Temperature-dependent diffusion coefficient of soluble substances during ethanol extraction of clove

The temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient of ethanol-soluble substances from ground cloves (particle size 250 μm) during extraction was estimated by fitting batch extraction data at several temperatures (27.8, 40, 50, and 60°C) to a previously developed mass transfer model. The model was based on spherical geometry of particles. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to develop an equation that describes the diffusivity as a function of temperature. The temperature dependence ofD _A was of the Arrhenius type.     

Graft Copolymerization of Acrylamide onto Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) Fiber

Grafting of acrylamide (AAm) onto oil palm empty fruits bunch fiber using hydrogen peroxide as initiator and methyl acrylate as comonomer was investigated. The amount of comonomer needed to make grafting of acrylamide possible was determined. The percentage of poly(acrylamide) and the comonomer in the final graft copolymer was estimated by elemental analysis. Results obtained indicated that methyl acrylate facilitated the incorporation of acrylamide monomer onto OPEFB. The reactivity ratios for both monomers were determined by using Fineman–Ross plot. The effects of reaction temperature and period as well as amount of the initiator, solvent, monomer and comonomer on the percentage of grafting at fixed amount of comonomer (11 mmol) were studied. Maximum percentage of grafting was achieved when the amount of initiator and solvent 3.98×10⁻³ mol and 50 mL respectively. The optimum reaction temperature was 50 ^○C and the reaction period was 90 min. Highest percentage of grafting was 232% when 25.6 mmol of acrylamide was used under these optimum conditions. The presence of functional group in the grafted polymer is characterized by infrared spectroscopy and the surface morphology is observed by scanning electron microscopy. Thermoanalytic investigation on OPEFB and OPEFB-g-PAAM were carried out to evaluate the thermal stability and respective activation energy of the materials.     

Methodology to resolve the transport equation with the discrete ordinates code TORT into the IPEN/MB-01 reactor

Resolution of the steady-state Neutron Transport Equation in a nuclear pool reactor is usually achieved by means of two different numerical methods: Monte Carlo (stochastic) and Discrete Ordinates (deterministic). The Discrete Ordinates method solves the Neutron Transport Equation for a set of selected directions, obtaining a set of directional equations and solutions for each equation which are the angular flux. In order to deal with the energy dependence, an energy multi-group approximation is commonly performed, obtaining a set of equations depending on the number of energy groups. In addition, spatial discretization is also required and the problem is solved by sweeping the geometry mesh. However, special cross-sections are required due to the energy and directional discretization, thus a methodology based on NJOY99 code capabilities has been used. Finally, in order to demonstrate the capability of this method, the 3D discrete ordinates code TORT has been applied to resolve the IPEN/MB-01 reactor.     

Synthesis of nitrogen incorporated diamond-like carbon thin films using microwave surface-wave plasma CVD

Nitrogenated diamond-like (DLC:N) carbon thin films have been deposited by microwave surface wave plasma chemical vapor deposition on silicon and quartz substrates, using argon gas, camphor dissolved in ethyl alcohol composition and nitrogen as plasma source. The deposited DLC:N films were characterized for their chemical, optical, structural and electrical properties through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV/VIS/NIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscope and current–voltage characteristics. Optical band gap decreased (2.7 to 2.4 eV) with increasing Ar gas flow rate. The photovoltaic measurements of DLC:N / p-Si structure show that the open-circuit voltage (V_oc) of 168.8 mV and a short-circuit current density (J_sc) of 8.4 μA/cm² under light illumination (AM 1.5 100 mW/cm²). The energy conversion efficiency and fill factor were found to be 3.4 × 10^{− 4}% and 0.238 respectively.     

Positional distribution of CLA in TAG of lamb tissues

The content and positional distribution of CLA in TAG fractions of lamb tissues was examined with either preformed CLA or the linoleic acid precursor of CLA in the diet as experimental treatments. The CLA content of phospholipid (PL) from these tissues was also examined. Thirteen lambs were randomized to the following dietary treatments: (i) control diet (no supplement); (ii) CLA supplementation (0.33 g d⁻¹ for 21 d prior to weaning) to milk-replacer of pre-ruminating lambs, or (iii) feeding linoleic acid-rich oil (6% safflower oil on a dry matter basis) to weaned ruminating lambs. At slaughter, tissue samples were procured from diaphragm, rib muscle, and subcutaneous (SC) adipose tissue. Safflower oil supplementation in the diet resulted in an increase in CLA content of the TAG from diaphragm, rib muscle, and SC adipose tissue by about threefold (P<0.05) on a mol% basis. CLA was localized to the sn-1/3 positions of TAG. Animals that received pre-formed CLA, however, had increased proportions of CLA at the sn-2 position of TAG from SC adipose tissue, suggesting that there were tissue-specific dietary effects and possible age-related effects on the mode of FA incorporation into TAG. Safflower oil supplementation in the diet had no effect on the CLA content of PL from diaphragm, rib muscle, and SC adipose tissue, suggesting that CLA was preferentially incorporated into the TAG of these tissues.     

