Effectiveness of alfalfa in reducing fertilizer N input for optimum forage yield, protein concentration, returns and energy performance of bromegrass-alfalfa mixtures

Grasses, when grown in association with legumes, may utilize some N fixed by the legumes resulting in improved forage dry matter and protein yield. Field experiments were conducted at Lacombe and Eckville, Alberta, Canada to determine the effectiveness of alfalfa (Medicago sativaLeyss) in reducing fertilizer N requirements for optimum forage dry matter yield (DMY), protein concentration (PC), net margins (returns above N fertilization and forage harvesting costs) and non-renewable energy performance of bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss)-alfalfa mixtures. Ammonium nitrate was applied in early spring of 1993 to 1995 at 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha⁻¹ to five bromegrass-alfalfa compositions (pure bromegrass; 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2 ratio of bromegrass:alfalfa; and pure alfalfa) seeded in the summer of 1992. In the zero-N treatment, DMY was lowest in pure bromegrass stands, and increased substantially when alfalfa was grown in association with bromegrass. There was a marked increase in DMY from the application of N fertilizer in pure bromegrass stands, but the increase was much less in the mixed stands. There was a significant increase in PC in forage when bromegrass was grown in a mixture with alfalfa compared to bromegrass alone. Net margins were much greater from mixed stands than from pure bromegrass. In pure bromegrass stands, net margins increased with increasing N rates up to 200 kg N ha⁻¹, but equivalent net margins were usually attained without fertilizer N in bromegrass-alfalfa mixtures as low as 2:1. Energy performance of pure bromegrass stands was substantially improved by including alfalfa in the stands, whereas application of N fertilizer caused a strong and steady decline in energy use efficiency. Our findings indicate that seeding alfalfa in mixed stands with bromegrass can generate savings in N fertilizer (for pure bromegrass stands) equivalent to about 100 kg N ha⁻¹ or more, without any detrimental effect on forage yield, forage quality or net earnings. However, the short-lived nature of alfalfa in bromegrass-alfalfa mixtures remains a cautionary concern. Thus, producers should also adopt management practices that enhance longevity of alfalfa to maximize long-term benefits of using grass-legume mixtures. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of input level and crop diversity on soil nitrate-N,extractable P,aggregation, organic C and N,and nutrient balance in the Canadian Prairie

A field experiment was conducted from 1995 to 2006 on a Dark Brown Chernozem (Typic Boroll) loam soil at Scott, Saskatchewan, Canada to determine the influence of input level and crop diversity on accumulation and distribution of nitrate-N and extractable P in the soil profile, and soil pH, dry aggregation, organic C and N, and nutrient balance sheets in the second 6-year rotation cycle (2001–2006). Treatments were combinations of three input levels (organic input under conventional tillage—ORG; reduced input under no-till—RED; and high input under conventional tillage—HIGH), three crop diversities (fallow-based rotations with low crop diversity—LOW; diversified rotations using annual cereal, oilseed and pulse grain crops—DAG; and diversified rotations using annual grain and perennial forage crops—DAP), and six crop phases including green manure (GM), chem-fallow or tilled-fallow (F). Amount of nitrate-N in 0-240 cm soil was usually highest under the HIGH input-LOW crop diversity treatment and lowest under the ORG input-DAP crop diversity treatment. The distribution of nitrate-N in various soil depths suggested downward movement of nitrate-N up to 240 cm depth, especially with LOW crop diversity compared to DAP crop diversity, and with HIGH input. In some years, the ORG input systems had higher nitrate-N than the RED or HIGH input systems, which was attributed to low extractable P in soil for optimum crop growth and reduced nutrient uptake with ORG input management. Extractable P in soil was higher by a small margin for HIGH or RED input relative to ORG input in the 0–15 cm layer, suggesting little downward movement of P. Crop diversity did not affect extractable soil P due to the low baseline levels of P in this soil. The proportion of fine dry aggregates (<1.3 mm, erodible fraction) in 0–5 cm soil was highest with LOW crop diversity-HIGH input system, and lowest with DAG diversity-RED input system. The opposite was true for large aggregates (>12.7 mm). Wet aggregate stability was higher for RED input compared to ORG and HIGH input, which was attributed to the increase in the concentration of organic C in aggregates in the RED input system. Amount of light fraction organic matter (LFOM), light fraction organic C (LFOC) and light fraction organic N (LFON) in 0–15 cm soil was higher for RED input compared to ORG and HIGH inputs, and higher for DAG and DAP crop diversities than for LOW crop diversity. Soil N and P were usually deficient under ORG input management, but large amounts of N and P were unaccounted for, or in surplus, under RED and HIGH inputs, despite a marked increase in plant N and P uptake and crop yield compared to ORG input. Overall, our findings suggest that soil quality can be improved and nutrient accumulation in the soil profile can be minimized by increasing cropping frequency, reducing/eliminating tillage, and using appropriate combinations of fertilizer input and diversified cropping.     

