Design of calibrators for extruded profiles. Part I: modelling the thermal interchanges

The parameters influencing the calibration/cooling stage of profile extrusion are discussed, and a numerical finite-volume method code to model the heat transfer is described and validated. For this purpose, the numerical predictions are compared with the analytical solution of a simple problem, with results available in the literature and with those produced by a commercial software. The routines developed are then used to identify the main process parameters and boundary conditions and to estimate their relative importance. The investigation clearly shows the advantages of using several calibrators separated by annealing zones, relative to a single calibrator of the same total length, and the large impact of the contact resistance between extrudate and cooling unit while showing negligible impact of other boundary conditions. A decrease of the extrudate velocity is seen to be also an effective control parameter, but it decreases the production rates

Technological trends, global market, and challenges of bio-ethanol production

Ethanol use as a fuel additive or directly as a fuel source has grown in popularity due to governmental regulations and in some cases economic incentives based on environmental concerns as well as a desire to reduce oil dependency. As a consequence, several countries are interested in developing their internal market for use of this biofuel. Currently, almost all bio-ethanol is produced from grain or sugarcane. However, as this kind of feedstock is essentially food, other efficient and economically viable technologies for ethanol production have been evaluated. This article reviews some current and promising technologies for ethanol production considering aspects related to the raw materials, processes, and engineered strains development. The main producer and consumer nations and future perspectives for the ethanol market are also presented. Finally, technological trends to expand this market are discussed focusing on promising strategies like the use of microalgae and continuous systems with immobilized cells

Surface functionalization of 3D printed structures: Aesthetic and antibiofouling properties

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a hot topic nowadays, having a first order in importance in research trends, improving existent technologies and carrying them further. AM can be applied to ceramics, which have importance in current technologies. Their capability to maintain functional properties for long time periods, combined with the easiness to process and the abundance of raw materials, make them a fundamental part of mankind development. Within ceramics, stoneware has a wide range of uses but in some conditions, it can be affected by biofouling. Ti(O)N and Ag-Ti(O)N coatings over 3D printed stoneware, were presented as multifunctional solution, linking aesthetical and antimicrobial properties. Films were developed by reactive direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering and characterized physical, chemical and morphologically, as well as regarding their colour variation. Moreover roughness, wettability, antibacterial and antibiofouling were also evaluated. The results revealed that the Ag doped coatings (with or without oxygen addition) had an enhanced multifunctionality compared to control samples (without Ag). Ag nanoparticles addition created a surface with potential antibacterial and antibiofouling activities, in order to resist outdoors and aqueous environments, making these films able to be applied in architectural pieces as sculptures or other decorative parts, maintaining their properties with good aesthetical properties.The authors acknowledge to MIT Portugal-2017 program by thefinancial support through FCT/MCTES for this exploratory researchproject with the reference MIT-EXPL/ISF/0006/2007 and PhysicsCenter of University of Minho and University of Porto (CFUM-UP) by itssupport though the strategical project (UID/FIS/04650/2019). Thisstudy was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science andTechnology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/FIS/04650/2019 and UID/BIO/04469/2019 unit and BioTecNorte opera-tion (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the EuropeanRegional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020—ProgramaOperacional Regional do Norte and, in the framework of the ATRITO-0(co-financed via FEDER (PT2020) POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030446 andFCT (PIDDAC)) and the On-SURF (co-financedvia FEDER (PT2020)POCI-01-0247-FEDER-024521) projects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Body growth and phenotypic variation of the carcasses of native duck lineages (Cairina moschata)

Natives ducks are birds that require little handling and are resistant to many diseases that affect chickens. Thus, they adapt to low-input farming conditions, which contributes to the food security of small farmers. Although they exhibit potential for growth, their production characteristics are relatively unknown, so they are underexploited. The objective of this study was to compare how nonlinear models fit the growth curve of two genetic groups of duck and to evaluate variation based on carcass characteristics. Two hundred and twenty four animals were weighed weekly, from birth to 90 days of age. We used nonlinear models (Brody, Richards, Gompertz, Von Bertalanff and Logistic) to describe growth curve. For the evaluation of phenotypic variation, we measured seven carcass traits from 81 ducks carried out by principal component analysis. The logistic model best fit the growth curve, and the absolute growth rates (AGR) for the Catolé duck showed that females reached their maximum AGR at approximately 30 days but did not reach their ideal commercial weight. The drumstick, thigh and liver yields accounted for 41.17% of the differences between the Catolé and Paysandu ducks. The slaughter of male Catolé ducks is recommended between 70 and 90 days because a drastic decrease in growth occurs after this time. For the slaughter of females, feeding management modifications and improvement in growth indices are recommended to increase the final weight and AGR. The carcass yields indicate potential for native duck meat production

Customized luminescent multiplexed quick‐response codes as reliable temperature mobile optical sensors for eHealth and Internet of Things

The need to sense and track in real time through sustainable and multifunctional labels is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, where the simultaneous measurement of body temperature and the fast tracking of people is required. One of the big challenges is to develop effective low-cost systems that can promote healthcare provision everywhere and for that, smarter and personalized Internet of things (IoT) devices are a pathway in large exploration, toward cost reduction and sustainability. Using the concept of color-multiplexed quick response (QR) codes, customized smart labels formed by two independent layers and smart location patterns provide simultaneous tracking and multiple synchronous temperature reading with maximum sensitivity values of 8.5% K−1 in the physiological temperature range, overwhelming the state-of-the-art optical sensor for healthcare services provided electronically via the internet (eHealth) and mobile sensors (mHealth).publishe

