In vitro and in vivo inhibition of Hass avocado polyphenol oxidase enzymatic browning by paeonol, β-cyclodextrin,and paeonol:β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex

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Effect of pH and level of concentrate in the diet on the production of biohydrogenation intermediates in a dual-flow continuous culture

Milk fat depression in cows fed high-grain diets has been related to an increase in the concentration of trans-10 C_18:1 and trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in milk. These fatty acids (FA) are produced as a result of the alteration in rumen biohydrogenation of dietary unsaturated FA. Because a reduction in ruminal pH is usually observed when high-concentrate diets are fed, the main cause that determines the alteration in the biohydrogenation pathways is not clear. The effect of pH (6.4 vs. 5.6) and dietary forage to concentrate ratios (F:C; 70:30 F:C vs. 30:70 F:C) on rumen microbial fermentation, effluent FA profile, and DNA concentration of bacteria involved in lipolysis and biohydrogenation processes were investigated in a continuous culture trial. The dual-flow continuous culture consisted of 2 periods of 8 d (5 d for adaptation and 3 d for sampling), with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Samples from solid and liquid mixed effluents were taken for determination of total N, ammonia-N, and volatile fatty acid concentrations, and the remainder of the sample was lyophilized. Dry samples were analyzed for dry matter, ash, neutral and acid detergent fiber, FA, and purine contents. The pH 5.6 reduced organic matter and fiber digestibility, ammonia-N concentration and flow, and crude protein degradation, and increased nonammonia and dietary N flows. The pH 5.6 decreased the flow of C_18:0, trans-11 C_18:1 and cis-9, trans-11 CLA, and increased the flow of trans-10 C_18:1, C_18:2n-6, C_18:3n-3, trans-11,cis-15 C_18:2 and trans-10,cis-12 CLA in the 1 h after feeding effluent. The pH 5.6 reduced Anaerovibrio lipolytica (32.7 vs. 72.1 pg/10 ng of total DNA) and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens vaccenic acid subgroup (588 vs. 1,394 pg/10 ng of total DNA) DNA concentrations. The high-concentrate diet increased organic matter and fiber digestibility, nonammonia and bacterial N flows, and reduced ammonia-N concentration and flow. The high-concentrate diet reduced trans-11 C_18:1 and trans-10 C_18:1, and increased C_18:2n-6, C_18:3n-3 and trans-10,cis-12 CLA proportions in the 1 h after feeding effluent. The increase observed in trans-10,cis-12 CLA proportion in the 1 h after feeding effluent due to the high-concentrate diet was smaller that that observed at pH 5.6. Results indicate that the pH is the main cause of the accumulation of trans-10 C_18:1 and trans-10, cis-12 CLA in the effluent, but the trans-10,cis-12 CLA proportion can be also affected by high levels of concentrate in the diet.     

Characterisation of Si-crystalline PV modules by artificial neural networks

In the photovoltaic field, manufacturers provide ratings for PV modules for conditions referred to as standard test conditions (STC). However, these conditions rarely occur outdoors, so the usefulness and applicability of the indoors' characterisation in standard test conditions of PV modules are a controversial issue. Therefore, to carry out photovoltaic engineering well, a suitable characterisation of PV module electrical behaviour (V–I curves) is necessary. The IDEA Research Group from Jaén University has developed a method based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) to electrical characterisation of PV modules. An ANN has been developed which is able to generate V–I curves of Si-crystalline PV modules for any irradiance and module cell temperature. The results show that the proposed ANN introduces a good accurate prediction for Si-crystalline PV modules' performance when compared with the measured values.     

Ground Movements around Corners of Excavations: Empirical Calculation Method

This paper presents an empirical methodology that allows calculation of ground displacements behind corners of retained cut excavations. The increased stiffness of a retaining wall at the corner of an excavation normally leads to a corresponding reduction in ground movements behind the retaining wall. These “corner effects” derived from retained cut excavations can only be assessed at present by using three-dimensional numerical analysis or empirical methods. Significant cost and time can be taken carrying out three dimensional analysis, which, additionally, is not normally carried out at an early stage of the design of a project. Furthermore, numerical analysis must be undertaken by a competent person with appropriate training. An inappropriate analysis can yield to misleading and counterproductive results. This constitutes an expensive requirement on practitioners that often resort to more conservative designs which ignore corner effects. The methodology of adjusting calculated ground movements around corners of excavations described in this paper is simple to use and easy to program into software or spreadsheets. It can be used in conjunction with two-dimensional numerical analysis and also for calculating displacements in early stages of projects when numerical analysis has not yet been undertaken. This allows for more informed early discussion with third parties where approvals are sought on a given project.     

