bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Improved Power Control Approach for Wind Turbine Fatigue Balancing in an Offshore Wind Farm
Authors: Zhao Rongyong , Dong Daheng , Li Cuiling , Liu Steven , Zhang Hao , Li Miyuan , Shen Wenzhong
Published: April 2020

Increasing maintenance costs will hinder the expansion of the wind power industry in the coming decades. Training personnel, field maintenance, and frequent boat or helicopter visits to wind turbines (WTs) is becoming a large cost. One reason for this cost is the routine turbine inspection repair and other stochastic maintenance necessitated by increasingly unbalanced figure loads and unequal turbine fatigue distribution in large-scale offshore wind farms (OWFs). In order to solve the problems of unbalanced fatigue loads and unequal turbine fatigue distribution, thereby cutting the maintenance cost, this study analyzes the disadvantages of conventional turbine fatigue definitions. We propose an improved fatigue definition that simultaneously considers the mean wind speed, wind wake turbulence, and electric power generation. Further, based on timed automata theory, a power dispatch approach is proposed to balance the fatigue loads on turbines in a wind farm. A control topology is constructed to describe the logical states of the wind farm main controller (WFMC) in an offshore wind farm. With this novel power control approach, the WFMC can re-dispatch the reference power to the wind turbines according to their cumulative fatigue value and the real wind conditions around the individual turbines in every power dispatch time interval. A workflow is also designed for the control approach implementation. Finally, to validate this proposed approach, wind data from the Horns Rev offshore wind farm in Denmark are used for a numerical simulation. All the simulation results with 3D and 2D figures illustrate that this approach is feasible to balance the loads on an offshore wind farm. Some significant implications are that this novel approach can cut the maintenance cost and also prolong the service life of OWFs.
Big Data for Energy Management and Energy-Efficient Buildings
Authors: Marinakis Vangelis
Published: April 2020

European buildings are producing a massive amount of data from a wide spectrum of energy-related sources, such as smart meters’ data, sensors and other Internet of things devices, creating new research challenges. In this context, the aim of this paper is to present a high-level data-driven architecture for buildings data exchange, management and real-time processing. This multi-disciplinary big data environment enables the integration of cross-domain data, combined with emerging artificial intelligence algorithms and distributed ledgers technology. Semantically enhanced, interlinked and multilingual repositories of heterogeneous types of data are coupled with a set of visualization, querying and exploration tools, suitable application programming interfaces (APIs) for data exchange, as well as a suite of configurable and ready-to-use analytical components that implement a series of advanced machine learning and deep learning algorithms. The results from the pilot application of the proposed framework are presented and discussed. The data-driven architecture enables reliable and effective policymaking, as well as supports the creation and exploitation of innovative energy efficiency services through the utilization of a wide variety of data, for the effective operation of buildings.
Ground Level Ozone Formation Near a Traffic Intersection: Lisbon “Rotunda De Entrecampos” Case Study
Authors: Roldão Soares Angelo , Neto Duarte , Avelino Tiago , Silva Carla
Published: April 2020

Ground-level ozone in cities is increasing mainly due to traffic exhaust aftertreatment devices, i.e., tailpipe catalytic converters. The chemical reaction of O3 formation indicates radiation and nitrogen oxides as main players. Thus, we investigate correlations between O3, global radiation, nitrogen oxides, temperature, and precipitation in several periods of the year (2017) near a traffic roundabout in Lisbon city (coordinates 38°44’55’’ lat, −9°08’56’’ long). The weekend effect, school break versus school period, day and night, and seasonal effect were explored. Low-cost sensors (LCS) of O3, NOx, and temperature were tested to see if they can be used to get historical data on other cities and locations. The main innovation is the calibration of the sensor directly with real data (uncontrolled environment). Raw data were compared and led us to conclude that MQ-131 has a better performance than the MICS-4514 sensor. The results indicate that the diurnal cycle of ozone concentration has a mid-day peak around 1–2 pm and a lower nighttime concentration below 5 ppb Weekends and school break period (251 days a year) have the highest values of Ozone, this is due to lower NOx emissions and thus lower levels of ozone destruction reaction (NOx-titration reaction). August is a hotspot month with a maximum concentration of 71 ppb.
A Field Experiment on Wave Forces on an Energy-Absorbing Breakwater
Authors: Filianoti Pasquale G. F. , Gurnari Luana
Published: April 2020

The U-OWC is a caisson breakwater embodying a device for wave energy absorption. Under the wave action, the pressure acting on the upper opening of the vertical duct fluctuates, producing a water discharge alternatively entering/exiting the plant through the U-duct, formed by the duct and the chamber. The interaction between incoming waves and the water discharge alters the wave pressure distribution along the wave-beaten wall of this breakwater compared with the pressure distributions on a vertical pure reflecting wall. As a consequence, the horizontal wave forces produced on the breakwater are also different. A small scale U-OWC breakwater was put off the eastern coast of the Strait of Messina (Southern Italy) to measure the horizontal wave force. Experimental results were compared with Boccotti’s and Goda’s wave pressure formulas, carried out for conventional upright breakwaters, to check their applicability on the U-OWC breakwaters. Both models are suitable for design of U-OWC breakwaters even if they tend to overestimate by up to 25% the actual horizontal loads on the breakwater. Indeed, the greater the absorption of the energy is, the lower the wave pressure on the breakwater wall is.
Microscopic Pore Structure of Surrounding Rock for Underground Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Caverns in Bedded Rock Salt
Authors: Zhang Nan , Liu Wei , Zhang Yun , Shan Pengfei , Shi Xilin
Published: April 2020

