Failure analysis of a special vehicle engine connecting rod

This paper presents failure analysis of the connecting rod used in a 12-cylinder diesel engine set on a special vehicle. The fracture of the connecting rod occurred during the engine test in laboratory conditions. Chemical and metallographic analysis as well as mechanical testing have confirmed that the material properties of the connecting rod met the requirements of standard specification and technical documentation. Linear finite element (FE) analysis was performed to evaluate stress state of the connecting rod under maximum load. The results of FE analysis showed that the position of the fracture is consistent with the zone of highest stress. Fractographic analysis has not been able to reveal the main cause of mechanism of fracture due to substantially damaged fracture surface. Inadequate machining, absence of polishing and highest stress in the region of fracture were identified as the main causes of failure. Finally, the engine had been working at maximum load for a longer period of time that also led to the breakage of the connecting rod.This is the peer reviewed version of the paper: Rakić, S. N.; Bugarić, U.; Radisavljević, I.; Bulatović, Ž. Failure Analysis of a Special Vehicle Engine Connecting Rod. Engineering Failure Analysis 2017, 79, 98–109. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2017.04.014

Miscibility of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) with Poly(Ethylene Oxide) of Different Molecular Weights

In this work, five different techniques: dilute solution viscometry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) were employed in order to evaluate interactions of amorphous poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and semi-crystalline poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in solution and solid state. The results varied significantly from one experimental technique to another. The positive interactions between the investigated polymers were found over the whole composition range only in solution. However, in the solid state, by DSC and DMA analysis, the positive interactions were found only at elevated PVC content, while FT-IR and SEM analysis could not confirm interactions between the investigated polymers

Research of combustion in older generation spark-ignition engines in the condition of use leaded and unleaded petrol

This paper analyzes the potential problems in the exploitation of the older generation of spark-ignition engines with higher octane number of petrol (unleaded petrol BMB 95) than required (leaded petrol MB 86). Within the experimental tests on two different engines (STEYR-PUCH model 712 and GAZ 41) by applying piezoelectric pressure sensors integrated with the engine spark plugs, acceleration sensors and special electronic block connected with distributor, show that the cumulative first and second theoretical phase of combustion when petrol of higher octane number (BMB 95) is used lasts slightly longer than when the low-octane petrol MB 86 is used. For new petrol (BMB 95) higher optimal angles of pre-ignition have been determined by which better performances of the engine are achieved without a danger of the combustion with detonation (also called knocking)

Research of combustion in older generation spark-ignition engines in the condition of use leaded and unleaded petrol

This paper analyzes the potential problems in the exploitation of the older generation of spark-ignition engines with higher octane number of petrol (unleaded petrol BMB 95) than required (leaded petrol MB 86). Within the experimental tests on two different engines (STEYR-PUCH model 712 and GAZ 41) by applying piezoelectric pressure sensors integrated with the engine spark plugs, acceleration sensors (accelerometers) and special electronic block connected with distributor, show that the cumulative first and second theoretical phase of combustion when petrol of higher octane number (BMB 95) is used lasts slightly longer than when the low-octane petrol MB 86 is used. For new petrol (BMB 95) higher optimal angles of pre-ignition have been determined by which better performances of the engine are achieved without a danger of the combustion with detonation (also called knocking)

Research of combustion in older generation spark-ignition engines in the condition of use leaded and unleaded petrol

This paper analyzes the potential problems in the exploitation of the older generation of spark-ignition engines with higher octane number of petrol (unleaded petrol BMB 95) than required (leaded petrol MB 86). Within the experimental tests on two different engines (STEYR-PUCH model 712 and GAZ 41) by applying piezoelectric pressure sensors integrated with the engine spark plugs, acceleration sensors and special electronic block connected with distributor, show that the cumulative first and second theoretical phase of combustion when petrol of higher octane number (BMB 95) is used lasts slightly longer than when the low-octane petrol MB 86 is used. For new petrol (BMB 95) higher optimal angles of pre-ignition have been determined by which better performances of the engine are achieved without a danger of the combustion with detonation (also called knocking)

Study of the anticancer properties of methyl- and phenyl-substituted carbon- and silicon-bridged ansa-titanocene complexes

