Delayed breakdown diode and its optimal design for solid state picosecond closing switch

We study a Si-based diode with a p⁺nn⁺ structure for picosecond semiconductor closing switch and discuss the physical process, which underlies the operation principle of high-power closing switch based on a delayed breakdown diode (DBD). From the results of numerical simulations and theoretical analysis, single device has demonstrated reliable operation at 2.3 kV, 89 ps risetime, and high output dV/dt(30 kV/ns). As a contribution to the optimal design, some conclusions about trade-off are drawn by changing structure parameters and physical parameters.     

Human lactation: oxidation and maternal transfer of dietary 13C-labelled α-linolenic acid into human milk

The origin of fatty acids in milk has not been elucidated in detail. We investigated the contribution of dietary α-linolenic acid (ALA) to human milk fat, its oxidation and endogenous conversion to long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Ten lactating women were given ¹³C-ALA orally, and breath and milk samples were collected for a five-day period, while dietary intakes were assessed. 37.5?±?2.7?% (M?±?SE) of the tracer was recovered in breath-CO₂, and 7.3?±?1.1?% was directly transferred into milk. About 0.25?% of the tracer was found in milk long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Combining intake and milk data, we estimate that about 65?% of milk ALA is directly derived from maternal diet. Thus, the major portion of milk ALA is directly derived from the diet, but dietary ALA does not seem to contribute much as a precursor to milk n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids within the studied time period.     

Effects of dielectric barrier discharge plasma on pathogen inactivation and the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of pork loin

This study aimed to evaluate the use of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma system to improve the safety of pork loins. When pork loin was exposed to DBD plasma with the input gases He and He + O₂, the population of Escherichia coli was reduced by 0.26 and 0.50 log cycles following a 5-min treatment and by 0.34 and 0.55 log units following a 10-min treatment, respectively. That of Listeria monocytogenes was also reduced from 0.17 to 0.35 and 0.43 to 0.59 log cycles when the samples were exposed to DBD for 5 and 10 min using He and He + O₂, respectively. The pH and L*-values (lightness) of the samples decreased significantly with DBD plasma treatment, but a*- (redness) and b*-values (yellowness) exhibited no obvious changes. Lipid oxidation, measured by TBARS values, was greater in samples with He + O₂ than in other samples. Significant reductions in sensory quality parameters (appearance, color, odor, acceptability, etc.) were observed in DBD-treated samples. These results indicate that the DBD plasma system has potential for use in sanitizing pork loins by inactivation of foodborne pathogens, although the effect was limited. In order to meet market requirements, however, a method to overcome sensory deterioration of pork loins should be developed and applied.     

Effect of oil extraction assisted by ultrasound on the physicochemical properties and fatty acid profile of pumpkin seed oil (Cucurbita pepo)

The effects of amplitude and time of ultrasound-assisted extraction on the physicochemical properties and the fatty acid profile of pumpkin seed oil (Cucurbita pepo) were evaluated. Ultrasound time (5–30 min) and the response variables amplitude (25–100%), extraction yield, efficiency, oxidative stability in terms of the free fatty acids (FFA) of the plant design comprising two independent experiments variables, peroxide (PV), p-anisidine (AV), totox value (TV) and the fatty acid profile were evaluated. The results were analyzed by multiple linear regression. The time and amplitude showed significant differences (P < 0.05) for all variables. The highest yield of extraction was achieved at 5 min and amplitude of 62.5% (62%). However, the optimal ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions were as follows: ultrasound time of 26.34 min and amplitude of 89.02%. All extracts showed low FFA (2.75–4.93% oleic acid), PV (1.67–4.68 meq/kg), AV (1.94–3.69) and TV (6.25–12.55) values. The main fatty acids in all the extracts were oleic and linoleic acid. Therefore, ultrasound-assisted oil extraction had increased performance and reduced extraction time without affecting the oil quality.     

