Short Processing Time Research Articles

Rapid Identification Protocols in bacteria by MALDI-TOF from positive blood cultures. A literature review

Objective. To identify protocols for rapid identification of bacteria by MALDI-TOF from positive blood cultures that are as accurate as standardized ones. Methods. A bibliographic review was conducted on experimental articles, systematic reviews, experimental studies, and diagnostic test studies on the rapid identification of bacteria by MALDI-TOF from positive blood cultures. The QUADAS-2 tool was applied to evaluate the risk of bias in the articles. Results. There are various methodologies for the rapid identification of bacteria from positive blood cultures, all with a processing time of no more than one hour and with materials accessible in laboratories. These methodologies, such as Sepsityper and artisanal methods, achieve good accuracy in identifying Gram-negative bacteria, but there are still limitations in identifying Gram-positive bacteria depending on the genus and species of the bacterium. It is important to note that the quality of evidence in most studies is moderate, so the results should be taken with caution. Conclusion. There are several methodologies for rapid identification of bacteria in positive blood cultures, with short processing times and accessible materials in laboratories, that achieve good accuracy in identifying Gram-negative bacteria but have limitations in identifying Gram-positive bacteria. The quality of evidence is moderate, indicating that further studies with better design and higher quality and certainty results are needed to draw inferences obtained.

UAS IR-Thermograms Processing and Photogrammetry of Thermal Images for the Inspection of Building Envelopes

Infrared thermography techniques (IRT) are increasingly being applied in non-invasive structural defect detection and building inspection, as they provide accurate surface temperature (ST) and ST contrast (Delta-T) information. The common optional or off-the-shelf installation, of both low- and high-resolution thermal cameras, on commercial UAS further facilitates the application of IRT by enabling aerial imaging for building envelope surveys. The software used in photogrammetry is currently accurate and easy to use. The increasing computational capacity of the hardware allows three-dimensional models to be obtained from conventional photography, thermal, or even multispectral imagery with very short processing times, further improving the possibilities of analysing buildings and structures. Therefore, in this study, which is an extension of a previous work, the analysis of the envelope of a wine cellar, using manual thermal cameras, as well as cameras installed on board an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), will be presented. Since the resolution of thermal images is much lower than that of conventional photography, and their nature does not allow for accurate representation of three-dimensional objects, a new, but simple, digital image pre-processing method will be presented to provide a more detailed 3D model. Then, the three-dimensional reconstruction, based on thermal imagery, of the building envelope will be performed and analysed. The limitations of each technique will be also detailed, together with the anomalies found and the proposed improvements.

Microwave-assisted fast synthesis and red-emitting properties of a borotellurate-based phosphor with excellent thermostability

At present, with the increasing application needs of phosphor-converted white light-emitting diode (w-LED), the synthetic efficiency and thermal stability of phosphor become urgent problems. Herein, this research reports a microwave-assisted fast synthesis approach to obtain a Sm3+-activated borotellurate Na2Y2TeO4(BO3)2 (NYTB) red phosphor with high crystallinity, excellent thermostability, and low chromaticity shift. For the NYTB-based phosphor, in contrast to the conventional solid-state synthesis, the microwave-assisted synthesis method involves lower synthesis temperature and shorter processing time. Additionally, the concentration quenching mechanism was determined. The w-LED device packaged with the studied phosphor exhibits a near-standard white light with proper CCT and high Ra parameters.

Chemical transformation of cannabidiol into psychotropic cannabinoids under acidic reaction conditions: Identification of transformed products by GC-MS.

