In view of the problem that special gondola cars are generally insufficient for the actual transportation of coke, and in order to improve the transportation efficiency and reduce the transportation cost, the 80 t depressed-center gondola car for coke transportation is designed by the anti-fatigue design method in this paper. The car body with a supporting bar and the car body without a supporting bar are simulated and analyzed by the finite element method; the results show that there are stress mutations at the transition area of the two key welds, especially at the 110 mm of weld 1. The fatigue lives of the two car body schemes are evaluated by Miner linear cumulative damage theory, spectrum and S-N curve in AAR standard, and load spectrum of the Daqin line and S-N curve in BSI standard. The results show that the 80 t depressed-center gondola car body with a supporting bar is the best scheme. In addition, the fatigue damage results show that the vertical load spectrum of AAR is worse... [more]

Additive manufacturing (AM) processes have experienced significant technological developments over the past decade. Today, 3D-printed metal parts can almost achieve the mechanical properties of conventionally manufactured components; process times have been shortened, and the range of available materials has been widely expanded. The decision between conventional manufacturing and AM is therefore becoming more complex, considering technical and economic criteria along the entire product life cycle. To reflect the vision of the manufacturer, each decision needs to be based on individual preferences and strategies. The present research introduces a standardised and systemised multi-criteria decision-making process to choose between additive and conventional production. Multi-criteria decision models from within the literature are analysed and a holistic decision matrix is developed based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The key novelty of the present research is the consideration... [more]

In the present study, carotenoids were recovered from processing sweet corn by-products (SCB). The total carotenoid content determined in the SCB extract was 1.19 mg/100 g DW, and the principal carotenoids identified by the HPLC technique were zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin and lutein. Freeze- and spray-drying techniques were applied for the encapsulation of SCB extract; for this purpose, four different wall materials were used: two proteins (soy and pea) and two carbohydrates (maltodextrin and inulin). The physicochemical characteristics of eight encapsulates were determined to assess their stability. The obtained results indicate that, by using the freeze-drying method, better water activity, moisture content as well as encapsulation efficiency were achieved. Spray-drying resulted in better flowing properties. All obtained encapsulates were microbiologically safe for food applications due to the fact that the obtained results are in agreement with the requirements for consumer safety, i... [more]

The multilevel inverters (MLIs) are capable of handling large quantities of power and generating high-quality output voltages. Consequently, the size of the filters is reduced, and the circuitry is simplified. As a result, they have a diverse range of uses in the industrial sector, especially in smart grids. The input voltage boosting feature is required to utilize the MLI with renewable energy. In addition, a large number of components are required to attain higher output voltage levels, which increases the cost of the circuit and weight. A variety of MLI topologies have been identified to reduce losses, device quantity, and device ratings. The selective harmonic elimination (SHE) approaches reduce distinct lower order harmonics by computing the ideal switching angles. This research presents a nine−level Packed E−Cell (PEC−9) inverter that uses selective harmonic elimination to eliminate total harmonic distortion. In order to calculate the best switching angle, the reptile search algo... [more]

Natural gas hydrates (NGHs) have been recognized as a potential substitute for traditional fossil fuels. Mining NGH reservoirs can decrease the strength of the reservoirs, especially while improving production, and the double-well mining of NGHs also significantly reduces the strength of reservoirs. This study develops a thermofluid-solid multifield coupling model for mining NGHs through depressurization while considering the NGH decomposition kinetics and physical properties of NGH reservoirs. The influence of the formation responses and burial conditions on the slope stability in the depressurization process of NGHs is analyzed by combining it with the finite-element strength-reduction method. Results show that the decomposition zones of NGHs are nonuniformly distributed in space and have an irregular prismatic shape. The pore pressure propagates from the wellbores to the surrounding areas, forming cylindrical high-pressure-drop zones. Plastic zones first appear in the decomposition... [more]

This research in vivo assessed the impact of the ethanolic extract of Annona muricata (A. muricata) on the histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and biochemistry of thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver cirrhosis in Sprague Dawley rats. The rats, gavaged precisely with two doses of A. muricata (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) with TAA, presented a substantial reduction in the liver index and hepatocyte propagation, with much lower cell injury. These groups showed meaningfully down-regulated proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the liver and spleen, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) in liver parenchymal tissue. The liver homogenate displayed enhanced antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, along with a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The serum levels of bilirubin, total protein, albumin, and liver enzymes alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)... [more]

Understanding the behaviour of cell metabolism is the crucial key in bioprocess development and optimization, as well as in the development of efficient therapies [...]

