A penalty scheme for the Tchebycheff scalarization method to optimize the single screw extrusion

The polymer single screw extruder optimal design has been involving the optimization of six objectives. Multi-objective optimization methods, in particular those based on the weighted Tchebycheff Scalarization (wTS) function, have provided reasonable solutions in a way that good trade-offs between conflicting objectives are identified. In this work, a new penalty term is added to the wTS function aiming to guide the solution toward the Pareto front. The corresponding formulation works similarly to the penalty-based boundary intersection function. The goal of the proposed penalty parameter scheme is to balance convergence and diversity. Since six objectives are simultaneously optimized, the penalty scheme provides large as well as small penalty parameter values to enlarge the improving region. The results show that the set of solutions obtained by the penalty-based wTS algorithm can reasonably well cover the Pareto front.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie SkłodowskaCurie grant agreement No. 734205 – H2020-MSCA-RISE-2016

Multi-objective polymer single screw extruder optimization

The optimal design of a polymer single screw extruder may involve various conflicting performance objectives and depends on operating and geometrical parameters. In this work, five bi-objective problems are analysed where one of the most relevant performance objectives, the mass output, is considered in all problems. For simplicity purposes, only the operating parameters are optimized being the geometrical parameters assumed to be fixed. The optimal solution set of each problem is compared with the corresponding two-dimensional projection of the Pareto front obtained when the six objectives are optimized simultaneously. A weighted Tchebycheff scalarization algorithm is implemented based on the simulated annealing method to obtain the Pareto front of the multi-objective optimisation problems.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie SkłodowskaCurie grant agreement No. 734205 – H2020-MSCA-RISE-2016

Polymer single screw extruder optimization using tchebycheff scalarization method and simulated annealing algorithm

The single screw extrusion optimal design involves the optimization of six criteria that can be efficiently handled by a weighted Tchebycheff scalarization method. The performance of the method has been analyzed for three different methods to generate weight vectors. The experimental results show that the tested strategies provide similar and reasonable solutions and supply a valuable procedure to identify good trade-offs between conflicting objectives.European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 734205- H2020-MSCA-RISE-2017. The work has also been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020, UIDB/00013/2020 and UIDP/00013/2020 of CMAT-U

Single screw extrusion optimization using the tchebycheff scalarization method

The optimal design of a single screw extrusion (SSE) is a very difficult task since it deals with several conflicting performance indices. Past research to find the optimal SSE design has been successfully conducted by optimization procedures, in particular by multi-objective optimization. Problems with two or more objectives have been addressed by multi-objective evolutionary algorithms that search for the whole set of promising solutions in a single run. Our approach has been guided by the bi-objective optimization problems, using a methodology based on the weighted Tchebycheff scalarization function. The numerical results show that the proposed methodology is able to produce satisfactory results with physical meaning.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020, UIDB/05256/2020 and UIDP/05256/2020, UIDB/00013/2020 and UIDP/00013/2020 of CMAT-UM, and the European project MSCA-RISE-2015, NEWEX, Reference 734205

Safety requirements for the design of collaborative robotic workstations in europe – a review

Industrial manufacturing is moving towards flexible and intelligent processes. Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) has a pivotal role in smart factories due to a more versatile resource allocation that ultimately drives higher productivity and efficiency. The physical barriers that separate robots’ and humans’ workspaces are removed to facilitate HRC, which raises new safety concerns. To cope with this new robotics paradigm, regulatory legislation and international safety standards have been issued and are enforced for any machinery placed in factories. In this paper, we aim to shorten the gap between research projects and industry-ready robotic systems, by providing the guidelines and general requirements for collaborative robotic applications. We review the current international safety standards, certification procedures under the scope of European jurisdiction, and elaborate a literature review of papers related to safety for collaborative workstations.This work was supported by NORTE-06-3559-FSE-000018, integrated into the invitation NORTE-59-2018-41, aiming to hire highly-qualified human resources, co-financed by the Regional Operational Programme of the North 2020, thematic area of Competitiveness and Employment, through the European Social Fund (ESF)

Determination of Kresoxim-Methyl in Water and in Grapes by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Using PhotochemicalInduced Fluorescence and Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME)

