Deformation index (GDI) in grain as a criterion for wheat gluten quality

The nutritional benefits of wheat bread largely depend on quality and content of the most valuable part of the grain, its protein complex, namely elastic, and quite extensible gluten. In recent years, there has been a tendency for deterioration of grain quality indicators, namely the indicator ‘gluten quality’ regulated by GOST. There are often the circumstances, when gluten acquires properties of increased viscosity and bran particles are firmly held by gluten proteins. In this case, it is practically impossible to extract it and it is characterized by the term ‘non-extractable’. At the same time, gluten extracted from flour (in the absence of bran) of the same grain sample corresponds to the 1-st and 2-nd classes of quality. Thus, in the first variant, the producers face losses as the grain of the 5th class is non-food, and in the other, we get good grain when gluten is extracted out of flour. The breeders of the research institutions face the similar dilemma when selecting breeding material according to gluten quality. Both different ways of extracting gluten often give opposite effect for the same genotype. The purpose of the current study was to assess the conformity degree of GDI, identified according to GOST according to such indicators as GDI in flour, sedimentation, rheological properties on a mixograph. In order to estimate if wheat is strong, valuable and weak, there is not enough only elastic ity, which is identified using the GDI device (gluten deformation index). The deformation index after extracting gluten is not always an objective result of its quality, therefore, there is a need in additional study, e.g. determination of the gluten deformation index (GDI) in flour, SDS sedimentation, rheological properties of the dough on a mixograph, which characterize gluten ‘strength’ (elasticity, strength, etc.). These methods will allow researchers to estimate the quality of breeding material more efficiently, and agricultural producers will have a comprehensive description of gluten quality of grown grain.

A practical approach for extracting mechanical properties of microcapsules using a hybrid numerical model

In this paper, the deformation of compliant microcapsules is studied in narrow constrictions using a hybrid particle-based model. The model combines the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) method for modelling fluid flow and the Mass Spring Model (MSM) for simulating deformable membranes. The model is initially validated for the dynamics of microcapsules in shear flow. Then, several quantitative parameters such as the deformation index, frontal tip and rear tail curvatures and the passage time are introduced and their variations are studied with respect to capillary number and constriction size. Subsequently, a dependency analysis is performed on these quantitative parameters and some recommendations are made on fabrication of microfluidic devices and analysis of microcapsules for extracting their mechanical properties. It is revealed that the deformation index and frontal tip and rear tail curvatures are the most suitable parameters for correlating the elastic properties to the dynamics of microcapsules.

Prediction of Joint Shear Deformation Index of RC Beam–Column Joints

In the analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings, beam–column joints are regarded as rigid nodes. In fact, joint deformation may make a significant difference in the lateral response of RC buildings if joints are not properly designed and detailed. To consider joint flexibility, several types of joint models have been proposed. However, these models require complicated computations, consequently making them challenging to apply in engineering practice. This paper proposed a simple approach for predicting the contribution of the joint deformation to the total deformation of RC interior beam–column joints under critical structural deformations. To develop such a simple and accurate approach, experimental and analytical studies were performed on RC interior beam–column joints. In this study, eight half-scale joint specimens were tested under reversed cyclic loading, and 39 full–scale FE models were constructed, varying the selected key parameters. The experimental and analytical results showed that the “joint shear” is a useful index for the beam–column joints with high shear stress levels of vj>1.7 fc′ but is unsuitable for defining the failure of beam–column joints with medium or low shear stress levels of vj≈1.25–1.7fc′ and vj≈1.0fc′. Based on the results, three equations were developed to predict the joint shear deformation index (SDI) of RC interior beam–column connections corresponding to three different types of failure (i.e., joint failure before beam yielding, joint failure after beam yielding, and beam flexural failure). SDI predictions of the proposed equations correlate well with 50 test results of beam–column joints available from the literature.

Quantifying Heterogeneity According to Deformation of the U937 Monocytes and U937-Differentiated Macrophages Using 3D Carbon Dielectrophoresis in Microfluidics

A variety of force fields have thus far been demonstrated to investigate electromechanical properties of cells in a microfluidic platform which, however, are mostly based on fluid shear stress and may potentially cause irreversible cell damage. This work presents dielectric movement and deformation measurements of U937 monocytes and U937-differentiated macrophages in a low conductive medium inside a 3D carbon electrode array. Here, monocytes exhibited a crossover frequency around 150 kHz and presented maximum deformation index at 400 kHz and minimum deformation index at 1 MHz frequencies at 20 Vpeak-peak. Although macrophages were differentiated from monocytes, their crossover frequency was lower than 50 kHz at 10 Vpeak-peak. The change of the deformation index for macrophages was more constant and lower than the monocyte cells. Both dielectric mobility and deformation spectra revealed significant differences between the dielectric responses of U937 monocytes and U937-differentiated macrophages, which share the same origin. This method can be used for label-free, specific, and sensitive single-cell characterization. Besides, damage of the cells by aggressive shear forces can, hence, be eliminated and cells can be used for downstream analysis. Our results showed that dielectric mobility and deformation have a great potential as an electromechanical biomarker to reliably characterize and distinguish differentiated cell populations from their progenitors.

