The role of geographic and cognitive proximity in knowledge networks: The case of joint R&D projects

This paper explores effect of proximities on R&D collaboration and focus on a prime mechanism of intentional search for knowledge—joint R&D projects—using data on R&D projects co-financed by various public sector bodies in the period 2003–2018. Our findings show that R&D collaboration based on cognitive proximity is intentional and firms prefer partners with technological distance smaller than expected based on a reference population. In the case of repeated R&D collaboration among the same companies in manufacturing, there is a statistically significant shift towards a higher cognitive proximity. As for geographical proximity, we found relatively low intra-regional R-D collaboration and high openness of regional innovation systems.     

Development of low-fat chicken bologna sausages enriched with inulin,oat fibre or psyllium

Growing demand for healthy meat products and the contemporary focus on the role of dietary fibre in nutrition have resulted in the development of reformulated meat products. This study investigated the enrichment of chicken bologna type sausages with 3% and 6% inulin, oat fibre or psyllium, while decreasing the fat content. Enrichment with 3% inulin or oat fibre was most suitable due to the comparable colour (a*: 10.96 vs. 10.16 for control, b*: 9.28 vs. 8.94 for control), texture parameters (adhesiveness: 0.26 N vs. 0.38 N for control, gumminess: 55.51N vs. 54.74 N for control, cohesiveness: 0.72 vs. 0.70 for control, hardness: 77.45 N vs. 78.03 N for control, springiness 0.94 vs. 0.93 for control, resilience: 0.39 vs. 0.37 for control, chewiness: 52.16 N vs. 50.93 N for control) and sensory properties to the control. Psyllium was less suitable regardless of the amount added to the bologna type chicken sausages. Enrichment with 6% dietary fibre had negative effects on the instrumental and sensory parameters. Sensory evaluation by consumers showed comparable acceptability for chicken bologna type sausages enriched with 3% inulin or oat fibre; however, sausages enriched with psyllium or 6% inulin or oat fibre were less acceptable.     

Bending strength of spruce glulam

A glulam strength model where the bending strength depends both on the board tensile strength and the finger joint tensile strength is a completely transparent model being particularly suitable to determine requirements for the board and for the finger joint tensile strength of glulam made of both visually or mechanically strength graded boards. This article describes the application of these principles to an alternative and new strength model for spruce glulam. In order to determine the influence of the board and finger joint strength on glulam bending strength a numerical study was performed by means of simulated glulam beams. According to the findings current requirements for boards and finger joints are insufficient to ensure the nominal strength values of glulam strength classes established in EN 1194.     

Predictive modelling of compression garments for elastic fabric and the effects of pressure sensor thickness

This research has been conducted to develop mathematical models to predict the compression pressure and strain value of fabric based on Laplace’s law. The experiment was designed in accordance with the strain values of stretched fabric in order to make prediction of compression pressure. The fabrics covered on rigid cylindrical models and thigh part of human body were compared and measured for pressure values using compression tester. The results revealed that pressure values on rigid body were overestimated which may result from the cause of sensor thickness. Later, correction factor was included in calculations in order to get rid of the overestimated pressure. It was also found that predicted pressures were close to the ones being measured on rigid body by compression tester after multiplying with the correction factor, while soft tissue surface had no influential effect on pressure perturbation and pressure-measured values were close to the predicted pressure values obtained from modelling.     

Glucosinolate degradation products and other bound and free volatiles in the leaves and roots of radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

The volatile constituents from the leaves and roots of Raphanus sativus var. black, white and red were isolated by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus and were analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The major components found in the oil of all leaves were phytol (65.3–69.7%), hexadecanoic acid (2.5–14.3%), methyl linolenate (2.1–11.1%) and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol (0.7–6.9%). Corresponding aliphatic or aromatic glucosinolate compounds identified in the leaves constituted only 0.3–5.7% of the isolated volatiles. They were 5-(methylthio)-4-pentenenitrile (0.3–2.2%), 4-(methylthio)butyl isothiocyanate (0.3–1.7%), 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate (0.4%), 4-(methylthio)-3-butenyl isothiocyanate, 4-methylpentyl isothiocyanate, benzyl isothiocyanate and benzenepropanenitrile. The major components in the oil of all roots were hexadecanoic acid (30.3–49.9%), 4-(methylthio)butyl isothiocyanate (17.9–25.7%), methyl linolenate (8.5–21.7%), 5-(methylthio)-4-pentenenitrile (1.5–6.9%), dimethyl trisulfide (1.1–3.8%), 5-(methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate (0.5–2.0%), 4-(methylthio)-3-butenyl isothiocyanate (0.2–1.8%) and 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate (0.1–1.5%).     

Predictive Functional Control Based on Fuzzy Model: Design and Stability Study

In the paper the design methodology and stability analysis of parallel distributed fuzzy model based predictive control is presented. The idea is to design a control law for each rule of the fuzzy model and blend them together. The proposed control algorithm is developed in state space domain and is given in analytical form. The analytical form brings advantages in comparison with optimization based control schemes especially in the sence of realization in real-time. The stability analysis and design problems can be viewed as a linear matrix inequalities problem. This problem is solved by convex programming involving LMIs. In the paper a sufficient stability condition for parallel distributed fuzzy model-based predictive control is given. The problem is illustrated by an example on magnetic suspension system.     

Quantum Turbulence Generated and Detected by a Vibrating Quartz Fork

Flow due to a commercially available vibrating quartz fork is studied in gaseous helium, He I, He II and ³He–B, over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. On increasing the driving force, the flow changes in character from laminar (characterized by a linear velocity versus drive dependence) to turbulent (characterized by a square root velocity versus drive dependence). In classical fluids, we characterize this transition by a critical Reynolds number, Re _c =U _cr δ/ν, where U _cr is the critical velocity, ν stands for the kinematic viscosity, $\delta=\sqrt{2\nu/\omega}$ is the viscous penetration depth and ω is the angular frequency of oscillations. U _cr of order 10 cm/s observed in He II and 1 mm/s in ³He–B agree with those found with other vibrating objects such as spheres, wires and grids, as well as with available numerical simulations of vortex motion in an applied ac flow.     

Development of a rapid, simple paddle-style dipstick dye immunoassay specific for Listeria monocytogenes

We have developed two types of new paddle-style dipstick dye immunoassays. The first is genus Listeria specific and the second is specific to Listeria monocytogenes. They are based respectively, on antisera raised against heat-killed L. monocytogenes cells and against internalin B crude extract, a virulence protein found only in the pathogenic L. monocytogenes. The minimum detectable level for L. monocytogenes is 2×10⁷ CFU ml⁻¹ for strain number 88/049 in pure culture. Detection is unaffected by the presence of high numbers (approximately log 8.0 CFU/ml) of the other microorganisms tested. When the dipsticks were applied to milk samples inoculated with L. monocytogenes reference material (ALM92), there was a strong response to the enrichment cultures. The new assay may prove useful in detection of L. monocytogenes in enrichment cultures of milk and ice cream food samples.