Wear Behaviour of Crankshaft Journals Filled by Submerged Arc Welding

In this study, wear behaviour of crankshaft journals filled by a submerged arc welding with different welding wires and powders is investigated. Hardness and microstructure variations in the submerged arc welding are examined. In addition, the amount of weight loss in abrasion samples of filling dry and lubrication ambience is measured under 40 N loads. It is observed that the amount of abrasion decreased with the increase of hardness at a certain point. Thin wire structure is provided for better abrasion resistance, and abrasion decreases with lubrication.В работе исследован режим износа цапф коленчатого вала, обработанных дуговой сваркой под флюсом с различными сварочными проволоками и порошками. Изучены вариации твёрдости и микроструктуры при дуговой сварке под флюсом. Кроме того, была измерена величина потери веса в образцах, подвергнутых истиранию в сухих и смазочных средах при нагрузках в 40 Н. Наблюдалось уменьшение величины истирания с увеличением твёрдости до определённого предела. Было обеспечено использование тонкой проволоки для лучшего сопротивления истиранию, а истирание уменьшалось при смазке.В роботі досліджено режим спрацювання цапф колінчастого валу, оброблених дуговим зварюванням під флюсом з різними зварювальними дротами і порошками. Досліджено варіації твердості та мікроструктури при дуговому зварюванні під флюсом. Крім цього, було виміряно величину втрати ваги в зразках, підданих стиранню в сухих і змащувальних середовищах при навантаженнях у 40 Н. Спостерігалося зменшення величини стирання зі збільшенням твердості до певної границі. Було забезпечено використання тонкого дроту для кращого опору стиранню, а стирання зменшувалося при змащуванні

Biofortification and Localization of Zinc in Wheat Grain

Zinc (Zn) deficiency associated with low dietary intake is a well-documented public health problem, resulting in serious health and socioeconomic problems. Field experiments were conducted with wheat to test the role of both soil and foliar application of ZnSO4 in Zn concentration of whole grain and grain fractions (e.g., bran, embryo and endosperm) in 3 locations. Foliar application of ZnSO4 was realized at different growth stages (e.g., stem elongation, boot, milk, dough stages) to study the effect of timing of foliar Zn application on grain Zn concentration. The rate of foliar Zn application at each growth stage was 4 kg of ZnSO4 3 7H2O ha-1. Laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS was used to follow the localization of Zn within grain. Soil Zn application at a rate of 50 kg of ZnSO4 3 7H2O ha-1 was effective in increasing grain Zn concentration in the Zn-deficient location, but not in the locations without soil Zn deficiency. In all locations, foliar application of Zn significantly increased Zn concentration in whole grain and in each grain fraction, particularly in the case of high soil N fertilization. In Zn-deficient location, grain Zn concentration increased from 11 mg kg-1 to 22 mg kg-1 with foliar Zn application and to 27 mg kg-1 with a combined application of ZnSO4 to soil and foliar. In locations without soil Zn deficiency, combination of high N application with two times foliar Zn application (e.g., at the booting and milk stages) increased grain Zn concentration, on average, from 28 mg kg-1 to 58 mg kg-1. Both ICP-OES and LA-ICP-MS data showed that the increase in Zn concentration of whole grain and grain fractions was pronounced when Zn was sprayed at the late growth stage (e.g., milk and dough). LA-ICP-MS data also indicated that Zn was transported into endosperm through the crease phloem. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that the timing of foliar Zn application is of great importance in increasing grain Zn in wheat, especially in the endosperm part that is the predominant grain fraction consumed in many countries. Providing a large pool of Zn in vegetative tissues during the grain filling (e.g., via foliar Zn spray) is an important practice to increase grain Zn and contribute to human nutritio

Investigating harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) population differentiation using RAD-tag genotyping by sequencing

The population status of the harbor porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ) in the Baltic Sea and adjacent regions is still not fully resolved. Here, we present a pilot study using the double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) genotyping- by -sequencing method on specimens from the Baltic Sea, eastern North Sea, Spain and the Black Sea. From a single Illumina lane and a set of 49 individuals, w e obtained around 6000 SNPs. We used these markers to estimate population structure and differentiation, and identified splits between porpoises from the North Sea and the Baltic, and within regions in the Baltic Sea (between the Belt Sea and the Inner Baltic Sea). The SNP analysis confirms population structure elucidated by previous mtDNA/microsatellite studies. We demonstrate the feasibility of SNP analysis on opportunistically sampled cetacean samples, with varying DNA quality, for population diversity and divergence analysis

First Measurement of A_N at sqrt(s)=200 GeV in Polarized Proton-Proton Elastic Scattering at RHIC

We report on the first measurement of the single spin analyzing power (A_N) at sqrt(s)=200GeV, obtained by the pp2pp experiment using polarized proton beams at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Data points were measured in the four momentum transfer t range 0.01 < |t| < 0.03 (GeV/c)^2. Our result, averaged over the whole t-interval is about one standard deviation above the calculation, which uses interference between electromagnetic spin-flip amplitude and hadronic non-flip amplitude, the source of A_N. The difference could be explained by an additional contribution of a hadronic spin-flip amplitude to A_N.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. New values of polarization errors. Final version submitted to Phys. Lett.

First Measurement of Proton-Proton Elastic Scattering at RHIC

The first result of the pp2pp experiment at RHIC on elastic scattering of polarized protons at sqrt{s} = 200 GeV is reported here. The exponential slope parameter b of the diffractive peak of the elastic cross section in the t range 0.010 <= |t| <= 0.019 (GeV/c)^2 was measured to be b = 16.3 +- 1.6 (stat.) +- 0.9 (syst.) (GeV/c)^{-2} .Comment: 9 pages 5 figure

New Alien Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (August 2022)

In this Collective Article on alien and cryptogenic diversity in the Mediterranean Sea we report a total of 19 species belonging to nine Phyla and coming from nine countries. Several of these records concern fish species, and of particular interest are the first records of: Terapon puta for Italian waters; Pteragopus trispilus from Malta; Plotosus lineatus from Cyprus; and the northernmost Mediterranean record of Lagocephalus sceleratus. The northernmost Mediterranean record was also reported for the sea urchin Diadema setosum. The portunid crab Thalamita poissonii was recorded for the first time in Libya. The copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus was recorded for the first time in the Marmara Sea. The polychaete Branchiomma luctuosum was recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean coast of France. The alien anemone Diadumene lineata was recorded for the first time from Slovenia. The macroalgae Sargassum furcatum was recorded for the first time from Italy. The new Mediterranean records here reported help tracing abundance and distribution of alien and cryptic species in the Mediterranean Sea

International nosocomial infection control consortium (INICC) report, data summary of 36 countries, for 2004-2009

The results of a surveillance study conducted by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) from January 2004 through December 2009 in 422 intensive care units (ICUs) of 36 countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe are reported. During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN; formerly the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system [NNIS]) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infections, we gathered prospective data from 313,008 patients hospitalized in the consortium's ICUs for an aggregate of 2,194,897 ICU bed-days. Despite the fact that the use of devices in the developing countries' ICUs was remarkably similar to that reported in US ICUs in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were significantly higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals; the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection in the INICC ICUs of 6.8 per 1,000 central line-days was more than 3-fold higher than the 2.0 per 1,000 central line-days reported in comparable US ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia also was far higher (15.8 vs 3.3 per 1,000 ventilator-days), as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (6.3 vs. 3.3 per 1,000 catheter-days). Notably, the frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates to imipenem (47.2% vs 23.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (76.3% vs 27.1%), Escherichia coli isolates to ceftazidime (66.7% vs 8.1%), Staphylococcus aureus isolates to methicillin (84.4% vs 56.8%), were also higher in the consortium's ICUs, and the crude unadjusted excess mortalities of device-related infections ranged from 7.3% (for catheter-associated urinary tract infection) to 15.2% (for ventilator-associated pneumonia). Copyright © 2012 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Marine vessels alter the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the Istanbul Strait, Turkey

The non-lethal impacts of marine vessels on cetaceans are now a globally recognised threat. This study is the first to investigate the effect of marine traffic on the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the Istanbul Strait, Turkey. The Istanbul Strait (also known as the Bosphorus) is one of the busiest international waterways in the world and is exposed to dense marine traffic. The effect of marine traffic, location and season on the behavioural transitions was investigated through general log-linear analysis. Further, the changes on the behavioural budget and bout duration were assessed using Markov chains. Results showed that marine vessels were the main driving force for the behavioural transitions. These changes in transitions between behaviours led to significant changes in behavioural budget and bout durations (average time in each behavioural state). Surface-feeding, resting and socialising behaviour significantly de creased in the control budget, while diving showed an increase in the presence of vessels. Moreover, dolphins spent less time surface-feeding, resting, socialising and diving once disrupted. Furthermore, the current level of vessel-dolphin interaction (51%) in the Istanbul Strait was sufficiently high to alter the dolphins' cumulative behavioural budget significantly. Finally, speed and distance of vessels played a considerable role in the directional responses of dolphins. These results raise concerns on the potential biological consequences of the observed behavioural changes, considering that the population is already classified 'at risk' and is still lacking species-specific conservation plans. The results of the study must be considered immediately to create protected zones in order to mitigate the vessel-dolphin interactions

Marine vessels alter the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the Istanbul Strait, Turkey

The non-lethal impacts of marine vessels on cetaceans are now a globally recognised threat. This study is the first to investigate the effect of marine traffic on the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the Istanbul Strait, Turkey. The Istanbul Strait (also known as the Bosphorus) is one of the busiest international waterways in the world and is exposed to dense marine traffic. The effect of marine traffic, location and season on the behavioural transitions was investigated through general log-linear analysis. Further, the changes on the behavioural budget and bout duration were assessed using Markov chains. Results showed that marine vessels were the main driving force for the behavioural transitions. These changes in transitions between behaviours led to significant changes in behavioural budget and bout durations (average time in each behavioural state). Surface-feeding, resting and socialising behaviour significantly de creased in the control budget, while diving showed an increase in the presence of vessels. Moreover, dolphins spent less time surface-feeding, resting, socialising and diving once disrupted. Furthermore, the current level of vessel-dolphin interaction (51%) in the Istanbul Strait was sufficiently high to alter the dolphins' cumulative behavioural budget significantly. Finally, speed and distance of vessels played a considerable role in the directional responses of dolphins. These results raise concerns on the potential biological consequences of the observed behavioural changes, considering that the population is already classified 'at risk' and is still lacking species-specific conservation plans. The results of the study must be considered immediately to create protected zones in order to mitigate the vessel-dolphin interactions. © The authors 2017