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Este proyecto pretende establecer un sistema de control, basado en sensores electrónicos, en el interior de las tres grandes pirámides de Guiza que forman la necrópolis homónima. Capacitar a la última maravilla del mundo antiguo con un sistema que ofrezca un registro monitoreado de las variables ambientales como son la humedad, la concentración de dióxido de carbono y temperatura, que pueden llegar a ser perjudiciales para el patrimonio cultural que estas aguardan. En primer lugar, se mencionan las diferentes organizaciones internacionales, así como los tratados y normas oficiales encargadas de proteger el patrimonio histórico. Seguidamente, se presenta un análisis de la historia de las pirámides de Guiza haciendo un especial foco en la evolución del turismo a lo largo de estos diferentes periodos históricos. Una vez analizado el aspecto histórico y social de las pirámides de Guiza, se abordan los diversos desafíos ambientales que enfrentan en la actualidad. Para ello, se hace acopio de los estudios más recientes y que utilicen las técnicas más modernas. Además, se complementan las conclusiones de estos estudios con explicaciones derivadas de datos previamente tratados, como son la geografía de la meseta o el impacto laboral en el estado de las pirámides debido a revueltas sociales. Finalmente, se ofrece una solución específica, basada en sensores electrónicos, para cada impacto ambiental, teniendo en cuenta sus características. Todos los apartados convergen en el diseño de un sistema de monitoreo totalmente funcional y viable para su implementación., Aquest projecte pretén establir un sistema de control, basat en sensors electrònics, a l'interior de les tres grans piràmides de Guiza que formen la necròpolis homònima. Capacitar l'última meravella del món antic amb un sistema que ofereixi un registre monitoritzat de les variables ambientals com són la humitat, la concentració de diòxid de carboni i temperatura, que poden arribar a ser perjudicials per al patrimoni cultural que aquestes guardeixen. En primer lloc, es mencionen les diferents organitzacions internacionals, així com els tractats i normes oficials encarregades de protegir el patrimoni històric. Seguidament, es presenta una anàlisi de la història de les piràmides de Guiza fent un especial focus en l'evolució del turisme al llarg d'aquests diferents períodes històrics. Un cop analitzat l'aspecte històric i social de les piràmides de Guiza, s'aborden els diversos reptes ambientals que enfronten en l'actualitat. Per fer-ho, s'agafen els estudis més recents i que utilitzin les tècniques més modernes. A més, es complementen les conclusions d'aquests estudis amb explicacions derivades de dades prèviament tractades, com són la geografia de la meseta o l'impacte laboral en l'estat de les piràmides a causa de revoltes socials. Finalment, s'ofereix una solució específica, basada en sensors electrònics, per a cada impacte ambiental, tenint en compte les seves característiques. Tots els apartats convergeixen en el disseny d'un sistema de monitoratge totalment funcional i viable per a la seva implementació., This project aims to establish a control system, based on electronic sensors, within the interior of the three great pyramids of Giza that form the homonymous necropolis. Empowering the last wonder of the ancient world with a system that provides a monitored record of environmental variables such as humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, and temperature, which can potentially be harmful to the cultural heritage they safeguard. Firstly, various international organizations, as well as treaties and official standards responsible for protecting historical heritage, are mentioned. Then, an analysis of the history of the Giza pyramids is presented, with a particular focus on the evolution of tourism throughout these different historical periods. Once the historical and social aspects of the Giza pyramids have been analyzed, the various environmental challenges they currently face are addressed. For this, recourse is made to the most recent studies utilizing modern techniques. Furthermore, the conclusions of these studies are complemented with explanations derived from previously processed information, such as the geography of the desert or the labor impact on the state of the pyramids due to social unrest. Finally, a specific solution is offered, based on electronic sensors, for each environmental impact, taking into account their characteristics. All sections converge in the design of a fully functional and viable monitoring system for implementation.

Commencing with a foundational understanding of the vital role energy modeling plays in optimizing building performance, this study meticulously compares a lowenergy lightweight concrete wall with a wooden stud wall featuring an air gap. The objective is to determine the most advantageous wall type for the construction phase, considering factors such as energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, comprehensive calculations will be performed to assess the heat resistance of each wall type and ascertain the most cost-effective option in terms of heating expenses for residential purposes.Acquiring pertinent information to successfully complete this study, our analysis considers variations in calculations based on whether the lightweight concrete wall is homogeneous or if the wooden stud wall consists of diverse materials.The findings of this study underscore that low-energy lightweight concrete walls offer notable advantages in terms of production aspects, primarily due to cost savings during the construction process. Moreover, in direct comparison to conventional lightweight concrete blocks, the study demonstrates that low-energy blocks outperform wooden stud walls in terms of energy efficiency and consumption.

Sušenje je jedan od najstarijih tehnoloških postupaka za konzervisanje hrane. Voće je podložno brzom kvarenju zbog velike količine vode koju sadrži. Plodovi voća se suše kako bi se uklonila vlaga odnosno produžio rok trajanja proizvoda, smanjila njihova zapremina i olakšao transport. U radu je prikazan model konvektivnog sušenja banane. Izvršena je simulacija sušenja banane vazduhom temperature 40 °C. Za rešavanje parcijalnih diferencijalnih jednačina prenosa toplote i mase tokom procesa sušenja korišćena je metoda konačnih elemenata. Prikazana je analiza promene temperature i koncentracije vlage u materijalu tokom procesa sušenja. Formirani model se može koristiti za opti- mizaciju procesa sušenja banane i drugih vrsta voća i povrća sa ciljem dobijanja proizvoda željenog kvaliteta., Drying is one of the oldest techniques used to preserve food products. Fruits are vulnerable to microbial deterioration due to their high water content. Fruits are dried to remove moisture, i.e. to enhance storage stability, reduce the fruit volume, and facilitate transportation. This paper presents a model of the convective drying process of bananas. A simulation of banana drying with air at a temperature of 40 °C was performed. The finite element method was employed to solve the partial differential equations of heat and mass transfer during the drying process. The analysis of the temperature and moisture distribution inside the product during the drying process is presented. This model can be used to optimize the drying process of bananas as well as the drying of different fruits and vegetables to achieve high-quality dried products.

