Evaluating the potential of a bivalve species from the intertidal zone of the Persian Gulf for biomonitoring of trace elements using a nondestructive analytical method

This study was carried out in order to evaluate the potential of the soft and hard tissues of a bivalve species (Callista umbonella) for biomonitoring of different elements in coastal areas of northern part of the Persian Gulf as well as to assess the possible use of PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission) method in this regard. The bivalve specimens and surficial sediment samples were collected from three sampling sites located on the intertidal zone of Hormozgan Province in August 2014. Concentrations of the elements were determined using the non-destructive method, PIXE. Assessment of total organic matter (TOM) and grain size were also carried out in the sediment samples. Based on the results, of the 17 elements measured in the soft tissues, (Al, Br, Ca, Cl, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, O, P, S, Si, Sr, Ti and Zn) in the case of P, Fe, Br and O significant differences were observed between the sampling sites. Of the 14 elements measured in the shells (Al, Br, Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, K, O, S, Si and Sr) only in the case of Si significant differences between the sites could be detected and of the 14 elements measured in the surface sediments (Al, Ca, Cl, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, K, O, S, Si and Ti) in the case of Na, Mg, S, Cl, K , Ca, Ti and Fe significant differences were found between the sites. In each of the above cases, order of the elements accumulation was assessed and possible causes of the differences evaluated. In order to classify the elements based on their levels in the sediments, soft tissues and shells the multivariate analyses (principal component analysis and cluster analysis) were used. According to the gained results, C. umbonella can be considered as a potential candidate species for biomonitoring of a number of elements in the coastal area of the Persian Gulf

The Effect of Different Types of Coating and Packaging on the Physical Properties of Persimmon Fruit under Load

Since persimmon is a pressure-sensitive fruit and it is difficult to store this fruit in warehouses, in this research, an attempt has been made to examine the parameters affecting the reduction of changes in its physical properties. The samples were loaded at 150 and 250 N, three types of foam container packaging with polyolefin film, polyethylene-terephthalate, and ordinary box, and four types of polyamine putrescine coating with concentrations of 1 and 2 mM, distilled water and uncoated. Properties such as Physiological Weight Loss, volume, and the density of persimmon fruit, as well as the firmness of this fruit in the prepost-storage stage were examined. The results showed, the highest firmness was obtained in the treatment of putrescine at a concentration of 1 mM and a foam container with polyethylene film with a value of 6.5 N, which was almost three times the firmness of uncoated fruits. The lowest Physiological Weight Loss, volume, and density were obtained in the same type of coating and packaging. The values of these parameters were 2.458%, 1.82, and 0.833%, respectively, compared to the first day of storage. Overall, the use of polyamine treatment showed a significant effect on changes in the physical properties of persimmon fruit, and foam containers with polyolefin film emerged as the optimal packaging option, resulting in the least amount of change among the different types of packaging used

On the Lubricity and Comparative Life Cycle of Biobased Synthetic and Mineral Oil Emulsions in Machining Titanium Ti-6Al-4V at Low Cutting Speed

The paper discusses an instrumented tapping test method using a CNC machine tool to compare the lubricity of MWFs by cutting threads in a Ti-6Al-4V alloy at low speed. The method uses a spiral flute tap size typical of industrial practice. A soft synchronous tap holder and spindle mounted dynamometer were incorporated on the machine to measure torque and thrust force. The tapping test method was demonstrated on three groups of MWFs that were commercially available and classified by ASTM E2523-13:2018. The method developed stable results free of chip clogging in tool flutes which could otherwise mask their comparative lubricity. The fully synthetic (FS) group displayed the best lubricity and within this group the FS from renewables (FS-bio) was the best overall. The method was shown to be effective in mitigating biasing effects on lubricity performance due to the generous tool chamfer angle tolerance and was practical and economical to implement. The significance of the results is discussed enabling an understanding of friction effects in tapping using a soft synchronous tap holder. A life cycle assessment of each MWF group found total Greenhouse Gas emitted from the FS group was 17% of the hydrocarbon group whilst FS-bio emitted just 7%

A simple method to increase the current range of the TERA chip in charged particle therapy applications

