Effect of high-pressure treatment on rheological,thermal and structural changes in Basmati rice flour slurry

Rheological, thermal and structural changes in high pressure (HP) treated Basmati rice flour dispersions were studied as function of pressure level (350–650 MPa), slurry concentration (with 1:5, 1:3 and 1:2 flour-to-water ratios) and holding time (7.5–15 min). Rice flour dispersions exhibited a gradual liquid–solid gel transformation as they gelatinized and/or denatured and behaved as viscoelastic fluid following HP treatment. Mechanical strength (G′) of pressurized gel increased with applied pressure and rice concentration. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) thermograms of rice slurry measured after pressure treatment indicated a reduction in peak enthalpy in proportion with the extent of gelatinization and/or denaturation of starch and proteins. Pressure-treated rice samples had a progressively lower gelatinization temperature. A 15 min pressure treatment at 550 MPa was found sufficient to complete gelatinization of protein free isolated rice starch while the slurry required 650 MPa. The presence of proteins might have been responsible for the slower starch gelatinization in the rice slurry during pressure treatment. The sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results indicated some minor changes in protein subunits and secondary structure of rice protein. This study has provided complementary information on pressure-induced changes in physical (thermal stability, overall structure) and molecular level (secondary structure) of rice protein.     

Baked product texture: Correlations between instrumental and sensory characterization using Flash Profile

Fifteen wheat doughs with various compositions have been selected and baked in order to obtain products with densities in the range of commercial bread values (0.25–0.35 g/cm³). A quick sensory profiling technique (Flash Profile), based on the combination of free choice profiling and a comparative evaluation of the whole product set was used. The sensory jury had to focus on the sensory perception of crumb texture (tactile and visual). The treatment of collected data by Generalized Procustes Analysis shows that products were perceived differently by the panel. The main differences concern the uniformity and the size of gas cells but also mechanical properties of corresponding crumb for which attributes like hardness, springiness and crumbliness were used. Instrumental characterization was performed using uniaxial compression (Young's modulus) and image analysis based on texture granulometry (fineness and homogeneity of cell distribution). A Multiple Factor Analysis allowed assessing the correlations between the sensory attributes and the instrumental measurements. Density and Young's modulus are positively correlated with the sensory elasticity. The instrumental and sensory measurements of the size and of the homogeneity of the cells distribution are correlated.     

Differences of tensile strength distributions between mechanically high-grade and low-grade Japanese larch lumber III: effect of knot restriction on the strength of lumber

It is well known that the presence of knots in structural lumber is one of the most important strengthreducing factors. For practical purposes, visual grading including knot restriction is an effective method for nondestructive evaluation of strength. Edge knot restriction for not only visually graded lumbers but also mechanically graded lumbers is specified in the Japanese agricultural standards for glued laminated lumber. We conducted experimental studies on differences of tensile strength distributions between mechanically high-grade and low-grade Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi, carriere) lumbers daily used for manufacturing glued laminated timbers in Nagano, Japan. We then examined the additional visual grading of mechanically graded lumbers for nondestructive evaluation. We visually graded the prepared mechanically graded lumber by focusing on the knots' area ratio of grouped knots. We confirmed that the higher visual grade related to the stronger tensile strength, similar to our present knowledge; but the effects of knot restriction were reduced when the length of the lumber increased in view of nonparametric 5th percentiles of tensile strength. The differences in the strength/elasticity ratio between mechanically high-grade and low-grade lumber were negligible. It was clear that the length effect on the ratio in visually graded high-grade lumber was smaller than that of visually graded low-grade lumber. It was thus concluded that knot restriction should have little effect on the tensile strength of mechanically graded lumber.     

Cell wall thickness and tangential Young's modulus in coniferous early wood

To investigate the effect of wall thickening around cell corners on the tangential Young's modulus of coniferous early wood, tapered beam cell models in which the variation of the cell wall thickness in the axial direction was taken into account were constructed for seven species. Their tangential Young's moduli were compared with the experimental results. The calculated Young's moduli of tapered beam cell models were larger than those of the models composed of the cell walls with uniform thickness, although both models showed almost the same density. For some species the calculated Young's moduli of the models in which the cell wall thickness increased curvilinearly in the axial direction were much closer to the experimental values. The reduction of the radial cell wall deflection due to the increase of the stiffness around cell corners was considered to increase the tangential Young's modulus of a wood cell.This report was presented at the 49th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tokyo, April 1999     

