Giving Food a Fiber Boost: Adding High Beta-Glucan Ingredient from Barley to Everyday Foods

Lack of dietary fiber contributes to many health issues, particularly chronic vascular diseases. Mixed linkage β-1.3 - 1.4 beta-glucan (beta-glucan, in this paper) is a confirmed beneficial ingredient for the human diet through reduction of cholesterol and the glycemic index. Barley contains the highest beta-glucan content of all the grains, and in this study, a percentage of flour from two high beta glucan lines was, each, added to an array of wheat-based food products to measure how it impacted total dietary fiber. Results showed that beta-glucan content was higher in all the products containing the added high beta-glucan flour, along with increased total dietary fiber content. Protein content in the food products is also increased with the higher protein in the barley flours added. Beta-glucan content in the barley-added products increased to 1.2% - 4.0% versus 0.2% - 0.5% in the pure wheat products, while the dietary fibers increased to 3.5% - 24.4% versus 2.1% - 9.1% in pure wheat product controls. This research provided experimental evidence that using a high beta-glucan barley ingredient in food can increase dietary fiber to benefit health.

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Highly Filled Jute Fiber Reinforced Composites

This study aims for development of highly filled jute fiber reinforced composites that contains jute fiber over fiber weight fraction 60%,and jute fiber reinforced composite was fabricated by the hot-pressing method.The molding temperature was changed from 175°C to 230°C,to investigate the effect of molding temperature on the mechanical properties of jute fiber reinforced composites.The effect of surface treatment of jute fiber on the mechanical properties of jute fiber reinforced composites was also investigated.As a result,the jute fiber reinforced composites using surface treated fiber has low porosity,and the jute fiber reinforced composite having low porosity has high flexural strength and modulus.The jute fiber reinforced composite using acetone treated fiber molded at 200°C has the maximum flexural strength and modulus.

Study on the Flame-retardant Properties of High Flame-retardant Acrylic Fiber Knitted Fabrics

This paper involved five kinds of weft-knitted fabrics made from high flame-retardant acrylic/cotton(0/100,30/70,50/50,70/30,100/0).The article adopted the vertical burning method,limiting oxygen index method and Cone Calorimeter test method for testing fabric flame retardant property.By comparison with these five fabrics,the effects on the properties of high flame-retardant acrylic fiber knitted fabrics due to the content of high flame-retardant acrylic fiber were analyzed.

OBSERVATIONS ON DEFORMATION BEHAVIOR OF HIGH PERFORMANCE FIBERS BY POLARIZING OPTICAL MICROSCOPY

By means of polarizing optical microscopy (POM), deformation behavior of four kinds of fibers, i.e, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) fiber, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber, and wholly aromatic (rho-hydroxybenzoic acid/2-hydroxy-6-naphthoic acid) copolyester [P(HBA/HNA)]/PET (ACPET blend) fiber, in axial compression, axial impacting, and bending was observed. In compression, kink bands formed at an angle of 55-60 degrees ro the fiber axis in 10-times-drawn UHMW-PE fiber, 75-80 degrees in 40-times-drawn sample, 80 degrees in PVA fiber, and 90 degrees in the ACPET blend fiber. In impacting and bending, band angles of UHMW-PE, PVA and PET fibers are nearly the same as those formed in compression, indicating that slip systems do not change. For any of the four kinds of fiber, band spacing exhibits great differences in compression, in impacting, and in bending, which may be attributed to the differences in the degrees of strain or stress concentration.

