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Snacks such as puffed corns are tasty and favorite food products of many people. These products usually have low content of bioactive compounds with high starch and oil contents. To overcome these drawbacks, in the present study, the mixture including the corn grit incorporated with barberry (Berberis vulgaris) fruit powder (BFP), as a rich source of bioactive components and fibers, at level of 0 (control) to 10% were fed into the extruder to make a puffed product. Quality properties of the produced samples were determined during 90 days of storage at ambient condition. Results showed that by incorporation of BFP there were an increase in fiber (from 2.9 to 6.2%) and decreases in oil (from 25.5 to 19.5%) and protein (from 7.2 to 5.8%) levels. BFP could decrease oil hydrolysis and oxidation during storage, and acidity and peroxide values of fortified samples were lower than control during storage. Vitamin C content of samples were increased from 0.28 to 3.4 ppm in samples containing BFP. In the fortified samples, pelarogonidin-3-monoglucoside was the main anthocyanin followed by petunidin-3-monoglucoside and cyanidin-3-monoglucoside. Expansion ratio, brittleness and breaking strength of the fortified samples was also decreased significantly (P

In this paper, an inverse problem of recovering the unknown space-dependent source term in a parabolic equation under a final overdetermination condition is considered. To keep matters simple, in our analysis the main problem has been considered in the one-dimensional case, however the proposed method can be applied for higher dimensional cases. The approximate solution of the inverse problem is implemented by the Ritz–Galerkin method. The shifted Legendre polynomials basis together with the Galerkin approach are employed to reduce the main problem to the solution of linear algebraic equations. To overcome the difficulties arising from solving the resultant ill-conditioned linear system, a type of regularization technique is utilized to obtain a stable solution. The convergence analysis of the suggested method using Gronwall’s inequality is studied. Finally, some numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the efficiency and applicability of the proposed algorithm in the presence of noise in input measured data.

In the present paper, we study one-dimensional inverse source problem of identifying a time-dependent source function from the over-specification condition. The unknown source term is recovered by solving an operator integral equation of the first kind. Due to the ill-posedness of this operator integral equation, the Tikhonov regularization approach of the 1st order is applied in order to acquire a stable approximation. The stable solution is defined by minimization of the Tikhonov functional. The value of the regularization parameter in this method is obtained as a function of error in input data. The finite element method is applied for numerical simulation based on obtained results. The illustrative example is presented to show the accuracy and applicability of the proposed method.

Background: Colour and turbidity (appearance), odour and flavour, taste, and texture are the main parameters affecting consumer’s perception of juice quality. Anthocyanins, as natural antioxidant and water-soluble pigment, exist in red fruit juices which are extremely unstable and more susceptible to degradation. These mainly include anthocyanins, pigments, proteins, and vitamins that are thermally sensitive. Objective: The present study focuses on the treatment of three different fruit juices namely red grape, pomegranate, and sour cherry using different preservative methods and evaluation of their organoleptic properties. Methods: Four preservative methods including pasteurization (90°C for 30 sec), mild heat treatment (60°C for 4, 8 and 12 min), sonication (25°C) and thermosonication (90°C) using amplitude levels of 24.4, 42.7 and 61 μm for 4, 8 and 12 min, have been used for the treatment of the three selected fruit juices. Results: Obtained results indicate that untreated grape juice had maximum L* value (29.83) and the pasteurized grape juice had a minimum L* value (25.77). Furthermore, while a* values of untreated grape, pomegranate, and sour cherry juices were 39.7, 42.03 and 38.13, respectively, these pasteurized juices had minimum a* values of 35.3, 38.47 and 36.97, respectively. In addition, results revealed that sonication and mild heating had minimum effects on colour and appearance, odour and flavour of all three studied juices. Furthermore, significant positive (p˂0.05) effects of thermosonication were observed for the cloudiness parameter of the studied juices. Maximum acceptability scores were achieved by mild heat-treated grape juice at 60°C for 8 min (8.33), thermosonicated pomegranate juice at 60°C and amplitude of 24.4 μm for 4 min (7.33) and sonicated sour cherry juice at 25°C and amplitude of 24.4 μm for 4 min (9.33). Conclusion: Different preservative methods with optimum processing conditions were successfully utilized to minimize the changes in the sensorial and physicochemical properties of the treated juices.

