Increasing X-ray image interpretation competency of cargo security screeners

X-ray screening of containers and unit load devices in the area of cargo shipping is becoming an essential and common feature at ports and airports all over the world. The detection of prohibited items in X-ray images is a challenging task for screening officers as they need to know which items are prohibited and what they look like in X-ray images. The main aim of this study was to investigate whether X-ray image interpretation competency of cargo security screeners can be increased by computer-based training. More specifically, effects of training were investigated by conducting tests before training started and after approximately three months of training. Moreover, it was examined whether viewing X-ray images in pseudo color would lead to a better detection performance compared to when X-ray images are shown in greyscale. Recurrent computer-based training resulted in large performance increases after three months. No significant difference in detection performance could be found for tests when using X-ray images in greyscale vs. pseudo color.     

Microwave Sintering and Optical Properties of Sm3+-Activated KSrPO4 Phosphors

The microwave sintering and photoluminescence properties of KSr_1?x PO₄:xSm³⁺ phosphors have been investigated. KSrPO₄ phosphates activated by various concentrations of Sm³⁺ ions (x = 0.007, 0.009, 0.01, 0.03) were microwave sintered at 1200°C for 3 h under air atmosphere. x-Ray diffraction patterns showed that all phosphor samples exhibited a single phase without any extraneous phases. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the particle size increased with the Sm³⁺ concentration and that the particle morphology was fine and uniform. The photoluminescence results showed that a concentration quenching effect occurred when the concentration of Sm³⁺ ions reached x = 0.01. Decay time measurement results showed that the lifetime decreased gradually from 3.12 ms to 2.34 ms as the Sm³⁺ concentration increased. All the chromaticity (x, y) values of the microwave-sintered KSrPO₄:Sm³⁺ phosphors were located in the red region (0.57, 0.41).     

The bipolar plate of AISI 1045 steel with chromized coatings prepared by low-temperature pack cementation for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

The low-temperature pack chromization, a reforming pack cementation process, is employed to modify AISI 1045 steel for the application of bipolar plates in PEMFC. The process is conducted to yield a coating, containing major Cr-carbides and minor Cr-nitrides, on the substrate in view of enhancing the steel's corrosion resistance and lowering interfacial contact resistance between the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer. Electrical discharge machining and rolling approach are used as the pretreatment to produce an activated surface on the steel before pack chromization process to reduce operating temperatures and increase deposition rates. The rolled-chromized steel shows the lowest corrosion current density, 3 × 10⁻⁸ A cm⁻², and the smallest interfacial contact resistance, 5.9 mΩ cm², at 140 N cm⁻² among all tested steels. This study clearly states the performance of 1045 carbon steel modified by activated and low-temperature pack chromization processes, which possess the potential to be bipolar plates in the application of PEMFC.     

Berry Phenolics of Grapevine under Challenging Environments

Plant phenolics have been for many years a theme of major scientific and applied interest. Grape berry phenolics contribute to organoleptic properties, color and protection against environmental challenges. Climate change has already caused significant warming in most grape-growing areas of the world, and the climatic conditions determine, to a large degree, the grape varieties that can be cultivated as well as wine quality. In particular, heat, drought and light/UV intensity severely affect phenolic metabolism and, thus, grape composition and development. In the variety Chardonnay, water stress increases the content of flavonols and decreases the expression of genes involved in biosynthesis of stilbene precursors. Also, polyphenolic profile is greatly dependent on genotype and environmental interactions. This review deals with the diversity and biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in the grape berry, from a general overview to a more detailed level, where the influence of environmental challenges on key phenolic metabolism pathways is approached. The full understanding of how and when specific phenolic compounds accumulate in the berry, and how the varietal grape berry metabolism responds to the environment is of utmost importance to adjust agricultural practices and thus, modify wine profile.     

An economic assessment of potential ethanol production pathways in Ireland

An economic assessment was conducted on five biomass-to-ethanol production pathways utilising the feedstock: wheat, triticale, sugarbeet, miscanthus and straw. The analysis includes the costs and margins for all the stakeholders along the economic chain. This analysis reveals that under current market situations in Ireland, the production of ethanol under the same tax regime as petrol makes it difficult to compete against that fuel, with tax breaks, however, it can compete against petrol. On the other hand, even under favourable tax breaks it will be difficult for indigenously produced ethanol to compete against cheaper sources of imported ethanol. Therefore, the current transport fuel market has no economic reason to consume indigenously produced ethanol made from the indigenously grown feedstock analysed at a price that reflects all the stakeholders’ costs. To deliver a significant penetration of indigenous ethanol into the market would require some form of compulsory inclusion or else considerable financial supports to feedstock and ethanol producers.     

Optimization of platinum dispersion in Pt–PEM electrodes: application to the electrooxidation of ethanol

Nafion® can be used as a solid polymer electrolyte in a PEM fuel cell. Direct platinization of the membrane was realized by chemical reduction of a platinum compound. The platinization procedure was modified to enhance the roughness factor and thus to improve the electrocatalytic activity towards ethanol electrooxidation. The Pt–PEM electrodes were characterized by TEM, atomic absorption analysis, cyclic voltammetry and their polarization curves for ethanol electrooxidation.     

Optimum design of slurry pipelines by genetic algorithm

Various applications of slurry transportation through pipelines exist. A transportation problem is formulated to determine the pipe diameters and amounts of transported slurry from the production to the consumption points. The minimisation of the cost consisting of the pipe and energy cost terms is considered as the objective function. Pipe cost is given as the function of pipe diameters and the energy cost is defined as the function of pipe diameters and slurry amounts. Energy cost is obtained by using the relation that is previously determined after the experimental studies have been made for the magnetite ore. Genetic algorithm is used as the optimisation method and to apply this method a commercially available software written in the C language is used and modified. The proposed methodology to solve this non-linear programming problem is applied to a transportation system and it is found that the proposed methodology has made the complex, labour-intensive solution process very convenient for the users.     

Optimization of Multireservoir Systems by Genetic Algorithm

Application of optimization techniques for determining the optimal operating policy of reservoirs is a major issue in water resources planning and management. As an optimization Genetic Algorithm, ruled by evolution techniques, have become popular in diversified fields of science. The main aim of this study is to explore the efficiency and effectiveness of genetic algorithm in optimization of multi-reservoirs. A computer code has been constructed for this purpose and verified by means of a reference problem with a known global optimum. Three reservoirs in the Colorado River Storage Project were optimized for maximization of energy production. Besides, a real-time approach utilizing a blend of online and a posteriori data was proposed. The results obtained were compared to the real operational data and genetic algorithm was found to be effective and can be utilized as an alternative technique to other traditional optimization techniques.