Experimental study of weld position detection based on keyhole infrared image during high power fiber laser welding

Keyhole is one of the important phenomena in high-power laser welding process. By studying the keyhole characteristic and detecting the seam offset during high-power fiber laser welding, an infrared sensitive high-speed camera arranged off-axis orientation of laser beam was applied to capture the dynamic thermal images of a molten pool. The 304 austenitic stainless steel plate butt joint welding experiment with laser power 10 kW was carried out. Through analyzing the keyhole infrared image, the weld position was calculated. Least squares method was used to determine the actual weld position. Image filtering technique was used to process the keyhole image, and the keyhole centroid coordinate were calculated. Also, least squares method was used to fit the keyhole centroid curve equation and establish a nonlinear continuous model which described the deviation between keyhole centroid and weld seam. The heat accumulation effect affected by the infrared radiation was analyzed to determine whether the laser beam focus spot deviated from the desired welding seam. Experimental results showed that the keyhole centroid has related to the seam offset, and can reflect the welding quality.

Fabrication of Tm-Doped Fibers for High Power and 121W Output All-Fiber Tm-Doped Fiber Laser

We fabricate the Tm-doped double cladding silica fiber by using the vapor-solution hybrid-doping method, then build up an all-fiber Tin-doped fiber laser which can provide the output power of up to 121 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 51% and an optical-optical efficiency of 48%. By using the domestic Tin-doped fiber, it is the first time a hundred-watt level output at 1915nm has been achieved, to the best of our knowledge. The thermal effect of Tm-doped fiber laser is also analyzed.

CT Image-based Analysis on the Defect of Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced High-Strength Concrete at High Temperatures

With the application of X-ray computed tomography（CT） technology of C80 high-strength concrete with polypropylene fiber at elevated temperatures, the microscopic damage evolution process observation and image building could be obtained, based on the statistics theory and numerical analysis of the combination of concrete internal defects extension and evolution regularity of microscopic structure. The expermental results show that the defect rate has changed at different temperatures and can determine the concrete degradation threshold temperatures. Also, data analysis can help to establish the evolution equation between the defect rate and the effect of temperature damage, and identify that the addition of polypropylene fibers in the high strength concrete at high temperature can improve cracking resistance.

Broadband tunable optical amplification based on modulation instability characteristic of high-birefringence photonic crystal fibers

A novel high-birefringence photonic crystal fiber （HB-PCF） with two zero-dispersion wavelengths （ZDWs） is designed, and an extraordinarily high modal birefringence of 1.56×10-2 is obtained at pump wavelength λp=1850nm. With the designed HB-PCF, the effect of the pump parameters on the modulation instability （MI） in the anomalous dispersion region close to the second ZDWs of the HB-PCF is comprehensively studied in this work. A broadband and tunable optical amplification is achieved by controlling the pump power and the pump wavelength based on the combined operation of Raman effect and cross phase modulation. By optimizing the pump parameters, the amplification bandwidth along the fiber slow axis reaches 152 nm for the pump power Pp=280W and the pump wavelength λp=1675nm, while the gain bandwidth along the fiber fast axis is 165 nm for the pump power Pp=600W and the pump wavelength λp=1818nm.

Dynamic Mechanical Behaviour of Ultra-high Performance Fiber Reinforced Concretes

Ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concretes （UHPFRC） were prepared by replacing 60% of cement with ultra-fine industrial waste powder. The dynamic mechanical behaviour of UHPFRC with different fiber volume fraction was researched on repeated compressive impact in four kinds of impact modes through split Hopkinson pressure bar （SHPB）. The experimental results show that the peak stress and elastic modulus decrease and the strain rate and peak strain increase gradually with the increasing of impact times. The initial material damage increases and the peak stress of the specimen decreases from the second impact with the increasing of the initial incident wave. Standard strength on repeated impact is defined to compare the ability of resistance against repeated impact among different materials. The rate of reduction of standard strength is decreased by fiber reinforcement under repeated impact. The material damage is reduced and the ability of repeated impact resistance of UHPFRC is improved with the increasing of fiber volume fraction.

