Blockchain ready manufacturing supply chain using distributed ledger

The blockchain technology as a foundation for distributed ledgers offers an innovative platform for a new decentralized and transparent transaction mechanism in industries and businesses. The inherited characteristics of this technology enhance trust through transparency and traceability within any transaction of data, goods, and financial resources. Despite initial doubts about this technology, recently governments and large corporations have investigated to adopt and improve this technology in various domains of applications, from finance, social and legal industries to design, manufacturing and supply chain networks. In this article, the authors review the current status of this technology and some of its applications. The potential benefit of such technology in manufacturing supply chain is then discussed in this article and a vision for the future blockchain ready manufacturing supply chain is proposed. Manufacturing of cardboard boxes are used as an example to demonstrate how such technology can be used in a global supply chain network. Finally, the requirements and challenges to adopt this technology in the future manufacturing systems are discussed

Convex hull ranking algorithm for multi-objective evolutionary algorithms

AbstractDue to many applications of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms in real world optimization problems, several studies have been done to improve these algorithms in recent years. Since most multi-objective evolutionary algorithms are based on the non-dominated principle, and their complexity depends on finding non-dominated fronts, this paper introduces a new method for ranking the solutions of an evolutionary algorithm’s population. First, we investigate the relation between the convex hull and non-dominated solutions, and discuss the complexity time of the convex hull and non-dominated sorting problems. Then, we use convex hull concepts to present a new ranking procedure for multi-objective evolutionary algorithms. The proposed algorithm is very suitable for convex multi-objective optimization problems. Finally, we apply this method as an alternative ranking procedure to NSGA-II for non-dominated comparisons, and test it using some benchmark problems

Innovative mechanism to identify robot alignment in an automation system

Robotic applications are commonly used in industrial automation systems. Such systems are often comprised of a series of equipment, including robotic arms, conveyors, a workspace, and fixtures. While each piece of equipment may be calibrated with the highest precision, their alignment in relation to each other is an important issue in defining the accuracy of the system. Currently, a variety of complex automated and manual methods are used to align a robotic arm to a workspace. These methods often use either expensive equipment or are slow and skill-dependent. This paper presents a novel low-cost method for aligning an industrial robot to its workcell at 6 degrees of freedom (DoF). The solution is new, simple and easy to use and intended for the SMEs dealing with low volume, high complexity automated systems. The proposed method uses three dial indicators mounted to a robot end effector and a fixed measurement cube, positioned on a workcell. The robot is pre-programmed for a procedure around the cube. The changes on the dial indicators are used to calculate the misalignment between the robot and the workcell. Despite simplicity of the design, the solution is supported with complex real-time mathematical calculations and proven to identify and eliminate misalignment up to 3mm and 5 degrees to an accuracy of 0.003mm and 0.002 degrees: much higher than the precision required for a conventional industrial robot. In this article, the authors describe a proposed solution, validate the computation both theoretically and through a laboratory test rig and simulation

Batch studies on the removal of Ni (II) from aqueous solution by Azolla filiculoides

There are many plants which have the ability to accumulate large amounts of heavy metals and one of them is the aquatic fern, Azolla filiculoides. Toxic metals constitute a serious health risk because they accumulate in soils, water and organisms. One of the methods for removing these pollutants from water and soil is the use of plants. The aim of this study was to test the ability of A. filiculoides to adsorb Ni from polluted waters. The maximum uptake of nickel ions by the collected A. filiculoides biomass under the optimal conditions was approximately 45.32 mg/g dry Azolla. Desorption experiments indicated that EDTA was an efficient desorbent for recovery from nickel ions.Key words: Nickel, Azolla filiculoides, wastewater, biosorption

Polarized Deeply Inelastic Scattering (DIS) Structure Functions for Nucleons and Nuclei

We extract parton distribution functions (PDFs) and structure functions from recent experimental data of polarized lepton-DIS on nucleons at next-to-leading order (NLO) Quantum Chromodynamics. We apply the Jacobi polynomial method to the DGLAP evolution as this is numerically efficient. Having determined the polarized proton and neutron spin structure, we extend this analysis to describe 3He and 3H polarized structure functions, as well as various sum rules. We compare our results with other analyses from the literature.Comment: LaTeX, 12 pages, 11 figures, 6 tables. Update to match published versio

Biosynthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles by Aspergillus Species

