Short Production Cycle Research Articles

Applying productivity and phytonutrient profile criteria in modelling species selection of microgreens as Space crops for astronaut consumption.

Long-duration missions in outer Space will require technologies to regenerate environmental resources such as air and water and to produce food while recycling consumables and waste. Plants are considered the most promising biological regenerators to accomplish these functions, due to their complementary relationship with humans. Plant cultivation for Space starts with small plant growth units to produce fresh food to supplement stowed food for astronauts' onboard spacecrafts and orbital platforms. The choice of crops must be based on limiting factors such as time, energy, and volume. Consequently, small, fast-growing crops are needed to grow in microgravity and to provide astronauts with fresh food rich in functional compounds. Microgreens are functional food crops recently valued for their color and flavor enhancing properties, their rich phytonutrient content and short production cycle. Candidate species of microgreens to be harvested and eaten fresh by crew members, belong to the families Brassicaceae, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae, Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Amarillydaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Cucurbitaceae. In this study we developed and applied an algorithm to objectively compare numerous genotypes of microgreens intending to select those with the best productivity and phytonutrient profile for cultivation in Space. The selection process consisted of two subsequent phases. The first selection was based on literature data including 39 genotypes and 25 parameters related to growth, phytonutrients (e.g., tocopherol, phylloquinone, ascorbic acid, polyphenols, lutein, carotenoids, violaxanthin), and mineral elements. Parameters were implemented in a mathematical model with prioritization criteria to generate a ranking list of microgreens. The second phase was based on germination and cultivation tests specifically designed for this study and performed on the six top species resulting from the first ranking list. For the second selection, experimental data on phytonutrients were expressed as metabolite production per day per square meter. In the final ranking list radish and savoy cabbage resulted with the highest scores based on their productivity and phytonutrient profile. Overall, the algorithm with prioritization criteria allowed us to objectively compare candidate species and obtain a ranking list based on the combination of numerous parameters measured in the different species. This method can be also adapted to new species, parameters, or re-prioritizing the parameters for specific selection purposes.

Performance analysis of artificial lift systems deployed in natural gas wells: A time-series analytics approach

In Coal Seam Gas (CSG) production, Artificial Lift (AL) systems comprising various downhole pumps produce coal-fine-laden water. Over time, the accumulation of coal fines results in mechanical failures of such pumps, which leads to a loss in natural gas production. This problem is exacerbated by CSG operators having to manage thousands of wells in their day-to-day operations. The reason for having such an exuberant number of natural gas wells is due to the fact that CSG reservoirs have a short production cycle when compared to conventional reservoirs. Therefore, thousands of CSG wells must operate simultaneously to sustain natural gas volumes that satisfy domestic energy demand, and help meet contractual export obligations.To manage a large fleet of CSG wells, operators rely on Petroleum and Surveillance Engineers to mitigate production issues and advise timely corrective actions. Current methods of monitoring CSG wells involve observing real-time trends and alarms from Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. However, managing a large fleet of wells with a monitoring-only approach can be detrimental to AL operations. Methods such as Exception Based Surveillance have been used to improve engineers' workload, but such methods are informative at best. In addition, they do not provide early indications of changed downhole pump performance. To improve how AL systems are monitored in CSG operation, we propose a novel well surveillance method that can help mitigate pump failure and provide engineers with insightful information to take corrective actions.In this work, we will present an innovative time-series analytics approach that examines the performance of AL systems in near real-time and helps Well Surveillance and Production Engineers make timely decisions that aid in mitigating pump failures. We used time-series data from 448 CSG wells to build the streaming analytics methodology that autonomously detects various performance states of downhole pumps during CSG production. Furthermore, we successfully detected the onset of AL systems failures, such as solids build-up, gas intake, high torque and pump degradation. We validated our solution on a separate set of 428 wells and were able to show reliable detection of detrimental events on live data from producing natural gas wells. This solution is currently deployed by 2 CSG operators where real-time notifications aid Petroleum and Well Surveillance Engineers with proactively managing AL systems across multiple CSG assets.

Review of the Application of PAT in the Pharmaceutical Continuous Crystallization Process.

