High Moisture Levels Research Articles

Simultaneous Biomechanical and Biochemical Monitoring for Self-Powered Breath Analysis.

The high moisture level of exhaled gases unavoidably limits the sensitivity of breath analysis via wearable bioelectronics. Inspired by pulmonary lobe expansion/contraction observed during respiration, a respiration-driven triboelectric sensor (RTS) was devised for simultaneous respiratory biomechanical monitoring and exhaled acetone concentration analysis. A tin oxide-doped polyethyleneimine membrane was devised to play a dual role as both a triboelectric layer and an acetone sensing material. The prepared RTS exhibited excellent ability in measuring respiratory flow rate (2-8 L/min) and breath frequency (0.33-0.8 Hz). Furthermore, the RTS presented good performance in biochemical acetone sensing (2-10 ppm range at high moisture levels), which was validated via finite element analysis. This work has led to the development of a novel real-time active respiratory monitoring system and strengthened triboelectric-chemisorption coupling sensing mechanism.

Soil resistance to penetration in integrated crop-livestock with grazing intensities and fertilization

Soil compaction periodic monitoring through soil penetration resistance (PR) has been a rapid, easy, and economic way to evaluate the different management systems on soil physical attributes effect. The aim was to evaluate the grazing intensities and nitrogen fertilization effect in two winter/summer seasons (black oat/corn/black oat/soybean) on soil PR in an integrated crop-livestock system. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in a factorial 2×3 [2 black oat pasture residual heights (15 and 7 cm), under rotational grazing × 3 nitrogen rates applied to pasture (0, 75 and 150 kg N ha-1)], with 4 repetitions. Soil PR was measured using an electronic penetrograph to an 80 cm depth. Soil samples were collected to determine gravimetric moisture. In the first year, 75 kg N ha-1 resulted in the highest depth compaction while intensive grazing (7 cm) resulted in the highest PR. In the second year, plots without N resulted in lower PR levels, mainly in the superficial layers. However, the rate of 150 kg N ha-1 presented greater compaction in the 15-20 cm layer after grazing. The high moisture levels in depth reduced PR in all evaluated periods, highlighting the close relationship between both variables. General grazing heights did not affect PR, but the use of systems that increase residues production, as moderate grazing and nitrogen fertilization might be an alternative to mitigate the soil compaction in surface layers effects.

A methodical approach to assessing if an existing dwelling has ‘Adequate Ventilation’

Every year, especially during what has become colloquially referred to as ‘condensation season’, thousands of dwellings around the UK have their ventilation assessed. This Ventilation Assessment is sometimes referred to as a ‘Ventilation Survey’. The assessment is frequently in response to occupants’ concerns over living in homes suffering from condensation and mould growth. Ventilation assessments are carried out by a variety of ‘specialists’ including independent surveyors, ventilation equipment manufacturers/suppliers and contractors. Very often, following the assessment, the specialist will recommend that additional ventilation equipment be installed to contribute towards providing Adequate Ventilation in the dwelling. In many cases, the primary function of the additional ventilation measures proposed will be to control high internal atmospheric moisture levels that can be associated with condensation and mould, while neglecting indoor air pollutants commonly found in homes, which also have to be controlled if a healthy internal environment is to be provided for the occupants. It is the author’s view that there will often be an unintentional lack of appropriate methodology used in the Ventilation Assessment and the subsequent recommendations such specialists make may not therefore be appropriate for the dwelling. This is not surprising given that there is limited industry guidance on the subject in relation to existing dwellings and the fact that even the term ‘Adequate Ventilation’ can mean different things to different people. This paper discusses all of the aforementioned and proposes benchmarks against which Adequate Ventilation in existing dwellings can be measured, along with an overview of a methodology that could be used to assess the existing purpose-provided ventilation measures in a home to determine if they are adequate or not.

Exploring the Biotechnological Value of Marine Invertebrates: A Closer Look at the Biochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Sabella spallanzanii and Microcosmus squamiger.