Detection of fatty acid composition of trabecular bone marrow by localized iDQC MRS at 3 T: A pilot study in healthy volunteers

BackgroundAlthough a growing body of research shows that the bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) may play an essential role in bone inflammation and energy metabolism, available noninvasive methods for distinguishing different fatty acids in BMAT are still limited, in spite of their potential to provide novel biomarkers for bone related diseases.PurposeTo assess the ability of a localized intermolecular double quantum coherence (iDQC) spectroscopy sequence to resolve more fatty acid peaks than conventional MR spectroscopy (MRS), like polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), from the human BMAT in the presence of trabecular bone; To preliminarily investigate whether the fatty acids composition is different between different regions and groups.ResultsCompared with conventional MRS results, additional four fatty acids peaks were well resolved using the proposed method in human BMAT in the presence of trabecular bone. In addition, a different fat composition was found between distal femur and proximal tibia: fat was more unsaturated (vinyl, *p < 0.01; diallylic, *p < 0.01) in distal femur bone marrow than in proximal tibia, and this higher unsaturation level was caused by PUFA (r = 0.67, diallylic, *p < 0.01). No significant difference in fatty acid composition were found either between left and right legs, or between female and male in the healthy young subjects studied.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that the unsaturated fatty acids information of human BMAT in the presence of trabecular bone can be clearly identified with the localized iDQC at 3 T. The resolved peaks, especially PUFA, may serve as additional diagnostic biomarkers for BMAT related diseases in the future.     

Effects of High-Pressure Treatment on the Sensory Quality of White Grape Juice

The effects of high-pressure treatment on the colour (objective measurement) and sensory characteristics of white grape juice were studied during storage at 4 °C for 60 days. Grape juice was subjected to three different treatments: 400 or 500 MPa at 2 u °C, and 400 MPa at 40 °C during 10 min. Untreated juice was used as control. Colour parameters (CIE L * a * b *), hue angle (tan m 1 b */ a *), chroma {( a * 2 + b * 2 ) 1/2 }, luminosity Q *{(10 2 log( L *) + 100} and saturation S *( C */ L *) were measured. Juices were evaluated for sweetness, acidity, off-flavour and aroma. High-pressure treatments did not affect the colour parameters of juice, and similar sensory characteristics were observed in both control and treated samples on the first day. The colour and sensory characteristics of pressure-treated samples remained more stable than those of the control juice during 60 days of storage. The control juice was slightly fermented developing some changes in flavour and colour.     

The Use of Raman Spectroscopy and Methods of Quantum Chemistry for Assessing the Relative Concentration of Triglycerides of Oleic and Linoleic Acids in a Mixture of Olive Oil and Sunflower Seed Oil

The Raman spectra of five samples of sunflower seed oil and five samples of cold-pressed olive oil of various brands are recorded in the range of 500–2000 cm^–1. Within the framework of the B3LYP/6-31G(d)/6-31G(d,p)/6-31+G(d,p)/6-311G(d)/6-311G(d, p)/6-311+G(d,p) methods, the structural models of eight fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, palmitic, stearic, α-linolenic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic) are constructed, and also within the framework of the B3LYP/6-31G(d) method, the structural models of triglycerides of the first four of the above acids are obtained. The vibrational wavenumbers and intensities in the IR and Raman spectra are calculated. The Raman spectra of olive oil and sunflower seed oil were simulated by using the supermolecular approach. We investigated the dependence of the relative intensity of the vibrational bands ν_exp = 1660 and 1445 cm^–1 on the concentration of triglycerides in oils of oleic and linoleic acids and the dependence of the intensity of these bands on the degree of saturation of fatty acids. Experimental and empirical dependences are constructed to estimate the relative concentration of triglycerides of oleic and linoleic acids in a mixture of olive oil and sunflower seed oil. The applicability of the density functional theory together with the vibrational spectroscopy for the identification of mixtures of vegetable oils is discussed.     

