Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is one of the major factors affecting the productivity of dairy cattle all over the world. This study established the burden of SCM and determined the potent antibacterial formulation for co...Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is one of the major factors affecting the productivity of dairy cattle all over the world. This study established the burden of SCM and determined the potent antibacterial formulation for control of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) related SCM in selected dairy cattle farms in Kiboga district. A total of 124 dairy cattle from 12 farms were screened for SCM using California Mastitis Test (CMT) from Kiboga Town-Council, Kapeke and Lwamata sub-counties. The offending bacteria were cultured and the antibiogram of SA was carried out using antibacterial susceptibility by the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Additional qualitative data on the factors that predispose cows to SCM was obtained through questionnaires and observation of milking Practice. The prevalence of SCM in the three sub-counties was 87.9%. Over 70% of the dairy cattle screened for SCM had more than 2 udder quarters affected. The majority (90%) of SCM was caused by mixed bacterial infections: Coagulase negative staphylococci (64.4%) and SA (16.6%) being the most prevalent. All the farmers (100%) lacked knowledge on SCM, udder towels, teat dipping and drug cow therapy. Overall, 71.4% of SA isolated was multi-drug resistant. There was a high level of resistance against penicillin (100%), neomycin (85.7%) and tetracycline (71.4%). In contrast, all the above isolates were susceptible to Trimethoprim-Sulphamethazole. In conclusion, the high burden of SCM and emergence of multidrug resistant SA are one of the constraints to dairy production in Kiboga district. Therefore, sensitization of dairy farmers in Kiboga district on proper hygienic, appropriate milking techniques and dry cow therapy using potentiated sulfonamide intra-mammary preparations are highly recommended in SA associated SCM.展开更多
Utilization of magnetically treated water has been investigated and applied in many countries such as Russia,Australia,Israel,China and Japan.Studies have shown that the magnetic field is used as a safe alternative to...Utilization of magnetically treated water has been investigated and applied in many countries such as Russia,Australia,Israel,China and Japan.Studies have shown that the magnetic field is used as a safe alternative to improve plant growth and development.Although the properties of magnetically treated water have received a great deal of interest in recent years,there are no studies conducted in Moroccan agricultural conditions.The present study aimed at gaining more insight on the effect of magnetically treated irrigation water(MTIW)in the northwest region of Morocco,on the yield of strawberry plants(Fragaria×ananassa Duch.cv.Camarosa)and its components.The experiments were conducted in situ,during two crop seasons(2011-2012 and 2013-2014).The results confirm that physical treatment of irrigation water by a static magnetic field improves the yield and quality of strawberry fruits.The percentages of increase in number of flowers,number of fruits,fruit yield and quality of export production per 100 plants were 27.4%,30.9%,34.8%,24.3%,respectively,compared with normal irrigation water(average over both crop seasons).These results suggest that irrigation with MTIW improves the production as well as the quality of the strawberry fruit,thus water use efficiency was enhanced.Therefore,the MTIW can be considered as a promising technique for improvement but extensive research is still required.展开更多
Rural economic development can differ intensely among municipalities within the same region. The economic activity disparity among them makes public policy actions difficult. It is possible to find highly efficient an...Rural economic development can differ intensely among municipalities within the same region. The economic activity disparity among them makes public policy actions difficult. It is possible to find highly efficient and globally competitive producers, as well as those producing for subsistence, in the same area. This disparity stands out the total productivity importance of the factors of production in the agricultural sector, especially the productivity of the land. The way the land is occupied in the rural area, namely crops, pastures, reforestation and other areas, can be indicative of the productivity of the land factor and the value of agricultural production. The products that compose the value of the agricultural production present different land occupation through their own productive characteristic. The main objective of this work was to measure the association between the production value of groups of agricultural products and the diversified uses of the rural area in the production of the municipalities in the state of Sao Paulo. In this research, 52 agricultural products produced in 2008 were used, grouped in five production value variables and other nine variables of the land use in production of the municipalities in Sao Paulo. The multivariate statistical technique of canonical correlation was used to measure the association between the product variables group of the production value with the land use group in agricultural activities. It was concluded that there is a strong correlation （94.3%） in the first pair of canonical variables, representing the production value and the land use, allowing groups of municipalities to be formed at different stages of development in agricultural production. It can be verified that 61.8% of the municipalities in the state were below the average in the production group and land use and that only 4.8% were above average for the production variables group and with values below the average in land use. The stages of agricultural development in the municipalities of Sao Paulo and the association between the production and use of the area can contribute to identify the direction of public policies to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector.展开更多
In this review,we propose a comprehensive overview of additive manufacturing(AM)technologies and design possibilities in manufacturing metamaterials for various applications in the biomedical field,of which many are i...In this review,we propose a comprehensive overview of additive manufacturing(AM)technologies and design possibilities in manufacturing metamaterials for various applications in the biomedical field,of which many are inspired by nature itself.It describes how new AM technologies(e.g.continuous liquid interface production and multiphoton polymerization,etc)and recent developments in more mature AM technologies(e.g.powder bed fusion,stereolithography,and extrusion-based bioprinting(EBB),etc)lead to more precise,efficient,and personalized biomedical components.EBB is a revolutionary topic creating intricate models with remarkable mechanical compatibility of metamaterials,for instance,stress elimination for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine,negative or zero Poisson’s ratio.By exploiting the designs of porous structures(e.g.truss,triply periodic minimal surface,plant/animal-inspired,and functionally graded lattices,etc),AM-made bioactive bone implants,artificial tissues,and organs are made for tissue replacement.The material palette of the AM metamaterials has high diversity nowadays,ranging from alloys and metals(e.g.cobalt-chromium alloys and titanium,etc)to polymers(e.g.biodegradable polycaprolactone and polymethyl methacrylate,etc),which could be even integrated within bioactive ceramics.These advancements are driving the progress of the biomedical field,improving human health and quality of life.展开更多