Sabella spallanzanii and Microcosmus squamiger were profiled for proximate composition, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids (FA), carotenoids, radical scavenging activity on the 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and iron and copper chelating properties. Microcosmus squamiger had the highest level of moisture and crude protein, S. spallanzanii was enriched in crude fat and ash. Both species had similar levels of carbohydrates and energy. There was a prevalence of arginine and glycine in S. spallanzanii, and of taurine in M. squamiger. The most abundant minerals in both species were Na, Ca, and K. The methanol extract of S. spallanzanii had metal chelating properties towards copper and iron, while the methanol extract of M. squamiger was able to chelate copper. M. squamiger extracts had similar ORAC values. Fucoxanthinol and fucoxanthin were the major carotenoids in the M. squamiger dichloromethane extract. Saturated FA were more abundant than unsaturated ones in methanol extracts, and unsaturated FA prevailed in the dichloromethane extracts. Palmitic acid was the predominant FA in methanol extracts, whereas eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and dihomo-γ-linolenic acids were the major compounds in dichloromethane extracts. Low n-6/n-3 ratios were obtained. Our results suggests that both species could be explored as sources of bioactive ingredients with multiple applications.

Production and characteristic quality of probiotic Labneh cheese supplemented with broccoli florets

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop functional probiotic Labneh cheeses supplemented with broccoli florets.Design/methodology/approachProbiotic Labneh cheese was produced using broccoli florets paste at four different levels (0, 5, 10 and 15%), with Lactobacillus casei NRRL B-1922 as a probiotic strain, to evaluate its physicochemical, phenols, antioxidant activity, minerals, vitamins, textural, microbiological and sensory characteristics during storage for 15 days.FindingsThe results indicated that Labneh cheese with added broccoli paste exhibited significantly (p = 0.05) higher level of moisture, acidity, soluble nitrogen, phenols, antioxidant activity, minerals and B vitamins, and lower protein, fat, ash and pH values when compared to control Labneh cheese. Textural analysis of Labneh cheese indicated that Labneh with higher level of broccoli (15%) exhibited harder texture than others. Higher viable counts of Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus thermophilus were detected in Labneh with broccoli paste, and the counts (107 cfu/g) were higher than the number should be present to achieve their health benefits. The most acceptable Labneh cheeses were those supplemented with 5 and 10% broccoli paste.Originality/valueThis study revealed broccoli florets could enhance the growth of Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus thermophilus in the Labneh matrix, which resulted in a wider spectrum of health benefits of Labneh cheese to the consumers.

Grapes drip irrigation regimes and their efciency

The influence of drip irrigation regimes on the yield of Rkatsiteli grapes, the efciency of irrigation water use, the formation of costs of natural, fnancial and energy resources in the South of Ukraine has been studied. The results of the study confrmed that the yield of grapes is not proportional to the consumption of irrigation water, but depends on the level of moisture in the local soil volume in the most important phases of development. It was found out that plants unimpeded water consumption during the entire growing season requires maximum (within 1134 m3/ha)irrigation water consumption and resources to ensure a high level of irrigation soil moisture, while plant yields increased by only 45–47 % compared to non-irrigated control. The regime of soil moisture during the frst half of the growing season did not have a signifcant effect on the number of fruit shoots that are indicators of their fertility. The most signifcant influence of moisture availability thresholds of the active layer of soil was manifested in the process of berry harvest formation. The total effect of the interaction of factors such as high soil moisture, more fruit shoots, their high fruiting and high average weight of the bunch provided the highest yield of grapes, which amounted to 11.3– 11.7 t/ha, or 47.4 % more than with a control area. In the conditions of the economical irrigation regime, at the level of 100–70 % of HB during the whole period of vegetation of plants, the average yield of berries was 10.7 t/ha, which exceeds by 37.1 % similar indicators of the control area. A detailed analysis of the results of the experiment shows that the irrigation regime differently affects the effciency of the main resource-irrigation water, the cost of which for the formation of 1 ton of berries with unimpeded moisture (100–80 % HB), during the growing season, is 476 m3/t. The most economically used irrigation water in the economical irrigation mode at the level of 100–70 % HB reduces the specifc water consumption to 266 m3/t. In the area of this variant, the yield of berries was 10.5 t/ha, ie decreased by 8.6 %, while the specifc water consumption decreased by 38.3 %, compared with similar indicators of the area with unimpeded inflow of moisture. Key words: grapes, Rkatsiteli, drip irrigation, berry yield, irrigation regime, moisture defciency, irrigation water.

