A literature review on MHE selection problem: levels,contexts, and approaches

This paper presents a review on selection problem of material handling equipment (MHE) and general equipment used in industry area. The issue on MHE is widely paid attention since MHE has contribution on material, good and product accomplishment. Few methods and softwares have been proposed and developed to select the most appropriate MHE for a complex selection problem. Today’s high diverisity of MHE categories and types influence the generation of many possible choices which leads to the complexity. In this paper, a further discussion in terms of MHE and equipment including three major points namely level of selection, the context of selection problem and the approaches are served to highlight the complex MHE selection according to the number of possible choices provided, to analyse the consideration for the problem context, and to reveal the superior method for complex MHE selection. Forty-two papers collected from the past study are presented asscociating each point of the discussion.     

Nanostructured materials with biomimetic recognition abilities for chemical sensing

Binding features found in biological systems can be implemented into man-made materials to design nanostructured artificial receptor matrices which are suitable, e.g., for chemical sensing applications. A range of different non-covalent interactions can be utilized based on the chemical properties of the respective analyte. One example is the formation of coordinative bonds between a polymerizable ligand (e.g., N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) and a metal ion (e.g., Cu(II)). Optimized molecularly imprinted sensor layers lead to selectivity factors of at least 2 compared to other bivalent ions. In the same way, H-bonds can be utilized for such sensing purposes, as shown in the case of Escherichia coli. The respective molecularly imprinted polymer leads to the selectivity factor of more than 5 between the W and B strains, respectively. Furthermore, nanoparticles with optimized Pearson hardness allow for designing sensors to detect organic thiols in air. The ‘harder’ MoS₂ yields only about 40% of the signals towards octane thiol as compared to the ‘softer’ Cu₂S. However, both materials strongly prefer molecules with -SH functionality over others, such as hydrocarbon chains. Finally, selectivity studies with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) reveal that artificial receptors yield selectivities between WGA and bovine serum albumin that are only about a factor of 2 which is smaller than natural ligands.     

Pinch based approach to estimate CO2 capture and storage retrofit and compensatory renewable power for South Korean electricity sector

A pinch-based approach has been used to calculate optimum values of CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) retrofit and compensatory renewable power for the Korean electricity sector. Three cases are proposed. In the first case, KEPCO 2020 power generation forecast data were used to calculate CO₂ emissions and a 30% emission reduction target applied. For the second case, nuclear-free KEPCO 2020 forecast was used to calculate emissions along with 30% emissions reduction. In the third case, the emissions reduction target increased from 30% to 54.50% for case-2 scenario, in order to achieve 2005 emissions level. Results show that CCS retrofit and compensatory renewable power for case 3 is 2.6 times higher than case 1 and 1.8 times higher than case 2. According to sensitivity analysis results, CCS retrofit and compensatory renewable power for case 3 is more sensitive to CO₂ removal ratio and parasitic energy loss ratio, respectively, as compared to case 1 and case 2.     

Transcriptional Profiling of Cardiac Cells Links Age-Dependent Changes in Acetyl-CoA Signaling to Chromatin Modifications

Metabolism has emerged as a regulator of core stem cell properties such as proliferation, survival, self-renewal, and multilineage potential. Metabolites serve as secondary messengers, fine-tuning signaling pathways in response to microenvironment alterations. Studies show a role for central metabolite acetyl-CoA in the regulation of chromatin state through changes in histone acetylation. Nevertheless, metabolic regulators of chromatin remodeling in cardiac cells in response to increasing biological age remains unknown. Previously, we identified novel cardiac-derived stem-like cells (CTSCs) that exhibit increased functional properties in the neonatal heart (nCTSC). These cells are linked to a unique metabolism which is altered with CTSC aging (aCTSC). Here, we present an in-depth, RNA-sequencing-based (RNA-Seq) bioinformatic with cluster analysis that details a distinct epigenome present in nCTSCs but not in aCTSCs. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment reveal biological processes, including metabolism, gene regulation enriched in nCTSCs, and STRING analysis that identifies a network of genes related to acetyl-CoA that can potentially influence chromatin remodeling. Additional validation by Western blot and qRT-PCR shows increased acetyl-CoA signaling and histone acetylation in nCTSCs compared to aCTSCs. In conclusion, our data reveal that the link between metabolism and histone acetylation in cardiac cells is altered with the aging of the cardiac tissue.     

