Effects of intercropping, Bradyrhizobium inoculation and chicken manure fertilisation on the chemical composition and physical characteristics of soybean seed

A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of two Bradyrhizobium strains (local and imported), chicken manure fertilisation (7 t/ha) and intercropping with sorghum on the chemical composition and physical characteristics of soybean seed. For both monocropping and intercropping systems, moisture content slightly increased for both systems and for all treatments, while ash, fibre and carbohydrate contents fluctuated for both systems and treatments. The protein content of the seeds was significantly (p ? 0.05) increased for all treatments. Tannin content was increased significantly (p ? 0.05) with a concomitant decrease in protein digestibility for both systems and for all treatments. The seed weight (100 seeds), hydration coefficient and cookability were increased for all treatments. Mineral composition of the seeds was increased and the increment varied with different treatments.     

Mineral content of milk, colostrum, and serum as affected by physiological state and mineral supplementation

A 22-mo experiment was conducted to determine effects of mineral supplementation of cows on mineral elements in milk, colostrum, and blood serum. Purebred Brahman beef cows grazing pastures grown on sandy and well-drained soils were allotted to three treatments of 12 cows each as follows: control, a complete commercial mineral mixture, control plus dietary and injected Se, and control plus fortified mineral mixture. Milk and serum were analyzed for minerals 2 consecutive yr at parturition and 3 mo postpartum. Mean cow serum, Ca, Mg, P, and packed cell volume values were higher at parturition than 3 mo later, whereas serum Cu was highest at 3 mo. Mean serum concentrations were affected by year with higher Ca and hemoglobin and lower Cu concentrations in 1982 than in 1981. Increasing dietary Se resulted in higher serum Se. Colostrum was higher in Mg, P, Cu, Fe, Se, and Zn than milk, whereas milk was higher than colostrum in Mn. Means for treatment X time showed cows fed dietary and dietary plus injected Se and vitamin E had more Se in milk than milk from cows fed no supplemental Se.     

Role of fluoride on corrodability of dental amalgams

The role of fluoride ions on the corrosion behavior of some commercial dental amalgam in artificial saliva solution at pH level 7.1 was studied by using impedance and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. It was found that, the presence of F- ions in an artificial saliva solution at pH 7.1 increases the corrodability of different types of dental amalgam. Sever pitting corrosion occurred at level of 100 mM F- ions. The formulation of amalgam alloys greatly affect the resistance to pitting corrosion; the resistance of the amalgam to pitting follows the order: Dispersalloy > Phasealloy > Oralloy > Tytin > Valiant-pH.D. It is recommended to avoid oral treatment involving high F- ions concentration in the presence of amalgam restorations.     

Hourly River Flow Forecasting: Application of Emotional Neural Network Versus Multiple Machine Learning Paradigms

Water Resources Management - Monitoring hourly river flows is indispensable for flood forecasting and disaster risk management. The objective of the present study is to develop a suite of hourly...     

Characterization of filamentous fungi isolated from Moroccan olive and olive cake: toxinogenic potential of Aspergillus strains

During the 2003 and 2004 olive oil production campaigns in Morocco, 136 samples from spoiled olive and olive cake were analyzed and 285 strains were isolated in pure culture. Strains included 167 mesophilic strains belonging to ten genera: Penicillium, Aspergillus, Geotrichum, Mucor, Rhizopus, Trichoderma, Alternaria, Acremonium, Humicola, Ulocladium as well as 118 thermophilic strains isolated in 2003 and 2004, mainly belonging to six species: Aspergillus fumigatus, Paecilomyces variotii, Mucor pusillus, Thermomyces lanuginosus, Humicola grisea, and Thermoascus aurantiacus. Penicillium and Aspergillus, respectively, 32.3 and 26.9% of total isolates represented the majority of mesophilic fungi isolated. When considering total strains (including thermotolerant strains) Aspergillus were the predominant strains isolated; follow-up studies on mycotoxins therefore focused primarily on aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) from the latter strains. All isolated Aspergillus flavus strains (9) and Aspergillus niger strains (36) were studied in order to evaluate their capacity to produce AFs and OTA, respectively, when grown on starch-based culture media. Seven of the nine tested A. flavus strains isolated from olive and olive cake produced AF B1 at concentrations between 48 and 95 microg/kg of dry rice weight. As for the A. niger strains, 27 of the 36 strains produced OTA.     