Zmiany warunków hydrologicznych wynikające z tworzenia nasypów – przegląd przypadków

The article discusses typical examples of the impact of embankments on the surrounding water conditions. The studied cases illustrate the two most common groups of changes in hydrological conditions related to the formation of embankments. One such change is the raising of the groundwater table under the embankment, which usually leads to high level of moisture in the immediate vicinity of the embankment. Three cases were discussed in this group. One is a typical impact of a large embankment that has caused a significant increase in soil moisture nearby. The second example is a situation where the terrain lying between the embankments is strongly damp. The third example is a plot of land which, despite its particularly unfavourable location – surrounded on three sides by embankments – has not been damp due to the unusually high permeability of the ground. The second group of changes consists of various modifications of surface runoff conditions. Some embankments – made of impermeable materials – increase surface runoff by blocking the infiltration of rainwater. Other embankments redirect or block surface runoff, causing the formation of landlocked area. In addition, an analysis of one reported case has revealed the effects of backfilling a large gorge, which had significantly increased the surface catchment area, which in turn resulted in a significant increase in surface runoff. The case of building embankments on a river floodplain was also discussed. The article shows that similar nature of changes in topography may cause different hydrological effects depending on the permeability and retention capacity of the ground.

Near‐surface water fluxes and their controls in a sloping heterogeneously layered volcanic soil beneath a supra‐wet tropical montane cloud forest (NW Costa Rica)

AbstractTropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) receive additional (‘occult’) inputs of water from fog and wind‐driven rain. Together with the concomitant reduction in evaporative losses, this typically leads to high soil moisture levels (often approaching saturation) that are likely to promote rapid subsurface flow via macropores. Although TMCF make up an estimated 6.6% of all remaining montane tropical forest and occur mostly in steep headwater areas that are protected in the expectation of reduced downstream flooding, TMCF hillslope hydrological functioning has rarely been studied. To better understand the hydrological response of a supra‐wet TMCF (net precipitation up to 6535 mm y−1) on heterogeneously layered volcanic ash soils (Andosols), we examined temporal and spatial soil moisture dynamics and their contribution to shallow subsurface runoff and stormflow for a year (1 July 2003–30 June 2004) in a small headwater catchment on the Atlantic (windward) slope near Monteverde, NW Costa Rica. Particular attention was paid to the partitioning of water fluxes into lateral subsurface flow and vertical percolation. The presence of a gravelly layer (C‐horizon) at ~25 cm depth of very high hydraulic conductivity (geometric mean: 502 mm h−1) intercalated between two layers of much lower conductivity (7.5 and 15.7 mm h−1 above and below, respectively), controlled both surface infiltration and delayed vertical water movement deeper into the soil profile. Soil water fluxes during rainfall were dominated by rapid lateral flow in the gravelly layer, particularly at high soil moisture levels. In turn, this lateral subsurface flow controlled the magnitude and timing of stormflow from the catchment. Stormflow amount increased rapidly once topsoil moisture content exceeded a threshold value of ~0.58 cm3 cm−3. Responses were not affected appreciably by rainfall intensity because soil hydraulic conductivities across the profile largely exceeded prevailing rainfall intensities.