Using salt caverns for an underground strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) is considered as an ideal approach due to the excellent characteristics of low porosity, low permeability, self-healing of damage, and strong plastic deformation ability of rock salt. Salt deposits in China are mostly layered rock salt structures, with the characteristics of many interlayers, bringing great challenges for the construction of SPR facilities. Studying the microscopic pore characteristics of the rock surrounding SPR salt caverns in different environments (with brine and crude oil erosion) is necessary because the essence of mechanical and permeability characteristics is the macroscopic embodiment of the microscopic pore structure. In this paper, XRD tests and SEM tests are carried out to determine the physical properties of storage media and surrounding rock. Gas adsorption tests and mercury intrusion tests are carried out to analyze the microscopic pore structure, specific surface area variation and total aperture distribution characteristics of SPR salt cavern host rock. Results show that: (1) Large numbers of cores in interlayer and caprock may provide favorable channels for the leakage of high-pressure crude oil and brine. (2) The blockage of pores by macromolecular organic matter (colloid and asphaltene) in crude oil will not significantly change the structural characteristics of the rock skeleton, which is beneficial to the long-term operation of the SPR salt cavern. (3) The water–rock interaction will bring obvious changes in the micro-pore structure of rock and increase the leakage risk of the storage medium. The results can provide theoretical bases and methods for the tightness analysis of China’s first underground SPR salt cavern.
The Valuation of the Operational Flexibility of the Energy Investment Project Based on a Gas-Fired Power Plant
Authors: Kryzia Dominik , Kopacz Michał , Kryzia Katarzyna
Published: April 2020

This paper presents an attempt to the valuation of the operational flexibility of the energy investment project based on the example of combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT). For this purpose, the real options approach (ROA), net present value (NPV) method, and the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation have been used. Motivations to take up such a topic result from the fact that traditional valuation methods neglect flexibility embedded in CCGT assets. Operational flexibility was defined as the switching option to dynamically shut down and restart gas units. Valuation of the operational flexibility, the project’s extended net present value (XNPV), was based on a discounted cash flow model. The Monte Carlo simulation, allowing for better replication of the stochastic nature of market factors and some technical parameters, was introduced to the valuation model. The obtained results indicate that the value of the options significantly influences the NPV of the analyzed technology and its risk profile. The NPV was calculated at −169.1 million USD, while the XNPV amounted to 102.5 million USD. This difference, compared to the NPV distribution range at a significance level of 0.05, was more than 8.1% (almost 10.4% for α = 0.1). The results achieved help to explain the significance of the operational flexibility in the modeling profitability of CCGT technologies.
Thermal Response Characteristics of Intermittently Cooled Room with Tube-Embedded Cooling Slab and Optimization of Intermittent Control
Authors: Sui Xuemin , Wang Huajiang , Qu Ming , Liu Huitao
Published: April 2020

The heat storage effect of the tube-embedded slab cooling system (TESCS) makes the intermittent operation feasible, a reasonable intermittent strategy can fully realize the energy saving effect. This paper purposes to optimize the intermittent control schemes for TESCS by simulation. The response of the thermal environment intermittently cooled by TESCS is firstly studied. Then, the intermittent control schemes of TESCS are studied. On the basis of the dual-objective optimization for thermal comfort and energy efficiency, the optimal scheme is established. The results show that the tube-embedded slab has significant heat storage and release characteristics under intermittent cooling condition. Its maximum cooling capacity appears about one hour after the stop of cooling. Reducing the cooling duration can reduce the system energy consumption, but increasing the cooling duration can reduce the system peak load. Twenty-four-hour cooling can reduce the peak load by about 70%, 67%, and 41%, respectively, compared with 6-h, 8-h, and 12-h cooling. The effect of the cooling duration on the thermal comfort and energy efficiency is much greater than the cooling time distribution. Frequent starts and stops of the pump can increase the cooling capacity obtained by the room to a certain extent. Daytime cooling provides higher comfort and energy efficiency while night cooling can reduce the chiller’s peak cooling requirement by about 25%.
Equipping a Combine Harvester with Turbine Technology Increases the Recovery of Residual Biomass from Cereal Crops via the Collection of Chaff
Authors: Suardi Alessandro , Stefanoni Walter , Alfano Vincenzo , Bergonzoli Simone , Pari Luigi
Published: April 2020

