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In this study, the moisture content of kiwifruit in vacuum dryer was predicted using artificial neural networks (ANN) method. The protein (1, 2, 3 and 4%), lactose (4, 6, 8 and 10%), fat (3 and 6%) and temperature (50, 55, 60 and 65ºC) were considered as the independent input parameters and electrical conductivity of recombined milk as the dependent parameter. Experimental data obtained from electrical conductivity meter, were used for training and testing the network. In order to develop neural network firstly experimental data were randomly divided into three sets of training (70%), validating (15%) and testing model (15%).  In order to develop ANN models, we used multilayer perceptron with back propagation with momentum algorithm. MLP models trained as two, three and four layers. The total number of hidden layers and the number of neurons in each hidden layer were chosen by trial and error. The best training algorithm was LM with the least MSE value. The highest coefficient of determination (R²) and lowest mean squared error (MSE) were considered as the criterion for selecting the best network. The network having three layers with a topology of 4-4-1 had the best results in predicting the electrical conductivity of recombined milk. This network has two hidden layers with 8 neurons in the first hidden layer and 5 neurons in the second hidden layer.  For this network, R² and MSE were 0.992 and 0.011, respectively. These results can be used in milk processing factories. The correlation between the predicted and experimental values in the optimal topologies was higher than 99%.
 

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Strengthening of existing structures is one of the most important issues in the field of structural engineering. Due to avoiding any interruption of service on a structure and economic issues, strengthening process usually occurs when a member is under service loads. On the other hand in the loaded steel columns, it is really difficult to weld plates after unloading the column from existing loads, Therefore one of the important issues being neglected in the redesign process of strengthened columns is the significant axial load existing in the column, caused by service loads before strengthening them. This paper aims at numerically investigating the behavior and ultimate load bearing capacity of in-service strengthened steel box columns with continuous welded plates. Effects of different parameters on the capacity of preloaded strengthened columns are presented and discussed. Included in the result are the effects of initial imperfection; magnitude of preload before strengthening; slenderness ratio of the strengthened column and ratio between cross sectional area of reinforcing plate and unstrengthened column. To investigate the effect of these parameters, each un-retrofitted specimen is exposed to the preloading levels of 0.0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 of the load carrying capacity of unstrengthened column. Then results of this preliminary analysis are defined as a predefined field for the column of same retrofitted model and ultimate bearing capacity of the strengthened model is calculated using a modified Riks analysis method. The critical load carrying capacity of models without pre-existing axial load was set to the theoretical value presented in ANSI/AISC 360-10 and suitable imperfection for each model was calculated. This is because the main objective of this study is the variation of results with respect to the existing design curves. Based on the results of numerical analysis, application of preload to unstrengthened column magnifies the initial geometric imperfection of the column and consequently decreases the ultimate bearing capacity of strengthened column. Also as the magnitude of axial load existing prior to addition of reinforcing plates increases, the ultimate bearing capacity of the strengthened column decreases with respect to the calculated theoretical value. The maximum amount of this reduction for the preload ratios of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6, is respectively up to 2%, 5% and 9.5% of the load-bearing capacity of strengthened column. As another result, slenderness ratio is one of the main parameters that affect the bearing capacity of specimens with a specified preload level. This means that at a constant preload level the maximum reduction in bearing capacity occurs for models with median slenderness ratio. Also models with cross sectional ratio of reinforcing plates ranging from 0.4 to 1.0 were studied and it was shown that inside this range the cross sectional ratio of reinforcing plates parameter does not have remarkable effect on the ultimate bearing capacity of column. At the end, an empirical relation is proposed to calculate reduction of ultimate bearing capacity for columns with different slenderness ratios and preload level. Results of this study may be utilized to increase the accuracy of redesigning process during in-service strengthening of steel box columns.

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One of the most important achievements of the Carnot was creating a limit for heat engines; this limitation is a criterion for measuring and comparing the performance of heat engines. Classical thermodynamics studies completely the equilibrium and reversible processes but transfer phenomena effects have been ignored, while in the real irreversible process, there are finite time processes and finite size systems. On the other hand, the close relationship between thermodynamics, fluid mechanic and heat transfer has caused thermodynamics to move from theoretical analysis toward a comprehensive and real analysis. Another point is that all the practical processes are irreversible. This study analyzed the irreversible combined cycle in finite time thermodynamics. The combined cycle studied consists two endoreversible cycles and three thermal sources. The irreversibility has occurred between the subsystems and the thermal sources and sink on the system boundaries. By solving algebraic equations, obtained dimensionless total power and efficiency were calculated based on dimensionless variables. The MATLAB programming code is used to solve algebraic equations. Finally, it is obtained that the thermal efficiency and dimensionless total power functions of the heat sources temperature, working fluid temperature and thermal conductance. Also, the effects of each dimensionless variable were investigated to the proportion of dimensionless total power and efficiency. In this study, the parameter study has been used for improving the irreversible combined cycle in the finite time thermodynamics. In addition, Optimization results have shown that the maximum dimensionless total power and thermal efficiency associated with it are 0.086102 and 47.81%, respectively.

