Prediction of starting performance of synchronous motor by DC decaytesting method with the rotor in any arbitrary position

This paper presents a novel method to predict the starting performance of synchronous motors. This proposed strategy is based on a simple standstill response testing method using a small-capacity DC power supply unit, tentatively named the DC decay testing method in this paper, and can be applied to standstill synchronous motors with the rotor in any arbitrary position. The proposed testing method is carried out on a 10 kW, 200 V, 31.9 A, 50 Hz four-pole laminated salient-pole synchronous motor with damper windings. The results measured by on-load test and those predicted by the proposed method on starting performance clearly show the validity of the proposed method     

Constructing efficient substructure-based preconditioners for BEM systems of equations

In this work, a generic substructuring algorithm is employed to construct global block-diagonal preconditioners for BEM systems of equations. In this strategy, the allowable fill-in positions are those on-diagonal block matrices corresponding to each BE subregion. As these subsystems are independently assembled, the preconditioner for a particular BE model, after the LU decomposition of all subsystem matrices, is easily formed. So as to highlight the efficiency of the preconditioning proposed, the Bi-CG solver, which presents a quite erratic convergence behavior, is considered. In the particular applications of this paper, 3D representative volume elements (RVEs) of carbon-nanotube (CNT) composites are analyzed. The models contain up to several tens of thousands of degrees of freedom. The efficiency and relevance of the preconditioning technique is also discussed in the context of developing general (parallel) BE codes.     

A Low-Voltage Fully Differential Pure Current Mode Current Operational Amplifier

In this paper a novel high-frequency fully differential pure current mode current operational amplifier (COA) is proposed that is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first pure MOSFET Current Mode Logic (MCML) COA in the world, so far. Doing fully current mode signal processing and avoiding high impedance nodes in the signal path grant the proposed COA such outstanding properties as high current gain, broad bandwidth, and low voltage and low-power consumption. The principle operation of the block is discussed and its outstanding properties are verified by HSPICE simulations using TSMC \(0.18\,\upmu \hbox {m}\) CMOS technology parameters. Pre-layout and Post-layout both plus Monte Carlo simulations are performed under supply voltages of \(\pm 0.75\,\hbox {V}\) to investigate its robust performance at the presence of fabrication non-idealities. The pre-layout plus Monte Carlo results are as; 93 dB current gain, \(8.2\,\hbox {MHz}\,\, f_{-3\,\text {dB}}, 89^{\circ }\) phase margin, 137 dB CMRR, 13 \(\Omega \) input impedance, \(89\,\hbox {M}\Omega \) output impedance and 1.37 mW consumed power. Also post-layout plus Monte Carlo simulation results (that are generally believed to be as reliable and practical as are measuring ones) are extracted that favorably show(in abovementioned order of pre-layout) 88 dB current gain, \(6.9\,\hbox {MHz} f_{-3\text {db}} , 131^{\circ }\) phase margin and 96 dB CMRR, \(22\,\Omega \) input impedance, \(33\,\hbox {M}\Omega \) output impedance and only 1.43 mW consumed power. These results altogether prove both excellent quality and well resistance of the proposed COA against technology and fabrication non-idealities.     

Exploring the anticancer properties of essential oils from family Lamiaceae

Lamiaceae is among the largest families of flowering plants with about 250 genera and over 7,000 species distributed around the world. It is considered as the important source of essential oils, for example, menthol, geraniol, eucalyptol, camphor and thymol. Therefore, it is imperative to study these economically important compounds under in vitro conditions for their sustainable and enhanced production. In addition to proven biological activities, essential oils from this family have recently been evaluated for anticancer activities and considered as a source of anticancer drugs. Mechanisms involved in the essential oils-mediated antiproliferative activity include cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and DNA repair mechanisms. Essential oils also act in the reduction of tumors, inhibiting metastasis and as anti-multidrug resistance molecules. The aim of this review is to assess the anticancer properties of essential oils obtained from different members of family Lamiaceae. The available reports on active components of essential oils and their effect on cancer type and cell line have been discussed. Biotechnological studies to improve the production of essential oils have also been highlighted. Various methods have been adopted to obtain essential oils under in vitro conditions from different plant species of family Lamiaceae, and their production is affected by culture conditions, cultivation mode, utilization of nutrient media and plant growth regulators. The literature survey suggests that essential oils obtained from family Lamiaceae have perspective for the development of new alternatives for disease treatment and prevention.     