In cereal crops, chaff is a valuable lignocellulosic by-product that accounts for more than 50 Mt y−1 in Europe and is suitable for bioenergy purposes. Chaff is usually not collected due to the lack of combine harvesters that have the capability to handle it properly. The present two years experimental study investigated the hypothesis that the overall biomass collected in wheat crop can be increased by equipping the combine harvester with an aftermarket device. Chaff, discharged from the combine harvester-cleaning system, is collected by the turbine that delivers it either on the swath or on a lateral trailer towed by a tractor. The performance of all machines involved in the harvesting (combine harvester, tractor, baler, and trailer) were assessed. The chaff was collected in bales with the straw (A mode) and separately on a trailer (C mode). Comparisons with non-collected treatment (B mode) were performed in order to estimate the total chaff collected and the biomass losses. The results showed that 1.79 t FM ha−1 per year of chaff could be collected when baled with the straw, whereas 1.27 t FM ha−1 were collected separately on a trailer. Both field and material capacity were not negatively affected by the chaff collection. Therefore, our study confirmed the hypothesis that turbine technology is a valid solution for increasing the total residual biomass collected in cereal cropping for energy purposes.
High Technology Readiness Level Techniques for Brushless Direct Current Motors Failures Detection: A Systematic Review
Authors: Fico Vito Mario , Martín Prats María Ángeles , Ierardi Carmelina
Published: April 2020

Many papers related to this topic can be found in the bibliography; however, just a modest percentage of the introduced techniques are developed to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) sufficiently high to be implementable in industrial applications. This paper is focused precisely on the review of this specific topic. The investigation on the state of the art has been carried out as a systematic review, a very rigorous and reliable standardised scientific methodology, and tries to collect the articles which are closer to a possible implementation. This selection has been carefully done with the definition of a series of rules, drawn to represent the adequate level of readiness of fault detection techniques which the various articles propose.
Lipid Production from Amino Acid Wastes by the Oleaginous Yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides
Authors: Li Qiang , Kamal Rasool , Wang Qian , Yu Xue , Zhao Zongbao Kent
Published: April 2020

Microbial lipids have been considered as promising resources for the production of renewable biofuels and oleochemicals. Various feedstocks, including sugars, crude glycerol, and volatile fatty acids, have been used as substrates for microbial lipid production, yet amino acid (AA) wastes remain to be evaluated. Here, we describe the potential to use AA wastes for lipid production with a two-stage culture mode by an oleaginous yeast strain Rhodosporidium toruloides CGMCC 2.1389. Each of the 20 proteinogenic AAs was evaluated individually as sole carbon source, with 8 showing capability to facilitate cellular lipid contents of more than 20%. It was found that L-proline was the most favored AA, with which cells accumulated lipids to a cellular lipid content of 37.3%. When blends with AA profiles corresponding to those of meat industry by-products and sheep viscera were used, the cellular lipid contents reached 27.0% and 28.7%, respectively. The fatty acid compositional analysis of these lipid products revealed similar profiles to those of vegetable oils. These results, thus, demonstrate a potential route to convert AA wastes into lipids, which is of great importance for waste management and biofuel production.
Prevention of Seabed Subsidence of Class-1 Gas Hydrate Deposits via CO2-EGR: A Numerical Study with Coupled Geomechanics-Hydrate Reaction-Multiphase Fluid Flow Model
Authors: Lin Tzu-Keng , Hsieh Bieng-Zih
Published: April 2020

The geomechanics effects and seabed subsidence are critical issues that should be considered in the development of a hydrate reservoir. The purpose of this study is to couple the geomechanics, hydrate reaction, and multiphase fluid flow modules to investigate the feasibility of CO2 enhanced gas recovery (CO2-EGR) of a Class-1 hydrate deposit by observing the formation deformation, and the seabed subsidence. The production methods of depressurization and CO2-EGR are modeled, respectively. The production behaviors and seabed subsidence of different production methods are compared. The positive influence on the gas recovery for a Class-1 hydrate deposit via CO2-EGR is observed. The calculations of seabed subsidence showed a significant improvement can be achieved when CO2-EGR was used. The subsidence is only 6.8% of that from the pure depressurization in the case of a pressure drop of 30%. The effects of production pressure drop and production gas rate are investigated. The association between the gas production and the pressure drop of the well is different from the cases of pure depressurization and the CO2-EGR. The appropriate initial time for the CO2 injection is tested. Slighter seabed subsidence is observed when the CO2 injection is initiated earlier. The case of different injection pressure control showed that a lower injection pressure leads to a heavier seabed subsidence. A higher CO2 fraction allowed in the produced gas stream results in a higher cumulative gas production, but there is no significant impact on the seabed subsidence.
Recipe of Lightweight Slurry with High Early Strength of the Resultant Cement Sheath
Authors: Kremieniewski Marcin
Published: April 2020

Admixtures of mineral or waste filling materials are used to reduce slurry density. However, the sheath made of lightweight cement slurry has low mechanical performance at the initial bonding time. The required strength is achieved later. This is the main problem when evaluating the cement bond logging. The waiting time for geophysical measurements after injecting and bonding of cement is nowadays increasingly shortened. This is forced by economic factors. Too early geophysical measurements may result in obtaining a false indication of the cement bond logging. The lack of cement or partial bonding, despite the presence of slurry in the annular space is then found. The slurry developed by the author achieves high compressive strength after a short bonding time. Reducing the amount of water in the slurry resulted in a lowered filtration value. This is important in preventing gas migration after the cementing. The designed slurry also reaches the value of 3.5 MPa in a short time. This allows for an earlier commencement of a well drilling. The use of said slurry improves the effectiveness of the well sealing and makes it possible to obtain a reliable knowledge of the bond logging.
Research on the Combined Control Strategy of Low Temperature Charging and Heating of Lithium-Ion Power Battery Based on Adaptive Fuzzy Control
Authors: Min Haitao , Wang Boshi , Sun Weiyi , Zhang Zhaopu , Yu Yuanbin , Zhang Yanzhou
Published: April 2020

