Physico-Chemical and Nutritional Properties of a Food Broth Based on Nere (Parkia biglobosa)

Purpose: Diet and eating habits are major risk factors for the health and the development of disease, such as, for example, metabolic disorder leading to cardiovascular pathology and cancer, decreased immunity exposing to infections. This study of the physico-chemical and nutritional properties of a soumara-based food broth was carried out with the aim of promoting the consumption of organic broth made from nere seeds (soumara). That is to alleviate certain metabolic diseases, which is a matter of food safety, and also to limit the risk for the health about the consumption of some cooking stocks on the market. Methods: Several natural ingredients such as nere seeds (soumara), ginger, black pepper, parsley and garlic were used to create a nere-based stock. All these ingredients were freeze-dried and the powder obtained was used to make the broth, regarding their physical and chemical properties. Results: The broth had a good protein content of 17.41 ± 0.367 g/100g, a lipid content of 16.80 ± 0.08 g/100g and a fiber content of 8.66 ± 0.04 g/100g. In terms of nutritional values, the broth showed good levels of calcium 184.21 ± 0.09 mg/100g, potassium 50.04 ± 1.45 mg/100g and iron and zinc. In terms of antioxidant activity, the broth also showed good antioxidant activity. Conclusion: Regarding the properties of our food broth, whose composition is based on natural ingredients, could be recommended for consumption and, its properties, could play an important role in preventing and combating certain metabolic diseases.

Physico-Chemical Analysis of Soils Used for Pineapple Cultivation in the Sub-Prefectures of Maferinyah and Friguiagbé (Prefectures of Forécariah and Kindia) Republic of Guinea

Over the years, pineapple production in the Republic of Guinea has become less competitive in the West African sub-region, with a world ranking of 144th. It is therefore only natural to review certain parameters in order to improve this ranking. To do this, certain physico-chemical parameters of soil samples from Friguiagbé and Maferinyah (in the Kindia and Forécariah prefectures) were taken and analysed using the following techniques: Pipette de Robinson, Anne, Bray II, Kapen HICDVITZ, Mc. Lead (1982). The analytical results show that the soils at Friguiagbé in Kindia and Maferinyah in Forécariah are acidic, with pH values of 4.4 and 4.7 (fields I and II) and 4.8 and 4.7 (fields I and II) respectively. The soils have a silty-sandy texture. This study could therefore serve as a guide for the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Guinea.

Application of Principal Component Analysis as Properties and Sensory Assessment Tool for Legume Milk Chocolates

Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to examine the effect of nutritional and bioactive compounds of legume milk chocolate as well as the sensory to document the extend of variations and their significance with plant sources. PCA identified eight significant principle components, that reduce the size of the variables into one principal component in physiochemical analysis interpreting 73.5% of the total variability with/and 78.6% of total variability explained in sensory evaluation. Score plot indicates that Double Bean milk chocolate in-corporated with MOL and CML in nutritional profile have high positive correlations. In nutritional evaluation, carbohydrates and fat content shows negative/minimal correlations whereas no negative correlations were found in sensory evaluation which implies every sensorial variable had high correlation with each other.

Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Potential Using AVO Analysis in the FORMAT Field, Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria

The study involved the evaluation of the hydrocarbon potential of FORMAT Field, coastal swamp depobelt Niger delta, Nigeria to obtain a more efficient reservoir characterization and fluid properties identification. Despite advances in seismic data interpretation using traditional 3D seismic data interpretation, obtaining adequate reservoir characteristics at the finest level had proved very challenging with often disappointing results. A method that integrates the amplitude variation with offfset (AVO) analysis is hereby proposed to better illuminate the reservoir. The Hampson Russell 10.3 was used to integrate and study the available seismic and well data. The reservoir of interest was delineated using the available suite of petrophysical data. This was marked by low gamma ray, high resistivity, and low acoustic impedance between a true subsea vertical depth (TVDss) range of 10,350 - 10,450 ft. The AVO fluid substitution yielded a decrease in the density values of pure gas (2.3 - 1.6 g/cc), pure oil (2.3 - 1.8 g/cc) while the Poisson pure brine increased (2.3 to 2.8 g/cc). Result from FORMAT 26 plots yielded a negative intercept and negative gradient at the top and a positive intercept and positive gradient at the Base which conforms to Class III AVO anomaly. FORMAT 30 plots yielded a negative intercept and positive gradient at the top and a positive intercept and negative gradient at the Base which conforms to class IV AVO anomaly. AVO attribute volume slices decreased in the Poisson ratio (0.96 to - 1.0) indicating that the reservoir contains hydrocarbon. The s-wave reflectivity and the product of the intercept and gradient further clarified that there was a Class 3 gas sand in the reservoir and the possibility of a Class 4 gas sand anomaly in that same reservoir.

