Role of GPR39 in Neurovascular Homeostasis and Disease

GPR39, a member of the ghrelin family of G protein-coupled receptors, is zinc-responsive and contributes to the regulation of diverse neurovascular and neurologic functions. Accumulating evidence suggests a role as a homeostatic regulator of neuronal excitability, vascular tone, and the immune response. We review GPR39 structure, function, and signaling, including constitutive activity and biased signaling, and summarize its expression pattern in the central nervous system. We further discuss its recognized role in neurovascular, neurological, and neuropsychiatric disorders.     

Moisture desorption isotherms and glass transition temperatures of osmo-dehydrated apple and pear

The aim of this work was to evaluate osmo-dehydrated pear and apple stability on the basis of combined data of moisture desorption isotherms and glass transition temperatures (Tg) investigated in the temperature range of 30–60 °C. Parallelipedic pieces of pears and apples were osmo-dehydrated at 30 °C in sucrose syrups at 70% during 65 min. To study their hygroscopic properties behavior, the osmo-dehydrated fruits were stored in static desiccators at 30, 45 and 60 °C, and relative humidities ranging from 6 to 80%. The GAB model satisfactory described the relationship between the water activity (aw) and water content (X) of osmo-dehydrated fruits (r² ≥ 0.994). Differential scanning calorimetry was used to measure Tg of osmo-dehydrated fruits conditioned at various water activities. A strong plasticizing effect of water on Tg was found with a large reduction of Tg when the water content increased. The dependence of Tg on water activity data was satisfactory correlated by the Roos model (0.993 ≤ r² ≤ 0.999). Whereas the Tg ～ X_w was adequately described by Gordon and Taylor model (0.898 ≤ r ≤ 0.990). The changes of Tg ～ aw and Tg ～ X_w were established and the critical values of water contents were determined for the investigated range of temperature.     

Screening and Profiling of Hydrocarbon Components and Squalene in Developing Tunisian Cultivars and Wild Arachis hypogaea L. Species

Total hydrocarbon composition and content of whole peanuts from three Tunisian varieties of peanut (two cultivars: AraC (Virginia type), AraT (Valencia type) and a wild one: AraA) were investigated during maturation. The results show that 30 hydrocarbons were identified from the wild AraA species, while only 27 hydrocarbon were detected in the cultivar ones. The hydrocarbon fraction is essentially composed of squalene, n-alkenes especially nC₁₄₌, nC₁₆₌, nC₁₈₌, nC₂₀₌ and nC₂₂₌, n-alkanes such as nC₁₆, nC₁₇, nC₁₈, nC₂₅, nC₂₆ and nC₂₇, and branched saturated hydrocarbon noted (HC₁, HC₂ and HC₃). Among the hydrocarbon components, generally the wild variety AraA presents the highest content of phytochemical squalene during maturation, whereas a maximum was detected from cultivar AraT at 12 days after podding (815.45 mg/100 g of oil). At maturity, the maximum level is reached at about 346.74 mg/100 g of oil for AraA. During maturity, wild AraA is considered to be an excellent source of squalene like olive and pumpkin oil.     

Attaining the Steady State of the Nitriding Potential after a Change of NH3 Atmosphere Flow Rate during the Gas Nitriding Process

In single and multi-stage nitriding processes, each stage is characterized by the following parameters:temperature and time, type and composition of incoming atmosphere, as well as the set value of the nitriding potential. In the case of an atmosphere composed of raw ammonia and dissociated ammonia (NH3-NH3diss), the set value of the nitriding potential can be achieved by a change of the incoming atmosphere make-up, while in the case of atmospheres comprising NH3 and NH3 - N2 - by a change of the atmosphere flow rate. The time needed to reach a stabilized state, after the initiation of a change in the atmosphere gas mix can be assessed relatively easily. The problem is much more complex if we want to predict the time of reaching a new stabilized state following a change in atmosphere flow rate. The time of reaching stabilized state is, in this case, a complex function of the flow rate of the atmosphere which forces the potential change, and of temperature. This problem, in the case of the NH3 type atmosphere, is the subject of investigation in this work. Factors are discussed, affecting the rate at which stabilized state is reached by the system after the introduction of a disturbance, necessary to attain the required nitriding potential.     

Experimental study on dielectric relaxation in alfa fiber reinforced epoxy composites

Investigation on dielectric properties and behavior of thermoset epoxy composite based on cellulosic fibers has been carried on. Dielectric spectra were measured in the frequency range 0.1 Hz–100 kHz and at temperature intervals from ambient to 200°C. For the composite, four relaxations processes were identified, namely the orientation polarization imputed to the presence of polar water molecules in Alfa fiber, the α mode relaxation associated with the glass transition of the epoxy resin matrix, the relaxation process associated with conductivity occurring as a result the carriers charges diffusion noted for high temperature above glass transition and low frequencies, and interfacial or Maxwell‐Wagner‐Sillars relaxation that is attributable to the accumulation of charges at the Alfa fibers/epoxy resin interfaces. Dielectric relaxation analysis revealed evolution in water relaxation and it is thus concluded that the chemical treatment of the fiber can strongly influence the dielectrical properties and interfacial polarization processes in composites. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Ground surface roughness prediction based upon experimental design and neural network models