Currently, researchers turn to natural processes such as using biological microorganisms in order to develop reliable and ecofriendly methods for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. In this study, we have investigated extracellular biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using four Aspergillus species including A. fumigatus, A. clavatus, A. niger, and A. flavus. We have also analyzed nitrate reductase activity in the studied species in order to determine the probable role of this enzyme in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles. The formation of silver nanoparticles in the cell filtrates was confirmed by the passage of laser light, change in the color of cell filtrates, absorption peak at 430 nm in UV-Vis spectra, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). There was a logical relationship between the efficiencies of studied Aspergillus species in the production of silver nanoparticles and their nitrate reductase activity. A. fumigatus as the most efficient species showed the highest nitrate reductase activity among the studied species while A. flavus exhibited the lowest capacity in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles which was in accord with its low nitrate reductase activity. The present study showed that Aspergillus species had potential for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles depending on their nitrate reductase activity

Ionic Liquid 3-Methyl-1-sulphonic Acid Imidazolium Chloride {[Msim]Cl}: A Highly Efficient, Mild and Green Catalyst for the Synthesis of β-Acetamido Ketones

Brønstedacidic ionic liquid 3-methyl-1-sulphonic acid imidazolium chloride {[Msim]Cl} is utilized as a highly efficient, inexpensive, mild and green catalyst for the synthesis of β-acetamido ketones by the one-pot multi-component coupling between acetophenones, arylaldehydes, acetonitrile and acetyl chloride at room temperature. Under these conditions, the title compounds are produced in high to excellent yields and in relatively short reaction times. In addition, this method is superior to reported methods, for the synthesis of β-acetamido ketones and is applicable for the synthesis of tris(β-acetamido ketone).Keyword: 3-Methyl-1-sulphonic acid imidazolium chloride {[Msim]Cl}, β-acetamido ketone, Brønsted acidic catalyst, ionic liquid, one-pot multi-component reaction, acetophenon

Knowledge and Attitude of Intensive Care Unit Nurses Towards Delirium Working at Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2015

Background: Delirium is a common problem in patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit. Despite the importance, only less than 13% of cases are diagnosed by physicians and medical personnel. Objectives: The present research aimed to study knowledge and attitude of critical care nurses towards delirium. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran. Convenience sampling was used to enroll nurses (186 persons) working in intensive care units of Rasht educational hospitals affiliated to Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2015. Data collection instruments included a three part questionnaire: demographic data, 15- item questionnaire formerly used by Guthrie and Sendelbach (2009) on nurses’ knowledge about delirium, and 10-item questionnaire adopted from Herrero et al on attitude of the nurses towards delirium. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient and t- test in SPSS-20. Results: The majority of nurses (68.3%) have intermediate knowledge about delirium and only 24.6 percent reported good knowledge and 76 percent had positive attitude about delirium. Conclusion: Nursing knowledge and awareness have a significant role in improvement of the quality of healthcare and preventive measures, as well as the attitude of nurses towards dealing with delirium patients. Hence, it is recommended to give greater importance to academic courses and ongoing post-graduation professional development programs in the workplace, as a globally practiced healthcare quality improvement strategy

Stabilization and Anticancer Enhancing Activity of the Peptide Nisin by Cyclodextrin-Based Nanosponges against Colon and Breast Cancer Cells

The great variability of cancer types demands novel drugs with broad spectrum, this is the case of Nisin, a polycyclic antibacterial peptide that recently has been considered for prevention of cancer cells growth. As an accepted food additive, this drug would be very useful for intestinal cancers, but the peptide nature would make easier its degradation by digestion procedures. For that reason, the aim of present study to investigate the protective effect of two different β-cyclodextrin-based nanosponges (carbonyl diimidazole and pyromellitic dianhydride) and their anti-cancer enhancement effect of Nisin-Z encapsulated with against colon cancer cells (HT-29). To extend its possible use, a comparison with breast (MCF-7) cancer cell was carried out. The physicochemical properties, loading efficiency, and release kinetics of Nisin complex with nanosponges were studied. Then, tricin-SDS-PAGE electrophoresis was used to understand the effect of NSs on stability of Nisin-Z in the presence of gastric peptidase pepsin. In addition, the cytotoxicity and cell membrane damage of Nisin Z were evaluated by using the MTT and LDH assay, which was complemented via Annexin-V/ Propidium Iodide (PI) by using flowcytometry. CD-NS are able to complex Nisin-Z with an encapsulation efficiency around 90%. A protective effect of Nisin-Z complexed with CD-NSs was observed in presence of pepsin. An increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells was observed when the cancer cells were exposed to Nisin Z complexed with nanosponges. Interestingly, Nisin Z free and loaded on PMDA/CDI-NSs is more selectively toxic towards HT-29 cells than MCF-7 cancer cells. These results indicated that nanosponges might be good candidates to protect peptides and deliver drugs against intestinal cancers