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Summary: The growing global population has increased the protein needs and the combination of animal with plant proteins can be an effective strategy to meet future protein demand. This study aimed to investigate the impact of pH between 6.2 and 7.0 on the thermal stability of a 1:1 mixture of chickpea protein concentrate (CPC) and whey protein isolate (WPI), and their respective control. After heat treatment, CPC:WPI mixture showed an increase in viscosity (from 20.5 mPa.s at pH 7.0 to 110.8 mPa.s at pH 6.2, respectively), and particle size (from 5.7 to 56.5 μm at pH 7.0 and 6.2, respectively). The physical stability of the heat‐treated CPC:WPI mixture decreased, as the sediment increased from 3.3 mm at pH 7.0 to 7.8 mm at pH 6.2. This study highlighted the enhanced thermal stability of CPC:WPI at pHs closer to neutrality and offers valuable insights for the formulation of innovative plant protein‐enriched food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Derecho de la Seguridad Social, Laborum is the property of Ediciones Laborum S.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Livestock production systems contribute significantly to environmental impacts at the global level, and meat consumption is projected to increase with the population. There is a need to reduce the impact of food production, including that from beef systems. Different production systems, ranging from traditional grazing to landless systems, coexist within the beef sector. Among these, mixed systems have emerged as a promising alternative. These mixed systems typically involve adult cattle in grazing systems alongside fattening calves in landless systems, potentially achieving higher productivity while reducing the overall environmental impacts. The first step towards proposing mitigation strategies involves identifying the impacts of the sector. This study aimed to estimate the main environmental impacts of four types of mixed beef systems based on the origin of the calves that are raised, fattened, and slaughtered. Using life cycle assessment, the study evaluated the environmental impacts from the cradle to the slaughterhouse gate, expressed per kilogram of carcass weight. The four systems assessed include suckler cow farms that fatten their own offspring (beef single farm, BSF), a system in which calves raised on a suckler farm are fattened on a different farm (beef fattening unit, BFU), and systems in which dairy calves are fattened on growing units, with calves either from Spain (dairy national, DN) or from farms located abroad (dairy abroad, DA). Primary data were obtained from representative surveys of farmers and slaughterhouses, and allocation between co-products was performed according to the updated guidelines of Environmental Product Declarations and the Product Category Rules for meat. Seven environmental impact categories were assessed: climate change, marine eutrophication, freshwater eutrophication, stratospheric ozone depletion, terrestrial acidification, photochemical ozone formation on ecosystems, and photochemical ozone formation on human health. The results indicate that meat production from BSF and BFU has greater environmental impacts than that from DN and DA systems, primarily due to the lower environmental burden allocated to dairy calves, whereas the contribution of slaughterhouse activities to the environmental impacts was minimal. This study highlights the importance of mitigating the environmental impacts associated with feed production, enteric fermentation, and manure management in beef systems. Future studies should consider potential environmental benefits of grazing animals such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity promotion.

The impact of different concentrations of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) on the micellization process in cationic, ester-functionalized, ethyl-substituted imidazolium-based surface-active ionic liquids (SAILs) ([CnEeim]Br where, n = 12, 14, 16) were investigated using specific conductivity and surface tension measurements at 298 K. The study focused on determining the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the three pure SAILs and their mixtures with NaCMC to evaluate various thermodynamic and interfacial parameters. The results showed that the CMC values decreased significantly with increasing hydrophobicity of the SAILs, while the CMC increased with a gradual increase in the NaCMC mole fraction in the SAIL–NaCMC mixed systems. It was observed that the excess free energy of micellization ( ∆ G e x m ) and the minimum free energy of surface at equilibrium ( ∆ G min s ) exhibited an opposite behaviour, indicating that the formed mixed micelles were stable while the formed surface was unstable. The results of this study are useful for evaluating the properties of SAIL–NaCMC mixed systems to improve and better understand their applications in the food, medical and cosmetic industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of a diet transition from animal protein to plant protein, both for sustainable and healthy scopes, innovative plant-based foods are being developing. A combination with milk proteins has been proposed as a strategy to overcome the scarce functional and sensorial properties of plant proteins. Based on this mixture were designed several colloidal systems such as suspensions, gels, emulsions, and foams which can be found in many food products. This review aims to give profound scientific insights on the challenges and opportunities of developing such binary systems which could soon open a new market category in the food industry. The recent trends in the formulation of each colloidal system, as well as their limits and advantages are here considered. Lastly, new approaches to improve the coexistence of both milk and plant proteins and how they affect the sensorial profile of food products are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of droplet size and composition on Ostwald ripening (OR) and compositional ripening (CR) in mixed emulsions was examined. This was achieved by preparing emulsions and nanoemulsions from two different hydrocarbon oils (tetradecane and hexadecane) that have different water-solubilities. These different kinds of droplets were then mixed together and changes in their compositions were monitored using differential scanning calorimetry, while changes in their sizes were monitored using light scattering and optical microscopy. Initially, there was a rapid transfer of oil molecules from smaller to larger droplets, which was mainly driven by OR (and possibly droplet coalescence). As a result, the addition of the small droplets promoted the growth of the larger ones. CR retarded this type of droplet growth when the oil in the smaller droplets had a lower water-solubility than the oil in the larger droplets. These results are important for gaining a better understanding of the behavior of foods and other products containing mixtures of different kinds of droplets. They may also be important when designing emulsion-based delivery systems for incorporating non-polar active ingredients into pre-existing lipid phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Casein micelles and pea proteins formed a mixed gel by acidification. • In the mixed system, casein micelles and pea proteins seem not to form strong bonds with each other but rather interactions with themselves. • Pea proteins are mainly responsible for the characteristics of mixed gels. • Modifications in the composition of mixed gels and thermal treatment can produce different gels to be used in different applications. The increased demand for plant-based products brings a new challenge to the food industry. Especially, proteins from soy, chickpea, and pea are being highly demanded as food ingredients. However, they still present some drawbacks