Kvalitet uljarica je važan element celokupnog lanca vrednosti kako bi se proizveo proizvod visokog kvaliteta, uskladištio, obradio i na kraju isporučio potrošaču. Hektolitarska masa je jedan od parametara kvaliteta koji određuje fizičke osobine semena i predstavlja masu jednog hektolitra izraženu u kilogramima. U radu su istaknuti značaj određivanja hektolitarske mase i faktori koji utiču na nju. Istražena je hektolitarska masa uljane repice tokom tri proizvodne godine i analizirana je njena veza sa drugim parametrima kvaliteta. Vrednosti hektolitarske mase su varirale tokom ispitivanih godina i između sorti i hibrida., The quality of oilseeds is an important element of the value chain in order to produce a high-quality product, encompass storage, processing, and consumer delivery. Test weight (hectolitre mass) represents the mass of one hectolitre of seeds expressed in kilograms. This paper highlights the importance of determining the test weight and the factors that influence it. The study investigates test weight of rapeseed over three production years, analysing its correlation with other quality parameters. Results reveal varying test weight values across the examined years and among different cultivars and hybrids.

Climate change in high latitude regions leads to both higher temperatures and more precipitation but their combined effects on terrestrial ecosystem processes are poorly understood. In nitrogen (N) limited and often moss-dominated tundra and boreal ecosystems, moss-associated N2 fixation is an important process that provides new N. We tested whether high mean annual precipitation enhanced experimental warming effects on growing season N2 fixation in three common arctic-boreal moss species adapted to different moisture conditions and evaluated their N contribution to the landscape level. We measured in situ N2 fixation rates in Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi and Sphagnum spp. from June to September in subarctic tundra in Sweden. We exposed mosses occurring along a natural precipitation gradient (mean annual precipitation: 571–1155 mm) to 8 years of experimental summer warming using open-top chambers before our measurements. We modelled species-specific seasonal N input to the ecosystem at the colony and landscape level. Higher mean annual precipitation clearly increased N2 fixation, especially during peak growing season and in feather mosses. For Sphagnum-associated N2 fixation, high mean annual precipitation reversed a small negative warming response. By contrast, in the dry-adapted feather moss species higher mean annual precipitation led to negative warming effects. Modelled total growing season N inputs for Sphagnum spp. colonies were two to three times that of feather mosses at an area basis. However, at the landscape level where feather mosses were more abundant, they contributed 50% more N than Sphagnum. The discrepancy between modelled estimates of species-specific N input via N2 fixation at the moss core versus ecosystem scale, exemplify how moss cover is essential for evaluating impact of altered N2 fixation. Importantly, combined effects of warming and higher mean annual precipitation may not lead to similar responses across moss species, which

A combination of oven and microwave was introduced with the purpose of preparing well-balanced dried ready-to-eat dried rice samples. The parameter condition was investigated (oven temperature; 70 and 90 °C, time; 70, 130 and 180 min, microwave power; 450 and 750 W and time; 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 min). From the study, increasing in moisture content and rehydration capability was obtained when the drying conditions were increased. However, the color product was changing as the color difference was improved whereby the samples with lower water activity have lower microorganism growth (0.4-0.5 wa). The nutrient obtained were in the range of 55.5 - 65.9% for carbohydrate, 6.4 - 9.3% for protein, 65.9 - 17.3% for fat and 3.4 - 3.5 for ash content, respectively. It can be concluded that the use of oven and microwave in this study is acceptable for preparing ready-to-eat dried rice.

In order to obtain data on the effect of moisture content on the grindability of coals, experimental research was conducted. The experiment included six samples of coal from the Kolubara basin. The samples were selected based on experimentally obtained values of their Hardgrove grindability index (HGI), in order to cover the entire range of experimental HGI values. In addition to determining the HGI, proximate, and petrographic analyses were performed on all samples. Lignites are naturally tough, soft, and greasy when in a moist state. By reducing the moisture content, lignites become more brittle. For this reason, HGI values have different values depending on the moisture content at which they are determined. The Hardgrove grindability index of coal (HGI) has a nonlinear dependence on the moisture content of the coal. All curves have two inflection points, one minimum and one maximum value of HGI in the tested range. The minimum values of HGI are in the range of 15 – 22 [%] of the mass fraction of total moisture in coal, while the maximum values of HGI are for a total moisture content of 5 – 13 [%]. In the case of high moisture content in coal, the obtained high values of HGI may not reflect the true grindability of the coal. These values could be misleading and not necessarily indicative of the coal's inherent characteristics. Instead, they could be a result of the imperfections in the Hardgrove method used to determine the grindability index of coal with high moisture content.

As the world struggles with climate change and energy crises, understanding the role of soil in the food–water–energy nexus becomes increasingly critical. Accurately estimating the soil thermal conductivity drying curve is essential for assessing the impacts of temperature on soil biota and crop growth, environmental changes due to forest fires and global warming, and for designing geo-energy extraction techniques such as geothermal energy piles. Existing empirical models often fail to accurately estimate the soil thermal conductivity (TC), particularly in pendular soil moisture regimes where they do not capture sharp changes in TC. This study introduces a novel approach using a pore unit cell network model to more accurately describe the dynamics of TC in variably saturated soils. A quadratic parallel scheme within each soil pore unit cell links the TCs of solid, water, and air to the overall effective conductivity. By modeling air invasion in the pore network model and employing the proposed equation, we determined the unsaturated soil TC based on varying local conductivities. The model effectively captures the significant decrease in conductivity in the pendular saturation regime, associated with the shrinkage of the spanning-wetting cluster. Quantitative analyses showed a substantial improvement in prediction accuracy compared to existing models, especially under varying moisture conditions. Our findings have significant implications for better characterizing soil thermal and hydraulic properties, which are crucial for resource management in a changing climate and advancing geo-energy technologies.

When building in cross-laminated timber (CLT) today, there are two alternatives to protect the wood against moisture during the construction phase. Either comprehensive weather protection such as tents or local weather protection methods is used in the most exposed areas such as the narrow face of the CLT panels. The reason why wood needs to be protected from water exposure during construction, is to minimize the risk of microbial growth in timber. At moisture content above 18% the probability of microbial growth is high, if the wood cannot dry-out within a certain time. Thus, the maximum permitted moisture content that may be built in must be 18% or lower to minimize the risk for microbial growth. If local weather protection is used, the narrow face and adjacent side face is commonly sealed by tape. However, if the CLT should be visible in the finished building, this tapping method is unsuitable due to visual aspects. Alternatively, only the narrow face could be taped, or transparent coatings could be used. In order to investigate how well these different protection methods prevent moisture from intrusion into the material, an experimental study was carried out. In the experiments two taping methods were examined together with two coating methods. The four protection methods were tested and compared in a controlled laboratory environment where moisture content is measured with an electrode and permanent moisture sensors that measure temperature and relative humidity. To investigate whether the protection methods are more effective than building without any protection, an unprotected reference test specimen was added as well. The experiments lasted two and a half weeks, at which the CLT narrow face was in permanent water contact, to mimic the time for which the wood might be exposed to water during the construction process. The experiments aimed in measuring the moisture content in CLT wall element close to the narrow faces, and in measuring how high the moisture ri