The mechanical behaviour of Titanium-based Fiber Metal Laminates(FMLs)reinforced with Kevlar,Jute and the novel woven(Kevlar+Jute)fiber mat were evaluated through tensile,flexural,Charpy impact,and drop-weight tests.T...The mechanical behaviour of Titanium-based Fiber Metal Laminates(FMLs)reinforced with Kevlar,Jute and the novel woven(Kevlar+Jute)fiber mat were evaluated through tensile,flexural,Charpy impact,and drop-weight tests.The FMLs were fabricated with various stacking configurations(2/1,3/2,4/3,and 5/4)to examine their influence on mechanical properties.Kevlar-reinforced laminates consistently demonstrated superior tensile and flexural strengths,with the highest tensile strength of 772 MPa observed in the 3/2 configuration,attributed to Kevlar's excellent load-bearing capacity.Jute-reinforced laminates exhibited lower performance due to poor bonding and early delamination,while the FMLs reinforced with woven(Kevlar+Jute)fiber mat achieved a balance between mechanical strength and cost-effectiveness by attaining a tensile strength of 718 MPa in the 3/2 configuration.Impact energy absorption results revealed that Kevlar-reinforced FMLs provided the highest energy absorption under Charpy tests,reaching 13.5 J in the 3/2 configuration.The 4/3 configu ration exhibited superior resistance under drop-weight impacts,absorbing 104.7 J of energy.Failure analysis using SEM revealed key mechanisms such as fiber debonding,delamination,and fiber pull-out,with increased severity observed in laminates with a higher number of fiber-epoxy layers,especially in the 5/4 configuration.This study highlights the potential of Kevlar-Jute hybrid fiber-reinforced FMLs for applications requiring high mechanical performance and impact resistance.Future research should explore advanced surface treatments and the environmental durability of these laminates for aerospace and automotive applications.展开更多
An individual's mental health influences their capacity to think effectively,feel emotionally stable,and perform daily activities.As mental health concerns become more prevalent worldwide,new awareness and diagnos...An individual's mental health influences their capacity to think effectively,feel emotionally stable,and perform daily activities.As mental health concerns become more prevalent worldwide,new awareness and diagnostic and treatment tactics are needed.Digital tools and technology are helping solve these problems by providing scalable,tailored solutions for large populations.This detailed review examines mental health‐promoting internet tools.Smartphone applications,web‐based therapy systems,wearable tech,artificial intelligence‐powered resources,and virtual reality(VR)technologies were evaluated for efficacy and side effects.PubMed,PsycINFO,Scopus,IEEE Xplore,and Google Scholar were carefully searched.Search terms included“digital mental health tools,”“online therapy,”and“AI in mental health.”Randomized controlled trials,cohort studies,cross‐sectional studies,systematic reviews,and meta‐analyses of digital technology and mental health were included from among the literature published after 2010.Cognitive behavioral therapy methods,mood monitoring,and mindfulness exercises are among the numerous features of smartphone applications that have been demonstrated to mitigate symptoms of anxiety,depression,and tension.Online therapy platforms let marginalized individuals obtain therapy remotely.Wearable technology may detect heart rate,blood pressure,and sleep length,which may reveal mental health difficulties.Chatbots employ machine learning algorithms and natural language processing to deliver customized support and show promise for quick intervention.Exposure therapy for anxiety and trauma is increasingly using virtual reality environments.Although digital mental health therapies face challenges in relation to data privacy,limited long‐term efficacy,and technological inequality,digital technologies are modernizing mental healthcare.By offering inexpensive and effective alternatives to traditional therapies,digital technologies may help healthcare systems meet the growing demand for mental health services and overall well‐being.展开更多
Magnesium is one of the largely available elements in the earth’s crust. It has a low structural density with high specific strength. This unique material property has forced an increase in the use of magnesium and i...Magnesium is one of the largely available elements in the earth’s crust. It has a low structural density with high specific strength. This unique material property has forced an increase in the use of magnesium and its alloys in various applications pertaining to industrial sector,automobiles, aerospace and biomedical. Since magnesium is a highly reactive metal, it is prone to higher rate of corrosion as compared to its counterparts. Thus, it is essential to analyze the corrosion behavior of magnesium and its alloys in its applications. An appropriate process is to be followed in the design and development of magnesium alloys which overcome the limitations of magnesium and enhance the desired material properties in accordance to their applications. This review paper summarizes the importance of magnesium and its material properties. The influence of various alloying elements on the mechanical properties of magnesium is reviewed. The broad classification of Mg alloys and their behavioral trends are detailed. The corrosion behavior of magnesium and the influence of corrosion products on the material characteristics of magnesium, in aqueous medium, are discussed. The manufacturing techniques of magnesium alloys along with the secondary techniques are also covered. The various applications and the limitations of magnesium in these applications are covered. A complete section is dedicated towards detailing the recent trends of magnesium(Mg) alloys, i.e., the biodegradable nature and applications of Mg alloys. The influence of biocorrosion on Mg alloys and techniques to overcome it have been deliberated. This paper provides a thorough review on recent developments of magnesium with respect to engineering applications.展开更多