such as poor techno-functional properties and remarkable beany flavor that hamper their wider application. Contrarily, milk products such as yogurt and cheeses are highly consumed and accepted worldwide. Therefore, the association of plant proteins, such as pea with milk proteins is an interesting strategy to incorporate more plant-based proteins into people's diet. However, this strategy can largely impact gel formation and final structure. This study aims to develop mixed casein micelles (CMs) and pea proteins gel at high concentrations in four protein ratios, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, and 20:80 by acidification. The effect of a thermal treatment before gelation was also evaluated. The replacement of CMs for pea proteins disturbed the gel formation at the beginning of acidification, demand more time to increase the G*, being this effect more pronounced as more casein is replaced in the system. Despite of this effect, the final gel elasticity was higher in the presence of pea proteins for the ratios 80:20 and 60:40, probably due to the formation of pea network. It is hypothesized that pea proteins can form a network when surrounded by CMs, however, CMs restrict pea proteins aggregation. This study describes that the final characteristics of mixed gels can be tailored by changing protein ratios and applying thermal treatment before acidification, opening the possibility for the development of innovative food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review is devoted to self-organizing systems based on amphiphilic compounds of different types, i.e., open-chain and macrocyclic ones. Conventional colloidal surfactants have been considered both in the individual form and in the presence of modifiers, including electrolytes and cosurfactants. Special attention has been focused on the role of structural factors, in particular, an analysis has been performed for the cases of the most pronounced influence of surfactant structure (the nature of head groups and counterions, the passage to dicationic surfactants, and the occurrence of calix[4]arene cores) on the aggregation characteristics, morphological behavior, and functional activity of the systems. Macrocyclic amphiphiles are typical objects of supramolecular chemistry. The final part of the review presents the comparison between two types of the systems: (1) amphiphilic calixarenes (covalent functionalization of macrocycles with alkyl fragments) and (2) calixarene–surfactant binary composites (noncovalent modification of the macrocyclic platform). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The partial replacement of proteins from animal sources by plant proteins in formulated food products has been proposed as useful to improve sustainability aspects of the products without dramatically changing their techno-functional properties. Although several research groups have published on the gelling properties of mixed systems containing whey and soy protein isolates (WPI and SPI), their foaming properties are much less described. In this context, the main objective of this paper was to evaluate the structural and foaming properties of samples containing different mass ratios of WPI:SPI (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100) before and after heat treatment. The samples were evaluated according to their solubility, foaming capacity (FC), foam microstructure and foam stability (FS). Before heat treatment, mixing SPI to WPI did not affect the solubility of whey proteins, but, after heat treatment, insoluble co-aggregates were formed. Similar FC was measured for all samples despite their WPI:SPI ratio and the applied heat treatment. The partial replacement of WPI by SPI changed the microstructure of the foams and had an antagonistic effect on the FS of the samples, due to the negative effect of insoluble soy protein aggregates and/or insoluble co-aggregates on the reinforcement of the air-water interfacial film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • "Nanoregion" was used as an adjustable template to prepare porous HER catalyst. • Porous NiCo@NC with higher active area was synthesized by the "Nanoregion". • Porous NiCo@NC showed superior electrocatalytic HER activity. • The overpotential (10 mA cm−2) and Tafel slope reduced by 42 % and 33.9 %. The development of porous electrocatalytic materials with high activity and large specific surface area is the key to realizing efficient hydrogen production by water electrolysis. In this paper, a universial strategy for preparing porous non-precious metal electrocatalysts with high effective surface area is provided based on the "nanoregion" formed by ionic liquid mixture system, and the feasibility is verified by constructing a porous NiCo@NC based electrocatalyst. The microstructure, surface composition, specific surface area and electrochemical properties of the porous electrocatalyst are investigated systematically. Compared with the traditional hydrothermal synthesis, the "nanoregion" effect can give the NiCo@NC electrocatalyst rich pore structure and good hydrophilicity, thus effectively improve the effective surface area available for the electrochemical reaction. As a result, the overpotential for HER on NiCo@NC-500 prepared in the ionic liquid mixing system is 113 mV lower than that on NiCo@NC-500-w prepared by common hydrothermal process, and the Tafel slope decreases by 37 mV dec−1 (33.9 %), further verifying the effectiveness of this simple and green strategy to develop porous non-precious metal electrocatalysts for hydrogen production by the "nanoregion" effect of ionic liquid mixture system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of a diet transition from animal protein to plant protein, both for sustainable and healthy scopes, innovative plant-based foods are being developing. A combination with milk proteins has been proposed as a strategy to overcome the scarce functional and sensorial properties of plant proteins. Based on this mixture were designed several colloidal systems such as suspensions, gels, emulsions, and foams which can be found in many food products. This review aims to give profound scientific insights on the challenges and opportunities of developing such binary systems which could soon open a new market category in the food industry. The recent trends in the formulation of each colloidal system, as well as their limits and advantages are here considered. Lastly, new approaches to improve the coexistence of both milk and plant proteins and how they affect the sensorial profile of food products are discussed.

Relative sea level fluctuations during the Frasnian generated two shallow-marine, mixed siliciclastic-carbonate successions in the Devonian Asturo-Leonese Basin. Each system represents a third-order sequence-stratigraphical unit deposited in the same basin during comparable extreme greenhouse conditions without nearby fluvial entry points. Depositional control on the siliciclastic and carbonate distribution was driven by relative sea level fluctuations, basin geometry, availability of sand and the way sediment was distributed by shelf currents. Early Variscan flexural bending of the continental crust changed the basin shape from a shelf with a gradual profile and low dip (early Frasnian) towards a shelf with a steep depositional dip (late Frasnian). Shelf distribution changed from along-shelf transport (early Frasnian) towards offshore-directed gravity flows (late Frasnian). As a consequence, siliciclastic-carbonate distribution changed from a predominance of skeletal carbonate in the proximal shoreface – foreshore area and siliciclastic predominance distally (early Frasnian), to a distribution pattern with proximal shoreface skeletal carbonates, offshore muddy carbonates and a siliciclastic zone in between where gravity flows distributed the siliciclastic sediment down dip (late Frasnian).

