Reverse osmosis technology for water treatment: State of the art review

This paper presents a review of recent advances in reverse osmosis technology as related to the major issues of concern in this rapidly growing desalination method. These issues include membrane fouling studies and control techniques, membrane characterization methods as well as applications to different water types and constituents present in the feed water. A summary of the major advances in RO performance and mechanism modeling is also presented and available transport models are introduced. Moreover, the two important issues of RO brine discharge and energy costs and recovery methods are discussed. Finally, future research trends and needs relevant to RO are highlighted.     

Effects of Antimicrobial Edible Coating of Thymol Nanoemulsion/Quinoa Protein/Chitosan on the Safety,Sensorial Properties,and Quality of Refrigerated Strawberries (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fragaria × ananassa</Emphasis>) Under Commercial Storage Environment

The effectiveness of the edible coating with thymol nanoemulsion on the safety, sensorial properties, and quality of refrigerated strawberries was investigated under commercial storage conditions. Spontaneous emulsification was used to obtain the thymol nanoemulsion that was included on quinoa protein/chitosan coatings. During the entire storage time, strawberries coated with thymol-antimicrobial packaging had a lower fungal and yeast load compared with the controls (uncoated and coated with quinoa protein/chitosan). The flavour and aroma of the coated strawberries was initially affected, although this sensory appreciation was improved from the fifth day of storage and showed similar scores than the controls, and presenting better aroma score at day 12 of storage. Furthermore, the shelf life of the thymol nanoemulsion-coated strawberries increased in 4 days, unlike that in the both controls. Further, the application of these biocoatings on strawberries significantly decreased the weight loss relative to that in the control, during 16 days of storage at 5 °C and 90% relative humidity, and did not alter the quality parameters (pH, titrable acidity, and percentage of soluble solids). These results suggest that the application of thymol/nanomulsion-loaded edible films is an effective strategy to increase the shelf life of highly perishable products such as strawberries.     

一种具有多对称同质吸引子的四维混沌系统的超级多稳定性研究

该文在一个经典3维混沌系统的基础上提出一个新的具有超级多稳定性的4维混沌系统。新系统具有一个线平衡点,可以产生无限多对称的同质吸引子。通过相轨图和庞加莱截面等方法分析了系统的混沌特性。重点利用相轨图、分岔图和Lyapunov指数谱等方法分析了初始条件对系统超级多稳定性的影响,分析表明该系统具有很大的初值变化范围,除零点外恒定的Lyapunov指数谱,中心对称的离散分岔图。进一步地,该文研究了系统初值对称性与吸引子对称性的关系,不同于现有混沌系统中的对称吸引子,该系统可以产生无限多对称的同质吸引子。最后,利用电路仿真软件搭建模拟电路捕捉该系统的混沌吸引子,其结果验证了数值仿真的正确性。     

Monomer-to-water ratios as a tool in controlling emulsion copolymer composition: The methyl acrylate–indene system

A drifting copolymer composition as a function of conversion is an aspect typical of copolymerization. Reducing this so-called composition drift in batch copolymerizations will lead to a decrease in chemical heterogeneity of the copolymers formed. For monomer systems in which the more water-soluble monomer is also the more reactive one, theory predicts that composition drift in emulsion copolymerization can be reduced or even minimized by optimizing the monomer-to-water ratio. The monomer combination methyl acrylate–indene (MA–Ind) meets the requirements needed to minimize composition drift in batch emulsion copolymerization. Therefore, this monomer combination is chosen as a model monomer system in order to verify this theoretical prediction. Reactivity ratios needed for model predictions have been determined by low conversion bulk polymerization, resulting in r_MA = 0.92 ± 0.16 and r_Ind = 0.086 ± 0.025. Furthermore, emulsion copolymerization reactions at the same monomer mole fraction are performed at different monomer to water ratios. From the good agreement between experiments and theoretical predictions for MA–Ind, it was concluded that control and even minimization of composition drift in batch emulsion copolymerization for monomer systems in which the more water-soluble monomer is also the more reactive one is indeed possible by changing the initial monomer-to-water ratio of the reaction mixture provided that the reactivity ratios of both monomers are not too far from unity. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Can the combination of flaxseed and its lignans with soy and its isoflavones reduce the growth stimulatory effect of soy and its isoflavones on established breast cancer?