Idag består majoriteten av skadorna inom den svenska byggbranschen av fuktskador. De kan skapa ekonomiska kostnader, hälsoproblem och påverka miljön mycket negativt. För att minska antal fuktskador används ofta fukttekniker och aktivt fuktarbete. Även aspekter som smartamaterialval kan påverka förekomsten av fuktskador i byggnader. Det kan därför vara bra att undersöka fler material än de som vanligtvis används idag, för att se om fler material kan användas då det kan ge positiva effekter för ekonomi, miljö och hälsa. Ett material som idag inte är vanligt i svenskt byggande är lerputs, det finns däremot utländska studier om materialet och lerjord har funnits som material under lång tid. I utlandet och från enskilda försök har lerputsvisat sig kunna ha positiva egenskaper gällande fuktbuffring. Fåtal svenska studier och undersökningar gör att materialet anses obeprövat och används därför sällan i Sverige.Den här uppsatsen studerar hur lerputs fungerar som ett fuktbuffrande material. Arbetet baseras i huvudsak på beräkningar med programmet WUFI. Olika miljöer har studerats i WUFI genom att bygga upp fem olika fall med varierande egenskaper, där ett rum med lerputs och ett rum utan lerputs ingår i varje fall. Från fallen analyseras lerputs fuktbuffringsförmåga och jämförs med tidigare studier. Anledningen till att denna studie görs är för att öka kunskap om materialet lerputs och undersöka dess fuktbuffrande egenskaper. Arbetet är avgränsat till teoretiskabedömningar och fortsatta studier är nödvändigt för att med större säkerhet kunna bedöma materialet. I rapporten framgår att lerputs är ett fuktbuffrande material, det jämnar ut rumsluftens relativa fuktighet och fungerar bra vid låga, men ännu bättre vid höga, relativa fuktigheter hos den ventilerade luften. Storlek på rum och RF hos den ventilerade luften påverkar fuktbuffringen, därav är lerputs väldigt fuktbuffrande i vissa förhållanden. I studerat fall med våtrumsliknandemiljö, minskas variationerna på RF från 50, Today, most damages within the Swedish construction industry consist of moisture damages. Moisture damages can create economic costs, health problems, and negatively impact the environment. To reduce the amount of moisture damages, moisture specialists and active moisture management are often used. Although, smart material choices can also influence the occurrence of moisture damages in buildings. Therefore, it can be beneficial to investigate othermaterials than those commonly used today, to see if more materials can be utilized, as this can have positive effects on economy, environment and health. Clay plaster is a material that is not commonly used in Swedish construction today. However, foreign studies have been done aboutthe material and other clay structures has been used for a long period of time. From other countries and individual trials, the material has shown positive properties regarding its moisture buffering capabilities. However, without Swedish studies and investigations, the material is considered untested, and few choose to use it.This thesis reviews how clay plaster works as a moisture-buffering material. This thesis ismostly based on calculations from the program WUFI. Various environments are studied inWUFI by creating five different cases with varying properties, where each case includes one room with clay plaster and one without clay plaster. Based on the cases, the moisture buffering capacity of clay plaster is analyzed and compared with previous studies. The reason for conducting this study is to draw attention to the material clay plaster and investigate if it is moisture-buffering. The work is limited to theoretical assessments, and further studies are necessary to confidently evaluate the material.The report shows that clay plaster works as a moisture-buffering material. It evens out the indoor relative humidity and works well at low, but even better at high, relative humidity of the ventilated air. The size of the room and the relative h

As the population increases, Swedish cities are becoming more urbanized. Consequently, people’s well-being deteriorates, and global warming has become reality. Buildings are replacing green spaces, necessitating the implementation of new methods to reintroduce greenery into urban areas. This study was conducted to investigate how a wall of an existing building in Halmstad, Sweden, is affected by supporting a living wall concerning load-bearing capacity, moisture, energy performance and economics. The methodology of this qualitative study includes literature review, interviews, and calculations for moisture, heat, and load-bearing capacity. The study found that living walls serve as additional insulation and that moisture does not affect the existing wall due to a vapor barrier. Also that the calculated wall withstands the weight of the living wall. Installation and maintenance costs can vary widely, and there is a wide range of plant species available. It's important to find plants that can withstand the climate for the specific wall. A broader selection of plants is available among those that wither in a beautiful way and are thus not evergreen. After interviews, it can be noted that living walls require minimal maintenance and thus maintenance costs are constant. Over time, some costs will be reduced as cooling and heating expenses decrease since the living wall acts as additional insulation.

Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) is an irritant contact dermatitis from prolonged contact with urine or faeces, which can significantly impact patient comfort and quality of life. The identification of prognostic factors for the development of IAD has the potential to enhance management, support preventive measures and guide future research. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize the empirical evidence of prognostic factors for the development of IAD. This study included prospective and retrospective observational studies or clinical trials that described prognostic factors associated with IAD. There were no restrictions on setting, time, language, participants or geographical regions. Exclusion criteria included reviews, editorials, commentaries, methodological articles, letters to the editor, cross-sectional and case–control studies, and case reports. Searches were conducted from inception to April 2024 on MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. The studies were assessed by two independent reviewers using the QUIPS and the CHARMS-PF for data extraction. A narrative synthesis approach was employed due to study heterogeneity and using the ‘vote counting based on direction’ method and the sign test. The overall certainty of evidence was assessed using adapted GRADE criteria. The review included 12 studies and identified 15 potential predictors. Moderate-quality evidence suggests that increased stool frequency, limited mobility and friction/shear problems are risk factors for IAD development. Female sex, older age, vasopressor use and loose/liquid stool are risk factors supported by low-quality evidence. Increased stool frequency, limited mobility and friction/shear problems seem to be risk factors for the development of IAD. There is insufficient evidence to support the predictive validity of female sex, older age, loose/liquid stool and vasopressor use. There is substantial methodological variability across studies, making it chal