A high-performance chromatographic method was developed to determine the fungicide kresoxim-methyl. Off-line photochemical derivatization was used to induce the formation of a stable and fluorescent product since the fungicide does not present natural fluorescence. Intense fluorescence at 370/430nm was achieved by treating the analyte in solution at pH 6 to ultraviolet light for 45s. The chromatographic conditions included isocratic elution with 50/ 50% (v/v) acetonitrile/water and the photochemical product appeared at a retention time of 7.2min. The short and long term stabilities of the photoproduct were evaluated and variation of less than 5% was achieved. The limits of detection in water samples and in grapes samples were 0.019mg kg1 and 0.065mg kg1 of kresoxim-methyl residue, respectively. The linear response covered three orders of magnitude up to 10.6mg kg1 of kresoxim-methyl. The robustness was evaluated through a Box–Behnken experimental design showing the insignificance of all factors and their interactions. The potential interference of tebuconazole for the determination of kresoxim-methyl was studied. The use of the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) allowed recoveries between 80% and 101% depending on concentration with the minimum generation of waste products

Molecular fragmentation of wheat-germ agglutinin induced by food irradiation reduces its allergenicity in sensitised mice

WGA, an agglutinin from wheat germ which is largely responsible for many of wheat's allergies, was used as a model to investigate the action of ionising radiation on WGA's anti-nutritive effects in sensitised mice. Based on the molecular structure, the present study also examined the structural modification of WGA in relation to the range of dose. Structural integrity was monitored using HPLC, fluorescence spectrometry and circular dichroism. Results showed a loss of intrinsic activity and the formation of insoluble amorphous aggregates with a lack of native conformational structures after irradiation. Current findings suggest that the allergenic epitopes of WGA became less active and antigenic after high-dose radiation. the reduction of cytokines typical of allergic reactions, with decreased lymphocytic infiltrate, was observed in the gut of mice given irradiated versus native WGA. Food irradiation proved effective and safe in combating immunological and allergic effects of WGA. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Ministerio da Ciencia e Tecnologia (Brazilian)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao de Amparo a Ciencia e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE)Univ Fed Pernambuco, Dept Bioquim, Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Dept Histol & Embriol, Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Dept Biofis & Radiobiol, Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Dept Antibiot, Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Estadual Oeste Parana, Ctr Engn & Ciencias Exatas, Toledo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Bioquim, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Bioquim, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Purification of a lectin from Cratylia mollis crude extract seed by a single step PEG/phosphate aqueous two-phase system

The partitioning and purification of lectins from the crude extract of Cratylia mollis seeds (Cramoll 1,4) was investigated in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS). A factorial design model (24) was used to evaluate the influence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) molar mass (15008000g/mol), PEG concentration (12.517.5% w/w), phosphate (1015% w/w) concentration, and pH (68) on the differential partitioning, purification factor, and yield of the lectin. Polymer and salt concentration were the most important variables affecting partition of lectin and used to find optimum purification factor by experimental BoxBehnken design together with the response surface methodology (RSM). ATPS showed best conditions composed by 13.9% PEG1500, 15.3% phosphate buffer at pH 6, which ensured purification factor of 4.70. Sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band of protein with 26.1kDa. Furthermore, results demonstrated a thermostable lectin presenting activity until 60°C and lost hemagglutinating activity at 80°C. According to the obtained data it can be inferred that the ATPS optimization using RSM approach can be applied for recovery and purification of lectins.We are grateful to the following bodies for the grants awarded: CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Level Personnel Superior); FACEPE (Pernambuco Science and Technology Foundation): Researcher's scholarship grant: BFP-0017-5.05/18 CNPq (National Council for Scientific Development and Technological) process: 427153/2016-6 and we also thank the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions as these helped us to improve the manuscript.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phylogenetic relationships of cone snails endemic to Cabo Verde based on mitochondrial genomes