The use of FT‐IR microspectroscopic mapping to study the effects of enzymatic retting of flax (Linum usitatissimum L) stems

Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) microspectroscopic mapping was investigated as a tool to study the effects of enzymatic retting of flax stems. The FT‐IR technique permitted the elucidation of the relative loss or changes in the distribution of key chemical components after treatment with enzymes or enzyme/chelator mixtures in association with visible changes in structure. Cross‐sections of Ariane flax stems were treated with SP 249 (a pectinase‐rich enzyme mixture from Novo Nordisk) at 0.5, 0.7 or 1.0 ml l^?1 concentration in pH 5 acetate buffer for 6 h at 40 °C. Flax stems treated with 0.5 or 0.7 ml l^?1 SP 249 and 50 mM oxalic acid as a chelator were also investigated by the technique. The results indicated that treatment with 0.5 ml l^?1 SP 249 alone was ineffective in releasing the fibre bundles from the surrounding tissue, but the release was increased by the addition of 50 mM oxalic acid as a likely chelator for the cations of pectate salts. However, the IR spectra of the bundles indicated that an insoluble oxalate salt remained on the tissue after this treatment. Increasing the concentration of SP 249 to 0.7 ml l^?1 plus 50 mM oxalic acid was effective in releasing the fibre bundles and generating some ultimate fibres with no detectable oxalate expectate salt residues. Increasing the SP 249 concentration to 1.0 ml l^?1 without using oxalic acid was effective in separating the fibre bundles into ultimate (individual) fibres, leaving no pectate salt residue and only a trace of pectic esters and/or acids. The use of infrared mapping, or so‐called chemical imaging, is shown to have advantages over visible imaging alone in that it can detect and locate the chemical species present after each treatment in relation to the anatomical features of the flax stem. This analytical tool shows promise as a technique by which to study the effects of enzymatic treatment of natural fibre materials. Published in 2002 for SCI by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd     

Amine-terminated aromatic and semi-aromatic hyperbranched polyamides: synthesis and characterization

A facile synthetic approach to aromatic and semiaromatic amine-terminated hyperbranched polyamides via direct polymerization of triamine (B₃) with different diacid chlorides (A₂) was explored. An aromatic triamine, 1,3,5-tris(4′-aminophenylcarbamoyl)benzene (TAPCB), was synthesized and monomers were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Finally, the polycondensation reaction of TAPCB with terephthaloyl chloride (TPC), isophthaloyl chloride (IPC), sebacoyl chloride (SC) and adipoyl chloride (AC) resulted in the preparation of four hyperbranched polyamides i.e., HBPA 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. FTIR and ¹H NMR analyses confirmed the structures of the ensuing polymers and DB was found between 0.51–0.55. These thermally stable amorphous HBPAs were soluble in polar aprotic solvents at room temperature having glass transition temperatures (T_g) between 138–198 °C. Inherent viscosities (η_inh) and weight average molecular weights (M_w) were in the range of 0.27–0.35 dL/g and 1.3 × 10⁴–2.7 × 10⁴, respectively. Future prospects are envisaged.     

Strain Improvement Through UV and Chemical Mutagenesis for Enhanced Citric Acid Production in Molasses-Based Solid State Fermentation

Aspergillus niger was subjected to UV radiation and chemical mutagenesis to develop its hyper-producing mutants for enhanced citric acid production. Ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and Ethidium bromide (EB) were used for chemical mutagenesis of Aspergillus niger. UV, and chemically treated mutants of Aspergillus niger were identified by using 2-deoxy, D-glucose as selective marker. The selected mutants were cultured in solid state fermentation (SSF) of sugarcane molasses medium (10%) using corn cobs, banana stalk, sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw, and wheat bran as carrier substrates. After pH adjustment and sterilization, the triplicate flasks were inoculated with 5 mLof homogenous spore suspensions of selected mutants of A. niger and the flasks were subjected to SSF under still culture conditions. The mutant EB-3 (treated with 1 mg/mL ethidium bromide for 120 min) giving highest citric acid yield (64.2 mg/mL) in 72 h was selected as hyper-producing mutant. Citric acid production process using EB-3 mutant was then optimized to enhance citric acid production by the mutant in SSF. Aspergillus niger EB-3 mutant could produce 67.72 mg/mL citric acid in 72 h using banana stalks as support material under optimum conditions of pH (pH 6), incubation temperature (35°C) and inoculum size (5 mL) in SSF.     

