The present work aimed to analyze the roll of carbon nano tubes and graphene nano fillers on the mechanical and thermal characteristics of hollow glass microsphere reinforced epoxy composites. Composites with varying content of hollow glass microballoons (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 wt %) reinforced in epoxy matrix were fabricated. Additionally, two more types of composites, one with graphene nano fillers and the other with carbon nano tube at a constant 0.5 wt %, were fabricated with varying weight percentages of hollow glass microballoons (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%). The composites were fabricated using an open mold casting process. Composites were tested for thermal and mechanical properties. The tensile and flexural moduli were found to rise as the HGM concentration increased. Graphene-filled HGM/epoxy composites revealed the highest modulus compared with HGM/epoxy and HGM/CNT/epoxy composites. The impact strength of all composite types decreased as the HGM content increased. Neat epoxy specimens... [more]

Green human resource management (GHRM) determines the green behavior practice of employees and affects the social environment and the realization of “Beautiful China” and “Green Development”. In this study, to explore the impact mechanism of GHRM on employees’ green behavior, employees at all levels in an enterprise were selected to be research subjects and a regulated intermediary model was established, based on social exchange theory and the individual-environment matching theory. This paper investigated the enterprise’s GHRM, personal green behavior, relational psychological contract, environmental knowledge and green values. The results show that GHRM has a significant positive predictive effect on employees’ green behavior, the relational psychological contract plays an intermediary role between GHRM and employees’ green behavior and the intermediary role of the relational psychological contract is regulated by environmental knowledge and green values. These research results expla... [more]

The paper aimed at studying the slow pyrolysis of vine pruning waste in a fixed bed reactor and characterizing the pyrolysis products. Pyrolysis experiments were conducted for 60 min, using CO2 as a carrier gas and oxidizing agent. The distribution of biochar and bio-oil was dependent on variations in heat flux (4244−5777 W/m2), CO2 superficial velocity (0.004−0.008 m/s), and mean size of vegetal material (0.007−0.011 m). Relationships among these factors and process performances in terms of yields of biochar (0.286−0.328) and bio-oil (0.260−0.350), expressed as ratio between the final mass of pyrolysis product and initial mass of vegetal material, and final value of fixed bed temperature (401.1−486.5 °C) were established using a 23 factorial design. Proximate and ultimate analyses, FT-IR and SEM analyses, measurements of bulk density (0.112 ± 0.001 g/cm3), electrical conductivity (0.55 ± 0.03 dS/m), pH (10.35 ± 0.06), and water holding capacity (58.99 ± 14.51%) were performed for bioc... [more]

Highway tunnels are one of the paramount infrastructure systems that affect the welfare of communities. They are vulnerable to higher limits of deterioration, yet there are limited available funds for maintenance and rehabilitation. This state of circumstances entails the development of a deterioration model to forecast the performance condition behavior of critical tunnel elements. Accordingly, this research paper proposes an integrated deterioration prediction model for five highway tunnel elements, namely, cast-in-place tunnel liners, concrete interior walls, concrete portal, concrete ceiling slab, and concrete slab on grade. The developed deterioration model is envisioned in two fundamental components, which are model calibration and model assessment. In the first component, an integrated model of Gaussian process regression and a grey wolf optimization algorithm (GWO-GPR) is introduced for deterioration behavior prediction of highway tunnel elements. In this regard, the grey wolf... [more]

In Industry 4.0, data are sensed and merged to drive intelligent systems. This research focuses on the optimization of selective assembly of complex mechanical products (CMPs) under intelligent system environment conditions. For the batch assembly of CMPs, it is difficult to obtain the best combinations of components from combinations for simultaneous optimization of success rate and multiple assembly quality. Hence, the Taguchi quality loss function was used to quantitatively evaluate each assembly quality and the assembly success rate is combined to establish a many-objective optimization model. The crossover and mutation operators were improved to enhance the ability of NSGA-III to obtain high-quality solution set and jump out of a local optimal solution, and the Pareto optimal solution set was obtained accordingly. Finally, considering the production mode of Human−Machine Intelligent System interaction, the optimal compromise solution is obtained by using fuzzy theory, entropy theo... [more]

In view of the complicated hydraulic system, the many driving parts and the great load variation in the combine harvester, and on-line monitoring methods of hydraulic actuating parts such as cutting tables, conveyors and threshing drums were studied. By analyzing the working principle of the hydraulic system of the combine harvester, a mathematical model of the hydraulic system of the combine harvester was established; a simulation model for the fault diagnosis of the hydraulic system of the combine harvester was established based on AMESim. The load signal was introduced to simulate the feeding amount, and the simulation test was carried out. According to the simulation analysis results, the best position of each monitoring point was determined. The on-line monitoring system of the hydraulic actuators of the combine harvester was designed by using LabView, which can collect and display the working parameters of the main working parts of a combine harvester in real time, and alarm the... [more]