DEFORMATION INDEX APPLIED TO IMPACT

ABSTRACT Almost three decades ago, S. Futamura devised the deformation index concept for determining the control parameter for the viscoelastic response of deformed elastomers. We have extended this concept to impact mitigation, wherein material hardness and energy dissipation typically both affect the behavior. Laboratory impact tests were carried out on a series of compounds to deduce the deformation index pertinent to the rubber component. We then analyzed ballistic experiments, wherein material failure is associated with more complex conditions. The utility and limitations of this approach are discussed.

P930 Early myocardial deformation index modification in hypertensive patients without hypertensive cardiomyopathy: the role of speckle tracking echocardiography

BACKGROUND The structural heart modifications especially for left chambers, in chronic hypertensive status are well known but recently, an increased interest in a global assessment of cardiac dysfunction in arterial hypertension is developing especially concerning the preclinical cardiac damage. The two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE) is a promising technique to detect the preclinical myocardial dysfunction in different circumstances included hypertension. PURPOSE Our aim was to detect and investigate the early changes in myocardial deformation index in hypertensive patients without evident signs of organ damage, using speckle tracking echocardiography. METHOD We enrolled 92 subjects referred to our outpatient clinic for suspected hypertension without history of previous cardiovascular disease. The blood pressure measurements were always gotten with the patients seated after 5 minutes of rest. Among the selected patients 49 were finally diagnosed with essential hypertension (average office blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140/90 mmHg for at least 3 times or valid 24 hours ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) with an average BP ≥ 135/85 mmHg) while 43 subjects were not and their data were used as controls. A 2D conventional echocardiography was performed prior to other analysis for an internal protocol to exclude all the subjects with structural pathologic findings and all the patients underwent the echocardiography before the starting of any kind of therapy active on BP. Patients with chronic diseases and pregnant women were considered not eligible. We perform STE analysis of LA, LV, RV free wall, and a multilayer STE analysis for LV and RV (epicardial, mid-wall myocardial, endocardial) using specifics offline software. RESULTS All the patients had always conventional echocardiographic parameters in range of normality without particularly difference between the groups except for IVS thickness and E/E’ratio (P < 0,05). Patients with hypertension were usually overweight. The STE analysis show worsening in myocardial deformation index both for LV GLS (P < 0,001), LA STE (P = 0,03) and RV STE (P = 0,01). In multivariate analysis the LV GLS was the best predictive index of preclinical organ damage (P = 0,0004) however adding to same models the values of multilayer analysis result in best predictive value for the mid-wall RV index (P = 0,015). This index was also well correlated with all the global STE and the E/E’ ratio (P < 0,05) CONCLUSION Our study suggest that 2D STE can be considered a useful method to identify early alterations of myocardial dysfunction in hypertensive patients without a clinical organ damage. All ventricular myocardial layers are involved in arterial hypertension likewise the LA walls. A layer specific pattern of alteration looks to be present in the early phases of arterial hypertension however its predictive value needs more investigation first to become of clinical use.

ANALYSIS OF THE QUALITY OF FLOUR FROM DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESS OF A FLOUR MILL

Research in the article is aimed to determining the quality of flour from different systems of the technological process of a wheat milling. Samples of flour were obtained at the mill "Rivne Boroshno". Private enterprise "Rivne Boroshno" is one of the largest producers of wheat flour in the western region with a capacity of 180 tons /day. Flour obtained from various systems of milling process, has a very large variety of quality indicators. Whiteness, Gluten Deformation Index, Gluten Content, Protein Content, Ash Content, Water Absorbing Capacity, FN, SD, the rheological properties of dough on the Mixolab device, as well as the quality of baked bread have been evaluated.During the study, the variability of flour quality indicators on various systems was found. Whiteness varied – from 1 to 71 units, Gluten Deformation Index – from 40 to 100 units, Gluten Content – from 2 to 36 %, Protein Content – from 9,8 to 18,2 %, the FN – from 275 to 374 s, SD – from 15 to 30,3 UCD, Ash Content – from 0,31 to 2,23 %, Water Absorbing Capacity – from 53,5 to69,7 %. In the process of grinding grain and intermediate products, more than twenty flour streams of different quality are producedat the flour mill. From these streams it is required to receive only one or several grades of flour. Naturally, if only one variety is produced, then all flows from different systems are sent to it. The weighted average quality indicators of flour should comply with the requirements of the standard for this grade in terms of Ash Content, Gluten Content, etc.The maximum Ash Content is observed in the streams from the last reduction systems, as well as from break systems in the milling process, where products with a large number of brans are milled. At the same time, the flour from the central parts of the endosperm is slightly less gluten, but more starch than in the flour from the peripheral parts of the endosperm, which are grinding on subsequent reduction systems. For the research, samples of flour were taken from each system of the technological process. For convenience, we have arranged them for quality using the indicator of whiteness. One of the main indicators of the quality of flour, which determines its grade, is whiteness. In the studied samples, the values of the whiteness index range from 71 to 1 unit.