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An ejector-expansion refrigeration cycle employing N2O is studied in this paper and thermodynamic and exergy analysis is carried out to find out the effect of some key factor within the system. The results show that Ejector-Expansion Refrigeration Cycle (EERC) obviously has the highest maximum coefficient of performance and exergy efficiency by about 12% and 14% more than Internal Heat Exchanger Cycle (IHEC); meanwhile these are about 15% and 16.5% higher than Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle (VCRC) ones, respectively. Moreover, the total exergy destruction in N2O ejector-expansion cycle is 63.3% and 54% less than IHEC and VCRC and the exergy destructed in expansion process within EERC is 19.39% and 40.497% of total destruction less than IHEC and VCRC. Furthermore, the highest COP for vapor-compression refrigeration, internal heat exchanger and ejector-expansion refrigeration cycles is corresponding to the high side pressure of 7.328 Mpa, while this value for CO2 refrigeration cycle is about 8.5 Mpa.

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The staggered-truss system has been proposed as a lateral load resisting system in the structural steel framing for high-rise buildings, which was developed in Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1960s. The system consists of a series of storey-high trusses spanning the total width between two rows of exterior columns and arranged in a staggered pattern on adjacent column lines. the system has the columns only on the exterior walls of the building, the usual interior columns are omitted. Thus, the staggered-truss system can provide a full width of column-free area. In the system, the role of energy absorption and endurance of inelastic deformations is responsible for the special segment of truss, so that the ductility of structure is provided by the development of plastic hinges in this region. Although, in the special segment of truss an opening near the center of span must be provided to permit a width and height of sufficient proportions which is used as a corridor. Hence, the effects of this opening must be investigated in the performance of this system. In this study, the effects of the special segment length and its strengthening pattern on the seismic performance of staggered-truss system are investigated. In order to achieve this purpose, an 8-storey steel staggered-truss system with a 1/8-scaled studied in work of Zhou et al. [14] is selected and considered subjected to the low cyclic loading. First, the finite element (FE) model of this structure, in which both the material and geometric nonlinearity, is provided in ABAQUS software, and the validation of the model is controlled by experimental and numerical study and of Zhou et al. [14]. The results of modeling this structure show that the FE model of this structure has appropriately accuracy. Then, the seismic performance of the system is evaluated by considering the various lengths of the special segment and the proposed strengthening patterns in the special segment. The results of the evaluation show that the use of special segments with great length make the entire structural capacity is not fully utilized. Hence, when the large opening is required the regions must be properly strengthened. In this study, different patterns of the special segment, including strengthening of chords, strengthening of vertical members of the special segment and the strengthening pattern proposed by the Manual Number 14 of AISC code are investigated. Since the plastic hinges are usually formed at the chords of the truss, the strengthening of chords has the greatest effect on increasing the initial stiffness and strength of structure. Instead of the strengthening of the total length of the chord, a part of both ends of the special segment is also strengthened, so that its performance is as same as that of the strengthening of the total chord. It is noted that the strengthening of the special segment is one of the ways to increase the initial stiffness and resistance structure, but this strengthening must not omit the performance of the fuse in the truss system, and the conditions of strong beam and weak column are provided. Based on the FE analytical results, the suggestions of this study can be considered for the design of staggered-truss system.

