Piecewise linear transformation in diffusive flux discretization

To ensure the discrete maximum principle or solution positivity in finite volume schemes, diffusive flux is sometimes discretized as a conical combination of finite differences. Such a combination may be impossible to construct along material discontinuities using only cell concentration values. This is often resolved by introducing auxiliary node, edge, or face concentration values that are explicitly interpolated from the surrounding cell concentrations. We propose to discretize the diffusive flux after applying a local piecewise linear coordinate transformation that effectively removes the discontinuities. The resulting scheme does not need any auxiliary concentrations and is therefore remarkably simpler, while being second-order accurate under the assumption that the structure of the domain is locally layered.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figures, preprint submitted to Journal of Computational Physic

EKSTRAKCIJA I ANALIZA KONDENZIRANIH TANINA CASTANEA SATIVA MIIL.

Proanthocyanidins, also known as condensed tannins are widespread in woody plants, but are also found in certain forages. Castanea sativa Mill. are exploited for various purposes, but a little is known about potential of this species and possible application in diet and therapy. The parts of chestnut such as: seed, peeled seed, brown seed shell, red internal seed shell, leaves, catkin, spiny bur, as well as the new and old chestnut bark were extracted with 50% ethanol as an extragents. Contents of total phenolics and total flavonoids were measured by application of the standard colorimetric assay. The total condensed tannins content estimated was highest in red internal seed shell 15.29%CE (vanillin assay) and 3.12%CT (acid butanol assay). Also high content of total phenolic compounds and condensed tannins had extracts of catkin, brown seed shell of chestnut and new chestnut bark. Extracts of C. sativa Mill. can be a potential resource of natural tannins with possible application in diet and therapy.Proantocijanidini, poznati kao kondenzirani tanini su jako rasprostranjeni u drvenastim biljkama, a pronađeni su i u hrani. Castanea sativa Mill. se dosta koristi za različite namjene, međutim malo je poznat njegov potencijal i moguća primjena u dijeti i terapiji. Dijelovi kestena kao što su; cijeli plod, srž ploda, vanjska smeđa kora ploda, crvena unutrašnja kora ploda, list, resa, ježura, kao i nova i stara kora drveta su ekstrahirani primjenom 50% etanola kao ekstragensa. Sadržaj ukupnih fenola i flavonoida je određen primjenom standardnih kolorimetrijskih testova. Sadržaj ukupnih kondenziranih tanina je najviši u crvenoj unutrašnjoj kori 15,29%CE (vanilin test) i 3,12%CT (kiseli butanolni test). Visok sadržaj ukupnih fenolnih tvari i kondenziranih tanina je određen u ekstraktima rese, vanjske smeđe kore i nove kore drveta. Ekstrakti C. sativa Mill. mogu biti potencijalna sirovina koja sadrži prirodne tanine sa mogućom primjenom u dijeti i terapiji

An efficient mixed integer programming model for pairing containers in inland transportation based on the assignment of orders

The inland transportation takes a significant portion of the total cost that arises from intermodal transportation. In addition, there are many parties (shipping lines, haulage companies, customers) who share this operation as well as many restrictions that increase the complexity of this problem and make it NP-hard. Therefore, it is important to create an efficient strategy to manage this process in a way to ensure all parties are satisfied. This paper investigates the pairing of containers/orders in drayage transportation from the perspective of delivering paired containers on 40-ft truck and/or individual containers on 20-ft truck, between a single port and a list of customer locations. An assignment mixed integer linear programming model is formulated, which solves the problem of how to combine orders in delivery to save the total transportation cost when orders with both single and multiple destinations exist. In opposition to the traditional models relying on the vehicle routing problem with simultaneous pickups and deliveries and time windows formulation, this model falls into the assignment problem category which is more efficient to solve on large size instances. Another merit for the proposed model is that it can be implemented on different variants of the container drayage problem: import only, import–inland and import–inland–export. Results show that in all cases the pairing of containers yields less cost compared to the individual delivery and decreases empty tours. The proposed model can be solved to optimality efficiently (within half hour) for over 300 orders

