Suitable weak solutions: from compressible viscous to incompressible inviscid fluid flows

We establish the asymptotic limit of the compressible Navier–Stokes system in the regime of low Mach and high Reynolds number on unbounded spatial domains with slip boundary condition. The result holds in the class of suitable weak solutions satisfying a relative entropy inequality.     

The role of macroligands in regioselective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde

Summary Attention has been paid to the role of a macroligand in the regioselective catalytic hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde. The macroligands tested were of ordered, regular structures and also served as catalytic supports (natural graphite, plankton based silica, latex templated titania). The active part - ruthenium - was, besides the macroligands, supported also on active charcoal and high surface area sol-gel prepared silica and titania.     

A Lot-sizing Model for Just-in-time Manufacturing

We consider the problem of determining lot sizes of multiple items that are manufactured by a single capacitated facility. The manufacturing facility may represent a bottleneck processing activity on the shop floor or a storeroom that provides components to the shop floor. Items flow from the facility to a downstream facility, where they are assembled according to a specified mix. Just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing requires a balanced flow of items, in the proper mix, between successive facilities. Our model determines lot sizes of the various items based on available capacity and four attributes of each item: demand rate, holding cost, set-up time and processing time. Holding costs for each item accrue until the appropriate mix of items is available for shipment downstream. We develop a lot-sizing heuristic that minimizes total holding cost per time unit over all items, subject to capacity availability and the required mix of items.     

Improvements to CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> headspace biodegradability test

This study proposes changes to the design and evaluation of the CO₂ headspace test, which is used as a simple method for assessment of the complete biodegradability of surfactants. It presents a modified equation for the calculation of biodegradation. It is proposed that the solution of 7 mol L^?1 sodium hydroxide commonly used in the process involving alkalinisation of the vial contents be replaced with 15 mol L^?1 sodium hydroxide. The use of the higher hydroxide concentration leads to a significant reduction in the value of the blank CO₂ headspace test.     

Automated in-syringe single-drop head-space micro-extraction applied to the determination of ethanol in wine samples

A novel approach of head-space single-drop micro-extraction applied to the determination of ethanol in wine is presented. For the first time, the syringe of an automated syringe pump was used as an extraction chamber of adaptable size for a volatile analyte. This approach enabled to apply negative pressure during the enrichment step, which favored the evaporation of the analyte. Placing a slowly spinning magnetic stirring bar inside the syringe, effective syringe cleaning as well as mixing of the sample with buffer solution to suppress the interference of acetic acid was achieved.     

Characterization of fatty acid and triacylglycerol composition in animal fats using silver-ion and non-aqueous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/flame ionization detection

Fatty acid (FA) and triacylglycerol (TG) composition of natural oils and fats intake in the diet has a strong influence on the human health and chronic diseases. In this work, non-aqueous reversed-phase (NARP) and silver-ion high-performance liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry detection and gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection (GC/FID) and mass spectrometry detection are used for the characterization of FA and TG composition in complex samples of animal fats from fallow deer, red deer, sheep, moufflon, wild boar, cock, duck and rabbit. The FA composition of samples is determined based on the GC/FID analysis of FA methyl esters. In total, 81 FAs of different acyl chain length, double bond (DB) number, branched/linear, cis-/trans- and DB positional isomers are identified. TGs in animal fats contain mainly monounsaturated and saturated FAs. High amounts of branched and trans-FAs are observed in the samples of ruminants. In NARP mode, individual TG species are separated including the separation of trans- and branched TGs. Silver-ion mode provides the separation of TG regioisomers, which enables the determination of their ratios. Great differences in the preference of unsaturated and saturated FAs in the sn-2 position on the glycerol skeleton are observed among individual animal fats. Unsaturated FAs are preferentially occupied in the sn-2 position in all animal samples except for wild boar with the strong preference of saturated FAs in the sn-2 position.     

PsbO, the manganese-stabilizing protein: analysis of the structure-function relations that provide insights into its role in photosystem II

The minireview presented here summarizes current information on the structure and function of PsbO, the photosystem II (PSII) manganese-stabilizing protein, with an emphasis on the protein's assembly into PSII, and its function in facilitating rapid turnovers of the oxygen evolving reaction. Two putative mechanisms for functional assembly of PsbO, which behaves as an intrinsically disordered polypeptide in solution, into PSII are proposed. Finally, a model is presented for the role of PsbO in relation to the function of the Mn, Ca(2+), and Cl(-) cofactors that are required for water oxidation, as well as for the action of hydroxide and small Mn reductants that inhibit the function of the active site of the oxygen-evolving complex.