Effects of Atmospheric Pressure on Water Absorption in Plastic Insulation – A Laboratory Investigation

Abstract Plastic insulation materials, particularly polystyrene insulation, are widely used in the construction sector because of their good insulating capabilities and mechanical stability. However, in many building applications, the insulation materials are exposed to high levels of moisture over prolonged periods, which increases the thermal conductivity of the material and may facilitate growth of fungi. In order to minimize the extent and impact of moisture absorption in plastic insulation, more knowledge is sought on the exact process by which water is absorbed. In this article, tests of water absorption by complete immersion are carried out on expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS), following Method 2A of the European Standard EN 12087:2013, Thermal Insulating Products for Building Applications - Determination of Long Term Water Absorption by Immersion, but over a longer duration (227 days) and with more frequent measurements than mandated by the standard. Over 91 days, EPS was found to absorb an amount of water approximately four times its dry mass. Observations indicate that the water absorption of EPS is significantly influenced by fluctuations in atmospheric pressure. A drop in pressure of 50 hPa between two measurements 1 week apart led to a 15 wt.% decrease in the water content of submerged EPS samples. XPS was found to absorb significantly less moisture than EPS, with a weight increase less than 15% over 91 days and with negligible influence from variations in atmospheric pressure. The impact of atmospheric pressure fluctuation is currently not accounted for in any testing standards. As such, this article uncovers a major source of uncertainty in the testing procedure of EN 12087:2013 and its ASTM counterparts.

Application of a Structured Water Generator for Crop Irrigation: Structured Water, Drought Tolerance, and Alteration of Plant Defense Mechanisms to Abiotic Stressors

A greenhouse study was conducted to enhance drought tolerance in velvet bean plants (Mucuns pruriens) using structured irrigation water. The study combined magnetized seed treatments with watering plants with structured water treatments. A closed-loop, water system was custom-built to generate the structured irrigation water. The custom water generator utilized two energy fields (magnetic and ultra-violet radiation) to generate the structured water. The objectives of the study were to: 1) determine the effects of a magnetized seed treatment on velvet bean plants, 2) determine the effects of magnetized water treatments on velvet bean plants, 3) determine the effects of water treated with a hydroxylated water generator on velvet bean plants, 4) determine the effects of three soil moisture levels on velvet bean plants. The plant responses included: 1) foliage gas exchange rates 2) soil moisture, 3) cumulative water volume for each plant, 4) plant water use efficiency, and 5) oven-dry foliage biomass. The foliage gas exchange responses showed that the magnetized seed and structured water treatments disassociated the relationships between photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and internal carbon dioxide rates from soil moisture and leaf temperature. The optimal, combined magnetized seed and structured water treatments increased water savings from 32 to 52% over the unstructured water treatments, under the low soil moisture level. The maximum plant water use efficiency was 2.81, which occurred with a structured water treatment under the high soil moisture level. There was a 6.8 % decrease in oven-dry foliage biomass for the optimal magnetized seed and structured water treatment when compared with the control treatment. However, the tradeoff in reduced biomass was compensated with a 41% savings in water usage, 25% reduction in Pn, 34% reduction in stomatal conductance, and a 7% reduction in internal carbon dioxide under the low soil moisture level for the optimal magnetized seed and structured water treatment. The combined seed and water treatments fundamentally alter drought adaptation plant responses to water stress conditions which resulted in a significant reduction in irrigation water usage. The interactions between magnetized seed treatments and structured water treatments on plant stress physiology need to be further investigated to confirm these water conservation findings. Structured water generators should be evaluated for physicochemical water properties and stability of water in soil and plant matrices.

Wireless Textile Moisture Sensor for Wound Care

One of the main problems of hard-to-heal wounds regards the monitoring of their healing progress. Currently, clinicians monitor the wound’s status by removing the dressing, disturbing the healing process. A relevant parameter that they need to monitor is wound moisture. Indeed, a low amount of exudate can desiccate the wound, while a high level of moisture will lead to maceration. Thus, to optimize the healing process, it is particularly important to maintain an optimum level of moisture, while limiting unnecessary dressing changes. An innovative solution to address this issue is the design of a bandage with an integrated moisture sensor. In this work, we developed a textile sensor based on a conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) that discriminates wound’s moisture level. PEDOT:PSS is screen printed on a gauze in a specific geometry. Exploiting its intrinsic electrochemical properties, the sensor operates in real time by monitoring impedance variations that span over several orders of magnitude between dry and wet states. The sensor is directly integrated with an RFID chip, implementing a real-time wireless monitoring. The final device results in a low-cost, user friendly, disposable and wirelessly connected patch.