Large-scale deployable cable-driven robots face a lack of kinematic precision, and the cable dynamics impose considerable challenges in terms of controller design. The problem’s complexity increases because a deployable robot may not exploit expensive and highly accurate of measurement devices. Thus, it is necessary to efficiently combine the set of measurements available through low-cost sensors to track the end-effector’s position and reduce the oscillations. This paper’s main contribution is to propose a novel feedback method for fusing the vision and joint kinematic sensors for achieving suitable tracking performance. To this end, the dynamic formulation of a large-scale deployable cable-driven robot has been derived considering a lumped mass model for the cables. Based on this model, it is then shown that the stability conditions are satisfied through a suitable combination of sensory data incorporated into the control law. Finally, the performance for the proposed controller has been illustrated using the experimental results on a deployable suspended cable-driven robot showing the effectiveness of the proposed methodology regardless of the underlying system uncertainties.

The observed radar reflectivity (Z) converts to rainfall intensity (R) by a transfer function. In the first stage, for calibration of collected data (with time step 15 minutes) by weather radar and determination of the best relation between Z and R, it applied a genetic algorithm (GA) to minimize the amount of root mean square error (RMSE). Although Z = 166R2 (the transfer function in the Khuzestan province of Iran) is an appropriate equation, the GA method distinguished that Z = 110R1.8 (from February to May) and Z = 126R2 (for other months) are the optimum transfer functions for the Abolabbas watershed in Iran. The mean of RMSE of optimum transfer equations is 0.59 mm/hr in the calibration stage and 0.85 mm/hr in the verification stage. In the second stage, the Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS model) used four types of precipitation data (extracted rainfall data from radar and the optimum transfer equations, Z = 166R2, Z = 200R1.6 and extracted rainfall data from rainfall gauging stations). The calibrated rainfall data by the optimum transfer equations can produce flood hydrographs in which their accuracy is similar to the accuracy of generated flood hydrographs by collected rainfall data of rainfall gauging stations. The mean of RMSE is 0.65 cubic metres per second and the mean or R2 is 0.89 for optimum transfer equations. HIGHLIGHTS Extraction of the function Z–R for a watershed.; Using time intervals less than 1 hr for rainfall hyetographs (15 minutes).; Using an optimization method for determination of the transfer function Z–R and considering seasonal characteristics of precipitation that can distinguish two transfer functions Z–R.; Using a rainfall–runoff model for determination of accuracy of the derived functions Z–R.

Background: We aimed to compare the performance of Tehran firefighting stations in the incidents of suicide attempt and threats among Tehran citizens using international standards. Methods: A research method was a descriptive-analytical study based on library studies. The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential methods such as single group t-test and independent t-test. The statistical population of this study included all citizens in 22 districts of Tehran City that committed or threated to commit suicide in the 2018 year. They were selected in a targeted manner. All data were extracted and analyzed through the fire department in the first half of 2018 in the action and threat of suicide. Results: Men commit suicide more than women do. Moreover, the average time of exit from station and the average travel time are shorter than Iranian and world standards. The people saved by firefighters outnumber the people who died in suicide, which indicates the satisfactory performance of firefighters in relief and rescue operations. In suicide operations, according to the general results obtained from statistical calculations of departure time from the station and the average travel time, which are the two main factors in evaluating the performance of firefighters in suicide accidents, which in comparison with international standards. It was significantly lower and the performance of firefighters was positive. Conclusion: The average duration of exit from station and the average travel time, are significantly lower than international standards, which demonstrates the good performance of firefighters.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:52:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2022-04-01 Australian Research Council Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) This paper presents the first unified finite element strategy for coupled hydro-mechanical (HM) analysis of fractured porous media where cracks arbitrarily intersect standard finite elements. This strategy is built by employing a discrete strong discontinuity approach and a coupling finite elements framework for the mechanical displacement and fluid pressure fields, respectively. The unified nature of the formulation means that both fracture network and bulk do not need to conform while relying only on standard finite element shape functions. The crack framework is directly embedded in the standard finite elements in both mechanical and fluid field approximations by applying two simple coupling statements. These establish the transmission of displacements due to crack openings accounted by shear and normal stiffness, as well as the internal compatibility of the longitudinal pressure field within the crack network and bulk. Uniquely, the coupling techniques presented here do not require additional degrees of freedom. In addition, the traction at discontinuities and its interaction with the fluid pressure within the discontinuity have a direct physical meaning, and are automatically accounted for in the coupled HM model. Since only standard shape functions are used, the implementation remains simple despite the complexity of the problem being simulated, and no special integration procedures within split domains are required. This is a novelty that contrasts with many existing formulations based on the partition of the unity method and non-matching meshes. Five numerical verification examples are used to assess the performance of the proposed method against existing reference solutions. A good agreement is found between the proposed method and reference solutions. School of Civil Engineering The University of Sydney Polytechnic School at the University of São Paulo São Paulo State University UNESP/Bauru São Paulo State University UNESP/Bauru CNPq: 310223/2020-2 CNPq: 310401/2019-4

