Exterior Parts Research Articles

A molecular perspective on the role of FERONIA in root growth, nutrient uptake, stress sensing and microbiome assembly.

Roots perform multifaceted functions in plants including the movement of nutrients and water, sensing stressors, shaping microbiome, and providing structural support. How roots perceive and respond above traits at the molecular level remains largely unknown. Although crop development has greatly advanced, most current efforts have concentrated on above-ground traits leaving significant knowledge gaps in root biology. Also, studying root system architecture (RSA) is more difficult due to its intricacy and the difficulties of observing them during plant life cycle. However, with the aid of high throughput phenotyping and genotyping tools many developmental and stress-mediated regulation of RSA has emerged in both model and crop plants leading to new insights in root biology. Our current understanding of upstream signaling events (cell wall, apoplast) in roots and how they are interconnected with downstream signaling cascades has largely been constrained by the fact that most research in plant systems concentrates on cytosolic signal transduction pathways while ignoring the early perception by cells' exterior parts. In this regard, we discussed the role of FERONIA (FER) a cell wall receptor-like kinase (RLK) which acts as a sensor and a bridge between apoplast and cytosolic signaling pathways in root biology. The goal of this study is to provide valuable insights into present understanding and future research perspectives on how FER regulates distinct root responses related to growth and adaptation. In plants, FER is a unique RLK because it can act as a multitasking sensor regulate diverse growth, and adaptive traits. In this review, we mainly highlighted its role in root biology like how it modulates distinct root responses such as root development, sensing abiotic stressors, mechanical stimuli, nutrient transport, and shaping microbiome. Further, we provided an update on how FER controls root traits by involving RALF peptides, calcium, ROS and hormones. We also highlight number of outstanding questions in FER mediated root responses that warrant future investigation. We believe that FER can provide novels insights for the development of future climate resilient and high yielding crops based on the modified root system.

Thermal and mechanical properties of high-performance polyester nanobiocomposites reinforced with pre-treated sunn hemp fiber for automotive applications

The objective of this study is to create high-performance nano biocomposites by utilizing unsaturated polyester resin (PE) reinforced with pre-treated short (2 cm) lengthened sunn hemp (SH) fibers and by incorporating 5 % nanoclay (hydrophilic bentonite) through the compression molding technique. The addition of 5 % nanoclay to the biocomposite significantly increased the flexural strength by approximately 165 % for H2O2-treated SH fiber and 148 % for KMnO4-treated SH fiber, when compared to untreated fibers. This enhancement was achieved through phase separation, intercalation, and exfoliation between the SH fibers, polyester resin (PE), and 5 % nanoclay. In particular, the H2O2-treated SH fiber nanobiocomposite exhibited a 43 % higher flexural strength compared to its corresponding biocomposite. The incorporation of nanoclay significantly decreased the water absorption of the bio-composites from 11.86 % in the untreated samples to a minimum of 2.76 % in the H2O2-treated SH/PE nanobiocomposite. The study suggests that short SH fiber/PE/nanoclay nanobiocomposites could be used as effective alternatives to synthetic composites in various applications, including the aerospace industry, household products, and automotive interior components such as side panels, seat frames, and central consoles. Additionally, they could be utilized in exterior parts like door panels and dashboards.

A study on road noise reduction using recycled material

Recently, there has been a shift in the paradigm of the automobile industry from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. An NVH research has also evolved rapidly from studying noise and vibration in conventional internal combustion engines to exploring methods for reducing road noise. A road noise during vehicle operation can be amplified by the resonance of the cavity inside chassis. As a countermeasure, so, filler materials have been applied inside the chassis to reduce resonance, However, fillers applied to existing cavities, such as pads and polyurethane foam, generally focus on blocking resonance inside the cavity rather than reducing vehicle road noise. In this study, a filler has been developed to fill the cavities of vehicles; Filler resources are from residual scrap gathered in manufacturing shop floor of automobile interior and exterior parts. As a result, fillers introduced in the study offer not only excellent acoustic performance but also are recyclable. The effect in terms of acoustic performance of recycled fillers was confirmed by conducting tests, sound transmission loss in reverberation and anechoic chambers. Also, actual vehicle driving tests were conducted on a proving ground.