In the production of wood fuel pellets, starch is frequently used as an additive to enhance bonding and durability. This study investigated the effectiveness of four different kinds of starches as additives, each at a concentration of 5% (dry basis), when combined with sawdust from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). The starches tested included plain wheat flour, hydrothermally treated wheat starch, wheat starch with amylose-like properties, and nearly pure amylopectin obtained from waxy rice flour. All pellets were produced at a die temperature of 100 °C using a Single Pellet Press, with varying moisture contents of 5%, 8%, 11%, and 14% (wet basis). The pellets were evaluated for compression work, back pressure, physical density, hardness, and moisture content. Additionally, chemical bonding was assessed using FT-IR spectroscopy. Compression energy was found to be influenced by moisture content, irrespective of starch utilization, and it decreased with increasing moisture levels, especially between 5 to 8% (wb). The inclusion of starch led to notably higher pellet hardness, with amylose yielding the hardest pellets, 34±3 kg when the moisture content was 11%. Based on this study, it is recommended to use hydrothermally treated wheat flour, as it consistently produced high-quality pellets., Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-09-23 (hanlid);Full text license: "Authors retain rights to their material, which, upon acceptance by the journal, is uploaded and made public on the Internet. The journal retains no copyright. Users have the right to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles in the journal, and users can use, reuse, and build upon the material in the journal for non-commercial purposes as long as attribution is given when appropriate or necessary."

A series of abrupt climate events linked to circum-North Atlantic meltwater forcing have been recognised in Holocene paleoclimate data. To address the paucity of proxy records able to characterise robustly the regional impacts of these events, we retrieved a sub-centennial resolution, well-dated core sequence from Lake Kuutsjarvi, northeast Finland. By analysing a range of paleo-environmental proxies (pollen, plant sedimentary ancient DNA, plant macrofossils, conifer stomata, and non-pollen palynomorphs), and supported with proxy-based paleotemperature and moisture reconstructions, we unravel a well-defined sequence of vegetation and climate dynamics over the early-to-middle Holocene. The birch-dominated pioneer vegetation stage was intersected by two transient tree-cover decrease events at 10.4 and 10.1 thousand years ago (ka), likely representing a two-pronged signal of the 10.3 ka climate event. Our data also show a clear signal of the 8.2 ka climate event, previously not well recorded in the European Arctic, with a collapse of the pine-birch forest and replacement by juniper developing in tight synchrony with Greenland isotopic proxies over 8.4-8.0 ka. Supported by climate modelling, severe winter cooling rather than summer might have been driving vegetation disruptions in the early Holocene. The Kuutsjarvi data indicate an early arrival of Norway spruce (Picea abies) by 9.2 ka (pollen, DNA, and stoma finds), as well as the first evidence for Holocene presence of larch (Larix) in Finland, with pollen finds dating to 9.6-5.9 ka.

A field experiment was carried out during the winter season 2022-2023 at the research station of the Field Crops Department, College of Agriculture, Tikrit University to study the effect of planting dates on the qualitative characteristics of each of the cultivated varieties to determine the best planting date for each variety and to find the best combination between (varieties x planting dates). The experiment was applied using the Split Plot Design method using a Randomized Complete Block Design (R.C.B.D) with three replications. Main plots included planting dates (Oct. 5, Oct. 25, Nov. 15, Dec. 5, Dec. 25) while sub-plots included wheat varieties (Ibaa99, Al-Rashid, Al-Baraka, Sham6, Tammuz2, Al-Hashimiyah, Al-Nour and Al-Adnaniyah). The results showed a significant effect of the variety treatments on all studied qualitative traits. Tammuz 2 variety was superior in the protein percentage and sedimentation volume (12.32% and 30.03 ml), respectively, Sham6 variety was superior in the wet and dry gluten percentage (36.64 and 12.30%, respectively), while Ibaa99 variety was superior in the ash and flour moisture percentage (1.91 and 9.60%, respectively). Planting date treatments had a significant effect on the qualitative characteristics of wheat varieties. Planting date treatment of Dec. 25 was superior by giving the best results for the protein percentage (12.05%), wet and dry gluten percentage (35.85 and 11.97%, respectively), ash percentage (1.76%), and sedimentation volume (28.92 ml). Also, the interaction between (varieties x planting dates) had a significant impact on the qualitative traits studied, the interaction treatment of (Tammuz2 x Dec. 25) was superior by giving the best results for the protein percentage (12.76%), the interaction of (Sham6 x Dec. 25) was superior in wet and dry gluten percentages (38.96 and 12.93%, respectively), and the interaction of (Ibaa99 x Nov. 15, Dec. 5 and Dec. 25) gave the highest values of ash percentage (1.96%), sedimentat

In this research, dry spices of good quality are chosen and are ground to process curry powders namely Sabji masala. All the experimental samples were unit packed in 12 Micron PET/12 Micron MET PET/35 Micron Polyethylene pouches and held separately at 27º C ± 2º C, 65% RH and 37º C ± 2º C, 75% RH for 9 months (Ambient) and 3 months (Accelerated). Samples were processed in both roasted and unroasted forms to conclude the best fit in terms of shelf life. Upon storage at different conditions, it is found that unroasted forms are less stable considering Moisture, Volatile oil, Water Activity and colour compared to roasted forms. All the samples are measured sensorially by 9-point hedonic scale and each product exhibited different shelf life at different temperatures and humidities. These products were judged as acceptable or unacceptable based on sensory scores on hedonic scale. Evaluated curry powders are useful in the preparation of varieties of dishes.

Dense soil moisture observation networks serve as the primary means to validate large-scale satellite soil moisture products. However, maintaining intensive observation demands substantial labor and financial resources. It is therefore crucial to address the issue of how to sparsify ground observations while still achieving comparable validation results. Accordingly, this study takes an agropastoral interconnected zone of the Shandian River basin as an example. Representative soil moisture sites and the minimal number of required sites (NRS) were investigated at different sampling depths (3 and 50 cm) and at multiple scales (3, 9, 36, and 100 km). The average soil moisture estimated from the representative sites was then applied to validate SMAP L2, L3, and L4 multiscale soil moisture products. The findings indicate that the spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture within the Shandian River basin remained relatively consistent across varying spatial scales. However, it exhibited a notable increase in heterogeneity when moving vertically into deeper soil layers. Representative sites can more accurately determine the average soil moisture in a region, showing that SMAP notably overestimated root zone soil moisture and underestimated surface soil moisture. This research can serve as a theoretical guide for watershed-scale soil moisture estimation as well as a solid scientific foundation for improving the architecture of the watershed soil moisture network.

