Supercritical CO2 extraction of lipids and astaxanthin from Brazilian redspotted shrimp waste (Farfantepenaeus paulensis)

Brazilian redspotted shrimp (Farfantepenaeus paulensis) waste is an important source of carotenoids such as astaxanthin and lipids with a high ω−3 fatty acids content, mainly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In order to establish an efficient and environmental friendly recovery process, the lipids and astaxanthin were extracted from the freeze-dried redspotted shrimp waste (including head, tail and shell) using supercritical carbon dioxide. The effects of the extraction conditions of pressure (200-400 bar) and temperature (40-60 °C) on the global yield (X₀), astaxanthin extraction yield and astaxanthin concentration in the extract were evaluated. It was found that the pressure and temperature showed a very low significant effect on the lipid extraction yield using supercritical CO₂. In comparison with lipid extraction by solvents, maximum efficiency of supercritical fluid extraction achieved 64% of hexane extraction yield. On the other hand, temperature and pressure had significant effects on astaxanthin extraction yield. Thegreatest amount of extract was obtained at 43 °C and 370 bar, with 39% of recovery.     

Nanoparticle-Based Systems for T1-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents

Because magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents play a vital role in diagnosing diseases, demand for new MRI contrast agents, with an enhanced sensitivity and advanced functionalities, is very high. During the past decade, various inorganic nanoparticles have been used as MRI contrast agents due to their unique properties, such as large surface area, easy surface functionalization, excellent contrasting effect, and other size-dependent properties. This review provides an overview of recent progress in the development of nanoparticle-based T₁-weighted MRI contrast agents. The chemical synthesis of the nanoparticle-based contrast agents and their potential applications were discussed and summarized. In addition, the recent development in nanoparticle-based multimodal contrast agents including T₁-weighted MRI/computed X-ray tomography (CT) and T₁-weighted MRI/optical were also described, since nanoparticles may curtail the shortcomings of single mode contrast agents in diagnostic and clinical settings by synergistically incorporating functionality.     

Seasonal variations in total fatty acid composition of muscles and eye sockets of tucunaré (Cichla sp.) from the Brazilian Amazon area

Seasonal variations in total fatty acid compositions of tucunaré, Cichla sp. in the Janauacá Lake of the Amazon basin were determined by GC. Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) were found to be at higher concentrations than monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in two seasonal periods. Major fatty acids were palmitic (16:0, 48.5–51.6% of total SFA), oleic (18:1ω9, 43.9–50.2% of total MUFA), docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6ω3, 13.5–27.9% of total PUFA) and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4ω6, 16.0–19.6% of total PUFA). Polyunsaturated fatty acids were the most abundant in muscle during the flood period, and more especially fatty acids 22:6ω3 (10%) and 20:4ω6 (7%). There were no significant variations amongst total lipid SFA, MUFA, and PUFA from eye sockets. The ω6 fatty acid percentages were always higher than the ω3 fatty acid percentages in tucunaré, with ω6/ω3 ratios varying between 1.02 and 1.6 in the flood and drought periods.     

Physicochemical changes in ω − 3-enhanced farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) muscle during refrigerated storage

Physicochemical changes of ω − 3-enhanced farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillets developed by dietary modification with flaxseed oil and α-tocopheryl acetate (α-TA) were determined during storage at 2 °C. Trout were fed experimental diets for 120 days followed by processing to obtain boneless skinless fillets. The dietary modification increased concentration of total ω − 3 fatty acids in the fillets, which enhanced chances for lipid oxidation during storage. The fillets were vacuum or non-vacuum packed and stored at 2 °C for 10 or 12 days. Dietary α-TA resulted in higher (P < 0.05) concentration of α-tocopherol in fillets during storage; however, it did not retard (P > 0.05) lipid oxidation. Vacuum packaging resulted in much lower (P < 0.05) TBARS and higher (P < 0.05) retention of α-tocopherol during storage than non-vacuum packaging. However, α-tocopherol unlike vacuum packaging better protected ω − 3 FA in the fillets during storage.     