A low temperature environment will lead to the decrease of chemistry reaction rate and increase of the internal resistance of the lithium battery. In addition, the excessive charging current will cause the lithium to separate out and even the permanent attenuation of battery capacity. In order to solve these problems, this paper proposes a low-temperature charging heating combined control strategy, which takes the temperature acceptable charging current of the battery at low temperature as the charging current constraint and the maximum output power of the system as the power constraint. Firstly, a scheme of combined charging and heating control system is put forward. Secondly, the low temperature charging control strategy based on adaptive fuzzy control is established and then the model is simulated and analyzed in MATLAB software. At last, a Chroma 72,001 charge and discharge tester is used to conduct a low temperature test on 18,650 lithium iron phosphate battery monomers. The results show that the low-temperature charging control strategy proposed in this paper has a more stable temperature control effect on the battery, the constant current charging time of the battery is reduced by 14% compared with the traditional threshold control method, and the overall charging energy consumption is reduced by 5.6%.
Effects of Mixtures of Engineered Nanoparticles and Metallic Pollutants on Aquatic Organisms
Authors: Li Mengting , Liu Wei , Slaveykova Vera I.
Published: April 2020

In aquatic environment, engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) are present as complex mixtures with other pollutants, such as trace metals, which could result in synergism, additivity or antagonism of their combined effects. Despite the fact that the toxicity and environmental risk of the ENPs have received extensive attention in the recent years, the interactions of ENPs with other pollutants and the consequent effects on aquatic organisms represent an important challenge in (nano)ecotoxicology. The present review provides an overview of the state-of-the-art and critically discusses the existing knowledge on combined effects of mixtures of ENPs and metallic pollutants on aquatic organisms. The specific emphasis is on the adsorption of metallic pollutants on metal-containing ENPs, transformation and bioavailability of ENPs and metallic pollutants in mixtures. Antagonistic, additive and synergistic effects observed in aquatic organisms co-exposed to ENPs and metallic pollutants are discussed in the case of “particle-proof” and “particle-ingestive” organisms. This knowledge is important in developing efficient strategies for sound environmental impact assessment of mixture exposure in complex environments.
Local Management System of Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari Balf. f.) Resin in Firmihin Forest, Socotra Island, Yemen
Authors: Al-Okaishi Abdulraqeb
Published: April 2020

Various nontimber forest products (NTFPs) are produced from the forests and woodlands of Yemen. Dragon’s blood tree resin is one of the commercial NTFPs in Yemen and is produced by tapping Dracaena cinnabari trees, which are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. By applying a forest resource assessment, the present study inventoried the D. cinnabari forest with the aim of identifying and evaluating its structure, the harvesting status of the resin, and the current management system. The study was conducted in the Firmihin forest, Socotra Island, Yemen Republic. The forest resource assessment was carried out through a forest inventory by measuring trees from 12 plots following stratified random sampling. The relevant parameters of a total of 819 trees were measured, including the tree height, stem height of lowest branches, height of the highest wound, diameter at breast height (DBH), and presence of wounds. The wounds were measured on a total of 401 trees. Value chain analysis (VCA) was used to clarify the flow of dragon’s blood tree resin from the producers to the local, national, and international markets. Traditional management was examined using questionnaires in the case study area and surrounding villages. There are two tapping techniques: (1) collecting the pure dragon’s blood tree resin and (2) cutting part of the bark along with the pure resin. The second technique resulted in 84% of the trees having wounds. The tappers were mostly from the community in and around the forest. The study found that the traditional management system of tapping dragon’s blood tree resin is not sustainable.
Response of Nitrogen Metabolism in Masson Pine Needles to Elevated CO2
Authors: Wu Fan , Sun Xiaobo , Hu Xingfeng , Zou Bingzhang , Lin Nengqing , Lin Jingquan , Ji Kongshu
Published: April 2020

To explore the response of nitrogen metabolism in Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) to high CO2 concentrations, needles from one-year-old seedlings were used as materials to detect key enzyme activities, gene expression and different forms of nitrogen metabolites after CO2 stress for different durations (0 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h). The results show that elevated CO2 affected the efficiency of nitrogen metabolism in Masson pine needles, inhibiting the expression of key genes involved in nitrogen metabolism, including glutamate synthase (GOGAT), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthase (GS), nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and decreasing the activities of GOGAT, NiR, and GS. The decrease in enzyme activities and gene expression caused a decrease in different forms of nitrogen metabolites, including total nitrogen, ammonium, nitrite and specific amino acids. With prolonged stress, the nitrate content increased first and then decreased. In this study, the response pattern of nitrogen metabolism to CO2 stress in Masson pine needles was described, which may aid future research on nitrogen utilization in Masson pine.
Authentication-Based Secure Data Dissemination Protocol and Framework for 5G-Enabled VANET
Authors: Gupta Nishu , Manaswini Ravikanti , Saikrishna Bongaram , Silva Francisco , Teles Ariel
Published: April 2020

