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Impact of simulated climate change conditions on Aspergillus flavus biocontrol effectiveness in peanut-based medium and peanut seeds
Get PDFPeanut is a legume widespread in the world, but its high susceptibility to Aspergillus flavus infection poses a significant challenge due to the risk of aflatoxin contamination. It is predicted that changing climatic conditions will result in warmer, drier periods with elevated CO₂ levels, which promote the growth of A. flavus. The most effective pre-harvest mitigation strategy is the use of non-aflatoxigenic strains of biocontrol; however, future climatic conditions may influence the effectiveness of this practice. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of simulated climate change conditions on the efficacy of a non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strain, the active agent of a biocontrol product, in reducing fungal growth and mycotoxin production. A range of temperature conditions (T = 25, 30, 35 °C), water activity (aw = 0.85, 0.90, 0.95) and CO2 concentration (400, 1000 ppm) were selected for investigation. The assay was conducted using three ratios of A. flavus spore suspensions (100 % aflatoxigenic, 100 % non-aflatoxigenic, 50/50 % aflatoxigenic:non-aflatoxigenic; 105 spores mL−1) inoculated in vitro on a peanut-based medium (PBM), and in situ on peanut seeds, and incubated for 10 days. Results of in vitro studies showed a significant influence of T and aw on fungal growth rates (μ), with a reduction when the aw decreased and T shifted from the fungus's optimum of 30 °C. The highest mycotoxin concentration was detected on PBM, with an aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production by the aflatoxigenic strain in situ 50 % lower than in vitro. However, for all the treatments, the application of the biocontrol agent inhibited AFB1 production with a general reduction of 55 % in vitro and 71 % in situ, even though a significant increase in kojic acid production was observed. The effectiveness of the non-aflatoxigenic strain increased when T was raised up to 35 °C with higher AFB1 reductions both in vitro and in situ, of respectively 58 and 76 %. These observations provided the first evidence that climate change will not negatively influence the ability of the Italian A. flavus non-aflatoxigenic strain, which represents the biocontrol agent of the commercial product AF-X1, to reduce AFB1 contamination in peanuts.International Journal of Food Microbiolog
GAMEPLANS: a template for robust digital evidence strategy development
Get PDFLaw enforcement officers should now expect to encounter forms of digital evidence at most of their inquiries, and as a result ensure they are prepared to effectively deal with it. This should involve the production of a digital evidence strategy (DES) which describes those actions required of any investigative team to effectively identify, collect, examine, and evaluate any digital devices/data, while also defining the circumstances for when it is appropriate to conduct such tasks. To help officers to produce robust DESs this work provides a DES template which utilizes the “GAMEPLANS” acrostic to identify nine fundamental components that are required of all DESs—“G”–Grounds for investigation; “A”–Authorization; “M”–Method of investigation; “E”–Evaluation of the meaning of any findings; “P”–Proportionality; “L”–Logic; “A”–Agreement; “N”–Necessity; “S”–Scrutiny. Each of these components are described including the sub‐tasks that are contained within each, which any officer constructing a robust and effective DES must address (and provide evidence of having addressed). To support this, a DES template file is also provided, which can be utilized by officers.Journal of Forensic Science
Beyond binary: exploring the interplay of China’s digital transformation and firm performance through dual mechanism analysis
Get PDFUtilizing data from Chinese A-share listed firms we explore the paradoxical effects of digital transformation on firms’ financial and operational performance. Through text mining, mechanism and heterogeneity analyses, the study’s findings indicate that digital transformation may inflate operational costs and compromise firm performance. When considering financial restrictions and R&D, the productivity gains emanating from digital transformation, underscores the symbiotic potential of concurrent technological and financial strategies. Heterogeneity analyses reveal a differentiated impact: larger firms and specific sectors, such as technology, witness a significant boost in productivity, whereas state-owned entities and joint ventures are less susceptible to performance downturns.Asia Pacific Business Revie
Data-driven environmental sustainability of supply chain for medical equipment
