Reproductive tract disease in Irish grazing dairy cows: Retrospective observational study examining its association with reproductive performance and accuracy of 2 diagnostic tests

The detection of reproductive tract disease (RTD) 3 wk postpartum is important because of its effect on subsequent reproductive outcomes. Numerous methods for the diagnosis of RTD are described, some of which are more practical and instantaneous in terms of diagnosis. Two of these methods involve identification of purulent vaginal discharge (PVD) and evidence of ultrasonographic uterine changes indicative of endometritis (UE). The objectives of our retrospective observational study were (1) to assess the association of PVD or UE score at the prebreeding examination (PBE) with the hazard of pregnancy within the subsequent breeding season; (2) to determine the test sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) at the point of sampling of both tests using a Bayesian latent class model; and (3) to determine the effect of varying positivity thresholds on test accuracy. To achieve these objectives, we analyzed an initial data set of 5,049 PBE from 2,460 spring-calved cows in 8 herds between 2014 and 2018. Each PBE was conducted once between 25 and 86 d in milk. At each PBE, vaginal discharge was obtained with a Metricheck device (Simcro) whereas uterine contents were assessed using transrectal ultrasonography. Purulent vaginal discharge was scored on a scale of 0 to 3 depending on discharge character, and UE was scored on a scale of 0 to 4 depending on the presence and consistency of intraluminal fluid. Cows with scores of ≥2 in either test had received treatment. Fertility data were available from 4,756 PBE after data exclusion. The association between PVD or UE score at the PBE and subsequent hazard of pregnancy was analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model. Cows with a PVD score of 2 or 3 were less likely to conceive than cows with a PVD score 0 [score 2 hazard ratio (HR) = 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59–0.94; score 3 HR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.51–0.84]. Cows with a UE score of 1, 2, 3, or 4 were less likely to conceive than cows with a UE score of 0 (score 1 HR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.73–0.93; score 2 HR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.62–1.00; score 3 HR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.43–0.90; score 4 HR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.26–0.58). To determine the Se and Sp of PVD or UE score for diagnosis of RTD at the time of PBE, a Bayesian latent class model was fitted on 2,460 individual cow PBE. Flat priors were used for the Se and Sp of UE, whereas informative priors were used for PVD Se (mode = 65%, 5th percentile = 45%) and Sp (mode = 90%, 5th percentile = 80%) and RTD prevalence (mode = 20%, 5th percentile = 10%). Posterior estimates (median and 95% Bayesian probability intervals; BPI) were obtained using ‘rjags' (R Studio). The optimal test thresholds (PVD and UE score ≥1) were selected by assessing the effect of different thresholds on test estimates and using a misclassification cost analysis. Based on these, median (95% BPI) Se for PVD and UE score ≥1 were 44% (29–60%) and 67% (33–100%), respectively. Median Sp for PVD and UE score ≥1 were 90% (86–93%) and 91% (86–93%), respectively. Higher scores in both tests were associated with impaired fertility, and UE scoring with a threshold of ≥1 had the highest test Se and Sp estimates although test Se was conditional on days in milk when the PBE occurred.     

Plasma assists titanium nitride and surface modified titanium nitride nanoparticles from titanium scraps for magnetic properties and supercapacitor applications

Plasma methods are efficient processing for metal recovery from metal scrap, bearing minerals, electronic waste, etc. In this work, pure titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiN NPs) were synthesized from titanium scraps by the thermal plasma arc discharge (TPAD) method. TPAD synthesized TiN NPs have a highly crystalline nature with cubic and spherical morphologies with average particle sizes of 30–100 nm. Further, prepared TiN NPs involving surface modification (SM) or etching processes were investigated by using the non-thermal DC glow discharge plasma technique with air atmosphere at different processing times. SM@TiN NPs have a comparatively low crystalline, which was confirmed from the powder X-ray diffraction technique. SM@TiN NPs have very interesting core shell morphologies, which are due to the surface interactions of ionized air molecules. TiN and SM@TiN NPs have room-temperature ferromagnetic properties with high saturation magnetization (Ms) up to 2.6 and 3.0 emu/g and very high coercivity (Hc) of 235.5 Oe, respectively. TiN and SM@TiN NPs have superior energy storage performance with an outstanding specific capacitance of 192.8 and 435.1 F/g at a current density of 2 A/g with pseudocapacitive behavior. These results reveal that TiN and SM@TiN NPs have highly promising electrodes for supercapacitor applications.     

Consolidation considering increasing soil column radius for dredged slurries improved by vacuum preloading method

Soil column is often investigated in the improvement of dredged slurries. Different from the smear zone, the soil column forms gradually and has extremely low permeability. This study presents an analytical solution for soil consolidation considering the increasing radius of the soil column and time-dependent discharge capacity. Based on the solution, the influence of the radius' increase on the consolidation behavior is found significant when the soil column has low permeability and large final radius, and the increase of formation time can lead to the increase of consolidation speed and final consolidation degree.     