Recently, cannabidiol (CBD), one of the major components of the Cannabis species, has been a focus in the cannabis industry due to its various pharmacological effects. Interestingly, CBD can be converted into several psychoactive cannabinoids, such as 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and its structural isomers, under acidic reaction conditions. In this study, chemical transformation of CBD in ethanol solution was conducted with variation in pH at 2.0, 3.5, and 5.0 by addition of 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). These resulting solutions were derivatized with trimethylsilyl (TMS) reagent and analyzed using GC/MS-scan mode. Time profiles of CBD degradation and transformation of products were examined according to variations in pH and temperature. Several transformed products produced after the acidic reaction of CBD were identified by matching retention times and mass spectra to authentic standards. Regarding the identification of products without authentic standards, the EI-mass spectra of such cannabinoid-OTMS derivatives were interpreted according to structural class, suggesting mass fragmentation pathways. From the GC/MS data, Δ9-THC, CBC, and ethoxy-hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) analogs were shown to be major components, and THC isomers (Δ8- and Δ10-THCs) and 9-hydroxy-HHC were observed as minor components. Using time profile data, the acidity of the reaction solution was an important factor in degradation of CBD. Degradation of CBD and formation of THC rarely occurred at pH 5.0, even at 70 °C with a long process time of 24 h. In contrast, degradation of CBD occurred readily at pH 3.5 and 30 °C over a short process time and was further accelerated by lowering pH, increasing temperature, and lengthening the process time. Based on profile data and identified transformed products, formation pathways from the degradation of CBD under acidic reaction conditions are suggested. Among the transformed products, seven components are known to have psychoactive effects. Thus, industrial CBD manufacturing processes in food and cosmetic products should be carefully controlled. These results will provide important guidelines on the control of manufacturing processes, storage, fermentation processes, and new regulation in industrial applications of CBD.

Sintering behavior of 8YSZ‐Ni cermet: Comparison between conventional, FST/SPS, and flash sintering

AbstractCermets are ceramic metal composites. The metallic phase in the cermet typically undergoes oxidation during sintering in air. Electric field‐assisted sintering processes such as field‐assisted sintering technology/spark plasma sintering (FAST/SPS) and flash involves very high heating rates, short processing time and low processing temperature. The main aim of this work was to see if field‐assisted sintering techniques can prevent the oxidation of the metallic phase in the cermet. Sintering behavior of 8YSZ‐5 wt.% Ni cermet was studied by three different techniques namely; conventional sintering, FAST/SPS and flash sintering. Phases and microstructure were analyzed through X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Temperature and time required for sintering the samples via FAST/SPS and flash sintering was significantly lower than that during conventional sintering. In addition, we found limited grain growth during FAST/SPS and flash sintering. During conventional sintering in reducing atmosphere (Ar and vacuum), Ni particles retained their elemental state, however the extent of densification was poor in the cermet. FAST/SPS in argon and vacuum resulted in almost complete densification (relative density > 97%) and Ni particles were retained in their elemental state in the cermet. During flash sintering in air, the samples sintered to a high densification (relative density ∼98%), however, Ni particles were completely oxidized.

Use of glucono‐delta‐lactone in the accelerated processing of boneless dry‐cured lamb hams

SummaryThe production of high‐quality dry‐cured lamb meat products represents an important strategy to contribute to the development of the sheep sector. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the acidulant glucono‐δ‐lactone (GdL) and drying to 40% (ML40) and 50% (ML50) mass loss on the technological and microbiological characteristics of boneless dry‐cured lamb hams. The use of GdL reduced the drying time by 27% (ML40) and 23% (ML50), generating products with lower pH values and higher counts (approximately 1 log cycle) of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Water activity (aw), lipid oxidation and technological characteristics related to colour and texture were not affected by GdL, but ML50 showed greater hardness and chewiness and a lower aw and TBARS index than ML40. The use of GdL and drying to 40% mass loss produce safe high‐quality products in a shorter process time and with technological characteristics like those of traditional dry‐cured hams.