A novel hollow CoAl2O4 microsphere was synthesized by hydrothermal method and used to selectively convert CO2 and CS2 to cyclic carbonates and trithiocarbonates under the solventless condition. Various techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as N2 and CO2 adsorption measurements have been used for characterization of catalyst. The effects of reaction parameters such as temperature, time and pressure were investigated. The catalyst showed a good performance for conversion of a wide range of epoxides, giving almost satisfactory yields and high selectivity for carbonates and trithiocarbonates. In addition, the catalyst showed high stability and could be reused after regeneration at least for six times. This process also could be regarded as an efficient way for CO2 conversion for production of valuable organic compounds.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:11:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-01-01 Petrobras Australian Research Council A new discrete fracture model is introduced to simulate the steady-state fluid flow in discontinuous porous media. The formulation uses a multi-layered approach to capture the effect of both longitudinal and transverse permeability of the discontinuities in the pressure distribution. The formulation allows the independent discretisation of mesh and discontinuities, which do not need to conform. Given that the formulation is developed at the element level, no additional degrees of freedom or special integration procedures are required for coupling the non-conforming meshes. The proposed model is shown to be reliable regardless of the permeability of the discontinuity being higher or lower than the surrounding domain. Four numerical examples of increasing complexity are solved to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the new technique when compared with results available in the literature. Results show that the proposed method can simulate the fluid pressure distribution in fractured porous media. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis demonstrated the stability regarding the condition number for wide range values of the coupling parameter. School of Civil Engineering The University of Sydney Polytechnic School at the University of São Paulo São Paulo State University UNESP/Bauru São Paulo State University UNESP/Bauru Petrobras: 2018/00205-5 Australian Research Council: DE150101703 Australian Research Council: DP170104192

Human transport to Mars and deep-space explorations demand the development of new materials with extraordinarily high performance-to-mass ratios. Promising candidates to fulfill these requirements ...

We report an ultrafast transformation of poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers into carbon fibers (CFs) by direct carbonization that eliminates high-cost oxidation in traditional CF conversion. Ultrafast heating and cooling render PBO-derived CFs superlative mechanical properties. ReaxFF atomistic-scale reactive molecular dynamics simulations unveil the PBO to CF conversion mechanism in which ultrafast heating suppresses the O-contained gas release, facilitating all-carbon rings alignment during the carbonization of PBO. These findings provide new guidelines for identifying and evaluating alternative CF precursors and fresh perspectives on smart manufacturing of CFs.

Aim of the studyResearch about the student's Tendency to Computer Games has increased over the last decade, but little investigation has examined the relationship between Tendency to Computer Games, Brain-Behavioral Functions, Cognitive Flexibility, and Sensation Seeking. The present study was designed to predict the student's Tendency to Computer Games based on the Brain-Behavioral Functions, Cognitive Flexibility and Sensation Seeking.Subject or material and methodsThrough Cluster sampling, 200 subjects were chosen for this Descriptive and correlational study. Brain-Behavioral Functions questionnaires, Cognitive Flexibility, Sensation Seeking and Tendency to Computer Games were applied to collect data. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze data.ResultsThe findings revealed that there are significant associations between Brain-Behavioral Functions, Cognitive Flexibility, and Sensation Seeking variables on the Tendency to Computer Games. Meanwhile, Brain-Behavioral Functions, Cognitive Flexibility and Sensation Seeking predicted Tendency to Computer Games.DiscussionThe results emphasized the effect of Brain-Behavioral Functions, Cognitive Flexibility, and Sensation Seeking on the Tendency to Computer Games.ConclusionsThe findings of this research can be applied for planning activities such as increasing students’ awareness of the consequences and influences causing the inclination to computer games and their appropriate application.

