Cyclic oxidation response of multiphase niobium-based alloys

Cyclic oxidation tests were performed on multiphase Nb-based alloys containing silicide, Laves, and Nb solid solution phases. In particular, the oxidation resistance of six alloys with various compositions (Nb, Ti, Hf, Cr, Ge, and Si) and microstructures was characterized by thermal cycling from ambient temperature to a peak temperature that ranges from 900 °C to 1400 °C. Weight change data were obtained and the corresponding spalled oxides were collected and identified by X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that Nb-based alloys formed a mixture of CrNbO₄, Nb₂O₅, and Nb₂O₅ · TiO₂, with possibly small amounts of SiO₂ or GeO₂. The oxidation resistance was improved when CrNbO₄ formed instead of Nb₂O₅ and Nb₂O₅ · TiO₂. These results were used to assess the influence of microstructure and composition on the oxidation resistance of multiphase Nb-based alloys.     

Failure mode and effects analysis using a group-based evidential reasoning approach

Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a methodology to evaluate a system, design, process or service for possible ways in which failures (problems, errors, risks and concerns) can occur. It is a group decision function and cannot be done on an individual basis. The FMEA team often demonstrates different opinions and knowledge from one team member to another and produces different types of assessment information such as complete and incomplete, precise and imprecise and known and unknown because of its cross-functional and multidisciplinary nature. These different types of information are very difficult to incorporate into the FMEA by the traditional risk priority number (RPN) model and fuzzy rule-based approximate reasoning methodologies. In this paper we present an FMEA using the evidential reasoning (ER) approach, a newly developed methodology for multiple attribute decision analysis. The proposed FMEA is then illustrated with an application to a fishing vessel. As is illustrated by the numerical example, the proposed FMEA can well capture FMEA team members’ diversity opinions and prioritize failure modes under different types of uncertainties.     

室温固相反应制备纳米Co_3O_4粉体

以硝酸钻和碳酸氢铵为原料,采用室温固相反应首先制备出前驱物碱式碳酸钴,然后将前驱物在２５０℃分解３ｈ,得到纳米四氧化三钴．用Ｘ射线粉末衍射、透射电镜、热分析仪、扫描电镜对产物的组成、大小、形貌及有关性质进行了表征．结果表明获得了平均粒径在13nm、分布均匀、无团聚的纳米粉体．     

Antimicrobial resistant genes associated with Salmonella from retail meats and street foods

We examined the antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella isolates from 300 meat products (raw beef, chicken meat and street foods). A total of 88 non-duplicate Salmonella from 66 (22.0%) retail meat and 22 (7.5%) street food samples were recovered and 11 serovars were identified. Among the 88 Salmonella isolates, the highest resistance was to tetracycline (73.8%), followed by sulfonamide (63.6%), streptomycin (57.9%), nalidixic acid (44.3%), trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (19.3%), ampicillin (17.0%), chloramphenicol (10.2%), cephalotin (8.0%), kanamycin (6.8%), ciprofloxacin (2.2%) gentamycin (2.2%), cefoxitin (2.2%), amoxicillin–clavulanate (1.0%) and amikacin (1.0%). Sixty-seven percent of the isolates (59/88) were multidrug resistant (MDR). Ten out of 17 resistance genes (bla_TEM-1, strA, strB, aadA, sulI, sulII, tetA, tetB, floR, cmlA) were detected. Twelve of the 59 MDR Salmonella isolates from serovars Typhimurium (6), Newport (3), Agona (1), Albany (1) and Weltevreden (1) had class 1 integrons. The gene cassettes identified were dfrA1, dfrV, dfrA12, aadA2, sul1 genes and an open reading frame orfC of unknown function. Four integron-positive isolates could transfer resistance phenotypes to the recipient strain, E. coli J53 via conjugation. These data revealed that the Salmonella isolates recovered from the retail meats and cooked street foods were resistant to multiple antimicrobials, which can be transmitted to humans through food products. The occurrence of mobile genetic elements such as integrons reiterates the roles of food of animal origins as a reservoir of MDR Salmonella.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban surface dust of Guangzhou, China: Status, sources and human health risk assessment

Ninety-six urban surface dust samples collected from Guangzhou, a typical urban center in South China, were analyzed for 16 PAHs (2-6 rings). ∑ PAHs concentrations in the urban surface dust ranged from 0.84 to 12.3 μg/g with a mean of 4.80 μg/g. High molecular weight compounds (4-6 rings) contributed to 62 to 94% of ∑ PAHs mass in the surface dust samples. Four hotspots with highest ∑ PAHs were identified via kriging prediction mapping, representing the highly-urbanized regions: central downtown, highway and industrial area. Two major origins of PAHs inputs to urban surface dust were identified as vehicle emissions (51.9%) and coal combustion (26.8%). The 95% UCL of Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) due to human exposure to urban surface dust PAHs in central South China was 3.03 × 10⁻⁶ for children and 2.92 × 10⁻⁶ for adults.     

