Compositional characteristics,texture, shelf-life and sensory quality of snack crackers produced from non-traditional ingredients

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of non-traditional and highly available and nutrient-dense ingredients in the production of value-added crackers. The crackers were prepared by combining partially defatted chia flour, wheat germ, quinoa, and oat. The antioxidant activity and the polyphenol content were 7.0–8.4 times higher in crackers produced with non-traditional ingredients compared to the control snack. The hydroperoxide value indicated a low oxidative deterioration of the oil. The sample with 10% of partially defatted chia flour was selected for shelf-life test under storage conditions and sensory evaluation. Modified atmosphere exerted a protective effect on the lipid stability regardless of the incorporation of BHT to the formulation. All the evaluated attributes scored highly during consumer acceptance. The formulated cracker presented a relevant content of protein, dietary fibre and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. Based on these results, the crackers containing non-traditional ingredients resulted in a product with a good potential for both consumer acceptance and outstanding nutritional benefits.     

Reduced‐scale test to assess the effect of fire barriers on the flaming combustion of cored composites: An upholstery‐material case study

Herein, we describe a reduced‐scale test (“Cube” test), measuring the fire performance of specimens including a fire barrier (FB) and a flammable core material, which acts as the main fuel load. The specimen is intended to reproduce a cross‐section of a composite product where heat/mass transfer occurs primarily in a direction perpendicular to the FB. The Cube test procedure and benefits are discussed in this work by adopting residential upholstery furniture as an exemplary study. One flexible polyurethane foam, one polypropylene cover fabric, and 10 commercially available FBs were selected. They were used to compare the fire performance of FBs, measured in terms of peak of heat release rate, in the ASTM E1474‐14 standard test and the newly developed Cube test. Edge effects severely affected the performance of FBs in the ASTM E1474‐14 standard test but not in the Cube test. Furthermore, appropriate test conditions were determined in the Cube test to measure the so‐called “wetting point,” that is, the time and value of heat release rate measured when flammable liquid products were first observed on the bottom of the specimen. The relevance of the “wetting point” in terms of full‐scale fire performance and failure mechanism of FBs is discussed.     

Environmental impact estimation of ceramic lightweight aggregates production starting from residues

Within a circular economy approach, this study investigates the environmental impact of lightweight aggregates (LWAs) produced starting from different mixes of different clays with brewery sludge and cattle bone flour ash (CBA), used as poring and fertilizing agents, respectively. The environmental impact was evaluated by means of release tests, insulation capacity, carbon footprint (CFP), and particulate matter emission during pellet firing. Release tests representative of LWAs realistic application showed very high release of phosphate and satisfactory release of potassium. The thermal insulation of the LWAs was tested by thermal imaging camera and resulted highly variable depending on the composition, with the mix containing CBA performing best. This latter composition leads also to the smallest CO₂ equivalent emission, due to the calorific power of CBA, allowing lower consumption of fossil fuels during the LWA production. Finally, total particulate emissions during the thermal treatment resulted similar in terms of mass for all mixes, while differences in terms of particle morphology and composition occurred. Samples containing residue resulted with a quite good release behavior, CFP, and insulation properties, but higher emission of particles, particularly when glass is added.     

Characterisation of the Dynamic Interactions between Complex N-Glycans and Human CD22

CD22 (Siglec-2) is a B-cell surface inhibitory protein capable of selectively recognising sialylated glycans, thus dampening autoimmune responses against self-antigens. Here we have characterised the dynamic recognition of complex-type N-glycans by human CD22 by means of orthogonal approaches including NMR spectroscopy, computational methods and biophysical assays. We provide new molecular insights into the binding mode of sialoglycans in complex with h-CD22, highlighting the role of the sialic acid galactose moieties in the recognition process, elucidating the conformational behaviour of complex-type N-glycans bound to Siglec-2 and dissecting the formation of CD22 homo-oligomers on the B-cell surface. Our results could enable the development of additional therapeutics capable of modulating the activity of h-CD22 in autoimmune diseases and malignancies derived from B-cells.     

