transport properties of ZnO NWs. For the ZnO NW with large diameter that has more states and higher transmission coefficients leads to narrow band gap and low turn on voltage. In the case of thinner diameters, the length of ZnO NW can effects the electron tunneling and longer supercell lead to higher turn on voltage.

  9. Change of the functional properties in polysaccharides irradiated by electron beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakaue, Kazushi; Murata, Yoshiyuki; Tada, Mikiro; Hayashi, Toru; Todoriki, Setsuko; Asai, Kazuo

    1998-01-01

    Polysaccharides widely used in the food industry were studied in terms of sterilization of bacteria by irradiation. 12 items of polysaccharides irradiated by electron beam ware investigated for bacteria count and the functional property of pH, gel strength, bloom and viscosity. This study aims to determine the sterilization effect by absorption dose and the applicability of the electron beam irradiation toward polysaccharides. Results shows that 1) Over 5kGy absorption dose are enough to be able to sterilize bacteria in the polysaccharide themselves. 2) We reconfirm that Arabic gum will be applicable for the electron beam irradiation, which has been used in some foreign countries. 3) Electron beam irradiation will be useful for Gellan gum b (acetyl type), as gelling agents in the food application. (author)

  10. Ion transport properties of mechanically stable symmetric ABCBA pentablock copolymers with quaternary ammonium functionalized midblock

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ertem, S. Piril [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Caire, Benjamin R. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado 80401; Tsai, Tsung-Han [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Zeng, Di [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Vandiver, Melissa A. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado 80401; Kusoglu, Ahmet [Energy Conversion Group, Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley California 94720; Seifert, Soenke [Energy Conversion Group, Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley California 94720; Hayward, Ryan C. [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Weber, Adam Z. [Energy Conversion Group, Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley California 94720; Herring, Andrew M. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado 80401; Coughlin, E. Bryan [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Liberatore, Matthew W. [Department of Chemical Engineering Department, University of Toledo, 2801 W Bancroft Street MS305 Toledo Ohio 43606

    2017-02-07

    Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are a promising class of materials for applications that require selective ion transport, such as fuel cells, water purification, and electrolysis devices. Studies of structure–morphology–property relationships of ion-exchange membranes revealed that block copolymers exhibit improved ion conductivity and mechanical properties due to their microphase-separated morphologies with well-defined ionic domains. While most studies focused on symmetric diblock or triblock copolymers, here, the first example of a midblock quaternized pentablock AEM is presented. A symmetric ABCBA pentablock copolymer was functionalized to obtain a midblock brominated polymer. Solution cast films were then quaternized to obtain AEMs with resulting ion exchange capacities (IEC) ranging from 0.4 to 0.9 mmol/g. Despite the relatively low IEC, the polymers were highly conductive (up to 60 mS/cm Br2 at 90 8C and 95%RH) with low water absorption (<25 wt %) and maintained adequate mechanical properties in both dry and hydrated conditions. Xray scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed formation of cylindrical non-ionic domains in a connected ionic phase.

  11. Chemical and functional properties of cell wall polymers from two cherry varieties at two developmental stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basanta, María F; de Escalada Plá, Marina F; Stortz, Carlos A; Rojas, Ana M

    2013-01-30

    The cell wall polysaccharides of Regina and Sunburst cherry varieties at two developmental stages were extracted sequentially, and their changes in monosaccharide composition and functional properties were studied. The loosely-attached pectins presented a lower d-galacturonic acid/rhamnose ratio than ionically-bound pectins, as well as lower thickening effects of their respective 2% aqueous solution: the lowest Newtonian viscosity and shear rate dependence during the pseudoplastic phase. The main constituents of the cell wall matrix were covalently bound pectins (probably through diferulate cross-linkings), with long arabinan side chains at the RG-I cores. This pectin domain was also anchored into the XG-cellulose elastic network. Ripening occurred with a decrease in the proportion of HGs, water extractable GGM and xylogalacturonan, and with a concomitant increase in neutral sugars. Ripening was also associated with higher viscosities and thickening effects, and to larger distribution of molecular weights. The highest firmness and compactness of Regina cherry may be associated with its higher proportion of calcium-bound HGs localized in the middle lamellae of cell walls, as well as to some higher molar proportion of NS (Rha and Ara) in covalently bound pectins. These pectins showed significantly better hydration properties than hemicellulose and cellulose network. Chemical composition and functional properties of cell wall polymers were dependent on cherry variety and ripening stage, and helped explain the contrasting firmness of Regina and Sunburst varieties. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Flour from the Wild Edible Mushroom Termitomyces heimii Natarajan Harvested in Côte d’Ivoire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edmond Ahipo Due

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In Sub-Saharan Africa, especially, in Côte d’Ivoire, the wild edible mushroom Termitomyces heimii Natarajan is the most prized and widely consumed for different reasons such as taste, flavour, attractiveness, uses as substitutes for meat or fish and medicinal values. The present study was aimed at evaluating the proximate composition and functional properties of T. heimii flour for further food products formulation. Fresh mushroom T. heimii were obtained from the market of Aboisso (5° 28′ 06″ N and3° 12′ 25″ W in Côte d’Ivoire. The fresh mushrooms were dried and ground to obtain the crude flour. Chemical composition and functional properties were investigated using standard methods. The chemical composition revealed that it contains crude protein about 23.75%, crude fat 3.58%, moisture 11.59 %, ash 7.40%, total carbohydrate 54.70% and energy value of 345.90 kcal/ 100 g. These results suggest that T. heimii can be used in human diet to prevent undernourishment due to protein. Furthermore, the low fat content suggest that it would be an ideal food for obese persons and useful in preventing hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. The functional properties showed that it has high bulk density and water absorption capacity with values of 0.737 g/mL and 315.15 ± 45.74% respectively. This flour exhibited also good foaming properties. All these characteristics make it suitable as good thickeners in food products, useful in foods such as bakery products which require hydration and attractive for products like cakes or whipping topping where foaming is important. The mushroom T. heimii could be utilized for making some low-fat foodstuffs and snacks with considerable protein content. The mushroom flour shows good functional characteristics for use in many food industries.

  13. Structural and Electronic Properties of α2-Graphyne Nanotubes: A Density Functional Theory Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majidi, Roya

    2018-02-01

    Another form of carbon-based two-dimensional material in the graphene family, named the α2-graphyne sheet, was predicted very recently. The α2-graphyne sheet was created by doubling each acetylenic linker in an α-graphyne sheet. It exhibited semimetallic Dirac point features similar to graphene and α-graphyne sheets. In the present work, single -walled carbon nanotubes based on an α2-graphyne sheet was introduced. The structural and electronic properties of these nanotubes were studied using density functional theory. It was found that armchair α2-graphyne nanotubes showed metallic behavior, while zigzag α2-graphyne nanotubes were found to have semiconducting or metallic properties depending on tube size. The energy band gap of zigzag α2-graphyne nanotubes decreased with increasing tube diameter. The results indicated that the α2-graphyne sheet and its nanotubes can be proper materials for future nanoelectronics.

