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Introduction: Recent advancements in imaging techniques, particularly optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), have transformed our understanding of retinal microvascular changes in various ocular diseases, including dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Our literature review summarizes key findings on retinal vascular alterations in dry AMD as observed with OCTA, highlighting their implications for disease progression and management. Areas covered: Studies reveal significant changes in dry AMD patients, affecting the superficial and deep capillary plexuses as well as the choroid. These alterations include decreased vascular and flow density, variations in the foveal avascular zone, reduced choriocapillaris perfusion, and alterations in choroidal vascularity and thickness. Such changes reflect the complex vascular pathology of dry AMD and serve as potential biomarkers for monitoring disease progression. Variability in study results underscores the importance of considering AMD stage, sample size, follow-up duration, imaging protocols, and standardization. Expert opinion: OCTA in dry AMD is primarily research-focused due to technical and methodological challenges. Its adoption in clinical practice requires standardized protocols and improved software. With future advancements and a better understanding of disease pathology, OCTA could become a routine part of dry AMD management, especially as new therapies emerge that utilize OCTA for assessing dry AMD progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fed-batch cultures have rarely been used in single cell protein (SCP) research. This work evaluated multiple yeast species for suitability as SCP cultivated using glucose- and sucrose-based substrate and performed in-depth studies of fed-batch SCP cultivation kinetics for selected yeasts, including determination of specific crude nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors. Methods: SCP was cultivated using fully synthetic media in flask batch or bioreactor fed-batch cultures. Crude nitrogen and nucleic acid content were determined using the Dumas method and fluorescence assay kits, respectively. Results:C. utilis compared favorably to other yeasts in flask batch cultures in terms of process yield (0.52 ± 0.01 gx gs−1) and crude nitrogen content (10.0 ± 0.5 and 9.9 ± 0.5%CDW for glucose and sucrose, respectively). This is the first time biomass composition data was reported for SCP cultivated in fed-batch mode. C. utilis crude nitrogen content was consistent across the tested conditions (protein content stabilized around 50%CDW in fed-batch), while that of the benchmark yeast S. cerevisiae was higher in batch cultures and at the beginning of fed-batch relative to the end (protein content decreased over time and stabilized around 43%CDW). Total nucleic acid content of the yeasts was similar (6.8%CDW and 6.3%CDW, for C. utilis and S. cerevisiae, respectively), with crude nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors of 4.97 and 5.80. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the suitability of C. utilis as SCP, notably the robustness of its crude nitrogen content (as an indicator of protein content) across batch and fed-batch conditions, compared to that of the benchmark yeast S. cerevisiae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poland is one of the leading apple-producing countries, both in Europe and around the world. One of the main byproducts of apple processing is pomace, which can account for 20–35% of the harvested apples. Pomace is a potential source of many valuable bioactive components and can also serve as a food ingredient, either directly or indirectly (after bioconversion with fodder yeast). This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of converting polysaccharides contained in apple pomace to yeast biomass. Meyerozyma guilliermondii and Scheffersomyces stipitis yeasts were grown in a medium prepared by pretreatment of the raw material with water or 2% sulphuric acid at 120 °C. Subsequently, enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using a Cellic CTec2 preparation at 30 °C or 50 °C. The resulting hydrolysates were enriched with ammonium salts, and shaken yeast cultures were incubated at 30 °C for 72 h. Based on the results, it can be concluded that acid pretreatment of apple pomace is more effective than water pretreatment under the same time and temperature conditions. The Meyerozyma guilliermondii strain grows in apple pomace hydrolysates more efficiently (16.29 g/L) than Scheffersomyces stipitis cells do (14.63 g/L). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sustained casing pressure (SCP) and/or annular pressure build-up (APB) can pose severe threats to the safe operation of high-pressure, high-production gas wells, leading to premature well abandonment, unplanned workovers, significant production losses, and exorbitant detection costs. The techniques for addressing these issues broadly fall into two categories of rig-based and rig-less workovers. The rig-less workovers are the most cost-effective, outperforming surefooted rig-based workovers because there are many techniques for detecting downhole leaks, especially those utilizing rig-less data. As an established technique used elsewhere in the petroleum industry, downhole chokes have been proposed to mitigate SCP. However, some critical questions remain unanswered. For this reason and to facilitate field applicability, essential parameters, such as choke depth, are optimized in this work under various leaking circumstances in the tubing string. By using commercial software, the evolution of the annulus pressure with one single leak is analysed under the influences of certain parameters, such as leakage depth, casing pressure relief, production shifts, and initial gas column height in the tubing/casing annulus; then, the patterns of fluid exchange between the tubing and casing string and the annular pressure rise are investigated for two successive leaks. Finally, based on the resulting insights, the adaptability levels of downhole throttling technology for mitigating SCP are investigated under various scenarios with either single or double leaks. The results show that the key to success is to land below the leak for a single leak and below the lower leak for double leaks. The conclusions provide a low-cost, rigid measure for abating SCP.