The amalgamation of Vehicular Ad hoc Network (VANET) with the Internet of Things (IoT) leads to the concept of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV). IoV forms a solid backbone for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), which paves the way for technologies that better explain about traffic efficiency and their management applications. IoV architecture is seen as a big player in different areas such as the automobile industry, research organizations, smart cities and intelligent transportation for various commercial and scientific applications. However, as VANET is vulnerable to various types of security attacks, the IoV structure should ensure security and efficient performance for vehicular communications. To address these issues, in this article, an authentication-based protocol (A-MAC) for smart vehicular communication is proposed along with a novel framework towards an IoV architecture model. The scheme requires hash operations and uses cryptographic concepts to transfer messages between vehicles to maintain the required security. Performance evaluation helps analyzing its strength in withstanding various types of security attacks. Simulation results demonstrate that A-MAC outshines other protocols in terms of communication cost, execution time, storage cost, and overhead.
Characterisation of Formaggella della Valle di Scalve Cheese Produced from Cows Reared in Valley Floor Stall or in Mountain Pasture: Fatty Acids Profile and Sensory Properties
Authors: Formaggioni Paolo , Malacarne Massimo , Franceschi Piero , Zucchelli Valentina , Faccia Michele , Battelli Giovanna , Brasca Milena , Summer Andrea
Published: April 2020

An important problem in mountain areas is the abandonment of pasture. This trend can be combated by the valorisation of typical dairy products, such as “Formaggella della Valle di Scalve”, a semi-cooked traditional cheese made from whole milk in a mountain area in Italy. The aim of the present research was to compare the fatty acid (FA) profile and the sensory properties of this cheese as manufactured under different conditions: i) from the milk of cows grazing on mountain or valley pasture or fed indoors; ii) from the milk of cows fed hay or fed silage. In the first case, five cheesemaking trials were conducted during two years for each of the following situations: mountain pasture (A); pasture at the bottom of the valley (P) (about 1000m asl); stall (S). In the second case, three cheesemaking trials were conducted for each of the following situations: cows fed silage (I); cows fed hay (F). S cheese was richer in medium-chain FAs, while long-chain FAs were higher in P and A cheeses. On the other hand, long chain fatty acids (LCFA) were more abundant in P and A cheeses than in S. In general, MUFA, PUFA and, consequently, total unsaturated FA (UFA), were significantly higher in the P and A cheeses than S (UFA: 36.55 and 38.34, respectively, vs. 31.13; p < 0.001), while SFA showed higher values in S (68.85 vs. 63.41 and 61.68 in P and A, respectively; p < 0.001). Conjugated linoleic acid isomers (CLA) were more represented in the P and A samples (1.86 in P and 1.52 in A, vs. 0.80 in S; p < 0.001); Omega 3 fatty acids, and in particular α-linolenic acid, were more abundant in P than in S cheese. In winter, the I sample (silage) presented higher percentages of myristic (C14), myristoleic (C14:1) and omega 6 acids, whereas F cheese (hay) contained higher concentrations of CLA. The triangular test of sensory analysis showed that, in general, F cheeses were judged as “sweeter” than I, with aromatic profiles characterized by higher content of 2- butanol and ethyl capronate.
Transmembrane Pressure and Recovery of Serum Proteins during Microfiltration of Skimmed Milk Subjected to Different Storage and Treatment Conditions
Authors: Granger-Delacroix Manon , Leconte Nadine , Garnier-Lambrouin Fabienne , Le Goff Françoise , Van Audenhaege Marieke , Gésan-Guiziou Geneviève
Published: April 2020

Milk pre-processing steps-storage at 4 °C (with durations of 48, 72 or 96 h) and methods for microbiological stabilization of milk (1.4 μm microfiltration, thermization, thermization + bactofugation, pasteurization) are performed industrially before 0.1 µm-microfiltration (MF) of skimmed milk to ensure the microbiological quality of final fractions. The objective of this study was to better understand the influence of these pre-processing steps and their cumulative effects on MF performances (i.e., transmembrane pressure, and transmission and recovery of serum proteins (SP) in the permeate). Results showed that heat treatment of skimmed milk decreased ceramic MF performances, especially after a long 4 °C storage duration (96 h) of raw milk: when milk was heat treated by pasteurization after 96 h of storage at 4 °C, the transmembrane pressure increased by 25% over a MF run of 330 min with a permeation flux of 75 L·h−1·m−2 and a volume reduction ratio of 3.0. After 48 h of storage at 4 °C, all other operating conditions being similar, the transmembrane pressure increased by only 6%. When milk was 1.4 µm microfiltered, the transmembrane pressure also increased by only 6%, regardless of the duration of 4 °C storage. The choice of microbiological stabilization method also influenced SP transmission and recovery: the higher the initial heat treatment of milk, the lower the transmission of SP and the lower their recovery in permeate. Moreover, the decline of SP transmission was all the higher that 4 °C storage of raw milk was long. These results were explained by MF membrane fouling, which depends on the load of microorganisms in the skimmed milks to be microfiltered as well as the rate of SP denaturation and/or aggregation resulting from pre-processing steps.
Determination and Daily Intake Estimation of Lignans in Sesame Seeds and Sesame Oil Products in Korea
Authors: Kim A-Young , Yun Choong-In , Lee Joon-Goo , Kim Young-Jun
Published: April 2020