火花放电原子发射光谱类型标准化校正方式的探讨

在国内,火花放电原子发射光谱分析广泛使用类型标准化进行方法校正。在国外,标准和文献中鲜见使用此方法的相关论述。类型标准化主要采用平移校正和转动校正两种方式,哪种方式更加合理也鲜见报道。国外设备类型标准化的默认设置优先采用转动校正方式,相关国内标准对最优校正方式的规定尚不明确,此默认设置的合理性有待探讨。实验选用低合金钢20CrNi2Mo、R407标准样品和不锈钢317L、0Cr18Ni9标准样品,引用国内相关标准,以正确度临界差为评判依据,模拟类型标准化样品和待测样品“十分接近”和“接近”两种情况下平移校正和转动校正的数据正确度。经数据统计分析,平移校正分析结果均满足要求,转动校正结果在“接近”情况下部分元素不满足要求。结合相关国家标准中元素含量范围和精密度数据进行分析,通过计算允许最大偏倚量并制作曲线图方式展开分析,得出如下结论:在满足文中类型标准化控制要点前提下,分析设置更适合于采用平移校正方式。     

Weighted regularized extreme learning machine to model the discharge coefficient of side slots

In the current research, a modern learning machine algorithm named “Weighted Regularized Extreme Learning Machine (WRELM)" is implemented for the first time for the simulation of the coefficient of discharge of side slots. For this purpose, an effective variable on the coefficient of discharge of side slots is firstly introduced, then five distinctive WRELM models are produced by it for the estimation of the coefficient. In the next stage, a database is created for verification of WRELM results. it should be mentioned that 70% of the data are utilized for training the WRELM models, while the rest (i.e. 30%) for testing them. After that, the optimal number of hidden layer neurons as well as the best activation function of the WRELM algorithm are chosen. In addition, the best regularization parameter and also the weight function of the WRELM are achieved. By conducting a sensitivity analysis, the most effective variable for the simulation of the coefficient of discharge along with the WRELM superior model is introduced. The WRELM superior model estimates values of the coefficient of discharge with the maximum exactness and the highest correlation. For instance, the estimations of the correlation coefficient and scatter index for this model are computed to be 0.930 and 0.051, respectively. The sensitivity analysis shows that the ratio of the side slot crest height to its length and the Froude number should be considered as the most important input variables. A comparison between the WRELM with the ELM displays that the former works much better. Furthermore, an uncertainty analysis is executed for both models. Eventually, an equation is suggested for the estimation of the coefficient of discharge and a partial derivative sensitivity analysis is performed on it.     

渗流作用下新型装配重力式挡土墙有限元分析

为研究渗流作用下新型装配重力式挡土墙应力变化及墙体排水通道对墙后土体固结的影响,采用ABAQUS进行有限元分析,有限元分析结果与模型试验结果相吻合,证明该模型的合理性。在此基础上研究渗流作用下墙体应力变化趋势及墙体排水通道对墙后土体固结效果的影响。研究结果表明:横向排水通道对墙后土体固结效果的影响优于纵向排水通道对土体固结效果的影响,墙体底部横向排水通道的影响作用最显著;渗流作用下墙体应力由上往下呈先增大后减小的趋势,墙体下部所受最大水平剪应力最大。     

面向噪声丢包感知的无线网络拥塞算法

针对无线网络链路干扰大、误码率高等特点，以及TCP Westwood算法（TCPW）存在估算带宽时过度依赖包的反馈，缺乏区分传输过程中丢包类型的缺点等问题，提出一种TCPW拥塞控制优化算法--TCPW-F。该算法利用发送速率等构建拥塞因子[F]作为判断丢包类型的依据，同时对判定发生噪声丢包时的拥塞窗口进一步调整，避免噪声丢包引起的窗口下降，提高该情况下窗口的发送效率。仿真结果表明，TCPW-F算法在时延性能方面表现更优，单位时间抖动趋于稳定的速度更快。在同一信道带宽下增大包生成速率，改进算法的实时吞吐量明显高于原算法，具备一定的噪声丢包感知能力，无线网络的TCP传输质量获得较大改善。     

广西箭猪坡矿床首次发现的石英脉型锡矿体特征及 锡石微量元素地球化学意义

箭猪坡矿床是丹池成矿带南端的一个以铅锌锑为主的矿床，随着2012-2014年在箭猪坡矿床钻孔中石英脉型锡矿体的首次发现，打开了箭猪坡矿床新的找矿空间。新发现的锡矿体矿石矿物组合类型主要为锡石+闪锌矿+脆硫锑铅矿+黄铁矿+石英及锡石+脆硫锑铅矿+石英+方解石。箭猪坡矿床锡石呈自形-半自形粒状，锡石粒径多在0.1～0.2mm，少数0.02～0.05mm，分布在含硫化物的石英脉裂隙中。物相分析显示箭猪坡矿床锡主要赋存在锡石中，锡石物相占83.33%～100%。阴极发光（CL）图像显示箭猪坡矿床中的锡石经历了两期结晶作用：早期锡石（Ⅰ）和晚期锡石(Ⅱ），早期锡石CL荧光亮度较小，呈暗灰色至黑色；晚期CL荧光亮度较大，呈白色至浅灰色。锡石单矿物SnO2含量91.623%～96.288%，平均94.03%，杂质主要有Fe、W、In等，其中FeO含量0.02%～0.52%，WO3含量多在0.02～1.34%，In2O3含量在0.476%～0.954%，Sn与FeO、In2O3呈负相关，锡石中FeO、WO3、Ta2O5、Nb2O5、MnO含量指示箭猪坡锡形成于中低-中温热液环境，成矿热液来源于高度分异演化的花岗质岩浆。通过与大厂矿田西矿带上部脉状锡矿体的类比分析，具有相似的成矿条件及矿物组合，推测所揭露到的脉状锡矿（化）体相当于西矿带上部脉状锡矿（化）体，而下部的网脉状、似层状锡矿体尚未揭露到，由此预测箭猪坡矿床深部找矿空间及找矿潜力大。