Cubic boron nitride particles coated by titanium nitride (TiN/cBN) as well as diamond particles coated by titanium carbide (TiC/diamond) were prepared by Ti molten salt deposition followed by heat-treatment process. c...Cubic boron nitride particles coated by titanium nitride (TiN/cBN) as well as diamond particles coated by titanium carbide (TiC/diamond) were prepared by Ti molten salt deposition followed by heat-treatment process. cBN or diamond particles were mixed separately with Ti powders and molten salts (KCl, NaCl and K<sub>2</sub>TiF<sub>6</sub>). The mixture was heated at 900 °C under argon atmosphere. The produced particles were heat-treated under hydrogen at 1000 °C. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the produced particles were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and focused ion beam (FIB). The results show that the cBN and the diamond particles are coated by nano-sized Ti layers. By heat-treatment of the Ti/cBN and TiC/diamond coated particles under hydrogen atmosphere, the deposited Ti layers were interacted by the in-situ transformation reaction with the surfaces of cBN and diamond particles and converted to titanium compounds (TiN and TiC), respectively.展开更多
The effects of Sr,Mg,Cr,Sr/Mg and Sr/Cr combined additions on the Fe-containing intermetallic phase in a recycled Al-Si-Fe cast alloy are investigated.The experimental results show that the additions of Cr and Sr/Cr s...The effects of Sr,Mg,Cr,Sr/Mg and Sr/Cr combined additions on the Fe-containing intermetallic phase in a recycled Al-Si-Fe cast alloy are investigated.The experimental results show that the additions of Cr and Sr/Cr successfully modified the platelet and flake-likeβ-Al-5FeSi phases （β-compound） into the fibrousα-Al-8Fe-2Si （α-compound）.The additions of Sr and Sr/Mg were less effective to modify theβ-compound into theα-compound,while the eutectic Si was fully modified into the fibrous morphology.A small secondary dendrite arm spacing （DAS） was found in the Sr-added,Cr-added and Sr/Cr-added alloys,especially in a steel mold.The Sr,Sr/Cr and Sr/Mg combined additions modify the eutectic Si simultaneously.A sludge phase was found in the addition of Cr-added,Sr/Cr-added and Mg-added alloys,especially in the graphite mold casting.The volume fraction ofβ-compounds was decreased by the addition of various modifying elements. The Cr and Sr/Cr combined additions are very effective to modify theβ-compound for the recycled Al-Si-Fe based alloys.展开更多
AIM: To perform plasma free amino acid (PFAA) profiling of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients at different pathological stages and healthy subjects.
To investigate how the popular magnesium alloy AZ31 sheet(aluminum 3%,zinc 1%)behaves in cold working,deep drawing experiments at room temperature,along with finite element(FE)simulation,were performed on the cold for...To investigate how the popular magnesium alloy AZ31 sheet(aluminum 3%,zinc 1%)behaves in cold working,deep drawing experiments at room temperature,along with finite element(FE)simulation,were performed on the cold forming sheet of the AZ31 alloy after being annealed under various conditions.The activities were focused on the fracture pattern,limit drawing ratio(LDR),deformation load,thickness distribution,anisotropic effect,as well as the influences of the annealing conditions and tool configuration on them.The results display that punch shoulder radius instead of die clearance,has much influence on the thickness distribution.The anisotropy is remarkable in cold working,which adversely impacts the LDR.The fracture often happens on the side wall at an angle to axis of the deformed specimen.The results also imply that the LDR for the material under present experimental conditions is 1.72,and annealing the material at 450 ℃ for 1 h may be preferable for the cold deep drawing.展开更多
By using aluminum alloys,the properties of the material in sheet hydroforming were obtained based on the identification of parameters for constitutive models by inverse modeling in which the friction coefficients were...By using aluminum alloys,the properties of the material in sheet hydroforming were obtained based on the identification of parameters for constitutive models by inverse modeling in which the friction coefficients were also considered in 2D and 3D simulations.With consideration of identified simulation parameters by inverse modeling,some key process parameters including tool dimensions and pre-bulging on the forming processes in sheet hydroforming were investigated and optimized.Based on the optimized parameters,the sheet hydroforming process can be analyzed more accurately to improve the robust design.It proves that the results from simulation based on the identified parameters are in good agreement with those from experiments.展开更多
The problem of capacity shortage in some airports needs to be dealt with sustainable solutions including a more efficient use of the existing runway slots at the airports. The Collaborative Decision Making（CDM） is a...The problem of capacity shortage in some airports needs to be dealt with sustainable solutions including a more efficient use of the existing runway slots at the airports. The Collaborative Decision Making（CDM） is an important approach applied to Air Traffic Management（ATM）to achieve this efficient use of the slots allocation. Using the Matching approach for two-sided markets of Game theory, the Top Trading Cycle CDM（TTC-CDM） algorithm developed in this research is an extension of the CDM approach aggregating the Ground Delay Program（GDP）of the air sector. The paper compared the developed TTC-CDM model to the existing models such as the conventional Compression algorithm in CDM, the Trade Cycle algorithm and the Deferred Acceptance CDM（DA-CDM） model to evaluate the performance of the proposed model. Through a case study, the results show the effective application of TTC-CDM model to slot allocation in ATM and also presents the advantage of considering the preferences of airport managers beside ATC controllers and airlines in the decision processing.展开更多
NiTi shape memory alloys(SMAs) was developed using the spark-plasma sintering(SPS) process with different average particle size(45 μm and 10 μm) under various temperature. The influence of particle size and temperat...NiTi shape memory alloys(SMAs) was developed using the spark-plasma sintering(SPS) process with different average particle size(45 μm and 10 μm) under various temperature. The influence of particle size and temperature on the density, microstructure, and corrosion behavior of the NiTi in simulated body fluid was examined. The porosity decreased with increasing sintering temperature and decreasing particle size, which resulted in an increase in density of the alloy. Increasing the sintering temperature led to the formation of Ni-and Ti-rich intermetallic such as Ni3Ti and NiTi2. The formation of these secondary phases influenced the corrosion behavior of NiTi by changing its chemical composition. The planar structure of NiTi was transformed into a dendritic structure at 900℃, which resulted in the formation of uniform oxide and phosphate layers on the entire surface. A high corrosion potential and low corrosion current density were achieved with NiTi prepared with 10 μm particles at 900℃, which exhibited superior corrosion resistance.展开更多
The AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C mono composite, AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C-Gr(Gr: graphite) hybrid composites containing 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt.% Gr particles, and AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C-Mo S2 hybrid composites containing 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt.%...The AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C mono composite, AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C-Gr(Gr: graphite) hybrid composites containing 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt.% Gr particles, and AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C-Mo S2 hybrid composites containing 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt.% Mo S2 particles were fabricated through stir casting. The dry sliding tribological behaviors of the mono composite and hybrid composites were studied as a function of temperature on high temperature pin-on-disc tribotester against EN 31 counterface. The wear rate and friction coefficient of the Gr-reinforced and Mo S2-reinforced hybrid composites decreased in the temperature range of 30-100 ℃ due to the combined lubrication offered by the wear protective layer and its solid lubricant phase. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) observation of the worn pin surface revealed severe adhesion, delamination, and abrasion wear mechanisms at temperatures of 150, 200, and 250 ℃, respectively. At 150 ℃, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) observation of the hybrid composites revealed the formation of deformation bands due to severe plastic deformation and fine crystalline structure due to dynamic recrystallization.展开更多
The effects of the casting factors such as nozzle size to pour the melt,nozzle height,tilt of the slope and slope length,of the cooling slope on the process to make semisolid slurry were investigated.The results show ...The effects of the casting factors such as nozzle size to pour the melt,nozzle height,tilt of the slope and slope length,of the cooling slope on the process to make semisolid slurry were investigated.The results show that these factors affect the behaviors of the semisolid slurry on the cooling slope.The tilt of the slope is the factor that has major influence on the behavior of the semisolid slurry.The cooling roll is developed from the result of the research of the cooling slope.The rotating cooling roll can improve the sticking of the semisolid slurry on the substrate and it is suitable for making the semisolid slurry.展开更多
The present study is to optimize the process parameters for friction welding of duplex stainless steel(DSS UNS S32205).Experiments were conducted according to central composite design.Process variables,as inputs of th...The present study is to optimize the process parameters for friction welding of duplex stainless steel(DSS UNS S32205).Experiments were conducted according to central composite design.Process variables,as inputs of the neural network,included friction pressure,upsetting pressure,speed and burn-off length.Tensile strength and microhardness were selected as the outputs of the neural networks.The weld metals had higher hardness and tensile strength than the base material due to grain refinement which caused failures away from the joint interface during tensile testing.Due to shorter heating time,no secondary phase intermetallic precipitation was observed in the weld joint.A multi-layer perceptron neural network was established for modeling purpose.Five various training algorithms,belonging to three classes,namely gradient descent,genetic algorithm and LevenbergeM arquardt,were used to train artificial neural network.The optimization was carried out by using particle swarm optimization method.Confirmation test was carried out by setting the optimized parameters.In conformation test,maximum tensile strength and maximum hardness obtained are 822 MPa and 322 Hv,respectively.The metallurgical investigations revealed that base metal,partially deformed zone and weld zone maintain austenite/ferrite proportion of 50:50.展开更多
The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of solution treatment time and Sr-modification on the microstructure and property of the Al-Si piston alloy.It was found that as-cast microstructures of unmodif...The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of solution treatment time and Sr-modification on the microstructure and property of the Al-Si piston alloy.It was found that as-cast microstructures of unmodified and Sr-modified Al-Si alloys consisted of a coarse acicular plate of eutectic Si,Cu_3NiAl_6 and Mg_2Si phases in theα-Al matrix but different in size and morphology.Both size and inter-particle spacing of Si particles were significantly changed by increasing the solution treatment time.After a short solution treatment,the coarse acicular plate of the eutectic Si appears to be fragmented.Fully modified microstructure of Sr-modified alloy can reduce the solution treatment time compared to unmodified alloy.The maximum of a peak hardness value is found in the very short solution treatment of both Al-Si piston alloys.Compared to 10 h solution treatment,the solution treatment of 2-4 h is sufficient to achieve appropriate microstructures and hardness. The short solution treatment is very useful to increase the productivity and to reduce the manufacturing cost of the Al-Si piston alloys.展开更多
The effect of iron addition on the microstructure, mechanical and magnetic properties of Al-matrix composite was studied. Mechanical mixing was used for the preparation of 0, 5%, 10% and 15% Fe-Al composites（mass fra...The effect of iron addition on the microstructure, mechanical and magnetic properties of Al-matrix composite was studied. Mechanical mixing was used for the preparation of 0, 5%, 10% and 15% Fe-Al composites（mass fraction）. Mixtures of Al-Fe were compacted and sintered in a vacuum furnace at 600 °C for 1 h. X-ray diffraction（XRD） of the samples containing 5% and 10% Fe indicates the presence of Al and Fe peaks, while sample containing 15% Fe reveals Al and Al13Fe4 peaks. The results show that both densification and thermal conductivity of the composites decrease by increasing the iron content. The presence of iron in the composite improves the compressive strength and the hardness. The strengthening mechanism is associated with the grain refinement of the matrix and uniform distribution of the Fe particles, as well as the formation of Al13Fe4 intermetallic. The measured magnetization values are equal to 0.3816×10-3 A·m2/g for 5% Fe sample and increases up to 0.6597×10-3 A·m2/g for 10% Fe sample, then decreases to 0.0702×10-3 A·m2/g for 15% Fe sample. This can be explained by the formation of the diamagnetic Al13Fe4 intermetallic compound in the higher Fe content sample detected by XRD analysis.展开更多