Miscibility and Properties of Low Molecular Mass Poly(L-lactide) and Poly(methyl methacrylate) Blends

Modification of biobased PLLA properties by mixing with conventional PMMA via melt mixing in Brabender mixer was performed. Despite negative results of theoretical miscibility calculations by the group contribution approach of Coleman, Graf and Painter, homogeneous blend morphologies were prepared as recorded with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All PLLA/PMMA blends displayed a single glass transition temperature. With increasing fraction of PMMA in blends, the increase in Tg from 58 °C to 93 °C was recorded by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Added PMMA improved mechanical properties, while the flexibility of PLLA/PMMA blends gradually decreased as revealed by DMA measurements

Structure determination of a fluorescent product of the alkaline hydrolysis of pralidoxime

Ispitivanjem raznih svojstava stanica nakon tretmana rafinatom nafte nisu nađene jednoznačne promjene, koje bi upućivale na to da su tretirane stanice poprimile nove elemente malignog ponašanja. Tretirane stanice nisu pokazivale smanjenu kontaktnu lnhlblciju, niti im se signifikantno povećala sposobnost stvaranja tumora nakon injiciranja u ozračene miševe. Brzina rasta i trajanje rasta stanica u jednoslojnim kulturama ostali su također nepromijenjeni. Pozitivni nalazi odnosili su se na uočljive morfološke promjene svih tretiranih stanica, te na stečenu sposobnost C3Hf stanica da nakon tretmana rastu u mekom agaru i stvaraju tumore u miševima. Budući da je radiosenzitivnost stanica znatnim dijelom određena genetski kontroliranim reparacijskim procesima, to su također tražene i promjene u radiosenzitivnosti onih stanica koje su proistekle iz kultura ranije izlaganih navedenom naftnom derivatu. Uočene su promjene oblika krivulja preživljenja stanica tretiranih kultura, što se pripisuje djelovanju rafinata nafte na reparacijske procese.In the examination of various cellular properties after the treatment of cells with a crude oil distillate unambiguous changes which would indicate that the treated cells adopted new elements of malignant behaviour were not found. The treated cells demonstrated neither a decreased contact inhibition nor an increased ability to develop tumours after they had been injected to irradiated mice. The rate and duration of cell growth in mono-layer cultures remained unchanged too. Positive findings related to the morphological changes observed in all treated cells, and to the acquired ability of C3Hf cells after the treatment to grow in soft agar and to develop tumours in mice. Since cellular radiosensitivity is largely determined by genetically reparative processes we also looked for changes in radiosensitivity of the cells which had been earlier exposed to the crude oil distillate. In the treated cultures changes in the shape of the survival curves were observed, what is attributed to the effect of the crude oil distillate on reparative processes

Two-photon final states in peripheral heavy ion collisions

We discuss processes leading to two photon final states in peripheral heavy ion collisions at RHIC. Due to the large photon luminosity we show that the continuum subprocess $\gamma \gamma \to \gamma \gamma$ can be observed with a large number of events. We study this reaction when it is intermediated by a resonance made of quarks or gluons and discuss its interplay with the continuum process, verifying that in several cases the resonant process ovewhelms the continuum one. It is also investigated the possibility of observing a scalar resonance (the $\sigma$ meson) in this process. Assuming for the $\sigma$ the mass and total decay width values recently reported by the E791 Collaboration we show that RHIC may detect this particle in its two photon decay mode if its partial photonic decay width is of the order of the ones discussed in the literature.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Heavy Quark Photoproduction in Ultra-peripheral Heavy Ion Collisions

Heavy quarks are copiously produced in ultra-peripheral heavy ion collisions. In the strong electromagnetic fields, c c-bar and b b-bar are produced by photonuclear and two-photon interactions; hadroproduction can occur in grazing interactions. We present the total cross sections, quark transverse momentum and rapidity distributions, as well as the Q Q-bar invariant mass spectra from the three production channels. We consider AA and pA collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and Large Hadron Collider. We discuss techniques for separating the three processes and describe how the AA to pA production ratios might be measured accurately enough to study nuclear shadowing.Comment: Minor changes to satisfy referees and typo fixes; 52 pages including 17 figure

