Misalignment Effect on the Static Characteristics of Magnetized Journal Bearing Lubricated with Ferrofluid

In this paper a generalized Reynolds equation suitable for misaligned hydrodynamic journal bearings lubricated by either Newtonian or non-Newtonian ferrofluid is developed. The equation has been solved numerically by the finite difference technique with an appropriate iterative method and the pressure distributions have been obtained. Design charts for all static characteristics (including load capacity, attitude angle, side flow, friction force and misaligned moments) under different misalignment conditions are presented. The effects of misalignment conditions on all these bearing-performance characteristics are analyzed. The results conclude that magnetic lubrication improves, in general, the bearing performance under misalignment.     

Tribological Properties of Borided AISI 4140 Steel with the Powder Pack-Boriding Method

The present study evaluates the tribological properties of boride layers on the surface of AISI 4140 steel, formed using the pack-boriding method. Commercial EKabor^®2 was used as the boronizing agent and the treatment was carried out at 900, 950, 1000, and 1050 °C for 2, 4, and 6 h, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and microhardness tests were used to characterize the phase composition, microstructure, and local hardness, respectively, of the borided steel samples. Block-on-disc tests were used to investigate tribological properties. Abrasive wear tests were carried out using emery paper at a fixed sliding speed and three different loads. Adhesive wear tests were executed against AISI 52100 steel at a fixed load and distance. The coefficient of friction values (COF) of the samples were determined simultaneously during the tests. The weight loss and COF of the borided samples were compared with untreated samples and the results suggest that both wear resistance and friction properties of the AISI 4140 steel improve with boriding.     

Dry Sliding Friction and Wear Properties of Al–25Zn–3Cu–(0–5)Si Alloys in the As-Cast and Heat-Treated Conditions

Dry sliding friction and wear properties of ternary Al–25Zn–3Cu and quaternary Al–25Zn–3Cu–(1–5)Si alloys were investigated using a pin-on-disc test machine after examining their microstructures and mechanical properties. An alloy (Al–25Zn–3Cu–3Si), which exhibited the highest tensile and compressive strengths, was subjected to T7 heat treatment. Surface and subsurface of the wear samples were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The hardness and both tensile and compressive strengths of the alloys increased with increasing silicon content, but the trend reversed for the latter ones above 3% Si. It was observed that T7 heat treatment reduced the hardness and both tensile and compressive strengths of the Al–25Zn–3Cu–3Si alloy, but increased its elongation to fracture greatly. Three distinct regions were observed underneath the surface of the wear samples of the Al–25Zn–3Cu–3Si alloy. The formation of these regions was related to the heavy deformation of surface material and mixing, oxidation and smearing of wear material. Al–25Zn-based ternary and quaternary alloys in both as-cast and heat-treated conditions were found to be superior to SAE 660 bronze as far as their mechanical and dry sliding wear properties are concerned.     

Acute metabolic responses of postpartal dairy cows to subcutaneous glucagon injections, oral glycerol, or both

This study examined the effects of multiple subcutaneous glucagon injections with or without co-administration of oral glycerol on energy status-related blood metabolites and hormones of Holstein dairy cows in the first 2 wk postpartum. Twenty multiparous cows were fed a dry cow ration supplemented with 6 kg of cracked corn during the dry period to increase the likelihood of developing postpartal fatty liver syndrome. Cows with a body condition score of ≥3.5 points (1- to 5-point scale) were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatment groups: saline, glucagon, glycerol, or glucagon plus glycerol. Following treatment, serial blood samples were collected over an 8-h period to determine the effects of glucagon and glycerol on blood metabolites and hormones. Treatment effects were determined by comparing the concentrations of metabolites and hormones during the first 4-h period and the entire 8-h period after treatment administration (time 0) with the concentration of the same compounds at time 0 on d 1, 7, and 13 postpartum. Administration of glucagon alone increased concentrations of plasma glucagon and insulin on d 1, 7, and 13 and increased plasma glucose and decreased plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) on d 7 and 13 postpartum relative to the saline group. Administration of glycerol alone increased plasma glucose on d 7 and plasma triacylglycerols on d 1 postpartum. Glycerol administration also decreased plasma glucagon and NEFA on d 1, 7, and 13 and plasma β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) on d 1 postpartum relative to the saline group. Administration of glucagon plus glycerol increased and sustained concentrations of plasma glucagon, glucose, and insulin on d 1, 7, and 13 and decreased plasma NEFA on d 1, 7, and 13 and BHBA on d 1 and 7. Early postpartal treatment of dairy cows with glucagon plus glycerol increased plasma glucose and insulin, decreased plasma NEFA and BHBA, and increased secretion of liver NEFA as plasma triacylglycerols. This suggests that glucagon and glycerol, when co-administered, act to decrease the likelihood of metabolism-related syndrome development in dairy cows.     