Sustained casing pressure (SCP) and/or annular pressure build-up (APB) can pose severe threats to the safe operation of high-pressure, high-production gas wells, leading to premature well abandonment, unplanned workovers, significant production losses, and exorbitant detection costs. The techniques for addressing these issues broadly fall into two categories of rig-based and rig-less workovers. The rig-less workovers are the most cost-effective, outperforming surefooted rig-based workovers because there are many techniques for detecting downhole leaks, especially those utilizing rig-less data. As an established technique used elsewhere in the petroleum industry, downhole chokes have been proposed to mitigate SCP. However, some critical questions remain unanswered. For this reason and to facilitate field applicability, essential parameters, such as choke depth, are optimized in this work under various leaking circumstances in the tubing string. By using commercial software, the evolution of the annulus pressure with one single leak is analysed under the influences of certain parameters, such as leakage depth, casing pressure relief, production shifts, and initial gas column height in the tubing/casing annulus; then, the patterns of fluid exchange between the tubing and casing string and the annular pressure rise are investigated for two successive leaks. Finally, based on the resulting insights, the adaptability levels of downhole throttling technology for mitigating SCP are investigated under various scenarios with either single or double leaks. The results show that the key to success is to land below the leak for a single leak and below the lower leak for double leaks. The conclusions provide a low-cost, rigid measure for abating SCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current era of wastewater treatment, integrating reusable water production with resource recovery is a key goal. This study aims to treat fuel-synthesis wastewater (FSW), intending to recover various resources, including polyhydroxybutyrate (PHBs), single cell protein, bacteriochlorophylls, carotenoids, and coenzyme Q10 from suspended and biofilm growth to decrease the harvesting costs. The study considered the treatment process, biofilm growth, and resource recovery potential in a mixed-culture system enriched with purple non-sulfur bacteria for treating FSW. Specifically, the effects of four different FSW strengths (25–100 %) and nitrogen sufficiency (N+) or deficiency (N−) were evaluated in eight biofilm photobioreactors. This study observed a direct correlation between the concentration of FSW and PHB content; specifically, as the FSW content decreased from 100 % (undiluted) to 25 % the PHB content decreased. The undiluted condition achieved 17 % dry cell weight as PHB in the suspended growth and 22.6 % in the biofilm growth under N− condition. The protein content ranged between 33 and 44 %, and the presence of nitrogen had a slight positive effect on higher protein content. No trend was observed for carotenoids or bacteriochlorophylls in the N− condition. In contrast, for the N+ condition, the concentration of bacteriochlorophylls increased with decreasing wastewater concentration under suspended growth, while it decreased with decreasing wastewater concentration under biofilm growth. Coenzyme Q10 concentration was enhanced under the most growth-limited condition (25 %, N−). PHB and protein content of these resources seem most promising when using N− and N+ conditions, respectively.

A basic combinatorial optimization problem, the Set Covering Problem (SCP) finds extensive use in computer science, operations research, and logistics, among other domains. The SCP’s goal is to determine the smallest number of subsets, or sets, needed to cover every element precisely once given a finite set of items and a collection of subsets of these elements. Numerous practical uses for the SCP exist, such as crew scheduling, truck routing, and facility locating. This paper focuses on obtaining feasible solutions, applying to the obtained solutions constructive heuristics (CH), followed by a redundancy elimination procedure to remove unnecessary sets. To further optimize the quality of the solution, a local search method is also implemented based on the First and Best improvement algorithms. Additionally, the Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure (GRASP) and Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) metaheuristics are designed and implemented. Each implemented heuristic underwent testing across 42 instances, with the average deviation from the optimal solution calculated for each instance. The GRASP heuristic demonstrated the most favorable performance, achieving a maximum deviation of 2.26% from the optimal solution, while the VNS approach yielded a maximum deviation of 11.46% from the optimal solution at its best.

Single-cell protein (SCP) is a promising alternative for replacing plant and animalderived dietary proteins. SCP contains essential nutrients and high levels of essential amino acids (AA). Given the versatility of microbial strains and waste substrates that can be used as feedstocks, many variations of production processes can be explored. Improving these microorganism strains by enhancing their properties and productivity is vital to increasing SCP competitiveness. One of the options to enhance microorganism strains would be by creating mutants with better AA profiles. By using mutagenesis and AA inhibitors it should be possible the create novel strains with improved AA-producing properties. The use of AA inhibitors to promote selective pressure on SCP-producing strains is a novel concept and is not a widely explored approach, therefore, the further development of this method should be explored. This paper used a multi-criteria decision analysis method to evaluate different technological factors vital for creating protein-rich mutants. These factors are microorganism strains, agro-industrial waste substrates used as process feedstocks, AA inhibitors, and mutagenesis methods. Microorganisms Candida utilis and Bacillus subtilis showed the highest potential for being used. Molasses was the 'closest to the ideal' substrate to be used as feedstock for SCP production. As the most promising mutagenesis method ethyl methane sulphonate was selected. Glufosinate ammonium and methionine sulfoximine for both bacteria and fungi were identified as the best inhibitors for SCP-rich mutant selection. Identified combinations of optimal solutions for microorganisms, substrates, inhibitors, and mutagenesis techniques should be further investigated and evaluated in laboratory settings. This could help to increase SCP's competitiveness as a sustainable protein source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poland is one of the leading apple-producing countries, both in Europe and around the world. One of the main byproducts of apple processing is pomace, which can account for 20–35% of the harvested apples. Pomace is a potential source of many valuable bioactive components and can also serve as a food ingredient, either directly or indirectly (after bioconversion with fodder yeast). This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of converting polysaccharides contained in apple pomace to yeast biomass. Meyerozyma guilliermondii and Scheffersomyces stipitis yeasts were grown in a medium prepared by pretreatment of the raw material with water or 2% sulphuric acid at 120 °C. Subsequently, enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using a Cellic CTec2 preparation at 30 °C or 50 °C. The resulting hydrolysates were enriched with ammonium salts, and shaken yeast cultures were incubated at 30 °C for 72 h. Based on the results, it can be concluded that acid pretreatment of apple pomace is more effective than water pretreatment under the same time and temperature conditions. The Meyerozyma guilliermondii strain grows in apple pomace hydrolysates more efficiently (16.29 g/L) than Scheffersomyces stipitis cells do (14.63 g/L).