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a plant that belongs to the Pedaliaceae family which was first classified as a food source around 4000 years ago. Lignans (sesamin, sesamolin, sesamol, and sesaminol) present in sesame are the primary functional compounds that impart important health benefits. However, very little information is available on the lignan intake from sesame seeds and sesame oil products. Sesame oil is frequently and highly consumed in Korea and therefore is one of the important lignan intake sources due to the food eating habits of Koreans. Herein, we studied the distribution of lignans in sesame seeds (n = 21) and oil (n = 34) to estimate the daily lignan intake by the Korean population. High-performance liquid chromatography, in conjunction with statistical analysis, was used to determine the lignan content of seeds and oil. The estimated daily intake of total lignans from sesame seeds and oil, as estimated from the available domestic consumption data (Korea Nutrition and Health Examination Survey), is 18.39 mg/person/day for males and 13.26 mg/person/day for females. The contributions of lignan intake from sesame seeds and oil are 23.0% and 77.0%, respectively. This study provides preliminary information on lignan intake from sesame seeds and oil in the Korean population.
Ternary Cross-Modal Interactions between Sweetness, Aroma, and Viscosity in Different Beverage Matrices
Authors: Bertelsen Anne Sjoerup , Mielby Line Ahm , Byrne Derek Victor , Kidmose Ulla
Published: April 2020

Sugar reduction in food and beverage products involves several challenges. Non-nutritive sweeteners may give unwanted off-flavors, while sugar-reduced products often lack mouthfeel. To overcome this, the addition of aroma to increase sweetness through cross-modal interactions, and the addition of hydrocolloids such as pectin to increase viscosity, have been suggested as strategies to aid sugar reduction. However, viscosity has been shown to decrease both taste and aroma intensities. An increase in viscosity may thereby affect the use of aromas as sweetness enhancers. Additionally, the effects of aromas and hydrocolloids on sweetness intensity and mouthfeel depend on the food matrix involved. The present study investigated cross-modal aroma–sweetness–viscosity interactions in two beverage matrices: water and apple nectar. The perceptual effects of vanilla aroma (0–1 mL/kg), sucrose (2.5%–7.5% w/w) and pectin (0%–0.3% w/w) were studied in both matrices. For each matrix, cross-modal interactions were analyzed with descriptive analysis using a trained sensory panel. The effect of vanilla aroma on sweetness intensity was found to be higher in apple nectar compared to in water. Furthermore, pectin affected neither taste, aroma, nor the cross-modal effects of aroma on taste in either of the matrices. These results indicate that pectin, in the studied range of concentrations, may be used to improve mouthfeel in sugar-reduced beverages, without compromising taste or aroma perception.
Comparison of Three Extraction Techniques for the Determination of Volatile Flavor Components in Broccoli
Authors: Wieczorek Martyna Natalia , Majcher Małgorzata , Jeleń Henryk
Published: April 2020

To analyze aroma active components in a food product, the crucial step is to select a suitable extraction technique. It should provide isolation of all components responsible for aroma creation, without the formation of any artifacts during the procedure. Preferably, the extraction method should yield analyzed compounds in detectable levels. The presented study aimed to compare three popular extraction techniques used in flavor studies: solid-phase microextraction (SPME), solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE), and simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) in order to isolate aroma components from broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica). Obtained extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-olfactmetry (GC-O) to determine compounds with aroma activity as well as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-ToFMS) to identify them. Thirty-four aroma active compounds were detected in broccoli by the applied techniques. SPME and SAFE together gave the full profile of aroma active components on chromatograms from GC-O, without artifacts that occurred in the SDE extract. SPME was particularly useful in the identification of early eluting compounds, while SAFE enabled isolating compounds with relatively low partition coefficients. Despite all the disadvantages of the SDE method, it leads to the identification of pyrazines, which were important contributors to the overall aroma.
The Effect of Sprouting in Lentil (Lens culinaris) Nutritional and Microbiological Profile
Authors: S.Santos Carla , Silva Beatriz , M.P.Valente Luísa , Gruber Sabine , W.Vasconcelos Marta
Published: April 2020

Biological and vegetarian raw food products, in particular based on legume sprouts, are an increasing food trend, due to their improved nutritional value when compared to seeds. Herein, protein and mineral profiles were studied in 12 lentil varieties, with varieties Du Puy, Kleine Schwarze, Rosana, Flora, Große Rote and Kleine Späths II demonstrating the highest protein percentages. After sprouting, protein percentages increased significantly in 10 of the 12 varieties, with the highest increases ranging between 20–23% in Dunkelgrün Marmorierte, Du Puy, Große Rote and Kleine Späths II varieties. While Fe concentration was significantly decreased in three varieties (Samos, Große Rote and Kleine Späths II), Zn and Mn were positively impacted by sprouting (p ≤ 0.05). Magnesium concentration was not affected by sprouting, while Ca and K had percentage increases between 41% and 58%, and 28% and 30%, respectively, in the best performing varieties (Kleine Schwarze, Dunkelgrün Marmorierte, Samos and Rosana). Regardless of the associated nutritional benefits, issues pertaining to sprouts microbiological safety must be ensured. The best results for the disinfection protocols were obtained when combining the seed treatment with SDS reagent followed by an Amukine application on the sprouts, which did not affect germination rates or sprout length. The increasing levels of sprout consumption throughout the world require efficient implementation of safety measures, as well as a knowledge-based selection for the nutritional quality of the seeds.
Transcriptional Factors Regulate Plant Stress Responses Through Mediating Secondary Metabolism
Authors: Meraj Tehseen Ahmad , Fu Jingye , Raza Muhammad Ali , Zhu Chenying , Shen Qinqin , Xu Dongbei , Wang Qiang
Published: April 2020

