Phenolic acids and flavonoids in leaf and floral stem of cultivated and wild Cynara cardunculus L. genotypes

Ten genotypes, cultivated and wild of Cynara cardunculus L. were evaluated for their content of phenolic acids, flavonoids and their antioxidant activity. The major compounds present in the leaf were luteolin derivatives in globe artichoke and apigenin derivatives in wild and cultivated cardoon. Apart from ‘Cimiciusa di Mazzarino’ (var. scolymus), caffeoylquinic acids represent the main phenolic compounds in the floral stem. In particular, ‘Sylvestris Creta’ (var. sylvestris) and ‘Violetto di Sicilia’ (var. scolymus) show the highest content of caffeoylquinic acid ∼95% of the total measured polyphenols. The antioxidant capacity, in both leaf and floral stem, was qualitatively and quantitatively dependent on the phenolic acid and flavonoid profile. The phenolic acids and flavonoids in normally uneaten parts of wild and cultivated artichoke could be exploited as sources of natural antioxidants.     

The analysis of sensory and chemical–physical variables via multivariate additive PLS splines

When the information given by a panel of judges on wine sensory characteristics is resumed in a three-way table, Y, and the objective is to extract knowledge from a chemical data-set, X, which has a predictive power for wine sensorial variables, the study of the relationships between chemical–physical variables and sensorial data sets is really complex. In this paper after resuming the information in Y, we propose to consider multivariate additive partial least squares via splines, recently presented in literature, to predict Y by X.     

Susceptor-assisted fast microwave sintering of TiN reinforced SiAlON composites in a single mode cavity

In the present study, 17 wt % TiN reinforced α-β SiAlON composites were sintered at low temperature by susceptor-assisted microwave heating. The effect of TiN addition on dielectrical properties of starting powders, as well as the influence of sintering temperature on phase evolution, microstructure development and mechanical properties of α/β-SiAlON-TiN composites were investigated. The obtained results showed that TiN addition increased the microwave absorbing properties which is reflected in the peak sintering temperature. Thus, the α:β ratio decreased and mechanical properties were improved, especially the fracture toughness of the composites. Furthermore, an estimate of energy consumption during microwave assisted sintering at the laboratory scale is presented. As a result, the highest values for relative density (97.1%), Vickers hardness (13.35 ± 0.47 GPa), and fracture toughness (7.52 ± 0.54 MPa m^1/2) were obtained by microwave sintering for 30 min at 1300 °C.     

E7766, a Macrocycle-Bridged Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) Agonist with Potent Pan-Genotypic Activity

A strategy for creating potent and pan-genotypic stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists is described. Locking a bioactive U-shaped conformation of cyclic dinucleotides by introducing a transannular macrocyclic bridge between the nucleic acid bases leads to a topologically novel macrocycle-bridged STING agonist (MBSA). In addition to substantially enhanced potency, the newly designed MBSAs, exemplified by clinical candidate E7766 , exhibit broad pan-genotypic activity in all major human STING variants. E7766 is shown to have potent antitumor activity with long lasting immune memory response in a mouse liver metastatic tumor model. Two complementary stereoselective synthetic routes to E7766 are also described.     

A modelling framework to support design of complex engineering systems in early design stages

Production, assembly or logistic systems exist in widespread domains. It is agreed that more than 50% of life-cycle performance, costs and environmental impacts of such systems are due to those decisions that are made in their early design stages (Reich, Res Eng Design 28(4):411–419, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00163-017-0270-7, 2017). However, the large scale and multi-disciplinary essence of such systems make their design considerably challenging. Most of the design approaches follow a sequential approach such that the design in each lower level is finalized/frozen before proceeding to the next level. However, such approaches do not properly address the interaction between different design disciplines which may later lead to design inconsistencies. Therefore, this paper aimed to propose a modelling framework that allows having an integrated approach in the early design stages of such systems. To this end, first the framework prescribed developing an executable meta-architecture that can embody all the design requirements. Second, the framework describes the interconnections between the meta-architecture with certain supporting algorithms and optimization models. This allows generating and simulating different design alternatives and observing the impact of different design decisions on system integrated performance. Therefore, the proposed framework with its providing outcomes can be used to support the decision making in early design stages of such systems. The framework is applied in a real case study from the warehousing domain, which serves to show the practical application of the proposed framework.     

Effects of different dwell-times under low pelletization pressure on the physical properties of the Bi-2212 ceramics

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - We reported the evaluation of superconducting properties of Bi-2212 ceramics prepared under different dwell times between 12 and...     

Transport phenomena in electrolyte solutions: Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics

The theory of transport phenomena in multicomponent electrolyte solutions is presented here through the integration of continuum mechanics, electromagnetism, and nonequilibrium thermodynamics. The governing equations of irreversible thermodynamics, including balance laws, Maxwell's equations, internal entropy production, and linear laws relating the thermodynamic forces and fluxes, are derived. Green–Kubo relations for the transport coefficients connecting electrochemical potential gradients and diffusive fluxes are obtained in terms of the flux–flux time correlations. The relationship between the derived transport coefficients and those of the Stefan–Maxwell and infinitely dilute frameworks are presented, and the connection between the transport matrix and experimentally measurable quantities is described. To exemplify the application of the derived Green–Kubo relations in molecular simulations, the matrix of transport coefficients for lithium and chloride ions in dimethyl sulfoxide is computed using classical molecular dynamics and compared with experimental measurements.     

DETERMINATION OF COPPER(II) IN NATURAL WATERS BY EXTRACTION USING N-O-VANILLIDINE-2-AMINO-P-CRESOL AND FLAME ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

A simple and accurate solvent extraction method was developed for the separation and preconcentration of trace levels of copper(II) in water using N-o-vanillidine-2-amino-p-cresol prior to its determination using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Analytical parameters such as the pH of the aqueous phase, extraction time, concentration of the reagent, concentration of the nitric acid back extraction agent, volumes of aqueous phase and back extraction agent, and concomitant ions on the extraction yield of the copper(II) were investigated and optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the detection limit (3σ) was 0.61 µ g L^?1 for a 25 mL blank solution, yielding a preconcentration factor of 12.5. The method was succesfully applied to the determination of copper(II) in tap water, river water, and seawater. The accuracy of the method was verified by analyzing two certified reference materials and spiked water samples. The results obtained were in agreement with the certified values and the recoveries for spiked water samples were between 98 and 112%.     

Benders Decomposition Algorithms for Two Variants of the Single Allocation Hub Location Problem

Networks and Spatial Economics - The hub location problem (HLP) is a special type of the facility location problem with numerous applications in the airline industry, postal services, and computer...