Effect of Processing on the Detectability of Pecan Proteins Assessed by Immunological and Proteomic Tools

The present study evaluates the effect of food processing on the antigenicity of pecan proteins as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, proteomic tools were used to identify potential pecan markers suitable for confirming the presence of pecan proteins in food and validating new methods developed to detect traces of the commodity. To assess the effects of processing on protein stability and antigenicity, pecan nuts were submitted to heat treatments and extracts were analysed by ELISA, sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot. The ELISA method was able to detect pecan traces even after submitting the commodity to rigorous treatments, though these treatments affected the detectability to varying degrees. Proteomic assessment showed that the majority of pecan proteins were matched by homology to walnut proteins, which are more abundantly populated in the protein sequence databases. However, there were a few important exceptions: 7S vicilin, 11S legumin and putative allergen I1, unambiguously identified as pecan in origin. Interestingly, putative allergen I1 offered unique analytical advantages to be used as a pecan marker for validation and confirmation purposes.     

Scenario evaluation for the management of household solid waste in small Brazilian municipalities

As achieving Brazil’s National Policy on Solid Waste-based goals effectively is not simple, there are alternatives such as intermunicipal cooperation by consortium or privatization. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the Greenhouse Gas emissions and energy use of six scenarios in two landfills contexts (private and consortium) for small municipalities (less than 100,000 inhabitants as per Brazilian standards) located in São Paulo, Brazil. Through the technique of scenario building and method of Waste Reduction Model was possible to obtain the total energy, the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂E) and carbon equivalent (CE) emissions. The best scenario integrates composting and recycling, reducing 72 % for CO₂E and CE emissions, and saving about 410 % in energy. The landfill consortium will only take advantage, if the location is the most ideal as far as possible. Small municipalities that do not dispose their waste in landfills compatible with regulatory standards may seek for intermunicipal cooperation and adopt integrated waste-management programmes to reduce their environmental impacts.     

Determination of alcohols and volatile organic acids in anaerobic bioreactors for H2 production by near infrared spectroscopy

In recent years, near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been investigated as a tool for monitoring anaerobic digesters, but several adversities in its application have been reported. This study proposes the application of NIR for the determination of alcohols and volatile organic acids from H₂ production bioreactors and evaluates different approaches to optimize the prediction models. Partial least squad (PLS) models were developed using samples from anaerobic batch reactors fed with crude glycerol for wastewater treatment. The analytes predicted were: methanol, ethanol, 1-butanol, acetic, propanoic, butyric, isocaproic and total volatile organic acids (VFA). The optimization of the predictive capacity of the models was achieved through the orthogonal signal correction (OSC) preprocessing and the selection of variables performed by the genetic algorithm (GA). The application of the proposed models were based on the following figures of merit: accuracy, precision, linearity, limits of detection and quantitation, measurement interval, sensitivity, selectivity, signal-to-noise ratio and bias. Despite the low selectivity (maximum of 0.12%), the models presented high sensitivity [γ^?1 = 0.19 (mg L^?1)^?1], low LOQ (1 mg L^?1) and correlation between reference and predicted values (r) at least 0.93, except for propanoic acid (r_pred = 0.85). The F-test revealed that the selection of variables by GA significantly improved the accuracy and linearity of the prediction models for methanol, acetic acid, isocaproic acid and VFA. NIR spectroscopy has proved to be a powerful tool for monitoring H₂ production bioreactors since provides fast, low cost and multicomponent information.     

Performance of the most common non‐cryptographic hash functions

Non‐cryptographic hash functions (NCHFs) have an immense number of applications, ranging from compilers and databases to videogames and computer networks. Some of the most important NCHF have been used by major corporations in commercial products. This practical success demonstrates the ability of hashing systems to provide extremely efficient searches over unsorted sets. However, very little research has been devoted to the experimental evaluation of these functions. Therefore, we evaluated the most widely used NCHF using four criteria as follows: collision resistance, distribution of outputs, avalanche effect, and speed. We identified their strengths and weaknesses and found significant flaws in some cases. We also discuss our conclusions regarding general hashing considerations such as selection of the compression map. Our results should assist practitioners and engineers in making more informed choices regarding which function to use for a particular problem. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