Pistachio nut as a strategic product has a special place from nutritional and economical points of view. Its quality can be affected by variety, growing origin and climate. In the present study, the chemical composition of pistachio nuts harvested from different parts of East Azarbaijan province in Iran (Jolfa, Marand, Soufian, Azarshahr and Islamic Island) was investigated. The nuts had oil content of 49.9 to 58.5% and moisture content of 35.2 to 47.9. The acidity, peroxide values and the oil stability index (OSI) of the extracted oil were 0.03 to 0.3%, 0.19 to 1.0 meq O2/kg oil and 12.4 to 17 h, respectively. In addition, the chlorophyll content was found to be 15 to 72 mg pheophytin/kg oil and the carotenoid content was 5.4 to 11.5 mg/kg. In the fatty acid composition of the oil samples, oleic acid was the main fatty acid (52.5–63.9%), followed by linoleic acid (27.1–37.2%), palmitic acid (4.6–10.3%), palmitoleic acid (0.6–1.2%), stearic acid (0.1–1.3%) and linolenic acid (0.3–0.4%). Total tocopherol content of the pistachio oil samples was (125–258 mg/kg oil) which γ-tocopherol was the main tocol (112–232 mg/kg oil), followed by δ-tocopherol (5.3–19.3 mg/kg oil) and α- tocopherol (1.2–6.1 mg/kg oil). Total sterol content of the samples found to be (1125–2784 mg/kg oil). The most abundant sterol in the oils was β-sitosterol (966–2419 mg/kg oil) and other detected sterols were Δ5-avenasterol (72.6–170 mg/kg oil), campesterol (47.4–128 mg/kg oil), Stigmasterol (12.3–27.8 mg/kg oil) and cholesterol (8.3–39 mg/kg oil). The obtained results showed that origin had significant effects on oil composition. These data can be used to evaluate the nutritional value and authenticity of the oils and as useful information in establishing standards. Keywords: Fatty acids, Phytosterols, Pistachio oil, Bioactive compounds

Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insufficient vitamin D levels are globally increasing phenomena which are correlated with cognitive impairment. This study investigated the interactive effe...

The nanoparticles were called nanoparticles on a scale of 1–100 nm. In addition to the composition and structure of the material, it is also one of the factors affecting the properties of materials. Nowadays, green chemistry and its benefits are stimulating researchers' interest in the environmental biosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles. In this study, a rapid, simple and green method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles was prepared using aqueous extract of viscose album. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) methods. The results of SEM, XRD and UV-Vis techniques confirm the synthesis and formation of uniform and spherical shape of silver nanoparticles with average particle size of about 40-70 nm. The aqueous extract of Viscom album demonstrates the strong potential for reducing silver ions and producing silver nanoparticles using a highly cost-effective, clean, non-toxic, eco-friendly method that can be produced on a large scale. Silver synthesis with aqueous extract of tree parasite was first studied in this study.

In this chapter, amaranth seed oil composition will be presented. The main component of this oil is triacylglycerols (TAGs). TAGs are composed of fatty acids, which have an important effect on oil stability, application, and nutritional properties. POL, PLL, POO, OLL, and LOO are the predominant TAGs in the amaranth seed oil. Linoleic acid (C18:2), oleic acid (C18:1), and palmitic acid (C16:0) are the predominant fatty acids present in the amaranth oil. Minor components of this oil are squalene, sterols, tocopherols, carotenoids, phospholipids, etc. Growth conditions of amaranth and extraction conditions can influence oil composition, which will be discussed in this chapter as well. Oil stability and quality parameters will be also discussed. The stability of this oil during different conditions of storage will be a part of this chapter.

Pomegranate fruit is getting more attention due to its positive health effects, and pomegranate peel (PP) is its main byproduct. PP has the potential to be converted from environmentally polluting waste to wealth due to its rich phenolic compounds such as ellagitannins, proanthocyanidins, and flavonoids with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and health effects. These phenolics are susceptible to environmental conditions such as heat, light, and pH as well as in vivo conditions of gastrointestinal secretions. Some phenolics of PP, e.g., ellagitannins could interfere with food ingredients and thus reduce their beneficial effects. Also, ellagitannins could form complexes with salivary glycoproteins, then a feeling of astringency taste. In this article, nano-delivery systems such as nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, and vesicular nanocarriers, designed and fabricated for PP bioactive compounds in recent years have been reviewed. Among them, lipid-based nano carriers i.e., solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, and vesicular nanocarriers have low toxicity, large-scale production feasibility, easy synthesis, and high biocompatibility. So, it seems that the extraction and purification of bioactives from pomegranate wastes and nanoencapsulating them with cost effective and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) materials can be a bright prospect in enhancing the quality, safety, shelf life and health benefits of pomegranate products.