This study aims to analyze the marketing pattern of coconut sugar products, describe the stakeholders involved in the marketing of coconut sugar, and develop a structure, conduct, performance (SCP) based marketing model for coconut sugar. This research method is a quantitative descriptive method. The research location was determined purposively in the coconut sugar production center of Central Java Province (Banyumas, Purbalingga, and Cilacap Regencies). The research respondents were 60 people consisting of coconut sugar makers who were members of the Joint Business Group (KUB) and 60 people, 10 collectors traders, 2 wholesalers, and 4 institutional exporters. Data were analyzed descriptively. Data analysis for the basic structure by measuring market share size and concentration (CR4). The basis of conduct is through analysis of sales and purchasing processes, payment systems, and institutional cooperation. The basis of performance is obtained from the analysis of the margins of the trading system and the level of prices received by farmers. The results showed that there are two marketing channels for coconut sugar. A tight oligopsony is formed based on the CR4 (Concentration Ratio for the Big Four) value, while the Herfindahl index value shows that the market formed is an oligopoly. Market behavior occurs when the payment system is made in cash at the level of collectors and non-cash at the level of wholesalers. In market performance, the largest marketing margin is in the marketing channel pattern 1 of Rp. 8415.4/kg, the lowest in the channel 2 pattern of Rp. 6500/kg. The highest Farmer share value is in the marketing channel pattern 2 as 74%, and the lowest is in the channel 1 pattern at 66.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main purpose of the research work relies on the bioconversion of water hyacinth (aquatic weed) leaves into a useful substrate for the production of single cell protein using Saccharomyces cerevisiae under fermentation process, which not only eliminate environmental degradation but also enhance the utilization rate of resource. The investigation further extends the possibility of manipulating antioxidant efficacy and aminoacid profiling of produced single cell protein whereby it can be used as a food or feed for its high protein content. Methods: The nutritive parameters of water hyacinth were examined to determine their suitability as a low cost carbon substrate for SCP synthesis. By using the one-factor-at-time (OFAT) technique, the optimization of bioprocess variables was carried out to maximize SCP yield. To achieve the highest possible amount of biomass with high protein content, SCP was mass produced using a liquid state fermentation technique. The DPPH and total antioxidant assay was analyzed to determine the obtained SCP's antioxidant activity. Through the HPTLC aminoacid profiling technique, the essential amino acids present in the yeast biomass were evaluated. Results: Maximum SCP yield (17.25 g/l) and protein content (38.43%) was achieved with optimized water hyacinth hydrolysate based medium when compared with unoptimized medium with SCP yield (12.48 g/l) and protein content (26.10%). Further, nucleic acid reduction treatment was undergone which apparently reduced the dry biomass (14.96 g/l) and protein content (36.27%) in SCP. The produced SCP also exhibited promising antioxidant potential with 42.34 μg/ml total antioxidant and 95.26 μg/ml scavenging activity. The HPTLC profile of SCP showed a considerable concentration of the important essential amino acids arginine (0.65 mg/g), valine (3.51 mg/g), threonine (2.59 mg/g), and tryptophan (3.69 mg/g). Conclusion: Thus, the current study concluded that employing invasive aquatic weed (water hyacinth) as a cost-effective feedstock for the fermentation based production of SCP with increased biomass yield and protein content seems to be a promising circular bioeconomy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-cell methodologies and technologies have started a revolution in biology which until recently has primarily been limited to deep sequencing and imaging modalities. With the advent and subsequent torrid development of single-cell proteomics over the last 5 years, despite the fact that proteins cannot be amplified like transcripts, it has now become abundantly clear that it is a worthy complement to single-cell transcriptomics. In this review, we engage in an assessment of the current state of the art of single-cell proteomics including workflow, sample preparation techniques, instrumentation, and biological applications. We investigate the challenges associated with working with very small sample volumes and the acute need for robust statistical methods for data interpretation. We delve into what we believe is a promising future for biological research at single-cell resolution and highlight some of the exciting discoveries that already have been made using single-cell proteomics, including the identification of rare cell types, characterization of cellular heterogeneity, and investigation of signaling pathways and disease mechanisms. Finally, we acknowledge that there are a number of outstanding and pressing problems that the scientific community vested in advancing this technology needs to resolve. Of prime importance is the need to set standards so that this technology becomes widely accessible allowing