Uncertainties in the determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloid levels in naturally contaminated honeys and comparison of results obtained by different analytical approaches

The contamination of honey with hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) is a well-known hazard for food safety. While management strategies and controls of the honey industry aim to reduce the PA levels, uncertainties remain with regard to the safety of regionally produced and marketed honey. In addition, a previous study showed large differences of results obtained after various periods of storage and apparent differences between the analytical results of different laboratories. Therefore, this study aimed at examining these uncertainties by monitoring the impact of storage on the PA and PA N-oxide (PANO) content of two freshly harvested honeys and on possible demixing effects caused by pollen settling. Additionally, three analytical approaches – target analysis with matrix-matched calibration or standard addition and a sum parameter method – were applied for a comparative analysis of 20 honeys harvested in summer 2016. All samples originated from Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany where the PA plant Jacobaea vulgaris is currently observed on a massive scale. The results of the time series analyses showed that PANO levels markedly decreased within a few weeks and practically reached the LOD 16 weeks after harvest. Tertiary PAs, by contrast, remained stable and did not increase as a consequence of PANO decrease. The experiments on a putative demixing, which may result in a heterogeneous distribution of PAs/PANOs, revealed that there was no such effect during storage of up to 12 weeks. A comparison of the PA/PANO levels obtained by different analytical approaches showed that in some cases the sum parameter method yielded much higher levels than the target approaches, whereas in other cases, the target analysis with standard addition found higher levels than the other two methods. In summary, the results of this study highlight uncertainties regarding the validity and comparability of analytical results and consequently regarding health risk assessment.     

Ergonomics interventions to reduce musculoskeletal risk factors in a truck manufacturing plant

Ergonomic interventions may potentially reduce MSDs, but the context of industries (barriers, ever-changing situations, dialogue processes) might play a significant role in the success of interventions. This study evaluates the effectiveness of ergonomic interventions including engineering/technical and organizational interventions, and the involvement of the stakeholders in reducing musculoskeletal risk factors/symptoms. A pre-post-test experimental study in non-randomized groups was performed over three years in a sector of a truck assembly plant. The mean age of the operators in the sector for the initial and second assessment time was 42.0 (±7.6) years and 39.0 (±8.7), respectively. The mean length of work experience in the current job was 15.2 (±7.2) years and 13.9 (±7.3) for the initial and second assessment times, respectively. Five engineering ergonomic solutions and organizational interventions were implemented after a comprehensive ergonomic analysis. The organizational interventions consisted mostly of transferring and redistributing the tasks, i.e., ergonomically balancing and redesigning of the workstations. Before performing the interventions, the findings of the ergonomic study were presented at several meetings to encourage the involvement of the stakeholders (including managers, engineers, and operators) in the interventions. This study showed that a combination of ergonomic measures—engineering and organizational interventions—could reduce physical workloads. Musculoskeletal symptoms decreased after interventions although the difference was not significant.     

Transmission system restoration with co-optimization of repairs,load pickups,and generation dispatch

This paper studies the restoration of a transmission system after a significant disruption such as a natural disaster. It considers the co-optimization of repairs, load pickups, and generation dispatch to produce a sequencing of the repairs that minimizes the size of the blackout over time. The core of this process is a Restoration Ordering Problem (ROP), a non-convex mixed-integer nonlinear program that is outside the capabilities of existing solver technologies. To address this computational barrier, the paper examines two approximations of the power flow equations: The DC model and the recently proposed LPAC model. Systematic, large-scale testing indicates that the DC model is not sufficiently accurate for solving the ROP. In contrast, the LPAC power flow model, which captures line losses, reactive power, and voltage magnitudes, is sufficiently accurate to obtain restoration plans that can be converted into AC-feasible power flows. An experimental study also suggests that the LPAC model provides a robust and appealing tradeoff between accuracy and computational performance for solving the ROP.     

关于新疆热电厂职业危害分析与讨论

对比不同热电厂企业工人接触职业危害因素情况,分析原因,为在建或已建热电厂提供职业危害因素预防措施,降低企业由于设计、施工或管理方面原因造成后期运行过程中职业危害接触超标情况的发生。根据我室历年对新疆地区热电厂职业危害因素检测结果与评价报告的比较,找出不同热电厂职业病危害因素的共性及异性,分析不同设备、工艺及管理方式不同所造成职业危害因素检测结果的差异及原因。建议优化厂区工艺及土建设计;优化设备选型及原料选择运用现代化的管理手段,加强职业卫生管理体系宣贯的有效运作。     

Optimal power flow by BAT search algorithm for generation reallocation with unified power flow controller