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Limited data exist about the production of extruded linseed as a feed ingredient in farm animal nutrition. The objective of this study was to produce and evaluate extruded linseed mixed with alfalfa hay, pistachio by-products, and sugar beet pulp or corn grain in different proportions of linseed: alfalfa hay: pistachio by-products at ratios of 70:15:15, 70:20:10, 70:10:20, and 80:10:10 for quality parameters and in situ rumen Dry Matter (DM) degradability. Using a completely randomized design, the treatment containing alfalfa hay had higher Extrusion Effectiveness (EE), Water Holding Capacity (WHC), and Angle of Repose (AR), but lower Oil Loss (OL) and Bulk Density (BD) than other treatments (P< 0.05). There were no differences among extruded linseed products with different ratios of linseed: alfalfa: pistachio by-products for EE, WHC, and AR (P> 0.05). The treatment with an 80:10:10 ratio had the highest OL among all treatments and the treatment with a 70:15:15 ratio had lower BD than the others (P< 0.05). The DM degradability parameters of extruded products was affected by the absorbents and the treatment containing alfalfa hay had higher potential DM degradability than other treatments (P< 0.05). In conclusion, extruded treatment with alfalfa hay had the highest EE, oil retention capacity and potential rumen DM degradability compared to other treatments. In addition, extruded linseed product with an 80:10:10 ratio of linseed: alfalfa hay: pistachio by-products had higher OL than the other ratios.

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In this paper, performance analysis and optimization of a trigeneration system based on different thermodynamic criteria such as energy and exergy efficiency, power and dimensionless power have been investigated. The trigeneration system consists of three subsystems which including the solar subsystem, Kalina subsystem and lithium bromide-water absorption chiller subsystem. The proposed system uses solar energy generates power, cooling and domestic water heating. Power is introduced as a tool for understanding thermodynamic concepts of limited time. Dimensionless power is defined as the ratio of power to the product of total thermal conductivity and minimum temperature of the system. Dimensionless power can be used as a tool to understand the concepts of finite time thermodynamics. The exergy analysis has shown that the most exergy destruction is related to boiler. As a result, energy and exergy efficiencies, capital cost rates and dimensionless power are 17.77%, 18.82% and 9.63 dollars per hour, 0.01781 respectively. Sensitivity analysis has shown that increasing parameters such as ambient temperature, solar radiation, the dimensionless mass flow rate of the Kalina cycle, collector inlet temperature and pressure ratio of the Kalina cycle increase energy and exergy efficiencies. Also increasing pressure ratio the of Kalina Cycle, reducing the dimensionless mass flow rate of the Kalina cycle, the ambient temperature and collector inlet temperature has led to increased dimensional power. In addition, the optimization criteria such as energy efficiency, exergy efficiency, power and dimensional power have been compared. The results showed that power and dimensional power are the best thermodynamic optimization criteria.

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In a thermoelectric air-handling unit, a number of thermoelectric modules with forced convection heat sinks are used. In this research, it is tried to investigate the effect of module arrangement and air flow pattern on thermal performance of the system. For this purpose, the thermal performance of an air-handling unit including four thermoelectric modules with three different heat sinks layouts; parallel, series with unidirectional flow and series with counter flow were compared. The entropy analysis has been used to study the thermal performance and pressure drop imposed on the system. In addition, the effect of the electric current applied to the modules and the hot and cold air flows on the coefficient of performance of the system has been studied for three different layouts. Results indicated that, heat sinks layout and air flow pattern through the fins have significant effects on the thermal performance of a thermoelectric air-handling unit. The coefficient of performance for cooling and heating in the series arrangement are 1.4 and 1.1 times of those in parallel arrangement, respectively. The results of the entropy analysis showed that although the pressure drop imposed on the system in the layout of the series is greater than the parallel arrangement, this cannot reduce the advantage of using the series layout.

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Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is an optical flow measurement technique, which is capable of measuring instantaneous flow velocity. In this method, visualized flow patterns by small tracer particles, which follow the fluid flow and reflect an incident light, is recorded by a camera successively, and an analysis of particle movements in the recorded images results in the velocity of flow field. Correlation analysis is commonly used for the analysis of particle shift images, in which the images are divided into smaller windows called interrogation windows. The common displacement vector of particles in each interrogation window is determined by correlation analysis, which in turn results in the displacement vectors for the entire image. The accuracy of this method is dependent on the estimation of the location of the maximum value of correlation with subpixel accuracy. The objective of this research is the evaluation of function fit methods to estimate of the correlation peak location with subpixel accuracy. For this purpose, parabolic curve and second order surface fitting are investigated theoretically and experimentally. To achieve definite displacements, deformation of a solid part under uniform loading is investigated instead of fluid flow and the displacement of point patterns painted on the solid surface are analyzed. The results show that both function fit methods are capable of resolving subpixel movements with the accuracy of 0.035 pixel or one micrometer in this research.