The effect of reactive plasticizer on viscoelastic and mechanical properties of solid rocket propellants based on different types of HTPB resin

Conventional plasticizers deteriorate mechanical and viscoelastic properties of the propellants due to their migration upon aging and long-term storage,which affects reliability and safety properties during exploitation.To address this issue,conventional plasticizer,dioctyl adipate(DOA),is replaced by reactive one,castor oil(CO).In addition,three different types of HTPB were used to obtain propellants with designed viscoelastic and mechanical properties.The CO increased propellants viscosity,without a significant impact on the propellant processability,regardless to the type of prepolymer.Conversely,mechanical properties were different depending on the type of resin,which were further analyzed by gel permeation chromatography(GPC).Addition of CO formed a denser polymer network and shifted T_(g) to higher values,compared to the compositions with DOA.The tensile strength of CO-containing propellants was lower at +20℃ and +50℃ compared to the reference compositions,while the strain at maximum load and strain at break were significantly increased with pronounced plastic deformation,especially for samples at -30℃.The inclusion of CO in the propellants composition gives more room for adjusting a wide range of mechanical properties.

The Effect of Graphene Oxide on Mechanical Properties of Cement Mortar

Cement is widely used in engineering applications,but it has both the characteristics of high brittleness and poor bending resistance.In this paper,the effects of different amounts ofgraphene oxide on the flexural strength and compressive strength of cement mortar were studied by doping a certain amount of graphene oxide with cement mortar,and the strengthening mechanism of graphene oxide on cement mortar was obtained through microstructure detection.It is found that graphene oxide has a significant enhancement effect on the macroscopic mechanical properties of cement mortar,and graphene oxide provides nano-nucleation sites and growth templates for cement mortar,accelerates the hydration process,reduces the voids between hydration products,greatly increases the compactness,and improves the macroscopic properties of cement-based materials.

Accuracy analysis of plane-strain bulge test for determining mechanical properties of thin films

The effect of a variety of geometrics, initial conditions and material properties on the deformation behavior of thin films in the plane-strain bulge test was systematically scrutinized by performing the finite element analysis, and then the accuracy of the plane-strain bulge test in determining the mechanical properties of thin films in terms of our finite element results was analyzed. The results indicate that although the determination of the plane-strain modulus in the light of the plane-strain bulge equation is fairly accurate, the calculation of the residual stress is not satisfied as expected, especially for low residual stress. Finally, an approach is proposed for analyzing bulge test data, which will improve the accuracy and reliability of this bulge test technique.

Loading Stress Analysis of Cement Concrete Pavement in Mountainous Areas

The suitable cement concrete pavement for mountainous areas is a form of low-cost cement concrete pavement that uses unconventional graded stones in different proportions in ordinary concrete,allowing the concrete to fully contact the stones and form a stable and well-bonded slab with large particle stones.As large particle stones replace a certain volume of cement concrete,they have good economic performance and are a low-cost form of cement concrete pavement.This study researches the use of ANSYS tools to analyze the influence of geometric dimensions and material properties of rigid pavement structural layers on the mechanical properties of pavement structures.

Physico-Chemical Properties of Flour, Starch, and Modified Starch of Two Rice Varieties

The physical and chemical properties of the flours, starches, and modified starches of indica rice and japonica rice were investigated in this paper. Results showed that the swelling powers of flour, starch, and phosphate starch [substitution degree （DS）=0.065] of japonica rice were significantly higher than those （DS=0.065） of indica rice. The transmittance of modified starches was highest; and that of flours was lowest. The pasting property investigated with rapid visco analyzer （RVA） indicated that the peak viscosity and breakdown value of paste with high swelling power were high. Furthermore, the effect of protein and amylose content on pasting property were investigated. The results of rheological properties determined using rheological rheometer showed that at the same temperature, the storage modulus （G′ of flour, starch, and modified starch of indica rice was higher than that of japonica rice. For each variety, the G′of flour was the highest, while the G′of modified starch was the lowest.