Optimal power flow with generation reallocation is a suitable method for better utilization of the existing system. In recent years, Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) devices, have led to the development of controllers that provide controllability and flexibility for power transmission. Out of the FACTS devices unified power flow controller (UPFC) is a versatile device, capable of controlling the power system parameters like voltage magnitude, phase angle and line impedance individually or simultaneously. The main aim of this paper is to minimize real power losses in a power system using BAT search algorithm without and with the presence of UPFC. Minimization of real power losses is done by considering the power generated by generator buses, voltage magnitudes at generator buses and reactive power injection from reactive power compensators. The proposed BAT algorithm based Optimal Power Flow (OPF) has been tested on a 5 bus test system and modified IEEE 30 bus system without and with UPFC. The results of the system with and without UPFC are compared in terms of active power losses in the transmission line using BAT algorithm. The obtained results are also compared with Genetic algorithm (GA).     

植物基人造肉的营养特性与食用安全性

植物肉的出现为动物肉类食品供应短缺和养殖业环境污染问题带来希望。食品加工技术的快速发展弥补了植物基肉制品外观和口感的不足, 但其营养价值和安全性也应引起重视。本文综述了以植物蛋白为主要原料所制肉类替代品的营养价值, 包括植物肉中碳水化合物、蛋白质、脂肪、水分、维生素和矿物质的相对含量和营养性质。分析了植物肉在生产及食用过程中可能出现的物理、化学、生物因素在内的安全问题, 并探讨目前植物肉发展所存在的局限性与挑战, 以期为我国植物蛋白肉制品的研发与推广提供理论参考。     

水泥窑余热发电系统用耐磨材料的研制与应用

本研究针对水泥窑余热发电系统的工作条件,根据耐磨材料的损毁机理,采用高铝矾土、煅烧氧化铝粉、黏土、硅微粉等为原料,以磷酸二氢铝为结合剂,以铝酸钙水泥为促硬剂,通过添加掩蔽剂和优化配料工艺,制备了水泥窑余热发电系统用耐磨材料,并对不同处理温度对耐磨材料的性能影响进行了分析。结果表明增强骨料与基质的结合能力有利于耐磨性的提高,磷酸及磷酸盐与氧化铝之间会随着温度的升高生成不同的磷酸铝相,都能够起到结合作用,比采用水泥结合更有利于提高材料在不同温度下的强度和耐磨性。使用结果表明,制备的耐磨材料施工性能优良,凝结硬化时间适当,强度高,抗冲刷性能好,在水泥窑余热发电系统中取得了良好的使用效果。     

Fundamental Evaluation of Power Supply and Rectifiers for Wireless Power Transfer Using Magnetic Resonant Coupling

This paper provides a fundamental analysis of a power supply and rectifiers for wireless power transfer using magnetic resonant coupling (MRC). MRC enables efficient wireless power transfer over middle‐range transfer distances. MRC for wireless power transfer should operate at a high frequency in the industry science medical band, such as 13.56 MHz, because the size of the transfer device decreases at higher transfer frequencies. Therefore, the output frequency of the power supply on the transmitting side should be 13.56 MHz. In addition, the rectifier on the receiving side is operated at a high frequency. This paper focuses on the reflected power in the power supply and rectifiers. Thus, the parametric design method is clarified for the power supply, including a low‐pass filter to match the output, the impedance of the power supply with the characteristic impedance of the transmission line. In addition, the effects on the rectifiers of silicon carbide and gallium nitride diodes are confirmed by performing an experiment and a loss analysis.     

Developmental and Reproductive Effects of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Arabidopsis thaliana

Increasing use of iron oxide nanoparticles in medicine and environmental remediation has led to concerns regarding exposure of these nanoparticles to the public. However, limited studies are available to evaluate their effects on the environment, in particular on plants and food crops. Here, we investigated the effects of positive (PC) and negative (NC) charged iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles (IONPs) on the physiology and reproductive capacity of Arabidopsis thaliana at concentrations of 3 and 25 mg/L. The 3 mg/L treated plants did not show evident effects on seeding and root length. However, the 25 mg/L treatment resulted in reduced seedling (positive-20% and negative-3.6%) and root (positive-48% and negative-negligible) length. Interestingly, treatment with polyethylenimine (PEI; IONP-PC coating) also resulted in reduced root length (39%) but no change was observed with polyacrylic acid (PAA; IONP-NC coating) treatment alone. However, treatment with IONPs at 3 mg/L did lead to an almost 5% increase in aborted pollen, a 2%–6% reduction in pollen viability and up to an 11% reduction in seed yield depending on the number of treatments. Interestingly, the treated plants did not show any observable phenotypic changes in overall size or general plant structure, indicating that environmental nanoparticle contamination could go dangerously unnoticed.