Large-scale isolation and purification of yolk immunoglobulin with different purity levels via a combination technique based on high-speed-shear crossflow membrane separation

Yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) is an excellent complement or substitute for mammalian immune globulin G, whose development is severely limited for its difficult isolation and purification. This work provides a combination technique for the large-scale isolation of IgY products with different purity levels to meet the market demand. Four levels (IgY-I to IgY-IV) of IgY products were sequentially separated and purified using water dilution, high-speed-shear crossflow membrane separation, and two-step salting out methods, during which the key limiting factors were optimized through the single factor tests. The IgY-I, with purity and yield of 30.69% and 25.06 mg/mL yolk, met the general demand for immune-fortified food for pets. IgY-II and IgY-III achieved purity of 35.84% and 66.09%, yielding 21.76 and 13.92 mg/mL yolk, respectively. Notably, the purity (96.9%) and yield (6.06 mg/mL yolk) of IgY-IV approximated or even exceeded the level of IgY isolated by IgY purification kits, and its purity was higher than that of the commercially available IgY standards. During the isolation, traditional centrifugation and filtration were replaced by continuous flow centrifugation and high-speed-shear crossflow membrane separation for continuous sample loading and sample concentration (a concentration factor of 85.37%). This is of great significance to shortening processing time, saving costs, and meeting needs of large-scale production. This technique has the advantages of high efficiency, low energy consumption, low cost, environmentally friendly, and friendly to human health by supplying IgY products with different purity levels to meet the market demands and promote the development of IgY-related industries.

Low-velocity impact behavior of injection over-molded short/continuous fiber reinforced polypropylene composites

Injection over-molded short/continuous fiber composites are getting attention in automotive industry due to their recyclability, light weight, good specific strength, short processing time and ability to make complex shaped structures. The low-velocity impact behavior and compression strength after impact of short glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (SGFPP) and quai-isotropic composites (QI) and injection over-molded short/continuous glass fiber polypropylene (OM) composites were investigated by drop-weight impact and compression after impact tests. The low-velocity impact tests revealed higher specific absorbed energy for OM specimens compared with SGFPP and QI specimens. The impact energy is dissipated in OM composites primarily through interface debonding, delamination and damage in the short fiber composite core. Whereas, SGFPP and QI specimens dissipated the energy by complete perforation and delamination, respectively. Although QI specimens can bear more compressive load after impact, the OM specimens exhibited higher specific compression strength after impact compared with SGFPP and QI samples.

Deep Learning-Based Image Registration in Dynamic Myocardial Perfusion CT Imaging.

Registration of dynamic CT image sequences is a crucial preprocessing step for clinical evaluation of multiple physiological determinants in the heart such as global and regional myocardial perfusion. In this work, we present a deformable deep learning-based image registration method for quantitative myocardial perfusion CT examinations, which in contrast to previous approaches, takes into account some unique challenges such as low image quality with less accurate anatomical landmarks, dynamic changes of contrast agent concentration in the heart chambers and tissue, and misalignment caused by cardiac stress, respiration, and patient motion. The introduced method uses a recursive cascade network with a ventricle segmentation module, and a novel loss function that accounts for local contrast changes over time. It was trained and validated on a dataset of n = 118 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease and/or aortic valve insufficiency. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method is capable of registering dynamic cardiac perfusion sequences by reducing local tissue displacements of the left ventricle (LV), whereas contrast changes do not affect the registration and image quality, in particular the absolute CT (HU) values of the entire CT sequence. In addition, the deep learning-based approach presented reveals a short processing time of a few seconds compared to conventional image registration methods, demonstrating its application potential for quantitative CT myocardial perfusion measurements in daily clinical routine.

Phase Transformation Behaviors of Medium Carbon Steels Produced by Twin Roll Casting and Compact Strip Production Processes

Medium carbon steels have been widely used in the fields of tool and die manufacturing due to their outstanding hardness and wear resistance. In this study, microstructures of 50# steel strips fabricated by twin roll casting (TRC) and compact strip production (CSP) processes were analyzed to investigate the influences of solidification cooling rate, rolling reduction, and coiling temperature on composition segregation, decarburization, and pearlitic phase transformation. The results show that a partial decarburization layer with a thickness of 13.3 μm and banded C-Mn segregation were observed in the 50# steel produced by CSP, leading to the banded distributions of ferrite and pearlite in the C-Mn poor regions and C-Mn rich regions, respectively. For the steel fabricated by TRC, owing to the sub-rapid solidification cooling rate and short processing time at high temperatures, neither apparent C-Mn segregation nor decarburization was observed. In addition, the steel strip fabricated by TRC has higher pearlite volume fractions, larger pearlite nodule sizes, smaller pearlite colony sizes and interlamellar spacings due to the co-influence of larger prior austenite grain size and lower coiling temperatures. The alleviated segregation, eliminated decarburization and large volume fraction of pearlite render TRC a promising process for medium carbon steel production.