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the reliability literature, several results have been presented to compare binary (two states) systems. Often, such results are obtained from copula-based extensions of fuzzy measures , where a fuzzy measure describes the structure of a system and a copula describes the stochastic dependence among the lifetimes of its components. Other similar results have been obtained in terms of the concept of signature. Here, we extend all those results to multi-state systems made up from binary components by suitably constructing corresponding mixed binary systems. For such a construction, we show how any fuzzy measure can be decomposed as a convex combination of { 0 , 1 } -valued fuzzy measures and how such a decomposition extends to the corresponding aggregation function. For a mixed system we can furthermore consider its signature and so we can also define a signature for the multi-state system. For mixed systems associated to different multi-state systems, we can thus obtain different comparison results, which can be translated into the corresponding comparisons for the parent multi-state systems. Stochastic comparisons are obtained for the discrete random variables which represent the states of two systems at time t , as well. The arguments in the paper will be illustrated by means of examples and related remarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European farms and regions follow the trend of agricultural specialisation, which results in a disconnection between crop and livestock production. High-input specialised farming systems are continuing to be developed even though they generate negative environmental impacts. Despite these trends, a few pioneering farmers have intentionally reintegrated livestock onto crop farms in several regions. To date, research has rarely examined farmers' motivations to develop such systems. We aimed to identify French farmers' motivations for reintegrating livestock onto specialised crop farms and into crop-producing regions. Following innovation-tracking principles, we identified 18 crop farmers who had reintegrated livestock in two regions where crop farming predominates: Occitanie and the Parisian Basin. The farmers' profiles varied in production mode, farm size, the crops and livestock produced, and the type and duration of livestock reintegration. Semi-directed interviews focused on the farmers' motivations for having reintegrated livestock. At the end of the interviews, we asked them to select and rank 10 of 36 cards that represented their main agronomic, economic, social and environmental motivations for crop-livestock farming. We transcribed the interviews and performed inductive content analysis, which was then triangulated with the farmers' rankings of the cards. Seven categories of motivations for reintegrating livestock emerged from the interviews: following personal ethical and moral values, increasing and stabilising income, promoting ecosystem services, increasing self-sufficiency and traceability, connecting to the local community, decreasing pollution and keeping the landscape open. In both discourse analysis and motivation card rankings, agronomic motivations (including promoting ecosystem services) were predominant, especially improving soil life and fertility. Farmers ranked economic and social categories nearly equally. Improving and stabilising income was cited by 17/18 farmers in their discourse, consistently with the two most-selected economic motivation cards. Strengthening social connections was the most-selected social motivation in card rankings and was mentioned by 14/18 farmers in their discourse, particularly for connections among farmers. Environmental motivation cards were selected less often, except for environmental stewardship, which was consistent with the desire to build an environmentally friendly farming system to follow personal ethical and moral values mentioned by 10 farmers in their discourse. This study is the first to provide a ranked summary of crop farmers' motivations for reintegrating livestock. Understanding this diversity is an initial step in incentivising, promoting and/or supporting the development of this innovative sustainable practice under favourable conditions and can encourage public actions that promote it. [Display omitted] • Specialisation of crop or livestock production has negative environmental impacts. • A few pioneering farmers have reintegrated livestock onto crop farms and into crop regions. • We identified seven categories of motivations for reintegrating livestock. • Promoting ecosystem services and following personal values were the main motivations. • Strengthening social connections and improving income were other major motivations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The production system has a large share in the environmental impacts of beef. • Beef systems had higher impacts due to the low burdens allocated to dairy calves. • Strategies to reduce the impacts of feed production and manure management are needed. • Slaughter and transport present a low contribution to all the assessed impacts. • Combining grazing and landless systems can reduce the impacts of beef production. Livestock production systems contribute significantly to environmental impacts at the global level, and meat consumption is projected to increase with the population. There is a need to reduce the impact of food production, including that from beef systems. Different production systems, ranging from traditional grazing to landless systems, coexist within the beef sector. Among these, mixed systems have emerged as a promising alternative. These mixed systems typically involve adult cattle in grazing systems alongside fattening calves in landless systems, potentially achieving higher productivity while reducing the overall environmental impacts. The first step towards proposing mitigation strategies involves identifying the impacts of the sector. This study aimed to estimate the main environmental impacts of four types of mixed beef systems based on the origin of the calves that are raised, fattened, and slaughtered. Using life cycle assessment, the study evaluated the environmental impacts from the cradle to the slaughterhouse gate, expressed per kilogram of carcass weight. The four systems assessed include suckler cow farms that fatten their own offspring (beef single farm, BSF), a system in which calves raised on a suckler farm are fattened on a different farm (beef fattening unit, BFU), and systems in which dairy calves are fattened on growing units, with calves either from Spain (dairy national, DN) or from farms located abroad (dairy abroad, DA). Primary data were obtained from representative surveys of farmers and slaughterhouses, and allocation between co-products was performed according to the updated guidelines of Environmental Product Declarations and the Product Category Rules for meat. Seven environmental impact categories were assessed: climate change, marine eutrophication, freshwater eutrophication, stratospheric ozone depletion, terrestrial acidification, photochemical ozone formation on ecosystems, and photochemical ozone formation on human health. The results indicate that meat production from BSF and BFU has greater environmental impacts than that from DN and DA systems, primarily due to the lower environmental burden allocated to dairy calves, whereas the contribution of slaughterhouse activities to the environmental impacts was minimal. This study highlights the importance of mitigating the environmental impacts associated with feed production, enteric fermentation, and manure management in beef systems. Future studies should consider potential environmental benefits of grazing animals such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familiar mixed dairy sheep farm is the most widespread system in the Mediterranean basin, in Latin America and in developing countries (85%). There is a strong lack of technological adoption in packages of feeding and land use in small-scale farms. To increase competitiveness, it would be of great interest to deepen the knowledge of how innovation was selected, adopted, and spread. The objective of this research was to select strategic feeding and land use technologies in familiar mixed dairy sheep systems and later assess dairy sheep farms in Spain. This objective was assessed by combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies. In the first stage, with the aim to identify and select the appropriate technologies, a panel of 107 experts in dairy sheep production was used. A questionnaire was applied to all of them with successive rounds using Delphi methodology. Later, these technologies were grouped by principal components analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). In a second stage the technological results from a random sample of 157 farms in the Center of Spain were collected. The technologies selected were linked to the technological adoption level of the farms in Castilla la Mancha by a multiple regression model. Ten technologies were selected by the 107 experts. Four factors were retained by PCA that explained at 67.11% of variance. The first factor is related to feeding strategies, the second to land use for livestock production, the third to efficient management of land resources or ecoefficiency and the fourth to by-products use. The expert evaluation was grouped in three clusters using the Ward’s method and the squared Euclidean distance measure, where the second showed higher values in the adoption level of each technology. The multiple regression model explained the relationship between the technologies and the technological level of the farms (R2 73.53%). The five technologies selected were: use of unifeed (1), supplemental feeding (5), grazing (6), raw materials production (7) and sustainable use of water and soil (10). These ten technologies identified can be directly extended to small-scale dairy farms from other countries in the Mediterranean basin and Latin America. This technological selection was supported from the broad and diverse panel of experts used. Besides, five technologies identified by the quantitative model will be able to be taken into account for the development of public innovation policies. They are direct technologies and easy to apply on the farm and seeking increased viability through innovation vs. intensification.

This paper deals with the stress-strength system reliability based on signatures. By using signature-based properties of strength systems, the performance of the stress-strength reliability is assessed. It is shown that the survival function of the remaining strength of a system can be expressed as a mixture of the survival functions of the remaining strengths of their components and for systems consisting of exponential components, it is derived explicitly. The optimal system configuration in terms of the signature has been determined under an exponential stress-strength model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article the methodological bases for the new criteria of goods and services efficiency and standards in a new cyber environment, and also the reasons and consequences of the robotic goods and services demands' transformation are defined. The newest era of the mass cyber development and hybridization as the following robotization stage is predicted, the analysis of the new mass commercialization challenges and threats of its breakthrough researches is carried out. The global environment influence on the level of corporate robotization and replacement of a non-hybrid environment by the totally hybrid environment are given on the example of the countries pioneers of the forced technological development (Japan, the USA, South Korea, and Germany). The definitions and the existing robots' classifications of three generations are revealed, taking into the account its main criteria robots' so called self-training ability.The methodological criteria and requirements to the leading countries' competitiveness in a new cyber environment in "the sixth technological shift era", including the military, social, political and economic stability, the defensive potential in the new hybrid and contactless cyber wars, are described.The comparative analysis of the well-known forecasts is conducted, including 'The Future of Employment is carried out: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerization" by Karl Frey and Michael Osborn, 'The Future of Jobs, 2025: Working Side-By-Side with Robots" from "Forrester Research" the forecast of the World Economic Forum (WEF) of'The Future of Jobs" from 2016 and "Robotic Nation" of Marshall Brian, for the period till 2025 about the mass robotization effects, including the influence of robotization on the global employment.The target approach analysis is carried out, as well as the progressive methodological approaches on the governmental and corporate levels are described. The value of the efficient implementation criteria of the Revolutions of Robots Program in Japan is defined (key quantitative planned targets till 2020, and the five areas for the scientific researches concentration). The analyzed best experience is expedient to be applied in the Russian Federation, including the strategic robotic development plan in Japan, aimed at the transformation of the non-robotic systems into the fully robotic systems and the forced mass robotization.The complex analysis of the cross-disciplinary links, valued for the scientific breaks through, which define the global technological development, is given.The analytical list of the revealed robotization challenges and threats to governments, business, safety, health, private life, freedom of consciousness and the person al will is provided. The new business purposes, roles and tasks in the robotization an era and the governmental functions are revealed, and the global needs' and demands' transformation forecast is given.It is supposed that a robot's competitiveness will depend on its existing in-building technological ability level and/or the new technological environmental level for the following generation of the robotic line embedding, taking into an account the field robotic efficiency criteria. The importance of rationalization and multifunctional, dual purpose robotic abilities is emphasized.The conditions of the new hybrid environment connected with robotization are revealed: The quantitative analysis of the main global androids projects is provided. The author's innovations in the article are meaningful for the decisions making persons in the field of robotization.