Consumption of phytoestrogen (PE)-rich foods (i. e., soy and flaxseed (FS)) is increasing because of their suggested health benefits. However, recent studies raise concern over the safety of soy and its isoflavones, particularly genistein (GEN), for postmenopausal breast cancer (BC), due to their potential stimulatory effects on human breast tissue and on the growth of existing tumors in rodents. FS, rich in PE lignans, which is metabolized to the mammalian lignans enterolactone (ENL) and enterodiol (END), has consistently been shown to have tumor inhibitory effects in a human clinical trial as well as rodent BC models. Using the preclinical athymic mouse postmenopausal BC model, combining FS with soy protein or GEN with END and ENL, was found to negate the tumor stimulatory effects of soy protein or GEN alone. The mechanism may be related to the modulation of estrogen receptor and MAPK signaling pathways. If these studies can be confirmed in clinical trials, then consumption of combined soy and FS, or their PEs, may reduce the tumor growth stimulatory effect of soy or GEN. This may indicate that if soy is consumed with lignan-rich foods, it may continue to induce its other beneficial health effects, without inducing adverse effect on postmenopausal BC.     

沥青四组分测定方法浅谈

沥青的化学组成决定了其物化性能和使用性能,准确度高、重复性好的测定结果可以指导沥青的生产操作、工艺的改进和优化。对分析方法和实际操作进行了初步探讨,进一步严格规范了实际操作,也对目前使用较为普遍的SH/T 0509-1992石油沥青组分测定法提出一些建议,以期对试验者获得良好的准确度和重复性提供帮助。     

Fatty acids and lignans in unground whole flaxseed and sesame seed are bioavailable but have minimal antioxidant and lipid‐lowering effects in postmenopausal women

Fatty acids and lignans in ground flaxseed and sesame seed are absorbed, metabolized, and exert some health benefits in vivo. However, it is unclear if they are absorbed, metabolized, and exert health benefits when consumed as unground whole seed; therefore, it was investigated in this study. In a randomized crossover study, 16 postmenopausal women supplemented their diets with food bars containing either 25 g unground flaxseed, sesame seed, or their combination (12.5 g each) (flaxseed+sesame seed bar, FSB) for 4 wk each, separated by 4 wk washout periods. Total serum n‐3 fatty acids increased with flaxseed (p<0.05) and FSB (p=0.064) while serum n‐6 fatty acids increased with sesame seed (p<0.05). Urinary lignans increased similarly with all treatments (p<0.05). Plasma lipids and several antioxidant markers were unaffected by all treatments, except serum γ‐tocopherol (GT), which increased with both sesame seed (p<0.0001) and FSB (p<0.01). In conclusion, fatty acids and lignans from unground seed in food bars are absorbed and metabolized; however, except for serum GT, the 25 g unground seed is inadequate to induce changes in plasma lipids and several biomarkers of oxidative stress.     

Superchilling of food: A review

Food preservation is very important for the safety and the reliability of the product. Superchilling as used for preserving foods, has been defined as a process by which the temperature of a food product is lowered to 1-2 °C below the initial freezing point. Fresh and high quality food products are in great demand worldwide. Temperature is a major factor determining the shelf life and quality of food products. Fish and meat are perishable food commodities, where better and more advanced preservation technology is needed. Deterioration of these foods mainly occurs as a result of chemical, enzymatic and bacteriological activities leading to loss of quality and subsequent spoilage. Storing food at superchilling temperature has three distinct advantages: maintaining food freshness, retaining high food quality and suppressing growth of harmful microbes. It can reduce the use of freezing/thawing for production and thereby increase yield, reduce energy, labour and transport costs. The study on the growth mechanism of ice crystals, modelling and computer simulation of foods during superchilling and superchilling storage is needed.     

响应面试验优化莲蓬壳总黄酮超声提取条件及其抗氧化活性

对莲蓬壳总黄酮的超声提取工艺和抗氧化活性进行研究。在单因素试验基础上,采用响应面分析法对超声辅助提取的工艺参数进行优化,得到最优工艺条件为液料比40∶1（mL/g）、乙醇体积分数48%、提取温度60 ℃、提取时间10 min。在此条件下测得莲蓬壳总黄酮提取率为8.32%。抗氧化实验结果表明：莲蓬壳总黄酮具有较强清除1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼自由基能力和还原力,同时可显著性抑制H2O2诱导的人皮肤纤维细胞氧化应激损伤,是一种极具开发潜力的天然抗氧化剂。