Development of a quality index method (QIM) sensory scheme and study of shelf-life of ice-stored blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo)

The aim of this work was to develop a quality index method (QIM) scheme for whole ice-boxed refrigerated blackspot seabream and to perform shelf-life evaluations, using sensory analysis, GR Torrymeter measurements and bacterial counts of specific spoilage organisms (SSO) during chilled storage. A QIM scheme based on a total of 30 demerit points was developed. Sensory, physical and microbiological data were integrated and used to determine the rejection point. Results indicated that the shelf-life of blackspot seabream is around 12-13 days. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agrofuel policies in Brazil: paradigmatic and territorial disputes

The expansion of agrofuel crops challenges us to rethink policies, territories, human agency, and the paradigms used to explain them. In Brazil, policies supporting the expansion of agrofuel crops and the intensification of agrofuel production are reorganising rural land use and undermining some forms of participation in the capitalist and family modes of production. To reflect on this new reality, we study peasant movement reactions, proposals, and territorial disputes with agribusiness. Using the Pontal do Paranapanema region of São Paulo state as a case in point, the paper analyses territorial disputes between expanding sugarcane plantations and agrarian reform settlements as well as biodiesel production projects developed by the Landless Workers Movement (MST) and the Western São Paulo Federation of Settlement and Family Farmer Associations (FAAFOP). It also analyses the agrofuel policies of other peasant organisations, including Via Campesina. The production of agrofuels has changed the processes of land acquisition and use by both agribusiness and the peasantry, provoking new insights into the nature of territorial conflicts and thereby stimulating the need to revise perspectives on the agrarian question in Brazil.

TERRITORIAL DISPUTES, LABOUR RELATIONS and ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IN AGROHIDRONEGOCIO sugarcane IN THE PONTAL PARANAPANEMA (SP)

This research aims to analyze the conflict over land in Postal do Paranapanema (state of São Paulo, Brazil), considering the competition for water resources and the degradation of environmental health in the area called the agrohidronegocio sugarcane. The survey results indicate that the expansion of sugarcane cultivation in this region is causing the worsening health of workers. Moreover, the research also seeks to identify alternative models to the hegemonic project of regional development based on matrix agrohidroenergetica. For this, the research has as interlocutors various types of social movements such as the Landless Workers Movement and the Movement of Dam Affected, and union leaders.

A bounded upwinding scheme for computing convection-dominated transport problems

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A continuously differentiable upwinding scheme for the simulation of fluid flow problems

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A fully adaptive multiresolution scheme for shock computations

The scheme is based on Ami Harten's ideas (Harten, 1994), the main tools coming from wavelet theory, in the framework of multiresolution analysis for cell averages. But instead of evolving cell averages on the finest uniform level, we propose to evolve just the cell averages on the grid determined by the significant wavelet coefficients. Typically, there are few cells in each time step, big cells on smooth regions, and smaller ones close to irregularities of the solution. For the numerical flux, we use a simple uniform central finite difference scheme, adapted to the size of each cell. If any of the required neighboring cell averages is not present, it is interpolated from coarser scales. But we switch to ENO scheme in the finest part of the grids. To show the feasibility and efficiency of the method, it is applied to a system arising in polymer-flooding of an oil reservoir. In terms of CPU time and memory requirements, it outperforms Harten's multiresolution algorithm.The proposed method applies to systems of conservation laws in 1Dpartial derivative(t)u(x, t) + partial derivative(x)f(u(x, t)) = 0, u(x, t) is an element of R-m. (1)In the spirit of finite volume methods, we shall consider the explicit schemeupsilon(mu)(n+1) = upsilon(mu)(n) - Deltat/hmu ((f) over bar (mu) - (f) over bar (mu)-) = [Dupsilon(n)](mu), (2)where mu is a point of an irregular grid Gamma, mu(-) is the left neighbor of A in Gamma, upsilon(mu)(n) approximate to 1/mu-mu(-) integral(mu-)(mu) u(x, t(n))dx are approximated cell averages of the solution, (f) over bar (mu) = (f) over bar (mu)(upsilon(n)) are the numerical fluxes, and D is the numerical evolution operator of the scheme.According to the definition of (f) over bar (mu), several schemes of this type have been proposed and successfully applied (LeVeque, 1990). Godunov, Lax-Wendroff, and ENO are some of the popular names. Godunov scheme resolves well the shocks, but accuracy (of first order) is poor in smooth regions. Lax-Wendroff is of second order, but produces dangerous oscillations close to shocks. ENO schemes are good alternatives, with high order and without serious oscillations. But the price is high computational cost.Ami Harten proposed in (Harten, 1994) a simple strategy to save expensive ENO flux calculations. The basic tools come from multiresolution analysis for cell averages on uniform grids, and the principle is that wavelet coefficients can be used for the characterization of local smoothness.. Typically, only few wavelet coefficients are significant. At the finest level, they indicate discontinuity points, where ENO numerical fluxes are computed exactly. Elsewhere, cheaper fluxes can be safely used, or just interpolated from coarser scales. Different applications of this principle have been explored by several authors, see for example (G-Muller and Muller, 1998).Our scheme also uses Ami Harten's ideas. But instead of evolving the cell averages on the finest uniform level, we propose to evolve the cell averages on sparse grids associated with the significant wavelet coefficients. This means that the total number of cells is small, with big cells in smooth regions and smaller ones close to irregularities. This task requires improved new tools, which are described next.