In this work, we describe the application of the self-assembled europium complex 1:Eu(III) (where 1: diethyl 8-methoxy-2-oxo-1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-cyclopenta[de]quinolin-3-yl)phosphonate) for the analysis of water content of wheat flour. The methodology herein described represents a robust and accurate way for the detection of small amounts of water in food, providing comparing results with well-established methods such as thermogravimetry and Karl-Fischer titration. Interestingly, as an advantage over other methods, our luminescence-based approach can be implemented in lab-on-a-chip microfluidic devices for real-time and on-line detection of water content of food samples. Additionally, the remarkably long luminescence lifetime of Eu(III) allows the use of state-of-the-art imaging strategies based on PLIM microscopy for the direct visualization of unique water content maps of wheat flour particles.

Bakalářská práce se zabývá hodnocením kvalitativních parametrů různých druhů mouky. V Teoretické části je popsána vlastnosti, výroba a složení mouky. V experimentální části byly stanoveny různé parametry mouky, například vlhkost, kyselost, obsah popela, obsah lepku nebo zrnitost. Tyto parametry byly mezi jednotlivými moukami porovnány a zhodnoceny., The evaluation of the quality parameters of different types of flour are the aim of this bachelor's thesis. The properties, production and composition of flour are described in the theoretical part and in the experimental part, various flour parameters were determined, for example moisture, acidity, ash content, gluten content or graininess. These parameters were compared and evaluated between individual flours., Fakulta chemicko-technologická, Studentka seznámila členy zkušební komise s obsahem své bakalářské práce, poté byla seznámena s posudkem vedoucího bakalářské práce. Studentka odpověděla na otázky členů zkušební komise., Dokončená práce s úspěšnou obhajobou

Extensive transportation infrastructure is crucial for enabling efficient transportation and fostering economic development. However, the operation of roadways contributes to escalating environmental and societal issues, including noise pollution and carbon emissions. To achieve a balance between economy, environment, and society, growing focus is being placed on enhancing the durability and sustainability of asphalt pavement in all aspects. A pivotal factor contributing to the deterioration of asphalt pavement performance is the degradation of bitumen properties, significantly affected traffic and climate conditions. The latter is primarily related to two key processes: oxidative aging and moisture in bitumen. Extensive studies have been undertaken to investigate the moisture and ageing behavior while large variations have been reported due to the complexity of these behavior, the diversity of bitumen types, and the variability of environmental conditions. Such discrepancies complicate the formulation of bituminous binders and mixtures that mitigates these issues. The objectives of this thesis are centered on gaining a thorough understanding of the mechanisms behind moisture and ageing behavior in bitumen, working towards a fully coupled moisture and ageing behavior in bitumen and their impact on bituminous materials. To figure out the complex moisture and aging effects in bitumen, it is essential to initiate from a simpler scenario without involving too many variables and then gradually take into consideration more factors affecting the moisture and ageing processes. Guided by this principle, the moisture diffusion behavior in bitumen and its effects on bitumen properties are initially investigated. To obtain fundamental insights into the moisture mechanisms, both experiments and molecular dynamics simulations are conducted for mutual interpretation and corroboration. Results show that the moisture in bitumen consists of three states: free water, Pavement Engineering

In spring 2023, two engineering students from Jönköping University collaborated with GBJ Bygg Jönköping to investigate the impact of moisture on cross-laminated timber (CLT) and its drying process. The study aimed to identify potential issues, damages, and propose mitigation methods. Through measurements and investigations, this study generated in-depth knowledge of moisture effects on CLT, ensuring proper material handling to avoid long-term negative consequences.The methodology involved quantitative investigations to obtain credible results. Experiments simulated the application of wet macadam on a CLT floor slab in a natural environment to measure time to reach an acceptable moisture content. Collaboration with GBJ Bygg provided access to information, materials, and simulation facilities. Two tests were conducted: immediate construction after placing washed macadam and a 9-day drying period before reconstruction. Results showed that direct macadam application led to high timber moisture content, while drying according to industry recommendations resulted in low moisture content without negative consequences. The drying process varied depending on reconstruction timing, and methods like extending macadam drying time were proposed to reduce damages and shorten the drying period.The discussion of results demonstrated data relevance with limited room for misinterpretation. However, the study's time frame limited complete results, and the lack of prior research on timber drying affected connections to previous studies. The clearest answer came from the 9-day drying test, showing a decrease in moisture content. Some measured values deviated, possibly due to measurement errors. Facility climate and construction execution posed potential error sources. Despite limitations, the experiment effectively addressed the study's purpose and research questions.

Aims: Ellenberg-type indicator values are expert-based rankings of plant species according to their ecological optima on main environmental gradients. Here we extend the indicator-value system proposed by Heinz Ellenberg and co-authors for Central Europe by incorporating other systems of Ellenberg-type indicator values (i.e., those using scales compatible with Ellenberg values) developed for other European regions. Our aim is to create a harmonized data set of Ellenberg-type indicator values applicable at the European scale. Methods: We collected European data sets of indicator values for vascular plants and selected 13 data sets that used the nine-, ten-or twelve-degree scales defined by Ellenberg for light, temperature, moisture, reaction, nutrients and salinity. We compared these values with the original Ellenberg values and used those that showed consistent trends in regression slope and coefficient of determination. We calculated the average value for each combination of species and indicator values from these data sets. Based on species’ co-occurrences in European vegetation plots, we also calculated new values for species that were not assigned an indicator value. Results: We provide a new data set of Ellenberg-type indicator values for 8908 European vascular plant species (8168 for light, 7400 for temperature, 8030 for moisture, 7282 for reaction, 7193 for nutrients, and 7507 for salinity), of which 398 species have been newly assigned to at least one indicator value. Conclusions: The newly introduced indicator values are compatible with the original Ellenberg values. They can be used for large-scale studies of the European flora and vegetation or for gap-filling in regional data sets. The European indicator values and the original and taxonomically harmonized regional data sets of Ellenberg-type indicator values are available in the Supporting Information and the Zenodo repository., Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, Swiss National Science Foundation SNF, German Research Foundation, Slovenian Research Agency, Gobierno Vasco, Depto. de Farmacología, Farmacognosia y Botánica, Fac. de Farmacia, TRUE, pub

In search of better comfort and productivity, man has sought information, since antiquity, about civil construction, because, as society has become more complex, knowledge about construction has become an essential skill for human beings. In this context, the present work aims to present a simplified theoretical review on pathologies caused by humidity, and added to these characteristics, to approach ways for possible solutions, seeking to remedy the different problems caused. The present study was written through a bibliographic review on the different problems caused by pathologies caused by humidity, with a focus on solutions. For this, research was carried out on the subject, through a survey of theoretical sources (journals, scientific articles, books, theses, among others) and a theoretical framework that underlies the history of civil construction and the different characteristics acquired over the years. time. Humidity is a pathology that causes some problems in construction and mainly impacts the financial management of the project, as the final value of the work can undergo major changes until the final solution of the problem. Humidity can cause fissures and cracks, compromising part of the construction structure, in addition to other problems that affect aesthetics, such as mold, efflorescence, mildew, blisters in the paint, loss of plaster and rust. As the main causes identified for the appearance of this pathology, we can mention the lack of prevention, since the lack of waterproofing products compromises the quality of the work, causing infiltrations. The lack of ventilation and high humidity in the environment must also be observed, as they generate moisture by condensation resulting in problems such as stains and mold on ceilings and walls. The hydraulic installation is also considered, since it is important that this system has the correct and necessary sealing to avoid contact of water with the structure.