novel discoveries to be easily verifiable. We conclude with a plea to solve these problems rapidly so that single-cell proteomics can be part of a robust, high-throughput, and scalable single-cell multi-omics platform that can be ubiquitously applied to elucidating deep biological insights into the diagnosis and treatment of all diseases that afflict us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North American oak lace bug (OLB), Corythucha arcuata, is an invasive species in Europe and a serious threat to oak‐dominated forests.Survival at low temperatures is one major factor determining the spread of invasive insects. Thus, we studied key traits, that is, cold‐tolerance strategy, supercooling points (SCP) and chilling‐related mortality, of overwintering adults to assess their potential to withstand harsh winters.Samples for SCP measurements were collected once a month from November 2020 until March 2021 at three different locations in Hungary; specimens for chilling experiments were sampled in November 2020, January 2021 and March 2021.SCPs of overwintering adults ranged from −29.68 to −7.49 °C, with only moderate variation among months; C. arcuata is a freeze‐avoidant species.Mortality rates of adults exposed to two sub‐zero temperatures above the SCP (−3 and −5 °C) for 1, 2 and 3 weeks ranged between 0% and 69.1%, suggesting that OLB has a moderate risk to die from chilling injuries. Exposure time and sampling date affected mortality, with lowest survival rates after 3 weeks, collected in March 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The production of lipids by microorganisms is always associated with post-extraction residues, a large part of which are proteins. The thermal properties of oleaginous yeast biomass indicate its stability over a wide range of temperatures, which may facilitate the design of technology and versatile use of its components, especially since its good amino acid composition indicates the nutritional potential of the protein. These could have applications in feed and food products. The biotechnological processing of oleaginous yeast biomass should be comprehensively managed using the zero-waste policy. This study focused on the biomass of the red yeast Rhodotorula obtained from a medium containing waste nitrogen. The cells accumulate lipids in intracellular lipid droplets; however, they are also rich in protein. Therefore, the nutritional value of lipid and protein, according to their fatty acid and amino acid composition, is a necessary step for practical application. For the very first time, this study focused on understanding the influence of temperature on powdered red yeast biomass to study components phase transition or chemical reactions by using DSC. Rhodotorula glutinis var. rubescens was cultivated in a glucose fed-batch in a potato wastewater medium, where the biomass yield was powdered, and lipid and fatty acid, protein, and amino acid compositions were determined. The DSC diagrams of red yeast biomass were characterized by two small and mild endothermic peaks, indicating the presence of fat and the presence of low molecular weight carbohydrates and a distinct peak associated with the presence of crystalline sugars. The nutritional quality of the lipid fraction as atherogenicity (0.223), thrombogenicity index (0.438), PUFA/SFA (0.24), and the n-6/n-3 ratio (3.275) was adequate for the recommendation and resulted from the fatty acid composition. The yeast protein was characterized by a high content of glutamic acid (99 mg/1 g of protein), and a value of essential amino acid index of protein suggested a superior amino acid composition compared to the FAO/WHO standard. Despite a high essential amino acid index (>120), yeast protein was characterized by a low content of Lys or Met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustained Casing Pressure (SCP) is the persistent casinghead pressure resulting from the well’s annular integrity loss and migration of gas above the leaking cement sheath. Downhole—intervention methods for SCP removal employ workover rigs to access and plug off the leaking annulus at depth from within the well. The inexpensive rig-less method of Buoyant Kill involves surface injection of immiscible heavy fluid at the casinghead into the well’s annulus to replace the annular fluid column above the gas-leaking cement and stop gas migration. Laboratory and pilot-size testing have shown feasibility of the method. Presented here, is a field-scale demonstration experiment conducted in a pressurized 2750-foot well with water displaced by an immiscible brominated organic fluid over 20-h long operation. Discussed is experimental design supported by fluid selection study, benchtop and pilot tests, and fluid transport model. Also analyzed is the process performance and operational problems. The results confirm feasibility of the Buoyant Kill technique for SCP removal. The overall change of the wellhead and downhole pressures follows the expected patterns indicating partial removal of the simulated SCP. The removal is incomplete due to pumping pressure pulses and wellhead pressure variations resulting in some emulsification of the two fluids and partial loss of the injection fluid into the overflow. The results show that wellhead pressure control and injection pump operation are critical for successful SCP removal using the Buoyant Kill technique.