The results presented in this paper are related to the prediction of the surface roughness generated by the grinding process. The main problems associated with the prediction capability of empirical models developed using the design of experiment (DoE) method are given. The first problem is a limited aptitude to calculate an accurate minimal output value as this optimal value was found to be absurdly negative in many cases. The second problem is that these models are not able to detect particular behaviour of the outputs for particular sets of inputs. This constitutes a serious limitation of the application of this method to ground surface roughness prediction as the surface generation mechanisms differ at low and high work speed. In this study an approach suggesting the combination of DoE method and artificial neural network (ANN) is developed. x-n-1 structures using the back-propagation algorithm were selected for the developed ANNs. Data of the DoE were used to train the ANNs and the inputs of the developed ANNs were selected among the factors and the interactions between factors of the DoE depending on their significance at different confidence levels, expressed by α%. The significance was tested using the ANOVA method. Results have shown particularly, the existence of a threshold value of α% to which correspond a critical set of inputs up to which increasing the inputs, improves the learning and the prediction capability of the constructed ANNs. The built ANNs using these critical sets of inputs have shown low deviation from the training data, low deviation from the testing data and high sensibility to the inputs levels. The high prediction accuracy of the developed ANNs was conformed by the good agreement with the results of empirical models developed by previous investigations. The obtained results were valid for three kinds of steels having different properties and different hardness.     

Process monitoring to assist the workpiece surface quality in machining

The paper reports on research which attempts to correlate the quality of the machined surface after broaching and the output signals obtained from multiple sensors, namely acoustic emission, vibration, and cutting forces. The quality of the machined surface was estimated in terms of geometrical accuracy, burr formation, chatter marks and surface anomalies. Cutting conditions were varied based on an orthogonal array with cutting speed, coolant conditions, and tool settings as factors. Each orthogonal array was repeated at three levels of the tool wear.The results show that the cutting force signals are sensitive enough to detect the geometrical deviation of the machined profile, burr formation and to a lesser extent the chatter marks. The vibration signals were found sensitive to detect the chatter marks while the acoustic emission signal proved to be efficient for the detection of small surface anomalies such as pluckings, laps, and smeared material. However, up to now, no clear distinction between the different types of the surface anomalies could be made using the analysis of the acoustic emission signal.Time and frequency domain analysis of the output signals were carried out in order to develop appropriate techniques for qualitative/quantitative evaluation of the machined surface quality.It was found that each sensory signal is rather limited to a narrow field of application where certain surface features are detectable. The limitations of the employed sensory signals/analysis methodologies used to assess the workpiece surface quality, and their applicability in the industrial machining conditions are also discussed.     

Sustainable manufacturing,life cycle thinking and the circular economy

Achieving sustainable pattems of consumption and production is perhaps the biggest chaLlenge facing our society today. The de-mand for more safe environmentally benign products is rising and many companies are looking for new ways to progressively improve the sus-tainability of their products. Moreover, there are numerous opportunities and countless innovations, technological as well as non-technologi-cal, that need to be exploited to improve the sustainability of products. Manufacturing industry is an important sector of any economy and has the potential to become a driving force for enabling sustainable pattems of production and consumption through introducing efficient production practices and developing products and services that help reduce environmental impacts. The benefits of adopting an integrated policy towards product development based on life cycle thinking and eco-design to stimulate improvement of the environmental performance of each part of product life cycle phases and achieve sustainable pattems of production and consumption are emphasized. The challenges in implementing sustainable manufacturing and the circular economy approaches are listed. A number of solutions are suggested to face up these challenges, for instance, increased awareness of enterprises particularly SME's of product life cycle issues and the opportunities that are available for cost savings and profit making from eco-innovation in product development for both the domestic and export markets and providing practical help and advice directly to enterprises on integrated product development to promote enterprise led Eco-innovation. Aiming at contributing to sus-tainable manufacturing in China, Sino-UK Low Carbon Manufacturing Consortium, a multi-disciplinary research and educational partnership between academia, industry and govemment agencies in the UK and China with interest in sustainable manufacturing issues, has been formed recently. The vision, aims and benefits of membership of the consortium are also discussed.     

Performance analysis of supply and return fans for HVAC systems under different operating strategies of economizer dampers

HVAC systems and associated equipment consume a relatively large fraction of total building energy consumption, a significant portion of which is attributed to fan operation. The operation of economizer dampers when installed can cause high energy consumption in fans if they are not functioning in proper and optimal manner. This will mainly be due to the potential high pressure drops through those dampers and associated high total pressures that should be developed by supply and/or return fans. It is then necessary to ensure that a proper strategy to operate optimally the economizer dampers is implemented with minimum fan energy use. The paper examines several operation strategies of the economizer dampers and investigates their effects on the performance of both the supply and return fans in HVAC system. It also discusses a new operating strategy for economizer dampers that can lead to lower fan energy use. The strategies are evaluated by simulations for a typically existing HVAC system. Several factors such as the building locations, system characteristics, resistance in the duct where the dampers are installed, supply air temperature and economizer control, and minimum ventilation requirements are also considered during the evaluations. The results show that the way of the economizer dampers been controlled has a significant effect on fan performance and its energy use. The proposed strategy if properly implemented can provide fan energy saving in the range of 5-30%, depending mainly on the number of hours when the system operates in the free cooling mode, damper characteristics, and minimum outdoor air.