Energy inputs and crop yield relationship in potato production in Hamadan province of Iran

The aim of this study was to determine energy consumption and the relationship between energy input and yield for potato production in Kaboud Rahang region of Hamadan state. The data used in this study are collected by questionnaire. The results revealed that nitrogen fertilizer (39%), diesel (21%), seed (14.9%), water (7.5%) and manure (6.4%) consumed the bulk of energy. In the surveyed farms, average yield and energy consumption were calculated as around 28613.7 kg/ha, 92296.3 MJ/ha, respectively. The results also showed that energy ratio, specific energy and energy productivity were 1.1, 3.2 MJ/kg and 0.3 kg/MJ, respectively. An econometric model was developed to estimate the impact of energy inputs on yield by using parametric methods. For this purpose, potato yield, an endogenous variable was assumed to be a function of energy inputs: fertilizer manure, chemical, machinery, human, water for irrigation, diesel and seed. The empirical results indicated that variables: fertilizer, chemical, seed and human were found statistically significant and contributed to yield. Among statistically significant exogenous variables, seed, water for irrigation, chemical, human and fertilizer were ranked in terms of elasticities.     

Effect of surface properties of different food contact materials on the efficiency of quaternary ammonium compounds residue recovery and persistence

Residues of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) remaining after sanitising were evaluated for a number of materials used in food plants. The residues were collected by swabs and measured using a spectrophotometric method. Surface topography and energy affected the QACs recovery. Highest percentage of QACs recovery was achieved for the tile material (102.2%) which had the most hydrophilic properties and least irregularities in surface topology, followed by stainless steel (82.1%). Meanwhile, the lowest recovery occurred in PVC (42.1%) and resin (44.3%) that exhibited hydrophobic characteristics and abrupt changes in height profile in a given surface area. Monitoring of QACs residues deposited on the surfaces after 7 days showed that the recovery of QACs in PVC and resin reduced significantly (P < 0.05), supposing that QACs might be degraded or interacted with the materials. However, no significant changes in residue recovery were observed for tiles and stainless steel surfaces after 7 days.     

Lycopene extraction from extruded products containing tomato skin

To determine the lycopene content of extruded products containing 10% tomato skin, the conditions for solvent extraction were optimised. After three extraction cycles at 50 °C each for 15 min at a solvent to meal ratio of 40:1, a maximum of 6.6 ppm lycopene was extracted. However, the extraction was considered incomplete, thus the product was digested by pancreatin prior to extraction. The extracted lycopene content was increased to 23.5 ppm using the optimum conditions of 20 min of digestion with 10 mg mL^?1 pancreatin. To validate the extraction efficiency at optimum conditions, a set of extruded products containing different lycopene concentrations was used. Digestion increased the extracted lycopene content by more than 2.5‐fold between the products. Furthermore, this inclusion significantly improved the correlation coefficient between the red colour and the extracted lycopene content. Therefore, including a digestion step prior to extraction by solvents was necessary to efficiently extract lycopene from extruded products.     

Reliability of MSF processes based on operation history

Reliability of MSF processes are estimated using time-dependent fault tree analysis of major critical systems. Failure data are obtained from the operation records of Jeddah I since it is one of the oldest plants still in operation in a relatively harsh environment. Industrial failure data are also used to complement historic data. The analysis shows areas where design improvements can be made to enhance MSF processes availability.     

Oxalate content of some leafy vegetables and dry legumes consumed widely in Egypt

Oxalic acid and total oxalate contents were determined in four leafy vegetables and six dry legumes consumed widely in Egypt. The four vegetables, normally eaten raw, can be arranged according to their oxalate content, in descending order, as follows: green onion (leaves), green onion (bulbs), leek, radish (leaves), radish (roots) and roquette. Oxalic acid represented 76–86% of the total oxalates.Dry faba beans had the highest oxalic acid content, followed, in descending order, by fenugreek, lentils, peas, chickpeas and lupin. The ratio of oxalic acid to total oxalates differs according to the total oxalate content of the legume variety. Decortication, steeping, sprouting, stewing, boiling and baking reduced the oxalate content of seeds in different ways. Sprouting and steeping, followed by decortication, resulted in the most pronounced decrease in oxalates, especially in faba beans and lupin.     

Effect of the addition ZrO2–Al2O3 on nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite bending strength and fracture toughness

Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite powder has been synthesized from a Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O and (NH₄)₂HPO₄ solution by the precipitation method. In the next step we prepared ZrO₂–Al₂O₃ powder. After preparation, the powder was dried at 80 °C and calcined at 1200 °C for 1 h. Various amounts (HAP–15 wt% ZA, HAP–30 wt% ZA) of powder were mixed with the hydroxyapatite by ball milling. The powder mixtures were pressed and sintered at 1000 °C, 1100 °C and 1200 °C for 1 h. In order to study the structural evolution, X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to estimate the particle size of the powder and observe fracture surfaces. Results show that the bending strength of pressed nanocrystalline HAP was improved significantly by the addition 15 wt% of ZrO₂–Al₂O₃ powders at 1200 °C, but the fracture toughness was not changed, however when 30 wt% of ZA powders were added to nanocrystalline HAP, the bending strength and fracture toughness of the specimens decreased at all sintering temperature.     

A Silicon on Nothing LDMOS with Two Air Pillars in Gate Insulator for Power Applications

Silicon - This paper proposes a new silicon on nothing lateral double-diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor with two air gaps in the gate insulator (SON-APG LDMOS). Utilizing air for the buried layer...     

One-Pot,Three-Component Synthesis of 2,3-Dihydro-4(1H)-Quinazolinones Catalyzed by Perchlorated Zirconia (HClO<Subscript>4</Subscript>/ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>) Nanoparticles as a Solid Acid Catalyst

Mono and disubstituted 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones were obtained in good yields via a one-pot, three component reaction of isatoic anhydride and aromatic aldehydes with ammonium acetate or primary amines in the presence of perchlorated zirconia (HClO₄/ZrO₂) nano particles as an efficient solid acid catalyst under solvent-free conditions. Simple workup and reusability of the catalyst are advantages of this method.     

Phase evolution in mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering of AlxCoCrCuFeNi HEAs

ABSTRACT

Al_xCoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloys were synthesised through mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. Different alloys were produced by varying the aluminium content (x?=?0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 4). The influences of the milling duration on the evolution of microstructure, constituent phases and morphology were studied. Increasing milling time resulted in grain refinement and higher solid solution homogenisation characterised by a high internal strain. As a consequence of aluminium addition, the microstructure of materials evolved from face centered cubic (FCC) and body centered cubic (BCC) phases to FCC, BCC and ordered BCC phases. Both mechanical alloying and SPS conditions as well as aluminium content led to grain refinement and variations of mechanical properties. In particular, hardness increased with increasing aluminium content. The aluminium percentage and the evolution of consequent phases are responsible for the microstructural stability at high temperatures. In addition, with Al content increase, the further synergy of strength and ductility along with a more pronounced strain hardening was obtained.