Meat quality traits of M. longissimus lumborum from White Mangalica and (Duroc x White Mangalica) x White Mangalica pigs reared under intensive conditions and slaughtered at about 180-kg live weight

The objective of the study was to evaluate the meat quality of the Serbian autochthonous White Mangalica pure bred pig and its crossbreed with Duroc. A total of 24 pigs [White Mangalica WM, n = 12, and (Duroc x White Mangalica) x White Mangalica) - (DWM)WM, n = 12)] were slaughtered on average 638 and 509 d of age, respectively. Colour and marbling score, and all physical (pH, instrumental colour and water holding capacity) and chemical (proximate and mineral composition and fatty acids profile) analyses were performed on M. Iongissimus lumborum. Pork from WM had higher marbling score and intramuscular fat content and was redder in colour than from (DWM)WM; while opposite was determined for moisture content. In intramuscular fat, WM had higher content of oleic acid as well as total monounsaturated fatty acids than (DWM)WM, while (DWM)WM had higher linoleic and arachidonic acids as well as total polyunsaturated fatty acids content. Inclusion of 25% Duroc gave pork with lower content of iron, copper and manganese. In summary, irrespective of differences in some particular traits White Mangalica crossbreds can represent a good alternative to pure White Mangalica without worsening the meat quality

UV-B radiation alters interactions between photosynthesis and secondary metabolism in variegated Plectranthus coleoides

This study is based on the results obtained from the experiments conducted within two Short Term Science Missions (STSMs) in the Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmholtz Zentrum München during 2011 and 2012. Our aim was to investigate the effects of realistic UV-B doses on photosynthesis and secondary metabolism in variegated leaves. Variegated Plectranthus coleoides plants were exposed to UV-B radiation (0.90 W m-2) under two photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) intensities (LL: 395 and HL: 1350 μmol m-2 s-1) for nine days in the sun simulators at the Helmholtz Zentrum München. In the green leaf portions, UV-B radiation stimulated photosynthetic rates in P. coleoides at both PAR intensities and doubled the size of plastoglobuli whereas the contents of photosynthetic pigments were slightly increased at HL. The concentrations of phenylpropanoids, catechins and hydroxybenzoic acids, were preferentially accumulated in green leaf portions, independently on radiation regimes. A hallmark of UV-B induced changes in plant metabolism, the induction of flavonoid pathway, was evidenced in P. coleoides by accumulation of apigenin and cyanidin glycosides in the whole leaf at both background PARs. UV-B induced accumulation of apigenin and cyanidin glycosides was more pronounced in the white leaf portions, compared to green one. Moreover, we observed differential response of H2O2 scavenging system to high PAR and UV-B in relation to tissue type. Alteration of linear electron flow, provoked by acclimation to UV-B at HL was associated with decreased ascorbate redox state and APX activity. In summary, UV-B radiation stimulated CO2 assimilation and increased fixed carbon flow into photosynthetic pigments, phenylpropanoids and flavonoids/anthocyanins which might be important for photoprotection of photosynthetic machinery under high light intensity.Abstracts of the Final Netwotk Meeting of COST Action FA0906 UV4growth - Bled, Slovenia, 30 March - 2 April 2014

Recycling of filter tea industry by-products : production of A. Millefolium extracts using subcritical water extraction

Medicinal plants are most commonly used in the form of herbal tea, individually or in a tea blend. In the process of production filter tea, "herbal dust" or very small particles are formed during grinding of the plant material. As the particles of herbal dust are smaller (<0.315 mm) with respect to the particle size of filter paper, this fraction cannot be used in form of filter tea and is considered as a by-product in the tea production process [1]. Considering the significant content of bioactive compounds in this type of material, it would be beneficial to develop an adequate way of additional exploitation of the by-product and its transformation into high-quality products. A medicinal plant with pharmacological properties that are recognized worldwide is Achillea millefolium which is included in the national Pharmacopoeias of many countries. Many scientific researches confirmed the biological activity of A. millefolium preparations such as anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial, liver protective activities, and gastroprotective activity [2]