Unraveling relationships of prompt germination among four species of Inga Mill detected by morpho-anatomical and histochemical traits

Seeds are structured with specific morphological attributes that influence their ability to establish new sporophytes in their environments. In this sense, studies of the morphological traits of seeds contribute to the understanding of processes related to the germination, storage and management of plant species. The aim of this study was to characterize the seeds of four species of Inga in terms of biometrics, morphoanatomy and histochemistry. Furthermore, the relationships between these trait variations among Inga species and their impact on seed germination were investigated. The seeds presented high moisture levels, above 40%. I. edulis had 20% viviparity, in contrast to I. cinnamomea, which had 0.1% viviparity. The seeds of I. pezizifera presented more than 50% polyembryony, which influenced seedling vigor. The tegument did not affect the germination percentage. On the other hand, the presence of the tegument influenced the mean germination time for I. cinnamomea, whose seeds with tegument germinated, on average, after 16 days, while the seeds of the other species germinated in 2 to 3 days. Morphologically, the seeds were anatropous, elliptical and exalbuminous. The embryonic axis was well developed and hairy. The tegument was membranous or leathery and caused no physical barrier to germination. However, differences were observed among species in terms of the thickness of the tegument and of the tegument cell walls. In cotyledons and on the embryonic axis, there was a wide distribution of neutral polysaccharides, starches and proteins. Lipids were scarce. Therefore, when taken together, the results concerning Inga seed characteristics contributed to elucidating the factors related to their accelerated and high rates of germination, which reflect their potential for early seedling establishment.

The Role of Water Content in the Casing Layer for Mushroom Crop Production and the Occurrence of Fungal Diseases

Mushroom cultivation requires effective control of environmental cues to obtain the best yield and high quality. The impact of water content in the casing layer on mushroom yield and the incidence of two of the most important diseases in the mushroom growing farms, dry bubble and cobweb diseases, was evaluated. Different initial water content in the casing and two alternative irrigation programs applied (light or moderate irrigation) were the agronomic parameters under study during five separate button mushroom crop trials. Higher initial humidity content in the casing layer reported a larger yield, with a fewer number of basidiomes but heavier, while no correlation to the dry matter content or the colour of the basidiomes was noted. The incidence of dry bubble disease was not conditioned by the water content of the casing layer, at the high moisture levels established in the study. In the case of Cladobotryum mycophilum, the lower moisture level of the casing layer reported more incidence of cobweb disease, and subsequently harmful yield losses. According to the results obtained, the right management of the moisture level in the casing materials could promote crop yield and preclude the significant impact of dry bubble and cobweb diseases.

Facile synthesis strategy for the development of carbon fiber cloth supported palladium catalyst from spent Pd catalyst for low-temperature CO oxidation

Metal supported catalysts are well-known for the effective conversion of carbon monoxide. Among different support materials that are generally employed, activated carbon-based materials are important because of their well-developed structural characteristics. This paper investigates the development of palladium (Pd) catalyst supported on activated carbon fiber cloth (CFC) as a potential scalable material for mitigation of environmental pollution by studying its carbon monoxide (CO) removal efficiency under ambient conditions. As a Pd source, the deactivated Pd/C catalyst was employed for the development of the Pd/CFC catalyst. Palladium was reduced using reducing agents of different reduction potential, i.e. , sodium borohydride and formaldehyde. The catalysts were characterized using atomic absorption spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray powder diffraction, BET surface area analyzer, temperature-programmed reduction and desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, H 2 chemisorption followed by CO efficiency studies. It was observed that the microporous nature of activated CFC affects the surface metal concentration of Pd 0 and Pd +2 and accordingly, the CO conversion activity. The study involves testing the dependency of moisture towards the catalyst and noticed that a higher moisture level causes a reduction in the CO conversion efficiency due to pore blockage. • Carbon Monoxide removal studies using Palladium impregnated activated carbon fiber cloth (Pd/CFC) was conducted. • A spent Pd/C catalyst was re-used as a metal precursor for catalyst preparation to make the process economically viable. • The Pd/CFC catalyst was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method followed by liquid media reduction. • The effect of different reducing agents on the efficacy of cloth catalyst was studied. • The structural characteristics of Pd/CFC catalysts and its dependency on moisture for the catalytic activity was studied.