Effect of fungal exposure on the strength of thermally modified Norway spruce and Scots pine

Abstract

Thermal modification at elevated temperatures changes the chemical, biological and physical properties of wood. In this study, the effects of the level of thermal modification and the decay exposure (natural durability against soft-rot microfungi) on the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) of the sapwood and heartwood of Scots pine and Norway spruce were investigated with a static bending test using a central loading method in accordance with EN 408 (1995). The results were compared with four reference wood species: Siberian larch, bangkirai, merbau and western red cedar. In general, both the thermal modification and the decay exposure decreased the strength properties. On average, the higher the thermal modification temperature, the more MOE and MOR decreased with unexposed samples and increased with decayed samples, compared with the unmodified reference samples. The strength of bangkirai was least reduced in the group of the reference wood species. On average, untreated wood material will be stronger than thermally modified wood material until wood is exposed to decaying fungi. Thermal modification at high temperatures over 210°C very effectively prevents wood from decay; however, strength properties are then affected by thermal modification itself.     

刺槐根系抗弯特性研究

从根径和坡位两方面研究了石质陡边坡刺槐根系的抗弯特性。通过对刺槐根系进行室内单根弯曲试验,分析了不同坡位下坡向侧根的抗弯特性。试验结果表明,根系的抗弯强度与坡位的关系显著,不同坡位抗弯强度关系为:坡顶>坡中>坡底。坡顶和坡底根系的抗弯强度与根径之间存在递增的幂函数关系,而坡中根系抗弯强度与根径之间的关系不显著。弯曲弹性模量与根径存在递减的幂函数关系,在根径大于8mm左右,不同坡位根系弯曲弹性模量大小关系为:坡顶>坡中>坡底。不同坡位根系的最大弯曲力之间差异不显著,最大弯曲力沿着坡面向下呈递减趋势。不同坡位根系的断裂挠度之间差异也不显著,但根系的断裂挠度沿着坡面向下呈递增趋势。综合这些结果,可以发现坡顶根系的抗弯性能最佳,对边坡稳定的贡献较大。     

垦植方式对山地果园水土流失的影响

应用径流小区法,长期（1996-2006）定位研究福建中部尤溪县垦植方式对山地果园水土流失的影响,结果表明：1）该地区11年平均年降雨量1575.5mm,平均年蒸发量1461.1mm,5月、6月、8月是强降雨高发期,也是水土流失防治的关键期;2）在山地果园开发中,平台开垦的径流系数为0.0688,明显小于顺坡开垦（0.2865）;3）植草能使果园0-30cm土层的土壤含水量提高0.8％-0.9％;4）顺坡清耕区侵蚀模数为2388.2t／（km^2·a）,梯台清耕区土壤侵蚀量达10.3kg/m,土壤侵蚀主要源于台壁受冲刷,顺坡植草区、梯台植草区基本不发生土壤侵蚀。     

青藏高原东北部4种灌木主根和侧根抗拉力学特性比较

[目的]开展青藏高原东北部黄土区4种灌木植物主根和侧根抗拉力学强度试验,探讨主根和侧根抗拉力学特性关系,为深入研究植物根系固土护坡力学机理提供参考。[方法]选取西宁盆地长岭沟流域作为研究区,对生长期为3 a的柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana korshinskii)、中宁枸杞(Lycium chinense)、白刺(Nitraria tangutorum)和霸王(Sarcozygium xanthoxylon)4种优势灌木主根和侧根进行室内单根拉伸试验,确定其主根和侧根抗拉力、抗拉强度和杨氏模量及其与根径之间的关系;在此基础上,进一步分析了4种灌木主根和侧根根径、抗拉力、抗拉强度和杨氏模量之间的关系。[结果]柠条锦鸡儿、中宁枸杞、白刺和霸王主根抗拉力分别为侧根的28.45,13.21,11.01,7.35倍,主根抗拉强度分别为侧根的0.67,1.17,0.68,1.22倍,主根杨氏模量分别为侧根的2.00,2.39,2.82,2.48倍。[结论] 4种灌木植物主根抗拉力均显著大于侧根;柠条锦鸡儿和白刺主根抗拉强度小于侧根,而中宁枸杞和霸王主根抗拉强度大于侧根;4种灌木植物主根杨氏模量显著大于侧根,说明其主根相对于侧根不易发生形变,对边坡浅层稳定性贡献亦显著于侧根。