Subsurface damage during dry sliding wear of Al-Al3Ni eutectic alloy

Cylindrical Al-Al₃Ni eutectic alloy wear pins (10 mm in diameter) were slid against a polished steel surface in a pin-on-disc rotating machine under unlubricated conditions with bearing pressures of 6–60 kPa and a constant sliding speed of 70 m min^?1. Metallographic changes in the subsurface region of contact were examined by optical microscopy and microhardness measurements. In the bearing pressure range investigated the alloy exhibited “mild” wear in two linear regions identified as pure “oxidative” wear at low bearing pressures and oxidative with superimposed “metallic” wear at higher bearing pressures. Plastic deformation and fragmentation of the Al₃Ni phase occurred under all bearing pressures. However, in composites prepared by unidirectional solidification containing large Al₃Ni particles fragmentation was insignificant. In all other specimens the size of the fragmented particles in the subsurface region of contact was about 5 μm irrespective of the bearing pressure.     

The production of biohydrogen by a novel strain Clostridium sp. YM1 in dark fermentation process

In view of increasing attempts for the production of renewable energy, the production of biohydrogen energy by a new mesophilic bacterium Clostridium sp. YM1 was performed for the first time in the dark fermentation. Experimental results showed that the fermentative hydrogen was successfully produced by Clostridium sp. YM1 with the highest cumulative hydrogen volume of 3821 ml/L with a hydrogen yield of 1.7 mol H₂/mol glucose consumed. Similar results revealed that optimum incubation temperature and pH value of culture medium were 37 °C and 6.5, respectively. The study of hydrogen production from glucose and xylose revealed that this strain was able to generate higher hydrogen from glucose compared to that from xylose. The profile of volatile fatty acids produced showed that hydrogen generation by Clostridium sp. YM1 was butyrate-type fermentation. Moreover, the findings of this study indicated that an increase in head space of fermentation culture positively enhanced hydrogen production.     

Experimental study of gasoline-ethanol-hydrogen blends combustion in an SI engine

This study presents experimental results of engine performance, combustion and emissions in an SI engine fueled by gasoline-ethanol-hydrogen blends. In the experimental studies, engine performance and emission values were analyzed fueled by gasoline, gasoline-ethanol and gasoline-ethanol-hydrogen blends, respectively. When ethanol has been added volumetrically to gasoline 20% of ethanol (G80E20), engine performance and emissions have been worsened. However, the engine performance and emission values have been improved with the adding of hydrogen to blend. The results showed that the addition of hydrogen to the gasoline-ethanol blend improved the combustion process and improved the combustion efficiency, expanded the combustibility range of the gasoline-ethanol blend, reduced emissions. But, nitrogen oxide emission values increased with the adding of hydrogen.     

Evaluation of sericin/collagen membranes as prospective wound dressing biomaterial

Sericin, a silk protein, has high potential for use in biomedical applications. In this study, wound dressing membranes of Sericin (S) and Collagen (C) were prepared by glutaraldehyde cross-linking at S/C; 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 0:1 weight ratios. They were stable in water for 4 weeks. However, increasing the proportion of sericin had decreasing effect on the membrane stability. Water swelling property of membranes was enhanced with sericin. The highest water swelling was obtained in 1:1 group (9.06 g/g), but increasing collagen or sericin content in the membranes had a diminishing effect. Highest water vapor transmission rate was obtained with 1:2 group (1013.80 g/m²/day). Oxygen permeability results showed that 1:2 (7.67 mg/L) and 2:1 (7.85 mg/L) S/C groups were better than the other groups. While sericin decreased the tensile strength and elongation of membranes, it increased modulus. Sericin also increased brittleness of membranes, but their UTS range (24.93–44.92 MPa) was still suitable for a wound dressing. Membranes were not penetrable to microorganisms. Cytotoxicity studies showed that fibroblasts and keratinocytes attached and gained their characteristic morphologies. They also proliferated on membranes significantly. After 1 week of subcutaneous implantation, a fibrous capsule formed around all membranes with an acute inflammation. Sericin containing membranes showed signs of degradation (at 2nd week), while collagen only membranes remained largely intact. Eventually, sericin containing membranes degraded in 3 weeks with moderate inflammatory response. Overall results suggest that sericin/collagen membranes would be favorable as wound dressing material when sericin ratio is less than or equal to the collagen component.