Bioactives of Pomegranate By-Products and Barley Malt Grass Engage in Cereal Composite Bar to Achieve Antimycotic and Anti-Aflatoxigenic Attributes

Food is the source from where a person obtains the body’s daily requirements. People’s current daily habits force them to consume fast food, which is known for its poor nutritional and safety features. So, it is urgent to provide a suitable substitution product to solve this issue. The present investigation aimed to produce a bar with a dual function: nutritional and long shelf life. Two materials were chosen to support the bar manufacturing regarding their bioactive contents, barley malt grass (BMG) and pomegranate byproducts (PBD). Chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial potency were measured. Β-carotene, vitamin C, and tocopherol were determined using HPLC apparatus. Extracts’ bio-safety against cell lines was determined, besides their enhancement against cell-death factors. Simulation experiments were designed to evaluate extracts’ impact to extend bar shelf life. Data represented the richness of essential minerals and fibers. Results of the FTIR reflected the existence of various active groups in the contents. Phenolic fractions of PBD are distinctive for their content of ellagic (39.21 ± 5.42 mg/kg), ferulic acid fractions (31.28 ± 4.07 mg/kg) which is a known with antifungal activity. Extracts and their mix (1:1) represented inhibition zone diameters that reach 15.1 ± 1.66 mm for bacteria and 23.81 ± 1.41 mm for fungi. Extracts were shown to have better safety against the cell line strain of hepatic HL-7702, with an elevation of a harmful dose of aflatoxin (IC50 304.5 µg/mL for PBD, IC50 381 µg/mL for BMG). Sensory evaluation of fortified bars reflected a preferable application of mix (1:1) due to color attributes and panelist evaluations, the same result recorded for simulation studies. The experiment recommended applying a mix (1:1) of BMG: PBD in addition to their extracts (200 mg/kg dough) for functional bar manufacturing with antifungal properties.

Extraordinary Passive Safety in Cars Using a Sensor Network Model

Context: The automobile industry has included active and passive safety. Active safety incorporates elements to avoid crashes and collisions. Some elements are ABS brakes and stabilization bars, among others. On the other hand, passive safety avoids or minimizes damage to the occupants in the event of an accident. Some passive safety features include seat belts and front and curtain airbags for the driver and other occupants. Method: In this research work, we propose a new category called Extraordinary Passive Safety (XPS). A model of a sensor network was designed to inspect the conditions inside the car to detect fire, smoke, gases, and extreme temperatures. The sensors send data to a device (DXPS) capable of receiving and storing the data. Results: Each sensor collects data and sends it to the DXPS every period. The sensor sends 0s while there is no risk, and 1s when it detects a risk. When the DXPS receives a 1, the pattern is evaluated, and the risk is identified. Since there are several sensors, the reading pattern is a set of 0s (000000). When a pattern with one or more 1s (000100, 010101) is received, the DXPS can send an alert or activate a device. Conclusions: The proposed solution could save the lives of children left in the car or people trapped when the car catches fire. As future work, it is intended to define the devices to avoid or minimize damage to the occupants such as oxygen supply, gas extraction, regulating the temperature, among others.

Factors affecting consumers purchase decision: A case study in car market in Ho Chi Minh City

This paper aims to examine the factors affecting purchase decision cars of consumers to enable car manufacturers to find out the possible vulnerability between the expectations of customers and products on the market. The research uses a random survey with a group of 271 consumers in Ho Chi Minh City. Results of factor analysis and regression show that three factors including: safety features, reliability and resale value actually have positive impact on the purchasing decision automobiles consumer. On the practical significance, the study proposes some solutions to help manufacturers and distributors offering reasonable policies in order to improve sales, profits, expanding markets in Vietnam. Besides, the study also has some limitations, so the next study should be expanded and further research to be able to explain more of the factors affecting purchase decision cars of consumers.

Passive safety features of a type 227M rail vehicle

Bezpieczeństwo pasażerów w transporcie szynowym jest jednym z najważniejszych aspektów konstrukcji pojazdów szynowych. Utrzymanie niskich statystyk śmiertelności tej gałęzi transportu wymaga rozwoju systemów transportowych, ale także dalszego rozwoju materiałów i systemów stosowanych w konstrukcji pojazdów, które poruszają się po torach Polski i Świata. W niniejszym artykule przedstawione zostały zagadnienia bezpieczeństwa pasywnego na podstawie konstrukcji lekkiego pojazdu szynowego typu 227M.

Towards Autonomous Driving Using Vision Based Intelligent Systems

Vision Based systems have become an integral part when it comes to autonomous driving. The autonomous industry has seen a made large progress in the perception of environment as a result of the improvements done towards vision based systems. As the industry moves up the ladder of automation, safety features are coming more and more into the focus. Different safety measurements have to be taken into consideration based on different driving situations. One of the major concerns of the highest level of autonomy is to obtain the ability of understanding both internal and external situations. Most of the research made on vision based systems are focused on image processing and artificial intelligence systems like machine learning and deep learning. Due to the current generation of technology being the generation of “Connected World”, there is no lack of data any more. As a result of the introduction of internet of things, most of these connected devices are able to share and transfer data. Vision based techniques are techniques that are hugely depended on these vision based data.

