Clinoptilolite-rich mineral as a novel carrier for the active constituents present in Ginkgo biloba leaf extract

The possible use of clinoptilolite-rich mineral as a novel carrier for the active constituents present in Ginkgo biloba leaf extract solutions was investigated. The flavonoid aglycone constituents were found to be selectively adsorbed on the clinoptilolite surface. The antioxidant activity determinations of the extract solutions were performed by the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) assay. The antioxidant activity measurements performed for the Ginkgo leaf extract solutions showed decreasing antioxidant activities due to adsorption. The decrease in antioxidant activity was attributed to the adsorption of phenolic constituents on the clinoptilolite surface.     

Balancing and scheduling of flexible mixed model assembly lines with parallel stations

In this paper, we study flexible mixed model assembly lines with serially connected stages where stages may have one or more parallel stations. Station parallelism in flexible mixed model assembly lines improves system reliability and enables rapid adaptability to customer demand fluctuations. However, in order to effectively manage such lines under real-world conditions, there is a need to extend traditional assembly line management methods. This study extends the current research by simultaneously considering the problems of task assignment and model scheduling on parallel stations. Furthermore, scheduling of assigned tasks on each station is considered. We formulate the problem context first as a mixed integer programming model and then develop a decomposition scheme for large scale applications. Finally, we compare the performance of the proposed model and decomposition scheme using various size test instances.     

A comparison of sintering techniques using different particle sized β-SiAlON powders

In the present study sintering behavior and mechanical properties of β-SiAlON ceramics were investigated using different sintering techniques (gas pressured sintering (GPS), pressureless sintering and spark plasma sintering (SPS)) and different particle sized powders (with D_BET 216 and 130 nm). After sintering of the microstructure and phase characterization were carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method, respectively. All the samples, prepared using fine powder, were sintered at lower temperatures than samples prepared by conventional powder, by two sintering techniques (GPS and pressureless). Additionally, the results showed that cooling rates had an important effect on the formation and the amount of intermediate phase in the sample. As a result, it was shown that the particle size of starting raw materials, the amount of additive, the sintering temperature and the technique had a significant effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the SiAlON samples.     

Seasonal Variations in the Fatty Acid Composition of Phospholipid and Triacylglycerol in Gonad and Liver of Mastacembelus simack

The seasonal effects on the fatty acid composition of triacylglycerol (TG) and phospholipid (PL) in the gonad and liver of Mastacembelus simack were determined using the gas chromatographic method. The most abundant fatty acids in the investigated seasons and tissues were palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1n‐9), palmitoleic acid (C16:1n‐7), arachidonic acid (C20:4n‐6), eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n‐3), and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n‐3). The distribution proportions of ∑SFA (saturated fatty acids), ∑MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) and ∑PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) were found to be different among PL and TG fractions in all seasons. The total lipid content of gonad and liver were 1.32 (November)–4.90 % (September) and 1.32 (September)–3.94 % (January), respectively. It was shown that the total lipid and fatty acid compositions in the gonad and liver of fish were significantly influenced by seasons.     

Effect of the processing on the production of cordierite–mullite composite

In this study, effect of process on the production of cordierite–mullite composite was studied. For this reason two different processing methods were used in the production of cordierite–mullite composites. In first process, in situ cordierite–mullite composites were produced from cordierite and mullite layers which were formed by using aqueous tape casting method. In second one, composite was produced by addition of pre-produced mullite powders (in different weight percents, 0–30) into cordierite starting powders. The results show that the addition of pre-sintered mullite powders to the cordierite slip has more effect on densification behavior and mechanical properties of composites than layered production method.     

An adaptive tabu search approach for buffer allocation problem in unreliable non-homogenous production lines

The buffer allocation problem, i.e. how much buffer storage to allow and where to place it within the line, is an important research issue in designing production lines. In this study, a novel adaptive tabu search approach is proposed for solving buffer allocation problem in unreliable and non-homogeneous production lines. The objective is to maximize the throughput of the line, which is constrained by the capacity of each buffer space and also the total buffer capacity to allocate to these spaces. Besides proposing a new strategy to tune the parameters of tabu search adaptively during the search, an experimental study is carried out to select an intelligent initial solution scheme among three alternatives so as to decrease the search effort to obtain the best solutions. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated by computational tests and very promising results are obtained.     

Technological and economic comparison of the usage of beech and alder wood in plywood and laminated veneer lumber manufacturing

In this study, the economic and technological benefits of the usage of alder wood instead of beech wood as a raw material in plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) manufacturing were compared, besides the conservation of national forest resources. For this aim, some technological properties of plywood and LVL panels manufactured from beech and alder logs were determined, and then compared with the values indicated in related standards. According to the results of this study, mechanical strength values of beech plywood and LVL panels were higher than those of alder panels. Bending strength mean values of plywood panels were higher than the limit values indicated in DIN 68705-3 and DIN 68792. Shear strength mean values obtained for the plywood panels manufactured from alder logs were above the limit value (1.0 N/mm²) indicated in EN 314-2 standard. Mechanical strength values of beech LVL panels were also higher than those of alder LVL panels. When the annual increments of beech and alder trees in 1 ha and the time they need to reach suitable diameters for the manufacturing rotary cut veneers were taken into consideration, it was calculated that alder trees allow 3.82 times additional physical harvesting than beech trees.