Test suite code coverage is often used as an indicator for test suite capability in detecting faults. However, earlier studies that have explored the correlation between code coverage and test suite effectiveness have not addressed this correlation evolutionally. Moreover, some of these works have only addressed small sized systems, or systems from the same domain, which makes the result generalization process unclear for other domain systems. Software refactoring promotes a positive consequence in terms of software maintainability and understandability. It aims to enhance the software quality by modifying the internal structure of systems without affecting their external behavior. However, identifying the refactoring needs and which level should be executed is still a big challenge to software developers. In this paper, the authors explore the effectiveness of employing a support vector machine along with two optimization algorithms to predict software refactoring at the class level.... [more]

A novel process path is proposed to produce glycolic acid (GA) from CO2 as the feedstock, including CO2 capture, power-to-hydrogen, CO2 hydrogenation to methanol, methanol oxidation to formaldehyde, and formaldehyde carbonylation units. The bottlenecks are discussed from the perspectives of carbon utilization, CO2 emissions, total site energy integration, and techno-economic analysis. The carbon utilization ratio of the process is 82.5%, and the CO2 capture unit has the largest percentage of discharge in carbon utilization. Among the indirect emissions of each unit, the CO2 hydrogenation to methanol has the largest proportion of indirect carbon emissions, followed by the formaldehyde carbonylation to glycolic acid and the CO2 capture. After total site energy integration, the utility consumption is 1102.89 MW for cold utility, 409.67 MW for heat utility, and 45.98 MW for power. The CO2 hydrogenation to methanol makes the largest contribution to utility consumption due to the multi-stage... [more]

: The use of herbal extracts could represent an advantageous approach for treating sleeping disorders, especially in mild-to-moderate conditions, before the onset of a specific therapy with first-line drugs. Specifically, the focus was posed about the use of extracts from Valeriana officinalis, Ziziphus jujuba, and Humulus lupulus. Multiple studies demonstrated the efficacy of these medicinal plants to positively manage insomnia symptoms. Additionally, their efficacy in the treatment of sleeping disorders could also be improved by their pharmacological association. In the present study, extracts from Valeriana officinalis, Ziziphus jujuba, Humulus lupulus, melatonin, and their pharmacological association, Vagonotte® MEL, were studied for potential application in the treatment of insomnia. Methods: The extracts and melatonin were tested on hypothalamic neurons and tissue for evaluating biocompatibility and protective and neuromodulatory effects. The neuromodulatory effects were evaluate... [more]

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of steam distillate essential oil and corresponding hydrolate obtained from S. officinalis grown in Serbia, as well as the influence of weather conditions (temperature and precipitations) on their chemical profiles. Furthermore, their antimicrobial activity was investigated in vitro. The main compounds in essential oil were cis-thujone, followed by camphor, trans-thujone, and 1,8-cineole, while hydrolate was slightly different from the essential oil, with camphor, cis-thujone, and 1,8-cineole as the main compounds. Among the eight respiratory-associated microorganisms, Klebsiella oxytoca was the most sensitive to the tested EOs (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)/minimal bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) were 14.20 and 28.4 μL mL−1, respectively). MIC and MBC values of other tested bacteria ranged between 28.40 and 227.25 μL mL−1 while for Candida albicans MIC/MFC ranged from 28.40/56.81 to 56.81−113.63 μL mL−1.... [more]

A three-dimensional computational study of double-diffusive natural convection was conducted to explore the impact of tilt on the thermal and solutal performance of a floating pyramidal solar still filled with an air-steam mixture. In the present work, the still is cooled from the upper walls and is maintained at a low vapor concentration. The bottom wall of the still is maintained at a hot temperature and high concentration. Four different models of baffles placed in the upper region of the solar still have been studied. The mathematical formulation of the equations governing the problem is based on the vector current potential -vorticity formalism. The numerical method of finite volumes is used. The effect of Rayleigh and tilt angle of the floating solar still on the flow structure, iso-temperatures, iso-concentrations, and heat and mass transfer rates were examined. The most relevant results of this study are (i) an uncooled air-vapor mixture outlet was observed during tilting for t... [more]

High-energy substances like effect propellant and propellant are used in fireworks. In the process of manufacture, transportation, and use, heat can easily get out of control. The emulsifier polyisobutene succinimide (T152) is frequently used to emulsify explosives. Given the thermal safety of the propellant in fireworks, this paper used the emulsifier T152 to emulsify the propellant. Thermogravimetric Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry and differential scanning calorimetry were used to analyze and test the propellant. In addition, several methods of thermokinetic calculation were used to calculate thermal stability. The thermal stability of the propellant before and after adding T152 was compared and analyzed. The test results indicate that the apparent activation energy of the propellant increases with the addition of T152. The emulsifier improved the thermal stability of the propellant. The research results can provide relevant data and suggestions for the thermal reaction of p... [more]

