Production technology for low-carbon,low-sulfur boron steel

A technology for slag formation in the ladle–furnace unit is considered; the slag is based on the CaO–SiO₂–MgO–Al₂O₃–B₂O₃ system. This technology permits both microalloying of the steel with boron (reduced from the oxide phase) and desulfurization of the steel. The resulting boron content in the steel is 0.001–0.008%; the sulfur content in low-alloy steel and pipe steel is low (0.004–0.010%); and the consumption of manganese ferroalloys is reduced to 0.5 kg/t for 08кп steel and 1.4 kg/t for 09Г2C steel. In addition, the proposed technology increases the strength of the rolled steel, without loss in its plasticity; and reduces the environmental impact thanks to the replacement of fluorspar by colemanite.     

Ga-doped IZO films obtained by magnetron sputtering as transparent conductors for visible and solar applications

C-axis textured thin films of gallium-doped indium zinc oxide (GIZO) with a 2% ratio of Ga/Zn, were obtained via RF-magnetron sputtering with high transparency and electrical conductivity. A Box-Behnken response surface design was used to evaluate the effects of the deposition parameters (In₂O₃ target power, deposition time, and substrate temperature) on the chemical composition, optical, electrical, and structural properties of the GIZO films. The optical constants and the electrical properties were obtained using optical models. The GIZO stoichiometry, and therefore the In/Zn atomic ratio, affected the crystallinity, crystalline parameters, band gap, and charge carrier mobility of the GIZO films. The charge carrier density was related to the change in the crystalline parameters of the hexagonal structure and the In/Zn atomic ratio. The best electrical conductivity values (1.75?×?10³ Ω^?1 cm^?1) were obtained for GIZO films with In/Zn ratio ≥?1. Several figures of merit (FOM) defined for the visible and solar regions were comparatively used to select the optimal In/Zn atomic ratio that provided the best balance between the conductivity and the transparency. The optimal In/Zn ratio was in a range of 0.85–0.90 for the GIZO films.     

Dietary Supplementation of Tetracarpidium conophorum (African Walnut) Seed Enhances Muscle n‐3 Fatty Acids in Broiler Chickens

The influence of dietary Tetracarpidium conophorum (African Walnut) seed meal (TCSM) on fatty acids, productivity parameters, and physicochemical properties of breast and thigh muscles in broiler chickens are assessed. A total of 180, 28‐d‐old Arbor acre broiler chickens are randomly assigned to dietary treatments containing 0% (control), 2.5%, and 5% w/w TCSM, fed for 28 d, and euthanized. Dietary TCSM reduces (p < 0.05) feed intake, body weight gain (BWG), carcass weight, and abdominal fat. Diet does not affect feed efficiency and hematological parameters. The control birds have higher (p < 0.05) serum total cholesterol and triglycerides than do the supplemented birds. Diet has no effect on pH, water holding capacity, carbonyl and malondialdehyde contents, and organoleptic properties of breast and thigh muscles. The 5% TCSM has higher redness in breast muscle than do other treatments. Dietary TCSM improves (p < 0.05) the concentration of C18:3n‐3 (4.80–8.76% vs 1.56%), C20:5n‐3 (0.54–0.79% vs 0.39%), C22:5n‐3 (0.64–0.89% vs 0.18%), and C22:6n‐3 (0.75–0.97% vs 0.19%), and reduces (p <  0.05) the fat content (2.15–2.45% vs 3.15%) in breast and thigh muscles. Dietary TCSM enhances muscle n‐3 fatty acids without instigating oxidative deterioration, but reduces BWG in broiler chickens. Practical Application: Albeit that broiler meat is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), its omega 6 (n‐6)/omega 3 (n‐3) is >4. Elevated n‐6/n‐3 could have adverse effect on human physiology thereby promoting the pathogenesis of certain diseases. This heightens the need to enhance the n‐3 PUFA content of broiler meat. Dietary TCSM induced up to a fourfold increase in n‐3 PUFA content of the breast and thigh muscles in broiler chickens. Moreover, dietary TCSM induced up to a tenfold decrease in the n‐6/n‐3 of the breast and thigh muscles in broiler chickens. This finding assumes great significance because the health concerns regarding dietary fat are the foremost factors responsible for the bad image suffered by meat. These results provide insights on the potential of TCSM to improve the nutritional quality without compromising the oxidative shelf life, organoleptic traits, and physicochemical properties of broiler meat.     

Modeling the Motion of a Saw Ginning Machine

The dynamic characteristics of a saw gin as a subsystem with lumped and distributed parameters are considered in the paper. On the basis of investigation of the machine assembly, graphs are drawn that allow establishing the maximum values of the angle of relative rotation and the angle of rotation of the saw cylinder shaft under torsion.     

In vitro evaluation and in vivo performance of lyophilized gliclazide

Enhancement of the dissolution rate of the poorly water-soluble hypoglycemic agent, gliclazide, by the aid of lyophilization was investigated. Mannitol, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP-k-30) were employed in different weight ratios (43%, 56% and 64% w/w, respectively) as water-soluble excipients in the formulation. Lyophilized systems were found to exhibit extremely higher in vitro dissolution rate compared to the unprocessed drug powder. Solid state characterization of the lyophilized systems using X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry techniques revealed that dissolution enhancement was attributable to transformation of gliclazide from the crystalline to an amorphous state in the solid dispersion formed during the lyophilization process. The gastrointestinal absorption and hypoglycemic effect of the lyophilized gliclazide/SLS system were investigated following oral administration to Albino rabbits. C_max and area under the plasma concentration–time curve of gliclazide (AUC_0–12) after administration of the lyophilized formulations were significantly higher than those obtained after administration of the unprocessed gliclazide.