Multivariate optimization and comparison between conventional extraction (CE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) of carotenoid extraction from cashew apple

Carotenoids are an essential component of cashew and can be used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, natural pigment, food additives, among other applications. The present work focuses on optimizing and comparing conventional and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods. Every optimization step took place with a 1:1 (w:w) mixture of yellow and red cashew apples lyophilized and ground in a cryogenic mill. A Simplex-centroid design was applied for both methods, and the solvents acetone, methanol, ethanol, and petroleum ether were evaluated. After choosing the extractor solvent, a central composite design was applied to optimize the sample mass (59–201 mg) and extraction time (6–34 min). The optimum conditions for the extractor solvent were 38% acetone, 30% ethanol, and 32% petroleum ether for CE and a mixture of 44% acetone and 56% methanol for UAE. The best experimental conditions for UAE were a sonication time of 19 min and a sample mass of 153 mg, while the CE was 23 min and 136 mg. Comparing red and yellow cashews, red cashews showed a higher carotenoid content in both methodologies. The UAE methodology was ca. 21% faster, presented a more straightforward composition of extracting solution, showed an average yield of superior carotenoid content in all samples compared to CE. Therefore, UAE has demonstrated a simple, efficient, fast, low-cost adjustment methodology and a reliable alternative for other applications involving these bioactive compounds in the studied or similar matrix.     

A general framework for describing photofission observables of actinides at an average excitation energy below 30 MeV

A reasonable prediction of photofission observables plays a paramount role in understanding the photofission process and guiding various photofission-induced applications, such as short-lived isotope production, nuclear waste disposal, and nuclear safeguards. However, the available experimental data for photofission observables are limited, and the existing models and programs have mainly been developed for neutron-induced fission processes. In this study, a general framework is proposed for characterizing the photofission observables of actinides, including the mass yield distributions (MYD) and isobaric charge distributions (ICD) of fission fragments and the multiplicity and energy distributions of prompt neutrons (n_p) and prompt γ rays (γ_p). The framework encompasses various systematic neutron models and empirical models considering the Bohr hypothesis and does not rely on the experimental data as input. These models are then validated individually against experimental data at an average excitation energy below 30 MeV, which shows the reliability and robustness of the general framework. Finally, we employ this framework to predict the characteristics of photofission fragments and the emissions of prompt particles for typical actinides including ²³²Th, ^{235, 238}U and ²⁴⁰Pu. It is found that the ²³⁸U(γ, f) reaction is more suitable for producing neutron-rich nuclei compared to the ²³²Th(γ, f) reaction. In addition, the average multiplicity number of both n_p and γ_p increases with the average excitation energy.     

微区X射线荧光成像技术在岩心分析中的应用

微区X射线荧光（Micro-XRF）分析技术是通过微小的X射线光束照射样品，对样品进行原位成分观测的无损分析手段之一，具有灵敏度高、速度快和准确性高的特点。采用微区X射线荧光光谱仪（M6 JETSTREAM）对安徽铜陵冬瓜山铜矿床四段岩心样品进行面扫描，分析不同矿层共17种元素区域分布特征、空间分布规律及组合关系等，结果表明：（1）Cu和Fe两种成矿元素高值空间分布区域基本不重叠，S与Fe分布范围高度重叠，关系密切，微量元素Ni，Bi，Pb，Zn，Si，Na与Cu密切相关，而Ti，Al，K与Fe具有弱相关性；（2）垂向上，Fe元素含量随深度增加逐步增大，而Cu元素含量呈降低趋势，其他元素也随深度呈下降趋势；（3）元素分布受石炭纪中期海底喷流沉积成矿作用和岩浆热液成矿作用叠加改造作用明显；（4）该钻孔矿石矿物以磁黄铁矿、黄铜矿和黄铁矿为主，垂向上组合规律明显，脉石矿物以石英、石榴子石和透辉石为主。该技术通过分析元素空间分布规律、相关性以及矿物组合和分配关系等可对元素富集和运移以及对矿床的成矿机制、成因模式等地质环境和地质过程提供新认识和新证据。结合矿床地球化学特征的分布模式，微量元素可作为寻找主矿种的指示元素，为深部找矿提供依据。此外，该技术能作为预分析技术快速筛选出感兴趣的信息和位置，为后期各种更高精度的微区分析提供不同尺度、不同层次的元素分布信息。     

Ergodic stationary distribution and practical application of a hybrid stochastic cholera transmission model with waning vaccine-induced immunity under nonlinear regime switching