Mechanical behavior of glass fiber-reinforced hollow glass particles filled epoxy composites under thermal loading

The use of hollow glass particle-filled fiber-reinforced composites for aircraft applications requires proper understanding of their behavior under in-service temperature conditions in order to exploit their usage in the exterior parts of aircraft and other space vehicles. In this study, the glass fiber reinforced composites containing 0–30 vol% of glass microspheres were subjected to testing for monotonic tensile and flexural loading from room temperature to the test temperature (40°C – 120°C). The evolution of microscopic damage under different temperatures was elucidated by digital image correlation (DIC) strain fields. The strain fields revealed a transition from homogeneous to non-homogeneous pattern as the temperature increases due to softening of the matrix. As the glass microsphere contents in the matrix increased, the tensile and flexural properties of the composites decreased, and their reduction was highest for the specimen containing a 30 vol% microsphere by volume. The tensile properties are slightly decreased by increasing the temperature. The tensile specimens tested at room temperature exhibited limited delamination and fiber pullout, while extensive delamination and fiber splitting occurred in the specimens tested at 120°C. The flexural results of the glass fiber reinforced composite specimens exposed at 120°C demonstrated a considerable decrease in flexural strength compared with room temperature for 0 vol%, 10 vol%, 20 vol% and 30 vol% glass microsphere volume fraction. Finally, the Weibull parametric investigation was performed to model the degradation of modulus for various GMS contents with temperature variations.

Characterization of Exterior Parts for 3D-Printed Humanoid Robot Arm with Various Patterns and Thicknesses.

Currently, metal is the most common exterior material used in robot development due to the need to protect the motor. However, as soft, wearable, and humanoid robots are gradually being developed, many robot parts need to be converted into artificial skin using flexible materials. In this study, in order to develop soft exterior parts for robots, we intended to manufacture exterior robot arm parts via fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing according to various structural and thickness conditions and analyze their mechanical properties. The exterior parts of the robot arms were manufactured utilizing Shore 95 A TPU (eTPU, Esun, Shenzhen, China), which is renowned for its softness and exceptional shock absorption characteristics. The exterior robot arm parts were modeled in two parts, the forearm and upper arm, by applying solid (SL) and re-entrant (RE) structures and thicknesses of 1, 2, and 4 mm. The mechanical properties were analyzed through the use of three-point bending, tensile, and compression testing. All of the characterizations were analyzed using a universal testing machine (AGS-X, SHIMADZU, Kyoto, Japan). After testing the samples, it was confirmed that the RE structure was easily bendable towards the bending curve and required less stress. In terms of the tensile tests, the results were similar to the bending tests; to achieve the maximum point, less stress was required, and for the compression tests, the RE structure was able to withstand the load compared to the SL structure. Therefore, after analyzing all three thicknesses, it was confirmed that the RE structure with a 2 mm thickness had excellent characteristics in terms of bending, tensile, and compressive properties. Therefore, the re-entrant pattern with a 2 mm thickness is more suitable for manufacturing a 3D-printed humanoid robot arm.

Hemodynamical behavior analysis of anemic, diabetic, and healthy blood flow in the carotid artery

The influence of blood rheology on hemodynamic parameters is investigated using Computational Fluid Dynamics on blood flow through the human carotid artery. We performed three-dimensional modeling and simulation to study blood flow through the carotid artery, which is divided into internal and exterior parts with a decreased radius. The blood flow was classified as basic pulsatile to simulate the human heart's rhythmic pulses. For hemodynamic modeling viscosity of the fluid, the Carreau model was utilized with four distinct blood instances: Anemic, diabetic, and two healthy blood types. The boundary conditions with Carreau viscosity were applied using the Ansys Fluent simulator, and the governing equations were solved using the finite volume technique. Different time steps were tested for their impact on wall deformation, strain rate, blood velocity, pressure, wall shear, and skin friction coefficient. The hemodynamical parameters were calculated using many cross-sectional planes along the artery. Finally, the impact of the four types of blood cases listed above was investigated, and we discovered that each blood case has a substantial impact on blood velocity, pressure, wall shear, and strain rate along the artery.