This project investigated the thermal and moisture performance of a low-cost approach to sealing and insulating attics using glass fiber insulation. The work included a combination of: (1) field measurements of attic and HVAC system performance in two new, high performance homes in California’s Central Valley (Fresno), and (2) hygrothermal simulations of attic performance. Each field study attic was continuously monitored at multiple locations for over a year for wood moisture content, air humidity, condensation, temperature, and heat flux, together with on-site weather and solar conditions. The Fresno test home showed periodic condensation and high surface wood moisture content, but no surface mold or degradation upon visual inspection at the end of the test period. The Clovis test home showed less indication of high moisture levels—either from surface condensation or wood moisture content—but did have visible suspected mold growth on the inside of the North sheathing at the end of the field testing. These results show the limitations of current moisture measurement techniques focused on wood moisture content, rather than potential for mold growth. From a thermal/energy perspective the attics were close to indoor conditions thereby realizing the design intent for reducing duct system losses. Simulated site HVAC energy savings for sealed vs. vented attics averaged 18% across California climate regions (8% TDV energy savings). Savings were dominated by heating energy reductions; cooling savings were substantially lower. The moisture issues are investigated in greater detail in the simulations. First, we identified the climate regions and house characteristics that are associated with increased risk of mold growth or wood rot in new CA homes. Climate region was very important in determining risk, as were house features that reduced outside air exchange (e.g., 1-story homes, very tight envelopes, very tight attics, no IAQ fan), along with those that increased flow of m

Remotely sensed microwave radars provide the spatial and temporal coverage needed to improve our understanding of the relationship between moisture content and salt pan mineralogy and, ultimately, climate variability. Moisture content in the surface and near-surface crusts found in salt pan environments, such as salt pan, has a significant impact on the backscatter values recorded by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. This is because moisture affects the dielectric constant and surface roughness of the saline surface, which in turn influences the amount of electromagnetic energy reflected back to the SAR sensor. Changes in backscatter values are attributed to seasonal and interannual variations in salar surface properties (dielectric constant and surface roughness) and correlate with variations in regional climate trends. To better understand the spatial and seasonal dynamics of a salt pan (also known as salar), this study interprets a series of Sentinel-1 SAR images collected over Salar de Pajonales, Chile between 01 January 2019 and 31 December 2021. A total of 171 images were collected at 6-day intervals and processed using the Alaska Satellite Facility’s Hyp3 pipeline. An image stack was compiled and a time series was explored with the open-source, cloud-based platform, OpenSARLab. The time series of a mixed evaporite-mineral surface (composite surface) revealed that seasonal changes in dielectric properties and surface roughness drive variations in backscatter values at Salar de Pajonales. Rougher surfaces had stronger backscatter values in areas with higher surface roughness, except in wet conditions when increased soil moisture led to higher dielectric properties and, consequently, increased backscatter values. Mean backscatter values varied across the salar, with greater variability for the composite surface. These results underscore the significance of both dielectric properties and surface roughness when interpreting SAR data in salt pan environments

This review paper presents the factors that effects the growth and yield of cucumber under protected cultivation has be discussed in detail which includes explanation of each factor in detailed has been done and concludes with Discussion. This review paper include collecting and resolving revised and correct dossier from various beginnings, containing research items, convention papers, and connected to the internet possessions. The data collected is analysed and synthesized to comprehensively review the factors affecting cucumber growth and yield in protected cultivation.

The ability of the high-temperature polymorph of tricalcium phosphate, a-TCP, to hydrolyse to calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite underlies many developments in the field of synthetic bone grafts, including calcium phosphate cements, foams, and self-setting inks. The objective of the present work was to investigate the effect of humidity on a-TCP powder reactivity. The results showed that a 3-week incubation at high relative humidity (80%) had no impact on reactivity, but, as the incubation was prolonged, the powder started to hydrolyse. This reactivity was associated to the presence of defects and to an amorphous phase induced during powder milling. Moisture studies performed under static/dynamic conditions gave comparable water adsorption percentages. The dynamic studies further proved irreversible water sorption, indicating that some water molecules reacted with the powder after short incubation times. Taken together, these results demonstrate that, although a-TCP powder adsorbs water from moisture immediately, the impact on reactivity appears only after several weeks of storage., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify problems and shortcomings in the process of building permits from the perspective of small house owners in Stockholm. The purpose of this study is also to present future improvements. Methods: The method for this study contains both literature study and a case study. The case study consisted of a digital survey and interviews with small house owners and with the municipality´s building permit department. The digital survey consisted of questions about previous experiences of the building permit process to then investigate where there are shortcomings and weaknesses. Results: The results gave a wider perspective of how the small house owners experience the building permit process and how the municipality works through challenges and improves the process. The digital survey showed that several were dissatisfied with the processing time and experienced it as a long period. The respondents also experienced it as a difficulty when it comes to submitting correct documents requested by the municipality and that there are high building permit fees. A concrete improvement measure is that Stockholm municipality clarifies the building permit process steps regarding processing times and other weaknesses that arise on the website. Conclusions: The conclusion of this work is that Stockholm municipality updates the website, so that applicants with less knowledge and experience regarding building permits can get a better idea and possibly follow the schedule and budget they planned for the project. To avoid damage caused by damp during the project, it is possible to undergo a so-called moisture safety design. Stockholm municipality can introduce more employees within the building permit department to be prepared for periods where there is high pressure in building permit matters.