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Producing of fish powder is a good way for increasing the shelf life of these valuable protein sources, easy accessing and increasing of food variety.In this study, the effect of drying temperature on physicochemical properties of kilka and carp fish powder was investigated. For this purpose, temperatures of 45, 55, 65 and 75 °C were used to dry the fish. The results of this study showed that moisture, fat, protein and TVN for carp powder was 7.02%, 4.92%, 83.80%, and 150 mg/g, while moisture, fat, protein and TVN of kilka fish powder was 8.12, 8.8%, 5.09%, 82.18% and 140 mg/g, respectively. The highest water binding capacity was related to dried carp samples at 45 °C and dried kilka at 55 °C. The lowest and highest fat reabsorption was in dried carp samples at 45 °C and dried kilka at 55 °C, respectively. The results of density test showed that with decreasing drying temperature, the density of the final powder decreased. The highest densities of carp and kilka powders were 0.511 g/cm3 and 0.408 g/cm3, respectively, which were dried at 45 °C. The study also represented that with increasing temperature from 45 to 75 °C, L* factor of the powders decreased. Besides, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated that the proteins were more denatured at higher temperature and the particle sizes were reduced.

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With increasing public awareness, the demand for healthy foods has increased. Low resistance of probiotic bacteria against adverse environmental conditions is one of the most important factors limiting the production and development of probiotic products. Encapsulation by enclosing probiotic cells can increase stability against limiting factors such as gastric acidity. In this study, the efficiency of double layer encapsulation with sodium alginate and chitosan by spray drying and emulsion methods on the stability of Lactobacillus acidophilus under simulated gastric conditions (pH=2) during 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes were examined. The size of the microcapsules was determined by the particle size analyzer and their morphology using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The obtained growth curve showed that the bacteria enter a stationary growth phase 40 to 42 hours after inoculation. The size of the microcapsules obtained from the emulsion method were significantly (p≤ 0.05) smaller than the spray drying method. The morphology of the microcapsules was spherical to oval, and the samples obtained from the spray drying method had a shrinked surface. The highest survival was shown by emulsion encapsulated samples with a decrease of 1.9 logarithmic cycles, followed by spray dried encapsulated bacteria with a reduction of 2.4 logarithmic cycles. The lowest survival rate was related to the control sample (free bacteria) with a decrease of 3.83 logarithmic cycles. Encapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus probiotic bacteria by the emulsion technique by creating appropriate stability under simulated gastric conditions is a suitable method to obtain probiotic products enriched with this bacterium.

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Soybean meal is one of the sources of vegetable protein, which together with wheat flour proteins, can provides a complete source of amino acids for the human body, so using it in bread can help to solve protein deficiencies. For this purpose, to prepare Barbari bread containing soy meal, a combined design containing a group of mixing variables, including different levels of transglutaminase enzyme (0 to 1 %), soybean meal flour (0 to 50 %), wheat flour as filler (0 to 100 %) and a process variable including ultrasonic altitude (0 to 100%) was used and physicochemical and sensory characteristics including total ash, pH, moisture, porosity and taste, texture and color scores were investigated. The results showed that transglutaminase enzyme and ultrasonication have a significant effect on physicochemical properties and porosity (P<0.0001). The significant increase in color score of the samples was due to the positive and significant effect (P<0.0001) of soybean meal on that characteristic. The porosity of the samples was significantly affected (P<0.0001) by the interaction of enzyme and ultrasound. Finally, in order to obtain samples with the highest porosity and color, taste and texture scores, it is suggested to use the mixing ratio of soybean meal flour 33%, enzyme 1%, wheat flour 66% and ultrasound altitude 100%.
 

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Digital assets include an individual‘s email accounts, personal webpages, blogs, social networking sites, documents, videos, or photo storage sites. Technological innovations will most likely expand this list in the future, and digital assets are becoming more economically valuable. As more and more use social media to share personal information, privacy Issues and growing digital assets become critical to the discussion about control over user accounts after their death .There are two primary theories offered as a means for protecting a deceased person’s online privacy. The first is rooted in contract law, while the second is rooted in property law. The contract theory relies on analyzing terms of service agreements that users accept to determine the scope of their posthumous privacy rights, while the property theory evaluates whether a deceased user’s digital assets may be treated similarly to “real property” after death. Although the formation of digital asset contracts may be valid, this Article has argued that the terms prohibiting transfer after death and ignoring the testamentary intent of a testator should be unenforceable as against public policy.

