Energy efficiency of fibre reinforced soil formation at small element scale: Laboratory and numerical investigation

This paper explores the aspects related to the energy consumption for the compaction of unreinforced and fibre reinforced samples fabricated in the laboratory. It is well known that, for a fixed soil density, the addition of fibres invariably results in an increased resistance to compaction. However, similar peak strength properties of a dense unreinforced sample can be obtained using looser granular soil matrices mixed with small quantities of fibres. Based on both experimental and discrete element modelling (DEM) procedures, this paper demonstrates that less compaction energy is required for building loose fibre reinforced sand samples than for denser unreinforced sand samples while both samples show similar peak strength properties. Beyond corroborating the macro-scale experimental observations, the result of the DEM analyses provides an insight into the local micro-scale mechanisms governing the fibre-grain interaction. These assessments focus on the evolution of the void ratio distribution, re-arrangement of soil particles, mobilisation of stresses in the fibres, and the evolution of the fibre orientation distribution during the stages of compaction.     

Synthesis and characterization of two-armed poly(ɛ-caprolactone) polymers initiated by the Schiff's base complexes of copper(II) and nickel(II)

Two-armed poly(?-caprolactone) (TAPCL) polymers were successfully synthesized via the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ?-caprolactone (?-CL) using the Schiff's base complexes [Cu(SAEE)₂] (1) and [Ni(SAEE)₂] (2), which have two hydroxyl functional groups, as the two-site initiators and tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (Sn(Oct)₂) as the catalyst in bulk at 115 °C. The Schiff's base complexes (1 and 2) were synthesized by utilizing the concentrated template synthesis method starting from salicyl aldehyde, 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol and related metal acetate salts. The synthesized TAPCL polymers were characterized by GPC, FTIR, UV–vis, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The molecular weights of TAPCL polymers linearly increased with increasing molar ratio of the monomer to the initiator. The results obtained from FTIR, UV–vis, and EPR studies indicated that TAPCL polymers had the Schiff's base complexes at the junction point of PCL arms. The crystallization behavior of TAPCL was studied by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). Thermal behavior of TAPCL was also investigated by thermogravimetrical analysis (TGA).     

Effect of levodopa therapy on visual evoked potentials and visual acuity in amblyopia

Between 10 and 11 years after children were vaccinated with Vi capsular polysaccharide of Salmonella typhi or meningococcal A + C control vaccine in a double blind randomized trial, we traced 83 subjects, aged 16-20 years. A blood sample was taken for determination of Vi antibody titres in both groups by radioimmunoassay. TO and TH titres were also done to assess if the participants had had recent exposure to typhoid fever. Fifty-eight percent of subjects in both groups had protective levels of Vi antibody against Salmonella typhi (a titre greater than 1 microgram ml-1). There was no significant difference in the levels of Vi antibodies in the cases versus the controls (p = 0.5). Two of the children who had received meningococcal A + C vaccine had recently had typhoid fever. Our data show that adolescents in typhoid endemic areas have high levels of Vi antibodies regardless of previous vaccination status, suggesting that Vi antibodies are acquired in adolescence by a large percentage of the population in this area. Moreover, Vi vaccination has led to ongoing antibody production in greater than 50% of Vi vaccinated children in an endemic area for a period of 10 years. Ongoing antigenic exposure may have contributed to these antibody levels.     

Anaerobic digestion of Aegean olive mill effluents with and without pretreatment

BACKGROUND: Olive oil production is an important economical activity in the Aegean region of Turkey. However, the effluents of the olive oil producing mills with their high organic loads and toxic compounds are causing serious environmental problems. The anaerobic biological treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) using the treatment plants of the regional industries could be a method of choice and within the scope of this study floccular and granular sludges were investigated in batch mode for their success in the treatment of OMWW while producing biogas. The major limitation of this treatment is the inhibition of methanogenic bacteria by the phenolic compounds in OMWW. Thus an integrated solution was suggested in which a pre‐treatment step (dephenolization) was also introduced before biological step. RESULTS: The effluents of 27 olive mills out of 47 were found to have total phenolics (TP) less than 3 g L^?1 and could be treated anaerobically after simple dilution. The biogas production for the untreated OMWW was higher for floccular sludge than for the granular sludge (68.5 mL and 45.7 mL respectively). Combined pre‐treatment experiments, first coagulation with polyaluminum chloride, followed by flocculation with cationic polyelectrolyte and finally Fenton's oxidation, could remove 80% of TP and 95% of the total suspended solids. CONCLUSION: OMWW having TP values less than 3 g L^?1 can be treated anaerobically using floccular sludge after simple dilution and biogas can be produced. For OMWW samples having higher TP values pre‐treatment is necessary and the pre‐treatment given in this study may be used effectively. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of Er:YAG laser on bond strength of self‐etching adhesives to caries‐affected dentin