Buoyancy effects on gaseous slip flow in a vertical rectangular microchannel

Consideration is given to the buoyancy effects on the fully developed gaseous slip flow in a vertical rectangular microduct. Two different cases of the thermal boundary conditions are considered, namely uniform temperature at two facing duct walls with different temperatures and adiabatic other walls (case A) and uniform heat flux at two walls and uniform temperature at other walls (case B). The rarefaction effects are treated using the first-order slip boundary conditions. By means of finite Fourier transform method, analytical solutions are obtained for the velocity and temperature distributions as well as the Poiseuille number. Furthermore, the threshold value of the mixed convection parameter to start the flow reversal is evaluated. The results show that the Poiseuille number of case A is an increasing function of the mixed convection parameter and a decreasing function of the channel aspect ratio, whereas its functionality on the Knudsen number is not monotonic. For case B, the Poiseuille number is decreased by increasing each of the mixed convection parameter, the Knudsen number, and the channel aspect ratio.     

The effect of the N-linked glycans on structural features and physicochemical functions of soybean β-conglycinin homotrimers

β-Conglycinin is a trimeric protein consisting of three subunits, α,α′,and β, which are N-glycosylated. The α and α′ subunits contain extension regions in addition to core regions common to all subunits. We purified homogeneous trimers consisting of only α, α′, or β from mutant soybean cultivars containing β-conglycinin lacking one or two subunits: α homotrimers from an α′-lacking mutant, α′ homotrimers from an α-lacking mutant, and β homotrimers from an α-and α′-lacking mutant. Structural features and physicochemical functions of the three homotrimers were examined and compared with those of recombinant homotrimers having no N-linked glycans. The native homotrimers have secondary structures very similar to those of the recombinant ones. In analogy with the recombinant homotrimers, the native ones exhibit different thermal stabilities from one another (β>α′>α), and the native α and α′ homotrimers exhibit better solubility, emulsifying ability, and heat-induced association than the native β homotrimer. Further, the N-linked glycans contribute to solubilities of the three subunits at low ionic strength (μ=0.08) and to the emulsifying ability of the native β homotrimer. N-Linked glycans also prevent heat-induced associations of the native α and α′ homotrimers but do not contribute to the secondary structure and the thermal stability of β-conglycinin.     

Sex pheromone of tomato fruit borer, Neoleucinodes elegantalis

Five candidate pheromone components were identified by analyzing pheromone gland extracts by gas chromatography (GC), coupled GC-electroantennographic detection (EAD), and coupled GC-mass spectrometry (MS): (E)-11-hexadecenol(E11–16 : OH), (Z)-11-hexadecenol (Z11–16 : OH),(E)-11-hexadecenal, (E)-11-hexadecenyl acetate, and (Z)-3,(Z)-6,(Z)-9-tricosatriene (Z3,Z6,Z9–23 : Hy). In electroantennogram (EAG) recordings, synthetic E11–16 : OH elicited stronger antennal responses at low doses than other candidate pheromone components. Field tests demonstrated that synthetic E11–16 : OH as a trap bait was effective in attracting males, whereas addition of Z11–16 : OH inhibited the males' response. Z3,Z6,Z9–23 : Hy strongly enhanced attractiveness of E11–16 : OH, but was not attractive by itself. A pheromone blend with synergistic behavioral activity of an alcohol (E11–16 : OH) and hydrocarbon (Z3,Z6,Z9–23 : Hy) component is most unusual in the Lepidoptera. The synthetic two-component pheromone is approximately 60 times more attractive than the female-produced blend and might facilitate the control of this pest.     

Deep Neural Networks Regularization Using a Combination of Sparsity Inducing Feature Selection Methods

Neural Processing Letters - Deep learning is an important subcategory of machine learning approaches in which there is a hope of replacing man-made features with fully automatic extracted features....     

Thermal antioxidative kinetics of sesamol in triacylglycerols and fatty acid methyl esters of sesame,olive, and canola oils

Oxidation kinetics of the triacylglycerols (TAGs) and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) of sesame, olive, and canola oils were studied in the presence of the different concentrations of sesamol (0.1%–0.16%) at 60, 80, and 100°C. Sesamol increased the temperature coefficient, T_C, and Q₁₀ number of the TAGs more significantly compared to the FAMEs. All the sesamol-added TAG and FAME systems, respectively, of the olive, canola, and sesame oils, respectively, exerted increased values of the Arrhenius (activation energy, E_a, and frequency factor, A) and Eyring (enthalpy, ΔH⁺⁺, and entropy, ΔS⁺⁺) equation parameters. Sesamol improved the Gibbs free energy (ΔG⁺⁺) of the activated complex formation in the canola, sesame, and olive systems, respectively, and the effect was greater in the FAMEs.