An investigation of Interface-GMRES(R) for fluid–structure interaction problems with flutter and divergence

The basic subiteration method for solving fluid–structure interaction problems consists of an iterative process in which the fluid and structure subsystems are alternatingly solved, subject to complementary partitions of the interface conditions. The main advantages of the subiteration method are its conceptual simplicity and its modularity. The method has several deficiencies, however, including a lack of robustness and efficiency. To bypass these deficiencies while retaining the main advantages of the method, we recently proposed the Interface-GMRES(R) solution method, which is based on the combination of subiteration with a Newton–Krylov approach, in which the Krylov space is restricted to the interface degrees-of-freedom. In the present work, we investigate the properties of the Interface-GMRES(R) method for two distinct fluid–structure interaction problems with parameter-dependent stability behaviour, viz., the beam problem and the string problem. The results demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the Interface-GMRES(R) method.     

A homogenous CS/NaCMC/n-HA polyelectrolyte complex membrane prepared by gradual electrostatic assembling

A homogenous membrane composed of chitosan (CS), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) and nano hydroxyapatite (n-HA) was prepared by a gradual electrostatic assembling (GEA) method. The physical and chemical properties of the membranes with different n-HA contents and CS/NaCMC ratios were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and mechanical test. The schematic formation mechanism of the membrane was discussed. The results show that GEA is an effective method to prepare the polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) membrane, in which oppositely charged CS-NaCMC polysaccharides can assemble mildly and gradually through electrostatic interaction to form the membrane framework, while the filled n-HA crystals can regulate the structure stability of the composite membrane. The optimum preparation condition for the PEC membrane can be fixed to a content of 60 wt% n-HA, an equivalent amount of CS to NaCMC and a drying temperature of 60°C. The PEC membrane may have good prospect for guided bone regeneration.     

An extended graphical targeting technique for direct reuse/recycle in concentration and property-based resource conservation networks

Minimum flowrate targeting methods for resource conservation networks (RCNs) have been developed over the last decades. The existing methodologies still have certain drawbacks. Their design insights could be deepened and some steps should be more convenient for the users. A targeting tool called the material surplus composite curve (MSCC), which is an improvement of the surplus diagram for water and hydrogen networks is introduced. The approach is illustrated on several cases selected from the literature. Using this technique, it is possible to determine rigorous flowrate targets for different variants of the RCN problem.     

Unfreezable Water in Apple Treated by Pulsed Electric Fields: Impact of Osmotic Impregnation in Glycerol Solutions

The effects of pulsed electric fields (PEF) and osmotic impregnation in glycerol solution on the amount of unfreezable water in apple were determined by means of low-temperature differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The obtained data were compared with behaviour of pure water–glycerol solutions (sample WG). PEF treatment was applied using a near-rectangular monopolar generator with pulse duration of 100 μs at electric field strength of 800 V/cm. The osmotic impregnation of PEF-treated apple discs was done using water–glycerol (sample AWG) and apple juice–glycerol (sample AJG) osmotic solutions at different concentration of water or juice in glycerol, W = 30–100 wt%. The data evidenced that for the PEF-treated samples the glycerol was able to penetrate successfully inside apple tissue. The state diagrams for WG, AWG and AJG samples were rather similar. It was observed that free water existed only for moisture content above some minimum value. The unfreezable water content was the largest in AJG, followed by WG and AWG. The juice concentration in glycerol W ≈ 80 wt% was found to be optimal for preservation of the texture of PEF-treated samples.     

Identification of New Coloured Anthocyanin–Flavanol Adducts in Pressure-Extracted Pomegranate (<Emphasis Type=BoldItalic>Punica granatum</Emphasis> L.) Juice by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) juice, obtained by pressure extraction of the whole fruit, contains coloured flavanol–anthocyanin adducts (the flavanol occupies the upper part of the dimmer) from the direct condensation between anthocyanidins delphinidin, cyanidin and pelargonidin and flavan-3-ols (epi)gallocatechin, (epi)catechin and (epi)afzelechin. The presence of adducts between these same flavanols and anthocyanidins, but belonging to the coloured anthocyanin–flavanol adduct type (anthocyanin occupies the upper part of the dimmer) has been revealed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (ion trap), with positive electrospray ionization (LC–ESI/MS ⁿ ). These new adducts are isotopic with their corresponding counterparts (flavanol–anthocyanin adducts) and indistinguishable from them by comparison of the mass spectra from the MS² of the isotopic parent ions. However, they can be distinguished by comparison of the mass spectra from the MS³ of their corresponding isotopic aglycons. Hence, the MS³ of the aglycon from a given flavanol–anthocyanin adduct always yields a mass spectrum containing five characteristic ions, the three with smaller m/z being only dependent on the anthocyanidin and the other two on both the anthocyanidin and the flavanol. In contrast, the mass spectrum from the MS³ of the aglycon of its counterpart anthocyanin–flavanol adduct gives only two of the above five characteristic ions, where the ion with smaller m/z only depends on the anthocyanidin and the other on both the anthocyanidin and the flavanol. Ten 3-hexoside derivatives of coloured anthocyanin–flavanol adducts were detected in pomegranate juice being reported for the first time this type of adducts from a natural source.     