As an important pharmaceutical process, crystallization greatly impacts the final product. In recent years, the continuous crystallization process has attracted more attention from researchers, with the promotion of continuous manufacturing (CM) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The continuous crystallization process has the advantages of high economic benefit, stable and uniform quality, a short production cycle, and personalization. To carry out continuous crystallization, some related process analytical technology (PAT) tools have become the focus of breakthroughs. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and focused beam reflection measurement (FBRM) tools have gradually become research hotspots due to their fast, non-destructive, and real-time monitoring characteristics. This review compared the advantages and disadvantages of the three technologies. Their applications in the upstream mixed continuous crystallization process, the middle reaches of crystal nucleation and growth, and the process of the downstream refining were discussed to provide corresponding guidance for the practice and further development of these three technologies in the continuous crystallization process and promote the development of CM in the pharmaceutical industry.

Precision Aquaculture Drone Mapping of the Spatial Distribution of Kappaphycus alvarezii Biomass and Carrageenan

The aquaculture of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Kappaphycus hereafter) seaweed has rapidly expanded among coastal communities in Indonesia due to its relatively simple farming process, low capital costs and short production cycles. This species is mainly cultivated for its carrageenan content used as a gelling agent in the food industry. To further assist producers in improving cultivation management and providing quantitative information about the yield, a novel approach involving remote sensing techniques was tested. In this study, multispectral images obtained from a drone (Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle, UAV) were processed to estimate the fresh and carrageenan weights of Kappaphycus at a cultivation site in South Sulawesi. The UAV imagery was geometrically and radiometrically corrected, and the resulting orthomosaics were used for detecting and classifying Kappaphycus using a random forest algorithm. The classification results were combined with in situ measurements of Kappaphycus fresh weight and carrageenan content using empirical relations between the area and weight of fresh seaweed/carrageenan. This approach allowed quantifying seaweed biometry and biochemistry at single cultivation lines and cultivation plot scales. Fresh seaweed and carrageenan weights were estimated for different dates within three distinct cultivation cycles, and the daily growth rate for each cycle was derived. Data were upscaled to a small family-scale farm and a large-scale leader farm and compared with previous estimations. To our knowledge, this study provides, for the first time, an estimation of yield at the scale of cultivation lines by exploiting the very high spatial resolution of drone data. Overall, the use of UAV remote sensing proved to be a promising approach for seaweed monitoring, opening the way to precision aquaculture of Kappaphycus.

BUSINESS IDEA FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL ENTREPRENEUR

The authors assert that young people must initiate their own entrepreneurial ideas and develop a business plan to begin their employment journey. Motivated students can become individual entrepreneurs as early as sixteen years old. Knowing the key elements of their future activities can help entrepreneurs anticipate, analyze, monitor, and evaluate the success of their enterprise before executing their idea-project. A business plan allows for adjusting planned or actual indicators to achieve income. The development process of a business plan includes analyzing the enterprise’s market environment, assessing the target audience’s needs, new sait, determining the organizational structure, identifying financial risks, and estimating income and expenses. The primary obstacles to starting one’s own enterprise include the Russian-Ukrainian war and its consequences, reduced potential customers due to lower incomes, limited financial and credit resources, and high advertising and marketing costs. The authors calculated the costs of starting a business with four employees. The Silhouette studio’s operation shows that it requires expensive equipment and a long payback period for a small enterprise. Risks in this area include purchasing low-quality equipment, lack of funds for unforeseen expenses, poor quality of services, ineffective advertising campaigns, excessive rent increases, too many workshops in the market, and poor location choice. The industry’s unique feature is a relatively short production cycle of one to two months for manufacturing complex products, making it a profitable investment, especially for working capital, providing quick returns. The planned payback period for the Silhouette studio is two to three years of operation, but it may happen sooner. The enterprise’s profit depends on advertising coverage, the income of the local population, and other aspects that affect the enterprise’s profit. A tailoring and repair shop is a distinctive institution providing quick, efficient services tailored to individual or inclusive needs.