Fabricating a reactive surface on the fibroin film by a room-temperature plasma jet array for biomolecule immobilization

A simple dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) jet array was designed with a liquid electrode and helium gas.The characteristics of the jet array discharge and the preliminary polymerization with acrylic acid(AA) monomer were presented.The plasma reactor can produce a cold jet array with a gas temperature lower than 315 K,using an applied discharge power between 6 W and 30 W(V dis × I dis).A silk fibroin film(SFF) was modified using the jet array and AA monomer,and the treated SFF samples were characterized by atomic force microscopy(AFM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),and contact angle(CA).The deposition rate of the poly acrylic acid(PAA) was able to reach 300 nm/min,and the surface roughness and energy increased with the AA flow rate.The FTIR results indicate that the modified SFF had more carboxyl groups(-COOH) than the original SFF.This latter characteristic allowed the modified SFF to immobilize more quantities of antimicrobial peptide(AP,LL-37) which inhibited the Escherichia coli(E.Coli) effectively.     

Effect of accelerated weathering on surface chemistry of modified wood

In this study, the effects of UV-light irradiation and water spray on colour and surface chemistry of scots pine sapwood samples were investigated. The specimens were treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a metal-free propiconazol-based formulation, chitosan, furfuryl alcohol and linseed and tall oils. The weathering experiment was performed by cycles of 2 h UV-light irradiation followed by water spray for 18 min. The changes at the surface of the weathered samples were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR); colour characterizations were performed by measuring CIELab parameters.The results show that all treatment methods except chitosan treatment provided lower colour changes than the control groups after 800 h exposure in weathering test cycle, but differences between chitosan and control were also small. The lowest colour changes were found on linseed oil (full cell process) and CCA treated wood. FT-IR results show that oil treatment (linseed and tall oil) decreased the intensities of a lignin specific peak (1500-1515 cm⁻¹). Absorption band changes at 1630-1660 cm⁻¹ were reduced by all treatments.     

Role of the volume and surface breakdown in a formation of microdischarges in a steady-state DBD

The results of an experimental study on a spatial-time behavior of microdischarges (MDs) in steady-state dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) are presented. MDs of DBD have a spatial “memory”, i.e. every subsequent MD appears exactly at the same place that was occupied by the preceding MD. In most cases each MD appears at its fixed place only once by every half-period (HP). Spatial “memory” is derived from slow recombination of plasma in the MDs channels for a period between two neighbor HPs. In steady-state DBD each plasma column was formed only one-time due to local avalanche-streamer breakdown in the very first (initial) gas gap breakdown under inception voltage U^*U^*. After that DBD is sustained under voltage lower than U^*U^*. For the plane-to-plane DBD having the restricted electrode area there is a critical voltage U ₁: DBD is in a steady-state if U > U ₁ but the DBD decays slowly at voltages below U ₁. The decay takes many HPs and occurs due to decreasing the number of MDs inside the gap because of their Brownian motion from central region to the outside of the discharge area. In steady-state DBD there is no correlation between an appearance of alone MD and phase of the applied voltage – each MD has a great scatter in its appearance at the HP. This scatter is attributed to the dispersion in a threshold voltage for local surface breakdowns around the MD base. So, in steady-state DBD the MD volume plasma is responsible for an existence of spatial “memory” (i.e. where the MD appears) but the surface charge distribution around MD is responsible for MD time dispersion (i.e. when the MD appears).     

Recent research on inherent molecular structure,physiochemical properties,and bio-functions of food and feed-type Avena sativa oats and processing-induced changes revealed with molecular microspectroscopic techniques

