Optimization of the Temperature-Time Curve for the Curing Process of Thermoset Matrix Composites

An intelligent optimization model aiming at off-line or pre-series optimization of the thermal curing cycle of polymer matrix composites is proposed and discussed. The computational procedure is based on the coupling of a finite element thermochemical process model, dynamic artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms. Objective of the optimization routine is the maximization of the composite degree of cure by the definition of the autoclave temperature. Obtained outcomes evidenced the capability of the method as well as its efficiency with respect to hard computing or experimental procedures.     

An Overview,Advantages and Therapeutic Potential of Nonpeptide Positive Allosteric Modulators of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor

Due to uncomfortable injection regimens of peptidic agonists of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R), orally available nonpeptide positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of GLP-1Rs are foreseen as the possible future mainstream therapy for type 2 diabetes. Herein, current GLP-1R PAMs are reviewed. Based on the effectiveness and in silico predicted physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity, possible candidates for further development as oral drugs were selected. The suggestion is that GLP-1R PAMs might be used orally alone or in combination with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, which could offer an optimal treatment option next to metformin monotherapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus, or in a wider spectrum of indications. Quercetin acts as a GLP-1R PAM and DPP-4 inhibitor, and therefore, might be considered as a pioneering agent with a dual mechanism of action, in terms of GLP-1R positive allosteric modulation and DPP-4 inhibition for potentiating GLP-1 dependent effects.     

Light stability in cyan and magenta tones using standard and highly chromatic toner particles

An increasing requisite regarding the reproduction quality of electrophotographic printing machines demands improvement of new electrophotographic toner formulation, especially used pigments. The subject of this paper is a comparison of prints realised by depositing high chroma (HC) and standard emulsion aggregation (EA) toner on gloss fine art paper. HC toner has a different composition of the cyan and magenta tones compared with the corresponding standard EA toner tones and therefore behaves differently under real conditions. The patches used for this experiment were cyan and magenta tone prints with tone values (TVs) of 0, 20, 60 and 100%. Ultraviolet (UV) degradation was measured over time intervals of 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 144 and 240 h for all patches. Results (laboratory values) were calculated using colorimetric difference. Values were plotted as a function of time in tonal degradation graphs. A model was created using non‐linear regression‐based modelling. The experiment demonstrates that magenta patches are more susceptible to degradation in comparison with cyan patches. With the increase in tonal value, it is noticeable that the colorimetric difference is higher. Colorimetric differences calculated using HC magenta toner and standard EA cyan toner (100% TV) were higher than ?E = 5, starting to appear after 6 h of exposure to UV radiance. After 12 h of exposure, colorimetric differences of standard magenta tones that were greater than ?E = 5 also started to appear. Cyan patches (100% TV) printed with HC toner were more stable than the other patches, and after 240 h of exposure had not crossed the boundary of ?E = 5.     

Potential genomic biomarkers of obesity and its comorbidities for phthalates and bisphenol A mixture: <i>In silico</i> toxicogenomic approach

This in silico toxicogenomic study aims to explore the relationship between phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) co-exposure and obesity, as well as its comorbid conditions, in order to construct a possible set of genomic biomarkers. The Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD; http://ctd.mdibl.org) was used as the main data mining tool, along with GeneMania (https://genemania.org), ToppGene Suite (https://toppgene.cchmc.org) and DisGeNET (http://www.disgenet.org). Among the phthalates, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) were chosen as the most frequently curated phthalates in CTD, which also share similar mechanisms of toxicity. DEHP, DBP and BPA interacted with 84, 90 and 194 obesity-related genes/proteins, involved in 67, 65 and 116 pathways, respectively. Among these, 53 genes/proteins and 42 pathways were common to all three substances. 31 genes/proteins had matching interactions for all three investigated substances, while more than half of these genes/proteins (56.49%) were in co-expression. 7 of the common genes/proteins (6 relevant to humans: CCL2, IL6, LPL, PPARG, SERPINE1, and TNF) were identified in all the investigated obesity comorbidities, while PPARG and LPL were most closely linked to obesity. These genes/proteins could serve as a target for further in vitro and in vivo studies of molecular mechanisms of DEHP, DBP and BPA mixture obesogenic properties. Analysis reported here should be applicable to any mixture of environmental chemicals and any disease present in CTD.     

Production of stable amorphous form by means of spray drying

Spray drying is a very useful method for manufacturing of amorphous solid materials. This is mainly due to the possibility of fast solvent evaporation that leads to a rapid transformation of solution to a solid state. Besides evaporation kinetics, there are various process parameters that influence physical and chemical characteristics of such obtained material. The possibility of obtaining a stable amorphous structure of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in a spray dryer was examined. A solution of the hydrochloride crystalline structure of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in a mixture of water and acetonitrile was dried at different temperatures and flowrates of nitrogen used for atomization, as well as the flowrates of the solution. The influence of the process conditions on the properties of the product was analyzed. The final dried products were characterized and identified with a variety of analytical and physical methods. The results showed that a stable amorphous structure of the high purity active pharmaceutical ingredient is obtained, and that the optimal conditions of the process are defined. The amorphous structure is stable at temperatures below 200°C when it is transformed into a new crystal structure. Conditions of high relative air humidity lead to partial transformation.     

On globally stable adaptive control providing l 1 tracking performance for linear discrete-time systems

Existing adaptive control algorithms at best guarantee that the tracking error is a l ₂ sequence. This paper presents globally stable adaptive control algorithms for linear discrete-time systems providing l ₁ tracking performance. Two algorithms with different degree of complexity are proposed, one for the case of known control directions, and a separate algorithm for the case of unknown control directions. It is demonstrated that in both cases the tracking error is l ₁ sequence, while the input and output signals are uniformly bounded.