Turnover of soil microaggregate‐protected carbon and the challenge of microscale analyses

AbstractBackgroundMicroaggregates are suspected to protect soil organic carbon (SOC) from microbial decay, but its residence time is not well understood.AimsWe aimed at unraveling the relevance of microaggregates for C storage and testing the hypothesis that C in the interior of aggregates is older, compared to the exterior.MethodsWe sampled soil under C3 vegetation and at a site where cropping shifted to C4 vegetation 36 years ago. We isolated free and macroaggregate‐occluded size fractions (250–53 µm) by wet sieving and ultrasound, manually isolated aggregates therefrom, and analyzed whether vegetation‐related differences in δ13C could be traced at the interior and exterior of microaggregate cross‐sections using elemental and laser ablation‐isotope ratio mass spectrometry.ResultsSize fraction weights comprised <5% of microaggregates. Based on a source partitioning approach including C3‐ and C4‐derived C, we found mean residence times of SOC in occluded and free microaggregates of 62 and 105 years, respectively. Thus, C storage was longer than that in size fractions (35 years) and bulk soil (58 years). The small‐scale variability of δ13C within aggregate cross‐sections was considerable, both in C3 and C4 soil, yet without significant (p = 0.46) differences between interior and exterior locations.ConclusionsWe conclude that microaggregates do not persist in an intact form in such a long‐term that systematic differences in δ13C patterns between exterior and interior parts can develop.

Study on interface bonding performance of honeycomb reinforced polyurethane composite molding structure

Honeycomb reinforced polyurethane composite structure has excellent performance and has been used in more interior and exterior parts. Based on the integrated molding technology of honeycomb-reinforced polyurethane composite structure and skin fabric, three important factors affecting the interface bonding performance are proposed, the orthogonal test scheme is designed, and the process parameters of the product applied to the battery cover of the new energy vehicles are optimized and verified by taking the flat tensile strength as the index. The results show that the test can obtain the best process parameters, effectively improve the interface bonding performance of composite products, and can be used to guide the production and preparation of new energy vehicle battery cover products.

Some new knowledge brought by 3D digitizations of the chapel of Kerfons (Brittany)

A few kilometers upstream from Lannion in Brittany, we can find the chapel of Kerfons. It was built on the lands of the ancient fief of Coatfrec, and the ruins of the castle are located further north on the western bank of the Léguer river. The chapel’s architecture is a mix of two styles: the flamboyant Gothic in the nave and northern chapel, and the first Breton Renaissance in the southern arm. Recognized as a Historic Monument since 1910, it boasts a remarkable flamboyant Gothic rood screen made of polychrome wood. Recently, a company conducted a voluntary 3D scanning campaign using two laser scanners to capture the chapel’s exterior and interior. From this data, we extracted unpublished plans and orthophotographs, and conducted initial investigations to answer archaeological questions about the positioning of the rood screen and the edges of the Kerfon chapel’s roof, which were previously unexplained. To address other questions about the higher exterior parts, we also conducted an UAV survey around the sculpted statues of the bell tower, the elements above the Renaissance stained glass window, and the stone under Christ’s feet of the calvary. Despite the lack of dedicated funding, these new archaeological findings contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the chapel, as well as encouraging the application of this approach to other buildings that may not have a dedicated budget for their digitization.