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In this study, we have tried to identify two different approaches for dealing with social problems and issues. The first one is causal explanation, which is retrospective, static and physical. The other one, functional analysis, is prospective, dynamic, and normative. Institutions are the main subject of economics. Human social-institutional reality has a common underlying structure and these structures are matters of status functions. We proposed a method which aims at efficacy of these functions using intelligence rather than assuming these functions as intrinsic and trying to grasp the realty from without by a rationality apparatus. The aim of this article is to show that, Dewey’s Logic provides us with this alternative functionalistic approach in a comprehensive way.
 
 

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Following favourable agro-ecological conditions, powdery mildew becomes a destructive disease in wheat worldwide. Efficiency of the most common control methods (fungicide application and plant resistance) for wheat powdery mildew improves by using a better understanding of the effects of highly influential agronomic practices and weather factors on disease development. Disease severity was rated at plot scale according to a manageable number of agro-ecological variables in Kermanshah province, Iran in 2013 to 2017. Disease severity rating was varied by cultivar, disease-assessment date, and sowing time. Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA determined a high area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) based on disease severity rated in 2016. A greater AUDPC was detected for early disease onset than late onset. Later sowings had greater AUDPC values compared to earlier sowings. From Principal Component Analysis (PCA), four principal components accounted for 88% of data variance. From PCA-based regression analysis, earlier powdery mildew onset corresponded with further rainy days and higher wind speed in spring, later sowing and maturity, lower disease resistance, and warmer growing season of commercial wheat cultivars. The present findings recognized proper sowing time as effective as genotypic resistance for sustainable management of wheat powdery mildew and provided valuable information on cultivar, disease, maturation, sowing date, and weather interactions.

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Some plant extracts contain elicitors for inducing systemic resistances in treated plants like the lavender extract, whose protective effects against pathogen proved to be by activating the SAR systemic defense pathway. In this study, plant crude extracts including Azadirachta indica (neem), Tagetes erecta (marigold), Thymus daenensis (thymus), and Carum carvi (caraway) were used to control Root-Knot Nematode (RNK) Meloidogyne javanica in cucumber. First, the effect of these extracts on egg hatching and juvenile mortality was investigated, then, the effect of plant extracts on characters such as numbers of egg masses, nematode galls, and eggs per plant root was evaluated under greenhouse conditions. In the third part of this study, the effect of plant extracts on Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO), Peroxidase (POX), Catalase (CAT), Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase (PAL) and β(1,3) Glucanase (β-1, 3-Glu) enzyme activities was studied. Finally, the expression level of three stress enzymes genes including CAT, PPO, and β-1, 3-Glu β-1, 3-glu was evaluated by Real-time RT-PCR method. Results showed that, on the second day after treatment, 500 and 2,500 ppm concentrations of aqueous neem extract inhibited 64.79 and 73.48% of eggs hatching, respectively. In the greenhouse conditions, the four studied plant extracts (neem, marigold, Thymus, and caraway) at 1,500 ppm concentration significantly suppressed the development and reproduction of M. javanica terms of eggs/plant root, egg-masses, numbers of galls, nematode population in soil and, consequently, enhanced growth of the plants. In addition to the activity of the enzymes, the expression levels of these defense enzymes were also increased by the use of plant extracts.

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The use of essential oils and new drug delivery systems have been considered two approaches for controlling plant pathogenic fungi. This study aimed to synthesize, characterize, and evaluate the antifungal activity of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) incorporating Mentha×Piperita L. Essential oil (MPE) compared to the free MPE. In the present study, the formulations of SLNs incorporating MPE (MPE-SLNs) were synthesized by high-shear homogenization and ultrasound method, and they were assessed by Z-average diameter, particle size distribution, Zeta potential, leakage stability during 6 months of storage, encapsulation efficacy, and morphological properties of the SLN formulations. The results indicated that the particle size of MPE-SLN formulations was 155.5±4.7 nm with a PDI of 0.156±0.012, a Zeta potential of -15.93±0.87 mV, and encapsulation efficacy of about 88±0.88%. They were physically stable for 6 months of storage. The results also showed that the in vitro minimum inhibition concentration for MPE on the fungal microorganisms, Rhizoctonia solani and Rhizopus stolonifer, were 2,000 and 1,000 ppm, respectively, and for MPE-SLNs it was 1,000 and 750 ppm, respectively. Therefore, the antifungal activity of MPE-SLNs was more significant than MPE, and none of the fungi were susceptible to essential oil-free SLNs. Based on the results, MPE-SLNs can be used for the safe preservation of a wide array of foods and agricultural products.