The protective effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) against liver injury were evaluated by its reduction in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic damage in ICR mice. The animals were orally given CGA (60, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively) or silymairn (200 mg/kg) daily with 0.3% CCl4 administration (3 mL/kg, dissolved in olive oil) after medicament treatment on the 7th day. Compared with the normal group, CCl4 caused severe impairment in liver according to the evidence of significant reduction in the level of total albumin and expansion (p < 0.05) of the activities in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and total albumin in serum, decreased the level of glutathione (GSH), and diminished the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in liver while increasing the level of hepatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). However, oral... [more]

This paper develops a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy observer gain design algorithm to estimate ship motion based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. Nowadays, AIS data is widely applied in the maritime field. To solve the problem of safety, it is necessary to accurately estimate the trajectory of ships. Firstly, a nonlinear ship dynamic system is considered to represent the dynamic behaviors of ships. In the literature, nonlinear observer design methods have been studied to estimate the ship path based on AIS data. However, the nonlinear observer design method is challenging to create directly since some dynamic ship systems are more complex. This paper represents nonlinear ship dynamic systems by the Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model. Based on the Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model, a fuzzy observer design method is developed to solve the problem of estimating using AIS data. Moreover, the observer gains of the fuzzy observer can be adjusted systemically by a novel algorithm. Via the proposed algorit... [more]

This mini-review highlights the recent research trends in designing organic or organic-inorganic hybrid molecular, biomolecular and macromolecular systems employing intermolecular Diels−Alder cycloadditions of biobased, furan-containing substrates and maleimide dienophiles. The furan/maleimide Diels−Alder reaction is a well-known process that may proceed with high efficiency under non-catalytic and solvent-free conditions. Due to the simplicity, 100% atom economy and biobased nature of many furanic substrates, this type of [4+2]-cycloaddition may be recognized as a sustainable “click” approach with high potential for application in many fields, such as fine organic synthesis, bioorganic chemistry, material sciences and smart polymers development.

Permeation enhancers (PEs) can increase the bioavailability of drugs. The mechanisms of action of these PEs are complex, but, typically, when used for oral administration, they can transiently induce the alteration of trans- and paracellular pathways, including increased solubilization and membrane fluidity, or the opening of the tight junctions. To elucidate these mechanistic details, it is important to understand the aggregation behavior of not only the PEs themselves but also other molecules already present in the intestine. Aggregation processes depend critically on, among other factors, the charge state of ionizable chemical groups, which is affected by the pH of the system. In this study, we used explicit-pH coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the aggregation behavior and pH dependence of two commonly used PEs—caprate and SNAC—together with other components of fasted- and fed-state simulated intestinal fluids. We also present and validate a coarse-grained... [more]

Tomato processing leads to the production of considerable amounts of residues, mainly in the form of tomato skins, seeds and vascular tissues, which still contain bioactive molecules of interest for food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. These include carotenoids, such as lycopene and β-carotene, tocopherols and sitosterols, among others. Supercritical fluid extraction is well positioned for the valorization of tomato residues prior to disposal, because it remains an environmentally safe extraction process, especially when using carbon dioxide as the solvent. In this article, we provide an extensive literature overview of the research on the supercritical fluid extraction of tomato residues. We start by identifying the most relevant extractables present in tomatoes (e.g., lycopene) and their main bioactivities. Then, the main aspects affecting the extraction performance are covered, starting with the differences between tomato matrixes (e.g., seeds, skins and pulp) and poss... [more]

Hydrogen and aluminum were used to produce manganese, aluminum−manganese (AlMn) and ferromanganese (FeMn) alloys through experimental work, and mass and energy balances. Oxide pellets were made from Mn oxide and CaO powder, followed by pre-reduction by hydrogen. The reduced MnO pellets were then smelted and reduced at elevated temperatures through CaO flux and Al reductant addition, yielding metallic Mn. Changing the amount of the added Al for the aluminothermic reduction, with or without iron addition led to the production of Mn metal, AlMn alloy and FeMn alloy. Mass and energy balances were carried out for three scenarios to produce these metal products with feasible material flows. An integrated process with three main steps is introduced; a pre-reduction unit to pre-reduce Mn ore, a smelting-aluminothermic reduction unit to produce metals from the pre-reduced ore, and a gas treatment unit to do heat recovery and hydrogen looping from the pre-reduction process gas. It is shown that... [more]