Get PDFPresented at: 56th CIRP International Conference on Manufacturing Systems 2023, 24-26 October 2023, Cape Town, South AfricaSustainable supply chain of medical equipment is challenging due to the inherent importance of having health-related components in-stock whilst balancing the economic and environmental impact of that. In general, to minimize the environmental impact of inventory management, physical inventory space and transportation amount can be lowered. However, in medical equipment, shortage of medical materials, and supplies could cause delays in providing adequate healthcare services. Therefore, effective inventory management is required to maintain a steady supply while minimizing the environmental and economic impact of supply chain. This study is aimed at assessing the environmental and economic impact of inventory for a medical equipment manufacturer. Inventory classification of the medical equipment manufacturer is performed using ABC analysis. After inventory classification using ABC, safety stock analysis is performed. Obtained inventory results are analysed both in terms of environmental sustainability using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach and in terms of economic impact calculating cost of holding safety stock. An LCA model is created based on transportation of procurements. Impact assessment is performed to define most environmentally and economically impactful suppliers of the medical equipment manufacturer.Procedia CIR
Optimal array arrangement of oscillating wave surge converters: an analysis based on three devices
Get PDFWave farms consist of arrays of wave energy converters. However, ocean waves perturbed by one device will interact with its neighbouring devices, which can lead to more or less power yielded than operating the devices in isolation. Therefore, it is of significant interest to study the optimal layout and spacing to deploy multiple devices. In this work, a validated high-fidelity computational approach is used to study the optimal arrays of three oscillating wave surge converters by systematically varying the array arrangement in different wave conditions. The simulations demonstrate the wave interaction with multiple dynamic bodies and how this affects the overall power output. Furthermore, novel empirical rules are derived to design the optimal constructive layout for three devices in a given wave condition, and this can be extended to cases of numerous devices.Renewable Energ
Application of foam assisted water-alternating-gas flooding and quantification of resistivity and water saturation by experiment and simulation to determine foam propagation in sandstone
Get PDFFoam flooding by Foam Assisted Water-Alternating-Gas (FAWAG) is an important enhanced oil recovery method that has proven successful in experimental and pilot studies. The present study is carried out to monitor the movement of the foam front once injected into the porous medium. This study aims to investigate applications of resistivity waves to monitor foam propagation in a sandstone formation. In the present lab-scale experiments and simulations, resistivity measurements were carried out to monitor the progression of foam in a sand pack, and the relationships between foam injection time and resistivity, as well as brine saturation, were studied. The brine saturation from foam simulation using CMG STAR is exported to COMSOL and calculated true formation resistivity. A diagram was produced summarizing the progression of foam through the sand pack in the function of time, which enabled us to establish how foam progressed through a porous medium. A surfactant and brine mixture was injected into the sand pack, followed by nitrogen gas to generate the foam in situ. As foam progressed through the sand pack, resistance measurements were taken in three zones of the sand pack. The resistance was then converted into resistivity and finally into brine saturation. As foam travels through the sand pack, it is predicted to displace the brine initially in place. This gradually increases each zone's resistivity (decreases the brine saturation) by displacing the brine. Also, an increase in the surfactant concentration results in higher resistivity. Finally, a comparison of three different surfactant concentrations was evaluated in terms of resistivity results, water saturation, and foam propagation monitoring to obtain the optimum surfactant concentration involved in foam flooding.Heliyo
Benchmarking of energy consumption and CO2 emissions in cement production: a case study
Get PDFIn the pursuit of economic growth and value creation, foundation industries including cement, metals, glass, chemicals, paper, and ceramics face formidable challenges related to energy usage, emissions, and resource consumption in their manufacturing operations, all while striving to achieve ambitious Net Zero carbon and green targets. To overcome these challenges and propel sustainable progress, benchmarking emerges as a powerful ally. This study performs a benchmarking analysis of energy use and CO2 emissions for a UK cement plant as well as best available techniques (BAT) investigation to identify opportunities for performance improvement in crucial areas such as energy usage and environmental sustainability. The research utilises industrial data from a 2850 tonne per day capacity dry process cement plant. Key energy and emissions parameters, including thermal and electrical energy intensity, recovered energy and CO2 intensity, are computed per tonne of cement produced along with capacity utilisation across major process stages including raw material grinding, clinkerisation, and cement grinding. Comprehensive data sourced directly from the manufacturer is compared against literature benchmarks for global averages and best practices. Although surpassing global average values, the plant lags European best practices