The development of the next generation of accelerators for charged particle radiotherapy aims to reduce dimensions and operational complexity of the machines by engineering pulsed beams accelerators. The drawback is the increased difficulty to monitor the beam delivery. Within each pulse, instantaneous currents larger by two to three orders of magnitude than present applications are expected, which would saturate the readout of the monitor chambers. In this paper, we report of a simple method to increase by almost two orders of magnitude the current range of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit chip previously developed by our group to read out monitor ionization chambers. & 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Purification and characterization of lysozyme in Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus (Borodin, 1897) from the Southwest Caspian Sea

Lysozyme (N-acetylmuramide glyconohydrolase, (EC 3.2.1.17)) is a unique enzyme which cleaves the β-1,4 linkages of N-acetylmuramic and N-acetylglucosamine of the peptidoglycan, which leads to the lysis of the bacterial cell wall. Lysozyme, as a self-defense enzyme, is produced in many organs of vertebrates. The present study describes purification and characterization of lysozyme from Acipenser persicus (Borodin, 1897). After the extraction process, ion exchange chromatography was utilized to purify the enzyme. The SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed that the molecular weight was about 14 kDa. Moreover, some of the biochemical properties such as optimum temperature, pH and the effect of metal ions on the activity of purified enzyme were investigated. Based on the results the optimum activity and pH were obtained at 50 °C and 6.5 respectively. The purified lysozyme was active in the presence of different salts including NaCl (0–0.125 M), KCl (0.075–0.125 M), MgCl2, and CaCl2 (0.005 M). Kinetic parameters were also calculated

Identification of methionine synthase (Sal k 3), as a novel allergen of Salsola kali pollen

Salsola kali pollen is a common cause of pollinosis during summer and early fall in desert and semi-desert regions. The aim of this study was the identification and characterization of Sal k 3, a new allergen from S. kali pollen. S. kali pollen extract was fractionated by SDS-PAGE and the allergenic profile was determined by IgE-immunoblotting using twelve S. kali allergic patients. Protein identification was carried out by the means of mass spectrometry. Using degenerated primers, two DNA fragments encoding N- and C-terminal domain of Sal k 3 were amplified by PCR, then cloned into the PTZ57R/T vector and sequenced. The open reading frame of Sal k 3 fragments were subcloned in the pET-32b(+) vector, expressed in E. coli, and purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography. The IgE-binding capacity of rSal k 3 fragments was then studied by IgE-immunoblotting, inhibition assays, and skin prick tests. A 45-kDa allergen was identified as a fragment of the cobalamin-independent methionine synthase (MetE) by mass spectrometry and was detected in the sera of 8/12 (66.6) of S. kali allergic patients. Moreover, inhibition assays demonstrated that the purified rSal k 3 fragments were similar to their counterparts in the crude extract. Sal k 3 represents a new allergen of S. kali pollen and seems to be an important allergenic compound in S. kali pollen. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

HE-LHC: The High-Energy Large Hadron Collider – Future Circular Collider Conceptual Design Report Volume 4

In response to the 2013 Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics (EPPSU), the Future Circular Collider (FCC) study was launched as a world-wide international collaboration hosted by CERN. The FCC study covered an energy-frontier hadron collider (FCC-hh), a highest-luminosity high-energy lepton collider (FCC-ee), the corresponding 100 km tunnel infrastructure, as well as the physics opportunities of these two colliders, and a high-energy LHC, based on FCC-hh technology. This document constitutes the third volume of the FCC Conceptual Design Report, devoted to the hadron collider FCC-hh. It summarizes the FCC-hh physics discovery opportunities, presents the FCC-hh accelerator design, performance reach, and staged operation plan, discusses the underlying technologies, the civil engineering and technical infrastructure, and also sketches a possible implementation. Combining ingredients from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the high-luminosity LHC upgrade and adding novel technologies and approaches, the FCC-hh design aims at significantly extending the energy frontier to 100 TeV. Its unprecedented centre-of-mass collision energy will make the FCC-hh a unique instrument to explore physics beyond the Standard Model, offering great direct sensitivity to new physics and discoveries