5G MEC-enabled vehicle discovery service for streaming-based CAM applications

Cooperative perception represents an important technology to fulfil the higher automation levels of connected and automated mobility (CAM). In cooperative perception, the sensor data, either raw or processed, is shared among neighbour vehicles with the objective of enhancing or complementing the perception obtained by on-board sensors. The vehicle that requests this external perception data needs to have this data quickly. However, it first needs to discover the network address of the neighbour vehicle that wants to connect to. Specially in a dense urban area or in a congested radio channel, an inefficient method for neighbour vehicle discovery could prevent a timely start of the cooperative perception session. This paper describes a novel 5G multi-access edge computing (MEC) solution that that boosts the selection of interesting neighbour vehicles according to a geographical region of interest (ROI) after applying pertinent adjustments considering vehicles’ dynamics and network communication latencies. In contrast to broadcast-based methods, in the proposed method the vehicles are only sending their periodical position data to a MEC service, which centralises the vehicle discovery requests. The objective of this Vehicle Discovery Service (VDS) is to support the startup of Web Real-Time Communications (WebRTC)-based Extended Sensors CAM applications. The proposed VDS has been validated using a public vehicular traffic dataset evaluating geo-position accuracy. The WebRTC-based streaming pipeline has been validated testing its feasibility for a See-Through video streaming application.

     

Eugenol,citral, and hexanal,alone or in combination with heat,affect viability,biofilm formation,and swarming on Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli

Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains are pathogenic for humans and cause mild to severe illnesses. In this study, the antimicrobial effect of citral, eugenol, and hexanal in combination with heat shock (HS) was evaluated in terms of the growth, biofilm formation, swarming, and expression of virulence genes of STEC serotypes (O157:H7, O103, O111, and O26). Eugenol was the most effective compound against the growth of E. coli strains (MBC = 0.58 to 0.73 mg/mL), followed by citral (MBC = 0.86 to 1.26 mg/mL) and hexanal (MBC = 2.24 to 2.52 mg/mL). Biofilm formation and swarming motility have great variability between STEC strains. Natural compounds—alone or combined with HS—inhibited biofilm formation; however, swarming motility was induced by most treatments. The expression of the studied genes during biofilm formation and swarming under natural antimicrobials was affected but not in a uniform pattern. These treatments could be used to control contamination of STEC and inhibit biofilm formation.     

Influence of the dispersion of Nanoclays on the cellular structure of foams based on polystyrene

In the present work blends of polystyrene (PS) with sepiolites have been produced using a melt extrusion process. The dispersion degree of the sepiolites in the PS has been analyzed by dynamic shear rheology and X-ray micro-computed tomography. Sepiolites treated with quaternary ammonium salts (O-QASEP) are better dispersed in the PS matrix than natural sepiolites (N-SEP) or sepiolites organo-modified with silane groups (O-SGSEP). A percolated network is obtained when using 6.0 wt% of O-QASEP, 8.0 wt% of N-SEP and 10.0 wt% of O-SGSEP. It has been shown that multiple extrusion processes have a negative effect on the polymer architecture. They produce a reduction in the length of the polymeric chains, and they do not lead to a better dispersion of the particles in the polymer matrix. Foams have been produced using a gas dissolution foaming process, where a strong effect of the dispersion degree on the cellular structure of the different foams was found. The effects on the cellular structure obtained by using different types of sepiolites, different contents of sepiolites and different extrusion conditions have been analyzed. The foams produced with the formulations containing O-QASEP present the lowest cell size and the most homogeneous cellular structures.     

