Approaching OPC UA Publish–Subscribe in the Context of UDP-Based Multi-Channel Communication and Image Transmission

The Open Platform Communication Unified Architecture (OPC UA) protocol is a key enabler of Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). OPC UA is already accepted by the industry and its presence is expected to reach more and more fields, applications, and hierarchical levels. Advances within the latest specifications are providing the opportunity to extend the capabilities and the applicability of the protocol, targeting better performances in terms of data volumes, speed, availability, footprint, and security. Continuing previous researches focusing on the publish–subscribe (pub/sub) mechanism and real-time constraints, the current study aims to consider higher data-volumes, approach the multi-channel User Datagram Protocol (UDP)-based communication, and analyze the robustness of the developed mechanism in the context of long-term data transmission. Consequently, the research proposes to extend the applicability of the OPC UA in the context of image transmission. Although highly needed, the image transmission after processing is currently beyond the reach of OPC UA or other legacy industrial protocols, being considered as a separate fraction in the industrial environment. The concept and developments are applied considering both the end-of-line industrial manufacturing process in the automotive sector and the car-to-infrastructure communication. Without special hardware constraints, the obtained results are proven to be appreciable, opening various future perspectives for image transmission using OPC UA.

Selective recovery of polyphenols from MDF process waters by adsorption on a macroporous, cross-linked pyrrolidone-based resin

A scalable, fixed-bed adsorption system for the removal and selective recovery of polyphenols (lignans and stilbenes) from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) process waters was developed. Before adsorption, fibers and non-colloidal substances were removed from process water by centrifugation, while colloidal fatty and resin acids were removed by filtration through a 30-kDa cut-off membrane. Polyphenols were then isothermally adsorbed on a medium-pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) column packed with Divergan® RS, a regenerable macroporous, cross-linked pyrrolidone-based [polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP)] resin. Loading at acidic pH and subsequent gradient elution of polyphenols with methanol were monitored at 280 nm, and elution conditions for selective polyphenol recovery were optimized based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses of the obtained fractions. Lignans were eluted in successive fractions containing the individual lignans in different proportions, followed by pinosylvin in a separate fraction. The capacity of the PVPP for hydroxymatairesinol (HMR) as a model lignan was determined to be 37.4 mg g−1 at 1% breakthrough. Highly polar substances such as sugars and sugar alcohols, however, were not retained on the column and remained in the flow-through. The results revealed the benefits of PVPP for the recovery of potentially valuable polyphenols from MDF process waters while reducing carbon load and toxicity for subsequent biological treatment.

Ceramic Immobilisation Options for Technetium

ABSTRACTTechnetium-99 (99Tc) is a fission product produced during the burning of nuclear fuel and is particularly hazardous due to its long half life (210000 years), relatively high content in nuclear fuel (approx. 1 kg per ton of SNF), low sorption, and high mobility in aerobic environments. During spent nuclear fuel (SNF) reprocessing Tc is released either as a separate fraction or in complexes with actinides and zirconium. Although Tc has historically been discharged into the marine environment more stringent regulations mean that the preferred long term option is to immobilise Tc in a highly stable and durable matrix. This study investigated the feasibility of incorporating of Mo (as a Tc analogue) in a crystalline host matrix, synthesis by solid state synthesis under different atmospheres. Samples have been characterised with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS).

Solubilization and reconstitution of kidney 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1 α- and 24-hydroxylases from vitamin D-replete pigs

Pig kidney mitochondrial 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1 alpha- and 24-hydroxylase activities have been solubilized with cholate/Emulgen 911 and reconstituted with NADPH, ferredoxin reductase and ferredoxin. All three of these components are required for full catalytic activity of both enzymes. Both products were identified by co-chromatography with authentic metabolites on both normal and reverse-phase h.p.l.c. using solvent systems which were shown to separate 10-oxo-19-nor-25-hydroxyvitamin D3 from 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2-D3]. In addition, periodate treatment of the 24,25-(OH)2-D3 product resulted in complete loss of the product as measured by protein-binding assay. Further purification by p-chloroamphetamine-Sepharose chromatography of a solubilized extract from a pig fed a normal diet increased the specific content of the cytochrome P-450 from 0.019 to 0.239 nmol/mg and the 1 alpha-hydroxylase activity from 4.75 to 268 pmol/h per mg. Activity of the 24-hydroxylase in the crude solubilized extract was 6.3 pmol/h per mg, but was undetectable after partial purification by a p-chloroamphetamine-Sepharose column. However, further fractionation of this material by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography resulted in a further increase in 1 alpha-hydroxylase activity to 430 pmol/h per mg and detection of 24-hydroxylase in a separate fraction at a level of 53 pmol/h per mg. Production of 1,25-(OH)2-D3 was linear with time up to 2 h and was dependent upon ferredoxin concentration as well as cytochrome P-450 concentration in the range of 0-40 nM. In the presence of excess ferredoxin and adequate amounts of cytochrome P-450, 1,25-(OH)2-D3 production was also dependent upon substrate concentrations in the range of 0.25 to 2.5 microM yielding an estimated Km of 1 microM. In the presence of excess substrate and ferredoxin, the catalytic-centre activity of the enzyme was estimated to be 1 h-1.