Avena sativa oat is a cereal widely used as human food and livestock feed. However, the low metabolized energy and the rapid rumen degradations of protein and starch have limited the use of A. sativa oat grains. To overcome this disadvantage, new A. sativa oat varieties have been developed. Additionally, heat-related processing has been performed to decrease the degradation rate and improve the absorption of amino acids in the small intestine. The nutritive value is reflected by both chemical composition and inherent molecular structure conformation. However, the traditional wet chemical analysis is not able to detect the inherent molecular structures within an intact tissue. The advanced synchrotron-radiation and globar-based molecular microspectroscopy have been developed recently and applied to study internal molecular structures and the processing induced structure changes in A. sativa oats and reveal how molecular structure changes in relation to nutrient availability. This review aimed to obtain the recent information regarding physiochemical properties, molecular structures, metabolic characteristics of protein, and the heat-induced changes in new A. sativa oat varieties. The use of the advanced vibrational molecular spectroscopy was emphasized, synchrotron- and globar-based (micro)spectroscopy, to reveal the inherent structure of A. sativa oats at cellular and molecular levels and to reveal the heat processing effect on the degradation characteristics and the protein molecular structure in A. sativa oats. The relationship between nutrient availability and protein molecular inherent structure was also presented. Information described in this review gives better insight in the physiochemical properties, molecular structure, and the heat-induced changes in A. sativa oat detected with advanced molecular spectroscopic techniques in combinination with conventional nutrition study techniques.     

L-[1-13C]phenylalanine breath test in patients with chronic liver disease of different etiologies

The aim of this study was to compare the oxidation of l-[1-¹³C]phenylalanine (¹³C-PheOx) in patients with chronic liver failure due to different etiologies using l-[1-¹³C]phenylalanine breath test. Breath samples were collected before the administration of 100 mg l-[1-¹³C]phenylalanine, and every 10 min thereafter until completion of 1 h. Control subjects (n=9) presented a larger cumulative percentage of ¹³C dose recovery (CPDR) than patients (n=124) with chronic liver disease, regardless of the etiology (7.5±0.7 vs. 4.2±0.2, p=0.001). No differences in CPDR were found considering the Child-Pugh (CP) class or etiology: alcoholic (CP A=7.7±0.7, CP B=4.1±0.5, CP C=2.0±0.3), hepatitis C virus (CP A=5.4±0.5, CP B=4.0±0.2, CP C=2.2±0.3), hepatocellular carcinoma (CP A=5.5±1.6, CP B=3.6±1.8, CP C=2.2±1.0); or cryptogenic cirrhotic patients (CP A=7.4±1.5, CP B=4.4±0.4, CP C=2.1±0.7). Results confirm that ¹³C-PheOx decreases in patients with cirrhosis with respect to controls, notwithstanding the etiology.     

Control of a turbulent flow separated at mid-chord along an airfoil with DBD plasma actuators

The goal of the present experimental study is to investigate the ability of surface DBD plasma actuators to delay flow separation along the suction side of a NACA0015 airfoil. Three single surface DBD actuators that can operate separately are mounted on the suction side of the profile, at 18%, 27% and 37% of the chord length. The boundary layer is transitioned by a tripper to be sure that the flow control is not due to the laminar-to-turbulent transition. The angle of attack is equal to 11.5° and the free-stream velocity to U₀ = 40 m/s, resulting in a chord-based Reynolds number of Re_c = 1.33 × 10⁶. The flow is studied with a high-resolution PIV system. In such conditions, the baseline flow separation occurs at 50% of chord. Then, the different single DBD have been switched on separately, in order to investigate the actuator location effect. One highlights that the DBD located at x_c/c = 18% is more effective than the two others ones, with a separation delay up to 64% of chord. When the three DBDs operate simultaneously, the separation point moves progressively toward the trailing edge when the high voltage is increased, up to 76% of chord at 20 kV. Finally, the effect of the actuation frequency on the control authority has been investigated, by varying the value of the operating frequency and by burst-modulation. For frequencies equal to 50 Hz and 500 Hz (reduced frequency F⁺ = 0.31 and 3.1), the separation has been delayed at 76 and 80% of chord, respectively.     

Ab initio SCF CI study of the electronic spectrum of s-tetrazine

Configuration interaction (CI) studies of ground, n→ π* and π→ π* electronically excited states are reported for s-tetrazine. The first n→ π* singlet excited state (¹ B _3u ), which is responsible for the purple-red colour of the molecule, is calculated at 2·80 eV, compared to the experimental transition energy of 2·22–2·70 eV. The singlet-triplet split of the first n→ π* states (¹ B _3u and ³ B _3u states) is calculated to be 0·76 eV.