Objective:To screen the antibacterial activity of nine ethnoveterinary plants traditionally used for the treatment of mastitis,wound and gastrointestinal complications.Methods:Hydroalcoholic exctracts of medicinal pla...Objective:To screen the antibacterial activity of nine ethnoveterinary plants traditionally used for the treatment of mastitis,wound and gastrointestinal complications.Methods:Hydroalcoholic exctracts of medicinal plants namely,Achyranthes aspera(A.aspera) L.(Family Asparagaceae),Ficus caria(F.caria)(Family Moraceae).Malvi parviflora(M.parviflora)(Family Malvaceae),Vernonia species(V.species) docal name Alakit.Family Asteraceae),Solatium hastifolium(S.hastifolium)(Family Solanaceae),Calpurinia aurea(C.aurea)(Ait) Benth(Family Fabaceae),Nicotiana tabacum(N.tabacum) L.(Family Solanaceae),Ziziphus spina-christi(Z.spina-christi)(Family Rhamnaceae).Croton macroslachys(C.macrostachys)(Family Fuphorhiaceae).were screened against clinical bacterial isolates of veterinary importance from October 2007 to April2009.The antibacterial activity was tested using disc diffusion at two concentrations(200 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL) and broth dilution methods using 70%methanol macerated leal extracts.Results:With the exception ol S.hastifolium all plant extracts exhibited antibacterial activity.Among the medicinal plants tested C.aurea.C.macrostachyus,A.aspera,N.tabacum and vcrnonia species(Alakit) showed the most promising antimicrobial properties.Conclusions:It can be concluded that many of the tested plants have antibacterial activity and supports the traditional usage of the plants for mastitis,wound and gastrointestinal complications treatment.Further studies into their toxicity and phytochemistry is advocated.展开更多
文摘Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is one of the major factors affecting the productivity of dairy cattle all over the world. This study established the burden of SCM and determined the potent antibacterial formulation for control of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) related SCM in selected dairy cattle farms in Kiboga district. A total of 124 dairy cattle from 12 farms were screened for SCM using California Mastitis Test (CMT) from Kiboga Town-Council, Kapeke and Lwamata sub-counties. The offending bacteria were cultured and the antibiogram of SA was carried out using antibacterial susceptibility by the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Additional qualitative data on the factors that predispose cows to SCM was obtained through questionnaires and observation of milking Practice. The prevalence of SCM in the three sub-counties was 87.9%. Over 70% of the dairy cattle screened for SCM had more than 2 udder quarters affected. The majority (90%) of SCM was caused by mixed bacterial infections: Coagulase negative staphylococci (64.4%) and SA (16.6%) being the most prevalent. All the farmers (100%) lacked knowledge on SCM, udder towels, teat dipping and drug cow therapy. Overall, 71.4% of SA isolated was multi-drug resistant. There was a high level of resistance against penicillin (100%), neomycin (85.7%) and tetracycline (71.4%). In contrast, all the above isolates were susceptible to Trimethoprim-Sulphamethazole. In conclusion, the high burden of SCM and emergence of multidrug resistant SA are one of the constraints to dairy production in Kiboga district. Therefore, sensitization of dairy farmers in Kiboga district on proper hygienic, appropriate milking techniques and dry cow therapy using potentiated sulfonamide intra-mammary preparations are highly recommended in SA associated SCM.
文摘Utilization of magnetically treated water has been investigated and applied in many countries such as Russia,Australia,Israel,China and Japan.Studies have shown that the magnetic field is used as a safe alternative to improve plant growth and development.Although the properties of magnetically treated water have received a great deal of interest in recent years,there are no studies conducted in Moroccan agricultural conditions.The present study aimed at gaining more insight on the effect of magnetically treated irrigation water(MTIW)in the northwest region of Morocco,on the yield of strawberry plants(Fragaria×ananassa Duch.cv.Camarosa)and its components.The experiments were conducted in situ,during two crop seasons(2011-2012 and 2013-2014).The results confirm that physical treatment of irrigation water by a static magnetic field improves the yield and quality of strawberry fruits.The percentages of increase in number of flowers,number of fruits,fruit yield and quality of export production per 100 plants were 27.4%,30.9%,34.8%,24.3%,respectively,compared with normal irrigation water(average over both crop seasons).These results suggest that irrigation with MTIW improves the production as well as the quality of the strawberry fruit,thus water use efficiency was enhanced.Therefore,the MTIW can be considered as a promising technique for improvement but extensive research is still required.
文摘Rural economic development can differ intensely among municipalities within the same region. The economic activity disparity among them makes public policy actions difficult. It is possible to find highly efficient and globally competitive producers, as well as those producing for subsistence, in the same area. This disparity stands out the total productivity importance of the factors of production in the agricultural sector, especially the productivity of the land. The way the land is occupied in the rural area, namely crops, pastures, reforestation and other areas, can be indicative of the productivity of the land factor and the value of agricultural production. The products that compose the value of the agricultural production present different land occupation through their own productive characteristic. The main objective of this work was to measure the association between the production value of groups of agricultural products and the diversified uses of the rural area in the production of the municipalities in the state of Sao Paulo. In this research, 52 agricultural products produced in 2008 were used, grouped in five production value variables and other nine variables of the land use in production of the municipalities in Sao Paulo. The multivariate statistical technique of canonical correlation was used to measure the association between the product variables group of the production value with the land use group in agricultural activities. It was concluded that there is a strong correlation （94.3%） in the first pair of canonical variables, representing the production value and the land use, allowing groups of municipalities to be formed at different stages of development in agricultural production. It can be verified that 61.8% of the municipalities in the state were below the average in the production group and land use and that only 4.8% were above average for the production variables group and with values below the average in land use. The stages of agricultural development in the municipalities of Sao Paulo and the association between the production and use of the area can contribute to identify the direction of public policies to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector.