Impact of inkjet printing parameters and environmental conditions on formation of 2D and 3D binder jetting geometries

While Binder Jet Additive Manufacturing (BJAM) has great potential, its implementation is limited by defects in the finished parts. An improved understanding of how printing parameters impact the quality of the printed parts is needed. Prior work on the droplet/powder interactions in BJAM printing focused on individual lines, this work shows that successful layer formation favors larger droplet spacing than is viable in individual lines. When printing layers, the first printed layer was significantly rougher than the spread bed indicating significant powder ejection. However, this difference was eliminated after printing 1–4 additional layers. These results show that prior printed layers have a strong impact on droplet impact and imbibition and that simple droplet or line geometries are not effective for testing printing parameters. The roughness of the first layer may contribute to large pores observed between layers. This paper further examines the impact of key printing parameters including layer thickness, droplet/line spacing, and droplet inter-arrival time on the effective saturation and surface roughness of 2D and 3D parts. The droplet inter-arrival time (print frequency) had negligible impact on surface roughness and saturation under the conditions tested. Printed layers behaved similarly at droplet spacing values comparable to the droplet diameter (44 μm). In contrast, droplet spacing of 60 μm, produced substantially lower saturation. Effective saturation generally increases with increased number of layers. Ambient humidity exposure during printing is shown to have a negligible impact on printing outcomes though higher moisture levels from steam exposure dramatically alter saturation. Drying powder before spreading reduced variation in the printed parts. All tests were based on gas atomized −22 μm 316 SS powder.

Effect of biochar applications on soil phosphorus availability under different soil moisture levels

Soil moisture level is crucial to soil phosphorus (P) availability; however, there is no quantitative research on the relation between soil P availability and moisture level. In addition, biochar application could also alter soil P availability at different moisture levels. In this study, a 16 d soil incubation experiment was conducted at a laboratory scale to analyze the effects of soil moisture and P fertilization regimes (P-laden biochar fertilizer and conventional mineral P fertilizer) on soil P availability and fractionation. The results showed that soil P availability was positively correlated with soil moisture level (Pearson coefficients ranged from 0.46 to 0.91). High moisture level would lead to less amount of P in readily available fractions under P-laden biochar application. However, even with less P in readily available fractions, P-laden biochar could maintain soil P availability (117.7 mg P·m−2) at a similar level as the conventional P fertilizer (116.1 mg P·m−2).

Insulation Materials and Systems for More- and All-Electric Aircraft: A Review Identifying Challenges and Future Research Needs

In recent decades, extensive research has been conducted on the electrification of commercial aircraft to reduce the dependence on mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems and replace them with electrical systems. A primary goal of this path is to make the power density of the more-/all-electric aircraft (MEA/AEA) closer to that of conventional aircraft. While current commercial aircraft operate at voltages below 1 kV, it is widely accepted that higher operating voltage is necessary for MEA/AEA. NASA has envisaged a voltage level of at least 6 kV for MEA. In the language of electrical insulation technology, higher voltage levels translate into higher electric tension on the insulation system. A serious challenge stems from the fact that, at high altitudes, high-voltage insulation design strategies are not necessarily as efficient as at sea level due to differences in environmental conditions, including lower pressure, higher moisture level, microgravity, and plasma radiation. In this article, challenges associated with the electrical insulation design of future aircraft are reviewed. These challenges extend to almost any part of the electric power system in an aircraft, such as electric machines, power converters, cables, and printed circuit boards (PCBs). An overview of the aging factors, such as internal discharges, arc tracking, and thermal degradation, is accompanied by a discussion of the potential of novel insulating material and the ways to reinforce the current commercial dielectric materials. Finally, considerations for testing at simulated high-altitude conditions and the existing standards and their deficits are investigated.