The interaction of nitrogen lone pair orbitals (n-orbitals) is studied in terms of the ordering of the n π* excited states and found that the SCF orbital ordering is qualitatively in accord with the ordering of the n π* excited states in the CI level.

The first π→ π* excited state (¹ B _2u ) is calculated at 5·99 eV, slightly above the observed range of absorption. Numerous other high-lying singlet states as well as the triplet states have been calculated and they are used to verify several proposals relating to the excited state dynamics in the photo-physical studies of s-tetrazine.     

基于ABC-SV R算法的拉曼光谱检测混合油脂肪酸含量

提出了一种基于激光拉曼光谱和人工蜂群智能优化支持向量回归机(ABC-SVR)算法的快速定量检测三组分混和油中3种脂肪酸含量的方法。该方法针对光谱数据信息与样本之间非线性、高维度的关系,建立了预测精度及建模效率均高于同类对比算法的数学模型,同时避免了气相色谱法、液相色谱法等对混合油脂肪酸含量的检测方式,根据纯种油中3种脂肪酸含量的国际标准,由油品配置体积得到脂肪酸质量,有效降低了检测成本与实验复杂程度,提高了检测工作的实用价值。首先根据一定梯度配置66组混合油检测样品,使用便携式拉曼光谱仪采集样本的拉曼光谱信息,扣除背景噪声;观察多组样本的拉曼光谱图可知,由于官能团浓度的差异,食用油的拉曼特征峰位移基本相同,特征峰的峰值明显不同,因此基于特征峰信息可以区分食用调和油的不同混合物;其次对拉曼光谱做背景扣除、光谱平滑、最大值谱线归一化三步预处理,以降低实验中不可控的外界因素及背景荧光的影响,准确提取光谱特征峰强度信息;然后根据纯种油中3种脂肪酸的国际标准含量,结合国家食品法典委员会标准CODEX STAN210-1999《指定的植物油法典标准》中规定的纯种油密度中值,由油品体积得到脂肪酸质量数;随机选取56组样本数据作为训练集,剩余10组样本数据作为预测集;以训练集光谱特征峰强度和脂肪酸质量分别作为回归模型的输入及输出值,建立SVR和PSO-SVR,ABC-SVR三种混合优化算法对比的定量分析模型,对测试集的3种脂肪酸含量分别进行预测;最后通过均方误差(MSE)、相关系数(r)及建模时间(Elapsed time)分别进行对比,建立数据表对模型精准度进行检验。实验结果表明,通过ABC-SVR定量分析模型效果最佳,3种脂肪酸含量预测值与真实值的均方差分别为0.88×10-4,16×10-4和8×10-4,均低于0.002;相关系数分别为93.43%,99.65%和99.43%,均高于93%;预测时间(Elapsed time)分别为1.26,2.42和2.14 s。因此,所提出的检测方法,具备较高的精确度、较快的建模时间,且在理论上的类似条件下可适用于其他样品检测工作,可为振动光谱学对食用油掺伪分析的进一步工作提供可行的理论依据。     

Preparation of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-loaded electrospun fibers of polylactide/poly(vinylpyrrolidone) blends for use as catalysts in epoxidation of unsaturated oils

Nanofibers of polylactide (PLA)/poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) blends, loaded with TiO₂ nanoparticles, have been prepared by an electrospinning method. The electrospun fiber mats were characterized by ATR-FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM, EDX, and UV-visible spectroscopy to examine structures, functional groups, crystallinity, surface morphology, and UV absorptivity. It is clearly observed that TiO₂ particles are embedded on the filaments. All PLA-based spun fibers are completely amorphous in nature. The surface morphology of those blended with PVP is smoother and more uniform than the corresponding samples without PVP. Neat PLA fibers show a UV absorption band at around 200 nm, whereas the fibers loaded with TiO₂ nanoparticles show an additional absorption band covering the 200–380-nm region. Photo-degradation of the fiber samples are conducted in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) under UVA light. The results indicate that the PVP component dissolves into the PBS solution, and the PLA matrix degrades as a function of time. The fibers are then applied as a catalytic system for epoxidation of unsaturated sunflower oil (SFO), for use as additives or plasticizers for biopolymers, employing a performic acid oxidizing agent. The fibers, especially those containing PVP, can effectively enhance the epoxidation yield of oils with a slow rate of undesirable side reactions, which break ester bonds of triglycerides to generate free fatty acids.     