An existing permanent deformation (PD) model for the unbound granular materials (UGMs) in pavements, developed based on multistage (MS) repeated load triaxial (RLT) tests, was modified to better suit to field conditions and software applications. The model was calibrated for a few UGMs with a series of moisture contents (w) using MS (to include the stress-history effect) RLT tests and was validated by predicting the PD under different sets of stress levels and w's. Generally, it exhibited improved predictions over the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) model. The model was further applied for field conditions and was implemented in a pavement design software entitled ERAPave PP, using data from accelerated testing of three structures employing a heavy vehicle simulator (HVS). Based on additional MS RLT tests, a guideline for the ranges of the material parameters for different types of UGMs was presented.

Purpose: This project compares two foundation insulation materials: cellular plastic and cellular glass. Currently, cellular plastic is the most used material for foundation insulation. While cellular glass is not widely utilized. Its disadvantage lies in its higher cost, which makes contractors prefer the cheaper alternative, cellular plastic. Cellular glass exhibits exceptional properties, including its notable attributes of high load-bearing capacity and superior moisture resistance. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how material savings can be achieved by using cellular glass instead of cellular plastic in the load-bearing parts of the foundation. In addition to cost savings, the study also includes the analysis of carbon dioxide emissions during the production of these materials and specific heat losses through the material. Method: To facilitate understanding of the study, two different buildings were visualized: a two-story building and a seven-story building. The choice of different building sizes aimed to investigate how different loads on foundation insulation affect insulation material costs, carbon dioxide emissions, and the heating requirements of the buildings. Revit and AutoCAD were used for modelling and visualization. Flixo and manual calculations were employed for energy calculations, while manual calculations were used for structural calculations. One Click LCA Software was used to determine the carbon dioxide emissions for the different foundation insulation scenarios. Results: The study suggests that for buildings with lighter loads, cellular plastic is a cost-effective choice, while a hybrid insulation approach combining cellular glass and cellular plastic is the best option considering environmental factors. However, for buildings with higher loads, cellular glass outperforms cellular plastic both in terms of economics and the environment. Nonetheless, a combination of cellular glass and cellular plastic remains the most favourable choic

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the problems that occur due to moist in the workplace, as well as the measures that can be taken and which measures are most effective. The study will examine the material storage and how it is being handled in the workplace, exploring what directives the insurance companies have, so the insurance is valid. Lastly the study will compare the different measures based on an economic perspective, time perspective as well as material savings. Method: This study is based on a literature study and a case study. The case study is based on both an interview and a site visit. Information has been gathered from various sources such as books, previously made thesis and various governments websites. The case study for this thesis is conducted at Emausskolan in Västerås. Results: To ensure that the moisture management in the production is good a certified moisture expert is hired. Moisture on materials can be prevented by using just-in-time deliveries and the most optimal solution a weather protection. Directives from the insurance companies regarding moisture management at the workplace and what the entrepreneur is obligated to do after moisture damage has occurred. To minimize moisture and mold growth the workplace should be clean and dry. Self-monitoring and samples were carried out throughout the project to ensure that the work has been performed correctly. Conclusions: The conclusion for this thesis is that challenges for moisture depends on the weather, carelessness, and time pressed schedules. Solutions would be to have a tight climate shell, usage of weather protection and surface treatment on materials. Handling of materials is to a certain degree taken care of in terms of palletized and packaged but not always.

Moisture-electric generators (MEGs), harvesting ubiquitous moisture from the environment for electricity generation, have attracted great interest as power supply devices. However, there are great challenges associated with material availability, fabrication accessibility and operation environment, which are key factors to achieve high output with low cost for practical applications, and a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanism of interactions between MEGs and water is urgently required. Here, a whey protein available in supermarkets is used to fabricate low-cost MEGs with controllable performance through tuning surface charges and hydrophilicity, which provides new insights into the electricity generation mechanism and large-scale application. The MEGs exhibit the highest voltage output of 1.45 V at a room humidity level of 40% relative humidity. The whey protein films possess the merits of low cost (70 times cheaper than commonly used polymers), being flexible and semi-transparent, and having self-healing ability, presenting excellent comprehensive device performance. Besides, MEGs can operate well at extreme temperatures (-20 °C or 50 °C) and power a location tracker in a desert with 26% relative humidity. The modified functional layers with selective ion absorption and controllable outputs provided a deeper understanding of electricity generation in MEGs and demonstrated great potential in powering a wide range of electronic devices in various dynamic environments with high sustainability and reliability., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

Unencapsulated organic solar cells are prone to severe performance losses in the presence of moisture. Accelerated damp heat (85 °C/85% RH) studies are presented and it is shown that the hygroscopic hole-transporting PEDOT:PSS layer is the origin of device failure in the case of prototypical inverted solar cells. Complementary measurements unveil that under these conditions a decreased PEDOT:PSS work function along with areas of reduced electrical contact between active layer and hole-transport layer are the main factors for device degradation rather than a chemical reaction of water with the active layer. Replacements for PEDOT:PSS are explored and it is found that tungsten oxide (WO3) or phosphomolybdic acid (PMA)—materials that can be processed from benign solvents at room temperature—yields comparable performance as PEDOT:PSS and enhances the resilience of solar cells under damp heat. The stability trend follows the order PEDOT:PSS << WO3 < PMA, with PEDOT:PSS-based devices failing after few minutes, while PMA-based devices remain nearly pristine over several hours. PMA is thus proposed as a robust, solution-processable hole extraction layer that can act as a one to one replacement of PEDOT:PSS to achieve organic solar cells with significantly improved longevity.

Traditional methods of watering plants based on timers have been shown to be wasteful when compared to sensor based watering. While sensor based irrigation systems do exist, current implementations are both costly and needlessly complex. Our goal was to design an irrigation sensor system is cheap, easy to implement, and saves more water than traditional watering systems. Our approach was to create a sensor node network that is both reliable and cost effective when installing it. With this approach we were able to create a dependable tree like sensor network that could read moisture data from soil and have it visualized in an Android application. In regards to our Android application, we were able to implement features such as sensor calibration in order to obtain accurate readings. Our tree like network was also able to be consistent in being able to send data packets back and forth with each sensor having a reach of up to 100 meters and being able to have a total of 3125 radio modules in use. In conclusion we were able to create a reliable and cost effective irrigation system that could be used for both farms and home gardens. We were able to meet our initial goals which were to create an user friendly application that could be used to read and visualize data as well creating a sensor network that is low-power and is low cost.  Advisor: Professor Sitao Huang, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Hygroscopic biopolymers like proteins and polysaccharides suffer from humidity-dependent mechanical properties. Because humidity can vary significantly over the year, or even within a day, these polymers will not generally have stable properties during their lifetimes. On wheat gluten, a model highly hygroscopic biopolymer material, it is observed that larger/thicker samples can be significantly more mechanically stable than thinner samples. It is shown here that this is due to slow water diffusion, which, in turn, is due to the rigid polymer structure caused by the double-bond character of the peptide bond, the many bulky peptide side groups, and the hydrogen bond network. More than a year is required to reach complete moisture saturation (≈10 wt.%) in a 1 cm thick plate of glycerol-plasticized wheat gluten, whereas this process takes only one day for a 0.5 mm thick plate. The overall moisture uptake is also retarded by swelling-induced mechanical effects. Hence, hygroscopic biopolymers are better suited for larger/thicker products, where the moisture-induced changes in mechanical properties are smeared out over time, to the extent that the product remains sufficiently tough over climate changes, for example, throughout the course of a year., QC 20230626