The impeller of double-suction centrifugal fans may be radially offset from the centerline of the volute due to faults in assembly or installation. The radial offset results in the more significant non-uniformity of internal flow in the centrifugal fan, which is biased from the designed condition, and deteriorates the aerodynamic performances of the fan. In this paper, we performed Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier−Stokes (URANS) simulations on the unsteady internal flow of a double-suction centrifugal fan. The impeller of the fan is offset in the radial direction from its original position and is thus closer to the wall of the volute on one side and away from the opposite side. Numerical results show that the offset impeller changes the size of the gap between the impeller and collector in the radial direction, which produces a non-uniform distribution of static pressure and even reversed flow at the inlet of the impeller. As the impeller is offset away from the baffle of the volute,... [more]

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are promising devices for securing future sustainable mobility. Their field of application ranges from locally emission-free stationary power generation to propulsion systems for vehicles of all kinds. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations are successfully used to access the internal states and processes with high temporal and spatial resolution. It is challenging to obtain reliable physical values of material properties for the parameterization of the numerous governing equations. The current work addresses this problem and uses numerically reduced models to parameterize sophisticated transient 3D-CFD models of a commercial PEMFC. Experimental data from a stack test stand were available as a reference for numerical optimization of selected parameters and validation purposes. With an innovative meshing approach, the homogenized channels approach, a reduction of computational cells by 87% could be achieved, thus enabling the unstea... [more]

The methods utilized to construct and identify the mathematical equation that characterizes the cutting of items with varied textures are presented in this work. Using laboratory equipment, the cutting process was carried out experimentally. The cutting energy was calculated based on the experimental results. The energy required to perform this process is directly influenced by the textural characteristics of the products used, as per the analysis of the experimental results obtained after the cutting process (density, humidity, products with or without peel). The gathered information was used to develop a general equation that would properly describe the process. Table Curve 3D software was used to create mathematical equations that define the relationship between input parameters, the type of product being cut, cutting speed, and output parameters, i.e., cutting energy. The equations that have the same correlation coefficient were discovered using the working methodology; it was spec... [more]

The interest in the ability of phages to control bacterial populations has extended from medical applications into the fields of agriculture, aquaculture, and the food industry. In particular, several authors have proposed using bacteriophages as an alternative method to control foaming and bulking in wastewater treatment. This strategy has shown successful results at the laboratory scale. However, this technology is still in development, and there are several challenges to overcome before bacteriophages can be widely used to control foaming and bulking in pilot or larger-scale treatment plants. Several models of the infection mechanisms in individual bacteria−phage pairs have been reported, i.e., for controlled systems with only one bacterium species in the presence of one phage species. However, activated sludge treatment systems largely differ from this situation, which opens a large horizon for future research. Mathematical models will play a key role in this development process, a... [more]

Monitoring and controlling stability in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems are essential, since it allows to obtain information that helps to take corrective actions in case of deviations in the system and to guarantee a stable performance in the biogas production. In this work, a pilot-scale CSRT reactor (1 m3) was monitored during the anaerobic digestion of pig manure with thermal pretreatment (80 °C) operated at thermophilic temperature (45 °C). The ratio of the volatile organic acids (FOS) to the total inorganic carbonate (TAC) and the pH were the indicators used during the monitoring process to identify deviations in the AD system. Additionally, alkaline solution NaOH (98%) was applied to counteract pH deviations and maintain stability. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biogas composition were measured during the AD process. It was found that during the AD process, the FOS/TAC was between the range of 0.5 and 1. The results revealed that, in the anaerobic digestion of pig manure with... [more]

The present paper is concerned with the design of the plane-strain bending of wide sheets driven by the sheet’s geometric shape after unloading. The solution is based on the ideal flow theory. It determines the loading path (the dependence between the dimensionless bending moment and the dimensionless tensile force) that produces the desirable shape. The ideal flow theory is valid for the rigid perfectly plastic material model. A method proposed in the literature combines a rigid plastic solution at loading and an elastic solution for springback. The final design solution is practically analytical. A numerical method is only necessary to solve a system of transcendental equations. An illustrative example is provided. This example shows that, in some cases, it is sufficient to use the solution at loading to determine an accurate loading path that produces the desirable sheet’s shape after springback.