The erbium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Er:YAG) laser may be effective the bond strength of adhesive systems on dentine surfaces, the chemical composition and aggressiveness of adhesive systems in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Er:YAG laser system with the bonding ability of two different self‐etching adhesives to caries‐affected dentine in primary molars. Ninety mid‐coronal flat dentine surfaces obtained from sound and caries‐affected human primary dentine were treated with an Er:YAG laser or a bur. The prepared surfaces were restored with an adhesive system (Xeno V; Clearfil S³) and a compomer (Dyract Extra). The restored teeth were sectioned with a low‐speed saw and 162 samples were obtained. The bond strength of the adhesive systems was tested using the micro‐tensile test method. The data were statistically analyzed. A restored tooth in each group was processed for scanning electron microscopy evaluation. The values of the highest bond strength were obtained from the Clearfil S³‐Er:YAG laser‐sound dentine group in all groups. (24.57 ± 7.27 MPa) (P > 0.05). The values of the lowest bond strength were obtained from the Xeno V‐Er:YAG laser‐sound dentine group in all groups (11.01 ± 3.89 MPa). It was determined that the Clearfil S³ increased the bond strength on the surface applied with Er:YAG laser according to the Xeno V. Microsc. Res. Tech. 77:282–288, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Oral platelet aggregation inhibitor Ro 48-3657: determination of the active metabolite and its prodrug in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography using automated column switching

A sensitive and highly automated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column-switching method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of the active metabolite III and its prodrug II, both derivatives of the oral platelet inhibitor Ro 48-3657 (I), in plasma and urine of man and dog. Plasma samples were deproteinated with perchloric acid (0.5 M), while urine samples could be processed directly after dilution with phosphate buffer. The prepared samples were injected onto a pre-column of a HPLC column switching system. Polar plasma or urine components were removed by flushing the precolumn with phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 3.5). Retained compounds (including II and III) were backflushed onto the analytical column, separated by gradient elution and detected by means of UV detection at 240 nm. The limit of quantification for both compounds was 1 ng/ml (500 microl of plasma) and 25 ng/ml (50 microl of urine) for plasma and urine, respectively. The practicability of the new method was demonstrated by the analysis of about 6000 plasma and 1300 urine samples from various toxicokinetic studies in dogs and phase 1 studies in man.     

Concentrate feeding strategy in lactating dairy cows: metabolic and endocrine changes with emphasis on leptin

This study aimed to evaluate metabolic and endocrine adaptations to energy intake in multiparous Holstein cows (n = 90; mean 9434 kg energy-corrected milk yield/305 d) over the first 20 wk postpartum and to assess the association of leptin with metabolic, endocrine, and zootechnical traits. Concentrates were fed automatically for 24 h at 30% (C30) or 50% (C50) of total dry matter intake (DMI) from wk 1 to 10 postpartum and at linearly reduced amounts thereafter. Roughage was fed for ad libitum intake. The DMI was measured over 24 h; milk yield and body weight (BW), twice/d; milk composition, 4 times/wk; and milk acetone, weekly. Blood samples for determination of metabolite, hormone, and electrolyte concentrations and enzyme activities were obtained at wk 2 prepartum, and at wk 1 to 16 and at wk 20 postpartum from 0730 to 0900. Body condition scores (BCS) and backfat thickness were measured postpartum and during wk 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20. Energy balance (EB) was considerably lower, but milk yield only slightly lower, in C30 than C50. Metabolic stress was more marked in C30 than C50, expressed by lower, glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), triiodothyronine, milk protein, and lactose concentrations, higher nonesterified fatty acid, beta-hydroxybutyrate, growth hormone, and milk acetone concentrations, and an accelerated decrease in BCS and backfat thickness. Nevertheless, C30 adapted successfully and thus maintained high milk yields despite negative EB. Leptin concentrations were lower in C30 than in C50 over the first 20 wk postpartum and were positively associated with BCS, EB, BW, cholesterol, albumin, insulin, and IGF-1; negatively associated with DMI and triiodothyronine; and were higher in cows calving in spring than in fall. Leptin is one among several factors involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and may be important for overall homeostatic and homeorhetic control of metabolism and thus for maintenance of performance.     