Plants are adapted to sense numerous stress stimuli and mount efficient defense responses by directing intricate signaling pathways. They respond to undesirable circumstances to produce stress-inducible phytochemicals that play indispensable roles in plant immunity. Extensive studies have been made to elucidate the underpinnings of defensive molecular mechanisms in various plant species. Transcriptional factors (TFs) are involved in plant defense regulations through acting as mediators by perceiving stress signals and directing downstream defense gene expression. The cross interactions of TFs and stress signaling crosstalk are decisive in determining accumulation of defense metabolites. Here, we collected the major TFs that are efficient in stress responses through regulating secondary metabolism for the direct cessation of stress factors. We focused on six major TF families including AP2/ERF, WRKY, bHLH, bZIP, MYB, and NAC. This review is the compilation of studies where researches were conducted to explore the roles of TFs in stress responses and the contribution of secondary metabolites in combating stress influences. Modulation of these TFs at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels can facilitate molecular breeding and genetic improvement of crop plants regarding stress sensitivity and response through production of defensive compounds.
Genome-Wide Identification, Classification, and Expression Profiling Reveals R2R3-MYB Transcription Factors Related to Monoterpenoid Biosynthesis in Osmanthus fragrans
Authors: Li Hai-Yan , Yue Yuan-Zheng , Ding Wen-Jie , Chen Gong-Wei , Li Ling , Li Yu-Li , Shi Ting-Ting , Yang Xiu-Lian , Wang Liang-Gui
Published: April 2020

Osmanthus fragrans is widely grown for the purpose of urban greening and the pleasant aroma emitted from its flowers. The floral scent is determined by several monoterpenoid volatiles, such as linalool and its oxides, which are a few of the most common volatiles and the main components of the essential oils in most sweet osmanthus cultivars. In addition, the relative contents of cis- and trans-linalool oxide (furan) may affect the aromas and quality of the essential oils. MYB proteins represent the largest family of transcription factors in plants and participate in regulating secondary metabolites. Several cis-elements, especially AC-rich regions, are known to be bound by 2R-MYBs and could be found in the promoter of the enzyme genes in the terpenoid metabolic pathway. However, there has to date been no investigation into the 2R-MYB family genes involved in regulating terpenoid biosynthesis in O. fragrans. Here, 243 non-redundant 2R-MYB proteins were grouped into 33 clusters based on the phylogeny and exon-intron distribution. These genes were unevenly distributed on 23 chromosomes. Ka/Ks analysis showed that the major mode of 2R-MYB gene evolution was purifying selection. Expression analysis indicated that 2R-MYB genes in O. fragrans exhibited varied expression patterns. A total of 35 OfMYBs representing the highest per kilobase per million mapped reads in the flower were selected for quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The correlation analysis between the expression level and the contents of fragrant compounds at different flowering stages suggested that OfMYB19/20 exhibited remarkably positive correlation with the accumulation of cis-linalool oxides. OfMYB51/65/88/121/137/144 showed significantly negative correlations with one or more linalool oxides. Characterization of these proteins revealed that OfMYB19 and OfMYB137 were localized in the nuclei, but did not show transcriptional activation in the yeast system, which suggested that they may be bound to other transcription factors to exert regulatory functions. These findings provide useful information for further functional investigation of the 2R-MYBs and offer a foundation for clarifying the 2R-MYB transcription factors involved in the molecular mechanism of the regulation of monoterpenoid biosynthesis in Osmanthus fragrans.
Influence of Genetic Variation in COMT on Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Cancer Patients
Authors: Agema Bram C. , Koolen Stijn L.W. , de With Mirjam , van Doorn Nadia , Heersche Niels , Oomen-de Hoop Esther , Visser Sabine , Aerts Joachim G.J.V. , Bins Sander , van Schaik Ron H.N. , Mathijssen Ron H.J.
Published: April 2020

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent widely used for multiple indications. Unfortunately, in a substantial set of patients treated with cisplatin, dose-limiting acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs. Here, we assessed the association of 3 catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with increased cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. In total, 551 patients were genotyped for the 1947 G>A (Val158Met, rs4680), c.615 + 310 C>T (rs4646316), and c.616–367 C>T (rs9332377) polymorphisms. Associations between these variants and AKI grade ≥3 were studied. The presence of a homozygous variant of c.616-367C>T was associated with a decreased occurrence of AKI grade 3 toxicity (p = 0.014, odds ratio (OR) 0.201, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.047–0.861)). However, we could not exclude the role of dehydration as a potential cause of AKI in 25 of the 27 patients with AKI grade 3, which potentially affected the results substantially. As a result of the low incidence of AKI grade 3 in this dataset, the lack of patients with a COMT variant, and the high number of patients with dehydration, the association between COMT variants and AKI does not seem clinically relevant.
Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of Two Bottle Gourd Accessions Differing in Fruit Size
Authors: Zhang Hongyuan , Tan Jie , Zhang Min , Huang Shuping , Chen Xia
Published: April 2020

The bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is an important horticultural and medicinal crop with high nutritional value. This study aimed at examining the molecular regulation of fruit size in bottle gourd. We performed transcriptome sequencing of two bottle gourd cultivars differing in their fruit size. The average fruit length and weight of the cultivar Hang (39.48 cm/624.4 g) were higher than those of the cultivar USA (10.34 cm/152.8 g) at maturity. Transcriptome sequencing and assembly resulted in 89,347 unigenes. A total of 1250 differentially expressed genes (DEG) were found between the two cultivars, including 422 upregulated genes and 828 downregulated genes in Hang as compared to USA. Genes related to cell wall metabolism, phytohormones, cell cycle, and cell division showed significant differential expression between the two cultivars. DEGs encoding transcription factors (TF) from nine TF families were also identified. The ethylene response factor family was the most enriched among these families. Our study provides a basis for further investigations of the molecular regulation of fruit size in bottle gourd.
Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of P-Type Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase Sub-Gene Family in Sunflower and the Role of HHA4 and HHA11 in the Development of Salt Stress Resistance
Authors: Xu Zongchang , Marowa Prince , Liu Han , Du Haina , Zhang Chengsheng , Li Yiqiang
Published: April 2020

The P-type plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPase plays a major role during the growth and development of a plant. It is also involved in plant resistance to a variety of biotic and abiotic factors, including salt stress. The PM H+-ATPase gene family has been well characterized in Arabidopsis and other crop plants such as rice, cucumber, and potato; however, the same cannot be said in sunflower (Helianthus annuus). In this study, a total of thirteen PM H+-ATPase genes were screened from the recently released sunflower genome database with a comprehensive genome-wide analysis. According to a systematic phylogenetic classification with a previously reported species, the sunflower PM H+-ATPase genes (HHAs) were divided into four sub-clusters (I, II, IV, and V). In addition, systematic bioinformatics analyses such as gene structure analysis, chromosome location analysis, subcellular localization predication, conserved motifs, and Cis-acting elements of promoter identification were also done. Semi-quantitative PCR analysis data of HHAs in different sunflower tissues revealed the specificity of gene spatiotemporal expression and sub-cluster grouping. Those belonging to sub-cluster I and II exhibited wide expression in almost all of the tissues studied while sub-cluster IV and V seldom showed expression. In addition, the expression of HHA4, HHA11, and HHA13 was shown to be induced by salt stress. The transgenic plants overexpressing HHA4 and HHA11 showed higher salinity tolerance compared with wild-type plants. Further analysis showed that the Na+ content of transgenic Arabidopsis plants decreased under salt stress, which indicates that PM H+ ATPase participates in the physiological process of Na+ efflux, resulting in salt resistance of the plants. This study is the first to identify and analyze the sunflower PM H+ ATPase gene family. It does not only lay foundation for future research but also demonstrates the role played by HHAs in salt stress tolerance.
Narrowing Down a Major QTL Region Conferring Pod Fiber Contents in Yardlong Bean (Vigna unguiculata), a Vegetable Cowpea
Authors: Watcharatpong Phurisorn , Kaga Akito , Chen Xin , Somta Prakit
Published: April 2020

Yardlong bean (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. ssp. sesquipedalis), a subgroup of cowpea, is an important vegetable legume crop of Asia where its young pods are consumed in both fresh and cooked forms. Pod fiber contents (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) correlates with pod tenderness (softness/hardness) and pod shattering. In a previous study using populations derived from crosses between yardlong bean and wild cowpea (V. unguiculata ssp. unguiculata var. spontanea), three major quantitative trait loci (QTLs), qCel7.1, qHem7.1 and qLig7.1, controlling these fibers were identified on linkage group 7 (cowpea chromosome 5) and are co-located with QTLs for pod tenderness and pod shattering. The objective of this study was to identify candidate gene(s) controlling the pod fiber contents. Fine mapping for qCel7.1, qHem7.1 and qLig7.1 was conducted using F2 and F2:3 populations of 309 and 334 individuals, respectively, from the same cross combination. New DNA markers were developed from cowpea reference genome sequence and used for fine mapping. A QTL analysis showed that in most cases, each pod fiber content was controlled by one major and one minor QTLs on the LG7. The major QTLs for cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in pod were always mapped to the same regions or close to each other. In addition, a major QTL for pod shattering was also located in the region. Although there were several annotated genes relating to pod fiber contents in the region, two genes including Vigun05g266600 (VuBGLU12) encoding a beta glucosidase and Vigun05g273500 (VuMYB26b) encoding a transcription factor MYB26 were identified as candidate genes for the pod fiber contents and pod shattering. Function(s) of these genes in relation to pod wall fiber biosynthesis and pod shattering was discussed.