Isolation and characterization of lecithin from squid (Todarodes pacificus) viscera deoiled by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction

Marine lecithin was isolated and characterized from squid (Todarodes pacificus) viscera residues deoiled by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) extraction. SC-CO(2) extraction was carried out to extract the oil from squid viscera at different temperatures (35 to 45 °C) and pressures (15 to 25 MPa). The extraction yield was higher at highest temperature and pressure. The major phospholipids of squid viscera lecithin were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phosphatidylcholine (PC; 80.5% ± 0.7%) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE; 13.2% ± 0.2%) were the main phospholipids. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was performed to purify the individual phospholipids. The fatty acid compositions of lecithin, PC and PE were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC). A significant amount of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were present in both phospholipids of PC and PE. Emulsions of lecithin in water were prepared through the use of a homogenizer. The oxidative stability of squid viscera lecithin was high in spite of its high concentration of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Squid viscera are discarded as a waste by fish processing industry. Since lecithin from squid viscera contains higher amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, it may have promising effect to use in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.     

H<Subscript>∞</Subscript> control of multiple model subject to actuator saturation: application to quarter-car suspension system

This paper deals with the H_∞ control of nonlinear systems in multiple model representation subject to actuator saturation. An application to Quarter-Car suspension system under actuator saturation is then given using the multiple model approach. The concept of so-called parallel distributed compensation (PDC) is employed for designing control system. The idea of this controller consists in designing a linear feedback control for each local linear model. To address the input saturation problem in this paper, both constrained and saturated controls input cases are proposed. In the two cases, H_∞ stabilization conditions in the sense of Lyapunov method are derived. Moreover, a controller design with larger attraction domain is formulated and solved as a linear matrix inequality (LMI) optimization problem. Our simulation results show that both the saturated and constrained controls can stabilize the resulting closed-loop suspension system and eliminate the effect of external disturbances. Indeed, the main roles of car suspension systems, which consist on improving ride comfort of passengers and the road holding capacity of the vehicle, are achieved.     

Numerical simulation of dispersion in urban street canyons with avenue-like tree plantings: Comparison between RANS and LES

Previous CFD studies on pollution dispersion problems have largely centred on employing Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence closure schemes, which have often been reported to overpredict pollutant concentration levels in comparison to wind tunnel measurement data. In addition, the majority of experimental and numerical investigations have failed to account for the aerodynamic effects of trees, which can occupy a significant proportion of typical urban street canyons. In the present work, the prediction accuracy of pollutant dispersion within urban street canyons of width to height ratio, W/H = 1 lined with avenue-like tree plantings are examined using two steady-state RANS models (the standard k-ε and RSM), and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) to compare their performance against wind tunnel experiments available on the online database CODASC [1]. Two cases of tree crown porosities are investigated, one for a loosely (P_vol = 97.5%) and another for a densely (P_vol = 96%) packed tree crown, corresponding to pressure loss coefficients of λ = 80 m⁻¹ and λ = 200 m⁻¹, respectively. Results of the tree-lined cases are then compared to a tree-free street canyon in order to demonstrate the impact of trees on the flow field and pollutant dispersion, and it is observed that the presence of trees reduces the in-canyon circulation and air exchange, and increases the overall concentration levels. Between the two numerical methods employed, LES performs better than RANS, because it captures the unsteady and intermittent fluctuations of the flow field, and hence, successfully resolves the transient mixing process within the canyons.     

Numerical simulation of atmospheric pollutant dispersion in an urban street canyon: Comparison between RANS and LES

Prediction accuracy of pollutant dispersion within an urban street canyon of width to height ratio W/H=1 is examined using two steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence closure models, the standard k–ε and Reynolds Stress Model (RSM), and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) coupled with the advection–diffusion method for species transport. The numerical results, which include the statistical properties of pollutant dispersion, e.g. mean concentration distributions, time-evolution and three-dimensional spreads of the pollutant, are then compared to wind-tunnel (WT) measurements. The accuracy and computational cost of both numerical approaches are evaluated. The time-evolution of the pollutant concentration (for LES only) and the mean (time-averaged) values are presented. It is observed that amongst the two RANS models, RSM performed better than standard k–ε except at the centerline of the canyon walls. However, LES, although computationally more expensive, did better than RANS in predicting the concentration distribution because it was able to capture the unsteady and intermittent fluctuations of the flow field, and hence resolve the transient mixing process within the street canyon.     

Analysis and design of fiber reinforced plastic composite deck-and-stringer bridges

A comprehensive study on analysis and design of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite deck-and-stringer bridges is presented. The FRP decks considered consist of contiguous thin-walled box sections and are fabricated by bonding side-by-side pultruded thin-walled box beams, which are placed transversely over FRP composite stringers. In this study, we review the modeling and experimental verification of FRP structural beams, including micro/macro-mechanics predictions of ply and laminate properties, beam bending response, shear-lag effect, and local and global buckling behaviors. A simplified design analysis procedure for cellular FRP bridge decks is developed based on a first-order shear deformation macro-flexibility (SDMF) orthotropic plate solution. The present approach can allow the designers to analyze, design and optimize material architectures and shapes of FRP beams, as well as various bridge deck configurations, before their implementation in the field. Experimental studies of cellular FRP bridge decks are conducted to obtain stiffness coefficients, and an example of a cellular FRP deck on optimized winged-box FRP stringers under actual track-loading is presented to illustrate the analytical method. The experimental-analytical approach presented in this study is used to propose simplified engineering design equations for new and replacement highway FRP deck-and-stringer bridges.     

Numerical modeling of time-dependent deformation and induced stresses in concrete pipes constructed in Queenston shale using micro-tunneling technique

Effects of time-dependent deformation (TDD) on a tunnel constructed using the micro-tunneling technique in Queenston shale (QS) are investigated employing the finite element method. The TDD and strength parameters of the QS were measured from tests conducted on QS specimens soaked in water and lubricant fluids (LFs) used in micro-tunneling such as bentonite and polymer solutions. The numerical model was verified using the results of TDD tests performed on QS samples, field measurements of some documented projects, and the closed-form solutions to circular tunnels in swelling rock. The verified model was then employed to conduct a parametric study considering important micro-tunneling design parameters, such as depth and diameter of the tunnel, in situ stress ratio (K_o), and the time lapse prior to replacing LFs with permanent cement grout around the tunnel. It was revealed that the time lapse plays a vital role in controlling deformations and associated stresses developed in the tunnel lining. The critical case of a pipe or tunnel in which the maximum tensile stress develops at its springline occurs when it is constructed at shallow depths in the QS layer. The results of the parametric study were used to suggest recommendations for the construction of tunnels in QS employing micro-tunneling.     

Predicting the energy production by solar photovoltaic systems in cold-climate regions

One challenge in designing a photovoltaic (PV) system is to predict its generation, given parameters such as location, meteorological conditions, and layout. A greater challenge is to predict the generation of such a system under snow-cover condition. Publicly available snowfall data provide records for horizontal surfaces. However, the effect of snow accumulated on a tilted PV module remains unknown. Hence, irradiance is insufficient for predicting the output of PV systems having any given layout configuration. The research in this paper aims to predict the daily generation of PV systems through the development of a predictive model flexible enough to accommodate different layout configurations based on long-term monitoring data collected from 85 sites. Snow coverage loss factors are derived empirically to enhance the performance of the model. A feed-forward artificial neural network model is developed and implemented with snow adjustments (snowfall data and snow coverage loss factors). Promising results are obtained and validated.     

All ambient environment‐based perovskite film fabrication for photovoltaic applications

Low‐temperature solution process‐able perovskite solar cells are highly desirable for future photovoltaics. Chemical root was utilized to synthesize and optimize mixed halide‐based MAPbIBr₂ light absorber perovskites on electron transport layer of TiO₂ nanoparticles in ambient atmosphere. For the first time all synthesis work was performed in an ambient environment and observe material behavioral characteristics. To accurately control the film morphology, one‐step deposition technique was applied to investigate material's optoelectronic behavior. The role of the perovskite structure, physical, and optical properties in planner device architecture was studied through ultraviolet visible, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope characterization techniques to confirm a band gap of 1.76 eV with cubic crystalline structure having a particle size of 12.5–13.0 nm, which is highly suitable for perovskite solar cells.     

A new framework for metaheuristic-based frequent itemset mining

This paper proposes a novel framework for metaheuristic-based Frequent Itemset Mining (FIM), which considers intrinsic features of the FIM problem. The framework, called META-GD, can be used to steer any metaheuristics-based FIM approach. Without loss of generality, three metaheuristics are considered in this paper, namely the genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and bee swarm optimization (BSO). This allows to derive three approaches, named GA-GD, PSO-GD, and BSO-GD, respectively. An extensive experimental evaluation on medium and large database instances reveal that PSO-GD outperforms state-of-the-art metaheuristic-based approaches in terms of runtime and solution quality.