The bioconversion of jackfruit seed into a valuable product like Single-Cell Protein (SCP) was carried out using Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS), five filamentous fungi such as Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Rhizopus microsporus, and Candida intermedia by submerged fermentation. Data obtained from the study showed that supplementation of jackfruit seed extracts with inorganic nitrogen sources and glucose as a carbon source enhanced fungal biomass and SCP production. Among the various fungal strains, A. niger gave the highest biomass and protein yield of 4.01 ± 0.07 g/l and 1.82 ± 0.03 g/l, respectively, on the 9th day of fermentation followed by P. expansum (3.65 ± 0.04 g/l and 1.68 ± 0.03 g/l, respectively). C. intermedia growth was not recorded in all the experimental media. The present study revealed that fungal biomass has shown low crude fat, crude fiber, and total genomic DNA content ranged from 1.10 ± 0.20 to 4.95 ± 0.40%. A. niger and P. expansum were the most efficient in the conversion of sugar (55.83 ± 0.3% and 54.71 ± 0.4%, respectively) to yield biomass in sugar supplementation media. P. expansum and A. niger were the most promising fungal strains to produce fungal biomass protein using inexpensive agro-waste materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An historical overview covering the field of electroanalytical metal cations speciation in freshwaters is presented here, detailing both the notable experimental and theoretical developments. Then, a critical review of the progress in the last five years is given, underlining in particular the improvements in electrochemical setups and methodologies dedicated to field surveys. Given these recent achievements, a road map to carry out on-site dynamic metal speciation measurements is then proposed, and the key future developments are discussed. This review shows that electroanalytical stripping techniques provide a unique framework for quantitatively assessing metals at trace levels while offering access to both thermodynamic and dynamic features of metal complexation with natural colloidal and particulate ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic change in land use/land cover (LULC) caused by rapid urbanization has become a major concern in Lahore, causing a variety of socioeconomic and environmental issues relating to air quality. As a result, it is important to monitor existing LULC change detection, future projection, and the increase in atmospheric pollutants in Lahore. This research work makes use of Landsat, GIOVANNI, SRTM DEM, and vector data. The four key steps of the research approach are as follows: (i) LULC classification from 2000 to 2020 using Lansat data and semi-automatic classification plugin (SCP); (ii) simulation of future prediction using Modules of Land Use Change Evaluation (MOLUSCE) prediction model; (iii) assessment of effects of land use change on air quality using GIOVANNI-NASA product; and (iv) monitoring, change detection, and result interpretation. According to the research findings, there was an increase in metropolitan areas and a decrease in vegetation, barren land, and water bodies for both historical and future projections. The findings also indicated that from 2000 to 2020, about 27.41% of the urban area expanded, with a decline of 42.13% in vegetation, 2.3% in the barren land, and 6.51% in water bodies, respectively. Between 2020 and 2040, the urban area is predicted to increase by 23.15%, while vegetation, barren land, and water bodies are expected to decrease by 28.05%, 1.8%, and 12.31%, respectively. Also, the atmospheric pollutants have been increased including NO2 (1.60%), SO2 (1.02%), CO2 (0.71%), CO (1.56%), O3 (0.15%), and CH4 (0.20%), respectively. And it is projected that by 2040, the average annual atmospheric concentration of NO2, SO2, CO2, CO, O3, and CH4 will be increased by 28.80%, 18.36%, 12.78%, 28.08%, 2.70%, and 3.60%, respectively. In addition, it was also observed that the majority of the city's urban area expansion was found in the city's eastern and southern regions. Therefore, government should focus on natural resource conservation especially vegetation cover to reduce air pollutants concentration and the LULC effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographic variability of the cold hardiness of poikilothermic animals is one of the keys to understanding the mechanisms of the formation of their ranges under climate change or anthropogenic introductions. A convenient object is the small tortoiseshell butterfly Aglais urticae, which is distributed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. On the edges of the distribution range, the difference between the averages of the absolute minimum air temperatures reaches 60 °C. The cold hardiness (supercooling point and lower lethal temperatures) of imago wintering in a supercooled state in the northeast of Russia was assessed in comparison to the previously studied European ones. Despite the huge difference in air temperatures, the mean supercooling points ranges in the east (−23...−29 °C) and the west (−17...−22 °C) differ by only 7 °C; the lower lethal temperatures for this species is near −30 °C. The identified cold hardiness is not enough for overwintering of A. urticae on the vast majority part of the species range in natural shelters above the level of snow cover. The inhabiting of A. urticae in regions with air temperatures below −30 °C is possible only when wintering under snow. This primitive behavioral adaptation probably does not require physiological changes and may not be unique to Lepidoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are some challenges of direct communication and converged charging in large SA network construction to be solved.A converged charging project based on SCP and customized CG was proposed, following by analysis of how to meet converged charging requirements of large operators.Technology details of several cases and presents target evolution were compared.Finally, the deployment practice in commercial construction was described.

