Characterization of the phenolic acid profile and in vitro bioactive properties of white beetroot products

The impact of boiling, baking and fermentation treatment on the phenolic acid profile, antioxidant capacity (AC) and angiotensin-1 converting enzyme (ACE) activity of white beetroot was investigated. The phenolic acids were analysed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (micro-HPLC-MS/MS), while AC and ACE were determined by in vitro assays. Phenolic acids concentration was between 87.55 and 100.98 ng g⁻¹ d.m. Ferulic and p-coumaric acids were the main compounds among the nine phenolic acids identified. Boiling increased the phenolic acid content by 3%; however, baking and fermentation reduced the level of these acids by approximately 6% and 11%, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between the results of all AC assays and sinapic and caffeic acid content. The ACE inhibitory activity of white beetroot products may be attributable to the combined effect of the syringic, 4-hydroxybenzoic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids. Our study indicates that white beetroot as a novel product may be a valuable source of phenolic acids and functional properties.     

Sulfate‐reducing bacteria‐assisted hydrogen‐induced stress cracking of 2205 duplex stainless steels

The paper presents the results of a laboratory investigation of the microbiologically assisted hydrogen‐induced stress cracking (HISC) of 2,205 duplex stainless steel (DSS). The testing of susceptibility toward HISC was performed with two different methods. Precharged in sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB), inoculated medium samples were subjected to slow strain‐rate testing in artificial seawater. In situ constant load tests were performed directly in SRB‐inoculated medium under hydrogen charging at 70% of the ultimate tensile strength. Samples tested in the biotic (SRB) conditions showed a considerable loss of ductility as compared to those tested in sterile conditions. Quantitative characteristics of fracture surfaces indicated increased susceptibility to HISC of biotic samples, therefore, suggesting a role of SRB in promoting hydrogen damage of DSS.     

Combining simulations and data with deep learning and uncertainty quantification for advanced energy modeling

A novel and modern framework for energy modeling is developed in this paper with a focus on nuclear energy modeling and simulation. The framework combines multiphysics simulations and real data, with validation by uncertainty quantification tasks and facilitation by machine and deep learning methods. The hybrid framework is built on the basis of a wide range of physical models, real data, mathematical and statistical methods, and artificial intelligence techniques. The framework is demonstrated in different applications, including quantifying uncertainties in computer simulations, multiphysics coupling, analysis of variance using machine learning surrogate models, deep learning of time series phenomena, and propagating parametric uncertainties of nuclear data. The applications demonstrated are oriented to nuclear engineering simulations, even though majority of the methods are applicable to other energy sources (eg, renewable). Efficient utilization of this framework is expected to yield a much better understanding of the physical phenomena analyzed as well as an improvement in the performance of the energy design/model under construction.     

A new type of cooling ceiling panel with corrugated surface—Experimental investigation

In this paper a new type of cooling ceiling panel with corrugated surface has been studied experimentally. A heat flux and a heat transfer coefficient for the new type panel were compared with the reference values obtained for a panel of a flat surface. It was shown that increase of the new panel cooling performance results both from increase of its area and from enhancement of natural convection heat transfer. For typical operation conditions, the increase of the new type panel cooling capacity varies from 26 to 55%, in comparison with the reference panel. In addition, the new type panel is more resistant to the risk of dew point and enables the achievement of higher EER values by the heat pump cooperating with it.     

Impact of storage at room temperature on the properties of CiP solutions

This work reports the analysis of cleaning solutions used in cleaning in place (CiP) and the changes that occur during storage at room temperature. Tests were performed on different solutions used to clean brewhouse vessels and a mash filter in a local brewery. The solutions were collected from CiP tanks after regeneration and were stored for three months in darkness at room temperature. Over time, the physical, chemical and microbiological parameters of the cleaning solutions were analysed. At the end of the study, the solutions were evaluated in terms of surface wetting and cleaning capability. The results showed that storage of the solutions at room temperature contributed to the agglomeration of particulates into larger conglomerates that may contribute to clarification of cleaning solutions by sedimentation. However, other parameters of the stored CiP solutions did not change. © 2019 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

Sharp inequalities for quantiles of system lifetime distributions from failure-dependent proportional hazard model

We consider coherent systems with components whose exchangeable lifetime distributions come from the failure-dependent proportional hazard model, i.e., the consecutive failures satisfy the assumptions of the generalized order statistics model. For a fixed system and given failure rate proportion jumps, we provide sharp bounds on the deviations of system lifetime distribution quantiles from the respective quantiles of single component nominal and actual lifetime distributions. The bounds are expressed in the scale units generated by the absolute moments of various orders of the component lifetime centered about the median of its distribution.