Color constancy from a pure color view.

Great efforts have been made on illuminant estimation in both academia and industry, leading to the development of various statistical- and learning-based methods. Little attention, however, has been given to images that are dominated by a single color (i.e., pure color images), though they are not trivial to smartphone cameras. In this study, a pure color image dataset, "PolyU Pure Color," was developed. A lightweight feature-based multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network model-"Pure Color Constancy (PCC)"-was also developed for estimating the illuminant of pure color images using four color features (i.e., the chromaticities of the maximal, mean, brightest, and darkest pixels) of an image. The proposed PCC method was found to have significantly better performance for pure color images in the PolyU Pure Color dataset and comparable performance for normal images in two existing image datasets, in comparison to the various state-of-the-art learning-based methods, with a good cross-sensor performance. Such good performance was achieved with a much smaller number of parameters (i.e., around 400) and a very short processing time (i.e., around 0.25 ms) for an image using an unoptimized Python package. This makes the proposed method possible for practical deployments.

Assessment of Different Feature Extraction Methods for Discriminating Expressed Emotions during Music Performance towards BCMI Application.

A Brain-Computer Music Interface (BCMI) system may be designed to harness electroencephalography (EEG) signals for control over musical outputs in the context of emotionally expressive performance. To develop a real-time BCMI system, accurate and computationally efficient emotional biomarkers should first be identified. In the current study, we evaluated the ability of various features to discriminate between emotions expressed during music performance with the aim of developing a BCMI system. EEG data was recorded while subjects performed simple piano music with contrasting emotional cues and rated their success in communicating the intended emotion. Power spectra and connectivity features (Magnitude Square Coherence (MSC) and Granger Causality (GC)) were extracted from the signals. Two different approaches of feature selection were used to assess the contribution of neutral baselines in detection accuracies; 1- utilizing the baselines to normalize the features, 2- not taking them into account (non-normalized features). Finally, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) has been used to evaluate and compare the capability of various features for emotion detection. Best detection accuracies were obtained from the non-normalized MSC-based features equal to 85.57 ± 2.34, 84.93 ± 1.67, and 87.16 ± 0.55 for arousal, valence, and emotional conditions respectively, while the power-based features had the lowest accuracies. Both connectivity features show acceptable accuracy while requiring short processing time and thus are potential candidates for the development of a real-time BCMI system.

Intense Pulsed Light Soldering of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu Ball Grid Array Component on Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P) Surface‐Finished Printed Circuit Board and Its Drop Impact Reliability

Intense pulsed light (IPL) soldering is investigated as an alternative soldering process to conventional reflow soldering. IPL soldering is suitable for achieving a carbon‐neutral society due to its low power consumption. In addition, it has several advantages in electronic device manufacturing, including low thermal damage, short processing time, and applicability to large‐area processes. Herein, an electroless‐nickel/electroless‐palladium/immersion‐gold surface finish and Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder are used. Three IPL parameters, pulse width, pulse number, and frequency, are considered in the soldering process. The microstructures of the interface and solder matrix are observed using a field‐emission scanning electron microscope equipped with an electron probe microanalyzer. Furthermore, board‐level drop impact tests are conducted to investigate the mechanical reliability of the joints. The results show that the compositions and morphologies of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) vary with the IPL parameters, which significantly affect the reliability. Specifically, the number of drops to failure increases ≈6.7 times under optimum IPL condition compared to reflow soldering. This is because cracks propagate through the solder matrix and discontinuous IMCs. Based on the obtained results, IPL‐based soldering is a promising alternative to reflow soldering.