Performance of low cost solar reflectors for transferring sunlight to a distant collector

Efficiency of reflection and optical transmission to a distant collector is a critical parameter, along with cost per unit area, in the selection of a heliostat design for the Central Collector Solar Electric Plant. Efficient optical transmission is not easily accomplished because of the large distance to be spanned in a multi-MW facility. Depending on heliostat location, the transmission distance may vary from a few hundred to thousands of feet.Design conditions which influence optical transmission over these long distances are: heliostat pointing accuracy; spreading of the reflected solar beam due to the finite size of the Sun's image; beam spreading due to reflector misalignment or waviness; aberration present if curved heliostat reflectors are used and beam spreading due to microscopic irregularities (characteristic length less than 0.1 mm) in the reflective surface. These factors increase in importance as the transmission distance from heliostat to collector increases. Even the most preliminary heliostat design activity requires a detailed evaluation of beam spreading before the most cost effective heliostat concept, or family or concepts depending on transmission distance, can be defined.Data are presented here which will be of value in assessing one of the factors causing beam spreading. An experimental method has been utilized to determine beam spreading due to microscopic surface irregularities prevalent with “mill finished” materials. The test method provides a nearly independent measure of the effect of surface imperfections.Data are presented for five candidate materials and, as reference, an optical quality first surface mirror.     

Effect of ascorbic acid on wheat gluten

The effect of ascorbic acid on the consistency of hydrated wheat gluten was investigated. The addition of ascorbic acid to gluten in the Farinograph resulted in a drop in the maximum consistency of the gluten. Chemical tests failed to show either reduction of disulphide groups of the gluten or any blocking of sulphydryl groups by ascorbic acid. A hypothesis has been put forward, ascribing the observed changes in the consistency of the gluten to interference of the ascorbic acid with the water structure in the gluten.     

Computer algorithms for radiometric measurement of temperature during the galvanneal process

A set of computer algorithms has been developed to facilitate the measurement of temperature by radiometry during the galvannealing of steel strip. During the galvanneal process, the emissivity of the surface of the strip increases rapidly from a value of approximately 0.2 for the highly specular surface of the liquid zinc coating to a value as high as 0.8 for the surface of the diffuse intermetallic layer that is formed. Reliable noncontact measurement of temperature during galvannealing requires an approach that can accommodate and compensate for this large and rapid change in emissivity. The galvanneal process was simulated in 63 laboratory tests during which the temperature was measured by a thermocouple, and spectral radiance was measured using a dual-wavelength radiation thermometer (DWRT). The emissivity of the surface was obtained from these data. The tests were conducted at galvannealing temperatures of 753, 793, and 833 K and simulated line speeds of 60, 80, and 100 m/min. The laboratory data were used to develop a linear dual-wavelength emissivity compensation algorithm to infer the temperature of the strip to within ±20 K. The iron content of the galvannealed layers varied in the range 5 to 13 pct, and measurements of surface roughness gave arithmetic roughness values in the range 1 to 3 Μm. Formerly Graduate Research Assistant, School of Mechanical Engineering     

