Thermo Electron Research Articles

Determination of apple varieties by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy coupled with improved possibilistic Gath–Geva clustering algorithm

Apple, as an important agricultural product, has extremely high nutritional value. In order to distinguish apple varieties quickly, accurately, and nondestructively, an improved possibilistic Gath–Geva (IPGG) clustering algorithm was proposed to classify near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectra of apple samples. This paper used Antaris II NIR spectrometer (Thermo Electron Co., USA) to collect NIR spectra of four kinds of apples (Fuji, Huaniu, Gala, and Huangjiao). Then, multiple scatter correction (MSC) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to eliminate redundant information and reduce spectral dimensions, respectively. Finally, fuzzy c-means (FCM), Gustafson-Kessel (GK), Gath–Geva (GG), improved possibilistic c-means (IPCM), and IPGG clustering algorithms were run on the preprocessed spectral data. The results shown that the clustering accuracy of IPGG was the highest, and it reached 96.5%. Experimental results demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy along with MSC, PCA, and IPGG clustering was an effective method for identifying apple varieties. Practical applications The apple variety is of great importance to the quality of apple. For this, the proposed IPGG clustering along with near infrared reflectance spectroscopy was used to build an effective classification model to identify apple varieties quickly, accurately, and nondestructively. The experimental results showed that IPGG clustering algorithm has obvious advantages compared with FCM, GK, GG, and IPCM. This study provides a new method for apple grading and screening at the fruit and vegetable processing plants.

Content in organic acids of Mespilus spp. and Crataegus spp. genotypes

Medlar and hawthorn genotypes were analyzed and also their individual organic acids, in order to better understand their use as functional foods, but also as ingredients in pharmaceutical, nutritional products and in medicine. HPLC analysis was carried out using a Surveyor Thermo Electron system. Ascorbic, oxalic, tartric, malic, citric, succinic and fumaric acids were detected. On average, malic acid was predominant with a range of 415.08 mg/100 g FW in Mespilus germanica and 1,128.68 mg/100 g FW in Crataegus pentagyna. The order of organic acid depending on their content/100 g FW was: for Mespilus germanica - malic > tartric > oxalic > citric > fumaric > ascorbic > succinic; for Crataegus monogyna - malic > oxalic > citric > succinic >tartric > ascorbic > fumaric; for Crataegus pentagyna - malic > citric > oxalic > succinic >tartric > ascorbic > fumaric. The data obtained in this study do confirm that medlar and hawthorn fruits are a rich source of organic acid, and their organic acid content within the 100 g was greater than human daily consumption for this required level.

P040 Proteomic characterisation of serum extracellular vesicles in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: a novel approach for biomarker discovery

Abstract Background Our aim was to identify novel biomarkers and molecular pathways that may be involved in the development or progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) by the comparison of serum extracellular vesicles (EVs) proteomic profile between healthy controls (HC), Crohn’s disease (CD) [active (aCD) and quiescent (qCD)] and ulcerative colitis (UC) [active (aUC) and quiescent (qUC)] patients. Methods A total of 150 individuals with an ileocolonoscopy performed the same day of blood collection were included: 30 HC, 30 aCD, 30 qCD, 30 aUC and 30 qUC. Severity of inflammation was rated based on the Simple Endoscopic Score (SES-CD) in CD and the endoscopic subscore of the Mayo index in UC. Serum EVs were isolated from blood serum and their size, distribution and concentration were determined by nanoparticle tracking analysis with NanoSight LM10 (Malvern, UK). The presence of EVs positive and negative markers were evaluated by immunoblotting. Proteomic differential analysis was performed by Label Free nLC tandem mass spectrometry analysis by nanoACQUITY UPLC (Waters) coupled on-line to a LTQ Orbitrap XL (Thermo Electron, Bremen, Germany). Peptide identification was performed by Mascot (MatrixScience, London, UK) against Uniprot/Swissprot DataBase, and protein quantification by Progenesis LC-MS (Nonlinear Dynamics Ltd., Newcastle upon Tyne, UK). Proteins matching at least two unique peptides were considered for the analysis. Proteins with p ≤ 0.05 and ratio >1.5 in any sense were considered deregulated. Proteomic results and clinical data were further integrated for biomarker discovery. Proteins with p-value cross-validation <0.05 and accuracy ≥0.65 individually or in combination with another molecule were considered to have potential as biomarkers. Results EVs size and concentration are shown in Table 1. There were not differences in EVs concentration and size between groups (Figure 1). A total of 324 proteins were identified, being some of them differentially expressed in different conditions (Table 2). Several proteins met the criteria to be proposed as accurate biomarkers: 17 in UC vs. HC, 9 in aUC vs. HC, 3 in qUC vs. HC, 13 in CD vs. HC, 16 in aCD vs. HC and 14 in qCD vs. HC. These proteins are involved in relevant processes in IBD pathogenesis such as angiogenesis, cell migration, immune response, acute phase response, inflammation and coagulation. Finally, a panel of seven proteins was chosen for validation in an independent cohort (Table 3). Conclusion Serum EVs of patients with IBD (CD and UC) carry differentially expressed proteins compared with HC and also depending on the presence of intestinal inflammation. These proteins are promising biomarkers of IBD that will be validated in an independent cohort. M. Chaparro and M. Azkargorta have equally contributed as first authors. F. Elortza and J.P. Gisbert have equally contributed as senior authors.