Complexity and performance of an Augmented Lagrangian algorithm

Algencan is a well established safeguarded Augmented Lagrangian algorithm introduced in [R. Andreani, E. G. Birgin, J. M. Martínez, and M. L. Schuverdt, On Augmented Lagrangian methods with general lower-level constraints, SIAM J. Optim. 18 (2008), pp. 1286–1309]. Complexity results that report its worst-case behaviour in terms of iterations and evaluations of functions and derivatives that are necessary to obtain suitable stopping criteria are presented in this work. In addition, its computational performance considering all problems from the CUTEst collection is presented, which shows that it is a useful tool for solving large-scale constrained optimization problems.     

Editorial: Security and Privacy Protection for Mobile Applications and Platforms

Mobile Networks and Applications -     

On the efficiency of quantization-based integration methods for building simulation

Models describing energy consumption, heating, and cooling of buildings usually impose difficulties to the numerical integration algorithms used to simulate them. Stiffness and the presence of frequent discontinuities are among the main causes of those difficulties, that become critical when the models grow in size. Quantized State Systems (QSS) methods are a family of numerical integration algorithms that can efficiently handle discontinuities and stiffness in large models. For this reason, they are promising candidates for overcoming the mentioned problems. Based on this observation, this article studies the performance of QSS methods in some systems that are relevant to the field of building simulation. The study includes a performance comparison of different QSS algorithms against state-of-the-art classic numerical solvers, showing that the former can be more than one order of magnitude faster.     

Efficient sunlight and UV photocatalytic degradation of Methyl Orange,Methylene Blue and Rhodamine B,using Citrus×paradisi synthesized SnO2 semiconductor nanoparticles

In this work, tin dioxide (SnO2) Nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized through green synthesis, using Citrus × paradisi extract as a stabilizing (capping). The extract concentrations used were 1, 2 and 4% in relation to the aqueous solution. The resulting SnO2 NPs were used for the degradation of Methyl Orange (MO), Methylene Blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB), under both solar and UV radiation. The NPs were characterized via Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-IR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM-SAED), the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) theory, Ultraviolet to Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), and Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL); while the photocatalytic degradation was evaluated using UV-VIS. The results showed that the Citrus × paradisi extract is a good medium for the formation of SnO2 NPs. These NPs presented quasi-spherical morphology, particle sizes of 4–8 nm, with a rutile phase crystalline structure, and with banned gap of 2.69 at 3.28 eV. The NPs had excellent photocatalytic properties under solar radiation, degrading 100% of the OM in 180 min. Furthermore, under UV radiation, 100% degradation of the three dyes was achieved in a short time; 20 min for MO, and 60 min for MB and RhB. Therefore, green synthesis is a feasible medium for the formation of SnO2 NPs with good photocatalytic properties.     

Bench-scale bubbling fluidized bed systems around the world - Bed agglomeration and collapse: A comprehensive review

Thermochemical conversion by gasification process is one of the most relevant technologies for energy recovery from solid fuel, with an energy conversion efficiency better than other alternatives like combustion and pyrolysis. Nevertheless, the most common technology used in the last decades for thermochemical conversion of solid fuel through gasification process, such as coal, agriculture residues or biomass residues are the fluidized bed or bubbling fluidized bed system. For these gasification technologies, an inert bed material is fed into reactor to improve the homogenization of the particles mixture and increase the heat transfer between solid fuel particles and the bed material. The fluidized bed reactors usually operate at isothermal bed temperatures in the range of 700–1000 °C, providing a suitable contact between solid and gas phases. In this way, chemical reactions with high conversion yield, as well as an intense circulation and mixing of the solid particles are encouraged. Moreover, a high gasification temperature favours carbon conversion efficiency, increasing the syngas production and energy performance of the gasifier. However, the risk of eutectic mixtures formation and its subsequent melting process are increased, and hence the probability of bed agglomeration and the system collapse could be increased, mainly when alkali and alkaline earth metals-rich biomasses are considered. Generally, bed agglomeration occurs when biomass-derived ash reacts with bed material, and the lower melting temperature of ash components promotes the formation of highly viscous layers, which encourages the progressive agglomerates creation, and consequently, the bed collapse and system de-fluidization. Taking into account the relevance of this topic to ensure the normal gasification process operating, this paper provides several aspects about bed agglomeration, mostly for biomass gasification systems. In this way, chemistry and mechanism of bed agglomeration, as well as, some methods for in-situ detection and prediction of the bed agglomeration phenomenon are reviewed and discussed.