ФОРМУВАННЯ ЦІН НА МІЖНАРОДНОМУ РИНКУ ФІНАНСОВИХ ПОСЛУГ

Specific features of international trade in services are considered; the features of the world market of services are defined; pricing methods and pricing strategies used by enterprises providing various services on the international market are characterized. The purpose of the research is aimed at researching the international market of financial services to analyze its main characteristics, impact on the global economy and identify key factors affecting its development and level of financial risk. Research methods: logical and meaningful method, methods of comparison, systematization, induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, coefficient method. The main hypothesis of the research was the statement that the international market of financial services plays an important role in the global economy and its development depends on such factors as technological innovations, regulatory policy, globalization and the stability of financial systems. Presenting main material. All spheres of international cooperation need developed services, which are a continuation and development of modern production. The main features of the world services market include the following: systematic development, which means that the services market is considered as a complete system with many interconnected components; sensitivity to market changes, which is caused by constant fluctuations in the demand and supply of services on the market; high rate of capital turnover associated with a shorter production cycle in the service sector; constant growth of the range of services. The originality and practical significance of the research are in the understanding of the main characteristics of the international market of financial services, which will help specialists in the financial sector make informed decisions about the development and improvement of their services at the international level; analysis of the impact of the international financial services market on the global economy will enable states and international organizations to determine effective strategies to promote economic growth and stability; determining the key factors affecting the development of the international market of financial services will help to avoid financial risks and ensure the stability of financial systems. The practical significance of the article also lies in the promotion of academic research and expansion of knowledge in the field of finance, economics and international relations. Conclusions and prospects for further research. The results of the study can be useful for government bodies and regulatory institutions in forming an effective policy for regulating the international market of financial services and ensuring its healthy functioning. It was determined that the successful choice of the method of setting prices for international services and the formation of an effective price strategy will allow the enterprise of the service sector to receive high income, increase the volume of service provision, and conquer new market segments.

Fat digestion and metabolism: effect of different fat sources and fat mobilisers in broilers’ diet on growth performance and physiological parameters – A review

Abstract Commercial broilers have a short production cycle and a high requirement for energy (3000 kcal/kg in starter phase and 3200 kcal/kg in finisher phase). Therefore, the need to add energy rich lipids to their diet is inevitable. Digestibility of fat depends on its multiple properties: chain length, the composition of fatty acids, ratio of saturated/unsaturated fatty acids and free fatty acids. The high cost of vegetable oils and less availability due to their consumption in human diet are the main reasons for searching for cheaper alternative fat sources. Animal oils like poultry and fish oil are the by-product of rendering plants and after refining, they are used in poultry diets as an energy source. Due to presence of impurities and free fatty acids, the digestibility of animal fat is lower. There is a limited amount of bile acids and lipase available during early age and when birds are reared on high energy diet (finisher phase). Supplementation of emulsifier or lipase in broilers’ diet increase fat utilisation. Emulsifiers increase fat digestibility by increasing active surface area of lipid droplets. Lysolecithin and lysophospholipids are produced from hydrolyses of lecithin and phospholipids by phopholipase A2. The bile acids are mainly composed of cholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid and have strong emulsification properties. Triacylglyceryl acylase (lipase) is an enzyme involved in catalysis and the hydrolysis of lipids. It can be concluded that use of emulsifier and lipase in broiler diet improves growth performance, nutrient digestibility and intestinal histology in broilers.

Effect of Growing Media and Foliar Applications on Growth, Yield, and Shelf Life of Mustard (<em>Brassica nigra</em> L.) Microgreens

Microgreens are young vegetable greens picked after 7-21 days of seed sowing. The popularity of microgreens has increased in recent years due to short production cycles and the requirement of minimal space. Mustard (Brassica nigra) microgreens are popular but empirical evidence on the effect of growing media and foliar sprays on their growth, yield, and sensory attributes is low. The effects of growing media (coir dust, tissue papers, coir dust 1: compost 1) and foliar sprays (water, Albert’s solution 100 ppm, or Ca (NO3)2 100 ppm) on growth, yield, shelf life, and sensory properties of mustard microgreens were tested in a completely randomized design. Shoot fresh weight (4.21±0.04 g), shoot dry weight (0.73±0.03 g), and shoot height (7.3±0.05 cm), each for 100 shoots, was significantly greater in coir dust medium+Albert’s foliar spray treatment than the other treatments. The shelf life of refrigerator-stored samples (5°C ±1 for 4 days) was significantly greater than those stored at room temperature (27°C±1 for 2 days). The highest weight loss (83.86±1.12%) was obtained in tissue papers+foliar spray of water, stored under room temperature, and the lowest (31.96±1.66%) was reported in coir dust+Albert’s foliar spray under refrigerated conditions. The sensory evaluation indicated the highest preference for taste, odour, color, and overall acceptability of mustard microgreens cultivated in coir dust medium + Albert’s foliar spray. Thus, the mustard microgreens grown in a coir dust medium+Albert’s solution spray and preserved under refrigerated conditions lead to better production and consumer preference.

