Physicochemical characterisation of pottery from the Vinca culture, Serbia, regarding the firing temperature and decoration techniques

A study of decorated Neolithic pottery samples from the excavation site Plocnik, Serbia, was performed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. The investigated samples belong to the era of the Vinca culture that existed in the central Balkan region from the mid VI until the first half of the V millennium BCE. The mineralogical composition of the pottery samples and comparison of the investigated pottery with thermally treated local clay indicated firing temperatures in the range from 600 to 800 degrees C. Two different types of white pigments were identified in white incrusted decorations: calcium carbonate and bone white (composed of crushed bones). This is the first evidence of the use of bones for decorations in pottery of the Vinca culture from the excavation site Plocnik. In addition to this, it was revealed that the potters used the iron reduction technique for obtaining black decorations

Monitoring Protein Structural Changes and Hydration in Bovine Meat Tissue Due to Salt Substitutes by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Microspectroscopy

acceptedVersio

Low salt products Final report

Salt (NaCl) is the world's most established food additive, because of its excellent preservative effects, the sensorial properties and the increased food processability. In the European countries, 75-80% of salt we consume is hidden in processed foods. The Low salt products project had comprehensive participation from Norwegian fish and meat industry and RTD-institutes and was coordinated by SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture. The Project was running from 2008 until 2014, and has increased knowledge within salt reduction of Norwegian fish and meat products. The work was divided into three work packages focusing on food matrix and water interactions (RAl), shelf-life prediction and design of alternative preservation methods (RA2) and process- and technological improvements (RA3). Two PhD students and four MSc students have been educated within the field and several publications have been published in international journals. Within the Project period, many of the industry partners have introduced new low salt products to the Norwegian market (sausages, cooked ham, etc). Furthermore, the project has given knowledge important in the development of limit values for salt in the label "nøkkelhullet". At least two spin of projects have been started (Salto and ProHealth, Norwegian Research Counil). A summary of the project results are given in this report. The project was funded by the Norwegian Research Council and industry partners.The Norwegian Research CouncilpublishedVersio

The Explainable Potential of Coupling Metaheuristics-Optimized-XGBoost and SHAP in Revealing VOCs’ Environmental Fate

In this paper, we explore the computational capabilities of advanced modeling tools to reveal the factors that shape the observed benzene levels and behavior under different environmental conditions. The research was based on two-year hourly data concentrations of inorganic gaseous pollutants, particulate matter, benzene, toluene, m, p-xylenes, total nonmethane hydrocarbons, and meteorological parameters obtained from the Global Data Assimilation System. In order to determine the model that will be capable of achieving a superior level of performance, eight metaheuristics algorithms were tested for eXtreme Gradient Boosting optimization, while the relative SHapley Additive exPlanations values were used to estimate the relative importance of each pollutant level and meteorological parameter for the prediction of benzene concentrations. According to the results, benzene levels are mostly shaped by toluene and the finest aerosol fraction concentrations, in the environment governed by temperature, volumetric soil moisture content, and momentum flux direction, as well as by levels of total nonmethane hydrocarbons and total nitrogen oxide. The types of conditions which provided the environment for the impact of toluene, the finest aerosol, and temperature on benzene dynamics are distinguished and described

Low salt products Final report

Salt (NaCl) is the world's most established food additive, because of its excellent preservative effects, the sensorial properties and the increased food processability. In the European countries, 75-80% of salt we consume is hidden in processed foods. The Low salt products project had comprehensive participation from Norwegian fish and meat industry and RTD-institutes and was coordinated by SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture. The Project was running from 2008 until 2014, and has increased knowledge within salt reduction of Norwegian fish and meat products. The work was divided into three work packages focusing on food matrix and water interactions (RAl), shelf-life prediction and design of alternative preservation methods (RA2) and process- and technological improvements (RA3). Two PhD students and four MSc students have been educated within the field and several publications have been published in international journals. Within the Project period, many of the industry partners have introduced new low salt products to the Norwegian market (sausages, cooked ham, etc). Furthermore, the project has given knowledge important in the development of limit values for salt in the label "nøkkelhullet". At least two spin of projects have been started (Salto and ProHealth, Norwegian Research Counil). A summary of the project results are given in this report. The project was funded by the Norwegian Research Council and industry partners.publishedVersio