Physicochemical Quality and Heavy Metals Contamination of Drinking Water Used in Poultry Farms at Maritime Region of Togo

This study investigated heavy metals and physicochemical quality of drinking water used in poultry farms at the Maritime region of Togo. Information was gathered by face-to-face interviewing and samples from different drinking water sources (Wells, drillings and tanks) were collected and analysed for physicochemical parameters such as total hardness, pH, nitrate, sulphate and some heavy metals: Hg, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, As, Ni, Pb and Zn using standard methods Atomic Absorption Spectrometer Thermo Electron S series. The results showed that most of poultry farms in Maritime region were located within potential provenances sources of water pollution. These sources comprised agricultural, residential and industrial areas. The analysis indicated that concentrations of the metals were mostly far below the maximum recommended concentration. However, the concentrations of Iron, Cadmium, Lead and Mercury in some of the water samples were higher than the international standard values. Also the concentration of nitrate and sulphate in some water samples were higher than the levels recommended by WHO. The water samples were soft and moderately hard. The pH of all analysed samples was within the allowable limit. It was concluded that the contamination of drinking water in the poultry farms of the Maritime region of Togo was moderate except in industrial areas which was considerably high.

The effect of temperature and storage time on the migration of antimony from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into commercial bottled water in Kuwait.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a safe material used widely in manufacturing plastic water bottles. However, recent studies have linked PET with Antimony which poses both acute and chronic health effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of storage and temperature on the amount of antimony leached to the bottled water. Three brands of bottled water were used for this analysis. Samples were stored at 25°C for three months to examine the storage duration on antimony levels. To examine the effect of temperature on antimony levels, samples were stored at -5°C, 25°C and 50°C for 24 hours, respectively. To investigate the duel effect of both temperature and time on antimony levels, samples from one brand were heated at 50°C for 7 days. Antimony analysis was conducted using a Thermo Electron Element 2 single-collector double-focusing magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Results showed that there were no statistical differences of antimony concentrations before and after storage at room temperature. Heating samples to 50°C increased the antimony concentrations to 8.530 ppb and 16.8 ppb in 24 hours and 7 days, respectively. Although the range of Antimony concentrations in the bottled waters is well below WHO maximum contaminant level if stored at room temperature, inappropriate and prolonged storage of plastic bottles may lead to exceed the maximum contaminant level of 6 ppb. The data collected from this study can be useful to plastic bottle manufacturers for setting a safe storage temperature for PET bottles.(www.actabiomedica.it)

Extracellular vesicles derived from injured vascular tissue promote the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures in vascular allografts.

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) accumulate at sites of chronic injury where they function as an ectopic germinal center, fostering local autoimmune responses. Vascular injury leads to the release of endothelial‐derived apoptotic exosome‐like vesicles (ApoExo) that contribute to rejection in transplanted organs. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of ApoExo on TLS formation in a model of vascular allograft rejection. Mice transplanted with an allogeneic aortic transplant were injected with ApoExo. The formation of TLS was significantly increased by ApoExo injection along with vascular remodeling and increased levels of antinuclear antibodies and anti‐perlecan/LG3 autoantibodies. ApoExo also enhanced allograft infiltration by γδT17 cells. Recipients deficient in γδT cells showed reduced TLS formation and lower autoantibodies levels following ApoExo injection. ApoExo are characterized by proteasome activity, which can be blocked by bortezomib. Bortezomib treated ApoExo reduced the recruitment of γδT17 cells to the allograft, lowered TLS formation, and reduced autoantibody production. This study identifies vascular injury‐derived extracellular vesicles (ApoExo), as initiators of TLS formation and demonstrates the pivotal role of γδT17 in coordinating TLS formation and autoantibody production. Finally, our results suggest proteasome inhibition with bortezomib as a potential option for controlling TLS formation in rejected allografts.