Advances in the microbial synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Serotonin, as a monoamine neurotransmitter, modulates the activity of the nervous system. Due to its importance in the coordination of movement and regulation of mood, impairments in the synthesis and homeostasis of serotonin are involved in numerous disorders, including depression, Parkinson's disease, and anxiety. Currently, serotonin is primarily obtained via natural extraction. But this method is time-consuming and low yield, as well as unstable supply of raw materials. With the development of synthetic biology, researchers have established the method of microbial synthesis of serotonin. Compared with natural extraction, microbial synthesis has the advantages of short production cycle, continuous production, not limited by season and source, and environment-friendly; hence, it has garnered considerable research attention. However, the yield of serotonin is still too low to industrialization. Therefore, this review provides the latest progress and examples that illustrate the synthesis pathways of serotonin as well as proposes strategies for increasing the production of serotonin. KEY POINTS: • Two biosynthesis pathways of serotonin are introduced. • L-tryptophan hydroxylation is the rate-limiting step in serotonin biosynthesis. • Effective strategies are proposed to improve serotonin production.

Advances in cold-adapted enzymes derived from microorganisms.

Cold-adapted enzymes, produced in cold-adapted organisms, are a class of enzyme with catalytic activity at low temperatures, high temperature sensitivity, and the ability to adapt to cold stimulation. These enzymes are largely derived from animals, plants, and microorganisms in polar areas, mountains, and the deep sea. With the rapid development of modern biotechnology, cold-adapted enzymes have been implemented in human and other animal food production, the protection and restoration of environments, and fundamental biological research, among other areas. Cold-adapted enzymes derived from microorganisms have attracted much attention because of their short production cycles, high yield, and simple separation and purification, compared with cold-adapted enzymes derived from plants and animals. In this review we discuss various types of cold-adapted enzyme from cold-adapted microorganisms, along with associated applications, catalytic mechanisms, and molecular modification methods, to establish foundation for the theoretical research and application of cold-adapted enzymes.

Biological activities and applications of exopolysaccharides produced by lactic acid bacteria: a mini-review.

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are naturally occurring high-molecular-weight carbohydrates that have been widely studied for their biological activities, including antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anticancer and gut microbiota regulation activities. Polysaccharides are abundant in nature and can be derived from animals, plants, algae, and microorganisms, but among polysaccharides with potential uses, EPSs from microorganisms have the advantages of a short production cycle, high yield, and independence of production from season and climate and thus have broad prospects. While the safety of the producing microorganism can represent a problem in application of microbial EPSs, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been used by humans for thousands of years, and they and their products are generally recognized as safe. This makes LAB excellent sources for exopolysaccharides. EPS-producing LAB are readily found in nature. Through screening of strains, optimization of culture conditions, and improvement of the growth medium, the yield of EPSs from LAB can be increased and the scope of application broadened. This review summarizes EPSs from LAB in terms of structure, function and applications, as well as yield optimization, and introduces recent research on the biological activities and practical applications of LAB EPSs, aiming to provide references for researchers in related areas.

Circular Economy Industry 4.0 Technologies Using TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution Method