Probabliistic Analysis Of Electrocardiogram (Ecg) Heart Signal

Electrocardiography (ECG) is a heart signal wave that is recorded using medical sensors, which are normally attached to the human body by the heart. ECG waves have repetitive patterns that can be efficiently used in the diagnosis of heart problems as they carry several characteristics of heart operation. Traditionally, the analysis of ECG waves is done using informal techniques, like simulation, which is in-exhaustive and thus the analysis results may lead to ambiguities and life threatening scenarios in extreme cases. In order to overcome such problems, we propose to analyze ECG heart signals using probabilistic model checking, which is a formal methods based quantitative analysis approach. This work presents the formal probabilistic analysis of ECG signal abnormalities where the likelihood of abnormal patterns is studied and analyzed using the PRISM model checker.     

Reactions with 5-Substituted 2-Thiazolidinone-4-thiones. Part IV

5-Arylidene-2-thiazolidinone-4-thiones 1 undergo Michael type reactions with Ω-nitrostyrene, α,β-unsaturated ketones and N-arylmaleimides to give the corresponding 7-aryl-tetrahydro-7H-thiopyrano[2,3-d]thiazole-2-one derivatives 3 and 4 . Arylmagnesium bromides add to the lateral double bond of 5-arylidene-3-phenyl-2-thiazolidinone-4-thiones 5 to yield products 6 . With phenyl-hydrazine at room temperature, 1 or 5 yield the corresponding aldehyde phenylhydrazones and 4-phenyl-hydrazono-2-thiazolidinone or its 3-phenyl derivative. The thione group in 5-diaryl-methyl-2-thiazolidinone-4-thiones condenses with phenylhydrazine to yield 5-diarylmethyl-4-phenyl-hydrazono-2-thiazolidinones 9 .     

Antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of Turkish plant spices

The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of nine plant spices (savory, laurel, oregano, basil, cumin, seafennel, myrtle, pickling herb, and mint) were tested at three concentrations (1, 10, and 15%) and tested on various microorganisms (Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida rugosa, Rhizopus oryzae and Aspergillus niger). The results showed that the essential oils tested varied in their antimicrobial activity. Individual or combinations of plant essential oils may provide an efficacious mixture for the inactivation of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, and to achieve adequate shelf-life of foods.     

Physical Properties of Starch from Cavendish Banana Fruit

Starch was isolated from green Cavendish bananas after sodium hydroxide treatment, and its physical properties as they affected its potential acceptance as a food ingredient were measured and compared with those of corn, waxy corn, waxy corn diphosphate, acetylated waxy corn diphosphate, potato, and tapioca starches. Banana starch granules had a moisture content of 15.5%, an amylose content of 19.5% on a dry weight basis, and were highly irregular in shape and size, with the mode of characteristic length falling at 15 μm. The gelatinization range was 70.1 °C to 74.6 °C. Scanning electron micrography showed that in water the granules underwent surface cracking at 65 °C and progressively greater swelling, deformation, and erosion between 70 °C and 90 °C. At 95 °C, 6% banana starch paste in a Brabender Amylograph had a viscosity four times that of corn starch paste of the same concentration, and viscosity decreased rather slowly with stirring. The paste was somewhat longer than that of corn starch, but appreciably shorter than tapioca starch paste. Gelled banana starch was nearly as strong as corn starch, and also was nearly as opaque and reflective.     

Improvement of microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ91/SiC composite by mechanical alloying

AZ91 magnesium alloy reinforced with SiC particulates was fabricated via powder metallurgy technique as well as mechanical alloying process where a planetary ball mill was employed. Microstructure and mechanical properties of the fabricated AZ91 composites had been evaluated. Microstructural study showed that grain size of the material was refined and SiC particulates were well distributed after mechanical alloying. Mechanical tests of the composite showed an enhanced yield and ultimate tensile strengths for the mechanically alloyed samples compared with those prepared via the powder metallurgical route.