基金sponsored by the Science and Technology Program of Hubei Province,China(2022EHB020,2023BBB096)support provided by Centre of the Excellence in Production Research(XPRES)at KTH。
文摘In this review,we propose a comprehensive overview of additive manufacturing(AM)technologies and design possibilities in manufacturing metamaterials for various applications in the biomedical field,of which many are inspired by nature itself.It describes how new AM technologies(e.g.continuous liquid interface production and multiphoton polymerization,etc)and recent developments in more mature AM technologies(e.g.powder bed fusion,stereolithography,and extrusion-based bioprinting(EBB),etc)lead to more precise,efficient,and personalized biomedical components.EBB is a revolutionary topic creating intricate models with remarkable mechanical compatibility of metamaterials,for instance,stress elimination for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine,negative or zero Poisson’s ratio.By exploiting the designs of porous structures(e.g.truss,triply periodic minimal surface,plant/animal-inspired,and functionally graded lattices,etc),AM-made bioactive bone implants,artificial tissues,and organs are made for tissue replacement.The material palette of the AM metamaterials has high diversity nowadays,ranging from alloys and metals(e.g.cobalt-chromium alloys and titanium,etc)to polymers(e.g.biodegradable polycaprolactone and polymethyl methacrylate,etc),which could be even integrated within bioactive ceramics.These advancements are driving the progress of the biomedical field,improving human health and quality of life.
基金the aid of Research and Development Fund-Seed Money provided by Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology。
文摘The mechanical behaviour of Titanium-based Fiber Metal Laminates(FMLs)reinforced with Kevlar,Jute and the novel woven(Kevlar+Jute)fiber mat were evaluated through tensile,flexural,Charpy impact,and drop-weight tests.The FMLs were fabricated with various stacking configurations(2/1,3/2,4/3,and 5/4)to examine their influence on mechanical properties.Kevlar-reinforced laminates consistently demonstrated superior tensile and flexural strengths,with the highest tensile strength of 772 MPa observed in the 3/2 configuration,attributed to Kevlar's excellent load-bearing capacity.Jute-reinforced laminates exhibited lower performance due to poor bonding and early delamination,while the FMLs reinforced with woven(Kevlar+Jute)fiber mat achieved a balance between mechanical strength and cost-effectiveness by attaining a tensile strength of 718 MPa in the 3/2 configuration.Impact energy absorption results revealed that Kevlar-reinforced FMLs provided the highest energy absorption under Charpy tests,reaching 13.5 J in the 3/2 configuration.The 4/3 configu ration exhibited superior resistance under drop-weight impacts,absorbing 104.7 J of energy.Failure analysis using SEM revealed key mechanisms such as fiber debonding,delamination,and fiber pull-out,with increased severity observed in laminates with a higher number of fiber-epoxy layers,especially in the 5/4 configuration.This study highlights the potential of Kevlar-Jute hybrid fiber-reinforced FMLs for applications requiring high mechanical performance and impact resistance.Future research should explore advanced surface treatments and the environmental durability of these laminates for aerospace and automotive applications.
文摘An individual's mental health influences their capacity to think effectively,feel emotionally stable,and perform daily activities.As mental health concerns become more prevalent worldwide,new awareness and diagnostic and treatment tactics are needed.Digital tools and technology are helping solve these problems by providing scalable,tailored solutions for large populations.This detailed review examines mental health‐promoting internet tools.Smartphone applications,web‐based therapy systems,wearable tech,artificial intelligence‐powered resources,and virtual reality(VR)technologies were evaluated for efficacy and side effects.PubMed,PsycINFO,Scopus,IEEE Xplore,and Google Scholar were carefully searched.Search terms included“digital mental health tools,”“online therapy,”and“AI in mental health.”Randomized controlled trials,cohort studies,cross‐sectional studies,systematic reviews,and meta‐analyses of digital technology and mental health were included from among the literature published after 2010.Cognitive behavioral therapy methods,mood monitoring,and mindfulness exercises are among the numerous features of smartphone applications that have been demonstrated to mitigate symptoms of anxiety,depression,and tension.Online therapy platforms let marginalized individuals obtain therapy remotely.Wearable technology may detect heart rate,blood pressure,and sleep length,which may reveal mental health difficulties.Chatbots employ machine learning algorithms and natural language processing to deliver customized support and show promise for quick intervention.Exposure therapy for anxiety and trauma is increasingly using virtual reality environments.Although digital mental health therapies face challenges in relation to data privacy,limited long‐term efficacy,and technological inequality,digital technologies are modernizing mental healthcare.By offering inexpensive and effective alternatives to traditional therapies,digital technologies may help healthcare systems meet the growing demand for mental health services and overall well‐being.
文摘Magnesium is one of the largely available elements in the earth’s crust. It has a low structural density with high specific strength. This unique material property has forced an increase in the use of magnesium and its alloys in various applications pertaining to industrial sector,automobiles, aerospace and biomedical. Since magnesium is a highly reactive metal, it is prone to higher rate of corrosion as compared to its counterparts. Thus, it is essential to analyze the corrosion behavior of magnesium and its alloys in its applications. An appropriate process is to be followed in the design and development of magnesium alloys which overcome the limitations of magnesium and enhance the desired material properties in accordance to their applications. This review paper summarizes the importance of magnesium and its material properties. The influence of various alloying elements on the mechanical properties of magnesium is reviewed. The broad classification of Mg alloys and their behavioral trends are detailed. The corrosion behavior of magnesium and the influence of corrosion products on the material characteristics of magnesium, in aqueous medium, are discussed. The manufacturing techniques of magnesium alloys along with the secondary techniques are also covered. The various applications and the limitations of magnesium in these applications are covered. A complete section is dedicated towards detailing the recent trends of magnesium(Mg) alloys, i.e., the biodegradable nature and applications of Mg alloys. The influence of biocorrosion on Mg alloys and techniques to overcome it have been deliberated. This paper provides a thorough review on recent developments of magnesium with respect to engineering applications.