Pressurized n-propane extraction improves bioactive compounds content, fatty acid profile, and biological activity of Mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru DC.) seed oil

This work aimed to evaluate the bioactive compounds content, fatty acid profile, and biological activity of Mandacaru seed oil obtained using n-propane at different pressures (45, 75, or 105 Bar, 40 °C) or conventional technique (Soxhlet method). The oil yield was similar among the treatments (17.78–20.45 %) but using n-propane resulted in shorter processing times (50 min vs. 8 h) and solvent consumption (25 % less). Furthermore, the oil obtained with pressurized n-propane, mainly at 105 Bar, showed a better fatty acid profile (higher polyunsaturated fatty acid contents and lowered saturated fatty acid), a higher concentration of bioactive compounds (γ-sitosterol and γ-tocopherol), and lower free fatty acid content than that obtained by conventional technique. Furthermore, it showed superior health indices (lower hypercholesterolemic saturated fatty acid, thrombogenic, and atherogenic, and higher desirable fatty acid indices). Finally, it presented higher antidiabetic properties (13.87 % higher inhibition of α-glucosidase). In conclusion, pressurized n-propane extraction improved the bioactive compound content, fatty acid profile, and biological activity of mandacaru seed oil, mainly at 105 Bar. Our results demonstrate that mandacaru seeds can be an important source of oils with essential chemical composition and biological activity, which can stimulate the production of this fruit and its utilization.

A Proposal for a Processing Line for Cauliflower and Broccoli Floretting

The edible portions of cauliflowers and broccoli are immature flower heads composed of florets attached to the stalk. In most cases, larger florets are separated into smaller pieces during processing. Complex processing lines for cauliflower and broccoli floretting are available on the market, but they are very expensive and require a large working area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to present a proposal for a new floretting unit dedicated to this group of vegetables. The unit will be operated in small farms; it will help producers shorten processing times and sell their goods for higher prices. It was assumed that the unit will feature two main devices: a vegetable crusher and a calibrator. The crusher will remove the florets from the stalk and break larger florets into smaller pieces of appropriate size. Florets with a diameter of 2 to 6 cm will be separated by the calibrator. During the process, leaves, stalks, and very small florets will fall into separate containers, and these fractions will be further processed into food products. The entire process will be carried out directly on the farm, which can increase potential profits by around 25%. Due to a shorter processing time, the product is likely to be fresher and more appealing for consumers.

Improving collagen processing towards a greener approach: current progress

AbstractThe high market demand for collagen as a biomaterial has prompted additional studies into improved methods of collagen extraction without sacrificing the overall quality of collagen. The use of clean technology for sustainable collagen extraction has recently gained popularity due to its efficiency and minimal waste production. This review focuses on improving collagen processing based on three essential steps: pre‐treatment (fermentation, high shear mechanical homogenisation, ultrasound), extraction (ultrasound‐assisted extraction, microwave‐assisted extraction, physical‐aided extraction, and supercritical fluid technology), and recovery (ultrafiltration). This review also summarises the benefits and drawbacks of the emerging green technologies used in each step to obtain collagen. This study shows that these clean technologies eliminate the need for excessive chemicals and shortens processing time. However, each collagen‐processing step must be carefully controlled to preserve structural integrity, which influences collagen's properties and hence its uses for further applications. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Formation of Al2O3–GdAlO3 eutectic ceramics with a fine anisotropic structure in a flash event

AbstractAn Al2O3–GdAlO3 (GAP) composite with a fine eutectic microstructure was obtained through local melting and rapid solidification during a flash event. An AC field of 1 kV/cm at a frequency of 1 kHz was applied to a calcined Al2O3–GAP body at a furnace temperature of 1400°C to induce the flash event. The Al2O3–GAP body exhibited local melting through the current path. Solidification proceeded with the maximum cooling rate of about 140°C/s just after the power supply was turned off. Using this flash treatment, a refined eutectic structure with rodlike GAP phases in the Al2O3 matrix was obtained within 1 min. The interphase spacing of the obtained structure was approximately 170 nm, comparable with the finest Al2O3–GAP eutectic material obtained in previous studies. A flash event and subsequent rapid cooling can contribute to forming fine eutectic ceramics with a relatively low furnace temperature and short processing time.