  14. Comparing the effects of sucrose and glucose on functional properties of pregelatinized maize starch.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedayati, Sara; Shahidi, Fakhri; Koocheki, Arash; Farahnaky, Asgar; Majzoobi, Mahsa

    2016-07-01

    Pregelatinized (PG) starches are extensively used in food products which are processed at low temperature, to increase viscosity and offer a desirable texture. The functional properties of PG starch can be influenced by other constituents used in food matrices. Therefore the main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of sucrose and glucose (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% of dry starch weight basis) as two common sweeteners on drum dried pregelatinized maize starch. Samples were characterized by light microscopy, water absorption, syneresis, cold paste viscosity, texture and turbidity measurements. The results indicated that the amount of leached glucose chains to the aqueous phase, water absorption, viscosity and mechanical properties increased when increasing the sugar concentration while, syneresis and turbidity decreased. However, these effects were more obvious in samples containing sucrose than those with glucose. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the functional and rheological properties of the protein fraction extracted from pine nuts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Baiying; Fang, Li; Liu, Chunlei; Min, Weihong; Liu, Jingsheng

    2018-01-01

    High hydrostatic pressure treatments could increase the protein solubility (200 MPa), water holding capacity (400 MPa), and oil holding capacity (400 MPa) of pine nuts protein fractions, respectively. The exposed sufhydryl content for albumin was highest at 100 MPa while for other fractions it was 400 MPa, contrary for total sufhydryl content-generally it was at 100 MPa, except glutelin (400 MPa). Pine nuts protein fractions demonstrated the typical behavior of weak gels (G' > G″). After the treatments of high hydrostatic pressure the specific surface area of pine nuts protein particle was increased upon pressure, and the surface of protein became rough which increased the particle size. The functional groups of protein were found to be unchanged, but the characteristic peaks of pine nuts protein moved to a low-band displacement and the value of peaks was amplified accordingly to the pressure. The high hydrostatic pressure treatments were found to improve the functional properties of pine nuts protein isolates by enhancing the heat-induced gel strength of pine nuts protein isolates which make proteins more stretchable. These results suggest that high hydrostatic pressure treatments can increase the functional properties and alter the rheological properties of pine nuts protein fractions which will broaden its applications in food industry.

  16. Porous organic polymers with anchored aldehydes: A new platform for post-synthetic amine functionalization en route for enhanced CO2 adsorption properties

    KAUST Repository

    Guillerm, Vincent; Weselinski, Lukasz Jan; Al Kordi, Mohamed; Haja Mohideen, Mohamed Infas; Belmabkhout, Youssef; Cairns, Amy; Eddaoudi, Mohamed

    2014-01-01

    A novel porous organic polymer has been synthesized using the molecular building block approach to deliberately encompass aldehyde functionalities amenable to post functionalization. The resultant porous framework allows a facile, one-step quantitative and post-synthetic functionalization by amines, permitting enhanced CO2 sorption properties. © 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  17. A semi-supervised learning approach to predict synthetic genetic interactions by combining functional and topological properties of functional gene network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han Kyungsook

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Genetic interaction profiles are highly informative and helpful for understanding the functional linkages between genes, and therefore have been extensively exploited for annotating gene functions and dissecting specific pathway structures. However, our understanding is rather limited to the relationship between double concurrent perturbation and various higher level phenotypic changes, e.g. those in cells, tissues or organs. Modifier screens, such as synthetic genetic arrays (SGA can help us to understand the phenotype caused by combined gene mutations. Unfortunately, exhaustive tests on all possible combined mutations in any genome are vulnerable to combinatorial explosion and are infeasible either technically or financially. Therefore, an accurate computational approach to predict genetic interaction is highly desirable, and such methods have the potential of alleviating the bottleneck on experiment design. Results In this work, we introduce a computational systems biology approach for the accurate prediction of pairwise synthetic genetic interactions (SGI. First, a high-coverage and high-precision functional gene network (FGN is constructed by integrating protein-protein interaction (PPI, protein complex and gene expression data; then, a graph-based semi-supervised learning (SSL classifier is utilized to identify SGI, where the topological properties of protein pairs in weighted FGN is used as input features of the classifier. We compare the proposed SSL method with the state-of-the-art supervised classifier, the support vector machines (SVM, on a benchmark dataset in S. cerevisiae to validate our method's ability to distinguish synthetic genetic interactions from non-interaction gene pairs. Experimental results show that the proposed method can accurately predict genetic interactions in S. cerevisiae (with a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 91%. Noticeably, the SSL method is more efficient than SVM, especially for

  18. Novel Beverages of Yerba-Mate and Soy: Bioactive Compounds and Functional Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cátia Nara Tobaldini Frizon

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, two high-nutrition commodities that are produced in great amounts in Brazil were joined in a single functional product. Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis is rich in bioactive compounds, while soybean is a high-quality protein source. The objective of this paper was to assess the psychochemical characteristics of two yerba-mate progenies (planted–PL and native–NT leaves and then confirm whether the functional and nutritional properties of the main ingredients were conveyed to the beverage produced. The main raw material, yerba-mate leaves, and the drinks were assessed for bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, physicochemical properties, and nutritional value. Planted leaves showed higher concentration of 5-CQA, caffeic acid and rutin than the native plant, whereas caffeine and theobromine were detected in larger amounts in native leaves. The nutritional profile of the drinks was compared to commercial beverages–either yerba-mate-based or soy-based. They indeed provide more protein, fiber, and fats than traditional yerba-mate beverages (chimarrão, tererê, and mate tea. Soy drinks currently marketed, for their turn, have similar caloric value and higher contents of lipid and protein as compared to our product, but are poor in fibers. NT drink (DPPH—IC50 92.83 and ABTS—8.18 μM Trolox/mL had higher antioxidant activity than PL (IC50 147.06 and 5.63 μM Trolox/mL due to the greater volume fraction of yerba-mate extract. NT beverage has more 5-CQA and caffeine in the same intake of tererê and traditional mate tea. This healthy beverage contributes to an increasing income to the food industry and yerba-mate producers, and environmental gains that are related to the exploration of natural resources.