Tribological Properties and Failure Analysis of PTFE Composites used for Seals in the Transmission Unit

The sealing rings are one of the most important components as the sealing devices in the wet clutch unit of a heavy vehicle. The sealing ring, made from PTFE composites, was subjected to serious wear on the sealing surface, but the mating metal surface only had slight abrasion. A specialized test rig was designed for wear research and failure analysis of the sealing ring. The composition analyses of the ring material, working conditions and wear surface characteristics by visual inspection and tribological properties as well as microscopic analysis with scanning electron microscope was performed to determine the wear mechanism and failure causes. Results revealed that the wear of PTFE composites was characterized by abrasion and adhesion after a certain duration testing, and the wear mechanism changed to thermal fatigue and abrasive wear in the stage of intense wear. The thermal deformation and fatigue were primarily responsible for the rapid wear of the PTFE composites for the sealing rings.

Physico-Chemical Properties and Enzyme Activities of the Arable Soils in Lhasa,Tibet,China

An understanding of the physical,chemical,and biological properties of a soil provides a basis for soil use and management.This paper reports the major physico-chemical properties and enzyme activities of the soils of Lhasa's main arable lands and the factors that influence these soil properties.Composite and core samples were taken from the three main arable soil types(alluvial soil,subalpine arable steppe soil,and subalpine arable meadow soil) and were analysed using standard methods.The bulk density and the ventilation porosity ratio of the soils were close to the recommended values for arable lands,and the dominant soil texture was sandy.The soil moisture release rates were arable steppe soil > alluvial soil > arable meadow soil.Soil organic matter content,Cation-Exchange Capacity(CEC),total and available nitrogen content,and catalase activity of the arable meadow soil were higher than those of the alluvial and the arable steppe soils,while soil pH in the arable meadow was lower.Most of the measured properties did not show a significant variance among these three soils.However,the measured indices(apart from the total potassium) indicate that there are notable differences among the three types of soil.The results implied that the utilisation patterns of the arable soil or human activities,such as tillage practices and fertiliser applications,have a substantialeffect on the soil properties in this region.Our results suggest that the cultivation practices in the region have apparently positive impact on the soil organic matter,nutrient contents and bulk density probably due to the sound fertiliser management such as the applications of farmyard manure and chemical fertilisers.However,intense cultivation practices lowered the activity of most soil enzymes.The results demonstrate that the choice of soil management strategy had a significant impact on the soil physicochemical and biological properties in the region studied.

Soil Physico-Chemical Properties and Microflora as Influenced by Bispyribac Sodium 10% SC in Transplanted Kharif Rice

The effects of bispyribac sodium 10% SC and butachlor 50% SC on soil physico-chemical properties and microflora in transplanted kharifrice were investigated over two seasons （2010 and 2011 ） Effects of the herbicide on bulk density, water holding capacity, moisture content, soil pH, organic matter content, electrical conductivity, as well as total nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium contents were analyzed along with microflora population （total bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi）. No significant changes in soil physico-chemical properties were observed. Herbicide treatments resulted in decreases in microbial counts initially. With the degradation of applied herbicides within a considerable time, the microflora populations even exceeded the initial count at 60 d after application of the herbicide.

Molecular analysis and anticancer properties of two identified isolates,Fusarium solani and Emericella nidulans isolated from Wady El-Natron soil in Egypt against Caco-2(ATCC) cell line