等离子体增强磁控溅射制备TiAlVSiCN涂层的抗冲蚀性能

目的 提高不锈钢基体的抗固体颗粒冲蚀性能.方法 在不锈钢基体表面,通过等离子体增强磁控溅射系统(PEMS),采用不同偏压工艺制备TiAlVSiCN纳米复合涂层.通过SEM、HRTEM观察涂层的微观形貌与组织,利用XRD、SAD分析涂层的物相组成与晶体结构,并通过划痕仪、纳米硬度计以及冲蚀试验机探究不同工艺涂层的结合强度、纳米硬度以及抗冲蚀性能差异.结果 采用PEMS制备出一系列不同偏压条件下的TiAlVSiCN涂层,涂层组织致密,呈柱状,主要包括纳米晶Ti(Al,V)(C,N)相和非晶相.偏压显著影响涂层的晶粒尺寸和非晶相分布,高偏压下的涂层主要由20～50 nm的Ti(Al,V)(C,N)纳米晶及其周围弥散分布的非晶相组成,而低偏压下的涂层主要由100 nm的Ti(Al,V)(C,N)纳米晶和连续分布的非晶相组成.高偏压下制备的涂层厚度超过20μm,纳米硬度可达(34.6±14.1)GPa,具有优良的结合强度(>65 N)和抗冲蚀性能,其抗冲蚀性能相比不锈钢基体提高近8倍.结论 通过与偏压参数的匹配控制,PEMS可有效调控纳米复合涂层的组织结构,实现硬度与弹性模量的良好匹配,制备出具有优良抗冲蚀性能、厚度达到20μm以上的TiAlVSiCN纳米晶-非晶复合涂层.     

Analysis of triclosan and 4n‐nonylphenol in Colombian reservoir water by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry

In this work were determined triclosan and 4n‐nonylphenol in water from a reservoir that is used to provide water to a purification plant in an important city in Colombia. The analytical methodology was validated using solid‐phase extraction and analysis by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The analysis by GC‐MS showed good linearity in the range of 0.05–5 μg/L for both compounds. Recoveries from 79 to 109% and standard deviations of 2.5–7.7 for low concentrations and from 3.8 to 9.6 (n = 5) for high concentrations were obtained for both compounds. In Colombia, this is the first time that these compounds have been analysed in water supplying of a drinking water treatment plant. The validated method was applied to the analysis of 27 samples collected in August 2010 in 11 locations from the reservoir and in the influent and effluent of the drinking water treatment plant. In total, seven samples were found to contain triclosan.     

Neural approach for temperature‐dependent modeling of GaN HEMTs

Gallium nitride high electron‐mobility transistors have gained much interest for high‐power and high‐temperature applications at high frequencies. Therefore, there is a need to have the dependence on the temperature included in their models. To meet this challenge, the present study presents a neural approach for extracting a multi‐bias model of a gallium nitride high electron‐mobility transistors including the dependence on the ambient temperature. Accuracy of the developed model is verified by comparing modeling results with measurements. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inventory pinch based,multiscale models for integrated planning and scheduling‐part II: Gasoline blend scheduling

Integration of planning and scheduling optimizes simultaneous decisions at both levels, thereby leading to more efficient operation. A three‐level discrete‐time algorithm which uses nonlinear models and integrates planning and detailed scheduling is introduced: first level optimizes nonlinear blend models via multiperiod nonlinear programming (NLP), where period boundaries are initially determined by the inventory pinch points; second level uses fixed recipes (from the first level) in a multiperiod mixed‐integer linear program to determine first an optimal production plan and then to optimize an approximate schedule which minimizes the total number of switches in blenders and swing tanks; third level computes detailed schedules that adhere to inventory constraints computed in the approximate schedule. If inventory infeasibilities appear at the second or the third level, the first‐level periods are subdivided and blend recipes are reoptimized. Algorithm finds the same or better solutions and is substantially faster than previously published full‐space continuous‐time model. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 2475–2497, 2014     

Effect of combining ethylene/methyl acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer and an organoclay on the toughening of poly(lactic acid)

Blends of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and ethylene/methyl acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (EMA‐GMA) with and without the addition of an organoclay were prepared by melt mixing in a twin screw extruder. Mechanical, morphological, structural, and rheological properties of the systems have been investigated as function of its compositions. The impact strength (IS) of PLA increased with the addition of EMA‐GMA. Furthermore, the addition of 2.5 wt% of organoclay to the PLA/EMA‐GMA blend promoted improvements in the mechanical properties, such as IS, tensile strength, and strain‐at‐break. Further addition of organoclay, 5 wt%, led to a formation of a double percolated network, where the clay particles form bridges across EMA‐GMA droplets and glue them together, however, without coalescence. In addition, morphological and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering analyses evidenced that the clay presents a partially exfoliated structure and that remains inside the EMA‐GMA droplets, probably as a consequence of the approach used to produce the systems. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:1922–1930, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers