Removal Of Shell Research Articles

FastQAFPN-YOLOv8s-Based Method for Rapid and Lightweight Detection of Walnut Unseparated Material

Walnuts possess significant nutritional and economic value. Fast and accurate sorting of shells and kernels will enhance the efficiency of automated production. Therefore, we propose a FastQAFPN-YOLOv8s object detection network to achieve rapid and precise detection of unsorted materials. The method uses lightweight Pconv (Partial Convolution) operators to build the FasterNextBlock structure, which serves as the backbone feature extractor for the Fasternet feature extraction network. The ECIoU loss function, combining EIoU (Efficient-IoU) and CIoU (Complete-IoU), speeds up the adjustment of the prediction frame and the network regression. In the Neck section of the network, the QAFPN feature fusion extraction network is proposed to replace the PAN-FPN (Path Aggregation Network—Feature Pyramid Network) in YOLOv8s with a Rep-PAN structure based on the QARepNext reparameterization framework for feature fusion extraction to strike a balance between network performance and inference speed. To validate the method, we built a three-axis mobile sorting device and created a dataset of 3000 images of walnuts after shell removal for experiments. The results show that the improved network contains 6071008 parameters, a training time of 2.49 h, a model size of 12.3 MB, an mAP (Mean Average Precision) of 94.5%, and a frame rate of 52.1 FPS. Compared with the original model, the number of parameters decreased by 45.5%, with training time reduced by 32.7%, the model size shrunk by 45.3%, and frame rate improved by 40.8%. However, some accuracy is sacrificed due to the lightweight design, resulting in a 1.2% decrease in mAP. The network reduces the model size by 59.7 MB and 23.9 MB compared to YOLOv7 and YOLOv6, respectively, and improves the frame rate by 15.67 fps and 22.55 fps, respectively. The average confidence and mAP show minimal changes compared to YOLOv7 and improved by 4.2% and 2.4% compared to YOLOv6, respectively. The FastQAFPN-YOLOv8s detection method effectively reduces model size while maintaining recognition accuracy.

Photo-responsive doxorubicin delivery: Nanogel systems based on azobenzene and host-guest interactions enhanced by squeezing action

Conventional chemotherapy methods impact both normal and cancerous cells; therefore, it is essential to design drug delivery systems to reduce undesired drug effects. Nano-scaled drug delivery systems have the advantage of high retention time in blood as well as the capability of conventional penetration into tissue barriers. In this study, light-sensitive biocompatible nanogels with a core-shell structure have been synthesized and characterized as drug delivery system loaded with doxorubicin (DOX). These smart nanogels possess a hydrophobic core, coated with hydrophilic starch polymeric chains, which are modified with β-cyclodextrin (βCD). The core-shell formation is based on host-guest interaction between azobenzene rings as photochromic agents and βCD hydrophobic cavities. The mechanism of drug release is based on the cis-trans isomerization of azobenzene molecules upon light irradiation and dissociation of crore-shell entities. Due to this isomerization, shrinkage of hydrophobic core and removal of shell occurred simultaneously, which assist the drug release. In conclusion, a nanoscale carrier was designed with sustainable drug release under light irradiation as an external and non-contact stimulus. The synthesized nanogels were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, SEM, DLS, and TEM. In addition, the MTT assay proposed that the viability of the A-431 cells has plunged in the presence irradiated nanogels, also histological studies were performed to evaluate the efficacy of the prepared nanogels in cancerous tissues.

Promoting the disassemble and enzymatic saccharification of bamboo shoot shells via efficient hydrated alkaline deep eutectic solvent pretreatment

Pretreatment is a key process restricting the development of biorefinery. This work developed a pretreatment process based on an ethanolamine/acetamide alkaline deep eutectic solvent (ADES). Under microwave assistance, pure ADES pretreatment at 100 °C for 10 min achieved 95.9 % delignification and 95.2 % hemicellulose removal of bamboo shoot shells (BSS). Further, when 75 % water was added to pure DES to prepare hydrated DES (75 %-HADES), impressive delignification (93.2 %), hemicellulose removal (92.2 %) and cellulose recovery (94.8 %) were still achieved. The cellulose digestibility of the 75 %-HADES pretreated solid residue was significantly increased from 12.2 % (the control) to 91.2 %. Meanwhile, the structural features of hemicellulose and lignin macromolecules fractionated by 75 %-HADES pretreatment were well preserved, offering opportunities for downstream utilization. Overall, this work proposes an effective pretreatment strategy with the potential to enable the utilization of all major components of bamboo shoot shells.

Magnetic domain structure of iron-based microwires after removal of the glass shell by chipping and chemical etching

The magnetic domain structure of the surface of microwires with composition Fe73.9B13.2Si10.9C2 was studied by magnetic force microscopy. It has been found that the removal of glass shell by chipping leads to distortion of the original magnetic domain structure. Chemical etching of the glass shell makes it possible to observe the magnetic domain structure due to the stresses that have arisen due to the microwire production. In the absence of an applied magnetic field, a magnetic domain structure of the surface layer is observed, consisting of domain layers inclined to the microwire axis by 45 or 135 degrees. This structure has a shape close to a zigzag. The thickness of the domain layers is not constant and varies from 3 to 5 μm. It has been found that the application of a constant magnetic field along the microwire axis causes the formation of ring domain layers of various thicknesses (from 1 to 5 μm) with different orientations of the magnetic moment relative to the microwire surface. In a field of 60 oersteds along the axis of the microwire, the domain magnetic structure consists of only ring layers of domains. Magnetic field inversion leads to almost complete inversion of the observed domain structure. In this case, the complete removal of the magnetic field leads to the formation of a new domain structure of the surface layer. Such a structure is close in shape and position of the domains to the original one, but does not repeat it.

Design and Efficiency of a String Hulling Machine for Buckwheat

Abstract An important task of food engineering, namely grain processing and the pro-duction of cereals and fodder, is the improvement of hulling equipment and the creation of complex technological lines for the processing of the original crops is gaining particular relevance. The reason for this is the need to carry out several preparatory stages, and, as a result, the use of additional equipment. To solve this problem, a string hulling device had been developed, the use of which allows reducing the number of operations due to the exclusion of preliminary sorting into fractions and wet-heat treatment. These operations are required by other hulling machines included in the technological lines of buckwheat processing. The structural scheme of the string hulling device had been developed and the principle of the shell removal operation had been substantiated. Theoretical studies had been carried out by the methods of analysis and synthesis of the mechanics of destruction and systematic analysis of the process of buckwheat hulling by impact. Experimental studies had been carried out using a laboratory string hulling device. The conducted analytical studies made it possible to determine the regularity between the physical and mechanical characteristics of buckwheat and the critical linear impact speed necessary for the destruction of the shell. This allows deter-mining the frequency of rotation of the string at which the destruction of the shell will occur while preserving the integrity of the core. Experimental studies made it possible to determine the quality of buckwheat hulling by determining the coefficient of integrity of the kernel and the coefficient of hulling. It has been determined that the ranges of the rotation frequency of the strings required to ensure a high degree of the buckwheat hulling technological process efficiency are within 15.8-16.9 s−1.

Yolk-Shell Encapsulation of Cells by Biomimetic Mineralization and Visible Light-Induced Surface Graft Polymerization.

The pursuit of low-cytotoxicity modification strategies represents a prominent avenue in cell coating research, holding immense significance for the advancement of practical living cell-related technologies. Here, we presented a novel method to fabricate encapsulated yeast cells with a yolk-shell structure by biomimetic mineralization and visible-light-induced surface graft polymerization. In this approach, an amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) shell was first deposited on the surface of a yeast cell (cell@ACC) modified with 4 layers of self-assembled poly(diallyl dimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC)/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) film using a biomimetic mineralization technique. Subsequently, polyethylenimine (PEI) was absorbed on the surface of cell@ACC by electrostatic interaction. Then, a cross-linked shell was introduced by surface-initiated graft polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) on cell@ACC under irradiation of visible light using thioxanthone catechol-O,O'-diacetic acid as the photosensitizer. After the removal of the inner ACC shell, the yolk-shell-structured yeast cells (cell@PHS) were obtained. Due to the mild conditions of the strategy, the cell@PHS could retain 98.81% of its original viability. The introduction of the shell layer significantly prolonged the lag phase of yeast cells, which could be tuned between 5 and 25 h by regulating the thickness of the shell. Moreover, the cell@PHS showed improved resistance against lyticase due to the presence of a protective shell. After 30 days of storage, the viability of cell@PHS was 81.09%, which is significantly higher than the 19.89% viability of native yeast cells.

Technical research on recycling waste blades of single crystal superalloy through ultrasonic alkali cleaning combined with electron beam smelting

The waste blades of single crystal superalloys have not been formally applied on a large scale, resulting in serious waste. This study proposes to treat the waste blades through ultrasonic alkali cleaning combined with electron beam smelting (EBS). The theoretical model is proposed to study the elements volatilization, which provides a reference for controlling the alloy composition. After EBS, the secondary dendrite spacing and the size of γ′ phases of DD5 alloy is significantly reduced. The EBS technology can effectively reduce the element segregation in superalloys, especially W and Mo elements. The purity of DD5 revert alloy after EBS is consistent with or even exceeds that of DD5 virgin alloy. Especially for the removal of ceramic shell and core materials in the waste blades, EBS has a new technological advantage. Under the combined action of Marangoni effect and buoyancy, the inclusions floating to the melt surface can not only be directly decomposed by the bombardment of the electron beam, but also can be dissolved under the condition of local melt superheating.

Investigation of iron oxide shell and iron core in magnetically-assisted synthetized wire-like nanochains

The zerovalent iron (Fe0) nanomaterials tend to be spontaneously oxidized in the presence of oxygen. This leads to the formation of interface composed of iron core and thin iron oxide shell. These structures are frequently observed with transmission electron microscope but, at the same time, it is hard to determine the precise structural and chemical composition of oxide shell. This feature is very important for possible applications of Fe0 nanostructures. Hence, the present work aims to deliver more detailed insights in this topic. The investigations are performed for the iron nanochains prepared in the magnetic-field-induce reduction of FeCl3 by NaBH4. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy confirm that the iron nanochains are covered by very thin oxide layer not exceeding over 3 nm. Moreover, the detailed XPS analyses of O 1s and Fe 2p lines indicate that the iron oxide shell reveals Fe3O4 nature. Moreover, this work demonstrated that some by-products of the reaction containing boron are presented in the sample even after a removal of the thin iron oxide shell by Ar+ treatment.

Functional Fiber Membranes with Antibacterial Properties for Face Masks

Reusable face masks are an important alternative for minimizing costs of disposable and surgical face masks during pandemics. Often complementary to washing, a prolonged lifetime of face masks relies on the incorporation of self-cleaning materials. The development of self-cleaning face mask materials requires the presence of a durable catalyst to deactivate contaminants and microbes after long-term use without reducing filtration efficiency. Herein, we generate self-cleaning fibers by functionalizing silicone-based (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) fibrous membranes with a photocatalyst. Coaxial electrospinning is performed to fabricate fibers with a non-crosslinked silicone core within a supporting shell scaffold, followed by thermal crosslinking and removal of the water-soluble shell. Photocatalytic zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are immobilized on the PDMS fibers by colloid-electrospinning or post-functionalization procedures. The fibers functionalized with ZnO NPs can degrade a photo-sensitive dye and display antibacterial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) due to the generation of reactive oxygen species upon irradiation with UV light. Furthermore, a single layer of functionalized fibrous membrane shows an air permeability in the range of 80–180 L/m2s and 65% filtration efficiency against fine particulate matter with a diameter less than 1.0 µm (PM1.0).Graphical abstract

Functionally Masked Antibody to Uncouple Immune-Related Toxicities in Checkpoint Blockade Cancer Therapy.

Of the existing immunotherapy drugs in oncology, monoclonal antibodies targeting the immune checkpoint axis are preferred because of the durable responses observed in selected patients. However, the associated immune-related adverse events (irAEs), causing uncommon fatal events, often require specialized management and medication discontinuation. The study aim was to investigate our hypothesis that masking checkpoint antibodies with tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive polymer chains can mitigate irAEs and selectively target tumors by limiting systemic exposure to patients. We devised a broadly applicable strategy that functionalizes immune checkpoint-blocking antibodies with a mildly acidic pH-cleavable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) shell to prevent inflammatory side effects in normal tissues. Conjugation of pH-sensitive PEG to anti-CD47 antibodies (αCD47) minimized antibody-cell interactions by inhibiting their binding ability and functionality at physiological pH, leading to prevention of αCD47-induced anemia in tumor-bearing mice. When conjugated to anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies, double checkpoint blockade-induced colitis was also ameliorated. Notably, removal of the protective shell in response to an acidic TME restored the checkpoint antibody activities, accompanied by effective tumor regression and long-term survival in the mouse model. Our results support a feasible strategy for antibody-based therapies to uncouple toxicity from efficacy and show the translational potential for cancer immunotherapy.

A case study of intrathecal baclofen pump motor shutdown secondary to the effect of the magnetic field created by a personal digital tablet and magnetic cover.

We present the case of a post-traumatic C6 AIS A tetraplegic patient with spasticity treated with an intrathecal baclofen pump (ITB), who noticed a transient increase in his spasticity each time he used a digital tablet (Ipad®) protected by a magnetic shell placed on his abdomen. Telemetry confirmed transient motor shutdown responsible for withdrawal symptoms each time the tablet was used. Symptoms resolved after the removal of the protective shell. Effects of magnetic fields like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are known to stall the pump rotor, which recover at the end of MRI. Other sources of magnetic fields like laptops or new smartphones with magnet charging technology may also interfere with implanted devices. We therefore recommend patients to avoid close contact of magnetic devices with the intrathecal baclofen pump. More robust studies are warranted to assess the effect of the new magnetic technologies on the function of intrathecal pumps.

Flexible transparent electrodes based on intense pulsed light treatment of silver nanowires/PEDOT:PSS composites

There is a growing demand for flexible, stretchable and transparent conductive films that can be used as electrodes or active layers in optoelectronic products, solar cells, solid electrolyte capacitors, wearables, sensors and actuators. Poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is an appropriate material for flexible electrodes because of its electrical conductivity and transparency. However, without treatment, it has insufficient electrical conductivity for the aforementioned applications. This study investigates a photonic thermal treatment method to improve the electrical conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS films. An intense pulsed light (IPL) system with tunable voltage and pulse duration was used for the evaporation of the residual moisture from the PEDOT samples after drying and partial removal of the PSS-rich shell, leading to higher electrical conductivity. Silver nanowires (AgNWs) were also added to improve electrical conductivity. IPL irradiation noticeably enhanced the electrical conductivity of both neat PEDOT:PSS and AgNWs/PEDOT:PSS composite samples. The electrical conductivity increased with respect to increases in the IPL voltage and number of exposures. However, exceeding some thresholds for the voltage and number of exposures degraded the electrical conductivity of the composite samples due to the breaking-up of the AgNWs. The IPL-treated PEDOT:PSS thick samples have a sheet resistance of 21.2 Ω/sq, approximately 424 times less than the untreated samples. For the composite samples, IPL irradiation decreased the sheet resistance to about half of that prior to the treatment. The results of various tests performed in this study indicate that the proposed IPL treatment can be considered as one of the approaches to efficiently overcome the limitations of PEDOT:PSS films regarding their insufficient electrical conductivity and poor adhesion to substrates.

Effect of water solubility in organic solvents on the standard Gibbs energy of ion transfer across a water/organic solvent interface

Ion transfer voltammetry is used to study the transfer of alkali metal and proton cations and the Cl− anion from the aqueous solution of MCl (M+ = H+, Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+) to the solution of bis(triphenylphosphoranylidene)ammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate in α,α.α-trifluorotoluene (TFT) or 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE). The scale of the applied potentials is converted to the scale of the Galvani potential differences on the basis of the voltammetric measurements of the standard ion transfer potential for the tetraethylammonium (TEA+) ion used as a reference ion in situ. The interfacial tension measurements at the water/TFT interface yield the zero-charge potential difference, which is close to the expected zero value. The standard Gibbs energies of ion transfer ΔwoGi0 are evaluated from the voltammetric data on considering both the effect of the association between the transferred ion and the counter-ion of the organic solvent phase, and the effect of the ion migration in the aqueous phase. The values of ΔwoGi0 for the ion transfer to TFT are found to be considerably higher than those obtained for the ion transfer to DCE. This difference is proposed to be related to the significantly lower solubility of water in TFT, possibly requiring the removal of the ion hydration shell in the course of the ion transfer from water to TFT. Such conclusion is supported by the calculations of ΔwoGi0 by using an advanced Born-type model of ion solvation.

Ion Beam Milling as a Symmetry-Breaking Control in the Synthesis of Periodic Arrays of Identically Aligned Bimetallic Janus Nanocrystals

Bimetallic Janus nanostructures represent a highly functional class of nanomaterials due to important physicochemical properties stemming from the union of two chemically distinct metal segments where each maintains a partially exposed surface. Essential to their synthesis is the incorporation of a symmetry-breaking control that is able to induce the regioselective deposition of a secondary metal onto a preexisting nanostructure even though such depositions are, more often than not, in opposition to the innate tendencies of heterogeneous growth modes. Numerous symmetry-breaking controls have been forwarded but the ensuing Janus structure syntheses have not yet achieved anywhere near the same level of control over nanostructure size, shape, and composition as their core-shell and single-element counterparts. Herein, a collimated ion beam is demonstrated as a symmetry-breaking control that allows for the selective removal of a passivating oxide shell from one side of a metal nanostructure to create a configuration that is transformable into a substrate-bound Au-Ag Janus nanostructure. Two different modalities are demonstrated for achieving Janus structures where in one case the oxide dissolves in the growth solution while in the other it remains affixed to form a three-component system. The devised procedures distinguish themselves in their ability to realize complex Janus architectures arranged in periodic arrays where each structure has the same alignment relative to the underlying substrate. The work, hence, provides an avenue for forming precisely tailored Janus structures and, in a broader sense, advances the use of oxides as an effective means for directing nanometal syntheses.

Metabolic and behavioural effects of hermit crab shell removal techniques: Is heating less invasive than cracking?

Hermit crabs (Paguroidea; Latreille 1802) offer great opportunities to study animal behaviour and physiology. However, the animals' size and sex cannot be determined when they are inside their shell; information crucial to many experimental designs. Here, we tested the effects of the two most common procedures used to make crabs leave their shells: heating the shell apex and cracking the shell with a bench press. We compared the effects of each of the two procedures on the metabolic rate, hiding time, and duration of the recovery time relative to unmanipulated hermit crabs. The hermit crabs forced to abandon their shell through heating increased their respiratory rate shortly after the manipulation (1 h) and recovered their metabolic rate in less than 24 h, as occurs in individuals suddenly exposed to high temperatures in the upper-intertidal zone. Hermit crabs removed from their shells via cracking spent more time hiding in their new shells; this effect was evident immediately after the manipulation and lasted more than 24 h, similar to responses exhibited after a life-threatening predator attack. Both methods are expected to be stressful, harmful, or fear-inducing; however, the temperature required to force the crabs to abandon the shell is below the critical thermal maxima of most inhabitants of tropical tide pools. The wide thermal windows of intertidal crustaceans and the shorter duration of consequences of shell heating compared to cracking suggest heating to be a less harmful procedure for removing tropical hermit crabs from their shells.

Получение рифлей по способу их изготовления на внутренней поверхности цилиндрической оболочки

The operation of applying riffles by local plastic forming on the inner surface of a cylindrical shell with the help of a working mandrel with wedge protrusions on the working surface is considered. The results of computer simulation are presented, and a comparison is made with the known reduction corrugation method. A significant decrease in the technological force in the process of corrugation and removal of a cylindrical shell using a new method has been established

Role of Hydrogen Flow Rate for the Growth of Quality Nanodiamonds via Microplasma Technique

Nanodiamonds (NDs) were prepared by utilizing a microplasma facility. Ethanol and Argon mixture was decomposed in microplasma for the formation of NDs. In order to stabilize the NDs growth, the Hydrogen was added in the mixture during the growth process. Hydrogen flow rate was changed from 1 to 5 L/min to find out the optimum flow rate for the growth of stabilized NDs. The experiments were also performed without the introduction of Hydrogen for the comparison. TEM and Raman analysis confirm that the highest quality diamonds are obtained at Hydrogen flow rate of 3L/min. In the case of Hydrogen, the SAED patterns reveal the presence of pure diamond phases which in turn envisages the etching of graphitic shell. TEM micrographs reveal that the size of NDs produced at 3 L/min Hydrogen flow rate ranges from 1~20 nm which is much smaller than that of without Hydrogen (4-32 nm). EDX spectra also disclose the Carbon peak with a maximum intensity for 3 L/min flow rate. UV-Visible and PL spectroscopy analysis indicate the presence of Nitrogen-Hydrogen defect centers. However, a decrease in defect density at 3L/min indicates the production of improved quality NDs. FTIR also verifies the removal of graphitic shell around NDs at 3 L/min flow rate. Moreover, high hydrogen flow rates effectively incorporate nitrogen vacancy (NV) defects. Prepared NDs offer emerging applications in optoelectronic systems, biomedical nanodevices and nanoscale sensors for electric field, magnetic field & temperature.

Determiner removal in Balinese nonpivot agents

AbstractPatient‐voice clauses within the symmetric voice system of Balinese disallow any extraction from the external‐argument position, while definite external arguments are blocked from occurring altogether. The former fact is traditionally taken as evidence for syntactic ergativity in Austronesian. The latter fact has recently been argued to provide evidence for postsyntactic case licensing via adjacency with the verb. In this article, we offer a simple alternative explanation for the in‐situ properties of patient‐voice agents in Balinese—one that does not make reference to case. We argue that patient‐voice heads come with a feature that triggers removal of the external argument's DP shell, resulting in the loss of a determiner and a category‐D feature that would otherwise enable extraction.

Critical current density for layer-by-layer breakdown of a multiwall carbon nanotube

Electric-current-induced structural changes in a suspended multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) were observed through in situ transmission electron microscopy. The bias voltage and electric current were measured simultaneously as the MWCNT was imaged. The passage of excessive current led to breakdown of the surface of the MWCNT and to subsequent layer-by-layer removal of the broken outermost shell via sublimation of carbon atoms. The surface breakdown of the MWCNT was accompanied by a discrete decrease in the current. Under the assumption that the current passes solely through the outermost shell of the MWCNT, we found that the critical current densities at which the breakdown in the renewed outermost shell occurred after the removal of the broken outermost shell were limited to a remarkably narrow range of (2.4 ± 0.2) × 109 A/cm2, irrespective of the outermost diameter of the MWCNT. The present results provide invaluable information about electron transport phenomena in MWCNTs and about the durability of CNT nanocircuits.

METHOD FOR RAPSE PROCESSING BY SEED HULLING AND SHELL REMOVAL

METHOD FOR RAPSE PROCESSING BY SEED HULLING AND SHELL REMOVAL