In this paper, a full textile capacitive woven sensor integrated over a textile substrate is presented. The sensor consists in an interdigitated capacitance prepared to measure moisture and/or presence detection. In order to evaluate the sensor response to moisture, capacitance has been measured by means of an LCR meter from 20 Hz to 20 kHz in a climatic chamber with a swept of the relative humidity (RH) from 30% to 90% at 20 °C. Subsequently, presence response is evaluated measuring the capacitance of the woven sensor meanwhile a person is sitting down and getting up. The woven sensor results demonstrate its functionality over moisture measurement where sensor capacitance changes from a minimum of 9.74 pF at 30% RH to a maximum of 2.31 uF at 90% RH. The presence detection is also demonstrated, which makes the capacitance variation change from a 10% of capacitance variation when the chair is empty, to a capacitance variation of 170% when a person is sitting on it. The adaptation of the weaving process to accomplish a fully integrated sensor provides a better repeatability than previous embroidered sensors and opens a door to being commercially produced., This work was supported by Spanish Government-MINECO under Project TEC2016-79465-R and AGAUR-UPC(2020 FI-B 00028). Agencia de Gestión de Ayudas Universitarias y de Investigación, Generalitat de Catalunya., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

© Author(s) 2011. © 2011 European Geosciences Union. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. This work was supported by the FCT (Portugal) through project ENAC (PTDC/AAC-CLI/103567/2008). This study received support from the EU 6th Framework Program (CIRCE) contract number 036961 (GOCE) and from the Spanish Ministry of Education (MEC) under Grants CGL2008-05968-C02-02 and CGL2008-05968-C02-01/CLI. The authors are particularly thankful to the Climatic Research Unit for providing the precipitation and scPDSI fields and also to NOAA for the PDSI. We are in debt to Greg King for his review of the manuscript contents and English standards., Average monthly precipitation, the original Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and a recent adaptation to Europe, the Self Calibrated PDSI (scPDSI) have been used here to analyse the spatial and temporal evolution of drought conditions in the Mediterranean during the 20th century. Monthly, seasonal and annual trends were computed for the period 1901-2000 and also for the first and second halves of this period. The statistical significance of trends was obtained with a modified version of the Mann-Kendall test that accounts for serial auto-correlation. The results show a clear trend towards drier conditions during the 20th century in most western and central Mediterranean regions, with the exceptions of northwestern Iberia and most of Turkey that reveal an increase of moisture availability. A Generalized Extreme Values (GEV) analysis was applied to the maximum and minimum regional values of scPDSI, with results pointing towards a significant decline of absolute extreme values in central areas (Italy and Balkans) and a less clear picture emerging in western (Iberia) and eastern (Turkey) realms. The inter-annual variability of the scPDSI index series is shown to be more realistic than the corresponding PDSI version, fitting better the drought episodes sequence and magnitude described in the literature for each sub-region. We assess the decadal and inter-annual variability of the scPDSI for each sub-domain and evaluate the role played by the major teleconnection patterns, and by several sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies. The main driver of scPDSI in western and central Mediterranean areas is the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) pattern that is also relevant during the following spring and summer seasons with anti-correlation values below -0.60. The second most important mode corresponds to the Scandinavian Pattern that is significantly associated to the scPDSI between winter and summer over central Mediterranean (correlation values around 0.50). Finally, Unión Europea. FP6, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC), España, ENAC Project, CIRCE (Climate Change and Impact Research: the Mediterranean Environment), Depto. de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

© Author(s) 2014. CC Attribution 3.0 License. The proposal for this special issue has been initiated within the CIRCE (EU-fp6 project, contract number 036961) and supported by the MedCLIVAR network (www.medclivar.eu)., There is an increasing interest of scientists on climate extremes. A progressively larger number of papers dealing with climate issues have been produced in the past 15 yr, and those dealing with extremes have increased at an even faster pace. The number of papers on extremes in the Mediterranean follows this overall trend and confirms how extremes are perceived to be important by the scientific community and by society. This special issue (which is mainly related to activities of the MedCLIVAR (Mediterranean CLImate VARiability and Predictability) and CIRCE (Climate Change and Impact Research: the Mediterranean Environment) projects), contains thirteen papers that are representative of current research on extremes in the Mediterranean region. Five have precipitation as its main target, four temperature (one paper addresses both variables), and two droughts; the remaining papers consider sea level, winds and impacts on society. Results are quite clear concerning climate evolution toward progressively hotter temperature extremes, but more controversial for precipitation, though in the published literature there are indications for a future increasing intensity of hydrological extremes (intense precipitation events and droughts). Scenario simulations suggest an attenuation of extreme storms, winds, waves and surges, but more results are requested for confirming this future change., MedCLIVAR Project (Mediterranean Climate Variability and Predictability), Unión Europea (UE), CIRCE (Climate change and impact research project), UE, Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), UE, Depto. de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

The aim of this research was to produce lyophilized water extract from several mushroom species (Suillus granulatus, Coriolus versicolor, Fuscoporia torulosa) and to determine its influence on some chemical properties as well as on the color changes of the industrially produced Bio Soups, without the addition of monosodium glutamate. The realisation of the planned research was carried out by designing four variants of dehydrated soup. The content of mineral matters was significantly (p<0.05) higher in all soup variants enriched with lyophilized extracts. Moreover, the moisture content in all analyzed soup variants is in accordance with the regulations. From the aspect of the instrumental color value, constancy was established for all parameters in all tested variants from the 0th to the 90th day after production, i.e. all soups had a stable color during storage, which means that there were no changes in other chemical or biological parameters that would lead to a change in the color of the product. Therefore, statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were observed only between the control variant in relation to the other variants, i.e. the darker shade in the analyzed variants enriched with lyophilized extracts is a consequence of the applied extracts. In this way, a new product is obtained that does not contain chemical additives, which further increases its value.