PH Variability and its Relationship with Sarcomere Length and Free Calcium in Beef from Commercial Cattle in Puerto Rico

ObjectivesResearch conducted at the University of Puerto Rico noted that beef with elevated pH values (> 5.86) resulted in more tender meat (P ≤ 0.05). It has been established that proteolytic degradation mechanisms can be influenced by pH and calcium concentration in muscle. Beef with pH values ≥ 5.86 is classified as Dark Firm and Dry (DFD) but there are negative implications associated with greater pH values. However, observations indicating increased tenderness with increased pH raise the question: can variations in pH be associated with differences in sarcomere length (SL) and free calcium concentration (FCC)? Therefore, the objectives of this project were to: (1) document pH distribution; (2) determine the incidence of DFD; and (3) evaluate the relationship between pH, SL, and FCC in commercial cattle harvested in Puerto Rico.Materials and MethodsLongissimus lumborum samples (n = 51) were obtained and background information was noted including number of permanent incisors (PI), type (Dairy or Beef), and gender. The pH values were used to categorize beef into the following groups: Low (≤ 5.40), Normal (5.41 to 5.59), High (5.60 to 5.85) and DFD (≥ 5.86). Meat was flash frozen, powdered, and placed on a microscope slide and a Helium-Neon laser was used to determine SL. A subset of samples was sent off and prepared at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for FCC quantification (Ward Laboratories; Kearney, NE) with an inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer (iCAP 6500 Radial; Thermo Electron, Cambridge, UK). All statistical analyses were conducted in SAS (9.4). The Proc FREQ was used to determine pH category distributions and incidence of DFD. The Proc GLIMMIX and Tukey adjustment (α = 0.05) were used to determine the effects of number of PI, type, and gender on pH category, SL and FCC. The Proc CORR was used to evaluate the relationship between pH category, SL and FCC.ResultsThe pH category distribution for the current samples was as follows: 3.92% Low, 41.18% Normal, 35.29% High and 19.61% DFD. The SL ranged from 1.69 to 1.46 mm with an average of 1.53 mm. The FCC ranged from 132.19 to 31.39 mM with an average of 64.23 mM. Longer sarcomeres were detected in cattle with eight and zero PI (1.57 and 1.56 mm, respectively); cattle with two and four PI had intermediate SL (1.53 and 1.52 mm, respectively), and cattle with six PI had the shortest sarcomeres (1.51 mm; P = 0.03). Dairy cattle had longer sarcomeres relative to beef cattle (1.56 vs. 1.52 mm; P = 0.02). Dairy cattle tended to have increased FCC relative to beef cattle (70.72 vs. 58.38 mM; P = 0.08). Also, FCC tended to be greater within the Normal and Low pH categories relative to the High and DFD categories (72.36 vs. 57.31 mM; P = 0.06). The SL and FCC had no relationship (P > 0.05) within the Low, Normal and High pH categories. However, DFD beef had longer SL (0.78; P = 0.01), while having decreased FCC (–0.66; P = 0.04).ConclusionOver half (54.90%) of the beef samples analyzed fell into the High and DFD pH categories, with nearly 20% being classified as DFD. Although, a clear relationship was not established between SL and FCC within the Low, Normal or High pH categories, the results indicate that the increased pH in samples surpassing the DFD threshold correspond to longer sarcomeres and decreased free calcium.

Effects of SiO2 particle size on the corrosion resistance of fluoropolymer/SiO2 composite coatings

ABSTRACTThe surfaces of SiO2 ultra-fine particles with different sizes have been modified by γ-(2, 3-epoxypropoxy)propytrimethoxysilane (KH-560) silane coupling agent. Then the homogeneous fluoropolymer/SiO2 composite coatings have been successfully prepared on mild steel substrates. The surface grafting of KH-560 on SiO2 particles was detected by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The surface morphologies and corrosion resistance of fluoropolymer/SiO2 composite coatings were characterised by field emission scanning electron microscopy, potentiodynamic polarisation as well as electrochemical impedance. The results showed that KH-560-modified SiO2 particles can decrease agglomeration effectively, and the particles play a beneficial role in improving the corrosion resistance of the coated steel significantly. There exists an obvious effect of SiO2 particles size on the corrosion resistance of fluoropolymer/SiO2 composite coatings. Also, the SiO2 particles with diameter of 150 nm are of the best effect among all particle sizes.