Circular Economy and Industry 4.0 Technologies Introduction: Markets that promote product reuse rather than product elimination and subsequent extraction of new resources are examples of a circular economy. All waste categories, including clothing, scrap metal, and outdated technology, are recycled or put to better use in such economies. This approach can offer a solution not only to safeguard the environment but also to use natural resources more wisely and produce new industries, jobs, and skill sets. A paradigm of production and consumption known as the "circular economy" incorporates sharing, leasing, reuse, repair, refurbishment, and recycling to lengthen the package's life cycle. The primary goal of a circular economic model is to design out waste. This model is predicated on the idea that there is no such thing as waste. To accomplish this, last-generation products are made with high-quality materials and are amenable to the extraction and reuse cycle, making it easier for users to handle, modify, or update them. The circular economic model is ultimately distinguished by these short product cycles, with the exception of disposal and recycling, which waste a significant amount of embodied energy and labor. The ultimate objective is to manage finite stocks and balance renewable resource flows to protect and enhance natural capital. Research significance: The circular economic model distinguishes between the cycles of technology and biology. Consumption only occurs during biological cycles when biologically-based goods are intended to replenish the system through procedures like food, compost, or anaerobic digestion of cork, linen, or other materials. These cycles recreate environments that give the economy renewable resources, such as soil or the ocean. Technical cycles, on the other hand, restore and reuse products through tactics like recycling, reusing, repairing, or producing something new. Ultimately, one of the goals of the circular economy is to increase resource yields by focusing on the components, goods, and services that are circulated and used most frequently across the technological and biological cycles. The concept of the circular economy gained popularity in China in the 1990s in response to economic expansion and the depletion of natural resources. The central idea of the circular economy concept is to strike a balance between resource and environmental use, capitalizing on material flow and recycling, and economic growth Methodology: ideal solution (TOPSIS) is prioritized through unity is a technique that provides, this is a multicriteria decision analytical method. TOPSIS stands for (PIS). Short geometric distance alternative to select is the positive ideal solution, basically distance to have ideal solution of thought (nis) negative too long from is geometry. Of TOPSIS the assumption is even greater is, is coming or going the criteria are the same are increasing. Many parameters in scaling problems or criteria often improper dimensions normalizations due to having are generally required. Alternative: Reliability, Responsiveness, Agility, Costs, Active management efficiency. Evaluation preference: Regenerate, Share, Optimise, Loop, Virtualise, Exchange. Results: From the result it is seen that Share is got the first rank where as is the Regenerate is having the lowest rank.

Characterization of the tensile behavior of continuous carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 6 under self‐resistance electrical heating

AbstractThe stamping molding with self‐resistance electric (SRE) heating is advantageous for the mass production of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRT) because of its short production cycle and energy efficiency. The mechanism of SRE heating is different from traditional oven heating. The impact on CFRT laminates under loading is ambiguous. In this article, the tensile testing systems with SRE heating and traditional heating were designed. The temperature distribution, mechanical response, strain, and failure mode of carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 6 (CFR‐PA6) laminates under SRE heating are studied and contrasted with traditional heating. Specifically, to measure the full‐field strain distribution, digital‐image correlation (DIC) technique and high‐speed camera were introduced. It is found that the electric resistance fluctuates in tensile test with SRE heating and shown temperature sensitivity. Temperature distribution of the specimen under SRE heating is relatively uniform. Besides, the mechanical properties (i.e., tensile strength and elastic modulus) of CFR‐PA6 seem to be insensitive to heating mode. DIC results show that deconsolidation phenomenon makes the specimen fracture randomly. Inversely, heating method has an obvious influence on failure modes. To be specific, there are more shearing damage in traditional heating during high temperature. High current under SRE heating causes corrosion on fiber surface and destroy the fiber‐resin matrix interface.

Selenium treatment promotes anthocyanin accumulation in radish sprouts (Raphanus sativus L.) by its regulation of photosynthesis and sucrose transport

Red radish sprout become a popular dietary vegetable because of its unique flavor, abundant nutrients and short production cycle. As a cruciferous plant, it has strong ability to absorb and assimilate Se which can promote the content of anthocyanin in plants. However, the mechanisms of Se on anthocyanin accumulation are still unclear. In this study, we explored that appropriate Se promoted growth, antioxidant system and nutrients in radish sprouts. The enhancement of photosynthesis by Se treatment resulted in more sucrose synthesis in radish sprouts. And the transport of sucrose from cotyledon to hypocotyl promoted by Se through up-regulating the gene expression of sucrose transporters, and more sucrose increased the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes to promote anthocyanin accumulation in hypocotyl. These results reveal the beneficial effect of Se on radish sprouts quality, and provide a new insight into the function of Se on sucrose-induced anthocyanin accumulation in radish sprouts.

Two-Step Preparation of CCF/PEEK Wrapped Yarn for 3D Printing Composites with Enhanced Mechanical Properties.

Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFTPCs) have shown advantages such as high strength, long life, corrosion resistance, and green recyclability. Three-dimensional printing of CFTPCs opened up a new strategy for the fabrication of composites with complicated structures, low cost, and short production cycles. However, a traditional 3D printing process usually causes poor impregnation of the fiber or surface damage of the fiber due to the short impregnation time or high viscosity of the thermoplastic resin. Here, continuous carbon fiber/poly(ether-ether-ketones) (CCF/PEEK) wrapped yarn was fabricated via powder impregnation and using double spinning technology for the 3D printing. The concentration of PEEK powder suspension and wire speed were optimized as 15% and 2.0 m/min. The twist of wrapped yarn was optimized as 1037 T/m. Mechanical testing showed that the 3D-printed composite wire had excellent tensile and bending strength, which was about 1.6~4.2 times larger than those without the powder pre-impregnation process. It is mainly attributed to the improved impregnation of the CF which took place during the powder pre-impregnation process. We believe that our research on wrapped yarn for 3D-printed composites provides an effective strategy for the 3D printing of composites with enhanced mechanical properties.

Adaptation of the rabies virus of the production strain "sheep" GNKI to the transplanted cultures of NGUK-1 and ВНК-21/13 CELLS

The selection of the optimal line of the transplanted cell culture and the adaptation of the rabies virus to it makes it possible to exclude the use of laboratory animals, fully control the process of obtaining viruscontaining material with high infectious activity in large quantities and with a faster and shorter production cycle. The adaptive potential of various strains of rabies virus varies significantly, in this regard, the aim of the study was to study the sensitivity of the production strain of the rabies virus "Sheep" GNKI to the transplanted cultures of NGUK-1 and ВНК-21/13 cells. The adaptation of the rabies virus to the transplanted cultures of NGUK-1 and VNK-21/13 cells was carried out by sequential passivation. The titer of the virus was calculated by the number of fluorescent foci, the concentration of rabies virus antigen was determined by the ELISA method, the pathogenicity of the virus at the level of 11 passages on different cell lines – on white mice.It was found that the transplanted ВНК-21/13 cell line provided a faster adaptation of the virus and the achievement of maximum titers within 36-48 hours, whereas the NGUK-1 line maintained relatively slow replication and ensured the achievement of maximum titers after 96-120 hours. The optimal multiplicity of infection with NGUK-1 and ВНК-21/13 was 0.1 KKID50/cell, while the titers of the "Sheep" virus strains were 4.11±0.26 and 6.17±0.49 lg KKID50/cm3, respectively. Virus replication in ВНК-21/13 cells was characterized by greater intensity: the antigenic titer of the virus at all passage levels was 1.5-2 times (p<0.05) higher than that in NGUK-1 cells. The positive dynamics of the accumulation of the viral titer persisted until passage 8-9, after which this indicator remained stable until passage 11 inclusive. The results of the assessment of the pathogenicity of the rabies virus at the level of passage 11 on different cell lines showed that the virus adapted to both NGUK-1 and ВНК-21/13 has not lost pathogenicity for white mice. Thus, it was found that the transplanted ВНК-21/13 cell line significantly exceeds the NGUK-1 cell line in terms of replicative capabilities and can be used to develop viral raw materials for the production of diagnostic tools and specific prevention.

Adaptive optimal process control with actor-critic design for energy-efficient batch machining subject to time-varying tool wear

Batch machining systems are essential for improving productivity and quality, but they consume considerable amounts of energy due to the continuous interaction with machine tools, workpieces, and cutting tools. In contrast to single-piece machining that has a short production cycle, the tool wear impacts in batch machining systems on energy consumption cannot be underestimated. However, few studies have focused on adaptive process control subject to time-varying tool wear because process optimization has always been previously considered a static problem. As an alternative to metaheuristic algorithms, reinforcement learning (RL) offers an attractive means for solving such a dynamic, high-dimensional, and high-coupling problem. In the case of turning cylindrical parts, an energy-efficient decision model is developed for the process control of pass operations of batch machining. The decision variables are decoupled by reformulating the problem as the Markov decision process, wherein the tool wear experiences dynamic changes. To solve the problem, an actor-critic RL framework with multi-constraint and multi-objective design is developed. Based on the framework, a dynamic process control method is proposed where the RL agent observes workpiece features, machining requirements, and tool wear states (inputs) and adaptively selects the control parameters such as cutting speed, feed rate, and cutting rate (outputs), with the aim to conserve energy. Two application tests and comparisons against metaheuristic methods are performed. The results indicate that the method can further reduce energy by over 20% compared with energy-efficient optimization ignoring tool wear effects. The learning efficiency of RL is about three times faster than that of metaheuristics. The online sampling time is less than 0.1 millisecond, which facilitates real-time control of process parameters.