Spatial heterogeneity is a property of natural ecosystems. Integrated crop‐livestock systems (ICLS) aim to mimic natural ecosystem functions as pillars of sustainable intensification, and grazing is a process that potentially affects spatial heterogeneity. Then, we investigated the effect of different grazing intensities, defined according to a range of sward heights (intensive grazing, 10 cm; moderate grazing, 20 cm; moderate‐light grazing, 30 cm; light grazing, 40 cm; and ungrazed), on the spatial heterogeneity and biomass productivity of mixed Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.) pastures. The mixture was grazed by steers under continuous variable stocking, using put‐and‐take animals to maintain targeted sward heights. The pasture was in rotation with soybean in an integrated crop‐livestock system for 15 years. Data concerns pasture phase on the 15th rotation cycle. Cattle grazing at moderate to light intensities increased pasture spatial heterogeneity and total aboveground primary productivity, while intensive grazing led to homogeneous overgrazed canopies with frequent bare soil patches. Pre‐grazing sward structure suggests that the summer crop rotation buffers the contrasts created by grazing at different intensities. This study suggests that moderate to light grazing intensities increase pasture productive efficiency and create more heterogeneous canopies in ICLS, while intensive grazing should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For certain applications, it is useful to control the rate and extent of lipid digestion in different regions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) e.g., to control bioavailability, satiety, or blood lipid levels. In the current study, lipid digestion was modulated by mixing two kinds of lipid-loaded biopolymer microgels (alginate beads and carrageenan beads) with different GIT responses. The microgels were formed by mixing lipid droplets with anionic polysaccharide solutions, and then injecting them into a calcium ion solution to cross-link the polysaccharides. Alginate beads remained intact throughout the GIT, leading to a relatively slow digestion rate, whereas carrageenan beads became deformed and dissociated, leading to faster digestion. Experiments using an in vitro GIT model indicated that the rate of lipid digestion could be controlled by mixing alginate microgels with carrageenan microgels. The rate of lipid digestion of the mixed system (1:1) was between that of the two individual systems. These mixed microgel systems may be useful in developing functional foods that modulate lipid blood levels, hormone release, and energy intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated the removal of Cr(VI) and the associated bacterial activity in the systems containing Bacillus subtilis BSn5 ( B. subtilis BSn5) and hematite. The microcalorimetry was used to study the effect of hematite on the normal physiological functions of B. subtilis BSn5 towards the removal of Cr(VI) for the first time. The results of the heat flux and the sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that hematite does not affect the normal physiological functions of B. subtilis BSn5, and can help the strains maintain their activity in the presence of Cr(VI). More importantly, the relative capacity and intensity of Cr(VI) and total Cr removal by B. subtilis BSn5 in the presence of hematite were higher than that in the absence of hematite. The enhancement effect could be associated with their mineral adsorption, biosorption, Fe(II) reduction, bioreduction and immobilization functions. This study demonstrates the possibility of reducing the toxicity of Cr(VI) and enhancing the Cr(VI) removal efficiency in contaminated environments using a combination of hematite and B. subtilis BSn5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrients found in residues from agricultural cultures are important reserves for subsequent crops. The objective was to assess the decomposition and release of nutrients from different crop residues for subsequent soybean cultivation. The study was conducted in Mid-Northern Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The residual straw of cropping systems - maize, brachiaria and maize/brachiaria consortium - were sampled, weighted, disposed in litter bags and then distributed on the soil. The adopted experimental design followed the completely randomized arrangement with three repetitions. Treatments were determined based on harvest time, which was performed every 14 days within 140 days for maize, and within 154 days for brachiaria and for the consortium. The remaining dry matter and nutrients content, and half-time life were evaluated. Maize showed the highest straw dry matter yield (14,176 kg ha-1), and the consortium recorded the biggest nutrient accumulation per hectare (K=172.2; N= 141.7 and Ca=56.0 kg ha-1). Brachiaria straw presented the fastest decomposition rate (85%) and the highest nutrient release (K=99%; N=92%; Mg=98% and Ca=90% of total initial content). The total K released reached 150 kg ha-1, which can fit the needs of soybean crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their recognized agricultural sustainability benefits, mixed crop-livestock farms have declined in the Northern hemisphere. As such, crop-livestock integration beyond the farm level is a promising alternative to this trend, but the knowledge of critical factors and strategies towards its successful implementation is still lacking. We developed an analytical framework to assess the critical determinants of the emergence and outcomes of integration, which helped us understand farmers’ collective strategies for reducing integration transaction costs. The resulting framework distinguishes between three types of transaction costs: information gathering, collective decision-making, and operational and monitoring costs. These costs are influenced by several factors: external environment attributes, resources engaged in crop-livestock integration, and participating actors and their arrangements. Application of the framework onto six case studies all across the world (Asia, Europe and America) demonstrated it can be utilized for various projects implemented at multiple organizational levels (farm-to-farm, local groups, and regional levels) over distinct farming systems (conventional and organic). Specific policies should be developed to strengthen social networks through the mutual understanding of such integration benefits, since they play a key role in lowering the costs of information gathering and collective decision-making. A legal framework to establishing a formal contract should contribute to lower long-term monitoring costs, especially when trust among actors developing. Operational costs largely depend on the spatial proximity of farms, but this can be overcome by extending the scale of integration in terms of covered area and number of participants. Here, appropriate coordination by third-party entities is essential, and should be targeted by financial and technical support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To what extent do presidential candidates influence voting in mixed member legislative elections? A sizable literature addresses presidential–legislative coattail effects in the American context, with less attention given to this interaction in non-Western democracies. Nor is the role of past voting behavior adequately assessed in the literature. Taiwan's historic 2016 election allows for an analysis of the extent in which the popularity of presidential candidates influences coattail voting in the more complex electoral environment of two-vote mixed legislative systems. Evidence finds that, controlling for partisanship and previous voting behavior, voters who supported a presidential candidate were more likely to also support the party's legislative candidates, although this influence is stronger in regards to Democratic Progressive Party's Tsai Ing-wen. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Steady-shear and dynamic rheological behaviour for aqueous systems of guar and tragacanth gums and mixed systems tragacanth-guar, in wide ranges of shear rate (0.01–1000 s −1 ), angular frequency (0.1–62.8 rad s −1 ) and temperature (5–65 °C) were determined using a controlled stress rheometer. Total polymer concentration of 10 g L −1 was used in all systems and mixtures were prepared at three polymer ratios (0.25:0.75, 0.5:0.5, 0.75:0.25). Flow curves showed that apparent viscosity depended on both shear rate (shear-thinning behaviour) and temperature. Mixed systems showed a synergic effect on apparent viscosity, being more remarkable at low shear rates and low temperatures. Functions involving the effect of shear rate and temperature were proposed applying Cross-Williamson model and Arrhenius relationship. Storage and loss moduli increased with angular frequency at any temperature and decreased with increasing temperature. Tragacanth gum system was predominantly viscous in the whole range of angular frequency and temperature, without moduli crossover. Guar gum system showed predominant elastic behaviour at high angular frequencies, from 5 to 45 °C. Analogously, as observed for apparent viscosity, a synergic effect dependent on angular frequency and temperature was found. Mechanical spectra were correlated with temperature by means of simple Maxwell model and Arrhenius function. In all cases, the correspondence between steady-shear and oscillatory data was satisfied using Cox-Merz rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work analyzes, firstly, the set of factors that in the 17th century favor the emergence of an authentic need to build an artificial language, an effective vehicle for the transmission of scientific knowledge among scientists. Secondly, we intend to establish a classification of artificial linguistic systems based on both the purposes for which they were created and the methods used by the authors for their conception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mixtures of sodium perfluoropolyether carboxylate (PFPE-Na) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in dilute solutions, the surface activities and aggregation behaviors have been investigated by the surface tension, dynamic surface tension, contact angle methodologies, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dye encapsulation experiments. The surface tension measurements provided the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and the surface tension at the CMC (γ CMC ) at different molar ratios. In addition, surface activity parameters of the maximum surface excess concentration (Γ max ) and the minimum surface area/molecule (A min ) at the air/water interface were evaluated. The adsorption and wetting abilities of FC-poor mixed systems were studied. Mixed systems of fluorocarbon - hydrocarbon surfactants show better ability to reduce the surface tension and more efficiency to reduce the surface tension. Adding tiny amount of PFPE-Na to CTAB solution (1:20–1:50) has little effect to adsorption, but it enhances the surface activity and wetting ability of mixed system distinctly. Meanwhile, the mixed system can form stable vesicle spontaneously near the PFPE-Na/CTAB ratio of 2:1 in aqueous solution, it may be used as drug delivery vehicles and cold be used as micro/nanotemplates for material synthesis [1–4]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to examine foaming and interfacial behavior of three milk protein mixtures, bovine α-lactalbumin-β-casein (M1), camel α-lactalbumin-β-casein (M2) and β-lactoglobulin-β-casein (M3), alone and in binary mixtures, at the air/water interface in order to better understand the foaming properties of bovine and camel milks. Different mixture ratios (100:0; 75:25; 50:50; 25:75; 0:100) were used during foaming tests and interfacial protein interactions were studied with a pendant drop tensiometer. Experimental results evidenced that the greatest foam was obtained with a higher β-casein amount in all camel and bovine mixtures. Good correlation was observed with the adsorption and the interfacial rheological properties of camel and bovine protein mixtures. The proteins adsorbed layers are mainly affected by the presence of β-casein molecules, which are probably the most abundant protein at interface and the most efficient in reducing the interfacial properties. In contrast of, the globular proteins, α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin that are involved in the protein layer composition, but could not compact well at the interface to ensure foams creation and stabilization because of their rigid molecular structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nutrient use efficiency in integrated crop-livestock systems under system fertilization may be related to soil structural variations caused by grazing. These hypothetical cause-effect relationships are not known, which reflects a limited understanding of the underlying processes. This study evaluated the association between soil structural quality and system fertilization efficiency of phosphorus and potassium in an integrated crop-livestock system and a pure crop system. The treatments were two fertilization strategies (system fertilization and crop fertilization) in a factorial scheme with two production systems (an integrated crop-livestock system and a pure crop system) distributed in a randomized block design with four replicates. In the pure crop system, soybean was grown followed by Italian ryegrass as a non-grazed cover crop. In the integrated crop-livestock system, the ryegrass was grazed by sheep. In the crop fertilization strategy, phosphorus and potassium were applied at the soybean planting, and nitrogen in the ryegrass establishment. In the system fertilization strategy, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were applied during the establishment of ryegrass. Soil physical quality indices were calculated for the beginning, middle, and end of the pasture phase (2020) and at the soybean harvest (2021). Forage and soybean production were also evaluated. Based on the soil physical quality index, the soil's ability to perform its physical functions decreased from 94% under an integrated crop-livestock system to 89% under a pure crop system. The results indicated higher total forage production (36%) and soybean yield (13%) in the system fertilization strategy as compared to the crop fertilization strategy. Moreover, the integrated crop-livestock system produced more forage (31%) and soybean grains (15%) than the pure crop system. The study provides the first evidence that higher structural quality of soils in an integrated crop-livestock system favors crop yields at all stages of production. However, the nutrient use efficiency in system fertilization is only partially explained by the soil's physical quality. [Display omitted] • Efficiency system fertilization is partially explained by soils physical quality. • Structural soil quality in crop-livestock integration favors primary production. • Grazing effects on soil structure are potentiated with greater forage accumulation. • Pure cultivation system reduces 30% plant-available water in soybean planting. • Soil's ability perform its physical functions was 94% in crop-livestock integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed production systems, in which producers have some combination of perennial and annual crops, livestock, and/or fisheries, are the most common form of farming in low- and medium-income countries, and they are increasingly of interest in high-income countries as an adaptive approach to climate change. Diversification in mixed systems can buffer against the risks climate change poses to food production systems through increased livelihood resilience, food security, and multiple ecosystem services. Mixed systems can provide near-term, local and regional resilience as well as contributing to sustained resilience in the global food system. Evidence and cases from mixed crop-livestock systems, agroforestry, and integrated aquatics systems demonstrate the technical, cultural, and socio-economic benefits, challenges and barriers to implementation. Support for mixed systems, including context-specific financial mechanisms, knowledge sharing, and markets, could help advance the adaptation and mitigation benefits of mixed systems. Failure to consider the place and context-specific dynamics in implementing these systems can lead to maladaptive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Este trabalho foi conduzido na E.E.A da UFRGS/RS (30°05’S e 51°39’W) com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de métodos e intensidades de pastejo na dinâmica populacional de azevém (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) em ressemeadura natural. Conduziu-se a pastagem em dois métodos de pastejo (lotação contínua e rotacionada) e duas intensidades de pastejo (moderada e baixa), em um delineamento em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial com três repetições (2x2x3). No ano seguinte, após um ciclo de lavoura de soja no verão, foi contado o número de perfilhos de azevém estabelecidos via essemeadura natural. Os resultados demonstraram não ter havido interação (p > 0,05) entre os métodos e as intensidades de pastejo, e seus efeitos foram