across all metrics, signalling room for substantial improvement. Assessment of relevant BATs for the cement industry reveals prospects to integrate vertical roller mills for cement grinding and use Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) at the clinkerisation stage. Adopting these techniques could reduce the electrical energy intensity of clinkerisation by 51% and cement grinding electrical intensity by 30%, surpassing benchmarks. While limited to a single cement plant, the study provides a standardised methodology that could be replicated across foundation industries to enable performance tracking and highlight efficiency gaps. The benchmarking approach developed can guide the implementation of energy conservation measures and the adoption of best practices by the cement industry to reduce its carbon footprint.TMS 2024 Annual Meeting & Exhibitio
Towards an integrative framework for digital twins in wind power
Get PDFThe present global climate crisis necessitates urgent integration of sustainable and renewable energy resources, coupled with digital technology. Renewable energy stands out as a viable solution, and among the various renewable energy sources, wind power is believed to play a crucial role in this transition. In the era of industrial digitalization, implementing smart monitoring and operation becomes a vital step toward optimizing resource utilization. Consequently, the application of Digital Twins (DT) emerges as a promising approach to enhance power output in the wind energy sector. DTs for energy systems encompass multiple areas of study, such as smart monitoring, big data technology, and advanced physical modeling. While several frameworks exist for structuring DTs, few standardized methods have been established based on the experience gained. To address this gap, the present research proposes an integrative development framework for DTs, tailored explicitly to the aerodynamics of wind turbines, to ensure their successful operation throughout the entire lifecycle, from aggregation to performing actions. A seven-step framework is presented, which identifies the potential components and methods required to create a fully developed DT.2023 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM
Floating PV systems as an alternative power source: case study on three representative islands of Indonesia
Get PDFFloating solar renewable energy is of enormous potential in Indonesia. This paper presents a comprehensive study of the design of Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) systems with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for three islands in Indonesia. These islands represent three typical scenarios in Indonesia (a) using a national grid powered by fossil fuel generators, (b) using a local grid powered by diesel generators, and (c) no grid at all. In-person surveys were conducted at these islands to collect data, and then FPV and BESS were designed to meet the demands of each island. Subsequently, the systems’ energy simulations were conducted using the System Advisor Model, demonstrating daily energy demand and supply in hour variation. Based on the results, a series of sustainability analyses were created from the aspects of economics, society, and the environment. The economic analysis demonstrated cost savings by using FPV to replace contemporary energy methods. The social analysis provides valuable insights into the local community, forming a demographic profile and obtaining perceptions and opinions regarding the new energy approach. The environmental analysis quantifies the potential CO2 emissions. Overall, the work provides valuable insights into the roadmap for implementing floating solar technologies in Indonesia which can also inform global ocean-based solar energy developments.Innovate UK’s Energy Catalyst programme under grant agreement No. 10048187
Solar2Wave: Design of Floating Solar Farms to Overcome Tough Ocean WavesSustainabilit
Application of model-based system engineering to a planetary rover design
Get PDFTraditional system engineering methods have shown their limits when applied to highly complex systems such as rovers. In parallel, the digitalisation of the industry and the democratisation of the use of models in engineering force the system engineering field to adapt and change its practices by adopting a new approach: Model-Based System Engineering. This project aimed to provide a comprehensive example of an MBSE approach applied to a planetary rover design case study. The MathWorks MBSE toolchain is used to reverse engineer the NASA Sojourner rover. As a result, the defined requirements, and functional and logical architectures are implemented and dynamically linked together. Additionally, a multi-physical simulation model of the rover's power and mobility system is implemented. Requirements, architectures, and physical models are linked together to form a unique and comprehensive knowledge base, providing a vertical model-centric approach. The results of the simulation are used to conduct a trade study and deduct a design change for the system. The results presented in this study form the basis for a discussion aimed at evaluating the benefits and limitations of the MBSE approach mentioned in the scientific literature.2023 11th International Conference on Control, Mechatronics and Automation (ICCMA