Amine-impregnated natural zeolite as filler in mixed matrix membranes for CO2/CH4 separation

Flat mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) comprising polysulfone and clinoptilolite-type natural zeolite were prepared by casting. Zeolite was modified with three alkylamines: ethanolamine (EA), bis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (BHPA), and polyethylenimine (PEI) by the impregnation method. Impregnated zeolite samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and N₂ adsorption–desorption. The alkylamine loading extent determined by thermogravimetric analysis was 5.2, 4.8, and 8.5% for EA, BHPA, and PEI, respectively. Analyses of MMMs showed that the incorporation of impregnated zeolite affected the glass-transition temperature (T_g) and mixed-gas transport properties. In this regard, a decreasing trend of the T_g values from 185.5 °C for the polymeric membrane up to 176.6 °C for Clino-EA-based MMM was recorded. In addition, the gas separation performance was evaluated at two different feed pressures. At 50 psi, MMMs showed an enhancement up to 30% on the CO₂ permeability (22.79 Barrer) and 55% on the CO₂/CH₄ selectivity (45.78) in comparison with the polymeric membrane (CO₂ permeability 17.34 Barrer; CO₂/CH₄ selectivity 29.38). These values varied depending on the alkylamine, BHPA being the most selective. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48286.     

Sliding-wear resistance of pure near fully-dense B4C under lubrication with water,diesel fuel,and paraffin oil

The sliding-wear resistance of pure near fully-dense B₄C is investigated, and the wear mode/mechanisms identified, under lubrication with water, diesel fuel, and paraffin oil. It is found that the wear is mild in the three cases, with specific wear rates (SWRs) of 10^?16–10^?17 m³/N m. Nonetheless, the wear resistance of the B₄C ceramic is one order of magnitude greater under oil lubrication (10¹⁶ N m/m³) than under water lubrication (10¹⁵ N m/m³), and twice as great for the specific case of paraffin oil than diesel fuel, attributable to the lubricant’s viscosity. It is also found that the wear mode is always abrasion, and that the wear mechanisms are plastic deformation and localized fracture with grain pullout. However, in agreement with the macro-wear data, the severity of the wear damage is lower under lubrication with paraffin oil, followed by diesel fuel, and lastly water. Finally, microstructural considerations are discussed with a view to enhancing the sliding-wear resistance of B₄C triboceramics.     

Circulating Insulin-Like Growth Factor I is Involved in the Effect of High Fat Diet on Peripheral Amyloid β Clearance

Obesity is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but underlying mechanisms are not clear. We analyzed peripheral clearance of amyloid β (Aβ) in overweight mice because its systemic elimination may impact brain Aβ load, a major landmark of AD pathology. We also analyzed whether circulating insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) intervenes in the effects of overweight as this growth factor modulates brain Aβ clearance and is increased in the serum of overweight mice. Overweight mice showed increased Aβ accumulation by the liver, the major site of elimination of systemic Aβ, but unaltered brain Aβ levels. We also found that Aβ accumulation by hepatocytes is stimulated by IGF-I, and that mice with low serum IGF-I levels show reduced liver Aβ accumulation—ameliorated by IGF-I administration, and unchanged brain Aβ levels. In the brain, IGF-I favored the association of its receptor (IGF-IR) with the Aβ precursor protein (APP), and at the same time, stimulated non-amyloidogenic processing of APP in astrocytes, as indicated by an increased sAPPα/sAPPβ ratio after IGF-I treatment. Since serum IGF-I enters into the brain in an activity-dependent manner, we analyzed in overweight mice the effect of brain activation by environmental enrichment (EE) on brain IGF-IR phosphorylation and its association to APP, as a readout of IGF-I activity. After EE, significantly reduced brain IGF-IR phosphorylation and APP/IGF-IR association were found in overweight mice as compared to lean controls. Collectively, these results indicate that a high-fat diet influences peripheral clearance of Aβ without affecting brain Aβ load. Increased serum IGF-I likely contributes to enhanced peripheral Aβ clearance in overweight mice, without affecting brain Aβ load probably because its brain entrance is reduced.     