文摘Cubic boron nitride particles coated by titanium nitride (TiN/cBN) as well as diamond particles coated by titanium carbide (TiC/diamond) were prepared by Ti molten salt deposition followed by heat-treatment process. cBN or diamond particles were mixed separately with Ti powders and molten salts (KCl, NaCl and K<sub>2</sub>TiF<sub>6</sub>). The mixture was heated at 900 °C under argon atmosphere. The produced particles were heat-treated under hydrogen at 1000 °C. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the produced particles were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and focused ion beam (FIB). The results show that the cBN and the diamond particles are coated by nano-sized Ti layers. By heat-treatment of the Ti/cBN and TiC/diamond coated particles under hydrogen atmosphere, the deposited Ti layers were interacted by the in-situ transformation reaction with the surfaces of cBN and diamond particles and converted to titanium compounds (TiN and TiC), respectively.
文摘The effects of Sr,Mg,Cr,Sr/Mg and Sr/Cr combined additions on the Fe-containing intermetallic phase in a recycled Al-Si-Fe cast alloy are investigated.The experimental results show that the additions of Cr and Sr/Cr successfully modified the platelet and flake-likeβ-Al-5FeSi phases （β-compound） into the fibrousα-Al-8Fe-2Si （α-compound）.The additions of Sr and Sr/Mg were less effective to modify theβ-compound into theα-compound,while the eutectic Si was fully modified into the fibrous morphology.A small secondary dendrite arm spacing （DAS） was found in the Sr-added,Cr-added and Sr/Cr-added alloys,especially in a steel mold.The Sr,Sr/Cr and Sr/Mg combined additions modify the eutectic Si simultaneously.A sludge phase was found in the addition of Cr-added,Sr/Cr-added and Mg-added alloys,especially in the graphite mold casting.The volume fraction ofβ-compounds was decreased by the addition of various modifying elements. The Cr and Sr/Cr combined additions are very effective to modify theβ-compound for the recycled Al-Si-Fe based alloys.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant No.81360356Scientific Research Foundation of Xinjiang Medical University,Grant No.XJC201221
文摘AIM: To perform plasma free amino acid (PFAA) profiling of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients at different pathological stages and healthy subjects.
文摘To investigate how the popular magnesium alloy AZ31 sheet(aluminum 3%,zinc 1%)behaves in cold working,deep drawing experiments at room temperature,along with finite element(FE)simulation,were performed on the cold forming sheet of the AZ31 alloy after being annealed under various conditions.The activities were focused on the fracture pattern,limit drawing ratio(LDR),deformation load,thickness distribution,anisotropic effect,as well as the influences of the annealing conditions and tool configuration on them.The results display that punch shoulder radius instead of die clearance,has much influence on the thickness distribution.The anisotropy is remarkable in cold working,which adversely impacts the LDR.The fracture often happens on the side wall at an angle to axis of the deformed specimen.The results also imply that the LDR for the material under present experimental conditions is 1.72,and annealing the material at 450 ℃ for 1 h may be preferable for the cold deep drawing.
基金Project(9901351) supported by the Hydromechanical Deep Drawing without a Draw DieProject(1057001) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘By using aluminum alloys,the properties of the material in sheet hydroforming were obtained based on the identification of parameters for constitutive models by inverse modeling in which the friction coefficients were also considered in 2D and 3D simulations.With consideration of identified simulation parameters by inverse modeling,some key process parameters including tool dimensions and pre-bulging on the forming processes in sheet hydroforming were investigated and optimized.Based on the optimized parameters,the sheet hydroforming process can be analyzed more accurately to improve the robust design.It proves that the results from simulation based on the identified parameters are in good agreement with those from experiments.
基金partially supported by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development(CNPq Grant No.304903/2013-2)
文摘The problem of capacity shortage in some airports needs to be dealt with sustainable solutions including a more efficient use of the existing runway slots at the airports. The Collaborative Decision Making（CDM） is an important approach applied to Air Traffic Management（ATM）to achieve this efficient use of the slots allocation. Using the Matching approach for two-sided markets of Game theory, the Top Trading Cycle CDM（TTC-CDM） algorithm developed in this research is an extension of the CDM approach aggregating the Ground Delay Program（GDP）of the air sector. The paper compared the developed TTC-CDM model to the existing models such as the conventional Compression algorithm in CDM, the Trade Cycle algorithm and the Deferred Acceptance CDM（DA-CDM） model to evaluate the performance of the proposed model. Through a case study, the results show the effective application of TTC-CDM model to slot allocation in ATM and also presents the advantage of considering the preferences of airport managers beside ATC controllers and airlines in the decision processing.
文摘NiTi shape memory alloys(SMAs) was developed using the spark-plasma sintering(SPS) process with different average particle size(45 μm and 10 μm) under various temperature. The influence of particle size and temperature on the density, microstructure, and corrosion behavior of the NiTi in simulated body fluid was examined. The porosity decreased with increasing sintering temperature and decreasing particle size, which resulted in an increase in density of the alloy. Increasing the sintering temperature led to the formation of Ni-and Ti-rich intermetallic such as Ni3Ti and NiTi2. The formation of these secondary phases influenced the corrosion behavior of NiTi by changing its chemical composition. The planar structure of NiTi was transformed into a dendritic structure at 900℃, which resulted in the formation of uniform oxide and phosphate layers on the entire surface. A high corrosion potential and low corrosion current density were achieved with NiTi prepared with 10 μm particles at 900℃, which exhibited superior corrosion resistance.