Application of chitosan–alginate microspheres for the sustained release of bacteriophage in simulated gastrointestinal conditions

This study was designed to evaluate the acid stability, release property and antimicrobial efficacy of Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteriophages encapsulated in chitosan–alginate microspheres under the simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The bacteriophages belonging to Myoviridae family were stable at the pH above 4 in trypticase soy broth. The chitosan–alginate microspheres exhibited protective effect on the viability of bacteriophages in the simulated gastric conditions at pH 2.0 and pH 2.5, showing 4.8 and 5.6 log PFU mL^‐1, respectively, after 1 h of incubation at 37 °C. The release per cent of bacteriophages from microspheres gradually increased up to 65% in the simulated intestinal condition (pH 7.5) at 37 °C for 6 h. The lytic efficacy of chitosan‐ and alginate‐encapsulated bacteriophages against E. coli O157:H7 was significantly maintained in the simulated intestinal conditions to 10 h of incubation (1.3 log reduction). The results suggest that the chitosan–alginate microspheres can be used as a reliable delivery system for bacteriophages.     

Microbiological,immunological, and histological changes in the gut of Salmonella Enteritidis-challenged rats fed goat cheese containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107

Cheeses are able to serve as suitable matrices for supplying probiotics to consumers, enabling appropriate conditions for bacteria to survive gastric transit and reach the gut, where they are assumed to promote beneficial processes. The present study aimed to evaluate the microbiological, immunological, and histological changes in the gut of Salmonella Enteritidis-challenged rats fed goat cheese supplemented with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107. Thirty male albino Wistar rats were randomly distributed into 5 experimental groups with 6 animals each: negative (NC) and positive (PtC) control groups, control goat cheese (CCh), goat cheese added with L. rhamnosus EM1107 (LrCh), and L. rhamnosus EM1107 only (EM1107). All animals, except NC group were challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis (10⁹ cfu in 1 mL of saline through oral gavage). Microbial composition was assessed with high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing by means of Illumina MiSeq (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) from the animal cecum tissue was determined by real-time PCR and interleukins (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10, and IFN-γ) by means of ELISA. Myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde levels were determined biochemically. The administration of the L. rhamnosus EM1107 probiotic strain, either as a pure culture or added to a cheese matrix, was able to reduce Salmonella colonization in the intestinal lumen and lessen tissue damage compared with rats from PtC group. In addition, the use of cheese for the probiotic strain delivery (LrCh) was associated with a marked shift in the gut microbiota composition toward the increase of beneficial organisms such as Blautia and Lactobacillus and a reduction in NF-κB expression. These findings support our hypothesis that cheeses might be explored as functional matrices for the efficacious delivery of probiotic strains to consumers.     

Consumer Input for Developing Human Food Products Made with Sorghum Grain

Abstract: Because sorghum grain has important characteristics (for example, great antioxidant profile) for introduction into the regular human diet, producers and industry aim to develop successful products using sorghum as the base. The 1st step in developing products attractive for consumers is understanding consumer needs and expectations. Conjoint analysis determines attributes which may be important or unimportant for one product. In this study, focus groups and conjoint analysis were used to establish which attributes are helpful for promoting purchase intent of sorghum grain products. Once those characteristics were chosen, a national survey was conducted to confirm the selection. During the focus groups, the heath aspects of grain products seemed to be the most appealing for consumers, whereas conjoint analysis showed that sensory attributes were the principal drivers for purchase intent. Practical Application: The data presented in this study are essential for industry as a starting point for developing sorghum grain based food products. It is necessary to address consumers’ demands to ensure new products’ success in the market, and the present study clearly shows this consumers’ input.