Synthesis and characterization of water-soluble chitosan membrane blended with a mobile carrier for CO2 separation

The present study demonstrates the alteration of chitosan to carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC). Further, this CMC has been blended with a mobile carrier, piperazine (PZ), to prepare a membrane for CO2 separation. Various instruments like nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) have been used to characterize the prepared membranes. The moisture holding behavior of the membranes at different relative humidity has been assessed by water retention test. The CO2 separation study was executed at different temperatures (60–120 °C) and sweep side water flow rate (0.01–0.09 ml/min). The blend membrane containing 20 wt (wt.) % PZ exhibited optimum CO2 permeance of 89 GPU and CO2/N2 selectivity of 103 at 80 °C and sweep side water flow rate of 0.05 ml/min.

Niveles de metales pesados en los sedimentos superficiales de las zonas de playas turísticas de La Guajira, Norte de Colombia

Se determinó la concentración de ocho metales pesados (cromo, cadmio, vanadio, cinc, plomo, níquel, mercurio y cobre) en sedimentos superficiales de seis de sitios de las playas turísticas de La Guajira para conocer los niveles de línea base y contaminación. La concentración se estableció mediante la técnica de espectroscopia de absorción atómica (CVAAS, GFAAS, FLAAS), utilizando un espectrofotómetro ICE 3000 Thermo Electron Corporation con llama aire-acetileno. Las concentraciones de los metales pesados en los sedimentos del área de estudio oscilaron entre los siguientes valores: cromo, 0.086-1.058 mg/kg; cadmio, 0.0098-0.0028 mg/kg; vanadio, 0.046-0.829 mg/kg; cinc, 0.250-0.630 mg/kg; plomo, 0.055-0.124 mg/kg; níquel, 0.080-1.220 mg/kg; mercurio, 0.00015-0.00027 mg/kg, y cobre, 0.030-0.1 mg/kg. Las correlaciones significativas entre los metales sugieren la existencia de fuentes de orígenes similares. La estimación del nivel de contaminación con el índice de geoacumulación indica que no existe contaminación. Las concentraciones de cromo, cinc y níquel se encuentran por debajo de un nivel de contaminación ligera en los sedimentos que puede ser tolerado por la mayoría de las especies bentónicas, aunque no se puede descartar una contribución antropogénica relacionada con el vertimiento de aguas servidas, la minería y la descarga de los ríos

Effect of dietary phyto-humic preparations on lipids indices of commercial laying hen eggs

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of three different phyto-humic feed preparations on the basic qualitative characteristics of eggs, i.e. total cholesterol content and fatty acid profile of the yolk. The study was carried out on 80 Lohmann Brown (LB) laying hens in an experimental facility with a floor maintenance system on a straw bedding (5 layers/m2). A control group (K) and three experimental ones (A, B, C), with 20 birds in each (in separate pens), were created. The birds were placed in the 16th week of life, while the experimental preparations were introduced in the 22nd week of life and were administered for 43 weeks (constant 3% addition to the feed mixture).The following preparations were applied: humic-peat (H-t) in group A, humic-herbal (H-z) in group B, and humic-lucerne (H-1) in group C. The eggs for the study were collected three times, 30 eggs from each group in the following periods: 1st series – 31st week of life (peak of laying period); 2nd series – 54th week of life (later phase of laying period) and 3rd series – 65th week of life (final phase of laying period). Six samples (mean of 5 well-mixed yolks) from each group in three laying periods (360 eggs were used in total) were prepared for laboratory analyzes (lipids examination). Laboratory analyzes were performed using a chromatograph – Finnigan Focus PolarisQ manufactured by Thermo Electron with capillary columns: HP-88 by Agilent J&W (fatty acids) and Rtx-1MS by Restek (cholesterol). The applied phytohumic preparations – but only those with a share of dried lucerne or herbs – significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced total cholesterol content, especially in group C (10.88 mg/g yolk) compared to group K (11.94 mg/g yolk). All preparations positively influenced the fatty acids profile of yolk; there was a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in the concentration of n-3 PUFAs (max 2.84% in the group B), the n-6/n-3 ratio decreased significantly (most beneficial 8.33 in group B), and lipids quality improved: atherogenic index (AI) decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in group A (0.32) and thrombogenic index (TI) was a significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower in all experimental groups (0.83 – 0.84) compared to group K (0.36 and 0.87 respectively). Dietary phyto-humic preparations increased the nutritional and dietary value of hen eggs.

