A comprehensive approach to evaluating watershed models for predicting river flow regimes critical to downstream ecosystem services

Selection of strategies that help reduce riverine inputs requires numerical models that accurately quantify hydrologic processes. While numerous models exist, information on how to evaluate and select the most robust models is limited. Toward this end, we developed a comprehensive approach that helps evaluate watershed models in their ability to simulate flow regimes critical to downstream ecosystem services. We demonstrated the method using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), the Hydrological Simulation Program–FORTRAN (HSPF) model, and Distributed Large Basin Runoff Model (DLBRM) applied to the Maumee River Basin (USA). The approach helped in identifying that each model simulated flows within acceptable ranges. However, each was limited in its ability to simulate flows triggered by extreme weather events, owing to algorithms not being optimized for such events and mismatched physiographic watershed conditions. Ultimately, we found HSPF to best predict river flow, whereas SWAT offered the most flexibility for evaluating agricultural management practices.     

Effect of the use of carbon dioxide on Prato cheese making

The effects of the addition of carbon dioxide (CO₂) under pressure (1.6 × 10⁵ Pa at 8 °C) to pasteurised Prato cheese milk (pH 6.0) was investigated through 120 d of refrigerated storage. The addition of CO₂ decreased the curd formation time (30 min), the total manufacturing time (47 min), and the pH of Prato cheese, thus leading to reduced moisture content. The CO₂ treated cheese showed higher firmness and fracturability due to the greater whey loss. In contrast, the microorganism counts, cheese yield, protein loss, cohesiveness, springiness, and gumminess were not significantly affected by the treatment. For the lactose fermentation, no significant differences were observed. The addition of CO₂ did not change the proteolysis indexes, and no significant differences were observed in the sensory acceptance of the CO₂ treated cheese, which was well accepted by consumers.     

基于机器学习的密集烘烤过程烟叶失水率预测模型对比

为准确预测密集烘烤过程烟叶失水率,以精准调控烘烤工艺参数,基于机器学习建立烟叶失水率预测模型。以翠碧一号中部叶为材料,实时采集烘烤过程中烟叶图像和失水率;利用图像处理技术提取烟叶的10种颜色特征和10种纹理特征,通过变量聚类和皮尔逊相关性分析优选出2种颜色特征(a^*/b^*、R)和2种纹理特征(梯度熵、梯度分布不均匀性);将训练集图像的4种优选特征和烟叶失水率作为输入变量,分别对建立的网格式支持向量机(GS-SVM)、遗传算法优化的BP神经网络(GA-BP)、极限学习机(ELM)3种预测模型进行训练。利用3种预测模型对测试集图像进行烟叶失水率预测并与实际失水率比较。结果表明,3种预测模型均能够较为准确地预测密集烘烤过程烟叶失水率(均方根误差RMSE≤0.014 0,决定系数R2≥0.996 1),对变黄期(0～40 h)和定色期(40～100 h)的预测误差小于干筋期(100～140 h)。该技术可为烟叶烘烤智能调控系统的研发提供支持。     

An elastic approach to rough contact with asperity interactions

A simple static elastic contact model is developed to verify and to extend the generalization proposed in an earlier study. A direct comparison is also given with a recent mathematical model devised by Kalker: this method is seminumerical and requires discretization of the domain as our problem is solved using an integral formulation of the plane theory of elasticity. The contact zones are dependent, so interaction between neighbouring asperities is possible.     

Reactive atmosphere processing of oxides (Part II)

The application of the reactive atmosphere process (RAP) to rare-earth oxides to suppress OH⁻ impurity introduction is extended to the reduction of the higher oxide. A marked difference in the action of H₂ and CO is shown in the reduction of Tb₄O₇ to Tb₂O₃.     

Nitrogen losses from fertilizers applied to maize, wheat and rice in the North China Plain

Ammonia volatilization, denitrification loss and total nitrogen (N) loss (unaccounted-for N) have been investigated from N fertilizer applied to a calcareous sandy loam fluvo-aquic soil at Fengqiu in the North China Plain. Ammonia volatilization was measured by the micrometeorological mass balance method, denitrification by the acetylene inhibition – soil core incubation technique, and total N loss by ¹⁵N-balance technique. Ammonia loss was an important pathway of N loss from N fertilizer applied to rice (30–39% of the applied N) and maize (11–48%), but less so for wheat (1–20%). The amounts of unaccounted-for fertilizer N were in the order of rice > maize > wheat. Deep placement greatly reduced ammonia volatilization and total N loss. Temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation (particular for rice), and source of N fertilizer also affect extent and pattern of ammonia loss. Denitrification (its major gas products are N₂ and N₂O) usually was not a significant pathway of N loss from N fertilizer applied to maize and wheat. The amount of N₂O emission (N₂O is an intermediate product from both nitrification and denitrification) was comparable to denitrification loss for maize and wheat, and it was not significant in the economy of fertilizer N in agronomical terms, but it is of great concern for the environment.     

Changes in the volatiles,chemical components,and antioxidant activities of Chinese jasmine tea during the scenting processes

Chinese jasmine tea, a type of flower-scented tea, is produced by repeatedly mixing the base tea with the aromatic flowers of Jasminum sambac. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in the volatiles, chemical components, and antioxidant activities of Chinese jasmine tea during six rounds of the scenting processes. The results indicated that benzyl alcohol, linalool, benzyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexenyl benzoate, methyl anthranilate, indole, and α-farnesene were seven major volatile compounds of jasmine tea. Moreover, the total amount of the volatile compounds increased gradually with increasing scenting rounds. The absorption of linalool became saturated quickly, while those of the other six major volatile compounds exhibited nearly linear increases throughout all six repeated scenting rounds. Importantly, the value of the jasmine tea flavor index, an evaluating indicator of the aroma quality, gradually increased with the progression of the repeated scenting rounds. The change of each detected taste component was less than 15% during six rounds of the scenting process. The antioxidant activities of the tea samples decreased in the first two rounds and later increased in the succeeding four rounds of the scenting process. However, the antioxidant activity of the finished tea was lower than that of the base tea, being significantly correlated with the change of catechin concentration. The findings provided insight into the changes in the volatiles, chemical components, and antioxidant activity of Chinese jasmine green tea during the repetitious scenting process, which could provide beneficial insight on improving the quality grade of the tea.     

羊栖菜水提物-鱼明胶复凝聚反应表征及其应用

羊栖菜水提物（Sargassum fusiforme Aqueous Extract,SFE）富含多糖和多酚等多种生物活性物质,可作为食品配料在健康食品中应用。除营养健康功能外,SFE能否作为不稳定营养素的包埋材料,保障食品功效和安全。基于此,该研究为评价SFE的封装特性,探究SFE和鱼明胶蛋白（Fish Gelatin,FG）二者在室温下的复合凝聚反应规律。在不同质量比和pH条件下,通过追踪体系Zeta电位、粒径、浊度的变化规律,并对比分析其产物的红外特征图谱,明确SFE和FG复合凝聚反应的合适条件。研究结果表明,SFE表面带有大量的负电荷,且随着pH的降低而增多;SFE可与带正电的FG发生复合凝聚反应,并确定了复合凝聚反应最佳条件为SFE:FG（1:3,m/m）、pH值4.2,此时SFE-FG复聚物产率高达83.73%;在此条件下,进一步发现壁材总质量分数为1%、芯壁比为2:8时,具有较好的花色苷包埋率,高达91.84%。说明SFE-FG复聚物作为包埋材料,具有良好的包埋作用,可作为微胶囊壁材的天然材料。