The characterisation and application of bacterial nitroreductase enzymes

<p>Cancer is an increasing global concern, with the number of people diagnosed growing rapidly each year. Gene directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) is emerging as a front-runner of new technologies that seek to combat the growing number of cases. One developing approach to GDEPT involves the use of bacterial nitroreductase enzymes to reduce prodrug substrates, which, upon reduction to their active form, are toxic to cancer cells through DNA crosslinking. Nitroreductases have the ability to activate a variety of nitro-quenched compounds, not only anti-cancer prodrugs, but also nil bystander antibiotics and masked fluorophores, through the reduction of strongly electron-withdrawing nitro substituents on aromatic rings. My research initially sought to exploit this capability by partnering nitroreductases with nil bystander antibiotics for targeted cell ablation, as a component of a larger gene directed enzyme prodrug therapy project. This has potential to provide important safety features for removal of viral and bacterial vectors following anti-cancer gene therapy. From this, the main focus evolved into utilising nitroreductase enzymes for targeted cell ablation for applications in developmental and regenerative biology. This exploited the ability of nitroreductases to activate nil bystander antibiotics in partnership with masked fluorophores for imaging purposes. It has previously been shown that antibiotics can be applied to a nitroreductase under control of a tissue-specific promoter in a transgenic model organism, enabling controlled ablation of that tissue at precise stages of development. However, direct imaging of the nitroreductase location and activity, by application of masked fluorophore probes prior to ablation, has not previously been explored. During the course of this work, several promising combinations of nitroreductases that exhibit opposing specificities for certain combinations of masked fluorophores and nil-bystander antibiotics were identified through screening in bacterial systems. In general, these results were found to translate effectively into eukaryotic cell lines. Pairs of nitroreductases that have opposite specificities for two different antibiotic substrates offer potential for the multiplexed ablation of either (or both) of two different labelled tissues in the same transgenic model organism, according to the substrate(s) administered to that organism. Throughout this screening process, a nitroaromatic substrate (niclosamide) was identified that is, uniquely, initially toxic to Escherichia coli but becomes non-toxic upon reduction of the nitro substituent. Using niclosamide, a novel strategy with potential for identification of new nitroreductases, as well as selection-based directed evolution to improve desired activities, was explored.</p>

The characterisation and application of bacterial nitroreductase enzymes

<p>Cancer is an increasing global concern, with the number of people diagnosed growing rapidly each year. Gene directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) is emerging as a front-runner of new technologies that seek to combat the growing number of cases. One developing approach to GDEPT involves the use of bacterial nitroreductase enzymes to reduce prodrug substrates, which, upon reduction to their active form, are toxic to cancer cells through DNA crosslinking. Nitroreductases have the ability to activate a variety of nitro-quenched compounds, not only anti-cancer prodrugs, but also nil bystander antibiotics and masked fluorophores, through the reduction of strongly electron-withdrawing nitro substituents on aromatic rings. My research initially sought to exploit this capability by partnering nitroreductases with nil bystander antibiotics for targeted cell ablation, as a component of a larger gene directed enzyme prodrug therapy project. This has potential to provide important safety features for removal of viral and bacterial vectors following anti-cancer gene therapy. From this, the main focus evolved into utilising nitroreductase enzymes for targeted cell ablation for applications in developmental and regenerative biology. This exploited the ability of nitroreductases to activate nil bystander antibiotics in partnership with masked fluorophores for imaging purposes. It has previously been shown that antibiotics can be applied to a nitroreductase under control of a tissue-specific promoter in a transgenic model organism, enabling controlled ablation of that tissue at precise stages of development. However, direct imaging of the nitroreductase location and activity, by application of masked fluorophore probes prior to ablation, has not previously been explored. During the course of this work, several promising combinations of nitroreductases that exhibit opposing specificities for certain combinations of masked fluorophores and nil-bystander antibiotics were identified through screening in bacterial systems. In general, these results were found to translate effectively into eukaryotic cell lines. Pairs of nitroreductases that have opposite specificities for two different antibiotic substrates offer potential for the multiplexed ablation of either (or both) of two different labelled tissues in the same transgenic model organism, according to the substrate(s) administered to that organism. Throughout this screening process, a nitroaromatic substrate (niclosamide) was identified that is, uniquely, initially toxic to Escherichia coli but becomes non-toxic upon reduction of the nitro substituent. Using niclosamide, a novel strategy with potential for identification of new nitroreductases, as well as selection-based directed evolution to improve desired activities, was explored.</p>

SORA Methodology for Multi-UAS Airframe Inspections in an Airport

Deploying Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in safety- and business-critical operations requires demonstrating compliance with applicable regulations and a comprehensive understanding of the residual risk associated with the UAS operation. To support these activities and enable the safe deployment of UAS into civil airspace, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has established a UAS regulatory framework that mandates the execution of safety risk assessment for UAS operations in order to gain authorization to carry out certain types of operations. Driven by this framework, the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) released the Specific Operation Risk Assessment (SORA) methodology that guides the systematic risk assessment for UAS operations. However, existing work on SORA and its applications focuses mainly on single UAS operations, offering limited support for assuring operations conducted with multiple UAS and with autonomous features. Therefore, the work presented in this paper analyzes the application of SORA for a Multi-UAS airframe inspection (AFI) operation, that involves deploying multiple UAS with autonomous features inside an airport. We present the decision-making process of each SORA step and its application to a multiple UAS scenario. The results shows that the procedures and safety features included in the Multi-AFI operation such as workspace segmentation, the independent multi-UAS AFI crew proposed, and the mitigation actions provide confidence that the operation can be conducted safely and can receive a positive evaluation from the competent authorities. We also present our key findings from the application of SORA and discuss how it can be extended to better support multi-UAS operations.