Today’s global business trends are causing a significant and complex data revolution in the healthcare industry, culminating in the use of artificial intelligence and predictive modeling to improve health outcomes and performance. The dataset, which was referred to is based on consumption data from 2015 to 2019, included approximately 500 goods. Based on a series of data pre-processing activities, the top ten (10) essential medicines most used were chosen, namely cotrimoxazole 480 mg, amoxicillin 250 mg, paracetamol 500 mg, oral rehydration salts (O.R.S) sachet 20.5 g, chlorpheniramine 4 mg, nevirapine 200 mg, aminophylline 100 mg, artemether 20 mg + lumefantrine (AL) 120 mg, Cromoglycate ophthalmic. Our study concentrated on the application of machine learning (ML) to forecast future trends in the demand for essential drugs in Rwanda. The following models were created and applied: linear regression, artificial neural network, and random forest. The random forest was able to predict 10... [more]

Europe’s low-carbon energy policy favors a greater use of fuel cells and technologies based on hydrogen used as a fuel. Hydrogen delivered at the hydrogen refueling station must be compliant with requirements stated in different standards. Currently, the quality control process is performed by offline analysis of the hydrogen fuel. It is, however, beneficial to continuously monitor at least some of the contaminants onsite using chemical sensors. For hydrogen quality control with regard to contaminants, high sensitivity, integration parameters, and low cost are the most important requirements. In this study, we have reviewed the existing sensor technologies to detect contaminants in hydrogen, then discussed the implementation of sensors at a hydrogen refueling stations, described the state-of-art in protocols to perform assessment of these sensor technologies, and, finally, identified the gaps and needs in these areas. It was clear that sensors are not yet commercially available for all... [more]

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) is considered an effective method for hydrogen storage and to generate high-quality hydrogen for fuel cells. In this work, a comprehensive investigation of the methanol steam reforming process using a bimetallic Pt−Rh and Cu−Ni based on different oxide supports is presented. Highly dispersed titania and zirconia doped with indium and niobium ions were synthesized by sol−gel method. The effect of the nature and quantity of the dopant cation (In, Nb) on the catalytic performance of titania supported metal catalysts was investigated. The conclusions obtained show a significant effect of both the metal alloy and the oxide support nature on the activity and selectivity of the methanol steam reforming process. Pt−Rh alloy catalyst shows higher hydrogen yield, but its selectivity in the MSR process is lower than for the catalysts containing the Cu0.8-Ni0.2 alloy. Heterovalent indium doping of titania leads to the catalytic activity increase. It was suggested tha... [more]

Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) is a Chilean berry rich in antioxidants, which are mostly found in the pulp and skin of the fruit. The objective was to evaluate the cryoconcentration process by centrifugation−filtration as a simultaneous, efficient, and innovative method to increase the content of thermosensitive bioactive compounds of aqueous maqui extract. Cryoconcentration separated the concentrated solute from the aqueous maqui extract with an efficiency of more than 95%; it increased the content of total polyphenols and total anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity by 280%, 573%, and 226%, respectively. Although the concentrates obtained by evaporation at 50, 70, and 80 °C increased the content of bioactive compounds, they did so in a lower percentage than the cryoconcentrate. Furthermore, cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside was degraded at 70 and 80 °C. In conclusion, cryoconcentration by centrifugation−filtration as a simultaneous process efficiently separates the solutes from th... [more]

Ammonia, which has advantages over hydrogen in terms of storage and transportation, is increasingly expected to become a carbon-free fuel. However, the reduction of fuel NOx emitted from ammonia combustion is an unavoidable challenge. There is the report that two-stage combustion with parallel independent jets could achieve Low-NOx combustion under ammonia/methane co-firing conditions. In order to further improve NOx reduction, we experimentally evaluated the effects of secondary air nozzle parameters, such as nozzle diameter and nozzle locations, on combustion characteristics in two-stage combustion of ammonia/natural gas co-firing using parallel independent jets. As a result of the experiments under various secondary air nozzle conditions, it was found that under the conditions where NOx was significantly reduced, the peak temperature in the furnace was observed at 300−500 mm in the axial direction from the burner, and then the temperature decreased toward the downstream of the furna... [more]

The interest in the use of biosorption for the elimination of pollutants is because this technique is an efficient and environmentally friendly process, constituting an alternative to the so-called conventional treatment processes [...]

This article presents the most valuable and applicable open-source tools and communication technologies that may be employed to create models of production processes by applying the concept of Digital Twins. In recent years, many open-source technologies, including tools and protocols, have been developed to create virtual models of production systems. The authors present the evolution and role of the Digital Twin concept as one of the key technologies for implementing the Industry 4.0 paradigm in automation and control. Based on the presented structured review of valuable open-source software dedicated to various phases and tasks that should be realised while creating the whole Digital Twin system, it was demonstrated that the available solutions cover all aspects. However, the dispersion, specialisation, and lack of integration cause this software to usually not be the first choice to implement DT. Therefore, to successfully create full-fledged models of Digital Twins by proceeding w... [more]