  19. Properties of short-range and long-range correlation energy density functionals from electron-electron coalescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gori-Giorgi, Paola; Savin, Andreas

    2006-01-01

    The combination of density-functional theory with other approaches to the many-electron problem through the separation of the electron-electron interaction into a short-range and a long-range contribution is a promising method, which is raising more and more interest in recent years. In this work some properties of the corresponding correlation energy functionals are derived by studying the electron-electron coalescence condition for a modified (long-range-only) interaction. A general relation for the on-top (zero electron-electron distance) pair density is derived, and its usefulness is discussed with some examples. For the special case of the uniform electron gas, a simple parametrization of the on-top pair density for a long-range only interaction is presented and supported by calculations within the ''extended Overhauser model.'' The results of this work can be used to build self-interaction corrected short-range correlation energy functionals

  20. Articulations on form properties and action-function couplings of maker technologies in children’s education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Kasper Skov; Iversen, Ole Sejer

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we present a framework to expand the design language used to articulate form properties and types of feedback that happen between children’s actions and the intended functionality of maker technologies. Based on field observations in Danish schools we analyze children’s (aged 11......-14 years old) interactions with three maker technologies used to work through design processes in school maker settings. Our findings are beneficial on three factors for designers, researchers and teachers involved in work within maker contexts. (1) reflections on form properties of maker technologies, (2....... Researchers can use the expanded design language to analyze maker technologies in the context of school maker settings. Finally, teachers can make better decisions on how and when to use different maker technologies when school children work through design processes....

  1. Towards the improvement of spin-isospin properties in nuclear energy density functionals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roca-Maza, X.; Colò, G.; Liang, H. Z.; Sagawa, H.; Meng, J.; Ring, P.; Zhao, P. W.

    2016-01-01

    We address the problem of improving existing nuclear Energy Density Functionals (EDFs) in the spin-isospin channel. For that, we propose two different ways. The first one is to carefully take into account in the fitting protocol some of the key ground state properties for an accurate description of the most studied spin-isospin resonances: the Gamow-Teller Resonance (GTR) [1]. The second consists in providing a strategy to build local covariant EDF keeping the main features from their non-local counterparts [2]. The RHF model based on a Lagrangian where heavy mesons carry the nuclear effective interaction have been shown to be successful in the description of spin-isospin resonances [3]. (paper)

  2. Structural and magnetic properties of turmeric functionalized CoFe2O4 nanocomposite powder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehran, E.; Farjami Shayesteh, S.; Sheykhan, M.

    2016-10-01

    The structural and magnetic properties of the synthesized pure and functionalized CoFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are studied by analyzing the results from the x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry (TG), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). To extract the structure and lattice parameters from the XRD analysis results, we first apply the pseudo-Voigt model function to the experimental data obtained from XRD analysis and then the Rietveld algorithm is used in order to optimize the model function to estimate the true intensity values. Our simulated intensities are in good agreement with the experimental peaks, therefore, all structural parameters such as crystallite size and lattice constant are achieved through this simulation. Magnetic analysis reveals that the synthesized functionalized NPs have a saturation magnetization almost equal to that of pure nanoparticles (PNPs). It is also found that the presence of the turmeric causes a small reduction in coercivity of the functionalized NPs in comparison with PNP. Our TGA and FTIR results show that the turmeric is bonded very well to the surface of the NPs. So it can be inferred that a nancomposite (NC) powder of turmeric and nanoparticles is produced. As an application, the anti-arsenic characteristic of turmeric makes the synthesized functionalized NPs or NC powder a good candidate for arsenic removal from polluted industrial waste water. Project supported by the University of Guilan and the Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council.

  3. Green's functions for theories with massless particles (in perturbation theory). [Growth properties, momentum space, mass renormalization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blanchard, P [European Organization for Nuclear Research, Geneva (Switzerland); Seneor, R [European Organization for Nuclear Research, Geneva (Switzerland); Ecole Polytechnique, 75 - Paris (France). Centre de Physique Theorique)

    1975-01-01

    With the method of perturbative renormalization developed by Epstein and Glaser it is shown that Green's functions exist for theories with massless particles such as Q.E.D. and lambda:PHI/sup 2n/ theories. Growth properties are given in momentum space. In the case of Q.E.D., it is also shown that one can perform the physical mass renormalization.

  4. Energy effects on the structure and thermodynamic properties of nanoconfined fluids (a density functional theory study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keshavarzi, Ezat; Kamalvand, Mohammad

    2009-04-23

    The structure and properties of fluids confined in nanopores may show a dramatic departure from macroscopic bulk fluids. The main reason for this difference lies in the influence of system walls. In addition to the entropic wall effect, system walls can significantly change the energy of the confined fluid compared to macroscopic bulk fluids. The energy effect of the walls on a nanoconfined fluid appears in two forms. The first effect is the cutting off of the intermolecular interactions by the walls, which appears for example in the integrals for calculation of the thermodynamic properties. The second wall effect involves the wall-molecule interactions. In such confined fluids, the introduction of wall forces and the competition between fluid-wall and fluid-fluid forces could lead to interesting thermodynamic properties, including new kinds of phase transitions not observed in the macroscopic fluid systems. In this article, we use the perturbative fundamental measure density functional theory to study energy effects on the structure and properties of a hard core two-Yukawa fluid confined in a nanoslit. Our results show the changes undergone by the structure and phase transition of the nanoconfined fluids as a result of energy effects.

  5. DFT calculations of electronic and optical properties of SrS with LDA, GGA and mGGA functionals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharma, Shatendra, E-mail: shatendra@gmai.com [University Science Instrumentation Centre, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067 (India); Sharma, Jyotsna [School of Basic & Applied Sciences, K. R. Mangalam University, Sohna Road, Gurgaon-122103 (India); Sharma, Yogita [Department of Applied Sciences, KIIT, Sohna Road, Gurgaon-122103 (India)

    2016-05-06

    The theoretical investigations of electronic and optical properties of SrS are made using the first principle DFT calculations. The calculations are performed for the local-density approximation (LDA), generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and for an alternative form of GGA i.e. metaGGA for both rock salt type (B1, Fm3m) and cesium chloride (B2, Pm3m) structures. The band structure, density of states and optical spectra are calculated under various available functional. The calculations with LDA and GGA functional underestimate the values of band gaps with all functional, however the values with mGGA show reasonably good agreement with experimental and those calculated by using other methods.

  6. [Functional properties of taste bud cells. Mechanisms of afferent neurotransmission in Type II taste receptor cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanov, R A

    2013-01-01

    Taste Bud cells are heterogeneous in their morphology and functionality. These cells are responsible for sensing a wide variety of substances and for associating detected compounds with a different taste: bitter, sweet, salty, sour and umami. Today we know that each of the five basic tastes corresponds to distinct cell populations organized into three basic morpho-functional cell types. In addition, some receptor cells of the taste bud demonstrate glia-related functions. In this article we expand on some properties of these three morphological receptor cell types. Main focus is devoted to the Type II cells and unusual mechanism for afferent neurotransmission in these cells. Taste cells of the Type II consist of three populations detecting bitter, sweet and umami tastes, and, thus, evoke a serious scientific interest.