The flight environment of aerodynamically controlled missiles is full of complexity and uncertainty. To cope with the uncertainty more effectively and enhance the convergence performance in trajectory optimization problems for aerodynamically controlled missiles simultaneously, the chance-constrained sequential convex programming (CC-SCP) algorithm is proposed in this paper. The uncertainty is regarded as the chance constraint, and a smooth and differential approximation function is designed to transform this chance constraint into the constraint that the convex optimization method can handle. Subsequently, the originally non-convex trajectory optimization problem is reformulated into a series of convex optimization subproblems, in which an initial reference trajectory guess generation strategy is proposed, and a theoretical proof of the exact convex relaxation is given to enhance the algorithm's convergence performance and theoretical value, respectively. Numerical simulations are provided to verify the convergence and effectiveness of the CC-SCP algorithm, and the advantages of using the CC-SCP algorithm to cope with the uncertainty are illustrated. Furthermore, comparative simulation examples show that the proposed algorithm possesses a low conservatism, which means the proposed algorithm can obtain a bigger convergence region and a better solution than other current methods when handling the same chance constraints. Finally, the robustness of the algorithm is discussed. • The algorithm can handle the trajectory optimization problem with uncertainties. • The algorithm outperforms other current methods when handling the chance constraints. • A theoretical proof is given for the exact convex relaxation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-based agriculture is an emerging and attractive alternative to produce various food ingredients. In this study, five strains of marine yeast were isolated, molecularly identified and biochemically characterized. Molecular identification was realized by sequencing the DNA ITS1 and D1/D2 region, and sequences were registered in GenBank as Yarrowia lipolytica YlTun15, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa RmTun15, Candida tenuis CtTun15, Debaryomyces hansenii DhTun2015 and Trichosporon asahii TaTun15. Yeasts showed protein content varying from 26% (YlTun15) to 40% (CtTun15 and DhTun2015), and essential amino acids ranging from 38.1 to 64.4% of the total AAs (CtTun15-YlTun15, respectively). Lipid content varied from 11.15 to 37.57% with substantial amount of PUFA (>12% in RmTun15). All species had low levels of Na (<0.15 mg/100 g) but are a good source of Ca and K. Yeast cytotoxic effect was investigated against human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293); results showed improved cell viability with all added strains, indicating safety of the strains used. Based on thorough literature investigation and yeast composition, the five identified strains could be classified not only as oleaginous yeasts but also as single cell protein (SCP) (DhTun2015 and CtTun15) and single cell oil (SCO) (RmTun15, YlTun15 and TaTun15) producers; and therefore, they represent a source of alternative ingredients for food, feed and other sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy and ballistic characteristics of solid composite propellants (SCPs) based on 3,6-dinitro-1,4-bis(trinitromethyl)-1,4-dihydropyrazolo[4,3-c]pyrazole (II) are compared with three N-trinitromethyl biazole derivatives. Of the four oxidizing agents considered, compound II turned out to be the most effective compound in a simpled binary formulation with a hydrocarbon binder. The quantitative dependences of the energy parameters of the propellant on the properties of the compound under study (the main filler), the proportion of aluminum and additional oxidizing agents in the formulation, and the type of binder are established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to analyze the Indonesian fertilizer industry's market structure, efficiency, and performance determinants. This study applies the Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) framework proposed by the Harvard (market power) and UCLA-Chicago School (efficiency structure) schools of thought. We run Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and panel data regression to analyze the panel data constructed from annual reports of fertilizer producers in 2008 – 2017 and statistical publications from the agriculture ministry. DEA is a nonparametric method that measures technical and scale efficiencies. Meanwhile, panel data regression estimates the determinants of firm performance (ROA). The results show that the fertilizer industry has market power based on three characteristics; the number of incumbents (five), degree of market concentration (95.48 percent), and barrier to entry condition. Meanwhile, its industrial technical efficiency score is low (0.584), but its scale efficiency score is high (0.950). The results also show that firm performance is determined by efficiency, not market power. Both technical and scale efficiency positively and significantly affect performance. On the other hand, market power does not significantly affect performance. This finding supports the UCLA-Chicago School that efficiency is the main factor of firm performance.

Set covering optimization problems (SCPs) are important and of broad interest because of their extensive applications in the real world. This study addresses the generalized multi-objective SCP (GMOSCP), which is an augmentation of the well-known multi-objective SCP problem. A mathematically driven heuristic algorithm, which uses a branching approach of the feasible region to approximate the Pareto set of the GMOSCP, is proposed. The algorithm consists of a number of components including an initial stage, a constructive stage, and an improvement stage. Each of these stages contributes significantly to the performance of the algorithm. In the initial stage, we use an achievement scalarization approach to scalarize the objective vector of the GMOSCP, which uses a reference point and a combination of weighted l 1 and l ∞ norms of the objective function vector. Uniformly distributed weight vectors, defined with respect to this reference point, support the constructive stage to produce more widely and uniformly distributed Pareto set approximations. The constructive stage identifies feasible solutions to the problem based on a lexicographic set of selection rules. The improvement stage reduces the total cost of selected feasible solutions, which benefits the convergence of the approximations. We propose multiple cost-efficient rules in the constructive stage and investigate how they affect approximating the Pareto set. We used a diverse set of GMOSCP instances with different parameter settings for the computational experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of modern digital ultra and very high frequency (UHF/VHF) radio stations in the construction of digital governmental automated control systems (ACS) of the low echelon management level has led to the creation of protocols and standards that allow data transmission in low-bandwidth communication networks. However, none of these standards provide recommendations for file transfer in communication networks facing low speed, long delay and high probability of data loss. This work investigates QoS parameters and performs comparative analysis of FTP, TFTP, SCP, SFTP, ETFTP protocols for file transfer in low-bandwidth communication networks based on UHF/VHF radio stations. A model of two Harris RF-7850M-HH radio stations connected by an attenuator and coaxial cables was used to measure the QoS parameters. The characteristics including the bandwidth, jitter and average time of data transmission depending on the operating modes of radio stations and the level of attenuation in the radio communication channel have been obtained. The time of file transfer and the actual size of the transmitted data when using these protocols was measured. The recommendations for use of file transfer protocols in radio communication channels depending on the operating mode of the radio station are given. The obtained results allow to rationally choosing the mechanism and algorithm of file transfer when building governmental ACS of the low echelon management level based on low-bandwidth communication networks to increase the efficiency of bandwidth use in radio networks.

