Influence of Bovine Bone Content on In Vitro Degradation of Poly-L-lactic Acid and Bovine Bone Composite Materials

In vitro degradation experiments of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and bovine bone (BB) composites were carried out in a phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) at 37°C with a pH of 7.4. The influence of BB content on pH value of PBS, water uptake, molecular weights, molecular weight distributions, weight losses, mechanical strengths, and morphologies of PLLA/BB was investigated with degradation times. The results indicated that the presence of the BB modified the degradation of the PLLA matrix. The degradation rate of PLLA in the PLLA/BB composite was slower than the degradation rate of the sole PLLA material. Furthermore, the degradation rate of the composites became slower with the increasing content of BB in PLLA/BB composites.     

Determination of Chloride Content in Different Types of Cement Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

The characterization and accurate determination of the chloride content in cement/concrete is very important for the assessment of the durability and safety of a concrete structure. The available analytical techniques are relatively expensive and time consuming. In this study, a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system was used for determination of elemental composition in three different types of cement samples. The plasma was generated by focusing a pulsed Nd: YAG laser at 1064 nm on the cement samples. The concentrations of different elements of significance for structural stability in cement samples were determined. The evaluation of the potential and the capabilities of LIBS as a rapid tool for characterization of cement samples is discussed. The optimum LIBS setup and experimental conditions to detect and measure chloride in building materials are reported. The LIBS results were compared with the results obtained using a standard analytical technique such as inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP–ES). The limits of detection were determined, and calibration curves were measured. The results of this investigation indicate the reliability of LIBS to characterize different cement samples and to assess the chloride content in these cements.     

Combined effects of high pressure and sodium hydrogen carbonate treatment on pork ham: improvement of texture and palatability

In this study, the combined effects of high pressure and sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO₃) treatment on the physical and chemical properties, and palatability of pork ham, a tough and under-utilized meat, were investigated. Assessment of meat properties with heat treatment, after exposure to NaHCO₃ and high pressure treatment, revealed an increase in water content, and decreased weight reduction and rupture stress. The free amino acid content of meat samples increased with NaHCO₃ and high pressure treatment. The effect of high pressure processing was especially notable at a pressure of 300 MPa. Sensory evaluation showed that meat subjected to high pressure processing after NaHCO₃ treatment was tender and juicy. In addition, the sample produced minimal residue in the mouth and was characterized by a good taste.     

Mechanistic studies of reactions catalysed by diamine oxidase using isotope effects

Diamine oxidase (DAO), the enzyme that is responsible for amine biodegradation in animals, plants and humans, catalyses the biotransformation of amines such as histamine (HA), putrescine, 1-phenylethylamine, tyrosine, tryptamine, serotonine and spermine. The kinetic and solvent isotope effects (SIEs) were applied to study the mechanism of the biotransformation using HA and its methylderivatives. The SIE for the biotransformation of HA, N^τ-methylhistamine and N^π-methylhistamine was found to be 3.58, 2.22 and 5.70 on V_max, and 1.58, 1.06 and 1.14 on V_max/K_M, respectively. On the other hand, the kinetic isotope effect for oxidation of stereospecifically deuterium-labelled [(α R)-²H]-N^τ-methylhistamine and [(α R)-²H]-N^π-methylhistamine was 0.69 and 0.62 on V_max, and 15.06 and 7.50 on V_max/K_M, respectively. These results demonstrate that DAO catalyses amine biotransformation by stereospecifically cleaving the αC\bond H bond in the pro-S position. Moreover, the oxidation of amine to aldehyde involves several transition states, including hybridisation change from sp³ (Schiff base) to sp² (imine), then back again to sp³ to give a final product with hybridisation sp² (aldehyde).     

On invexity-type nonlinear programming problems

In this paper, we propose a new class of nonlinear programing, called SFJ-invex programming. The optimality characterization shows that a problem is SFJ-invex if and only if a Fritz John point together with its multiplier, is a Fritz John saddle point of the problem. Under any constraint qualification assumption, a problem is SFJ-invex if and only if a Kuhn-Tucker point together with its multiplier is a Kuhn-Tucker saddle point of the problem. Furthermore, a generalization of the SFJ-invex, class is developed; the applications to (h, )-convex programming, particularly geometric programming, and to generalized fractional programming provide a relaxation in constraint qualification for differentiable problems to get saddle-point type optimality criteria.The author wishes to thank the referee for helpful comments.     