Analysis for Crude Fatty Acids (Total Fatty Acids and Unsaponifiable Matter) in Feed Grade Fats: Report of the Joint AOAC-AOCS Committee on the Analysis of Feed Grade Fats

A method for analysis of total fatty acids plus unsaponifiable matter that employs a newly designed liquid-liquid extraction appar at us has given satisfactory results i n a collaborative test. Seven collaborators analyzed samples of prime tallow, chicken fat, yellow grease, 2 samples of cottonseed fatty acids, and 2 samples of acidulated soap stock. The method permits removal of hexane-soluble unsaponifiable matter as a separate fraction. The 3 animal fat samples yielded results which were close to the theoretical value, 95.6, for a triglyceride with 85% C18 and 15% C16 fatty acids. The 4 samples of hydrolyzed vegetable fats gave lower values, probably because of the presence of dark insoluble material. Nevertheless, the method seems to be acceptable for analysis of such low grade samples. The method has been adopted as official first action.

THE EFFECT OF PIG PITUITARY ACTH FRACTIONS ON DIFFERENT PARAMETERS OF ADRENOCORTICAL ACTIVITY

Purified unhydrolyzed corticotrophin was separated into five fractions by chromatography on a column of carboxymethyl cellulose, using pyridine – acetic acid as a buffer system. These fractions were biologically assayed by means of the in vitro technique of Saffran and Schally, the adrenal ascorbic acid depletion test of Sayers et al., and an assay based on the increase of plasma corticosterone levels in hypophysectomized rats. In the in vivo assays both the intravenous and subcutaneous routes of injection were applied.The principal aim of this study was to investigate for each separate fraction the extent to which the potencies according to the Sayers test correspond with the potencies obtained by the plasma corticosterone method. When comparing results found after identical routes of injection, a fair agreement was observed for those fractions showing electrophoretic relationship and together accounting for the major part of the biological activity of the starting material. However, the minor fractions showed significant differences.These findings are discussed together with the results of the classical assay methods and their deviations from data reported in the literature.

THE EFFECT OF PIG PITUITARY ACTH FRACTIONS ON DIFFERENT PARAMETERS OF ADRENOCORTICAL ACTIVITY

Purified unhydrolyzed corticotrophin was separated into five fractions by chromatography on a column of carboxymethyl cellulose, using pyridine – acetic acid as a buffer system. These fractions were biologically assayed by means of the in vitro technique of Saffran and Schally, the adrenal ascorbic acid depletion test of Sayers et al., and an assay based on the increase of plasma corticosterone levels in hypophysectomized rats. In the in vivo assays both the intravenous and subcutaneous routes of injection were applied.The principal aim of this study was to investigate for each separate fraction the extent to which the potencies according to the Sayers test correspond with the potencies obtained by the plasma corticosterone method. When comparing results found after identical routes of injection, a fair agreement was observed for those fractions showing electrophoretic relationship and together accounting for the major part of the biological activity of the starting material. However, the minor fractions showed significant differences.These findings are discussed together with the results of the classical assay methods and their deviations from data reported in the literature.

SOME ASPECTS OF SILVER IMPREGNATION OF THE ISLETS OF LANGERHANS IN THE RAT

ABSTRACT By using a modification of Davenport's alcoholic silver nitrate method for impregnating nerves, it was possible to obtain a distinct argyrophil reaction on thin paraffin sections from rat pancreas which had been fixed either in formalin or Bouin's solution. Since this was followed by a removal of silver with subsequent granule staining according to Gomori, it became clear that the distinctly blackened cells comprised only some of the A cells. Some post-mortem change seemed to be an essential prerequisite of the argyrophil reaction, since this almost completely failed to appear after fixation in an ice-cold Bouin's solution. The reducing material was considerably resistent to acids; strongly blackened islet cells could be observed even after refixation in hydrochloric acid at a pH of 0.5. Although a preoxidation, e. g. with an acid solution of potassium permanganate, is essential for the differentiation of the islet cells with the modern granule stains, such treatment results in the argyrophil reaction becoming weaker or not appearing at all. Actual blackening, except in the case of those A cells, which could be distinguished as silver cells even after a short time, could not be produced by lengthening the impregnation time, but instead, the argyrophil reaction tended to decrease after a certain optimal period. The observation that among those cells, which by granule staining were classified as A cells, a separate fraction with distinctly blackened cytoplasm could be distinguished, led to the suggestion that the blackened cells should be called A1 cells and the remaining ones, A2 cells.