Adsorption Cooling System gives an alternative to the commercial vapor compression refrigeration cycles due to their benefits of having a very environmentally friendly and promising energy-saving system. An adsorption cooling system consists of four main components which are the condenser, evaporator, expansion valve, and adsorption bed for the system to effectively function. One of the factors that affect the efficiency of the system is the performance of the evaporator itself as the system operates at sub-atmospheric pressure and the performance is mediocre when using conventional evaporators. Due to the low-pressure condition, hydrostatic pressure may affect the saturated temperature of the water refrigerant in a flooded type evaporator. Therefore, in this study, the performance of the evaporator was investigated based on the water height variation. The highest heat transfer coefficient and evaporation heat transfer rate are achieved when the water is set at the heat exchanger tube diameter level. Furthermore, 0.1 kg of silica gel adsorbent is used to obtain the maximum of 250 W/kg of Specific Cooling Power when the heat transfer fluid is set to 20 ºC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses and assesses the integration of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices in the horticultural production of Kenyan micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) within the framework of the EU Switch Africa Green project 'Green Horticulture at Lake Naivasha' (GOALAN) in the Lake Naivasha basin, Kenya. The aim of the study is to understand what facilitates and hinders the uptake of SCP practices. Using qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, this article is based on a case study approach. The study looked into (1) 158 MSMEs (project beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries) regarding their adoption and implementation of SCP practices, as well as their encountered challenges, opportunities, and evidenced outcomes; and (2) five 'best practice' case studies from the project beneficiary group. Findings indicate some key factors influencing the decision of MSMEs to adopt and implement SCP practices. These factors encompass access to SCP know-how, the identification of potential benefits, access to specialized and reliable markets, access to finance, and access to infrastructure. Based on the findings, the study suggests that to promote the uptake and long-term implementation of SCP practices by horticultural MSMEs, it is key to build the capacity of MSMEs, improve financial capacity to invest in SCP measures, enhance access to markets through establishing new linkages with buyers and customers, and enable infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dihydroxylammonium and dihydrazonium salts of 5,5'-azotetrazole-1,1'-diol and dihydroxylammonium salt of 5,5'-bistetrazole-1,1'-diol (TKX-50) are considered as potential components of propellants. The thermodynamic calculations carried out in this study show that some of the described compounds have a good potential for creating solid composite propellants with increased energy characteristics. The quantitative dependences of the energy parameters of the fuel on the properties of the studied compounds—the main filler, the proportion of aluminum in the composition, the type of binder, and the content of the latter—are established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor immunogenicity of small proteins is a major hurdle in developing vaccines or producing antibodies for biopharmaceutical usage. Here, we systematically analyzed the effects of 10 solubility controlling peptide tags (SCP‐tags) on the immunogenicity of a non‐immunogenic model protein, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI‐19A; 6 kDa). CD, fluorescence, DLS, SLS, and AUC measurements indicated that the SCP‐tags did not change the secondary structure content nor the tertiary structures of the protein nor its monomeric state. ELISA results indicated that the 5‐proline (C5P) and 5‐arginine (C5R) tags unexpectedly increased the IgG level of BPTI‐19A by 240‐ and 73‐fold, respectively, suggesting that non‐oligomerizing SCP‐tags may provide a novel method for increasing the immunogenicity of a protein in a highly specific manner.

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the impact of corporate responsibility dimensions (internal awareness, monitoring and sharing the best practices of corporate responsibility) on the supply chain partnership and financial performance of large manufacturing firms in Khuzestan Province. The population of this applied research consisted of 180 large manufacturing firms and with using Cochran's formula for limited society, 135 firms were selected. Statistical unit of society were the supply/finance managers of said firms and research questionnaire was distributed to them for each firm. The data collection instrument is questionnaire and which its content validity was evaluated through experts and academics, and its construct validity was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation models and SPSS 22 have been used in order to analysis the data. The results indicate that all corporate responsibility dimensions (internal awareness, monitoring and sharing best practices) have significant impact on supply chain partnership but it is not significant on financial performance. In addition supply chain partnership have a positive and significant impact on financial performance.

An historical overview covering the field of electroanalytical metal cations speciation in freshwaters is presented here, detailing both the notable experimental and theoretical developments. Then, a critical review of the progress in the last five years is given, underlining in particular the improvements in electrochemical setups and methodologies dedicated to field surveys. Given these recent achievements, a road map to carry out on-site dynamic metal speciation measurements is then proposed, and the key future developments are discussed. This review shows that electroanalytical stripping techniques provide a unique framework for quantitatively assessing metals at trace levels while offering access to both thermodynamic and dynamic features of metal complexation with natural colloidal and particulate ligands.