Identification of Flavonoids from the Leaves Extract of Mangrove (Rhizophora apiculata)

A fast and specific reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used for the immediate identification of flavonoids (gallic acid, rutin, quercetin, ascorbic acid, and kaempferol) in the leaves extract of Mangrove (Rhizophora apiculata). The R. apiculata has lots of valuable medicinal properties including antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, vascular antitumor activity, and enzyme inhibition; however, the activity of antioxidant is perhaps the greatest studied property attributed to flavonoids. Magnetic stirrer was used for the pretreatment process of sample with methanol by using a temperature of 50°C for 40 min, followed by separation on column size 250 mm x 4.6 mm (5 μm) Hypersil Gold C18 (Thermo Electron Corporation) with water–methanol–acetonitrile (45:40:15 v/v/v) containing acetic acid 1.0% as a mobile phase. Moreover, 254-nm wavelength was used to detect the extract. The standard retention times (Rt) of gallic acid, rutin, ascorbic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol were found to be 2.610, 2.875, 3.150, 5.789, and 8.983, respectively. The existence of gallic acid, rutin, ascorbic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin in Mangrove leaves extract was found matching according to the standard retention time. In Mangrove leaves, gallic acid was found to have the retention time at 2.538, rutin at 2.873, quercetin at 5.796, and kaempferol at 8.976. However, the ascorbic acid was not identified. The amount of rutin, gallic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol was calculated by using the assay formula. In Mangrove leaves, the amount of gallic acid, rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol is 3.024, 5.485, 5.144, and 8.361%, respectively.

Simultaneous Identification of Phenolic Compound from the Honey of Stingless Bee by Using HPLC

Apitherapy is a branch of alternative medicine that uses honey bee products including honey, propolis, pollen, bee venom, and royal jelly. Stingless bee honey reportedly has many medicinal and therapeutic uses and excellent potency. This study aimed to identify the phenolic compounds using a fast and specific reversed-phase HPLC method in the extract of stingless bee honey. A magnetic stirrer was used for the pretreatment process of a sample with methanol at a temperature of 50°C for 40 min, followed by separation on a column size of 250 mm x 4.6 mm (5μm) hypersil gold-C18 (Thermo Electron Corporation) with water–methanol–acetonitrile (45:40:15 v/v/v) containing acetic acid 1.0% as a mobile phase. A 254-nm wavelength was used to detect the extract. The standard retention times of the gallic acid, rutin, ascorbic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol were found to be at 2.610, 2.875, 3.150, 5.789, and 8.983 min, respectively. The existence of gallic acid, rutin, ascorbic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin in the stingless bee honey extract was found to match according to the standard retention time. In the stingless bee honey, the retention times of gallic acid, rutin, ascorbic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol were found to be at 2.613, 2.866, 3.157, 5.790, and 8.966 min, respectively. In the stingless bee honey, the amounts of gallic acid, rutin, ascorbic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol were 1.426%, 2.533%, 16.922%, 1.851%, and 13.773%, respectively. According to the results, it is concluded that stingless bee honey is rich in phenolic acids and flavonoid compounds that have strong antioxidant properties.

Electrophysiological procedures for the use of the RPC: without hindrance and negligible radiation