Self-efficacy as a marker of cardiac function and predictor of heart failure hospitalization and mortality in patients with stable coronary heart disease: Findings from the Heart and Soul Study.

Objective: The authors sought to evaluate the association of self-efficacy with objective measures of cardiac function, subsequent hospitalization for heart failure (HF), and all-cause mortality. Design: Observational cohort of ambulatory patients with stable CHD. The authors measured self-efficacy using a published, validated, 5-item summative scale, the Sullivan Self-Efficacy to Maintain Function Scale. The authors also performed a cardiac assessment, including an exercise treadmill test with stress echocardiography. Main Outcome Measures: Hospitalizations for HF, as determined by blinded review of medical records, and all-cause mortality, with adjustment for demographics, medical history, medication use, depressive symptoms, and social support. Results: Of the 1,024 predominately male, older CHD patients, 1013 (99%) were available for follow-up, 124 (12%) were hospitalized for HF, and 235 (23%) died during 4.3 years of follow-up. Mean cardiac self-efficacy score was 9.7 (SD 4.5, range 0–20), corresponding to responses between “not at all confident” and “somewhat confident” for ability to maintain function. Lower self-efficacy predicted subsequent HF hospitalization (OR per SD decrease = 1.4, p = .0006), and all-cause mortality (OR per SD decrease = 1.4, p Conclusion: Among patients with CHD, self-efficacy was a reasonable proxy for predicting HF hospitalizations. The increased risk of HF associated with lower baseline self-efficacy was explained by worse cardiac function. These findings indicate that measuring cardiac self-efficacy provides a rapid and potentially useful assessment of cardiac function among outpatients with CHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Foliar epidermal anatomy of some selected wild edible fruits of Pakistan using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy

The present study is focused on the detailed foliar epidermal anatomy of some selected wild edible fruits (WEFs) from Pakistan using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The studied species are Ficus racemosa L., Solanum nigrum L., Capparis spinosa L., Physalis divaricata D.Don, Rosa moschata Herrm. and Ribes orientale Desf. collected from various localities of Pakistan. The objective of the present study is to investigate qualitative and quantitative anatomical characters for the identification and differentiation of collected wild edible fruits. The characters studied are shape and size of epidermal cells, anticlinal wall pattern, trichome type and shape, average number of stomata, length and width of stomata and pore. The detailed microscopic investigation and variations in the characters recorded have a key role in the determination and authentication of wild edible fruits. This study possesses great potential for plant taxonomists to further evaluate the species at molecular and genetic levels.     

Enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting using zinc selenide/graphitic carbon nitride type-II heterojunction interface

The objective of this research is to construct a type-II heterojunction interface for effective photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting for hydrogen generation. A series of ZnSe/g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions is prepared by ultrasonication procedure and tested for PEC water splitting for the first time. The successful formation of ZnSe/g-C₃N₄ is confirmed by phase, morphological and optical analysis. Linear sweep voltammetry of 0.05 ZG (0.05% ZnSe/g-C₃N₄) showed a six-fold higher photocurrent density of 500 μA than g-C₃N₄. These results are supported by the Tafel slopes and PL (photoluminescence spectroscopy) studies by showing the smallest slope and lesser electron-hole recombination for 0.05 ZG. Increased lifetime of 107 ms and a higher donor density of 3.6 × 10¹⁹ cm^?3 for 0.05 ZG is observed. The smallest semicircle for 0.05 ZG in EIS implies the least charge transfer resistance among the prepared heterojunctions. All the results comply with each other showing the successful formation of type-II heterojunction for enhanced PEC water splitting.