analisados de forma independente. Enquanto os diferentes métodos de pastejo não afetaram a ressemeadura do azevém (p = 0,4636), asdiferentes intensidades de pastejo a influenciaram significativamente (p = 0,0003). O número de perfilhos de azevém estabelecidos via ressemeadura natural, na intensidade de pastejo baixa, foi maior (6.776 perfilhos m-2) do que na intensidade de pastejo moderada(211 perfilhos m-2). O controle da intensidade de pastejo é um fator determinante para a manutenção do azevém em sistemas de produção baseados na persistência dessa forrageira via ressemeadura natural.This work was conducted at EEA/UFRGS, in Eldorado do Sul, RioGrande do Sul state, Brazil (30°05’S e 51°39’W), to evaluate the effects of different grazing intensities and methods on the population dynamics of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) under natural reseedling. Two grazing intensities (moderate and low) were used, under continuous and rotational grazing. The experimental design included randomized blocks with 2x2x3 factorial arrangements (2 grazing intensities x 2 grazing methods x 3 replicates).The following year, the fields were desiccated with herbicides and a soybean plant crop cycle was established during the summer season. Ryegrass tillers from natural reseedling were counted after the soybean harvest. There was no interaction (p > 0.05) betweengrazing intensities and methods, and the effects for each treatment were independently analyzed. While the grazing methods did not affect natural ryegrass reseedling (p = 0.4636), there were significant effects under different grazing intensities (p = 0.0003). The numberof ryegrass tillers established by natural reseedling under low grazing intensity (6,776 tillers m-2) was much higher than under moderate grazing intensity (211 tillers m-2). Grazing intensity is a key factor to maintain ryegrass production in systems based on naturalreseedling.

Tannic acid-crosslinked whey protein isolate (TA-WPI) microgels can physically stabilize food emulsions by adsorption to the oil-water interface. Production of these particles is often accompanied by residual un-reacted WPI, which may play a role in the stabilization of emulsions. Here, TA-WPI microgels were produced and the presence and composition of surface-active molecules was characterized using ultrafiltration. Full purification was not feasible; the final dispersion used for emulsification had microgels and free protein in a ∼20:1 mass ratio, both of them enriched in β-lactoglobulin compared to the starting material. The physical characteristics of emulsions stabilized by blends of microgels and native WPI depended on the homogenization method used. When using low-shear methods (rotor-stator), microgels suppressed coalescence by bridging flocculation, which was disrupted by WPI over 14 days of storage. On the other hand, emulsions produced under high shear (microfluidizer) were very viscous, and highly flocculated, and they remained in the flocculated form after 14 days of incubation, which may be due to strong anchoring of adsorbed microgels caused by the high energy provided to the system during the homogenization procedure. [Display omitted] • Tannic sacid-whey protein isolate microgels can physically stabilize emulsions. • Ultrafiltration of microgel dispersion is not able to remove all unreacted protein. • Native WPI has a role on the stabilization of microgel-stabilized emulsions. • The role of native WPI depends on the shear rate used to prepare emulsion. • The presence of native WPI did not impair microgel adsorption at the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper presents a prototype of a perceptron network working in the current mode, with a digital interface for applications in analog-to-digital systems. The presented implementation makes it possible to create a network using the standard nanometer CMOS technology, to use a row strategy for designing a topography, as well as to place an analog network IPcore on a silicon substrate, common with the digital part. The work introduces an implementation of a CMOS axon with a monotonic, differentiable and sigmoid activation function. It also introduces an implementation of a dendrite with a fully digital interface. The obtained dendrite weight mapping error was 0.072%. The article discusses routing neurons based on using weight values including an elimination of the CMRR concurrent component and reducing power consumption. The work presents a strategy for programming weights including completely eliminating the mismatch process. The works included a mismatch analysis of the operation of the network and a verification of the signal processing accuracy. A sample 7.8 MHz multi-layer implementation with 16 weights yielded precision = 94.62%, and a 5 Ms/s multi-layer implementation of 1098 weights: precision = 93.28%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Manchego sheep sector has a selection scheme that works as a process management program (PGP). The aim of this study was to evalute the effectiveness of PGP on production and economic performance of dairy sheep farms. The information of 90 farms (59 % with PGP and 47.8 % without PGP) collected through surveys and interviews was used. The effect of the application of PGP was assessed using the t test for quantitative variables and chisquare test qualitative variables. Results show that the PGP has the reproduction as central axis and improve the integration of different processes. Also, it has positive effects on the level of productivity and economic performance of farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dolomitic marble on the island of Naxos was deformed at variable temperatures ranging from 390 °C to >700 °C. Microstructural investigations indicate two end-member of deformation mechanisms: (1) Diffusion creep processes associated with small grain sizes and weak or no CPO ( c rystallographic p referred o rientation), whereas (2) dislocation creep processes are related with larger grain sizes and strong CPO. The change between these mechanisms depends on grain size and temperature. Therefore, sample with dislocation and diffusion creep microstructures and CPO occur at intermediate temperatures in relative pure dolomite samples. The measured dolomite grain size ranges from 3 to 940 μm. Grain sizes at T max >450 °C show an Arrhenius type evolution reflecting the stabilized grain size in deformed and relative pure dolomite. The stabilized grain size is five times smaller than that of calcite at the same temperature and shows the same Arrhenius-type evolution. In addition, the effect of second phase particle influences the grain size evolution, comparable with calcite. Calcite/dolomite mixtures are also characterized by the same difference in grain size, but recrystallization mechanism including chemical recrystallization induced by deformation may contribute to apparent non-temperature equilibrated Mg-content in calcite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of mixed colloidal dispersions for increasing the bioaccessibility of a hydrophobic bioactive agent (curcumin) was examined. Curcumin was encapsulated within zein nanoparticles (fabricated by antisolvent precipitation) to obtain a high loading capacity and good chemical stability. These protein nanoparticles were then mixed with digestible lipid nanoparticles (fabricated by microfluidization) designed to increase curcumin bioaccessibility by forming mixed micelles in the small intestine. Changes in particle properties (size, charge, and organization) were measured as the mixed colloidal dispersions were passed through a simulated gastrointestinal tract: mouth; stomach; and small intestine. Curcumin bioaccessibility increased with increasing lipid nanoparticle concentration in the mixed colloidal dispersions, which was attributed to an increase in the solubilization capacity of the mixed micelle phase. This study suggests that delivery systems containing mixed colloidal particles (protein and lipid nanoparticles) may be designed to increase the bioaccessibility of lipophilic bioactive agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of equation of state for ferroelectric-antiferroelectric mixed systems in the whole region of a concentration change (0≤n≤1) is discussed. The main peculiarity of the presented model turns out to be the possibility for the site dipole momentum to be oriented ferroelectrically in z-direction and antiferroelectrically in x-direction. Such a situation takes place in mixed compounds of KDP type. The different phases (ferro-, antiferro-, paraelectric, dipole glass and some combinations of them) have been found and analyzed.

