Improved system for measuring rheological properties of thickened liquid using an inclined parallel plate and optical sensor.

The purpose of this study was to improve the method of using an inclined parallel plate (IPP) in directly estimating the yield stress and evaluating the properties of a thickened liquid. The flow curve of the relationship between the shear rate and shear stress of a liquid thickened with a xanthan gum agent was predicted using the Herschel-Bulkley fluid model ( ). We supposed that the yield stress and the result of a line spread test (LST) indicate the deformation state and the flow state of shear stress ( ), respectively.

Improvement of simplified inclined plane test for evaluation of thickened liquids by using optical sensor.

The thickening management index for food for dysphagia is important in enabling recognition of the rheological properties of thickened liquids, including their static and dynamic properties. One of the static properties of these liquids is the yield stress. An improvement to the simplified inclined plane test is proposed here that involves use of an automatic system for measurement of the displacements of thickened liquids on an inclined plate.

A proposed method of evaluating the yield stress of a thickened liquid using a simplified inclined plane test.

Managing the thickening index of food is important for dysphagia and helps in recognizing the static and dynamic rheological properties of the thickening agent. One dynamic property is the viscosity under a shear rate of 50 s , and one static property is the yield stress at a shear rate of 0 s . The purpose of this study is to design a simplified inclined plane test to identify the yield stress of a thickened liquid by observing flow behavior on an inclined plate.

Proposal of a novel evaluation index for the effects of shear stress and exposure time on hepatocyte damage.

The purpose of this study was to propose a novel evaluation index for the effects of shear stress level and exposure time on hepatocyte damage. Suspensions of rat hepatocytes (0.5 mL) were subjected to shear stress from 1.

Comparison of allergenic properties of salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) between landlocked and anadromous species.

Background: Salmon is one of the most widely consumed seafoods in Japan and many other countries around the world. Due to the confirmed cases of salmon-induced allergy, the food sanitation law in Japan stipulates salmon as one of the specific food items for which labeling is recommended when used as an ingredient of processed foods. However, trout, the landlocked form of anadromous salmon, is not subject to the allergen-labeling requirements, even though both populations belong to a single species.

Development of a reflected optical fiber system for measuring oxygen saturation in an integrated artificial heart-lung system.

The purpose of this study was to develop a blood oxygen saturation (OS) monitoring system for use with an integrated artificial heart-lung system (IAHLS). The OS monitoring system consists of two paired optical fiber probes (OFPs) and a measurement system. To investigate the effect of the OFP configuration and incident light wavelength on the relationship between OS and the reflectance ratio for wavelengths of 810 and 645 nm, we performed theoretical analyses of the relationship between OS and R810/R645 using a diffusion equation.

Hemolytic performance of a MagLev disposable rotary blood pump (MedTech Dispo): effects of MagLev gap clearance and surface roughness.

Mechanical shaft seal bearing incorporated in the centrifugal blood pumps contributes to hemolysis and thrombus formation. In addition, the problem of durability and corrosion of mechanical shaft seal bearing has been recently reported from the safety point of view. To amend the shortcomings of the blood-immersed mechanical bearings, a magnetic levitated centrifugal rotary blood pump (MedTech Dispo Model 1; Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan) has been developed for extracorporeal disposable application.

Grades of 43 fish species in Japan based on IgE-binding activity.

Background: Hypersensitivity reactions to fish are a common food allergy, but IgE-binding activity to fish species have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to identify fish with high binding activity to IgE in sera from Japanese fish-hypersensitive individuals.

Methods: 38 children with a history of at least one episode of hypersensitivity after ingestion of fish were enrolled and 34 children with no history of reactions and negative IgE results for at least five kinds of fish antigen were included as controls.

Dynamic deformation and recovery response of red blood cells to a cyclically reversing shear flow: Effects of frequency of cyclically reversing shear flow and shear stress level.

Dynamic deformation and recovery responses of red blood cells (RBCs) to a cyclically reversing shear flow generated in a 30-microm clearance, with the peak shear stress of 53, 108, 161, and 274 Pa at the frequency of 1, 2, 3, and 5 Hz, respectively, were studied. The RBCs' time-varying velocity varied after the glass plate velocity without any time lag, whereas the L/W change, where L and W were the major and minor axes of RBCs' ellipsoidal shape, exhibited a rapid increase and gradual decay during the deformation and recovery phase. The time of minimum L/W occurrence lagged behind the zero-velocity time of the glass plate (zero stress), and the delay time normalized to the one-cycle duration remained constant at 8.

New method for the detection of thrombus formation in cardiovascular devices: optical sensor evaluation in a flow chamber model.

We proposed a new method of detecting the onset of thrombus formation based upon the backscattered light intensity changes caused by the alteration of blood flow behavior in the cardiopulmonary devices. In an optical senor based upon the First Order Scattering theory, the relationship between the backscattered light intensity and hematocrit exhibited a monotonically decaying curve for the hematocrit level greater than 45%. To distinguish the effect either by thrombus formation or erythrocyte aggregation on the back-scattered light intensity with a flow chamber connected to a rabbit arterial-venous bypass model, we generated an oscillatory flow using a roller pump and analyzed the results using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) method.

An investigation of blood damage induced by static pressure during shear-rate conditions.

Many investigators have studied the effect of a mechanical force (shear rate, pressure, or temperature) on hemolysis. However, there exists no investigation of a relationship between the interactions of mechanical forces and hemolysis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the interactions of mechanical forces on hemolysis.