The previously known complexes {[}Ti\{(Me2CMe2C)(eta(5)-C5H4)(2)\}Cl-2] (1), {[}Ti\{Me2C(eta(5)-C5H4)(2)\}Cl-2] (2), {[}Ti \{Me2Si(eta(5)-C5H4)(2)\}Cl-2] (4), {[}Ti\{MePhSi(eta(5)-C5H4)(2)\}Cl-2] (5) and {[}Ti\{MePhSi(eta(5)-C5Me4)(2)\}Cl-2] (6) have been prepared following reported procedures. The novel complex {[}Ti\{MePhC(eta(5)-C5H4)(2)\}Cl-2] (3) has been prepared and characterized. The cytotoxic activity of 1-6 has been tested after 72 h on melanoma A375 and B16, prostate cancer DU145 and LNCaP and colon cancer HCT116, SW620 and CT26CL25 cell lines observing a high cytotoxic activity of complexes 1 and 6 compared to the reference compound ({[}Ti(eta(5)-C5H5)(2)\}Cl-2]). 1 and 6 have also been tested against primary normal mouse keratinocytes and lung fibroblasts. While viability of both type of primary cells was significantly less affected by 1 in comparison to the reference compound {[}Ti(eta(5)-C5H5)(2)Cl-2], compound 6 was completely nontoxic for nonmalignant cells, indicating a potential selectivity of this compound towards cancer cell lines. In addition CFSE staining, cell cycle analysis, AnnexinV-FITC/PI staining, detection of caspase activity and mitochondrial potential showed that 1 and 6 were acting through inhibition of proliferation and subsequent induction of mitochondrial dependent apoptosis in colon cancer cell lines, HCT116 and SW620, which express low sensitivity to cisplatin. Compound 6 was found to be the leading drug in this group since it shows the fastest and most selective anticancer profile. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia, Spain {[}CTQ-2011-24346, CTQ-2012-30762]; Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia {[}173013]; Grant Agency of the Czech Republic {[}P207/12/2368

The 'peptide for life' initiative in the emergency department study.

AIMS: Natriuretic peptide (NP) uptake varies in Emergency Departments (EDs) across Europe. The 'Peptide for Life' (P4L) initiative, led by Heart Failure Association, aims to enhance NP utilization for early diagnosis of heart failure (HF). We tested the hypothesis that implementing an educational campaign in Western Balkan countries would significantly increase NP adoption rates in the ED. METHODS AND RESULTS: This registry examined NP adoption before and after implementing the P4L-ED study across 10 centres in five countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. A train-the-trainer programme was implemented to enhance awareness of NP testing in the ED, and centres without access received point-of-care instruments. Differences in NP testing between the pre-P4L-ED and post-P4L-ED phases were evaluated. A total of 2519 patients were enrolled in the study: 1224 (48.6%) in the pre-P4L-ED phase and 1295 (51.4%) in the post-P4L-ED phase. NP testing was performed in the ED on 684 patients (55.9%) during the pre-P4L-ED phase and on 1039 patients (80.3%) during the post-P4L-ED phase, indicating a significant absolute difference of 24.4% (95% CI: 20.8% to 27.9%, P < 0.001). The use of both NPs and echocardiography significantly increased from 37.7% in the pre-P4L-ED phase to 61.3% in the post-P4L-ED phase. There was an increased prescription of diuretics and SGLT2 inhibitors during the post-P4L-ED phase. CONCLUSIONS: By increasing awareness and providing resources, the utilization of NPs increased in the ED, leading to improved diagnostic accuracy and enhanced patient care

Ancient chicken remains reveal the origins of virulence in Marek's disease virus

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Association for the Advancement of Science via the DOI in this recordData and materials availability: All MDV sequence data generated have been deposited in GenBank under accession PRJEB64489. Code is available at GitHub (https://github.com/antonisdim/MDV) and archived at Zenodo (https://zenodo.org/records/10022436) (25).The pronounced growth in livestock populations since the 1950s has altered the epidemiological and evolutionary trajectory of their associated pathogens. For example, Marek's disease virus (MDV), which causes lymphoid tumors in chickens, has experienced a marked increase in virulence over the past century. Today, MDV infections kill >90% of unvaccinated birds, and controlling it costs more than US$1 billion annually. By sequencing MDV genomes derived from archeological chickens, we demonstrate that it has been circulating for at least 1000 years. We functionally tested the Meq oncogene, one of 49 viral genes positively selected in modern strains, demonstrating that ancient MDV was likely incapable of driving tumor formation. Our results demonstrate the power of ancient DNA approaches to trace the molecular basis of virulence in economically relevant pathogens.European Research Council (ERC)Wellcome TrustOxford Martin School Pandemic Genomics ProgrammeArts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)European Union Horizon 2020Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)Research Foundation–Flanders (Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek