Convective Drying Kinetics and Darkening of Okara

Okara pellets were dried in a pneumatic tube from 78% of moisture content (w.b.) to 64% and then in a rotational drum to 3%. Time, temperature, and drum rotation were correlated to the okara darkening. The temperatures used were 130, 150, and 170°C in the pneumatic tube and 50, 60, and 70°C in the rotational dryer. The rotations used for the drum were 27 and 47 rpm. When okara was dried only in the pneumatic tube it became dark; however, when dried in both the tube and the dryer the darkening level decreased significantly. The results showed that the first drying level temperature does not influence the drying time of the combined process.     

Relation among taste-related compounds (phenolics and caffeine) and sensory profile of erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis)

Erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) is a native species from temperate regions of South America, such as Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, that is consumed as a beverage known as mate. The objective of this research was to determine the content of caffeic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeine, and gallic acid in mate to explain their influence in beverage taste and sensory differences between native and reforested plants, as well as between beverages from plants of different regions of Brazil (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states). Compounds were determined by HPLC and results were related to a sensory evaluation performed by trained tasters. Tasters considered the beverage from reforested plants to be more bitter than the beverage from native plants. Beverages from reforested plants had significantly higher caffeic acid and lower catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeine, and gallic acid content than native plants. Beverages from plants of Santa Catarina state had significantly higher catechin, caffeine, and gallic acid content than plants from Rio Grande do Sul state.     

Determinants of mating success in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus): III. Female acceptance of multiple mating partners.

Four studies with golden hamsters investigated females' acceptance of multiple mating partners. Findings show that females that mated only with a single, recently mated male ran a high risk of pseudopregnancy or reduced litter size. Females paired with males that had mated to satiety 30 min, 8 hrs, or 24 hrs earlier showed a reduced willingness to engage in lordosis than did females paired with a sexually rested (2 wks) male. Females paired with recently mated males were also more likely to mate with additional (fresh) males than were females exposed to rested males. Females presented with 2 anesthetized stimulus males readily discriminated between sexually rested and recently mated individuals. Neither prior sexual experience nor recent copulatory activity was required for this discrimination. It is suggested that multiple-male mating (promiscuity) in female hamsters may be an adaptation against an infertile mating as a consequence of mating with a single, recently mated, sperm-depleted male. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Optimization of parallel variable-speed-driven centrifugal pumps operation

This paper presents an optimization framework based on dynamic programming mathematic tool suitable to be implemented in programmable logic controllers to improve the automated control of parallel pumping loops aiming at energy conservation. The paper also contributes with simple methods to derive system curve and pumping head-flow speed-dependent characteristic from ordinary field measurements.     

Collaborative Learning vs. Lecture/Discussion: Students' Reported Learning Gains*

This study examined the extent to which undergraduate engineering courses taught using active and collaborative learning methods differ from traditional lecture and discussion courses in their ability to promote the development of students' engineering design, problem‐solving, communication, and group participation skills. Evidence for the study comes from 480 students enrolled in 17 active or collaborative learning courses/sections and six traditional courses/sections at six engineering schools. Results indicate that active or collaborative methods produce both statistically significant and substantially greater gains in student learning than those associated with more traditional instructional methods. These learning advantages remained even when differences in a variety of student pre‐course characteristics were controlled.     

Thermal acceptability assessment in buildings located in hot and humid regions in Brazil

The objective of this paper was to perform an analysis on thermal acceptability in naturally ventilated (NVB) and air-conditioned buildings (ACB) located in hot and humid climates in Brazil. Experiments were carried out in April and November 2005 with 1.301 questionnaires based on ISO 10551:1995(E). Indoor and outdoor climatic variables were monitored simultaneously. The results revealed that 53% of the occupants of NVB and 78% of ACB were thermally satisfied. However, some restrictions were observed with the applications of the following methodologies: ISO/FDIS 7730:2005(E); ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55:2004; Adaptive Temperature Limits (ATG) and prEN15251: 2005(E). Differences were observed between thermal sensation (TSV) and predicted mean vote (PMV) and between the subject's percentages expressing thermal unacceptability of the environment and the PPD calculated according to ISO/FDIS 7730:2005(E).     

Minimal representations of continuous-time processes having spectral density with zeros in the extended imaginary axis

Given a process y with stationary increments and rational incremental spectral density Φ(s), we parametrize minimal state-space representations of dy. We consider the case when Φ(s) may have zeros on the imaginary axis including infinity and we analyze the zero structure of each state-space representation.     

Bleaching of Knitted Cotton Fabric Applying Ozone

Several samples of knitted cotton fabric in raw state were impregnated with a solution of industrial wetting detergent and treated directly with ozone gas in a closed chamber. Working conditions for the variables: time, pH of the impregnation solution, residual pickup and feed flow rate of oxygen (for ozone generation) were investigated to identify the effects on whiteness degree and fabric strength. The application of ozone proved to be an efficient and promising technology with low water usage.