• The optimal configuration of composite adsorbent is obtained. • Silica gel/calcium chloride-water is used as the working pair of the system. • A two-bed continuous refrigeration cycle with heat recovery is adopted. • The effects of the heat recovery time on the system performance are analyzed. • The SCP of the system is greatly improved. As an effective way to improve the performance of heat and mass transfer, Composite adsorbent used in adsorption refrigeration has attracted increasing research attention. The aim of the research is to reveal composite theory of silica gel composite adsorbent and to understand adsorption refrigeration system mechanism running by above composite adsorbent. Coarse porous silica gel with different particle diameters was selected as the matrix of composite adsorbent and calcium chloride was selected as additive. The results showed that composite adsorbent's thermal conductivity and adsorption capacity increased significantly compared with pure silica gel. The thermal conductivity could be increased by 58.2%, and the adsorption capacity could be increased by 4–10 times. Finally, the adsorption refrigeration system using silica gel-calcium chloride composite adsorbent was studied. A two-bed adsorption refrigeration cycle running by above composite adsorbent was adopted. The experimental results showed that the optimal values of system cooling capacity and COP were not at the same time. The system cooling capacity reached its maximum at 1500 s and the system COP reached its maximum at 1200 s. The best heat recovery time was 20 s. The SCP of the system was up to 288.1 W kg−1, which could reduce the volume of the adsorption refrigeration system effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-based agriculture is an emerging and attractive alternative to produce various food ingredients. In this study, five strains of marine yeast were isolated, molecularly identified and biochemically characterized. Molecular identification was realized by sequencing the DNA ITS1 and D1/D2 region, and sequences were registered in GenBank as Yarrowia lipolytica YlTun15, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa RmTun15, Candida tenuis CtTun15, Debaryomyces hansenii DhTun2015 and Trichosporon asahii TaTun15. Yeasts showed protein content varying from 26% (YlTun15) to 40% (CtTun15 and DhTun2015), and essential amino acids ranging from 38.1 to 64.4% of the total AAs (CtTun15-YlTun15, respectively). Lipid content varied from 11.15 to 37.57% with substantial amount of PUFA (>12% in RmTun15). All species had low levels of Na (

The energetic capabilities of three energy-intensive components containing furoxan cycles and azo groups are studied. These compounds are assessed as the main fillers of composite solid rocket fuels. It is shown that the energy efficiency of the considered compounds increases in the following order: 3,3'‑di(4-nitrofuroxan-3-yl)-5,5'-azo-1,2,4-oxadiazole (I) < (Z)-tris ([1,2,5]oxadiazolo)[3,4-c:3',4'-e:3'',4''-g][1,2]diazocine 1,4,11-trioxide (III) < 4,4'-dinitro-3,3'-azofuroxan (II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart connected product (SCP) operation embodies the concept of the internet of things (IoT). To increase the probability of success of SCP operations for customers, the high quality of the IoT data across operations is imperative. IoT data go beyond sensor data, as integrate some other various type of data such as timestamps, device metadata, business data, and external data through SCP operation processes. Therefore, traditional data-centric approaches that analyze sensor data and correct their errors are not enough to preserve, in long-term basis, adequate levels of quality of IoT data. This research provides and alternative framework of data quality management as a process-centric approach to improve the quality of IoT data. The proposed framework extends the process reference model (PRM) for data quality management (DQM) defined in ISO 8000-61, and tailored to fully adapt to the special requirements of the IoT data management. These involve several adaptations: first, the scope of the SCP operations for data quality management is determined, and the processes required for SCP operations are defined following the process description format of ISO 8000-61. Second, the relationship between the processes and the structure of the processes in the technology stack of the SCP operations are described to cover the actual nature of the IoT data flows. Finally, a new IoT DQM-PRM is proposed by integrating the processes for the SCP operations with DQM-PRM. When these processes are executed in the organization, the quality of IoT data composed of data of various types can be continuously improved and the utilization rate of SCP operations is expected to increase.

Maxsorb III is the best available microporous activated carbon. The parent Maxsorb III has been modified by pyrolysis in the presence of ammonia carbonate. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics of HFC404A onto the modified Maxsorb III are experimentally measured over 25 °C to 75 °C. Tóth and Dubinin-Astakhov models are utilized to fit the experimentally measured data. The isosteric heat of adsorption is calculated by applying the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The adsorption kinetics of the modified Maxsorb III/HFC404A are fitted using the linear driving force model and Fickian Diffusion equation. Experimental measurements indicate that the modified Maxsorb III has a maximum uptake of 2.65 kg.kg−1 of HFC404A at 25 °C, which is the highest reached value till today. Additionally, the adsorption cooling system efficacy is evaluated under typical operating conditions using the modified Maxsorb III/HFC404A pair. The modified Maxsorb III/HFC404A could achieve a specific cooling power (SCP) of 747 W per kg of adsorbent along with a coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.40. Compared to the parent Maxsorb III/HFC404A pair, the pyrolyzed Maxsorb III/HFC404A pair provides the SCP and COP by a factor of 2.23 and 1.7, respectively, which are are the current benchmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]