一所大学建筑中用高效率的照明合理使用电能

0 引言 为了在用能效率上作出工程努力,Cortagena技术大学去年4月已决定实施一项雄心勃勃的计划,要在此后的4年中削减用电费用。为了证实不同政策的可行性和成本效益,应用于原海军医院(工业工程高等技术学校总部)的许多展示活动将在最近期内完成。当然,在此建筑中合理用电的对象将集中在两个主要的电气末端即:电     

MODELLING THE TENSILE FRACTURE BEHAVIOUR OF THE REINFORCING FIBRE YARNS IN CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES

Abstract— Using experimentally determined data on fibre radius distributions, yarn geometry, matrix and fibre elastic moduli and frictional shear stress at the matrix/fibre interface (obtained by nano-indentation experiments), the failure probability of the composite fibre yarns (after matrix cracking) is estimated. Each fibre is divided into a fixed number of segments above and below the matrix crack. The failure probability on every segment of each fibre is computed using Weibull fibre strength statistics. A fibre is assumed to be broken when the cumulative failure probability for the complete yarn reaches a value of 0.5. The segment and fibre are then selected at "random", according to their individual failure probabilities. After fibre failure, the broken fibre can only carry the frictional load and the load drop is transferred to its neighbours according to their distances to the broken fibre. The remote stress is then modified to match again the cumulative failure probability of 0.5 and a new fibre is broken. This procedure is repeated until all the fibres are broken. In this way, it is possible to obtain the "characteristic" load carried by the yarn and its corresponding elongation. Fibre extraction and pull-out behaviour are also considered. The roles of different load-transfer laws (from global to highly localised) are examined. The model is applied to simulate the fracture tensile behaviour of individual yarns of SiC/SiC ceramic-matrix composites. The results are compared with those obtained from tensile experiments on SiC/SiC individual yarns. The computed fracture morphology, in terms of individual pull-out lengths, is also compared to the actual SEM fractography of a woven SiC/SiC composite.     

Comparison of two different PCR detection methods. Application to the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

The objectives are to assess the influence of the detection of the amplified DNA fragment on the sensitivity and specificity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One hundred seventy-five sputum samples from 123 patients were processed. Sixty samples were taken from 60 subjects without tuberculosis, and the rest were taken from subjects with tuberculosis confirmed by culture. A fragment of the IS6110 sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which was detected using two different methods, was amplified. The detection methods used were a digoxigenin-labeled specific probe and chemiluminescent development and reamplification (nested PCR) combined with agarose gel electrophoresis. Sensitivity with probe detection was 75.65% and specificity 100%. Using the nested PCR technique, sensitivity rose to 93.04%, but specificity decreased to 96.6%. PCR is a quick and adequate way to diagnose pulmonary tuberculosis in cases where staining is negative yet there is a clinical suspicion of tuberculosis, even though a standardization process and large scale evaluation are still needed to determine its true usefulness.     

HIGH TEMPERATURE FATIGUE IN SINGLE CRYSTAL SUPERALLOYS

Abstract— The growth rate of fatigue cracks in two single crystal nickel base superalloys, CMSX-6 and SRR99, along the <001> planes are presented and rationalised in terms of two interacting crack propagation mechanisms: one attributed to crack tip plastic blunting and the other attributed to the brittle failure of the oxide scales. The role of the oxide scale is twofold as it also wedges the crack and modifies the blunting term through a crack closure effect. On the other hand, a positive effective stress intensity range is required to fracture the oxide scale. Fatigue tests were carried out at different temperatures (500 to 1050°C), frequencies (0.001 to 20 Hz), cycle waveforms and load ratios (0 to 0.9), with starter crack lengths of abut 100 μm. The model predictions match the crack growth rates obtained for both materials. Even though both materials are nickel base superalloys, they have very different oxidation behaviours. CMSX-6 has an improved oxidation resistance over SRR99, however, because of the twofold nature of the oxidation process, which material provides the better life expectancy depends on the applied test temperature and loading cycle.     

Ecological parameters of arbovirus circulation on the north coast of Havana. I. Collection of culicids in the Guajaibon region

We show the culicids collected in the Guajaibón zone, in Havana Province, in order to characterize the present population according to ecological parameters and the possible risk for man. We show that Aedes scapularis is numerically and ecologically dominant over the rest of the species that attack men, as well as the possible indirect influence of culicid populations in crab caves upon human beings.