Background: Fluoroscopy is the main visualization technique for EP procedures. A radiation protection cabin (RPC) shielded with 2 mm lead-equivalent walls was tested as an alternative protection tool (Cathpax®, Lemer Pax). Methods: To assess the scattered radiation to the operator inside the RPC an electronic personal dosimeter (EPD; Mk2, Thermo Electron) was placed at the neck level of the operator. A second EPD was located outside the RPC at 150 cm height from the floor, to record the presumable head radiation dose. Results: Radiation doses were measured in a total of 138 consecutive patients (age 54±16 yrs, BMI 28±5 kg/m2 (18-45), 64% male) undergoing a variety of ablation procedures (SVT=75, AFL=32, AF=17, VT=14). Median fluoroscopy time was 39 min (7-140), the cumulative dose-area product (DAP) 4702 cGy.cm2 (493-65620). Doses outside the RPC showed a median of 135 µSv (1-4881). Doses inside the RPC were detected only at sensitivity threshold or background levels (mean 0.2SD0.7 µSv, median 0.0, range 0-4). The dose reduction to the operator was highest for AF ablations (354 vs 0.5 µSv, respectively; p<0.001). The total accumulated dose outside the RPC was 37883 µSv for all 138 procedures, whereas for the protected operator inside only 30 µSv. Conclusions: There were highly concordant low dose values measured for the operator inside the RPC in comparison to high doses outside the RPC. The use of a RPC represents a major benefit over a lead apron and contributes to a significant dose reduction as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA principle).

Synthesis and characterization of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-grafted polyvinyl alcohol

Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was grafted onto the surface of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) through simple chemical oxidative polymerization with FeCl3 in three different solvents, namely acetonitrile, chloroform, and hexane. Among these solvents, hexane best stimulated the grafting of P3HT to PVA; the modified PVA was obtained with a high grafting ratio and molecular weight. The resultant modified PVA was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), ultraviolet visible (UV–vis), fluorescence spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction (XRD), as well as thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The presence of P3HT on the PVA surface imparted hydrophobic character, and the PVA modified with P3HT exhibited enhanced electrical conductivity compared to PVA. The peaks in the XRD spectrum of PVA were less intense following P3HT grafting to the PVA surface, and the build-up of P3HT on the PVA surface led to the appearance of absorption and emission peaks in the visible wavelength range. PVA was less stable following grafting by P3HT and the existence of elemental sulfur originating from P3HT was detected on the modified PVA by FE-SEM elemental mapping.

Super Twisting Control For Thermo’s Catalyst-5 Robotic Arm

The control of industrial robotics systems is important due to the wide range of their applications. These machines are complex electromechanical systems that have multiples input/outputs, are non-linear and uncertainty. For this purpose, it is essential that the robot programmers can test the behavior of the robots in different circumstances and with varying parameters under a control methodology. In this work, it is designed a controller base on Super Twisting Algorithm (robust nonlinear controller) to reduce the chattering problem of sliding mode control with the robustness of robotic manipulator, and the stability proof in the case of nonlinear systems. Simulation results are shown and compare with the Proportional-Derivative controller using the 5-DOF (Degrees of Freedom) robotic manipulator CRS Catalyst-5 by Thermo Electron Corporation to illustrate the efficient of the proposed method.

Effect of soil-applied lead on mineral contents and biomass in Acer cappadocicum, Fraxinus excelsior and Platycladus orientalis seedlings

Abstract: Phytoremediation is an effective and affordable approach to extract or remove lead from contaminated soil. An understanding of the physiological responses of different species subjected to heavy metal contamination is necessary before considering their use for environmental clean-up. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of lead (Pb) on growth and nutrient uptake in three forest species native to Iran: Cappadocian maple (Acer cappadocicum), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and Oriental aborvitae (Platycladus orientalis). The capability of lead uptake in different organs was studied in one-year-old potted seedlings grown in contaminated soils with Pb concentration ranging from 100 to 500 mg kg-1 for six months in a nursery. Several phytoextraction parameters such as translocation factor (TF), tolerance index (TI) and bioconcentration factor (BCF) were assessed to investigate the phytoremediation potential of these species. Increasing Pb application in the soil caused a gradual decrease in dry weight of leaf and shoot of all species, while the dry weight of root remains unaffected. However, such inhibition was less marked in the conifer (P. orientalis) compared to the two broad-leaf species. Phosphorus uptake of all species slightly declined in contaminated soils. Contrastingly, Pb application did not hinder nitrogen and potassium uptake in seedlings. Atomic absorption thermo electron analysis of Pb-treated plants showed an increasing Pb accumulation in all plant compartments, although the result was more evident in the tissues of P. orientalis. This species also showed the highest values for TF, TI and BCF, indicating this conifer species as a potential candidate for phytoremediation of lead-polluted soils in Iran.

