The measuring and control system for improved model based diastat filling quality

The article describes the development and testing of a measurement and control system in industrial environment. This system enables fast and accurate membrane expansion measurements. The membrane is part of the sensor system called diastat, which is filled with a special oil. The diastat is part of mechanical capillary thermostat. To demonstrate the right selection of the measurement equipment and data processing methods, several tests and analysis were performed: the dynamic response of the diastat membrane during filling, measuring accuracy, nonlinearity and temperature stability of the measurement system with integrated distance sensor and the most important verification measurements with reference control procedures in manufacturing process. It was demonstrated that a number of novel approaches need to be introduced enabling installation of the measurement and control system in the production of the thermostat diastats.     

System for off‐line feedrate optimization and neural force control in end milling

Based on hybrid process modeling, off‐line optimization and neural control scheme (NCS), the combined system for off‐line optimization and adaptive adjustment of cutting parameters is built. This is an adaptive control system controlling the cutting force by digital adaptation of cutting parameters. In this way, it compensates all disturbances during the cutting process, prevents excessive tool wear, and maintains a high chip removal rate. It is the combination of these methods that yields accurate force control. The basic control principle is based on the NCS consisting of two neural identifiers of the process dynamics and feedback controller. An overall procedure of hybrid modeling of cutting process, used for working out the computer numerical control (CNC) milling simulator has been prepared. CNC simulator is used to evaluate the controller design before conducting experimental tests. Numerous simulations and experiments have been conducted to confirm the efficiency of this control architecture. The experimental results show that not only does the end‐milling system with the design controller have high robustness and global stability, but also the machining efficiency of the end milling system with the proposed controller is 27% higher than for traditional CNC milling system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measuring loop lengths of elasticised knitted fabrics

The methods for loop length measurement have mostly been developed for knitted fabrics made from conventional yarns. When measuring the loop lengths of knitted structures made from highly extensible staple yarns, problems arise because of an uncontrolled yarn extension at the low stresses. The present study proposes a test method for knitted loop length determination in which variable preloads are applied. In the study, the loop lengths measured on an INSTRON dynamometer using variable preloads and a HATRA Course Length Tester using a fixed preload were compared. The results demonstrated that knitted structures made from elasticised yarns exhibit only small changes in loop length after relaxation. The addition of elastane does not significantly influence loop lengths for fabrics knitted using the same machine, the same cam setting and relaxed by the same process. The loop lengths measured on an INSTRON dynamometer exceed the loop lengths measured on a HATRA Course Length Tester.     

Anthocyanins profile,total phenolics and antioxidant activity of black currant ethanolic extracts as influenced by genotype and ethanol concentration

Ethanolic extracts prepared from the fruits of three cultivars of black currant (‘Record’, ‘Blackdown’ and ‘Ronix’) macerated in three concentrations (40%, 60% and 96%) of aqueous ethanol were investigated for their anthocyanins profile, total phenolics and antioxidant activity.     

Quality changes during ripening of plums (Prunus domestica L.)

Quality changes during fruit ripening after the appearance of fruit colour of four Prunus domestica L. plum cultivars, ‘Jojo’, ‘Valor’, ‘Čačanska rodna’ and ‘Čačanska najbolja’, were investigated during 25 or 33 day periods. Fruit samples were analyzed for fruit weight, firmness, soluble solids content, fruit colour, content of sugars (glucose, fructose, sorbitol and sucrose), organic acids (malic, fumaric and shikimic acids), phenolics (neochlorogenic acid, p-coumaroylquinic acid, chlorogenic acid and rutin) and anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-rutinoside and peonidin-3-rutinoside). Ripening resulted in statistically increased fruit weight and soluble solids, decreased fruit firmness, darker colour of fruits, increased concentration of total sugars, decreased concentration of total acids, and increased concentration of anthocyanins. There was no influence of ripening on the content of phenols. The results show significant influences of cultivar on fruit weight, soluble solids content, firmness, fruit colour, concentration of total acids, SUAC index, concentration of total phenols and anthocyanins in European plums.     

Influence of branch bending on sugar,organic acid and phenolic content in fruits of ‘Williams’ pears (Pyrus communis L.)