Synchronously Pumped Mode-Locked 1.89 μm Tm-Doped Fiber Laser with High Detuning Toleration

We propose and demonstrate a synchronously pumped mode-locked Tm-doped fiber（TDF） laser without any extra mode-locking elements. Pumped by a 1.56 μm pulse fiber laser, the TDF laser generates 1.17 ps pulses with a spectral width of 9.7 nm and a repetition rate of 9.33 MHz. The emission wavelength is tunable along with the cavity length detuning in a wide range of 3 mm. The high detuning toleration is beneficial to achieve high temperature and vibration stability in all-fiber configuration lasers.

Diagnostic capability of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer parameters in time-domain versus spectral-domain optical coherence tomography for assessing glaucoma in high myopia

AIM： To evaluate and compare the diagnostic capabilities of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer（p-RNFL） parameters of Spectralis optical coherence tomography（OCT） versus Stratus OCT to detect glaucoma in patients with high myopia. METHODS： This is a retrospective, cross-sectional study. Sixty highly myopic eyes of 60 patients were enrolled, with 30 eyes in the glaucoma group and 30 eyes in the control group. All eyes received peripapillary imaging of the optic disc using Stratus and Spectralis OCT. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve（AUROC） and the sensitivity at specificity of 〉80% and 〉95% for p-RNFL parameters obtained using the two devices to diagnose glaucoma were analysed and compared. RESULTS： In Spectralis OCT, p-RNFL thickness parameters with the largest AUROC were the temporal-inferior sector（0.974） and the inferior quadrant（0.951）, whereas in Stratus OCT, the best parameters were the 7-o＇clock sector（0.918） and the inferior quadrant（0.918）. Compared to the Stratus OCT parameters, the Spectralis OCT parameters demonstrated generally higher AUROC; however, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION： The best p-RNFL parameters for diagnosing glaucoma in patients with high myopia were the temporal-inferior sector on Spectralis OCT and the 7-o＇clock sector on Stratus OCT. There were no significant differences between the AUROCs for Spectralis OCT and Stratus OCT, which suggest that the glaucoma diagnostic capabilities of these two devices in patients with high myopia are similar.

Numerical simulation of high-energy neutron radiation effect of scintillation fiber

Due to their low cost,flexibility,and convenience for long distance data transfer,plastic scintillation fibers (PSF) have been increasingly used in building detectors or sensors for detecting various radiations and imaging. In this paper,GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation tool was used to obtain some radiation effects of PSF under high-energy neutron irradiation. BCF-20,a plastic fiber material,produced by Saint-Gobain,was used in the simulation. The fiber consists of a core scintillating material of polystyrene and an acrylic outer cladding. Incident neutrons produce energy deposition in fiber through neutron induced recoil proton events. The relationships between energy deposition efficiency and fiber length,fiber radius and incident neutron energy are presented. The variation with those parameters and parameter selection are also analyzed.

High Alumina Fiber Composite SiO_2 Based Nanoporous Insulation Boards

The specimens were prepared with high alumina fiber accounting for 0. 5% , 10% or 15% by mass of the total amount of amorphous silica and high alumina fiber, using phenolic resin as binder, and extra-adding 0 or 0. 5% ZnO as sunscreen to cut the cost of SiO2 nanoporous insulation board. The hot volume stability and thermal conductivity （flat plate method ） of the specimens were tested and multi-Jimetion simulation equipment was used to study the thermal insulation performante. The results show that： （1） with high alumina fiber addition increasing, the linear shrinkage rate decreases, but thermal eonductivity changes a little; （2） adding ZnO can decrease thermal conductivity obviously; （3）for the specimen with ZnO and 15% of high alumina fiber, its cold face temperature hardly rises during the simulation experiment at 1 000 ℃ for 2 h, and the cold face temperature of the specimen with the smallest thickness of 2 cm doesn＇t exceed 180 ℃.

Numerical simulation of the molten pool character in high power fiber laser welding

A mathematical model was developed to describe moving laser welding by using the rotary Gauss body heat source model, and the effect of recoil pressure was taken into account. The formation of the long and narrow pool in high power fiber laser welding can be explained by the mathematical model （laser power： 10 kW, welding speed： 4 -20 m/min）. Numerical simulation was conducted by PHOENICS software. The results show that at high welding velocity the plasma accelerated the velocity of liquid metal around the keyhole which is the main reason for the formation of the long and narrow molten pool in high power laser welding.