Self-Propagating High Temperature Synthesis of TiB2–MgAl2O4 Composites

Metal borides are widely used as heat-insulating materials, however, the range of their application in high-temperature conditions with oxidative medium is significantly restricted. To improve the thermal stability of structural materials based on titanium boride, and to prevent the growth of TiB2 crystals, additives based on alumina-magnesia spinel with chemical resistant and refractory properties have been used. The aim of this work is to study the structure of TiB2 with alumina-magnesia spinel additives obtained by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS). TiB2 structure with uniform fine-grained distribution was obtained in an MgAl2O4 matrix. The material composition was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis (DRON-3M, filtered Со kα-emission), FTIR spectroscopy (Thermo Electron Nicolet 5700, within the range of 1300–400 cm−1), and scanning electron microscopy (Philips SEM 515). The obtained material represents a composite, where the particles of TiB2 with a size of 5 µm are uniformly distributed in the alloy of alumina-magnesia spinel.

Reprint of ‘Evaluation of Scattered Radiation Emitted From X-ray Security Scanners on Occupational Dose to Airport Personnel’

Based on security issues and regulations airports are provided with luggage cargo scanners. These scanners utilize ionizing radiation that in principle present health risks toward humans. The study aims to investigate the amount of backscatter produced by passenger luggage and cargo toward airport personnel who are located at different distances from the scanners. To approach our investigation a Thermo Electron Radeye-G probe was used to quantify the backscattered radiation measured in terms of dose-rate emitted from airport scanners, Measurements were taken at the entrance and exit positions of the X-ray tunnel at three different distances (0, 50, and 100cm) for two different scanners; both scanners include shielding curtains that reduce scattered radiation. Correlation was demonstrated using the Pearson coefficient test. Measurements confirmed an inverse relationship between dose rate and distance. An estimated occupational accumulative dose of 0.88mSv/y, and 2.04mSv/y were obtained for personnel working in inspection of carry-on, and cargo, respectively. Findings confirm that the projected dose of security and engineering staff are being well within dose limits.

Effect of Moringa oleifera on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Pioglitazone

Millions of people today use herbs either as food or in the form of medicine along with other medications. Many of the herbs can interact with these medications, causing either potentially dangerous side effects or improved/reduced benefits from the medication. The present study was performed to determine the influence of moriga, on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of pioglitazone. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies were conducted in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rabbits and rats respectively, with oral administration of selected doses of pioglitazone, moringa and their combination. The normal and diabetic rabbits were divided into three groups and each group contains four rabbits, while normal and diabetic rats were divided into four groups and each group contains six rats. The in vivo experimental protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethical Committee (CPCSEA/Regd. No.1657/2013/09). Blood samples were collected at regular intervals of time and were analysed for glucose by GOD/POD method and for pioglitazone by HPLC method respectively. Body weights were also measured every week. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by non‐compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis using Kinetica™ software (version 4.4.1 Thermo Electron Corporation, U.S.A). All values of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interaction studies were expressed as mean ± SEM. The data was statistically evaluated using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's, multiple comparison test using Graph Pad Prism 5 computer software. The combination of pioglitazone(1.5mg/kg) and moringa (400mg/kg) was found to produce significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters of pioglitazone like AUC, t1/2, Ke, Cl/F, Vd/F when given in combination with moringa in normal and diabetic rabbits. The combination of pioglitazone(3mg/kg) and moringa (800mg/kg) was found to reduce the glucose levels and body weights significantly than pioglitazone. In the normal rabbits pharmacokinetic interaction was seen at elimination level when moringa was given in single dose, while the interaction was found to be at absorption and elimination levels when moringa was given in multiple doses. In the diabetic condition the interaction was found to be different. In the single dose treatment the interaction was found at metabolism and elimination decreasing the AUC, whereas in the multiple dose treatment it was at elimination and metabolism level increasing the AUC. The alterations are more pronounced in multiple dose treatment groups, indicating the significance of long term exposure of moringa in diabetic condition (in both rats and rabbits) treated by pioglitazone and thus it may apply to diabetic patients under pioglitazone treatment. The results of increased AUC of pioglitazone under moringa exposure suggest an interaction indicating decreased metabolism of pioglitazone as a result of CYP3A4 inhibition and thereby producing a potentiating effect. Moringa enhanced the bioavailability of pioglitazone by inhibiting the CYP3A4 enzyme. Hence, moringa might be beneficial when used in combination with pioglitazone in diabetic patients and an adjustment of dose of pioglitazone may be necessarySupport or Funding InformationThe work was funded by Sri Padmavati Mahila Viswavidyalayam under the support given for the research work.