Arguing with behavior influence: A model for web-based group decision support systems

In this work, we propose an argumentation-based dialogue model designed for Web-based Group Decision Support Systems, that considers the decision-makers' intentions. The intentions are modeled as behavior styles which allow agents to interact with each other as humans would in face-to-face meetings. In addition, we propose a set of arguments that can be used by the agents to perform and evaluate requests, while considering the agents' behavior style. The inclusion of decision-makers' intentions intends to create a more reliable and realistic process. Our model proved, in different contexts, that higher levels of consensus and satisfaction are achieved when using agents modeled with behavior styles compared to agents without any features to represent the decision-makers' intentions.- (undefined

Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry identification of mycobacterium bovis in bovinae

In this study, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry was used to identify Mycobacterium bovis from cattle and buffalo tissue isolates from the North and South regions of Brazil, grown in solid medium and previously identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based on Region of Difference 4 (RD4), sequencing and spoligotyping. For this purpose, the protein extraction protocol and the mass spectra reference database were optimized for the identification of 80 clinical isolates of mycobacteria. As a result of this optimization, it was possible to identify and differentiate M. bovis from other members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex with 100% specificity, 90.91% sensitivity and 91.25% reliability. MALDI-TOF MS methodology described herein provides successful identification of M. bovis within bovine/bubaline clinical samples, demonstrating its usefulness for bovine tuberculosis diagnosis in the future.Instituto de BiotecnologíaFil: Bacanelli, Gisele. Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. Biotechnology and Biodiversity of the Central Western Region Postgraduate Program; BrasilFil: Olarte, Larissa C. Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Multicentric Postgraduate Program; BrasilFil: Silva, Marcio Roberto. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). Gado de Leite; BrasilFil: Rodrigues, Rudielle A. Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Veterinary Sciences Postgraduate Program; BrasilFil: Carneiro, Paulo A. M. Michigan State University. Center for Comparative Epidemiology; Estados UnidosFil: Kannene, John B. Michigan State University. Center for Comparative Epidemiology; Estados UnidosFil: Pasquatti, Taynara N. Dom Bosco Catholic University; BrasilFil: Takatani, Haruo. Agricultural Defense Agency of Amazonas; BrasilFil: Zumarraga, Martin Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Etges, Rodrigo N. Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation; BrasilFil: Araujo, Flabio Ribeiro de. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). Gado de Corte; BrasilFil: Verbisck, Newton V. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). Gado de Corte; Brasi

Studies of stabilization of native catalase using additives

Native catalase preparations isolated from Bacillus Sp were formulated with different additives for storage stabilization and better performance at high temperature and pH. The additives studied were: polyethylene glycol, glycerol, BSA, casein, glutaraldehyde, n-butylamine, ethylenediamine, 1.6-diaminohexane, BSA/glutaraldehyde and casein/glutaraldehyde. The glycerol and glutaraldehyde showed the best performance for long-term storage at 30degreesC and neutral pH. No stabilization additives were effective at pH 12, but below that pH the polyethylene glycol and glycerol appeared to be the most appropriate. Amines, polyethylene glycol and glycerol shifted the pH activity maximum of the native catalase toward more alkaline region, while glycerol were the only additive to improve the temperature profile of the enzyme. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved

Adenine interaction with and adsorption on Fe-ZSM-5 zeolites: A prebiotic chemistry study using different techniques

Most adsorption experiments are performed under conditions that did not exist on Earth before the life arose on it. Because adsorption is the first step for all other processes (protection against degradation and polymerization), it is important that it is performed under conditions that existed on prebiotic Earth. In this paper, we use an artificial seawater (seawater 4.0 Ga), which contains major cations and anions that could present on the oceans of the prebiotic Earth. In addition, zeolites, with substituted Fe in the framework, and adenine were probably common substances on the prebiotic Earth. Thus, study the interaction between them is an important issue in prebiotic chemistry. There are two main findings described in this paper. Firstly, zeolites with different Si/Fe ratios adsorbed adenine differently. Secondly, XAFS showed that, after treatments with seawater 4.0 Ga and adenine, an increase in the complexity of the system occurred. In general, salts of seawater 4.0 Ga did not affect the adsorption of adenine onto zeolites and adenine adsorbed less onto zeolites with iron isomorphically substituted. The C=C and NH2 groups of adenine interacted with the zeolites. Gypsum, formed from aqueous species dissolved in seawater 4.0 Ga, precipitated onto zeolites. EPR spectra of zeolites showed lines caused by Fe framework and Fe3+ species. TG curves of zeolites showed events caused by loss of water weakly bound to zeolite (in the 30-140 °C range), water bounded to iron species or cations from seawater 4.0 Ga or located in the cavities of zeolites (157-268 °C) and degradation of adenine adsorbed onto zeolites (360-600 °C). Mass loss follows almost the same order as the amount of adenine adsorbed onto zeolites. The XAFS spectrum showed that Fe3+ could be substituted into the framework of the Fe7-ZSM-5 zeolite