Degradation Kinetics of Anthocyanin of Traditional and Low-Sugar Blackberry Jam

The objective of this study was to monitor the stability of anthocyanin and phenolic compounds contained in two formulations of blackberry jam (traditional and low-sugar) during storage. For that purpose, jams were prepared with varying amounts of hydrocolloids and investigated as to pH, total soluble solids, water activity, total acidity, total anthocyanins and total polyphenols. In order to accompany and assess the levels of phenolic compounds and colour (L*, a* and b*) changes, the samples were stored for 180 days at two different temperatures (10 and 25 °C). The Arrhenius model was used to determine the relationship between the reaction rate (k) at the different storage temperatures, yielding activation energy values of 19 and 12 kcal/mol and Q ₁₀ values of 3.0 and 2.0 for traditional and low-sugar jams, respectively. The results show that by the end of the storage time investigated, the anthocyanin compounds had been partially degraded, with the greatest loss being observed in traditional jam stored at 25 °C. Colour stability was also lower in traditional jam as compared to the low-sugar product.     

Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure on Physicochemical and Structural Properties of Rice Starch

Rice starch–water suspension (20%) were subjected to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment at 120, 240, 360, 480, and 600 MPa for 30 min. Polarizing light microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), rapid visco analyzer (RVA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the physicochemical and structural changes of starch. Microscopy studies showed that the treatment of starch with HHP under 600 MPa for 30 min resulted in a complete loss of birefringence and a gel-like appearance. The treatment of starch suspension with HHP at 600 MPa resulted in a significant increase in swelling power and solubility at low temperature (50–60 °C), but opposite trends were found at high temperature (70–90 °C). The DSC analysis showed a decrease in gelatinization temperatures and gelatinization enthalpy with increase of pressure levels. RVA viscograms of starches exhibited an increase in peak, trough, and final viscosities, peak time, and pasting temperature but decrease of breakdown, setback viscosities, and pasting temperature when pressure was increased. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the HHP treatment converted rice starch that displayed the A-type X-ray patterns to the B-type-like pattern. These results showed that the treatment of rice starch in 20% starch/water suspension at a pressure of 600 MPa for 30 min led to a complete gelatinization of starch granules.     

Relating dietary diversity and food variety scores to vegetable production and socio-economic status of women in rural Tanzania

The objective of the present study was to measure diversity in nutrition with dietary scores, and to assess their relationship to vegetable production and the socio-economic status of women in rural Tanzania. A dietary diversity score (DDS) and a food variety score (FVS) were created from data gathered with three semi-quantitative 24-h recalls performed during three non-consecutive seasons during 2006/2007. Data on vegetable production, selling and buying and socio-economic data was gathered with a semi-quantitative questionnaire. A total of 252 randomly selected women from three districts of north-eastern and central Tanzania participated. The median DDS of 6 and the mean FVS of 8.3 were low, suggesting an overall poor dietary quality, with about one third of participants having an alarmingly low DDS of only two to four food groups per day. These women consumed a very basic diet consisting mainly of cereals and vegetables. Differences among districts were pronounced while those among seasons were less distinct. The DDS and FVS were both significantly associated with ethnicity, occupation and status within the household of participants. As a more varied diet is not necessarily healthier, integration of both quantity and quality in the scores is proposed for future studies. This can be achieved, for example, by weighing food types according to their importance in the diet. As both scores are linked to the production, selling and buying of vegetables, the promotion of homestead food production may be a good way to improve dietary diversity.     

Micelle-Mediated Extraction and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Method for Determination of Trace Cobalt Ions in Beverage Samples

A new method has been developed for preconcentration of cobalt at trace levels in beverage samples using calcon carboxylic acid as chelating agent and cetyl pyridinium chloride as an auxiliary ligand and entrapped into Triton X-114 prior to its determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The main parameters affecting cloud point extraction (CPE) efficiency such as pH, concentration of the complexing agent, cationic and nonionic surfactant concentration, salt effect, the equilibrium time, and temperature were investigated and optimized. After optimization of the CPE conditions, a preconcentration factor of 60, an enhancement factor of 106, and a detection limit of 0.20 μg L⁻¹ by (R ² = 0.9978) were obtained from a calibration curve constructed in the range of 0.7–100 μg L⁻¹. The proposed preconcentration procedure was successfully applied to the determination of cobalt ions in some real samples including natural drinking water, tap water, and beer and wine samples. The accuracy and validity of the proposed CPE/FAAS method was tested by means of five repeated analysis of reference standard materials (TM-253, a low level fortified water standard for trace elements). A good agreement between analytical results (28.8 and 28.5 μg L⁻¹ with calibration curve and standard addition curve method, respectively) and certified value (27.9 μg L⁻¹) for Co (p < 0.05) were obtained and verified by means of calibration curve and standard addition curve method using CPE procedure.