Objective:To characterize,identify and investigate the anticancer properties of two new soil fungal isolates,Emericella nidulansand Fusarium solani isolated from Wady El-Natron in Egypt against colon cancer Caco-2(ATCCj cell line.Methods:Soil sample was cultured and two strains were chosen for morphological and phenotypical characterization.Partial sequences of the 18s rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer region ITS of the two isolates were amplified by PCR.Phylogenetic tree construction and analysis of the resulted multiple sequences from the two fugal isolates were also carried out.In vitro anticancer activity of the two strains was done against colon Caco-2 cancer cell line.Reverse transcription — PCR was carried out to detect level of expression of p53 in Caco-2 cell line.Results:HF.I displayed morphological and genotypic characteristics most similar to that of Fusarium solani while HF.2 was most similar to Emericella nidulans with high similarity of 99%and 97%respectively.The multiple sequence alignment of the two fungal isolates showed that,the maximum identical conserved domains in the 18s rRNA genes were identified with the nucleotide regions of Slst to 399th base pairs,88th to 525th base pairs respectively.While those in the ITS genes were identified with the nucleotide regions of 88th to 463rd and Slst to 274th.The two isolates showed IC<sub>50 value with（6.24±5.21） and（9.84±0.36） μ g/mL) concentrations respectively at 28h.Reverse transcription- PCR indicated that these cells showed high level of expression for p53 mRNA.Conclusions:The morphology and molecular analysis identified HF.1 and HF.2 to be Fusarium solani and Emericella nidulans;new isolates of anticancer producing fungi from Wady El-Natroon city in Egypt.Treatment with the two isolates caused P53 expression in Caco-2 cell line.These two isolates can be used as an anticancer agents.

Effects of Plant Types on Physico-chemical Properties of Reclaimed Mining Soil in Inner Mongolia,China

A field experiment was conducted in Jungar Banner,Inner Mongolia,China to study the effects of plant types on the physical structure and chemical properties of open-cast mining soils reclaimed for 15 years,and to analyze the triggering factors of the soil formation.Results indicate that plant types affect soil-forming process especially in the upper layer (0-20 cm),and the spatial structure of reclaimed plant is the main reason for variability of the soil-forming process.In the upper soil layer at the site reclaimed with mixed plants,the concentrations of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil organic carbon (SOC) are the highest,and they were significantly higher at the sites reclaimed with Leymus chinensis,Caragana sinica,which is mainly due to a large amount of litter fall and root exudation in herbages and shrubs.However,the concentrations of SOM and SOC in the soils at the reclaimed sites are quite low comparing with those in local primary soil,which indicates the importance of using organic amendments during the ecological restoration in the study area.

A Novel Dinuclear Copper(Ⅱ)Complex:Synthesis,Crystal Structure,Properties and Hirshfeld Surface Analysis

A novel copper complex [Cu2（L）（DMF）2]（1, H4L =（1 Z,N？Z）-3,5-dibromo-N？-（（3,5-dibromo-2-hydroxyphenyl）（hydroxy）methylene）-2-hydroxybenzohydrazonic acid which was synthesized by in-situ oxidation reaction derived from H2hdb（H2hdb = 6,6′-（（1 E,1？E）-hydrazine-1,2-diylidenebis（methanylylidene）） bis（2,4-dibromophenol）） has been synthesized and characterized by IR, elemental analysis（CHN）, TG and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The single crystal belongs to monoclinic system, space group P21/c with a = 13.538（1）, b = 3.912（1）, c = 23.778（1）A°, β = 105.232（5）o, Mr = 857.08, V = 1214.9（1） A°^3, Z = 2, Dc = 2.343 g/cm^3, F（000） = 824, μ = 8.375 mm^–1, R = 0.0566, and w R = 0.1610. Compound 1 displays weak anti-ferromagnetic interactions through a η^1：η^1：η^1：η^1：η^1：η^1：μ2-L^4- bridging mode. Hirshfeld surface analysis revealed that complex 1 was supported mainly by Br···H and H···H intermolecular interactions.

Multiscale Nonlinear Thermo-Mechanical Coupling Analysis of Composite Structures with Quasi-Periodic Properties

This paper reports a multiscale analysis method to predict the thermomechanical coupling performance of composite structures with quasi-periodic properties.In these material structures,the configurations are periodic,and the material coefficients are quasi-periodic,i.e.,they depend not only on the microscale information but also on the macro location.Also,a mutual interaction between displacement and temperature fields is considered in the problem,which is our particular interest in this study.The multiscale asymptotic expansions of the temperature and displacement fields are constructed and associated error estimation in nearly pointwise sense is presented.Then,a finite element-difference algorithm based on the multiscale analysis method is brought forward in detail.Finally,some numerical examples are given.And the numerical results show that the multiscale method presented in this paper is effective and reliable to study the nonlinear thermo-mechanical coupling problem of composite structures with quasiperiodic properties.