Considering the effect of stochasticity including white noise and colored noise, this paper aims to study a hybrid stochastic cholera epidemic model with waning vaccine-induced immunity and nonlinear telegraph perturbations. First, we derive a critical value ${?}_0^C$ related to the basic reproduction number ${?}_0$ of the deterministic model. The key aim of this paper is to generalize the θ-stochastic criterion method proposed by the recent work (Han et al. in Chaos Solit Fract 140:110238, 2020) to eliminate nonlinear telegraph perturbations. Next, via constructing several θ-stochastic Lyapunov functions and using the generalized method, we further prove that the stochastic model have a unique ergodic stationary distribution under ${?}_0^C>1$. Results show that the prevention and control of cholera epidemic depend on low transmission rate and small telegraph perturbations. Finally, the corresponding numerical simulations are performed to illustrate our analytical results and a practical application on the Somalia cholera outbreak is shown at the end of this paper.     

Stabilized Nonconforming Mixed Finite Element Method for Linear Elasticity on Rectangular or Cubic Meshes

Based on the primal mixed variational formulation, a stabilized nonconforming mixed finite element method is proposed for the linear elasticity on rectangular and cubic meshes. Two kinds of penalty terms are introduced in the stabilized mixed formulation, which are the jump penalty term for the displacement and the divergence penalty term for the stress. We use the classical nonconforming rectangular and cubic elements for the displacement and the discontinuous piecewise polynomial space for the stress, where the discrete space for stress are carefully chosen to guarantee the well-posedness of discrete formulation. The stabilized mixed method is locking-free. The optimal convergence order is derived in the $L^2$-norm for stress and in the broken $H^1$-norm and $L^2$-norm for displacement. A numerical test is carried out to verify the optimal convergence of the stabilized method.     

介观电路中量子纠缠的经典对应

从量子力学诞生日起,它的经典对应(或类比)一直是物理学家关心的话题.本文以介观电路量子化的框架中,带有互感的两个介观电容-电感(LC)电路为例,首次讨论了量子纠缠的经典类比(或对应)问题.先用有序算符内的积分理论证明其互感是产生量子纠缠的源头;再推导出求解特征频率的公式,就发现它与一个经典系统的小振动频率的表达式有相似之处,该经典系统组成如下:两个墙壁各连一个相同的弹簧,两个弹簧之间接着一个滑动小车可以在光滑的桌面上运动,小车挂有一根单摆.用分析力学求此系统的小振动频率,发现与上述介观电路的特征频率形式类似,单摆的摆动会造成小车来回振动,摆、小车和弹簧的互相牵制效应反映了小车和摆的"纠缠".     

全球海洋潜水旅游目的地分布特征及其自然影响因素研究

以全球海洋潜水旅游目的地为研究对象, 借助地理信息系统(GIS), 运用基尼系数、层次分析法(AHP)等方法, 研究全球海洋潜水旅游目的地的分布特征及其自然影响因素. 结果显示: (1)全球海洋潜水旅游目的地的分布数量由低纬向高纬递减; 洲际分布呈现高度集中, 主要聚集区是东亚与东南亚、地中海-红海以及加勒比海沿岸, 太平洋、印度洋与大西洋为散点分布. (2)影响海洋潜水旅游目的地的自然因素主要为海洋地形、海水温度、陆地气温、洋流、潮汐、海水能见度、珊瑚礁等, 相关因素影响程度与广度因海域呈现地域综合导控, 使得海洋潜水旅游目的地主要聚集在热带海域等地.     

The value function of a transportation problem

We investigate the value of an optimal transportation problem with the maximization objective as a function of costs and vectors of production and consumption. The value is concave in production. For generic costs, the numbers of linearity domains and peak points are independent of costs and consumption. The peak points are determined by an auxiliary assignment problem. The volumes of the linearity domains are independent of costs while their dependence on consumption can be expressed via the multinomial distribution.     

3.0T MRI检查结合X线钼靶诊断乳腺恶性肿瘤的研究

本研究探讨3.0T磁共振成像(MRI)结合X线钼靶诊断乳腺恶性肿瘤的价值。采用回顾性研究方法,选取乳腺肿块患者110例162个病灶,给予3.0T MRI及X线钼靶检查。经病理确诊为恶性病变101个;恶性病灶形态不规则、边缘毛刺、时间-信号强度曲线(TIC)类型Ⅲ型和早期增强率≥60%比例明显高于良性病灶(P<0.05),而分叶状比例和表观扩散系数(ADC)值明显低于良性病变(P<0.05);恶性病变X线钼靶表现:形态不规则、钙化、结构不对称和大导管征比例明显高于良性病变(P<0.05);MRI联合X线钼靶诊断乳腺恶性病变的灵敏性、准确性和阴性预测值明显高于MRI诊断(P<0.05)。3.0T MRI检查结合X线钼靶诊断乳腺恶性肿瘤有较好的价值。