Single- and Multiple-Material Additively Manufactured Electronics: A Further Step From the Microwave-to-Terahertz Regimes

Additively manufactured electronics (AME) is an emerging technology that is advancing the design capability and shaping the functions of today’s microwave components. Many complex components, which are difficult to implement using conventional methods, can be prototyped and realized by AME fabrication technology. As one of the fundamental manufacturing methods in Industry 4.0, AME is becoming a driving force for the revolutionary manufacturing of microwave components with high-performance, high-accuracy, low cost, and short production cycles. The materials utilized in AME have also developed from single-material (dielectric or conductive) to multimaterial manufacturing (both dielectric and conductive materials), extending the possibility of AME-inspired designs from the microwave to the terahertz regime. This article presents an overview of single-material-to-multimaterial AME fabricated circuits and devices and their applications in microwave, millimeter-wave (mm-wave), and terahertz designs, including transmission lines, lenses, frequency-selective surfaces (FSSs), filters, waveguides, and antennas.

Environmental factors influencing the growth and pathogenicity of microgreens bound for the market: a review

Abstract The world is experiencing a global push toward smart agriculture to help feed the burgeoning population by increasing food security while reducing the carbon footprint of food production. The guidelines for healthy eating have increased globally from five to seven servings of vegetables a day and this had led to the quest for a sustainable form of vegetable production that will reduce the carbon footprint and still provide consumers with the required nutrients. Microgreens contain more nutrients than some mature vegetables and can be cultivated on vertical farms, offering a different approach with the potential to resolve environmental and health challenges. Microgreens are young plantlets grown from the seeds of edible leafy vegetables and are usually eaten raw. They contain high levels of bioactive compounds and can be processed into oils to create valuable cosmetic products. Microgreens have become well-known to chefs and are gaining popularity in upmarket grocery outlets. Consequently, growing microgreens are presenting huge market opportunities worldwide. Their nutritional benefits, easy production methods and short production cycle are some of the reasons they are attractive to growers. The most important factors affecting the growth of microgreens are micro and macro-climates. One challenge to producing microgreens is that the growing environment is ideal for microbial organisms to thrive. As such, microgreens are prone to foodborne pathogens such as E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella. Consequently, the microgreens industry is facing various setbacks including product recalls from Salmonella and Listeria food poisoning outbreaks. In addition, the short shelf-life of microgreens is a serious challenge for getting microgreens to market, this is driving studies in several post-harvest treatments. This review examines the nutrient content and health benefits of microgreens and factors affecting microgreens' growth: temperature, humidity, photoperiod, fertilization, etc. and post-harvest treatments, all of which can potentially impact microbial growth, the phytochemical content and the physical appearance of microgreens bound for the market.

Inflatable architecture. Short critical history of uses in architecture

The pandemic crisis, as a turning point in recent history, has caused existing resources to be mobilized in a short time and triggered the emergence of unique approaches to spatial reorganization. With their formal freedom, unlimited adaptability and short production cycle times, lightweight inflatable or pneumatic structures, which are still in the midst of a technological boom, are an undeniable source of inspiration for today's crisis adaptation. Beyond pragmatic features such as ergonomics, protection and cleanliness, a variety of stylistic approaches can be identified, ranging from small-scale, minimal interventions in interior architecture, to large-scale, urban interventions. The article reviews the sources of inspiration that cross time and space, moving from the utopias of the 1960s to the emergency projects of the 21st century, with the aim of highlighting, through the broad spectrum of solutions, a direction to follow in architecture adapted to crisis solutions. Inflatable structures still fascinate, having the potential to be symbolic in any context.