Biochemical changes in two Aronia melanocarpa cultivars’ berries during the harvest season

Biochemical changes that undergo during the harvest season in 2020 (between 28 July and 11 September) were evaluated by a comparative study of two Aronia cultivars. The experiment was conducted at the Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitesti, Arges County, Romania, on ‘Melrom’ and ‘Nero’ cultivars. Dry matter, total soluble content, pH, vitamin C, and biologically active components such as anthocyanins and phenolics variations were assessed from 28 July to 11 September 2020, for berries harvested every five days. ‘Melrom’ cultivar berries had significantly higher dry weight content, 251.43 g kg-1. ‘Nero’ showed a significantly higher vitamin C (1.87 g /kg-1 DW), total anthocyanins content (29.71 g cyanidin 3 – glucoside kg-1 DW), and juice pH (3.87). As harvest time main effect over the two cultivars taken together, dry weight, anthocyanins, total soluble content, and juice pH content increased significantly during the harvest season with 43.32%, 54.10%, 36.33%, and 17.98%, respectively, whereas significant losses of vitamin C, by 26.21%, and total phenolics compounds, by 27.90%, were recorded. Overall, early harvested fruits contained higher levels of moisture, vitamin C, and phenolics compounds, although the last crops provided less acidic fruits, with higher total soluble solids and anthocyanins content.

Exposure of magnesium oxide boards to various conditions for extended durations

Evolving construction methods and an increased demand for materials with enhanced fire resistance have created a demand for novel materials within the construction industry. In recent years, MgO boards have become more widely used as a solution to the needs of modern construction. This paper explores the behaviour of magnesium oxide boards during exposure to various temperatures and high levels of moisture. More than 1000 samples were prepared for analysis and the laboratory test durations extended beyond 2 years. Findings indicate that magnesium chloride hydroxide hydrate phases within well proportioned magnesium oxide boards remained stable after exposure to various conditions. Additionally, the mechanical properties were relatively unaffected by exposure to high levels of moisture for extended durations. Findings also indicate that magnesium oxide boards based on magnesium oxysulphate cement are not susceptible to the ‘crying’ phenomenon. By correlating laboratory performance of magnesium oxide boards with weather data it was possible to ascertain that well proportioned boards would remain stable for at least 33 years in-service in the average UK location.

Understanding the relationship between rainfall and flood probabilities through combined intensity-duration-frequency analysis

The aim of this paper is to explore how rainfall mechanisms and catchment characteristics shape the relationship between rainfall and flood probabilities. We propose a new approach of comparing intensity-duration-frequency statistics of maximum annual rainfall with those of maximum annual streamflow in order to infer the catchment behavior for runoff extremes. We calibrate parsimonious intensity-duration-frequency scaling models to data from 314 rain gauges and 428 stream gauges in Austria, and analyze the spatial patterns of the resulting distributions and model parameters. Results indicate that rainfall extremes tend to be more variable in the dry lowland catchments dominated by convective rainfall than in the mountainous catchments where annual rainfall is higher and rainfall mechanisms are mainly orographic. Flood frequency curves are always steeper than the corresponding rainfall frequency curves with the exception of glaciated catchments. Based on the proposed approach of combined intensity-duration-frequency statistics we analyze elasticities as the percent change of flood discharge for a 1% change in extreme rainfall through comparing rainfall and flood quantiles. In wet catchments, the elasticities tend to unity, i.e. rainfall and flood frequency curves have similar steepness, due to persistently high soil moisture levels. In dry catchments, elasticities are much higher, implying steeper frequency curves of floods than those of rainfall, which is interpreted in terms of more skewed distributions of event runoff coefficients. While regional differences in the elasticities can be attributed to both dominating regional rainfall mechanisms and regional catchment characteristics, our results suggest that catchment characteristics are the dominating controls. With increasing return period, elasticities tend towards unity, which is consistent with various runoff generation concepts. Our findings may be useful for process-based flood frequency extrapolation and climate impact studies, and further studies are encouraged to explore the tail behavior of elasticities.