  7. Enhanced Microbial, Functional and Sensory Properties of Herbal Yogurt Fermented with Korean Traditional Plant Extracts

    OpenAIRE

    Joung, Jae Yeon; Lee, Ji Young; Ha, Young Sik; Shin, Yong Kook; Kim, Younghoon; Kim, Sae Hun; Oh, Nam Su

    2016-01-01

    This study evaluated the effects of two Korean traditional plant extracts (Diospyros kaki THUNB. leaf; DK, and Nelumbo nucifera leaf; NN) on the fermentation, functional and sensory properties of herbal yogurts. Compared to control fermentation, all plant extracts increased acidification rate and reduced the time to complete fermentation (pH 4.5). Supplementation of plant extracts and storage time were found to influence the characteristics of the yogurts, contributing to increased viability ...

  8. DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN’S FUNCTION APPROACH CONSIDERING TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENT MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND ITS APPLICATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HAN-OK KO

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available About 40% of reactors in the world are being operated beyond design life or are approaching the end of their life cycle. During long-term operation, various degradation mechanisms occur. Fatigue caused by alternating operational stresses in terms of temperature or pressure change is an important damage mechanism in continued operation of nuclear power plants. To monitor the fatigue damage of components, Fatigue Monitoring System (FMS has been installed. Most FMSs have used Green's Function Approach (GFA to calculate the thermal stresses rapidly. However, if temperature-dependent material properties are used in a detailed FEM, there is a maximum peak stress discrepancy between a conventional GFA and a detailed FEM because constant material properties are used in a conventional method. Therefore, if a conventional method is used in the fatigue evaluation, thermal stresses for various operating cycles may be calculated incorrectly and it may lead to an unreliable estimation. So, in this paper, the modified GFA which can consider temperature-dependent material properties is proposed by using an artificial neural network and weight factor. To verify the proposed method, thermal stresses by the new method are compared with those by FEM. Finally, pros and cons of the new method as well as technical findings from the assessment are discussed.

  9. First-principles study of structural and work function properties for nitrogen-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shao, Xiji; Li, Detian; Cai, Jianqiu; Luo, Haijun; Dong, Changkun

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Substitutional nitrogen atom doping in capped (5, 5) SWNT is investigated. • Serious defects appear from breaks of C−N bonds with N contents of above 23.3 at.%. • Work function drops after N doping and may reach 4.1 eV. - Abstract: The structural and electronic properties of the capped (5, 5) single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT), including the structural stability, the work function, and the charge transfer performance, are investigated for the substitutional nitrogen atom doping under different concentrations by first-principles density functional theory. The geometrical structure keeps almost intact with single or two N atom doping, while C−N bonds may break up with serious defects for N concentrations of 23.3 at.% and above. The SWNT remains metallic and the work function drops after doping due to the upward shift of Fermi level, leading to the increase of the electrical conductivity. N doping enhances the oxygen reduction activity stronger than N adsorption because of higher charge transfers.

  10. Characterization of Epoxy Functionalized Graphite Nanoparticles and the Physical Properties of Epoxy Matrix Nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Sandi G.; Bauer, Jonathan L.; Maryanski, Michael J.; Heimann, Paula J.; Barlow, Jeremy P.; Gosau, Jan-Michael; Allred, Ronald E.

    2010-01-01

    This work presents a novel approach to the functionalization of graphite nanoparticles. The technique provides a mechanism for covalent bonding between the filler and matrix, with minimal disruption to the sp2 hybridization of the pristine graphene sheet. Functionalization proceeded by covalently bonding an epoxy monomer to the surface of expanded graphite, via a coupling agent, such that the epoxy concentration was measured as approximately 4 wt.%. The impact of dispersing this material into an epoxy resin was evaluated with respect to the mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of the graphite-epoxy nanocomposite. At a loading as low as 0.5 wt.%, the electrical conductivity was increased by five orders of magnitude relative to the base resin. The material yield strength was increased by 30% and Young s modulus by 50%. These results were realized without compromise to the resin toughness.

  11. Density functional theory study of structural and electronic properties of trans and cis structures of thiothixene as a nano-drug.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noori Tahneh, Akram; Bagheri Novir, Samaneh; Balali, Ebrahim

    2017-11-25

    The geometrical structure, electronic and optical properties, electronic absorption spectra, vibrational frequencies, natural charge distribution, MEP analysis and thermodynamic properties of the trans and cis structures of the drug thiothixene were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) methods with the B3LYP hybrid functional and 6-311 + G(d,p) basis set. The results of the calculations demonstrate that the cis structure of thiothixene has appropriate quantum properties that can act as an active medicine. The relative energies of trans and cis structures of thiothixene shows that the cis structure is more stable than the trans structure, with a small energy difference. TDDFT calculations show that the cis structure of thiothixene has the best absorption properties. The calculated NLO properties show that the NLO properties of the cis structure of thiothixene are higher than the trans structure, and the fact that the chemical hardness of the cis structure is lower than that of the trans structure that indicates that the reactivity and charge transfer of the cis isomer of thiothixene is higher than that of trans thiothixene. The molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) maps of both structures of thiothixene demonstrate that the oxygen atoms of the molecule are appropriate areas for electrophilic reactions. The vibrational frequencies of the two conformations of thiothixene demonstrate that both structures of thiothixene have almost similar modes of vibrations. The calculated thermodynamic parameters show that these quantities increase with enhancing temperature due to the enhancement of molecular vibrational intensities with temperature. Graphical abstract Trans/Cis isomerization of thiothixene drug.

  12. Measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in hip and knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dobson, F.; Hinman, R.S.; Leverstein-van Hall, M.A.; Terwee, C.B.; Roos, E.M.; Bennell, K.L.

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: To systematically review the measurement properties of performance-based measures to assess physical function in people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Electronic searches were performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO up to the end of June 2012. Two reviewers

  13. Milk whey protein modification by coffee-specific phenolics: effect on structural and functional properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Mostafa; Homann, Thomas; Khalil, Mahmoud; Kruse, Hans-Peter; Rawel, Harshadrai

    2013-07-17

    A suitable vehicle for integration of bioactive plant constituents is proposed. It involves modification of proteins using phenolics and applying these for protection of labile constituents. It dissects the noncovalent and covalent interactions of β-lactoglobulin with coffee-specific phenolics. Alkaline and polyphenol oxidase modulated covalent reactions were compared. Tryptic digestion combined with MALDI-TOF-MS provided tentative allocation of the modification type and site in the protein, and an in silico modeling of modified β-lactoglobulin is proposed. The modification delivers proteins with enhanced antioxidative properties. Changed structural properties and differences in solubility, surface hydrophobicity, and emulsification were observed. The polyphenol oxidase modulated reaction provides a modified β-lactoglobulin with a high antioxidative power, is thermally more stable, requires less energy to unfold, and, when emulsified with lutein esters, exhibits their higher stability against UV light. Thus, adaptation of this modification provides an innovative approach for functionalizing proteins and their uses in the food industry.