On input/output stabilization of singular integrodifferential systems

In this paper we consider a class of systems described by singular integrodifferential equations. This type of systems appear, for example, in the modeling of certain aeroelastic control problems. We study these systems in frequency domain framework and show the existence of finite-dimensional stabilizing controllers. An algorithmic procedure is outlined for the construction of such controllers. In order to illustrate the numerical aspects of this algorithm, we present an example involving the classical Theodorsen model of an airfoil, which fits in the class of systems considered here.This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grants DMS-8907019 and MSS-9203418.     

Standard pseudo-Hermitian structure on manifolds and seifert fibration

A strictly pseudoconvex pseudo-Hermitian manifoldM admits a canonical Lorentz metric as well as a canonical Riemannian metric. Using these metrics, we can define a curvaturelike function onM. AsM supports a contact form, there exists a characteristic vector field dual to the contact structure. If induces a local one-parameter group ofCR transformations, then a strictly pseudoconvex pseudo-Hermitian manifoldM is said to be a standard pseudo-Hermitian manifold. We study topological and geometric properties of standard pseudo-Hermitian manifolds of positive curvature or of nonpositive curvature . By the definition, standard pseudo-Hermitian manifolds are calledK-contact manifolds by Sasaki. In particular, standard pseudo-Hermitian manifolds of constant curvature turn out to be Sasakian space forms. It is well known that a conformally flat manifold contains a class of Riemannian manifolds of constant curvature. A sphericalCR manifold is aCR manifold whose Chern-Moser curvature form vanishes (equivalently, Weyl pseudo-conformal curvature tensor vanishes). In contrast, it is emphasized that a sphericalCR manifold contains a class of standard pseudo-Hermitian manifolds of constant curvature (i.e., Sasakian space forms). We shall classify those compact Sasakian space forms. When 0, standard pseudo-Hermitian closed aspherical manifolds are shown to be Seifert fiber spaces. We consider a deformation of standard pseudo-Hermitian structure preserving a sphericalCR structure.Dedicated to Professor Sasao Seiya for his sixtieth birthday     

近红外光谱结合共识模型快速检测果酒的总酚含量

果酒发酵中的多酚是引起果酒口感、颜色变化的重要因素。为保证果酒品质,有必要开发一种快速监测发酵过程中多酚含量变化的技术。收集不同批次成熟期的蓝莓、桑葚为原料,分别碾压成汁,同时按比例混合二者,于小型发酵罐进行发酵。通过离线收集不同发酵时段的发酵液于离心管,高速离心后取上清液置于棕色瓶保存,共计得到48个果酒发酵样本。将上清液置于三个平行样比色皿,以傅里叶快速变换近红外光谱仪(FT-NIR)采集其透射光谱,取平均值作为该样本的光谱信号。然后将棕色瓶内的发酵液以国标法(即以标准液的吸光度值制定标准曲线)测定各样品的总酚含量,以duplex法计算样本光谱之间的距离且按2∶1的比例划分为训练集和预测集。采用间隔偏最小二乘法(iPLS)将训练集样本的透射光谱与总酚含量之间构建定量模型,间隔数从2依次变化到60个。该研究创新之处是使用共识方法融合多个已构建好的iPLS成员模型,按一定的共识规则分配权系数。通过各成员模型交互验证的残差及其残差之间的相关性来优化各成员模型的线性组合,以拉格朗日乘数法求解各成员模型的权系数,使间隔偏最小二乘-共识模型(consensual iPLS,CiPLS)的交互验证均方根误差最小。相比于全局PLS模型、划分不同间隔数量时的iPLS模型,CiPLS均具有较小的预测误差。当划分39个间隔时由三个iPLS成员模型(即14th,16th,18th)组成的共识模型误差最小为124.2,交互验证相关系数为0.944,对预测集样本的预测均方根误差为163.4,预测相关系数为0.931,预测性能均优于PLS和iPLS模型。另外,作为对比选用连续投影算法与无信息变量剔除法来优化光谱模型,其预测性能均不及本文提出的共识模型。分析各iPLS模型预测残差之间的相关性,发现共识模型主要是融合那些具有较高预测性能且模型间较低相关性的成员模型。结果表明,光谱分析结合共识方法可提高回归模型的预测精度、减少建模所需变量数,能够用于果酒总酚含量的离线快速检测。     

Generative Art with Swarm Landscapes

We present a generative swarm art project that creates 3D animations by running a Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm over synthetic landscapes produced by an objective function. Different kinds of functions are explored, including mathematical expressions, Perlin noise-based terrain, and several image-based procedures. A method for displaying the particle swarm exploring the search space in aesthetically pleasing ways is described. Several experiments are detailed and analyzed and a number of interesting visual artifacts are highlighted.