Structural-microstructural characterization and optical properties of Eu3+,Tb3+-codoped LaPO4·nH2O and LaPO4 nanorods hydrothermally synthesized with microwaves

Rhabdophane-type Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺-codoped LaPO₄·nH₂O single-crystal nanorods with the compositions La_0.99999-xEu_xTb_0.00001PO₄·nH₂O (x?=?0–0.03), La_0.99999-yTb_yEu_0.00001PO₄·n′H₂O (y?=?0–0.010), and La_0.99999-zTb_zEu_0.000007PO₄·n′′H₂O (z?=?0–0.012) were hydrothermally synthesized with microwaves. It is shown that the Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺ codoping does not affect the thermal stability of these nanorods, which is due to the formation of substitutional solid solutions with both Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ replacing La³⁺ in the crystal lattice. Moreover, it is also shown that monazite-type Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺-codoped LaPO₄ single-crystal nanorods can be obtained by calcining their rhabdophane-type Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺-codoped LaPO₄·(n,n′ or n′′)H₂O counterparts at moderate temperature in air, and that they are thermally stable. It is also observed that, for the same Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺-codoping content, the monazite-type Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺-codoped LaPO₄ nanorods exhibit higher photoluminescent efficiency than the rhabdophane-type Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺-codoped LaPO₄· (n,n′ or n′′)H₂O nanorods. Moreover, it is found that the highest photoluminescence emission corresponds to the monazite-type La_0.96999Eu_0.02Tb_0.00001PO₄ nanorods for the La_0.99999-xEu_xTb_0.00001PO₄ system. However, for those compositions energy transfer from Tb³⁺ to Eu³⁺ does not occur. In addition, for an efficient energy transfer to occur, a content of at least 1?mol% Tb³⁺ is needed in all the studied materials.     

Microstructural development during crystallization firing of a dental-grade nanostructured lithia-zirconia glass-ceramic

The microstructural development during crystallization firing of a commercially-available dental-grade nanostructured lithia-zirconia glass-ceramic (Vita Suprinity® PC) was unraveled using a wide battery of ex-situ and in-situ characterization techniques. It was found that the milling blocks are slightly crystallized glass-ceramics, with a complex chemical composition and consisting of partially de-polymerized glass plus lithium silicate (Li₂SiO₃) nanocrystals. It was also found that during crystallization firing the glassy matrix first reacts with part of the Li₂SiO₃ to form lithium disilicate (Li₂Si₂O₅) at ～810?820 °C, and then lithium orthophosphate (Li₃PO₄) precipitates from the glass. This results in glass-ceramics with abundant nanocrystals embedded in a sparse zirconosilicate glass matrix (containing many other cations subsumed) that, due to its high viscosity, inhibited crystal growth. Therefore, these dental glass-ceramics are not reinforced with zirconia (ZrO₂) crystals unless over-fired above ～890 °C and at the expense of its singular nanostructure. Finally, this study opens doors for optimizing the clinical performance of these dental glass-ceramics via microstructural tailoring.     

A clustering-based review on project portfolio optimization methods

Project portfolio management and optimization constitutes a critical activity for organizations in different industrial sectors and business. The scientific literature in this subject is extremely vast, which makes it difficult to understand the connections among the existing approaches and perspectives. This paper provides a clustering map of the existing work on the subject, thus identifying the main trends and approaches from different scientific communities. After analyzing each of the identified clusters, the paper provides insights and emerging trends that can be useful both for researchers and practitioners in the area.     

Ionic liquid recovery alternatives in ionic liquid‐based three‐phase partitioning (ILTPP)

Ionic liquid‐based three‐phase partitioning (ILTPP) is a promising technique to recover high‐added value proteins at the liquid–liquid interface. Its economic and environmental performance highly depends on the net ionic liquid consumption. Alternatives to maximize the fraction of ionic liquid that can be recycled are studied. It is demonstrated that the addition of extra salt, previously proposed in literature, has a very limited effect on ionic liquid recovery for relatively high protein concentrations in the feed stream, and that it may even lead to an increase of the ionic liquid losses under certain conditions. However, small additions of salt are shown to be effective and profitable from an economic point of view. Vacuum evaporation is shown to allow for the complete ionic liquid and salt recovery, reinforcing the sustainability and viability of ILTPP processes. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 3577–3586, 2014