A comparative assessment of acceptance of different types of functional appliances

Six cytochrome P450 enzymes mediate the oxidative metabolism of most drugs in common use: CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, and CYP3A4. These enzymes have selective substrate specificity, and their activity is characterized by marked interindividual variation. Some of these systems (CYP2C19, CYP2D6) are polymorphically distributed; thus, a subset of the population may be genetically deficient in enzyme activity. Phenotyping procedures designed to identify subjects with impaired metabolism who may be at increased risk for drug toxicity have been developed and validated. This has been supplemented in recent years by the availability of genetic analysis and the identification of specific alleles that are associated with altered (i.e., reduced, deficient, or increased) enzyme activity. The potential of genotyping to predict pharmacodynamics holds great promise for the future because it does not involve the administration of exogenous compound and is not confounded by drug therapy. Drug interactions caused by the inhibition or induction of oxidative drug metabolism may be of great clinical importance because they may result in drug toxicity or therapeutic failure. Further understanding of cytochrome P450 complexity may allow, through a combined in vitro-in vivo approach, the reliable prediction and possible prevention of deleterious drug interactions.     

Sensor elements made of conductive silicone rubber for passively compliant gripper

Grinding is regarded as a special multiple edge cutting process, in which the abrasive grains remove the workpiece material at the microlevel. The grain–workpiece interaction, which resembles the microcutting process, directly modifies the workpiece surface and dominates all the output measures of grinding process. Recently, a virtual single-layer cubic boron nitride (CBN) grinding wheel model is developed by simulating each wheel fabrication step, which makes the estimation of the single grain material removal mode possible in grinding. Therefore, the study of the grain–workpiece interaction through microcutting behavior on the abrasive grains becomes necessary for the quantitative investigation of grinding processes. In this paper, the influence of the grain orientation on the microcutting performance of CBN grains is studied through finite element method (FEM) simulation based on response surface methodology (RSM). The FEM simulation helps in both qualitative and quantitative understanding of microcutting process. And the RSM analysis is proved to be an effective tool for factorial analysis in this paper. The results indicate that the single grain microcutting force is sensitive to the grain wear condition and orientation status, and there exists preferable orientation condition for microcutting with abrasive grains to achieve minimum cutting force.     

论柔性机构的应用

  柔性机构的应用越来越广泛,且在许多任务中能有效地替代常规刚体机构.所介绍的柔性结构分类产生于依尔墨瑙技术大学多年研发柔性机构的工作成果.这种对柔性结构的介绍有助于使用者提出任务并为此有目的地应用柔性机构.此外,分类还指出了柔性机构未来发展的可能性.     

A holographic study of variations in bone deformations resulting from different headgear forces in a macerated human skull

The effects of headgear on maxillary displacement and the resulting growth modifications are not completely understood, especially regarding the complex relationships between initial and secondary skeletal reactions on one hand and the influence of the direction and magnitude of the applied force on the other. The aim of the present investigation was to study, by means of holographic interferometry, the initial bone displacement occurring in response to headgear traction applied at different force magnitudes and in different directions. Orthopedic forces of 560 grams and orthodontic forces of 354 grams were stimulated on a macerated human skull. The forces came from from high-, straight-, and low-pull headgear traction directed above, through, and below the center of resistance of the maxillary first permanent molars. Immediate skeletal changes were recorded by laser holography. Initial displacements of the maxilla and zygomatic arch in both horizontal and vertical planes were evaluated on frontal and lateral holograms. In most cases, both force magnitudes caused substantial displacements in both planes, albeit to different extents. Complex bending, and rotational, translational, and relative displacements were observed. The direction of displacement did not strictly coincide with that of the applied force. The results of this study indicate that both orthodontic and orthopedic headgear traction may lead to complex initial three-dimensional skeletal displacement in directions not always corresponding with the direction of the applied force.