  14. Electronic structure and physical properties of ScN in pressure: density-functional theory calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guan Pengfei; Wang Chongyu; Yu Tao

    2008-01-01

    Local density functional is investigated by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method for ScN in the hexagonal structure and the rocksalt structure and for hexagonal structures linking a layered hexagonal phase with wurtzite structure along a homogeneous strain transition path. It is found that the wurtzite ScN is unstable and the layered hexagonal phase, labelled as h o , in which atoms are approximately fivefold coordinated, is metastable, and the rocksalt ScN is stable. The electronic structure, the physical properties of the intermediate structures and the energy band structure along the transition are presented. It is found that the band gaps change from 4.0 to 1.0 eV continuously when c/a value varies from 1.68 to 1.26. It is noticeable that the study of ScN provides an opportunity to apply this kind of material (in wurtzite[h]-derived phase). (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

  15. Some properties of contra-γ-continuous functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nasef, Arafa A.

    2005-01-01

    The notion of contra-continuity was introduced and investigated by Dontchev [Int. J. Math. Math. Sci. 19 (1996) 303]. In this paper, we apply the notion of γ-open sets in topological spaces to present and study a new class of functions called contra-γ-continuous functions which lies between classes of contra-semi-continuous functions and contra-β-continuous functions. We speculate that contra-γ-continuity may be relevant to the physics of fractal and cantorian spacetime

  16. Organic-inorganic hybrid foams with diatomite addition: Effect on functional properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verdolotti, L.; D'Auria, M.; Lavorgna, M.; Vollaro, P.; Iannace, S.; Capasso, I.; Galzerano, B.; Caputo, D.; Liguori, B.

    2016-05-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid foams were prepared by using metakaolin, diatomite as a partial (or total) replacement of metakaolin, as matrix, silicon and whipped protein as pore forming. The foamed systems were hardened at defined temperature and time and then characterized by mechanical point of view through compression tests and by functional point of view through fire reaction and acoustic tests. The experimental findings highlighted that the replacement of diatomite in the formulation affected the morphological structure of the foams and consequently their mechanical properties. In particular, the consolidation mechanism in the diatomite based-hybrid foams changed from geopolymerization to a silicate polycondensation mechanism. Therefore, mechanical performances enhanced with increasing of the diatomite content. Fire reaction tests, such as non-combustibility and cone calorimeter tests, showed positive thermal inertia of samples regardless of the content of diatomite.

  17. Determination of the chemical and functional properties of yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urban) flour for food systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckman, Evelyn S; Oduro, Ibok; Plahar, Wisdom A; Tortoe, Charles

    2018-03-01

    Many plant species that are suitable for food across the world are neglected and underutilized. In order to increase their diversified food uses and thus help enhance food and nutrition security, we studied the chemical and functional properties of Pachyrhizus erosus (yam bean), which is a neglected and underutilized legume species. The chemical properties of flour produced from the yam bean include 5.8% moisture content, 5.7% crude fat, 6.2% crude fiber, and 85% available carbohydrate, indicating appropriate shelf-stable flour, low fat, and abundant energy. The results also showed a reducing sugar content of 2.0% and 21.0% starch. Pasting temperature was 70.6°C with peak viscosity of 14.5 BU, which supports ease of cooking of the flour. The swelling power obtained was 752.9 g/100 g at 85°C with a solubility index of 54%. Water holding capacity (WHC) obtained for the flour was 363.88%, whereas swelling volume was 14.0 ml and makes the flour appropriate for the production of infant foods. The P. erosus flour therefore exhibits good functional and chemical properties that would make the flour quite suitable as a substitute for other flours in food systems.

  18. Thermodynamic and kinetic properties of hydrogen defect pairs in SrTiO3 from density functional theory

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bork, Nicolai Christian; Bonanos, Nikolaos; Rossmeisl, Jan

    2011-01-01

    A density functional theory investigation of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of hydrogen–hydrogen defect interactions in the cubic SrTiO3 perovskite is presented. We find a net attraction between two hydrogen atoms with an optimal separation of ∼2.3 Å. The energy gain is ca. 0.33 eV comp...

  19. Fermented Camel Milk (Chal: Chemical, Microbial and Functional Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Salami

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine physicochemical, microbial properties and antioxidant activity of fermented camel milk (Chal and introduce it as a functional food. The protein content of the samples was determined using Kjeldahl method and total dry matter using oven drying method. The amount of fat content with Gerber method and pH was measured using a pH meter. Antioxidant activity was also determined using 2,2’-azino-bis-(3-ethylbensothiazoline-6- sulfonic acid (ABTS method. The mineral analysis was performed with atomic absorption spectroscopy and microbial count by pour plate method. Results revealed that fat, protein content and total solid determined 5.82±0.27%, 3.07±0.073%, and 12.24±0.16%, respectively. Acidity and pH determined 80±7 °D and 4.52±0.10, respectively. When a food has calcium by itself, this calcium is bonded with the protein of food, this calcium is more effective in our body than the calcium we add to food and they have not bonded any proteins. Adequate calcium consumption may support to decrease the risk of osteoporosis in life. Calcium ranged 103.29±3.87% and phosphorus 10.25±0.1% for Chal samples, respectively. The total counts were equal 6.54±0.19 log CFUmL -1; Coliform count was determined in the ranges of 2.34±0.23 logCFUmL -1 for Chal samples. The results showed that Chal was rich in antioxidant. The antioxidant inhibitory activity of Chal was obtained 45.38%. Diets rich in antioxidants, can inhibit LDL oxidation, influence the activities of immune-competent cells and inhibit the formation of cell-to-cell adhesion factors. Therefore, Chal is introduced as a traditional functional food.

  20. Photon wave function

    OpenAIRE

    Bialynicki-Birula, Iwo

    2005-01-01

    Photon wave function is a controversial concept. Controversies stem from the fact that photon wave functions can not have all the properties of the Schroedinger wave functions of nonrelativistic wave mechanics. Insistence on those properties that, owing to peculiarities of photon dynamics, cannot be rendered, led some physicists to the extreme opinion that the photon wave function does not exist. I reject such a fundamentalist point of view in favor of a more pragmatic approach. In my view, t...

