Nanoconfined 2LiBH4–MgH2–TiCl3 in carbon aerogel scaffold for reversible hydrogen storage

Nanoconfinement of 2LiBH₄–MgH₂–TiCl₃ in resorcinol–formaldehyde carbon aerogel scaffold (RF–CAS) for reversible hydrogen storage applications is proposed. RF–CAS is encapsulated with approximately 1.6 wt. % TiCl₃ by solution impregnation technique, and it is further nanoconfined with bulk 2LiBH₄–MgH₂ via melt infiltration. Faster dehydrogenation kinetics is obtained after TiCl₃ impregnation, for example, nanoconfined 2LiBH₄–MgH₂–TiCl₃ requires ∼1 and 4.5 h, respectively, to release 95% of the total hydrogen content during the 1st and 2nd cycles, while nanoconfined 2LiBH₄–MgH₂ (∼2.5 and 7 h, respectively) and bulk material (∼23 and 22 h, respectively) take considerably longer. Moreover, 95–98.6% of the theoretical H₂ storage capacity (3.6–3.75 wt. % H₂) is reproduced after four hydrogen release and uptake cycles of the nanoconfined 2LiBH₄–MgH₂–TiCl₃. The reversibility of this hydrogen storage material is confirmed by the formation of LiBH₄ and MgH₂ after rehydrogenation using FTIR and SR-PXD techniques, respectively.     

Combined effects of potassium sorbate,hot water and thiabendazole against green mould of citrus fruit and residue levels

Postharvest treatments of potassium sorbate only controlled recently established infections of Penicillium digitatum on Femminello siracusano lemons but did not confer any persistent protection. The loss of efficacy of potassium sorbate to control green mould decay was related to its irregular deposition on the fruit surface, as revealed by environmental scanning electron microscopy of oranges, and to the brief persistence of potassium sorbate residues. When treatment was done at 53 °C, the co-application of potassium sorbate with thiabendazole reduced thiabendazole residues in Moro and Sanguinello oranges, compared to thiabendazole treatment alone. However, treatment efficacy against two isolates of P. digitatum (thiabendazole-sensitive and thiabendazole-resistant) notably improved, indicating that potassium sorbate and hot water potentiated thiabendazole activity. Potassium sorbate residues remarkably decreased during fruit storage and were not affected by the co-application of thiabendazole.     

Aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of yam flour from markets in Nigeria

The natural occurrence of aflatoxins (AFs) and fumonisins (FBs) in yam flour samples (n = 100) obtained in south-western Nigeria was evaluated. AFs were determined by HPLC with fluorescence detection and FBs by HPLC coupled with mass spectrometry. Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and aflatoxin G₁ (AFG₁) were found in 57% and 21% of flours from white yam with concentrations ranging from <0.02 (limit of detection, LOD) to 3.2 μg kg⁻¹ (mean = 0.4 μg kg⁻¹) and from <0.05 to 3.5 μg kg⁻¹, respectively. AFB₁ was the only aflatoxin detected in samples from water yam, contaminating 32% of the samples with values ranging from <LOD to 0.6 μg kg⁻¹ (mean = 0.1 μg kg⁻¹). Fumonisin B₁ was found in 32% of the white yam samples (<0.5 (LOD) to 91 μg kg⁻¹; mean = 5 μg kg⁻¹) and in 5% of water yam samples (<LOD to 2 μg kg⁻¹). AFs and FBs were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in white yam flours compared to water yam flours. Preparation of amala from naturally-contaminated yam flour resulted in reduction of AFB₁ and AFG₁ by 44% and 51% respectively. From this study, only 7% of the samples contained AFs above the European standard limits for cereals intended for direct human consumption, while all the FBs-positive samples were well below the limits. The occurrence of ochratoxin A, zearalenone and deoxynivalenol was also evaluated in 20 samples; these mycotoxins were never detected.     

Analysis of major proteins and fat fractions associated with mare's milk fat globules

Although several studies have aimed to identify mare's milk proteins, only the major whey proteins and some caseins have yet been characterized. Incomplete sequencing of the equine genome and the difficulty of recovering highly hydrophobic proteins mean that little is known to date about the proteins associated with milk fat globules, which have been shown to play an important role in newborns' defense mechanisms. The fat fraction, in particular the distribution of unsaturated fatty acids, has been more extensively studied, but complex lipids are only partially elucidated. This study reports a 2-DE approach combined with a powerful method for de novo protein sequencing, and quali-quantitative data on complex lipid composition determined by high performance TLC (HPTLC) and GC. The presence in mare's milk of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids, and the evidence of close similarity between equine and human milk fat globule membrane proteins, support the use of mare's milk for human nutrition.     

User-oriented problem abstractions in scheduling

In this paper we describe a modeling framework aimed at facilitating the customization and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) scheduling technology in real-world contexts. Specifically, we describe an architecture aimed at facilitating software product line development in the context of scheduling systems. The framework is based on two layers of abstraction: a first layer providing an interface with the scheduling technology, on top of which we define a formalism to abstract domain-specific concepts. We show how this two-layer modeling framework provides a versatile formalism for defining user-oriented problem abstractions, which is pivotal for facilitating interaction between domain experts and technologists. Moreover, we describe a graphical user interface (GUI)-enhanced tool which allows the domain expert to interact with the underlying core scheduling technology in domain-specific terms. This is achieved by automatically instantiating an abstract GUI template on top of the second modeling layer.     

Rate evolution of benzonitrile nitration under heterogeneous conditions

The development of the nitration process in heterogeneous mixtures of benzonitrile and mixed acids of different compositions is followed in a batch stirred isothermal reactor. Preliminary evaluation of the distribution of the chemical species between the organic and acid phases allows mathematical modelling of benzonitrile nitration under heterogeneous conditions to be achieved on the basis of the previously assessed homogeneous nitration kinetics.