EKF Based Attitude Estimation and Stabilization of a Quadrotor UAV Using Vanishing Points in Catadioptric Images

In recent years, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) have become more and more important. These vehicles are employed in many applications from military operations to civilian tasks. Under situations where global positioning system (GPS) and inertial navigation system (INS) do not function, or as an additional sensor, computer vision can be used. Having 360° view, catadioptric cameras might be very useful as they can be used as measurement units, obstacle avoidance sensors or navigation planners. Although many innovative research has been done about this camera, employment of such cameras in UAVs is very new. In this paper, we present the use of catadioptric systems in UAVs to estimate vehicle attitude using parallel lines that exist on many structures in an urban environment. After explanation of the algorithm, the UAV modeling and control will be presented. In order to increase the estimation and control speed an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and multi-threading are used and speeds up to 40 fps are obtained. Various simulations have been done to present the effectiveness of the estimation algorithms as well as the UAV controllers. A custom test stand has been designed to perform successful experiments on the UAV. Finally, we will present the experiments and the results of the estimation and control algorithms on a real model helicopter. EKF based attitude estimation and stabilization using catadioptric images has found to be a reliable alternative to other sensor usage.     

Estimation of energy balance at the individual and herd level using blood and milk traits in high-yielding dairy cows

This study aimed to estimate individual and herd-level energy balance (EB) using blood and milk traits in 90 multiparous high-yielding Holstein cows, held on a research farm, from wk 1 to 10 postpartum (p.p.) and to investigate the precision of prediction with successively decreased data sets simulating smaller herd sizes and with pooled samples. Dry matter intake, milk yield, and BW were measured daily from parturition through wk 10 p.p. Milk composition was determined 4 times per week, and milk acetone was measured weekly. Blood samples for the determination of metabolites, hormones, electrolytes, and enzyme activities were taken weekly from wk 1 to 10 p.p. between 0730 and 0900. Body condition scores and ultrasonic measurements of backfat thickness and fat depth in the pelvic area were evaluated in wk 1, 4, and 8 p.p. Concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, urea, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine (T4) in blood plasma and of lactose and urea in milk were positively correlated with EB, whereas concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), creatinine, albumin, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and growth hormone and enzyme activities in blood, and concentrations of fat, protein, fat:lactose ratio, and acetone in milk were negatively correlated with EB. Leptin concentration was not correlated to EB over the first 10 wk p.p. To estimate EB linear mixed-effects, models were developed by backward selection procedures. The most informative traits for estimation of EB were the fat:lactose ratio in milk and NEFA and T4 concentrations in blood. The precision of estimation of EB in individual cows was low. Using blood in addition to milk traits did not result in higher precision of estimation of herd-level EB, and decreasing sample sizes considerably lowered the precision of EB prediction. Estimation of overall mean herd-level EB over the first 10 wk p.p. using pooled samples was precise even with small sample sizes, but does not consider the level of EB in particular weeks. In conclusion, estimation of herd-level EB at individual weeks using milk traits only has practical implication with herd sizes of > or = 100 cows if calving is highly seasonal and of or = 400 cows if calving is uniformly distributed. Using blood in addition to milk traits does not improve precision of estimation of herd-level EB, regardless of sample size.     

Sand–rubber mixtures undergoing isotropic loading: derivation and experimental probing of a physical model

The volume of scrap tyres, an undesired urban waste, is increasing rapidly in every country. Mixing sand and rubber particles as a lightweight backfill is one of the possible alternatives to avoid stockpiling them in the environment. This paper presents a minimal model aiming to shed light on the relevant physical parameters governing the evolution of the void ratio of sand–rubber mixtures undergoing an isotropic compression loading, where the mixtures consist of various volume ratios of rubber. It is based on the idea that, when pressure is applied, the rubber particles deform and partially fill the porous space of the system, leading to a decrease of the void ratio with increasing pressure. We show that our simple approach is capable of reproducing experimental data obtained with sand and rubber of similar particle size distributions up to mixtures composed of 50% of rubber. The effect of the particle shape and size on the model parameters is discussed.