  1. Measurement properties of existing clinical assessment methods evaluating scapular positioning and function. A systematic review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Camilla Marie; Juul-Kristensen, Birgit; Lund, Hans

    %), with only one study rated as ‘good’. The reliability domain was most often investigated. Fewof the assessment methods in the included studies that had ‘fair’ or ‘good’ measurement properties demonstrated acceptable results for both reliability and validity.ConclusionWe found a substantially larger number......ABSTRACT OARSI Measurement properties of existing clinical assessment methods evaluating scapular positioning and function. A systematic review Larsen CM1, Juul-Kristensen B1,2 Lund H1,2, Søgaard K11University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics2Institute...... assessment methods have measured the degree of scapular dyskinesis, subjectively by visual evaluation and objectively by measurements of static and dynamic scapular positioning, by either a 3-dimensional electromagnetic device or 2-dimensional clinically applicable methods. Since advanced equipment (i.e. 3D...

  2. Functional properties and dietary fiber characterization of mango processing by-products (Mangifera indica L., cv Ataulfo and Tommy Atkins).

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Magaña, María de Lourdes; García, Hugo S; Bello-Pérez, Luis A; Sáyago-Ayerdi, Sonia G; de Oca, Miguel Mata-Montes

    2013-09-01

    Several reports have focused on utilization of post-harvest residues of crops, while neglecting those residues produced by mango processing. These residues represent a waste of nutrients and a source of environmental contaminants. Such by-products could be valuable sources of dietary fiber (DF), antioxidant compounds, and single carbohydrates. The aim of this study was to evaluate some functional properties (FP), and the content of DF and polyphenols (PP) of the peel and coarse material obtained from residues during the industrial processing of Ataulfo and Tommy Atkins mangoes. The total dietary fiber (TDF) content was about 225 mg/g and 387 mg/g (dry weight) for the coarse material and the peel, respectively, from which soluble dietary fiber represented 23 and 42%, respectively. The main neutral sugar identified was rhamnose, especially in peels; the klason lignin (KL) content was 92 mg/g, which highlights the Ataulfo peel (Ataulfo-P) and the Tommy Atkins peel (Tommy Atkins-P). The extractable PP content in Ataulfo-P was higher than in Tommy-Atkins-P, and interesting data for non-extractable PP were obtained in the residues. FP as swelling, water holding, oil holding, and glucose absorption in the residues was studied, obtaining better functional properties when compared to cellulose fiber. The results show that mango industrial by-products, mainly from the Ataulfo-P variety, could be used as ingredients in food products because of their functional properties as well as their DF and PP content.

  3. Compressive properties of sandwiches with functionally graded ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    319–328. c Indian Academy of Sciences. Compressive properties ... †Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, India .... spheres) which might aid in building FG composites is not explored ... Sample code.

  4. A comparison of blood nitric oxide metabolites and hemoglobin functional properties among diving mammals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fago, Angela; Parraga, Daniel Garcia; Petersen, Elin E

    2017-01-01

    examined oxygen affinity, sensitivity to 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) and nitrite reductase activity of the hemoglobin (Hb) to search for possible adaptive variations in these functional properties. We found levels of plasma and red blood cells nitrite similar to those reported for terrestrial mammals...... in blood oxygen affinity among diving mammals likely derive from phenotypic variations in red blood cell DPG levels. The nitrite reductase activities of the Hbs were overall slightly higher than that of human Hb, with the Hb of beluga whale, capable of longest dives, having the highest activity. Taken...

  5. Synthesis and Thermophysical Properties of Ether-Functionalized Sulfonium Ionic Liquids as Potential Electrolytes for Electrochemical Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coadou, Erwan; Goodrich, Peter; Neale, Alex R; Timperman, Laure; Hardacre, Christopher; Jacquemin, Johan; Anouti, Mérièm

    2016-12-05

    During this work, a novel series of hydrophobic room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) based on five ether functionalized sulfonium cations bearing the bis{(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl}imide, [NTf 2 ] - anion were synthesized and characterized. Their physicochemical properties, such as density, viscosity and ionic conductivity, electrochemical window, along with thermal properties including phase transition behavior and decomposition temperature, have been measured. All of these ILs showed large liquid range temperature, low viscosity, and good conductivity. Additionally, by combining DFT calculations along with electrochemical characterization it appears that these novel ILs show good electrochemical stability windows, suitable for the potential application as electrolyte materials in electrochemical energy storage devices. ©2016 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

  6. The structural and electronic properties of monovalent sidewall functionalized double-walled carbon nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jalili, Seifollah; Jamali, Maryam

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► (6,0)-(13,0) DWCNT, built from (6,0) and (13,0) SWCNTs, is a metallic nanotubes. ► NH 2 /(6,0)-(13,0) and COOH/(6,0)-(13,0) is semimetal and semiconductor, respectively. ► In NH 2 /(6,0)-(13,0) electrons transferred mainly from inner tube to NH 2 group. - Abstract: The structural and electronic properties of (6,0)-(13,0) double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) and monovalent sidewall functionalized DWCNTs with –NH 2 and –COOH groups were studied using density functional theory. The results show that pure (6,0)-(13,0) DWCNTs are metallic. However, by functionalizing a DWCNT, local distortions are induced in the outer tube sidewall along the radial direction. The resulting structures, NH 2 /(6,0)-(13,0) and COOH/(6,0)-(13,0) DWCNTs, exhibit significant structural changes, and are semimetal with no energy gap and semiconducting with a small energy gap, respectively. In NH 2 /(6,0)-(13,0) DWCNTs, new electronic states are created and distributed on the outer wall and NH 2 group by electron transfer from the inner tube to the NH 2 group. In COOH/(6,0)-(13,0) DWCNTs, new states are created and distributed on the inner wall, but there is insignificant charge transfer between the inner tube and the COOH group. These results confirm that local atomic structural distortion on DWCNTs caused by sidewall functionalization can modify the electronic structures of DWCNTs.

  7. Overlap functions

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bustince, H.; Fernández, J.; Mesiar, Radko; Montero, J.; Orduna, R.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 72, 3-4 (2010), s. 1488-1499 ISSN 0362-546X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA402/08/0618 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : t-norm * Migrative property * Homogeneity property * Overlap function Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.279, year: 2010 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2009/E/mesiar-overlap functions.pdf

  8. Bioactive Components in The Meat and Their Functional Properties: A Literature Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khothibul Umam Al Awwaly

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Consumer awareness in meat and meat products is generally recognized as a good source of food, with high biological value protein, B group vitamins, minerals and minor elements like several other bioactive compounds that are beneficial to the human body. But in many cases, a processing error is affecting the bioactive compounds of functional foods and consumer impression are relatively negative to some levels of substances in meat such as fat, cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, salt and other substances, which however also involves a diseases of western society such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory, carcinogenesis, obesity, impaired immune system and accelerate the aging process. Hence there is a need for adequate information related to favorable nutritional value of meat that has not been widely disclosed. Bioactive components in the meat can be anserin, karnosin and bioactive peptides. The generation of bioactive components in the meat in the form of bioactive peptides can be done in three ways: (1 aging or storage of meat, (2 meat fermentation, and (3 the enzyme treatment. Functional properties of bioactive components in meat varies greatly as an antioxidant, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, anticancer and immunomodulatory.