Optimization of a Dielectric Barrier Discharge for Pulsed UV Emission of XeCl at 308 nm

A pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) has been investigated in a wide range of experimental conditions with the purpose of optimization for XeCl excimer radiation. For that the following operation parameters had been considered: four different lamps of coaxial geometry with gas gaps in the range of 1.3 ‐ 6.5 mm; gas mixtures of xenon and chlorine containing admixtures of 1%, 2% and 4% Cl₂ at total filling pressures between 5 mbar and 600 mbar; voltage rise times of 20 ‐ 50 ns and voltage amplitudes of up to 12 kV. A maximum radiation pulse energy of 1.8 µ J has been detected at 310 ± 10 nm with an estimated radiation decay by three orders of magnitude within about 5 µ s. It was shown that the minimization of the voltage rise time is essential for enhancing the radiation pulse energy. Furthermore a correlation between the discharge geometry and the optimum pressure for maximum radiation output was observed. The decay characteristics of the excimer emission provides evidence of the harpoon reaction being the main channel of XeCl formation under our operation conditions (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Spectral imaging system for non-contact colour measurement

This paper describes the development of a non-contact system for measuring colour of printed material at web speeds. The system proposed uses a non-contact spectrophotometer based on a holographic grating, in conjunction with a conventional monochrome area scan camera, from which colour spectral data is extracted, whilst a xenon flash is used to illuminate colour samples. Software and hardware details of the system are given, along with the underlying mathematics for colour space conversion and measurement. Conversion equations from X, Y, Z chromaticity co-ordinates to the RGB system are presented, and also equations to convert from the L^*a^*b^* colour space to X, Y, Z chromaticity co-ordinates. Experimental results are presented whereby the non-contact spectral system is shown to perform to a colour tolerance exceeding that of conventional colour video systems.     

The autooxidation process in linoleic acid screened by Raman spectroscopy

The chemical changes associated to the autooxidation process of linoleic acid (LA) were detected by Raman spectroscopy and interpreted in the light of density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed for both the fatty acid and its main oxidation products. The present methodology, applied for a six‐day period upon induction of oxidation (through heating), allowed to understand the chemical modifications occurring during the oxidation process. Raman spectroscopy was shown to be a suitable and reliable technique for assessing the oxidation degree of fatty acid samples, particularly pure fatty acids, mainly when computational methods are used alongside to predict the spectral features of the distinct chemical entities involved. Screening of the oxidation process was mostly based on the loss of intensity of the bands assigned to LA cis‐double bonds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Behaviour of E. coli 0157:H7 strains in model system and in raw meat by hpp: Microbial and technological aspects

Abstract

Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) is an important pathogen which can cause serious illnesses in humans. It is of particular importance to the meat industry to be able to completely destroy E. coli. A technique used to destroy E. coli could be the high pressure process. For this reason a mixture of 8 strains of E. coli 0157:H7 was inoculated in raw minced meat and in broth. These samples were treated at pressures up to 700 MPa at WC, causing up to 5 decimal reductions. HP treatment is also effective in decreasing microbial contamination and increasing the shelf-life of raw minced meat under refrigerated conditions. The texture of raw minced meat improved with HP level, while the colour was less characteristic in HP-treated samples; a combined HP-treatment caused less colour change than an individual HP-treatment. No difference in colour of cooked minced meat was observed in untreated and HP-treated samples. The texture of cooked minced meat improved in HP-treated samples.