Postharvest physiological responses of pomegranate fruit (cv. Wonderful) to exogenous putrescine treatment and effects on physico-chemical and phytochemical properties

Pomegranate fruit(cv.Wonderful)were treated with putrescine(1,2 and 3 mmol/L)before storage for 4 months at 5℃ and 95%RH and the effects on postharvest life and quality attributes were studied.Results showed that incidence of physiological disorders such as external decay,husk scald,chilling injury and aril browning increased with progressive storage but treating pomegranate fruit with putrescine reduced incidence of most disorders.Control fruit had higher levels of external decay(1.72%–33.26%),chilling injury(10.53%–38.77%)and scalding(15.04%–100%)with less attractive color during 4 month storage.Variations were observed on other fruit quality parameters although treatment with putrescine at 2 and 3 mmol/L concentration reduced changes in color,total soluble solid,Titratable acidity and ascorbic acid.Sensory parameters were best preserved in fruit treated with 2 mmol/L concentration of putrescine with respect to juiciness and crispness.Treatment of pomegranate fruit with putrescine resulted in improved storability and fruit quality during storage.Therefore,for short term storage,2 mmol/L concentration of putrescine could be recommended for maintaining fruit quality especially in the first two months of storage.However,for longer storage period,a higher concentration is recommended,as 3 mmol/L concentration was the most effective in alleviating disorders and maintaining physico-chemical parameters and sensory attributes during storage in this study.

Analysis of the elastic-plastic indentation properties of materials with varying ratio of hardness to Young’s modulus

The elastic-plastic indentation properties of materials with varying ratio of hardness to Young’s modulus(H/E) were analyzed with the finite element method. And the indentation stress fields of materials with varying ratio H/E on the surface were studied by the experiment. The results show that the penetration depth, contact radius, plastic pile-up and the degree of elastic recovery depend strongly on the ratio H/E. Moreover, graphs were established to describe the relationship between the elastic-plastic indentation parameters and H/E. The established graphs can be used to predict the H/E of materials when compared with experimental data.

Evaluation of sensory properties and their correlation coefficients with physico-chemical indices in Turkish set-type yoghurts

Sensory properties and physico-chemical parameters of 10 most popular brands of commercial set-type Turkish yoghurts were evaluated and correlation coefficients between the two indices were investigated. The results indicated that increases in volatile compounds (acetaldehyde, 2-butanone, 2-nanonane, ethyl acetate), titratable acidity, ash and fat contents inversely correlated with the overall acceptability score of the yoghurt. However, diacetyl, C4 to C12 free fatty acids, pH, whiteness index and texture positively correlated with overall acceptability of the yoghurt products. It was concluded that the acceptability of the Turkish set-type yoghurts is mainly governed by the fifteen volatile compounds as well as the physico-chemical properties determined. Thus, the overall acceptability of the yoghurts was not influenced by a single characteristic, but rather by complex in nature.

Characteristics of physico-chemical properties, volatile compounds and free fatty acid profiles of commercial set-type Turkish yoghurts

Ten most popular brands of commercial Turkish set-type yoghurts were collected from local retail outlets in Hatay, Turkey for two separate periods, and analyzed for basic nutrients, physico-chemical properties, volatile aroma compounds and free fatty acid profiles to compare their differences among the yoghurt products. The results showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05, 0.01, or 0.001) and variations in physico-chemical indices, volatile aroma compounds and volatile free fatty acid profiles among the yoghurt brands, which ultimately influence the flavor quality of the product. Acetaldehyde was predominant volatile compound in yoghurts, which followed by acetone, acetoin, diacetyl and ethanol. The level of diacetly was inversely related to titratable acidity, acetaldehyde and ethanoic acid. From ketones with high carbones 2-undecanone and 2-pentadecanone were higher than 2-butanone, 2-nanonane and 2-tridecanone. These ketones are related to fat content of yoghurt. Among short chain free fatty acids, ethanoic (acetic) acid was the most abundant in yoghurts, followed by hexanoic, octanoic and butanoic acids. These differences in detected chemical compositions of volatile compounds and free fatty acids would be applicable to predict flavor, nutritional value, quality control or shelf-life of the commmercial set-type Turkish yoghurts.