  9. Functional properties of nisin-carbohydrate conjugates formed by radiation induced Maillard reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muppalla, Shobita R.; Sonavale, Rahul; Chawla, Surinder P.; Sharma, Arun

    2012-12-01

    Nisin-carbohydrate conjugates were prepared by irradiating nisin either with glucose or dextran. Increase in browning and formation of intermediate products was observed with a concomitant decrease in free amino and reducing sugar groups indicating occurrence of the Maillard reaction catalyzed by irradiation. Nisin-carbohydrate conjugates showed a broad spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescence) as well as Gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus). Results of antioxidant assays, including that of DPPH radical-scavenging activity and reducing power, showed that the nisin-dextran conjugates possessed better antioxidant potential than nisin-glucose conjugate. These results suggested that it was possible to enhance the functional properties of nisin by preparing radiation induced conjugates suitable for application in food industry.

  10. Unexpected properties of bandwidth choice when smoothing discrete data for constructing a functional data classifier

    KAUST Repository

    Carroll, Raymond J.

    2013-12-01

    The data functions that are studied in the course of functional data analysis are assembled from discrete data, and the level of smoothing that is used is generally that which is appropriate for accurate approximation of the conceptually smooth functions that were not actually observed. Existing literature shows that this approach is effective, and even optimal, when using functional data methods for prediction or hypothesis testing. However, in the present paper we show that this approach is not effective in classification problems. There a useful rule of thumb is that undersmoothing is often desirable, but there are several surprising qualifications to that approach. First, the effect of smoothing the training data can be more significant than that of smoothing the new data set to be classified; second, undersmoothing is not always the right approach, and in fact in some cases using a relatively large bandwidth can be more effective; and third, these perverse results are the consequence of very unusual properties of error rates, expressed as functions of smoothing parameters. For example, the orders of magnitude of optimal smoothing parameter choices depend on the signs and sizes of terms in an expansion of error rate, and those signs and sizes can vary dramatically from one setting to another, even for the same classifier.

  11. Unexpected properties of bandwidth choice when smoothing discrete data for constructing a functional data classifier

    KAUST Repository

    Carroll, Raymond J.; Delaigle, Aurore; Hall, Peter

    2013-01-01

    The data functions that are studied in the course of functional data analysis are assembled from discrete data, and the level of smoothing that is used is generally that which is appropriate for accurate approximation of the conceptually smooth functions that were not actually observed. Existing literature shows that this approach is effective, and even optimal, when using functional data methods for prediction or hypothesis testing. However, in the present paper we show that this approach is not effective in classification problems. There a useful rule of thumb is that undersmoothing is often desirable, but there are several surprising qualifications to that approach. First, the effect of smoothing the training data can be more significant than that of smoothing the new data set to be classified; second, undersmoothing is not always the right approach, and in fact in some cases using a relatively large bandwidth can be more effective; and third, these perverse results are the consequence of very unusual properties of error rates, expressed as functions of smoothing parameters. For example, the orders of magnitude of optimal smoothing parameter choices depend on the signs and sizes of terms in an expansion of error rate, and those signs and sizes can vary dramatically from one setting to another, even for the same classifier.

  12. Choosing the function of mechanical properties of grounds and rock formations due to their heterogeneity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frolova, Irina; Agakhanov, Murad

    2018-03-01

    The development of computing techniques to analyze underground structures, buildings in high-rise construction that would fully take account of the conditions of their design and operation, as well as the real material properties, is one of the important trends in structural mechanics. For the territory in high-rise construction it is necessary to monitor the deformations of the soil surface. When high-rise construction is recommended to take into account the rheological properties and temperature deformations of the soil, the effect of temperature on the mechanical characteristics of the surrounding massif. Similar tasks also arise in the creation and operation of underground parts of high-rise construction, which are used for various purposes. These parts of the structures are surrounded by rock massifs of various materials. The actual mechanical characteristics of such materials must be taken into account. The objective property of nearly all materials is their non-homogeneity, both natural and technological. The work addresses the matters of building nonhomogeneous media initial models based on the experimental evidence. This made it possible to approximate real dependencies and obtain the appropriate functions in a simple and convenient way.

  13. Relativistic plasma dispersion functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, P.A.

    1986-01-01

    The known properties of plasma dispersion functions (PDF's) for waves in weakly relativistic, magnetized, thermal plasmas are reviewed and a large number of new results are presented. The PDF's required for the description of waves with small wave number perpendicular to the magnetic field (Dnestrovskii and Shkarofsky functions) are considered in detail; these functions also arise in certain quantum electrodynamical calculations involving strongly magnetized plasmas. Series, asymptotic series, recursion relations, integral forms, derivatives, differential equations, and approximations for these functions are discussed as are their analytic properties and connections with standard transcendental functions. In addition a more general class of PDF's relevant to waves of arbitrary perpendicular wave number is introduced and a range of properties of these functions are derived

  14. 32 CFR 174.13 - Personal property.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... the operation of a unit, function, component, weapon, or weapons system at another installation; (2... classified items; nuclear, biological, and chemical items; weapons and munitions; museum property or items of... personal property). This property includes materials or parts used in a manufacturing or repair function...