This paper proposes a metallic fracture estimation method that combines digital image correlation and convolutional neural networks, based on a proven theory that the strain distribution of a component changes when a crack occurs in a structure. By using digital image correlation, the method achieves noncontact and nondestructive sensing, as well as high interference immunity. We utilize a digital image correlation system to produce strain distribution graphs that reflect occurrences and propagations of fractures during fatigue processes. A deep residual network (ResNet) regression model is trained by correlating strain distribution graphs with the corresponding fracture lengths, so that the fracture propagation condition can be estimated by data from digital image correlation. In the experiment, according to the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) standards, we fabricate a set of aluminum specimens and perform fatigue tests with data acquisition by digital image correlation.... [more]

Rotating cavitation (RC) in inducers mainly degrades performance with unstable radial force. In this paper, the influence of step casings on cavitation performance and the instabilities of inducers were numerically investigated. Firstly, a numerical scheme was validated by means of a comparison with experimental measurements taken for an original inducer (Model O). We then performed simulations with five different step casing models (Models A−E), in which the starting locations and enlargement sizes of the step casings were altered. The interaction between tip leakage flow and main flow in the inter-blade passages was found to highly affected by cavity structure and blade loading. Considering both cavitation performance and radial force, our results suggest that Model E is an alternative improvement. In short, this study provides a standard workflow for the effective suppression of rotating cavitation in inducers by the simple adoption of the step casing configuration presented here in... [more]

Background: The effect of cannabis on cholesterol and lipid balance has been reported for decades. However, there are conflicting reports on the reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and total cholesterol. The purpose of this study was to determine the immediate changes of Cannabis spp. consumption by pyrolytic route in heavy users. Methods: A cross-sectional study on 20 Peruvian heavy cannabis users (mean age: 31 ± 9.5 years). The inclusion criteria were males with an average weight of 50−70 kg, normal BMI, and having used cannabis, without association with other drugs, for at least one year with a high frequency per week (use: 4−7 days/week). High-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), LDL-C, and total cholesterol were evaluated 30 and 120 min after the administration of Cannabis spp. (~0.2 g by inhalation). Results: Of the total 12 (60%), 10 (50%), and 11 (55%) had desirable total cholesterol, fairly good HDL-C (40−60 mg/dL) and fairly good LDL-C (100−129 mg/dL) values, respectively. T... [more]

With the rapid development of new power systems, various new power devices have also been developed. It is very important to establish analytical models of new power devices to ensure or even improve the reliability and stability of the power system. A linear phase-shifting transformer (LPST) is a new type of power device that mainly relies on air gaps to transfer energy, so establishing an accurate air-gap magnetic field model is very important for improving the efficiency of this system. In this paper, an analytical model of an unequal-pitch linear phase-shifting transformer (UP-LPST) was established by combining the distributed magnetic circuit method (DMCM) and Schwartz−Christopher transformation (SCT). Taking the magnetic field strength as a variable, an accurate magnetic field analysis model for a UP-LPST considering saturation, cogging, and edge was established. Taking a 1 kw UP-LPST as a prototype, the accuracy of the model was verified by the finite element method and experime... [more]

Vitamin C, C6H8O6, is a water-soluble vitamin that is widespread in nature. It is an essential nutrient involved in many biological processes in the living organisms: it enhances collagen biosynthesis, ensures the optimal functioning of enzymes and the immune system, has a major role in lipid and iron metabolism, and it enhances the biosynthesis of l-carnitine. Due to its antioxidant activity, vitamin C can neutralize the tissue-damaging effects of free radicals. Vitamin C is being related to the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This review includes current information on the biosynthesis of ascorbic acid, as new methods are now challenging the traditional Reichstein process for vitamin C’s industrial-scale production. Different strains were analyzed in correlation with their ability to synthesize ascorbic acid, and several separation techniques were investigated for a more effective production of vitamin C.

The use of electric vehicles (EVs) has recently increased in a smart city environment. With this, the optimal location of the charging station is a great challenge and, hence, the energy efficiency performance (EEP) of an electrical system is important. Ideally, the EEP is realized through passive energy boosters (PEBs) and active energy boosters (AEBs). PEBs require no external resources, and EEP is achieved through altering the network topology and loading patterns, whereas, in AEBs, integrating external energy resources is a must. The EEP has also become dynamic with the integration of an energy storage system (ESS) in a deregulated environment. Customer energy requirement varies daily, weekly, and seasonally. In this scenario, the frequent change in network topology requires modifying the size and location of AEBs. It alters the customers’ voltage profile, loadability margin, and supply reliability when the EV works differently as a load or source. Therefore, a comprehensive EEP an... [more]