Fatty acid compositions of fish oil extracted from different parts of Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) using various techniques of supercritical CO2 extraction

Fatty acid compositions of fish oil extracted from different parts of Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) using various techniques of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) at optimised conditions (35 MPa, 60 °C, 2 ml/min) were analysed and compared to the results of Soxhlet extraction. The amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) recovered (as a percentage of total extracted fatty acids) were within the ranges of 73.24–74.68% in the skin, 68.36–69.37% in the flesh, 56.20–57.3% in the viscera and 61.21–62.09% in the heads. The greatest amount of the ω-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were found in fish skin followed by flesh, heads and viscera. The greatest amounts of EPA (9–12%) and DHA (10–14%) were obtained using the soaking and pressure swing techniques. The pressure swing and soaking techniques are the most effective techniques for extracting the ω-3 family of fatty acids from fish samples.     

Research on the application of 4-weighted fractional Fourier transform in communication system

The paper reveals the relationship between the weighting coefficients and weighted functions via the research of coefficients matrix and based on the original definition of 4-weighted fractional Fourier transform(4-WFRFT).The multi-parameters expression of weighting coefficients are given.Moreover, the 4-WFRFT of discrete sequences is defined by introducing DFT into it, which makes it suitable for digital communication systems.After analyzing the properties of WFRFT, a typical scheme for modulation/demodula...     

Characterization and authentication of a novel vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids,sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) oil

Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3’s), whether from fish oils, flax or supplements, can protect against cardiovascular disease. Finding plant-based sources of the essential ω-3’s could provide a sustainable, renewable and inexpensive source of ω-3’s, compared to fish oils. Our objective was to develop a rapid test to characterize and detect adulteration in sacha inchi oils, a Peruvian seed containing higher levels of ω-3’s in comparison to other oleaginous seeds. A temperature-controlled ZnSe ATR mid-infrared benchtop and diamond ATR mid-infrared portable handheld spectrometers were used to characterize sacha inchi oil and evaluate its oxidative stability compared to commercial oils. A soft independent model of class analogy (SIMCA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) analyzed the spectral data. Fatty acid profiles showed that sacha inchi oil (44% linolenic acid) had levels of PUFA similar to those of flax oils. PLSR showed good correlation coefficients (R² > 0.9) between reference tests and spectra from infrared devices, allowing for rapid determination of fatty acid composition and prediction of oxidative stability. Oils formed distinct clusters, allowing the evaluation of commercial sacha inchi oils from Peruvian markets and showed some prevalence of adulteration. Determining oil adulteration and quality parameters, by using the ATR-MIR portable handheld spectrometer, allowed for portability and ease-of-use, making it a great alternative to traditional testing methods.     

基于四项加权分数傅立叶变换的混合载波扩频系统

Spread Spectrum (SS) is a promising technique to resist interference in wireless communication system. In order to further improve this capability, this paper proposes a Hybrid Carrier (HC) SS system, combining 4-Weighted Fractional Fourier Transform (4-WFRFT) with SS technique. In this HC-SS system, due to the property of 4-WFRFT, the signal energy of proposed system is distributed on the time-frequency plane more evenly and symmetrically, compared with the existing Single-Carrier (SC) and Multi-Carrier (MC) spread spectrum systems. In the selective channel, the proposed method can split the interference to a more broad range in order to reduce the influence, resulting in the better system performance. In addition, proposed system can be seen as the convergence of the existing SS techniques , which is a main feature in future.     

Stability of two-dimensional feedback systems

Stability conditions for discrete-time linear dynamical systems in two independent variables are considered. A new proof of a known condition is given, enabling a more transparent interpretation. It is shown that closed-loop stability of a feedback system can be determined from open-loop information by using an infinite family of Nyquist plots. On the basis of these results, the extension of classical design methods, using root loci and frequency response, is advocated.