  15. Artificial nacre-like papers based on noncovalent functionalized boron nitride nanosheets with excellent mechanical and thermally conductive properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Xiaoliang; Ye, Lei; Yu, Shuhui; Li, Hao; Sun, Rong; Xu, Jianbin; Wong, Ching-Ping

    2015-04-01

    Inspired by the nano/microscale hierarchical structure and the precise inorganic/organic interface of natural nacre, we fabricated artificial nacre-like papers based on noncovalent functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (NF-BNNSs) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) via a vacuum-assisted self-assembly technique. The artificial nacre-like papers exhibit excellent tensile strength (125.2 MPa), on a par with that of the natural nacre, and moreover display a 30% higher toughness (2.37 MJ m-3) than that of the natural nacre. These excellent mechanical properties result from an ordered `brick-and-mortar' arrangement of NF-BNNSs and PVA, in which the long-chain PVA molecules act as the bridge to link NF-BNNSs via hydrogen bonds. The resulting papers also render high thermal conductivity (6.9 W m-1 K-1), and reveal their superiority as flexible substrates to support light-emitting-diode chips. The combined mechanical and thermal properties make the materials highly desirable as flexible substrates for next-generation commercial portable electronics.Inspired by the nano/microscale hierarchical structure and the precise inorganic/organic interface of natural nacre, we fabricated artificial nacre-like papers based on noncovalent functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (NF-BNNSs) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) via a vacuum-assisted self-assembly technique. The artificial nacre-like papers exhibit excellent tensile strength (125.2 MPa), on a par with that of the natural nacre, and moreover display a 30% higher toughness (2.37 MJ m-3) than that of the natural nacre. These excellent mechanical properties result from an ordered `brick-and-mortar' arrangement of NF-BNNSs and PVA, in which the long-chain PVA molecules act as the bridge to link NF-BNNSs via hydrogen bonds. The resulting papers also render high thermal conductivity (6.9 W m-1 K-1), and reveal their superiority as flexible substrates to support light-emitting-diode chips. The combined mechanical and thermal properties make

  16. Five- and six-electron harmonium atoms: Highly accurate electronic properties and their application to benchmarking of approximate 1-matrix functionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cioslowski, Jerzy; Strasburger, Krzysztof

    2018-04-01

    Electronic properties of several states of the five- and six-electron harmonium atoms are obtained from large-scale calculations employing explicitly correlated basis functions. The high accuracy of the computed energies (including their components), natural spinorbitals, and their occupation numbers makes them suitable for testing, calibration, and benchmarking of approximate formalisms of quantum chemistry and solid state physics. In the case of the five-electron species, the availability of the new data for a wide range of the confinement strengths ω allows for confirmation and generalization of the previously reached conclusions concerning the performance of the presently known approximations for the electron-electron repulsion energy in terms of the 1-matrix that are at heart of the density matrix functional theory (DMFT). On the other hand, the properties of the three low-lying states of the six-electron harmonium atom, computed at ω = 500 and ω = 1000, uncover deficiencies of the 1-matrix functionals not revealed by previous studies. In general, the previously published assessment of the present implementations of DMFT being of poor accuracy is found to hold. Extending the present work to harmonically confined systems with even more electrons is most likely counterproductive as the steep increase in computational cost required to maintain sufficient accuracy of the calculated properties is not expected to be matched by the benefits of additional information gathered from the resulting benchmarks.

  17. Some properties of the smoothed Wigner function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soto, F.; Claverie, P.

    1981-01-01

    Recently it has been proposed a modification of the Wigner function which consists in smoothing it by convolution with a phase-space gaussian function; this smoothed Wigner function is non-negative if the gaussian parameters Δ and delta satisfy the condition Δdelta > h/2π. We analyze in this paper the predictions of this modified Wigner function for the harmonic oscillator, for anharmonic oscillator and finally for the hydrogen atom. We find agreement with experiment in the linear case, but for strongly nonlinear systems, such as the hydrogen atom, the results obtained are completely wrong. (orig.)

  18. Insights into physicochemical and functional properties of polysaccharides sequentially extracted from onion (Allium cepa L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Dan-Ye; Ma, Yi-Long; Wang, Cai-Hong; Wang, Hao; Ren, Ya-Fei; Zhang, Jian-Guo; Thakur, Kiran; Wei, Zhao-Jun

    2017-12-01

    Onion polysaccharides (ACLP) were sequentially extracted with four different solvents (hot buffer, chelating agent, dilute alkaline and concentrated alkaline) and obtained four fractions, named as HBSS, CHSS, DASS and CASS, respectively. The present studies characterized the ACLP concerning its physicochemical and functional properties. Monosaccharides analysis revealed that mannose (81.68%) was the dominant sugar in HBSS and galactose (67.59%) was the most in CASS. Similarly, CHSS and DASS possessed mannose and galactose as major sugar, which were 25.80% and 31.37%, 20.33% and 33.96%, respectively. The obtained molecular weight of ACLPs were 7.702×10 3 (HBSS), 4.690×10 3 (CHSS), 4.943×10 3 (DASS) and 1.390×10 3 kDa (CASS). CASS resulted in the strongest solubility, fat-binding capacity, foam capacity and foam stability whereas, HBSS showed the highest thermal stability. DASS showed the best hygroscopicity and the best moisture retention was obtained by CHSS. Subsequently, the emulsifying activity and emulsifying stability were the highest for HBSS and the longest for of CASS, respectively. The rheological properties of CHSS exhibited the largest viscosity. Our results indicated that all factions could be considered as functional polysaccharides according to their respective characteristics, which have vast potential in food production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Synthesis and properties of amino acid functionalized water-soluble perylene diimides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Yongshan; Li, Xuemei; Wei, Xiaofeng; Jiang, Tianyi; Wu, Junsen; Ren, Huixue [Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan (China)

    2015-07-15

    We prepared amino acid functionalized water-soluble perylene diimides: N,N'-bi(L-glutamic acid)-perylene-3,4;9,10-dicarboxylic diimide (1), N,N'-bi(L-phenylalanine acid)-perylene-3,4;9,10-dicarboxylic diimide (2), N,N'-bi(Lglutamic amine)-perylene-3,4;9,10-dicarboxylic diimide (3) and N,N'-bi(L-phenylalanine amine)-perylene-3,4;9,10-dicarboxylic diimide (4). The structures of 3 and 4 were confirmed by {sup 1}H NMR, FT-IR and MS. The maximal absorption bands of compound 1 and 2 in concentrated sulfuric acid were red-shifted for about 48 and 74 nm, respectively, compared with that of Perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (PTCDA). Nearly no fluorescence was observed for compounds 1 and 2 in water, while compounds 3 and 4 were significantly water-soluble and had very high fluorescent quantum. The mechanism of the optical properties change was discussed, and the π-π stacking caused by H{sup +} led to the changes of fluorescence spectrum and absorption spectrum. The calculated molecular orbital energies and the frontier molecular orbital maps of compounds 1-2 based on density function theory (DFT) calculations were reported. Owing to the high water-soluble, the perylene derivatives 3 and 4 were successfully applied as high-performance fluorochromes for living hela cells imaging.

  20. On the use of a Hamiltonian with projected potential for the calculation of scattering wave functions : Methods and general properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colle, R.; Simonucci, S.

    1996-01-01

    The theoretical framework of a method that utilizes a projected potential operator to construct scattering wave functions is presented. Theorems and spectral properties of a Hamiltonian with the potential energy operator represented in terms of L'2(R'3)-functions are derived. The computational advantages offered by the method for calculating spectroscopic quantities, like resonance energies, decay probabilities and photoionization cross-sections, are discussed