The interplay between carbonate production and siliciclastic input produces mixed systems that typically contain a very high degree of lateral and vertical facies heterogeneity. This heterogeneity complicates the sequence stratigraphic analysis of mixed systems. Outcrop studies facilitate the deciphering of controls and understanding of facies distributions within sedimentary successions. The Picún Leufú Anticline in the Neuquén Basin (Argentina) offers the opportunity to integrate large-scale depositional architecture with detailed facies descriptions of the shelf to basin successions of the Upper Jurassic -- Lower Cretaceous Quintuco -- Picún Leufú -- Vaca Muerta System. The strata in the system are mixed and range in depositional environments from shallow marine sandstones and limestones to deep basinal shales. These environments are arranged in metre-scale shallowing upward cycles and cycle sets, with increasing carbonate proportions in regressive hemicycles. Increased input of siliciclastic material from the volcanic arc area occurred during phases of relative sea-level rise and was controlled by the intensity of along-shelf currents. The shelf transport was driven by the available accommodation space on the shelf, and therefore was a function of the eustatic sealevel fluctuations. Within the studied section, a pure carbonate depositional system developed because siliciclastic input was shut down either due to long-lived highstand settings or a sudden climatic change to more arid conditions. Carbonate--siliciclastic mixing in this setting is a function of siliciclastic dilution of the carbonate sedimentation and differs from the classical reciprocal sedimentation model, which typically includes shut-off of carbonate production during lowstand periods. In the regional context, the subsurface strata of time-equivalent reservoirs in the Eastern Neuquén Embayment display strong similarities of architecture, indicating that similar mixing processes occurred along most of the Neuquén Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactant solutions used in practical applications are generally mixtures of ionic and nonionic surfactants. These surfactants mostly show synergism on mixing. In this work, mixing behavior of cationic gemini surfactants, alkanediyl — α, ω — bis(dimethylalkylammonium bromide (alkyl: 14 or 16 and alkane: butane, pentane or hexane)), (m-s-m) and Cremophor RH over the entire mole fraction range was investigated tensiometrically. Results indicate that these mixtures show a negative deviation in the cmc id (cmc value at ideal mixing conditions). Micellar mole fraction of RH (X 1 m ) values indicate that RH has slightly higher contribution in mixed micelles than of geminis. X 1 m values are greater than of X 1 σ (mole fraction of RH at mixed interface). Adjustment of cationic head group of gemini is easier at the planar interface than in curved micellar head group area. Surface excess increases with the increase in α 1 . Different thermodynamic parameters (i.e., ΔG° mic , ΔG° ads , ΔG ex m , ΔG ex σ , G min ) also support mixed micelle formation. R p value and radius of micelles suggest that the mixed micelles at high α 1 are almost cylindrical in shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micellization behavior of mixed zwitterionic/cationic solutions, that is, of zwitterionic phospholipid, 1, 2-dioctanoyl- sn -glycero-3-[phospho- L -serine] (sodium salt) (PL) and cationic gemini surfactants, alkanediyl-α,ω-bis(dimethylalkylammonium bromide (alkyl: 14 or 16 and alkane: butane, pentane or hexane) ( m - s - m ), have been studied by surface tension measurements. Various physicochemical properties, viz., critical micelle concentration (cmc), surface excess concentration ( Γ max ), minimum area per molecule ( A min ), interaction parameters ( β m , β σ ), and thermodynamic parameters such as standard Gibbs energy of micellization ( Δ G mic ° ), standard Gibbs energy of adsorption ( Δ G ads ° ), and excess free energy of mixing ( Δ G ex m ,   Δ G ex ° ), have been evaluated. The obtained results indicate that the mole fraction of PL in the mixed micelles, calculated on the basis of Rubingh's model, is different from stoichiometric mole fraction of PL ( α 1 ). The negative values of Δ G mic ° and Δ G ads ° show that the micelle formation and adsorption of surfactants at the air/solution interface is energetically favorable with the magnitude of Δ G ads ° greater than that of Δ G mic ° . The negative values of Δ G ex m and Δ G ex σ indicate better stability of the mixed systems. The insights presented herein on the gemini-phospholipid mixed micelle properties may find use towards their applications in the relevant areas of solubilization/drug delivery/etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a chemical model that calculates solute and solvent activities and solid-liquid equilibria in the Li-H-Na-K-Cl-OH-H20 system from dilute to high solution concentration within the 0 to 250 °C temperature range. The model coherently extends to Li the temperature-variable H-Na-K-OH-Cl-H20 model of Christov and Møller (2004b, p. 1309). The solubility modeling approach based on Pitzer's (1973, p. 268) specific interaction equations is used. All binary (LiCl-H20 and LiOH-H20 ) and ternary (LiCl-HCl-H20, LiCl-NaCl-H20, LiCl-KCl-H20, LiOH-NaOH- H20, LiOH-KOH-H20, and LiOH-LiCl-H20 ) lithium subsystems are included in the model parameterization. The model for the LiCl-H20 system is parameterized using two different approaches: (1) with 4 ion interaction binary parameters β(0), β(1), β(2) and Cφ, and (2) with 3 ion interaction binary parameters β(0), β(1), and Cφ and including neutral aqueous LiCl0(aq) species. Approach (2) provides a better fit of activity data in unsaturated binary solutions and accurately predicts solid solubilities up to 40 mol.kg-1 and up to 250 °C. Therefore, this approach was used to parameterize lithium chloride mixed systems. Temperature functions for the thermodynamic solubility product (as log KOsp) of 5 simple lithium salts (LiC1.2H20(cr), LiCl. H20(cr), LiCl(cr), LiOH. H2O(cr), and LiOH(cr)) are determined. The log KOSP values of 3 double lithium basic salts precipitating in the LiOH-LiCl-H20 system at 50 °C (3LiOH. LiCl(cr), LiOH.LiCl(cr), and LiOH.3LiCl(cr)) are also estimated using solubility data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rio de la Plata region (Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil) is currently characterized by a mosaic of intensively managed croplands and remaining areas of livestock production on native grasslands. The production of crops and animals in this scenario is usually spatially segregated as a result of mindset and structural constraints developed over decades of agricultural specialization. However, several studies have suggested that crop-livestock integration across various spatio-temporal scales can improve land-use efficiency and ecosystem services provisioning. In this context, the long-standing tradition of Rio de la Plata region's ranchers on sheep production summed to the easy-to-manage body size of these small ruminants make them fit into a wide range of farm sizes and integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS) designs. In addition, the large variety of crops produced in the region, including annual (e.g., soybean, maize, rice and wheat) and perennial (e.g., orchards, vineyards and woodlands), and the diversity of temperate and tropical forage species used in livestock systems, provide multiple ICLS possibilities. In this review, we explore these possibilities and highlight the opportunities and challenges for integration of crop and sheep production in the Rio de la Plata region of South America. Using mainly data from the region's ICLS, but also other parts of the world, we show that ICLS with sheep are able to improve nutrient cycling, land-use efficiency, and systems' resilience and profitability if sound grazing intensities are used. Finally, we build on the idea of ICLS farm design to present an interactive, hands-on methodology recently developed to support farmers' transition from specialized systems to ICLS. • We present challenges and opportunities to integrate sheep and crop production in the Rio de la Plata region. • Recoupling crop and livestock production is encouraged to improve resource use efficiency. • Well-managed grasslands are pivotal to the success of crop-livestock integration. • Integrated crop-livestock systems are the safe path to future