Synthesis and characterization of DOE-based stir-cast hybrid aluminum composite reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets and cerium oxide

Purpose This research outlines the development and characterization of advanced composite materials and their potential applications in the aerospace industry for interior applications. Advanced composites, such as carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers and ceramic matrix composites, offer significant advantages over traditional metallic materials in terms of weight reduction, stiffness and strength. These materials have been used in various aerospace applications, including aircraft, engines and thermal protection systems. Design/methodology/approach The development of design of experiment–based hybrid aluminum composites using the stir-casting technique has further enhanced the performance and cost-effectiveness of these materials. The design of the experiment was followed to fabricate hybrid composites with nano cerium oxide (nCeO2) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) as reinforcements in the Al-6061 matrix. Findings The Al6061 + 3% nCeO2 + 3% GNPs exhibited a high hardness of 119.6 VHN. The ultimate tensile strength and yield strength are 113.666 MPa and 73.08 MPa, respectively. A uniform distribution of reinforcement particulates was achieved with 3 Wt.% of each reinforcement in the matrix material, which is analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Fractography revealed that brittle and ductile fractures caused the failure of the fractured specimens in the tensile test. Practical implications The manufactured aluminum composite can be applied in a range of exterior and interior structural parts like wings, wing boxes, motors, gears, engines, antennas, floor beams, etc. The fan case material of the GEnx engine (currently using carbon-fiber reinforcement plastic) for the Boeing 7E7 can be another replacement with manufactured hybrid aluminum composite, which predicts weight savings per engine of close to 120 kg. Originality/value The development of hybrid reinforcements, where two or more types of reinforcements are used in combination, is also a novel approach to improving the properties of these composites. Advanced composite materials are known for their high strength-to-weight ratio. If the newly developed composite material demonstrates superior properties, it can potentially be used to replace traditional materials in aircraft manufacturing. By reducing the weight of aircraft structures, fuel efficiency can be improved, leading to reduced operating costs and environmental impact. This allows for a more customized solution for specific application requirements and can lead to further advancements in materials science and technology.

Phase-field modeling of thermal cracking in hardening mass concrete

The manuscript is concerned with the phase-field modeling of thermal cracking in massive hardening concrete structures. Owing to the exothermic reactions, known as hydration, a considerable amount of heat is generated during the setting and hardening of concrete. Since concrete has relatively low thermal conductivity and fairly high heat capacity, sharp temperature gradients may occur between the interior and exterior parts of massive concrete structures. This uneven temperature distribution results in a non-uniform thermal expansion that, in turn, may lead to thermal cracking in conjunction with restraining external boundary conditions. Hence, it is of key importance to conduct the crack risk assessment of massive concrete structures at various stages of their construction and thereafter where real-size experiments are often unrealizable. To this end, we develop a multi-field computational approach to simulate thermal cracking in hardening concrete. In particular, we propose a novel chemo-thermo-mechanical model developed within the framework of the theory of reactive porous media coupled with a quasi-brittle phase-field regularized cohesive zone model to explicitly account for the initiation and propagation of thermal cracks. In the model, chemical, thermal, mechanical, and phase-field fracture problems are coupled through the constitutive equations. To our best knowledge, this is the first study where a quasi-brittle phase-field fracture model is used to model thermal cracking in hardening massive concrete through a novel incremental formulation. The potential of the proposed approach is demonstrated through the benchmark thermomechanical problems of a normal concrete member and a roller-compacted concrete dam. In the latter, original multi-field interface elements are devised between the lifts.

The accumulation of element and heavy metal concentrations in different parts of some carrot and radish types.

Vegetables, which are an important part of human nutrition, are very rich in minerals necessary for human health, and heavy metals can be found in vegetables at high rates because they can be easily taken by plant roots and leaves. In this study, the macro, micro element and heavy metal element concentrations accumulated in different parts of some carrot and radish types were investigated. The element concentrations in the samples were analyzed by Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES; Varian-Vista Model) equipment. P, K, Ca, Mg and S contents of the head of orange and black carrot samples were determined as 602.30 and 727.23mg/kg, 19,790.91 and 22,230.21mg/kg, 1765.66 and 1609.41mg/kg, 580.34 and 660.79mg/kg and 376.21 and 4444.46mg /kg respectively. Also, exterior parts of orange and black carrots contained 281.65 and 336.43mg/kg P, 7768.37 and 10,109.44mg/kg K, 169.88 and 272.18mg/kg Ca, 112.08 and 189.28mg/kg Mg and 135.43 and 217.60mg/kg S, respectively. P and K contents of the head parts of radish samples (white, red and black radish) were determined between 302.14 (red radish) and 1111.53mg/kg (black radish) to 13,717.2 (red radish) and 22,202.4mg/kg (white radish), respectively. Fe amounts of the roots of radish samples changed between20.47 (red radish) and 45.93mg/kg (white radish). As and Ba were the most abundant heavy metals in both carrot and radish parts. The Ni contents of the parts of the carrots contain more than 50% lower than the head part. Also, while Pb contents of the parts of orange carrot change between 0.189µg/g (interior of body) and 0.976µg/g (shell), Pb amounts of the black carrot parts were recorded between 0.136 (head) and 0.536µg/g (interior of body). The results obtained differed according to the vegetable type and parts. The head part of the radishes was the richest in zinc, followed by root, shell, exterior of body and interior of body in descending order. In general, the parts where heavy metals were most localized were the head and shell parts. The most localized parts of heavy metals in radishes were the head, shell and root parts. As a result, the most of the edible inner parts of carrots and radishes are thought to have a positive effect on human health, since their heavy metal content is low.

Macro-, micro-, and heavy metal element levels in different parts of celery (Apium graveolens L.) plant.

Potassium (K) was found in the highest amount in the macroelements of the celery plant, followed by P, Ca, Mg, and S in decreasing order. P and K amounts of celery plant parts were measured between 619.57 (leaf of celery) and 1244.80mg/kg (root of celery) to 5594.83 (head of celery) and 7587.35mg/kg (root of celery), respectively. Exterior and interior parts of celery body contained 866.51 and 1017.45mg/kg P, 6786.97 and 7325.07mg/kg K, 615.13 and 491.59mg/kg Ca, and 286.34 and 224.74mg/kg Mg, respectively. In general, the celery part with the richest microelements was the leaves, followed in descending order by the head of celery, exterior of celery body, interior of celery body, and root. Fe and Mn contents of the parts of celery plants were recorded between 0.351 (interior of celery body) and 67.79mg/kg (leaf of celery) to 2.70 (root) and 6.84mg/kg (leaf of celery), respectively. The lowest and highest concentrations of each heavy metal were found in different parts of the celery plant. In general, the leaves were the part of the celery plant with the most heavy metals. As and Pb accumulated in large amounts in the inner parts of the celery tuber. The highest Pb (0.530µg/g) was determined in interior of celery body. The highest Co (0.409µg/g), Cr (0.377µg/g), Mo (0.854µg/g), and Ni (0.741µg/g) were found in the leaf of celery plant.

BMPT China selects ELIX ABS H801 for the spoilers of their new Mercedes-Benz projects

On March 16, Elix Polymers announced that Beiqi Mould & Plastic Technology Co., Ltd. (BMPT), a supplier of automotive exterior parts for OEMs, has selected ELIX Polymers ABS H801 for the spoilers of the new Mercedes-Benz model GLA and GLB series. This is based on an intensive collaboration between BMPT, Mercedes-Benz, Sinochem and ELIX Polymers.

Core scale investigation of fluid flow in the heterogeneous porous media based on X-ray computed tomography images: Upscaling and history matching approaches

In this paper, experiments and simulations were performed on outcrop samples from Lagoa Salgada in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a possible analog to one of the most typical Brazilian Pre-salt carbonate reservoirs rocks. The rocks were microbial carbonates where plugs comprising two main facies were sampled, simplified as fine-grained and vugular facies. The plugs were utilized to study the impact of pore geometry with both experimental and simulation approaches on recovery factor, saturation profile, and relative permeability estimations. To provide direct visualization of the geometry, description of pore structure, and calculation of concentration profiles, computed tomography (CT) imaging was integrated with experimental measurements of petrography and core flooding. The injection of two pore volumes of formation water resulted in a recovery factor between 28 and 34 percent for the plug samples. Furthermore, based on porosity generated by dry and wet CT, as well as saturation profiles resulting from CT data collected during drainage and imbibition processes along the length of the plugs, it is revealed that the distribution of these properties was diverse and heterogeneous. An algorithm was used to process the 2D tomography images of the samples to remove the region related to the exterior parts. The images were then stacked to create a 3D fine-scale grid to simulate the porous media and the fluid flow by applying rules for the segmentation of rock types, porosity, and permeability estimations of each grid block. Course-scale grids were created by applying upscaling techniques to reduce computation time. Simulated produced fluid cuts for different upscaled models were compared with the experimental results from core flooding. A history-matching technique was then applied to match experimental and simulation results, calculating the relative permeability of two main defined facies and creating an updated model capable of assessing past and present performance and future forecasting. Since relative permeability is essential for accurate simulation, estimating these curves in the heterogeneous pre-salt reservoir considering different facies, greatly influences reasonable future prediction performance and the ability to make informed operational decisions.