文摘The AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C mono composite, AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C-Gr(Gr: graphite) hybrid composites containing 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt.% Gr particles, and AA6061-10 wt.%B4 C-Mo S2 hybrid composites containing 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt.% Mo S2 particles were fabricated through stir casting. The dry sliding tribological behaviors of the mono composite and hybrid composites were studied as a function of temperature on high temperature pin-on-disc tribotester against EN 31 counterface. The wear rate and friction coefficient of the Gr-reinforced and Mo S2-reinforced hybrid composites decreased in the temperature range of 30-100 ℃ due to the combined lubrication offered by the wear protective layer and its solid lubricant phase. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) observation of the worn pin surface revealed severe adhesion, delamination, and abrasion wear mechanisms at temperatures of 150, 200, and 250 ℃, respectively. At 150 ℃, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) observation of the hybrid composites revealed the formation of deformation bands due to severe plastic deformation and fine crystalline structure due to dynamic recrystallization.
文摘The effects of the casting factors such as nozzle size to pour the melt,nozzle height,tilt of the slope and slope length,of the cooling slope on the process to make semisolid slurry were investigated.The results show that these factors affect the behaviors of the semisolid slurry on the cooling slope.The tilt of the slope is the factor that has major influence on the behavior of the semisolid slurry.The cooling roll is developed from the result of the research of the cooling slope.The rotating cooling roll can improve the sticking of the semisolid slurry on the substrate and it is suitable for making the semisolid slurry.
文摘The present study is to optimize the process parameters for friction welding of duplex stainless steel(DSS UNS S32205).Experiments were conducted according to central composite design.Process variables,as inputs of the neural network,included friction pressure,upsetting pressure,speed and burn-off length.Tensile strength and microhardness were selected as the outputs of the neural networks.The weld metals had higher hardness and tensile strength than the base material due to grain refinement which caused failures away from the joint interface during tensile testing.Due to shorter heating time,no secondary phase intermetallic precipitation was observed in the weld joint.A multi-layer perceptron neural network was established for modeling purpose.Five various training algorithms,belonging to three classes,namely gradient descent,genetic algorithm and LevenbergeM arquardt,were used to train artificial neural network.The optimization was carried out by using particle swarm optimization method.Confirmation test was carried out by setting the optimized parameters.In conformation test,maximum tensile strength and maximum hardness obtained are 822 MPa and 322 Hv,respectively.The metallurgical investigations revealed that base metal,partially deformed zone and weld zone maintain austenite/ferrite proportion of 50:50.
文摘The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of solution treatment time and Sr-modification on the microstructure and property of the Al-Si piston alloy.It was found that as-cast microstructures of unmodified and Sr-modified Al-Si alloys consisted of a coarse acicular plate of eutectic Si,Cu_3NiAl_6 and Mg_2Si phases in theα-Al matrix but different in size and morphology.Both size and inter-particle spacing of Si particles were significantly changed by increasing the solution treatment time.After a short solution treatment,the coarse acicular plate of the eutectic Si appears to be fragmented.Fully modified microstructure of Sr-modified alloy can reduce the solution treatment time compared to unmodified alloy.The maximum of a peak hardness value is found in the very short solution treatment of both Al-Si piston alloys.Compared to 10 h solution treatment,the solution treatment of 2-4 h is sufficient to achieve appropriate microstructures and hardness. The short solution treatment is very useful to increase the productivity and to reduce the manufacturing cost of the Al-Si piston alloys.
文摘The effect of iron addition on the microstructure, mechanical and magnetic properties of Al-matrix composite was studied. Mechanical mixing was used for the preparation of 0, 5%, 10% and 15% Fe-Al composites（mass fraction）. Mixtures of Al-Fe were compacted and sintered in a vacuum furnace at 600 °C for 1 h. X-ray diffraction（XRD） of the samples containing 5% and 10% Fe indicates the presence of Al and Fe peaks, while sample containing 15% Fe reveals Al and Al13Fe4 peaks. The results show that both densification and thermal conductivity of the composites decrease by increasing the iron content. The presence of iron in the composite improves the compressive strength and the hardness. The strengthening mechanism is associated with the grain refinement of the matrix and uniform distribution of the Fe particles, as well as the formation of Al13Fe4 intermetallic. The measured magnetization values are equal to 0.3816×10-3 A·m2/g for 5% Fe sample and increases up to 0.6597×10-3 A·m2/g for 10% Fe sample, then decreases to 0.0702×10-3 A·m2/g for 15% Fe sample. This can be explained by the formation of the diamagnetic Al13Fe4 intermetallic compound in the higher Fe content sample detected by XRD analysis.
基金Ethiopian Ministry of Science and Technology research and development grant FVS/11/2008
文摘Objective:To screen the antibacterial activity of nine ethnoveterinary plants traditionally used for the treatment of mastitis,wound and gastrointestinal complications.Methods:Hydroalcoholic exctracts of medicinal plants namely,Achyranthes aspera(A.aspera) L.(Family Asparagaceae),Ficus caria(F.caria)(Family Moraceae).Malvi parviflora(M.parviflora)(Family Malvaceae),Vernonia species(V.species) docal name Alakit.Family Asteraceae),Solatium hastifolium(S.hastifolium)(Family Solanaceae),Calpurinia aurea(C.aurea)(Ait) Benth(Family Fabaceae),Nicotiana tabacum(N.tabacum) L.(Family Solanaceae),Ziziphus spina-christi(Z.spina-christi)(Family Rhamnaceae).Croton macroslachys(C.macrostachys)(Family Fuphorhiaceae).were screened against clinical bacterial isolates of veterinary importance from October 2007 to April2009.The antibacterial activity was tested using disc diffusion at two concentrations(200 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL) and broth dilution methods using 70%methanol macerated leal extracts.Results:With the exception ol S.hastifolium all plant extracts exhibited antibacterial activity.Among the medicinal plants tested C.aurea.C.macrostachyus,A.aspera,N.tabacum and vcrnonia species(Alakit) showed the most promising antimicrobial properties.Conclusions:It can be concluded that many of the tested plants have antibacterial activity and supports the traditional usage of the plants for mastitis,wound and gastrointestinal complications treatment.Further studies into their toxicity and phytochemistry is advocated.
