Combined ultrasound and germination treatment on the fine structure of highland barley starch

Highland barley is a grain crop grown in Tibet, China. This study investigated the structure of highland barley starch using ultrasound (40 kHz, 40 min, 165.5 W) and germination treatments (30℃ with 80% relative humidity). The macroscopic morphology and the barley's fine and molecular structure were evaluated. After sequential ultrasound pretreatment and germination, a significant difference in moisture content and surface roughness was noted between highland barley and the other groups. All test groups showed an increased particle size distribution range with increasing germination time. FTIR results also indicated that after sequential ultrasound pretreatment and germination, the absorption intensity of the intramolecular hydroxyl (–OH) group of starch increased, and hydrogen bonding was stronger compared to the untreated germinated sample. In addition, XRD analysis revealed that starch crystallinity increased following sequential ultrasound treatment and germination, but a-type of crystallinity remained after sonication. Further, the Mw of sequential ultrasound pretreatment and germination at any time is higher than that of sequential germination and ultrasound. As a result of sequential ultrasound pretreatment and germination, changes in the content of chain length of barley starch were consistent with germination alone. At the same time, the average degree of polymerisation (DP) fluctuated slightly. Lastly, the starch was modified during the sonication process, either prior to or following sonication. Pretreatment with ultrasound illustrated a more profound effect on barley starch than sequential germination and ultrasound treatment. In conclusion, these results indicate that sequential ultrasound pretreatment and germination improve the fine structure of highland barley starch.     

Coupling of Biomolecular Logic Gates with Electronic Transducers: From Single Enzyme Logic Gates to Sense/Act/Treat Chips

The integration of biomolecular logic principles with electronic transducers allows designing novel digital biosensors with direct electrical output, logically triggered drug‐release, and closed‐loop sense/act/treat systems. This opens new opportunities for advanced personalized medicine in the context of theranostics. In the present work, we will discuss selected examples of recent developments in the field of interfacing enzyme logic gates with electrodes and semiconductor field‐effect devices. Special attention is given to an enzyme OR/Reset logic gate based on a capacitive field‐effect electrolyte‐insulator‐semiconductor sensor modified with a multi‐enzyme membrane. Further examples are a digital adrenaline biosensor based on an AND logic gate with binary YES/NO output and an integrated closed‐loop sense/act/treat system comprising an amperometric glucose sensor, a hydrogel actuator, and an insulin (drug) sensor.     

Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in milk samples. Development of green extraction coupled techniques for sample preparation

Ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE), cloud point extraction (CPE), and ultrasound back‐extraction (UABE) techniques have been coupled for lixiviation, preconcentration, and cleanup of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from milk samples for determination by gas chromatography‐electron capture detection (GC‐ECD). Physicochemical parameters that affect the efficiency of the extraction system were investigated using a design of experiments based on multivariate statistical tools, and considering the sample matrix along the development. The coupling of the leaching step, UAE, enhanced ca. 3.5 times the extraction efficiency of the former sample preparation methodology (CPE‐UABE) leading to cleaner sample extracts suitable for GC analysis. Under optimum conditions, the proposed methodology exhibits successful performance in terms of linearity and precision, with recoveries in the range of 68–70% and LODs within the range 0.05–0.5 ng/g dry weight (d.w.). The proposed sample preparation methodology coupled three green analytical techniques. It expands the application frontiers of CPE for the analysis of biological samples by GC. The optimized methodology was used for determination of PBDEs in powder milk samples, from both commercial and human sources.     

Antioxidant capacity and antibacterial activity from Annona cherimola phytochemicals by ultrasound-assisted extraction and its comparison to conventional methods

In recent years, the food, pharmacy, and cosmetic industries have focused on the search of natural compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties; commonly, these compounds are obtained from Kingdom plantae. The aim of the present work is comparing antibacterial and antioxidant capacity of Annona cherimola Mill leaves, using different extraction methods. The ultrasound assisted extraction technique (UAE) was compared with conventional techniques: Soxhlet and maceration. Water and ethanol were used as solvents for leaves extractions performed with these three methods. The main acetogenins reported in Annona cherimola Mill and Annona muricata L. species were simulated using the functional hybrid B3LYP and to confirm its presence, analysis of the compound composition was performed using FT-IR, UV–Vis and HPLC. Total phenolics (TP) and flavonoids (TF) were determined by spectroscopy techniques and novel Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) electrochemical technique. Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) of the extracts was measured, using the DPPH, FRAP and CUPRAC techniques. The highest antioxidant content was found in the Soxhlet water extracts; even so, the UAE technique presented an attractive alternative due to considerable reduction in extraction time, which was greater than 99%, and possible selectivity in compounds extraction. Finally, antibacterial activity of the extracts was evaluated, obtaining the best results against gram-positive bacteria using UAE water extract. In this way, the UAE technique presents an excellent extraction option due to the considerable reduction in time and energy, as well as the increase in antibacterial activity.     

