Virtual approach to holonic control of the tyre-manufacturing system

Tyre manufacturers aiming to remain competitive in complex modern markets must promptly adjust to the changes within the production environment. With traditional tyre-manufacturing systems, a slow response during optimization of the manufacturing process and low-level adaptability to system disturbances is evident. The presented approach to virtual holonic control of the tyre-manufacturing system enables dynamic response in the event of new optimization demands, decrease of the impact of disturbances on system productivity and smaller future investments in the manufacturing equipment.     

Impact of Rutin and Other Phenolic Substances on the Digestibility of Buckwheat Grain Metabolites

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) is grown in eastern and central Asia (the Himalayan regions of China, Nepal, Bhutan and India) and in central and eastern Europe (Luxemburg, Germany, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina). It is known for its high concentration of rutin and other phenolic metabolites. Besides the grain, the other aboveground parts of Tartary buckwheat contain rutin as well. After the mixing of the milled buckwheat products with water, the flavonoid quercetin is obtained in the flour–water mixture, a result of rutin degradation by rutinosidase. Heating by hot water or steam inactivates the rutin-degrading enzymes in buckwheat flour and dough. The low buckwheat protein digestibility is due to the high content of phenolic substances. Phenolic compounds have low absorption after food intake, so, after ingestion, they remain for some time in the gastrointestinal tract. They can act in an inhibitory manner on enzymes, degrading proteins and other food constituents. In common and Tartary buckwheat, the rutin and quercetin complexation with protein and starch molecules has an impact on the in vitro digestibility and the appearance of resistant starch and slowly digestible proteins. Slowly digestible starch and proteins are important for the functional and health-promoting properties of buckwheat products.     

Investigation of the cold orbital forging process of an AlMgSi alloy bevel gear

Orbital forging is a metal forming process in which one of the dies performs a complex rocking motion. It ensures reduction in required load and allows for the cold forming of a workpiece. One of the mechanical parts formed by means of this technology is a bevel gear. However, a numerical analysis of orbital forging bevel gears is very difficult to perform due to the complex rocking motion of the die, which is confirmed by numerous works investigating the orbital forging process. In the present work, investigation results of the cold orbital forging of aluminum alloy bevel gears are presented. In contrast to other works devoted to the process, this study proposes a new procedure for forming bevel gears and the workpiece used has a shape which is different from the previously applied ones. The obtained results apply to both theoretical and technological aspects of orbital forging. The FEM simulation results have been successfully verified in laboratory conditions using the industrial PXW-100A press.     

Effect of hypoxemia on the erythropoietic activity of organs during perfusion

Hypoxemia (45-minute) influence in vivo on erythropoietic activity of the kidney, liver, spleen, and sternum was studied by normoxemic perfusion of the isolated organs. The erythropoietic activity proved to increase after 6-hour perfusion of the liver; this confirmed the participation of this organ in the extrarenal secretion of the erythropoietic factor.     

The Influence of Disorder on Thermotropic Nematic Liquid Crystals Phase Behavior

We review the theoretical research on the influence of disorder on structure and phase behavior of condensed matter system exhibiting continuous symmetry breaking focusing on liquid crystal phase transitions. We discuss the main properties of liquid crystals as adequate systems in which several open questions with respect to the impact of disorder on universal phase and structural behavior could be explored. Main advantages of liquid crystalline materials and different experimental realizations of random field-type disorder imposed on liquid crystal phases are described.     

Composition and submicron structure of thin films of supersaturated Zn x Pb1 − x S solid solutions

Thin films of supersaturated Zn _x Pb_{1 ? x} S solid solutions containing up to 4.1 mol % ZnS have been obtained by hydrochemical deposition. The dependence of the material structure and surface morphology on the film composition has been studied. It is established that an increase in the content of zinc sulfide leads to the growth of grains with a more complicated crystalline structure, the formation of grain boundary fragments with dimensions from 60 to 100 nm, and a modification of the electrical properties of deposited layers.     

First Principles Investigation of Local Distortions in Doped La2CuO4

We present the results of first-principles cluster calculations of local distortions in doped La₂CuO₄. Local deformations of the CuO₆ octahedra associated with the presence of an additional extrinsic hole were determined using the density-functional (DF) method on various cluster models. The results indicate that a localized hole induces a contraction of the CuO(apical) distance from 2.40 to 2.28 Å. The contracted distance is in very good agreement with the anomalous, short CuO(apical) distance of 2.3 Å, observed recently by polarized Cu K-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) in La_1.85Sr_0.15CuO₄ and associated with the hole-rich stripe region.