Production and evaluation of jam produced from plum and African Star apple blends

The potential of some indigenous fruits such as yellow-plum (Spondias mombin) and African Star Apple (Chrysophyllum albidum) remained largely untapped. These fruits can be processed and preserved in small-scale operations using simple techniques that could replace both expensive fruits and the lengthy operation processes usually used for jam production. Blends were produced from African Star Apple and Plum in the following proportion: 100:0%; 90:10%; 80:20%; 70:30%; 60:40% and 50:50% respectively to produce six African Star Apple and plum blends. The chemical properties and consumer acceptability of jams made from these blends were investigated using standard methods. Chemical analyses of the jam showed that vitamin A ranged between 613.09 and 686.04 (IU), sample with the highest percentage of African Star Apple had the highest value of Vitamin A; vitamin C ranged between 30.51 and 46.12 (mg/100 g); pH ranged between 4.29 and 4.58; Brix ranged between 11.00 and 14.97°Bx. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences in the sensory attributes of the samples. It was observed that Jam produced from African Star Apple and plum blend at 50:50% proportion had the highest Vitamin A and those at 90:10% proportion had the highest Vitamin C contents and all the samples were of high nutritional and health benefits.

Conceptual Design and Procedure for an Autonomous Intramyocardial Injection Catheter

This article discusses existing catheter systems and proposes a conceptual design and procedure for an autonomous cell injection catheter for the purpose of transferring committed myogenic or undifferentiated stem cells into the infarct boundary zones of the left ventricle. Operation of existing catheters used for cell delivery is far from optimal. Commercial injection catheters available are handheld devices operated manually by means of tip deflection and torque capabilities. Interventionists require a hefty learning curve and often encounter difficulties in catheter stabilization and infarct detection, resulting in lengthy operation times and nonprecise injections. We examined current technologies and proposed a design incorporating robotic positional control, feedback signals, and an adaptable operational sequence to overcome these problems. The design provides the basis for robotic catheter construction that is able to autonomously assist the physician in transferring myogenic cells to the left ventricle infarct boundary zones.

Correction factors in the photographic measurements of x-ray intensities in crystal analysis

For the complete solution of the structures of complex crystals, and in particular of organic substances, it is essential to be able to measure at least the relative intensities of reflexion of homogeneous X-rays from the more important lattice planes with some degree of accuracy. In most crystal problems a number of parameters governing the positions of the atoms in the lattice remain to be found after the geometrical requirements of the symmetry have been satisfied. These can only be determined from intensity measurements, so that in general, the greater the number of reflexions measured, the more closely will the deduced structure approach to the truth. Until comparatively recently the only instrument of precision available for X-ray intensity work has been the Bragg ionisation spectrometer. It has, however, three disadvantages when used for this purpose, which may be briefly summarised:— (1) Only the strongest planes are measurable with any degree of accuracy, owing to the “swamping” effect of the unremovable background radiation in the case of the weaker reflexions. (2) It is clearly impossible to use it, without very special technique, in the case of crystals which are volatile or even liquid at normal temperatures. (3) The measurement of the true integrated intensity is a somewhat lengthy operation in practice, with the result that experimenters are tempted to determine the peak values of the intensities instead; these, in general, are not in the same ratio as the integrated reflexions, so that a false idea of the reflexions may be obtained.