低功率超声增强碘帕醇氯氧化的效果和路径

研究了低功率超声(US, <38 W)对NaClO氧化非离子型碘代X射线造影剂—碘帕醇(IPM)的增强作用及机理, 考察了NaClO添加浓度和超声功率的影响, 分析并计算了体系中的主要活性物种及其贡献. 采用高效液相色谱/串联质谱(HPLC/MS/MS)对降解产物进行分析, 推测IPM的降解路径. 结果表明, 低功率US显著增强了NaClO对IPM的氧化效果, 在25 ℃, pH=5.8, NaClO浓度为0.12 mmol/L条件下, 10 mg/L IPM在60 min的降解率达到85.8%. 其中NaClO氧化、 HO·和活性氯自由基(RCSs)是US/NaClO增强IPM降解的主要原因, 自由基分析计算它们的贡献率分别为15.82%, 4.65%和79.53%. NaClO浓度在0~0.24 mmol/L范围内, IPM的降解率随NaClO浓度升高而增加, 60 min后降解率由4.75%增加到91.12%; 超声功率为28.5 W, 降解率达到最高. 在 15~45 ℃温度范围内, IPM的降解过程符合表观一级反应动力学, 反应活化能(E_a)为59.03 kJ/mol. HPLC/MS/MS共检测出5种中间产物, 结合密度泛函理论(DFT)计算结果, 初步推测了IPM在US/NaClO体系中的降解途径和机理.     

非线性工作状态压电换能器匹配技术

针对压电换能器在大功率下存在复杂非线性而导致匹配参数难以优化的问题,以大功率超声金属焊接为例,通过采集测试焊接过程换能器两端电压的幅值与频率,建立换能器反谐振电阻与驱动电压有效值、频率之间的数学模型;提出基于反谐振电阻模型的最优功率匹配方法,推导了匹配电感电容的计算公式。最后实验验证了数学模型的准确性,且当换能器输入功率在最优功率附近时,匹配网络电能传输效率最高。     

Temperature spectra from a turbulent thermal plume by ultrasound scattering

This paper reports the results of a study on temperature inhomogeneities conducted on a thermal plume by using ultrasound scattering as a non-intrusive measurement technique. The plume rises from a metallic disk which can be heated up to 800 °C. The working fluid is air at atmospheric pressure. In the measurement technique, an incoming ultrasound wave is emitted towards the thermal plume. The incident wave is scattered because of non-linear couplings with the flow instabilities present in the measurement region. The scattered wave carries information about those flow instabilities. The technique allows for the retrieving of this information. The shape of the obtained spectrum of temperature fluctuations as a function of wave vector modulus is consistent with previous theoretical analysis. Three qualitatively different regions were identified: first, a production region characterized by a q² law; secondly, a region with behavior as per q⁻³ associated with a buoyancy region and; finally, a dissipation region associated with a q⁻⁷ law. These spectral regions characterize the energy transfers mechanisms among the length scales of flow investigated here. A coefficient of anisotropy γ was defined to analyze anisotropic features of the flow.     

Probing the nature of the contact between fine particles by using ultrasound propagation

The propagation velocity (vs) of an ultrasonic signal through a granular material depends on the type of interparticle contact. For noncohesive glass beads, a power law behavior for consolidation stresses applied (σc) above 1 MPa has been measured in previous work. This equation is compatible with Hertz's interaction law between elastic solids. In the present work, we have tested the propagation velocity of ultrasound signals through a sample of fine powder. The tensile strength and compactivity of the powder were previously measured by means of the Seville powder tester (SPT), indicating plastic deformation of the surface asperities in contact for small to moderate consolidation stresses. However, the measurements of ultrasound propagation at high consolidations presented here are compatible with Hertz's law. This finding suggests that for high consolidation stresses, surface asperities are flattened, and it is therefore the elastic deformation of the bulk of the particles that determines the transmission of ultrasonic pulses.     

Measurement of concrete internal strain using a three-dimensional transducer system

A new three-dimensional transducer system is introduced in this paper, which enables the measurement of six internal components of strain tensor in concrete members. Laboratory tests and strain analyses were carried out to evaluate this tranducer system. The results show that the system is effective in measuring internal strains of concrete members. It was then embedded in a reinforced concrete bridge deck in Macomb County, Michigan. Field tests were conducted to measure the strains in the deck under truck wheel load. The results were used to understand the deck's strain and stress behavior under truck wheel load.