Selected sugars, organic acids and phenolic compounds were analysed in mature fruits of ‘Williams’ pears using high‐performance liquid chromatography. Fruits were harvested from the branches of trees tested in three treatments: branches were bent in summer 2003 (1 September), in spring 2004 (15 May) and control (branches were not bent). Pears contained up to 73.54 g kg^?1 fresh weight (FW) of fructose, 9.42 g kg^?1 FW of glucose, 7.94 g kg^?1 FW of sucrose and 24.59 g kg^?1 FW of sorbitol. Major organic acids were (in order of descending quantity) citric, malic, shikimic and fumaric acid (up to 3.05 g kg^?1 FW, 2.24 g kg^?1 FW, 71.79 mg kg^?1 FW and 0.49 mg kg^?1 FW, respectively). Chlorogenic acid (280.86–357.34 mg kg^?1 FW) was the predominant phenolic acid, followed in concentration (mg kg^?1 FW) by syringic acid (95.46–131.32), epicatechin (46.55–83.09), catechin (25.67–44.81), vanillic acid (1.87–3.48), sinapic acid (0.83–1.72) and caffeic acid (0.72–1.04). Significant differences in content of fructose, sorbitol, total sugars, catechin, epicatechin, sinapic acid, syringic acid, and a sum of determined phenolic compounds were observed among the treatments. Fruits from summer bending branches had the lowest content of individual sugars, citric acid and phenolic compounds and the highest content of malic, shikimic and fumaric acid. The highest content of fructose, sorbitol, sucrose, total sugars, caffeic acid, catechin, epicatechin and syringic acid were determined in the fruits from the spring treatment. In the control treatment the highest content of glucose, citric acid, chlorogenic acid, sinapic acid, vanillic acid, as well a sum of determined phenolics, were observed. The lowest content of fumaric acid was in the spring treatment and of malic and shikimic acid in the control. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Dissociation of chemotaxis from agonist-induced receptor internalization in a lymphocyte cell line transfected with CCR2B. Evidence that directed migration does not require rapid modulation of signaling at the receptor level

To investigate the role of the carboxyl-terminal region (52 amino acids) of the monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 receptor (CCR2B) in chemotaxis, we created a series of mutants and expressed them in a murine pre-B lymphocyte cell line. Truncation of the cytoplasmic carboxyl tail to 20 amino acids had little or no effect on chemotaxis or signal transduction, but further truncation resulted in marked functional defects. Upon incubation with monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, CCR2B underwent rapid and extensive internalization, and this was impaired progressively as the carboxyl tail was truncated from 52 to 8 amino acids. Mutation of all of the serine and threonine residues in the carboxyl tail to alanine also resulted in markedly impaired receptor internalization but did not affect signaling or chemotaxis. We conclude that the membrane-proximal portion of the cytoplasmic carboxyl tail of CCR2B is critically involved in chemotaxis and signal transduction, but neither phosphorylation of carboxyl serines or threonines nor internalization of the receptor is required for robust chemotaxis.     

Comparative study of primary and secondary metabolites in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivars

BACKGROUND: Apricot is one of the most popular Prunus species grown in the temperate zone and great variation in the contents of primary and secondary metabolites has been reported in its fruit. However, little is known on the phenolic profiles and antioxidant potential of important local cultivars. The objective of the study was to identify valuable parental lines for breeding of cultivars with high health‐promoting effects. RESULTS: Primary metabolites (sugars, organic acids) and secondary metabolites (phenolics) were quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) in fruit of 13 apricot cultivars: total sugars ranged from 59.2 to 212.5 g kg^?1 fresh weight (FW) and total organic acids from 4.2 to 20.8 g kg^?1 FW. Four hydroxycinnamic acids and three flavonols were quantified; their content was significantly higher in skin compared to pulp. Similarly, antioxidative potential was significantly higher in skin and ranged from 125.4 to 726.5 mg ascorbic acid equivalents kg^?1 FW. A positive correlation between total phenolic content and antioxidant potential was determined. Multivariate analysis subdivided the cultivars into five major groups, mostly influenced by the content of individual and total phenolics as well as the antioxidant potential of apricot skin and pulp. CONCLUSION: In regard to high phenolic content in connection with antioxidant potential, three cultivars stand out as the richest in analyzed quality parameters: ‘Mula Sadik’, ‘Bergeron’ and ‘Chuan Zhi Hong’. They also contained high amounts of primary metabolites and should be promoted for further planting and included in apricot breeding programs. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Polyacryl–nanoclay composite for anticorrosion application

Polyacryl–nanoclay composites are new class of materials obtained by dispersing montmorillonite clay nanoplatelets (nanoclay) into the polymer matrix. In present work we investigate and confirmed that montmorillonite nanoclay significantly enhances barrier properties of acrylic composite. Two stage of dispersion process was used to prepare polyacry–nanoclay composites. Different percentages of montmorillonite clay nanolayers were added to polyacryl dispersion and applied on steel panel with 0% (w/w), 1% (w/w), 2% (w/w) and 4% (w/w) of nanoclay as composites. Performance of nanoclay intercalation in polyacryl composite was measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the structure characteristics of samples were analyzed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effectiveness of prepared nanocomposites was identified by the hardness measurements and mechanical properties. Further anticorrosion characteristics, especially barrier properties were indirectly detected by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This method was also used for the determination of montmorilonite nanoclay optimal concentration in acrylic composite where optimal barrier properties were achieved.