INCREASING THE DURABILITY OF EXTERIOR PARTS OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY USING COMPOSITE MATERIALS

The problem of ensuring the durability of machines is currently extremely relevant, since the aging of the fleet of machines is outpacing the pace of the necessary technical re-equipment. The use of traditional metal materials and outdated technologies in the designs of agricultural machines leads to an increase in the cost of their production, a decrease in resource and durability. The use of corrosion-resistant materials, such as polymer composites, for exterior elements allows to increase the durability of agricultural machinery and reduce corrosion-related damage. (Research purpose) To perform an analytical review of production methods by which it is possible to manufacture exterior parts of agricultural machinery from composite materials. (Materials and methods) It was determined that the material of this study is open information sources; the research method consists in the collection, study and comparative analysis of information. (Results and discussion) It was noted that the following technologies are used for the production of exterior parts of agricultural machinery: vacuum molding, contact molding, pressure impregnation, injection molding. Vacuum forming consists in the production of materials in hot form by the method of exposure to vacuum or low air pressure. Contact molding is a manual layering of reinforcing material and impregnation of each layer with resin. When impregnated under pressure, the fibrous billet is placed in the inner mold, leaving a gap that allows the resin to be injected and the fibers to be impregnated. The essence of injection molding is the forced filling of the working cavity of the metal mold with melt and the formation of the casting, which occurs under the action of the press piston. (Conclusions) Distinctive features of the exterior elements of agricultural machinery are their large overall dimensions and low requirements for the accuracy of shapes and sizes, which determines the scope of technologies possible for their manufacture. The least labor-intensive and simply implemented in a single production method is contact molding. In mass production, the most suitable method is injection molding.

Ants as carriers of pathogenic bacteria in the Benghazi Medical Center (BMC)

Ants are a common insects in hospitals environments; they can spread opportunistic bacteria in the areas where they forage. Many studies have confirmed the presence of pathogenic bacteria in/on ants collected from hospital environments. With the propagation of pathological organisms in the environment, its wondered that most common ants could transfer pathogens in spite of their small size. In this study, pathogenic bacteria were isolated from the exterior parts of ants that were collected from eight different locations in the Benghazi Medical Center (BMC), and it was also determined which ant genera were prevalent in these environments. A total of 125 ant samples were attracted by using carbohydrate traps. Each sample consisted of a group of five ants and put into test tubes containing brain and heart infusion (BHI) broth for the cultivation of fastidious pathogenic microorganisms . After 24 hours, sub-cultured on blood agar, Mannitol Salt Agar, and MacConkey Agar and incubated for 24 hours at 35/37°C. Clinical microbiological standards were followed for the Gram characterization, culture identification, and biochemical characterization. Subsequently, isolates were assessed for antibiotic-resistant. Isolated strains belonged to different species including: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium spp (diphtheroides), Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter spp. The examination of isolated bacteria for antimicrobial susceptibility revealed that the most active antibiotic against these pathogens was Ciprofloxacin. Gram-positive bacteria showed resistance to Cefoxitin and Oxacillin while Gram-negative bacteria were resistant to Augmentin. It’s also important to highlight that some pathogens show multi-drug resistance (MDR)

Design and analysis of coir fibre reinforced polypropylene based internal car door panel