sustainable food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upper part of the Early Eocene Figols Group cropping out near the town of Tremp (province of Lerida, Spain), is a wonderfully exposed sedimentary succession mainly constituted by mouth bar deposits and delta-front sandstone lobes, forming a fluvio-deltaic system dominated by catastrophic fluvial floods. These deltaic sandstones are vertically associated with carbonate and hybrid (mixed carbonate and siliciclastic) sediments that are physically related to a carbonate ramp platform which crops out in the southernmost part of the study area. The vertical and lateral juxtaposition of these depositional systems allows investigating how the stratigraphic controls (as climate and relative sea level) affect the resulting facies assemblages. The studied succession has been subdivided following a pragmatic physical stratigraphic approach into three 3rd order large-scale depositional sequences (FG2, FG3, and FG4), six 4th order small-scale depositional sequences and 21 EDSs (elementary depositional sequences). The latter are considered the stratigraphic building block of the succession, made of 10s of meter scale forestepping sandstones followed by, backstepping sandstones, bioclastic and mudstone sediments. During the lowstand system tract (LST), the depositional sequences FG2 and FG3 are characterized by the occurrence of flood-dominated deltaic systems (mouth bars and lobes). These deltaic deposits mainly developed in the northern sector characterized by higher subsidence. The overlain transgressive system tract (TST) is dominated by hybrid sediments and carbonates that initially accumulated in the southern zone and then progressively spread out over the entire area. The highstand system tract (HST) is mainly constituted by shelfal fine-grained sediments reflecting the reactivation of the fluvial input and deltaic clastic deposition in a more landward position. This sequential model resulted to be applicable at all hierarchical scales and in particular to the EDS scale. In FG4, the fluvio-deltaic systems became coarser-grained and channelized, the carbonate production on the shelf decreased and lagoonal fines were accumulated so as to separate vertically the fluvio-deltaic bodies. Syn-sedimentary tectonic activity capable to produce local variations of the available accommodation space is inferred by the geometry and facies distribution shown in the high-resolution correlation framework, particularly if considered at the physical scale of EDSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum and milk protein were studied under various conditions of ionic strengths, temperature and pH. The proposed methodology was to examine the associative interactions by using a methylene blue (MB) spectrophotometric method combined with data analysis by a chemometric method. Independent Components Analysis (ICA) simplified the interpretation of the spectrophotometric results by decomposing absorbance spectral data into “pure signals” that could be related to chemical compounds. Addition of milk protein to MB/xanthan gum or carrageenan solution gave rise to spectral changes indicating electrostatic interactions between positively charged regions of milk protein and anionic polysaccharides at neutral pH and low ionic strength. Thus, it has been shown that negative polysaccharides are able to interact with milk proteins only in absence of NaCl. On the other hand, it was shown that no attractive interactions were established in neutral guar gum/milk protein systems, which highlighted the contribution of the charge density to the interactions. Through acidification, associative interactions between xanthan gum and milk proteins were strongly enhanced as shown by changes in the IC proportions. Therefore, ICA proved to be an efficient tool to facilitate interpretation of spectrophotometric data and identify associative interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crowdsourcing as a model for distributed problem solving has been rapidly gaining in popularity. In investigating what drives the solvers to participate in crowdsourcing, the extant research has one-dimensionally only viewed the origins of motivation. While these studies have revealed that crowdsourcing systems' use is driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, they fall short of explaining how these motivations change over time from initial to continued use. To address this research gap, our study highlights the dynamic nature of human motivation and shows that by including the aims of motivation in the analysis, we can better capture the dynamic nature of motivation across time. With a case study of a photography crowdsourcing platform, we illustrate how the solvers' motivations change from the initial use to sustained participation. While initial use seems to be inspired by selfish motivations, continued use requires both selfish and social motivations to be satisfied. This study contributes to theory by extending our understanding of the motivational factors driving the use of crowdsourcing systems by looking into both the origins and the aims of motivation together with the temporal dimension. It also contributes to practice by providing suggestions in terms of communication strategies for crowdsourcing organizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in the domain of design and development of mixed systems has taken, in recent decades, the interest of many researchers. Several solutions have been proposed in this context, in the form of approaches and formalisms, and reached a level of maturity rather important. However these solutions remain too slow in terms of simulation, and therefore do not allow to explore, within a reasonable time, the huge design spaces inherent in current systems. That is why a new generation of formalism was developed, these are "languages of system-level design ", as the case of the UML-Marte standard, UML-SystemC profile, UML-SOC profile, Gaspard2 profile, etc. Although most these languages allow to reduce the complexity and the time of design. However, they have certain disadvantages that hinder their widespread use as in the initial choice of architecture implementation, the use of informal or non-specific semantics, the use of non-unified models for hardware / software design, etcIn this paper we present a new profile for the mixed systems design at the system level, appointed UML-CoMMix Profile. This language is an extension of the SysML language, on one hand because SysML proposes a set of standard diagrams supported by most of the existing tools, on the other hand, because its extensibility makes possible the modeling of the specific concepts for the mixed systems. Another feature of this language is the completeness of its solution specified on four development views: a structural view representing the various components of a system, a behavioral view representing the functional aspect of each components, a dynamic view representing the flow control and data in a mixed system, and a mapping view representing the allocation of tasks on resources according to several criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The possibility of designing various microstructures through the interplay between phase separation due to depletion mechanisms and acid-induced protein gelation was investigated. To modify the phase separation and gelation kinetics, guar gum/acid milk mixtures were acidified using glucono-δ-lactone at temperatures varying from 30 to 60°C. The microstructures of the stirred mixed gels were then discussed in light of the knowledge of the phase separation and gelation timescales. Small spherical protein-enriched micro-gels dispersed in a guar gum-enriched continuous phase were found at high acidification temperatures, suggesting that the protein acid gelation kinetics was quicker than an extensive droplet growth through phase separation. For lower acidification temperatures, a region where droplet coalescence and sedimentation competed with gel formation was identified. Thus, depending on the residence time in that temperature domain, the resulting microstructures varied from spherical to extended filaments of more than 100 μm length. The results demonstrated that a broad range of defined microstructures can been created by triggered arrest through gelation of the phase-separating structure. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 966-974, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]