Evaluation of a bounded high order upwind scheme for 3D incompressible free surface flow computations

fit the context of normalized variable formulation (NVF) of Leonard and total variation diminishing (TVD) constraints of Harten. this paper presents an extension of it previous work by the authors for solving unsteady incompressible flow problems. The main contributions of the paper are threefold. First, it presents the results of the development and implementation of a bounded high order upwind adaptative QUICKEST scheme in the 3D robust code (Freeflow), for the numerical solution of the full incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. Second, it reports numerical simulation results for 1D hock tube problem, 2D impinging jet and 2D/3D broken clam flows. Furthermore, these results are compared with existing analytical and experimental data. and third, it presents the application of the numerical method for solving 3D free surface flow problems. (C) 2007 IMACS. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved,

Assessment of a high-order finite difference upwind scheme for the simulation of convection-diffusion problems

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Zuspan's Scheme Versus an Alternative Magnesium Sulfate Scheme: Randomized Clinical Trial of Magnesium Serum Concentrations

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Simulation results and applications of an advection bounded scheme to practical flows

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

On the Baker-Akhiezer function in the AKNS scheme

Expressions for the Baker-Akhiezer function and their logarithmic space and time derivatives are derived in terms of the matrix elements of U - V matrices and 'squared basis functions'. These expressions generalize the well known formulas for the KdV equation case and establish links between different forms of the Whitham averaging procedure.

Extension of the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model predictions at high densities and temperatures using an implicit regularization scheme

Traditional cutoff regularization schemes of the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model limit the applicability of the model to energy-momentum scales much below the value of the regularizing cutoff. In particular, the model cannot be used to study quark matter with Fermi momenta larger than the cutoff. In the present work, an extension of the model to high temperatures and densities recently proposed by Casalbuoni, Gatto, Nardulli, and Ruggieri is used in connection with an implicit regularization scheme. This is done by making use of scaling relations of the divergent one-loop integrals that relate these integrals at different energy-momentum scales. Fixing the pion decay constant at the chiral symmetry breaking scale in the vacuum, the scaling relations predict a running coupling constant that decreases as the regularization scale increases, implementing in a schematic way the property of asymptotic freedom of quantum chromodynamics. If the regularization scale is allowed to increase with density and temperature, the coupling will decrease with density and temperature, extending in this way the applicability of the model to high densities and temperatures. These results are obtained without specifying an explicit regularization. As an illustration of the formalism, numerical results are obtained for the finite density and finite temperature quark condensate and applied to the problem of color superconductivity at high quark densities and finite temperature.

A generalized alternating-direction implicit scheme for incompressible magnetohydrodynamic viscous flows at low magnetic Reynolds number

This paper presents numerical simulations of incompressible fluid flows in the presence of a magnetic field at low magnetic Reynolds number. The equations governing the flow are the Navier-Stokes equations of fluid motion coupled with Maxwell's equations of electromagnetics. The study of fluid flows under the influence of a magnetic field and with no free electric charges or electric fields is known as magnetohydrodynamics. The magnetohydrodynamics approximation is considered for the formulation of the non-dimensional problem and for the characterization of similarity parameters. A finite-difference technique is used to discretize the equations. In particular, an extension of the generalized Peaceman and Rachford alternating-direction implicit (ADI) scheme for simulating two-dimensional fluid flows is presented. The discretized conservation equations are solved in stream function-vorticity formulation. We compare the ADI and generalized ADI schemes, and show that the latter is more efficient in simulating low Reynolds number and magnetic Reynolds number problems. Numerical results demonstrating the applicability of this technique are also presented. The simulation of incompressible magneto hydrodynamic fluid flows is illustrated by numerical solution for two-dimensional cases. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A critical investigation of the Tanford-Kirkwood scheme by means of Monte Carlo simulations

Monte Carlo simulations are used to assess the adequacy of the Tanford-Kirkwood prescription for electrostatic interactions in macromolecules. Within a continuum dielectric framework, the approach accurately describes salt screening of electrostatic interactions for moderately charged systems consistent with common proteins at physiological conditions. The limitations of the Debye-Huckel theory, which forms the statistical mechanical basis for the Tanford-Kirkwood result, become apparent for highly charged systems. It is shown, both by an analysis of the Debye-Huckel theory and by numerical simulations, that the difference in dielectric permittivity between macromolecule and surrounding solvent does not play a significant role for salt effects if the macromolecule is highly charged. By comparison to experimental data, the continuum dielectric model (combined with either an approximate effective Hamiltonian as in the Tanford-Kirkwood treatment or with exact Monte Carlo simulations) satisfactorily predicts the effects of charge mutation on metal ion binding constants, but only if the macromolecule and solvent are assigned the same or similar permittivities.