Partitioning of predominant lipophilic bioactives (squalene, α-tocopherol and β-sitosterol) during olive oil processing

The partitioning of predominant lipophilic olive bioactives (squalene, β-sitosterol and α-tocopherol) in olive oil processing was studied for the first time using common integrated olive milling plant. 7% of the oil and 5% of the squalene present in the olives was lost in the last pomace. β-sitosterol and α-tocopherol, which are mainly concentrated in the seed of the olive fruit, was recovered in virgin olive oil to a lesser extent (66%, 67%) while 10% were lost in last pomace. Thus, the loss of β-sitosterol and α-tocopherol was higher than that of squalene and oil, due to nonrecovered bound forms. 19% of the α-tocopherol and 21% of the β-sitosterol loss was unaccounted for, which can be attributed to degradation of α-tocopherol and incomplete recovery of sterols from the olive and pomace matrices. This study provides a basis for process development studies.     

A haar wavelet approximation for two-dimensional time fractional reaction–subdiffusion equation

Engineering with Computers - In this study, we established a wavelet method, based on Haar wavelets and finite difference scheme for two-dimensional time fractional reaction–subdiffusion...     

Monitoring selected behaviors of calves by use of an ear-attached accelerometer for detecting early indicators of diarrhea

One of the most important diseases in calves worldwide is neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD), which impairs calf welfare and leads to economic losses. The aim of this study was to test whether the activity patterns of calves can be used as early indicators to identify animals at risk for suffering from NCD, compared with physical examination. We monitored 310 healthy female Holstein-Friesian calves on a commercial dairy farm immediately after birth, equipped them with an ear tag–based accelerometer (Smartbow, Smartbow GmbH), and conducted daily physical examinations during the first 28 d of life. The Smartbow system captured acceleration data indicative of standing and lying periods and activity levels (active and inactive), shown as minutes per hour. We categorized calves as diarrheic if they showed fecal scores of ≥3 on a 4-point scale on at least 2 consecutive days. Incidence of diarrhea was 50.7% (n = 148). A mixed logistic regression model showed that lying [odds ratio (OR) = 1.19], inactive (OR = 1.14), and active (OR = 0.92) times, 1 d before clinical identification of diarrhea (d ?1), were associated with the odds of diarrhea occurring on the subsequent day. Receiver operating characteristics curve showed that lying time at d ?1 was a fair predictor for diarrhea on the subsequent day (area under curve = 0.69). Average lying time on d ?1 was 64.8 min longer in diarrheic calves compared with their controls. Median lying and inactive times decreased, and active time increased with age over the study period. The 24-h pattern of behavior indices based on the output of the Smartbow system followed periods of resting and active times, and showed that between 2200 h and 0600 h, calves spent the greatest percentage of time lying and inactive. These results showed that the accelerometer system has the potential to detect early indicators associated with NCD. In future studies, additional data for the development and testing of calf- and event-specific algorithms (e.g., for detecting milk intake, playing behavior) should be collected, which might further improve the early detection of diarrhea in calves.     

Heavy metal bioaccumulation by cultivated Agaricus bisporus from artificially enriched substrates

Cultivated Agaricus bisporus possess the ability to bioaccumulate seven heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn). The cultivated champignon mushroom A. bisporus was grown in soil composts of 16 different compositions. An edible mushroom, A. bisporus was also cultivated on humic compost artificially fortified with the seven heavy metals at five different concentrations (0.1 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, 1.0 mg/kg, 3.0 mg/kg, and 10.0 mg/kg) and on control substrate (0 mg/kg) on a dry weight basis. The method of measuring bioaccumulation was flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry.     

Numerische Strömungssimulation an einer Niedergeschwindigkeits-Axialturbine unterschiedlichen Deckband-Abschirmungen des Laufrades

The numerical simulation of the flow through a low-speed turbine stage followed by a vane row is presented for two experimentally investigated shrouds of different weight and shape. The aerofoil-pressure distribution of the blades and vanes as well as the flow at the exit of the bladerow is compared in the experimentally and numerically obtained results. In addition to experimental data published earlier, numerical flow results are added, which had been inaccessible in the experiment. The choice of the turbulence model influences substantially the result of the numerical simulation for the flow leaving the rotor blade row. Furthermore the computational result shows the influence of the flow pattern in the labyrinth cavity on the power loss. The prediction of the static pressure decrease along the flow path through the seal across the cavities concludes this investigation.     

Surface states in electroluminescent MIS diodes of zinc selenide

Measurements of the shunt conductance of electroluminescent MIS diodes of zinc selenide show that the density of surface states in a device in which the metal (gold) electrode was deposited on an etched surface, was of the order of 4 × 10¹¹ cm^?2 eV^?1. When the gold was evaporated on to cleaved surfaces the surface state density was reduced to about 5 × 10¹⁰ cm^?2 eV^?1. The low density of surface states means that donor densities calculated in the normal way from standard C–V measurements are only 6% too high if the measurements are made at 100 kHz and 2% too high if 200 kHz is used.     

Inline electron holography and VEELS for the measurement of strain in ternary and quaternary (In,Al,Ga)N alloyed thin films and its effect on bandgap energy

We present the use of (1) dark‐field inline electron holography for measuring the structural strain, and indirectly obtaining the composition, in a wurtzite, 4‐nm‐thick InAlGaN epilayer on a AlN/GaN/AlN/GaN multinano‐layer heterosystem, and (2) valence electron energy‐loss spectroscopy to study the bandgap value of five different, also hexagonal, 20–50‐nm‐thick InAlGaN layers. The measured strain values were almost identical to the ones obtained by other techniques for similarly grown materials. We found that the biaxial strain in the III‐N alloys lowers the bandgap energy as compared to the value calculated with different known expressions and bowing parameters for unstrained layers. By contrast, calculated and experimental values agreed in the case of lattice‐matched (almost unstrained) heterostructures.     

Column Fractionation of Canola Oil Deodorizer Distillate Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Semi-continuous column fractionation of canola oil deodorizer distillate using supercritical CO₂ (SCCO₂) was carried out to determine the feasibility of value-added processing of this feed material for the recovery of bioactive components such as sterols and tocopherols and to determine the effect of operating conditions [pressure (20, 25 MPa using a temperature gradient of 70–100 °C), temperature (70, 100 °C) and a linear temperature gradient (70–100 °C at 25 MPa)] on extract yield and separation efficiency. Total extract yield increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with pressure, whereas at isobaric conditions (25 MPa) the highest yield was obtained at the lowest temperature tested (70 °C). Fractionation efficiency was reflected in the composition of fractions and was affected by operating conditions. Residue composition was determined by extract yield in addition to selectivity. Use of the thermal gradient (70–100 °C) decreased the content of volatiles, free fatty acids and tocopherols while increasing sterol content significantly (p ≤ 0.05) to a level of 40% (GC area %) in the residue obtained at 25 MPa. The findings indicate the potential of canola oil deodorizer distillate as a source of sterols and warrant further research on the countercurrent column fractionation to improve the separation efficiency.