Background: Due to their great species and ecological diversity as well as their capacity to produce hundreds of different toxins, cone snails are of interest to evolutionary biologists, pharmacologists and amateur naturalists alike. Taxonomic identification of cone snails still relies mostly on the shape, color, and banding patterns of the shell. However, these phenotypic traits are prone to homoplasy. Therefore, the consistent use of genetic data for species delimitation and phylogenetic inference in this apparently hyperdiverse group is largely wanting. Here, we reconstruct the phylogeny of the cones endemic to Cabo Verde archipelago, a well-known radiation of the group, using mitochondrial (mt) genomes. Results: The reconstructed phylogeny grouped the analyzed species into two main clades, one including Kalloconus from West Africa sister to Trovaoconus from Cabo Verde and the other with a paraphyletic Lautoconus due to the sister group relationship of Africonus from Cabo Verde and Lautoconus ventricosus from Mediterranean Sea and neighboring Atlantic Ocean to the exclusion of Lautoconus endemic to Senegal (plus Lautoconus guanche from Mauritania, Morocco, and Canary Islands). Within Trovaoconus, up to three main lineages could be distinguished. The clade of Africonus included four main lineages (named I to IV), each further subdivided into two monophyletic groups. The reconstructed phylogeny allowed inferring the evolution of the radula in the studied lineages as well as biogeographic patterns. The number of cone species endemic to Cabo Verde was revised under the light of sequence divergence data and the inferred phylogenetic relationships. Conclusions: The sequence divergence between continental members of the genus Kalloconus and island endemics ascribed to the genus Trovaoconus is low, prompting for synonymization of the latter. The genus Lautoconus is paraphyletic. Lautoconus ventricosus is the closest living sister group of genus Africonus. Diversification of Africonus was in allopatry due to the direct development nature of their larvae and mainly triggered by eustatic sea level changes during the Miocene-Pliocene. Our study confirms the diversity of cone endemic to Cabo Verde but significantly reduces the number of valid species. Applying a sequence divergence threshold, the number of valid species within the sampled Africonus is reduced to half.Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [CGL2013-45211-C2-2-P, CGL2016-75255-C2-1-P, BES-2011-051469, BES-2014-069575, Doctorado Nacional-567]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Physical characterisation of an alginate/lysozyme nano-laminate coating and its evaluation on ‘coalho’ cheese shelf life

This work aimed at the characterisation of a nanolaminate coating produced by the layer-by-layer methodology and its evaluation on the preservation of ‘Coalho’ cheese. Initially, five alternate layers of alginate and lysozyme were assembled in an aminolysed/charged polyethylene terephthalate (A/C PET) and physically characterised by UV/VIS spectroscopy, contact angle, water vapour (WVTR) and oxygen (OTR) transmission rates and scanning electron microscopy. Afterwards, the same methodology was used to apply the nano-laminate coating in ‘Coalho’ cheese and its shelf life was evaluated during 20 days in terms of mass loss, pH, lipid peroxidation, titratable acidity and microbial count. UV/VIS spectroscopy and contact angle analyses confirmed the layers’ deposition and the successful assembly of nano-laminate coating on A/C PET surface. The coating presented WVTR and OTR values of 1.03×10−3 and 1.28× 10−4 g m−2 s−1, respectively. After 20 days, coated cheese showed lower values of mass loss, pH, lipidic peroxidation, microorganisms’ proliferation and higher titratable acidity in comparison with uncoated cheese. These results suggest that gas barrier and antibacterial properties of alginate/lysozyme nanocoating can be used to extend the shelf life of ‘Coalho’ cheese.The author Bartolomeu G. de S. Medeiros is recipient of a scholarship from Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES-Brazil). The author Marthyna P. Souza is recipient of a scholarship from Fundacao de Amparo a Ciencia e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE, Brazil) and was recipient of a scholarship from Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES/PDEE-Brazil). The authors Ana C. Pinheiro, Ana I. Bourbon and Miguel A. Cerqueira are recipients of a fellowship (SFRH/BD/48120/2008, SFRH/BD/73178/2010 and SFRH/BPD/72753/2010, respectively), supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, POPH-QREN and FSE (FCT, Portugal). Maria G. Carneiro-da-Cunha express is gratitude to the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) for research grant. The present work was supported by CAPES/PROCAD/NF/1415/2007. The support of EU Cost Action FA0904 is gratefully acknowledged