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a family of biodegradable plastics used as an ecofriendly alternative for conventional plastics in various applications. In this study, an industrial-scale PHA production system was designed and analyzed for the material flows and economics with the use of SuperPro Designer. Haloferax mediterranei was utilized to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). Byproduct streams from a local cheese plant, with an input of 168.7 metric ton/day (MT/day) lactose, were used as the feedstock. Three scenarios with different processes for the treatments of used enzyme and spent medium were investigated and the major factors that influence the overall economics were identified. The simulated system produces 9700 MT/year PHBV with a yield of 0.2 g PHBV/g lactose and an overall process efficiency of 87%. The breakeven price was found to be more sensitive to the lactose price than enzyme price. The scenario with enzyme reuse and spent medium recycling a... [more]

The mechanisms involved in immune responses to cancer have been extensively studied for several decades, and considerable attention has been paid to harnessing the immune system’s therapeutic potential. Cancer immunotherapy has established itself as a promising new treatment option for a variety of cancer types. Various strategies including cancer vaccines, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), adoptive T-cell cancer therapy and CAR T-cell therapy have gained prominence through immunotherapy. However, the full potential of cancer immunotherapy remains to be accomplished. In spite of having startling aspects, cancer immunotherapies have some difficulties including the inability to effectively target cancer antigens and the abnormalities in patients’ responses. With the advancement in technology, this system has changed the genome-based immunotherapy process in the human body including the generation of engineered T cells. Due to its high specificity, CRISPR-Cas9 has become a simple and flexible... [more]

Chromium (Cr) and the emission of its compounds into the environment have caused long-term environmental contamination. In this study, the modes of occurrence of Cr in low-rank coal and their thermal stability in pyrolysis were investigated by sequential chemical extraction (SCE), single-component samples (SCS) pyrolysis, and thermochemical equilibrium simulation. The results showed that organic matter, aluminosilicate, and carbonate were the dominant modes of occurrence of Cr in low-rank coal. The modes of occurrence and chlorine (Cl) content affected the volatilization of Cr in coal. The characteristic release temperature range of Cr bounded to aluminosilicate was >600 °C and 400−600 °C for Cr bounded to a disulfide. Cr bounded to organic matter almost released completely before 600 °C. Cl enhanced the volatility of Cr and reduced its release temperature in Cr bounded to aluminosilicate. The simulation showed the content of gas products was very low, mainly chlorides. While the conte... [more]

This paper takes the position control performance of pump-controlled hydraulic presses as the research object. The control methods are designed respectively for the two motion stages of rapid descent and slow descent of hydraulic presses in order to improve the control performance of the system. First of all, the accuracy model of the pump-controlled hydraulic presses position servo system (the pump-controlled hydraulic presses position servo system, which is called PCHPS) and its MATLAB/Simulink simulation platform are established. Based on the theoretical analysis and experimental data, the interference factors affecting the tracking accuracy and positioning accuracy of the PCHPS are analyzed. Then, an adaptive integral robust control (the adaptive integral robust control, which is called AIRC) for PCHPS is designed to reduce the influence of nonlinear factors on the system, and the effectiveness of the controller is verified by simulation. Finally, the position control experiment of... [more]

The influence of freeze and convection (at 40 and 50 °C) drying on the physical, functional, and rheological attributes of sunflower protein (SP) and its hydrolysate (SPH) was investigated. Compared with convectively-dried samples, the lightness, turbidity, bulk density, and particle size values of the freeze-dried SP and SPH were substantially higher, but the browning index was lower (p < 0.05). Additionally, freeze-dried samples exhibited good solubility and foaming characteristics, whereas lower emulsion properties with the most pH values were observed. Furthermore, SPHs possessed higher solubility as well as foamability over SPs under varying pH values (2.0−10.0), whilst reduction in the emulsion activity index was clearly observed (p < 0.05). Convectively-dried powders exhibited greater viscosity and consistency coefficient; and significantly lower flow behavior index of dispersions, relative to the respective freeze-dried preparations, indicating that dehydration methods in... [more]

Biogenic amines (BAs) are considered a potential microbiological toxicological hazard in aged cheese. Risk mitigation strategies include good hygiene practice measures, thermal treatment of milk and the use of competitive dairy cultures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the amount of BAs—tryptamine, β-phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine and spermine—in the core and rind of cheeses ripened by bacteria (n = 61) and by mold cultures (n = 8). The microbial communities were counted, and the dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were identified, corresponding to the BA concentrations. The total BA content was highest in the core of semi-hard cheeses (353.98 mg/kg), followed by mold cheeses (248.99 mg/kg) and lowest in hard cheeses (157.38 mg/kg). The highest amount of BAs was present in the rind of cheeses with mold (240.52 mg/kg), followed by semi-hard (174.99 mg/kg) and hard cheeses (107.21 mg/kg). Tyramine was the most abundant BA, represented by 7... [more]