Evaluation of dry microwave and hot water blanching on physicochemical, textural, functional and organoleptic properties of Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica)

Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica) is a seasonal and highly nutritious fruit with shorter shelf-life and astringent taste limiting its utilization. The enzymatic browning and flavor loss are major concerns which makes pre-processing a crucial step for further processing. In this context, dry microwave blanching (MWB) was explored as an alternative to hot-water (HW) blanching to reduce its nutrition losses particularly ascorbic acid (AA) and makes it easier for removal of seed kernel. This study focused on the effect of MW power level (200–500 W) and blanching time (50–100 s) on AA content, color attributes (L*, a*, b*), and enzymatic inhibition in Indian gooseberry. The optimized MWB conditions were 294 W MW power with 70 s blanching time providing satisfactory enzymatic inhibition (75.47%), and retention of AA (417.70 mg/100 g pulp) and color attributes (L*: 58.42, a*: 4.57, b*: 26.23). As compared to HWB (80 °C, 5 min), MWB showed least AA degradation, higher total phenolic content and softening percent with less total color difference owing to its shorter processing time and dry blanching. Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) demonstrated that raw and MW blanched Indian gooseberries are the most accepted, followed by HW blanched samples. MWB showed better nutrient retention than HWB with easier seed removal showed the application of MW radiation for blanching of other fruits.

Insight into the structural and immunomodulatory relationships of polysaccharides from Dendrobium officinale-an in vivo study

To understand the structural and immunomodulatory relationships of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP), ultrasonic (UDOP-1 and UDOP-2) and alkaline treatments (DADOP-1 and DADOP-2) were used to obtain DOPs of varied Mw and degrees of acetylation (DA). In vivo mice study indicated that the DOP by ultrasonic degradation and deacetylation modification could differentially restore the organ indexes, improve immune response, enhance the release of cytokine and modulate the structure of gut microbiota in Cy-induced immunosuppressed mice. The degree of immune activity recovery was decreased in the order of UDOP-2 > DADOP-1 > DOP > UDOP-1 > DADOP-2. Structurally, the Mw of UDOP-2 decreased from 649 kDa to 279 kDa, and DA decreased from 8.87% to 3.68% after ultrasonication treatment. These results suggested that the short-time ultrasonication process could enhance the immune activity. The polysaccharide fractions with similar acetyl group content but lower Mw had a strong enhancement in their immune activity in vivo. In contrast, the low acetyl content was not conducive to enhancing immune activity, suggesting that a certain acetyl content may be a key factor for the immune activity of DOP, but the range of DA value still needs to be further explored.

Effect of cold rolling reduction ratio on microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe–10Mn–4Al-0.4C steel containing δ ferrite

A new low-cost low-density high-strength steel was produced by a combination of hot rolling, cold rolling and a short-time annealing process. The effect of cold rolling reduction on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe–10Mn–4Al-0.4C steel after annealing was studied. The microstructure of short-time annealing (750 °C/30 min) after cold rolling with different reduction consists of equiaxed α-ferrite, austenite and banded δ-ferrite. As the reduction increased, the grain size gradually decreased. After annealing, the distribution of austenite in the sample is uniform. When the reduction is 60%, the content of austenite reaches the maximum of 61%. The annealed sample with 60% reduction exhibited the highest tensile strength and elongation with a product of strength and elongation (PSE) of 40.23 GPa·%. The ferrite and martensite were distinguished in the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) map by the Nishiyama-Wassermann orientation relationship. After the tensile test, part of the austenite was transformed into martensite, which is banded. The strengthening mechanism was calculated according to the rule of mixtures (ROM), and the contributions of grain boundaries strengthening, dislocation strengthening, transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) effect strengthening and additional strengthening were investigated. The annealed sample with 60% reduction has favorable TRIP effect with a strengthening value of 211 MPa. EBSD analysis of the tensile sample showed that the banded δ-ferrite can accommodate a large number of dislocations.