In today’s world demand for durability and recyclability are among the main factors considered while choosing a material for any products to be made. In the automobile sector apart from exterior parts of the vehicles, the interior parts should also be durable as it faces different types of loads in various situation. Internal door panel is considered as one of the most important interior part of the vehicle as it has to undergo different forces from the user side and also are meant to reduce the impact force on the passenger in an accident. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites are considered to be very durable and are lighter than a lot of other materials present in the market. They have higher impact strength, higher tensile strength than a regular material. The Young’s modulus of coir fibers usually lies between 4 and 6 GPa. In this work coir fiber reinforced polypropylene was used as the material for the internal door panel. It has an elastic modulus of 1.9 GPa and has a tensile strength of 34 MPa. A FEA was done on the door panel to determine whether it is going to be a suitable replacement of the current material which is being used and if the maximum stress exceeds the ultimate tensile strength then whether the remaining stress will affect the human body in a fatal way or not. The deformation seen was around 1.036 mm with the maximum stress being 3.877 × 107 N/m2, which is an acceptable value for protecting the occupant. When a load of 100 N was put on the armrest it showed a maximum deformation of 1.213 × 104 N/m2 which is not more than the Young’s modulus meaning it can handle a load on the armrest when someone put their hand on it. The maximum deformation in the armrest was only 6.49 × 10−4 mm, showing it is suitable as a material for the internal car door panel.

Therapeutic Potential of Honey and Propolis on Ocular Disease

Honey and propolis have recently become the key target of attention for treating certain diseases and promoting overall health and well-being. A high content of flavonoids and phenolic acids found in both honey and propolis contributes to the antioxidant properties to scavenge free radicals. Honey and propolis also exhibited antibacterial effects where they act in two ways, namely the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and gluconic acids following the enzymatic activities of glucose oxidase, which exerts oxidative damage on the bacteria. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effects of honey and propolis are mainly by reducing proinflammatory factors such as interleukins and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Their effects on pain were discovered through modulation at a peripheral nociceptive neuron or binding to an opioid receptor in the higher center. The aforementioned properties of honey have been reported to possess potential therapeutic topical application on the exterior parts of the eyes, particularly in treating conjunctivitis, keratitis, blepharitis, and corneal injury. In contrast, most of the medicinal values of propolis are beneficial in the internal ocular area, such as the retina, optic nerve, and uvea. This review aims to update the current discoveries of honey and propolis in treating various ocular diseases, including their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-nociceptive properties. In conclusion, research has shown that propolis and honey have considerable therapeutic promise for treating various eye illnesses, although the present study designs are primarily animal and in vitro studies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to translate this finding into a clinical setting.

Effects of a point source of phosphorus on the arsenic mobility and transport in a small fluvial system

One of the leading causes of As release from streambed sediments into freshwater systems is competition with phosphate. Among important sources of P to the fluvial ecosystems are wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), estimated to account for 25–45% of all P in surface waters. In this paper, long-term effects of discharged phosphorus from a small WWTP on the arsenic mobility were studied in an As-enriched fluvial system (approx. 240 mg/kg) in central Czech Republic. After 7 years of elevated P (≤7.7 mg/L) in the stream water, the total As decreased by 25% and the total P increased by 40% in the sediments downstream (at a distance of 66 m). The results of the chemical extractions and mineralogical analyses indicated that the changes in the concentration were mostly due to the sorption processes in the Fe (oxyhydr)oxides (goethite and hematite). In the downstream samples, the As in these phases decreased two-fold, and P was significantly enriched by 45–140%. Phosphorus was also found precipitated as newly formed Ca phosphates. The stream water monitoring indicated that the discharged P was either sequestered when the levels of dissolved P were high (>2.3 mg/L) or released from the downstream sediments when these levels were low (<∼1.5 mg/L). Meanwhile, As was continuously mobilized from the downstream sediments likely due to (i) the ongoing As desorption from the exterior parts of the Fe (oxyhydr)oxides at high aqueous P levels and (ii) the dissolution of As-bearing Ca phosphates at low dissolved P levels. These findings clearly demonstrate that point sources of P to streams and rivers, such as WWTP, may result in the permanent and long-term release of As from contaminated streambed sediments.