Efficient loading of ultracold sodium atoms in an optical dipole trap from a high power fiber laser

We report on a research of the loading of ultracold sodium atoms in an optical dipole trap,generated by two beams from a high power fiber laser.The effects of optical trap light power on atomic number,temperature and phase space density are experimentally investigated.A simple theory is proposed and it is in good accordance with the experimental results of the loaded atomic numbers.In a general estimation,an optimal value for each beam with a power of 9 W from the fiber laser is achieved.Our results provide a further understanding of the loading process of optical dipole trap and laid the foundation for generation of a sodium Bose–Einstein condensation with an optical dipole trap.

Spalling and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Reinforced High-performance Concrete Subjected to Fire

Spalling and mechanical properties of FRHPC subjected to fire were tested on notched beams. The results confirm that the internal vapor pressure is the leading reason for spalling of high-performance concrete （HPC）. At the same time, the temperature-increasing velocity and constrained conditions of concrete element also play significant roles in spalling. Steel fibers cannot reduce the risk of spalling, although they have obvious beneficial effects on the mechanical properties of concrete before and after exposure to fire. Polypropylene （PP） fibers are very useful in preventing HPC from spalling, however, they have negative effects on the strengths. By using hybrid fibers （steel fibers＋PP fibers）, both good anti-spalling performance and improved mechanical properties come true, which may provide necessary safe guarantee for the rescue work and structure repair after fire disaster.

Characterization of diamond MWCNTs composite fiber synthesized under high pressure and high temperature

A regrown composite fiber was synthesized during the sintering of diamond under high pressure 5.8 GPa and high temperature 1500℃for 1 min,using 3wt%MWCNTs as additive.SEM observation of the fiber after alkali and acid treatment revealed that the outer layer of the fiber is composed of nano-polycrystalline diamond.EDS,XPS,XRD and Raman spectrum analysis further identified that the fiber is composed of MWCNTs in the inner part and nano-polycrystalline diamond in the out layer.It is proposed that the untransformed MWCNTs may act as a template for the regrown outer layer of nano diamond fiber under high pressure and high temperature.

Structural Behavior of Continuous Prestressed Steel Fiber Reinforced High Strength Concrete Beam

The flexural behaviors of continuous fully and partially prestressed steel fiber reinforced high strength concrete beams are studied by experiment and nonlinear finite element analysis. Three levels of partial prestress ratio （PPR） are considered, and three pairs of two-span continuous beams with box sections varying in size are designed. The major parameters involved in the study include the PPR and the fiber location. It is concluded that the prestressed high strength concrete beam exhibits satisfactory ductility; the influences of steel fiber on the crack behaviors for partially prestressed beams are not as obvious as those for fully prestressed ones; steel fibers can improve the structural stiffness after cracking for fully prestressed high strength concrete beams; the moment redistribution from mid-span to intermediate support in the first stage should be mainly considered in practical design.

Erbium-Doped Zirconia-Alumina Silica Glass-Based Fiber as a Saturable Absorber for High Repetition Rate Q-Switched All-Fiber Laser Generation

We propose and demonstrate a Q-switched erbium-doped fiber laser （EDFL） using an erbium-doped zirconia-alumina silica glass-based fiber （Zr-EDF） as a saturable absorber. As a 16-cm-long Zr-EDF is incorporated into a ring EDFL cavity, a stable Q-switching pulse train operating at 1565？nm wavelength is successfully obtained. The repetition rate is tunable from 33.97？kHz to 71.23？kHz by increasing the pump power from the threshold of 26？mW to the maximum of 74？mW. The highest pulse energy of 26.67？nJ is obtained at the maximum pump power.