Totally analytical closure of space filtered Navier–Stokes for arbitrary Reynolds number: Part III. aFNS theory validation

ABSTRACT

For arbitrary Reynolds number Re, aFNS theory O(1; δ²; δ³) significance scaled state variable achieves analytical closure of rigorously space filtered thermal, multi-species Navier–Stokes (NS) conservation principle partial differential equation (PDE) system well-posed on bounded domains (Part I). Validation of boundary commutation error (BCE) and nonhomogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition (DBC) resolution strategies results in AD^h-GWS^h-BCE^h-DBC^h algorithm coupling with aFNS theory optimal Galerkin GWS^h?+?θTS CFD algorithm (Part II), including accuracy/convergence assessments. For Reynolds numbers ranging E+02 <Re?<?2E+04, aFNS theory fully coupled k?=?1 basis Galerkin CFD code generated a posteriori data enable theory quantitative validation. For assured laminar Re range, NS no-slip BC reduced and coupled aFNS theory code predicted quasi-steady thermal-velocity transition to periodic unsteady is validated via linear stability predicted critical Re. For Re exceeding assured laminar, theory coupled CFD data quantify spatial filtering annihilation of (laminar) NS predicted large wave number spectral content. For sufficiently large Re, coupled CFD code a posteriori data document first principles prediction of unsteady periodic wall attached velocity profile transitioning-from-laminar, then separation, fully turbulent profile reattachment followed by relaminarization. These large Re CFD data as well enable validation of perturbation theory O(1; δ²; δ³) significance scaled state variable, AD^h-GWS^h-DBC^h algorithm prediction of O(δ²) state variable non-homogeneous Dirichlet BC DOF data and in concert thoroughly quantify theory generated O(δ²; δ³) state variable distributions.     

A Modular Collaborative Parallel CFD Workbench

Simulation of physical phenomena on computers has joined engineering mechanics theory and laboratory experimentation as the third method of engineering analysis design. It is in fact the only feasible method for analyzing many critically important phenomena, e.g., quenching, heat treating, full scale phenomena, etc. With the rapid maturation of inexpensive parallel computing technology, and high performance communications, there will emerge shortly a totally new, highly interactive computing/simulation environment supporting engineering design optimization. This environment will exist on the Internet employing interoperable software/hardware infrastructures emergent today. A key element of this will involve development of computational software enabling utilization of all HPCC advances. This paper introduces the concept and details the development of a user-adapted computational simulation software platform prototype on the Internet.     

Environmental factors affecting plasmin activity in milk

A total of 367 milk samples were collected from 43 individual Holstein cows during 1 yr. Samples were analyzed for plasmin activity, total casein, alpha s-casein (alpha s1-casein + alpha s2-casein), beta-casein, kappa-casein, and SCC. Least squares analyses showed that SCC in milk were positively related (r = .62) to plasmin activity. An increase of SCC from 100,000 to 1,300,000/ml was associated with a 2.3-fold increase in plasmin activity (100 vs. 230 x 10(-6) units/ml). Increased plasmin activity was associated with advancing stage of lactation and older cows after appropriate adjustments were made for the effects of milk yield and SCC. Milk samples obtained in fall and winter were higher, but not significantly, in plasmin activity. Plasmin activity was also associated with major casein components and milk pH. Correlations coefficients between plasmin and alpha s-casein, beta-casein, and pH were -.14, -.27, and .19.     

Study of single-stranded DNA binding protein-nucleic acids interactions using unmodified gold nanoparticles and its application for detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms

We have developed a label-free homogeneous phase bioassay to characterize the DNA binding properties of single-stranded DNA binding (SSB) protein, a key protein involved in various DNA processes such as DNA replication and repair. This assay uses gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as sensing probe and is based on the phenomenon that preformed SSB-single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) complexes can protect AuNPs against salt-induced aggregation better than SSB or ssDNA alone. With the controlled particle aggregation/dispersion as measure, this assay can be used to detect the formation of SSB complexes with ssDNA of different length and nucleotide composition and to assess their binding properties without tedious and complicated assay procedures. On the basis of the inverse relationship between DNA hybridization efficiency and the tendency of SSB to form protection complex with unhybridized ssDNA to AuNPs, this assay is further developed to detect DNA hybridization with single nucleotide polymorphism selectivity. Owing to the high affinity between SSB and dissociated ssDNA, single-base mismatch discrimination in a long sequence of 30-mer DNA was achieved for both the end- and center-base mismatch. Unlike the conventional techniques for DNA and protein analysis, current AuNPs-based sensing strategy is simple in design, fast in detection, and economical for operation without the need of sophisticated equipment.