Soil Moisture Contents as a Determining Factor Machinery Selection

       A simulation model to predict the daily fluctuations of soil moisture  content was developed using the Versatile Soil Moisture  Budget (VSMB) equation by employing pascal computer language.  The model was tested against actual  field data and showed fairly accurate results.  The correlation coefficient 0.99

Soil Moisture Content as a Determining Factor for Machinery Selection

By applying the soil moisture content (SMC) prediction model to the weather data for the period from 1981-1993, the suitable workdays were obtained. Testing these results from the Rahad Scheme data records showed high significance. The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.99. show the effect of timeliness cost, a utilization factor (Ut) was determined by dividing the available working days by the total days. The utilization factor is then adjusted using a range of reliability from 30-80% depending on spare part availability and skilled labour. Further analysis were made to demonstrate the effect of workable days on the selection of implement width and cost using good, bad and average rainy seasons and different levels of reliabilities. It was found that the machine width was by the rainfall frequency

S100A4 overexpression proves to be independent marker for breast cancer progression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Breast cancer is the most common cancer and cause of deaths in women around the world. Oncogene amplification usually occurs late in tumor progression and correlates well with aggressiveness of tumor. In fact the function of the S100A4 protein and its role in metastasis is unclear at present. The purpose of the study was to determine the expression of S100A4 protein in the invasion status and metastatic potential of breast cancer by using tissue microarray and to determine its role in breast cancer based on the expression of S100A4 gene product.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>S100A4 protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using commercially available tissue microarray containing malignant and normal breast tissue cores from 216 patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>S100A4 was absent in normal breast tissues while positive in 45.1% of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) node negative and 48.8% of infiltrating lobular carcinoma node negative. In paired samples, S100A4 protein was expressed in 13.5% of IDC node positive cases and 35.1% of matched lymph node metastasis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>S100A4 protein expression appears widely expressed in early and advanced breast cancer stages compared with normal breast. Our study suggests S100A4 may play a role in breast cancer progression and may prove to be an independent marker of breast cancer which appears to be down regulated in more advanced stages of breast cancer.</p

Systems and Methods for Inspecting Coatings

A system for detecting defects in paint coatings includes a temperature manipulation apparatus configured to change the temperature of a surface and a coating applied to the surface. The system may further include an infrared sensor for measuring the change in temperature of the surface and coating and a processor to compare the measured change in temperature of the surface and coating to an expected change of temperature in order to determine anomalies in the coatings

Theoretical Prediction of Cavitation in Radial Inflow Turbines at Design and off-Design Conditions

A theoretical method for the prediction of cavitation in hydraulic radial turbines is developed in this work. The method combines a steady, quasi-three dimensional analyses which are based on the streamline curvature technique with an approach for the prediction of cavitation based on the definition of "available" and "required" cavitation coefficients. A radial inflow turbine is selected as a test case to investigate the capability of the present method as a cavitation prediction tool at design and offdesign conditions. The effects of various operating conditions on the cavitation inception are examined at constant values of total head and turbine suction head. It has been found that cavitation is formed near the outlet when the turbine operated at the design speed. While at off-design speeds and flow rates, cavitation covers longer distances along suction and pressure surfaces

Flexural and Shear Capacities of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Volcanic Tuff

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the effect of volcanic tuff (V.T.), as a fine aggregate on the flexural and shear capacities of reinforced concrete beams. Three different types of volcanic tuff which is a local material that is available at different locations in Jordan (known as yellow, gray and brown volcanic tuff) were used in this study. Four grades of concrete compressive strengths (20, 30, 40 and 50 MPa) are also used. The experimental program consisted of testing 64 beams (16 beams with 0% of volcanic tuff and 16 beams with 20% volcanic tuff as a fine aggregate for each type of volcanic tuff). The analysis showed that replacing the fine aggregate by 20% volcanic tuff will improve the flexural and shear capacities of the reinforced concrete beams by 6% to 16% for brown tuff, 3% to 8% for gray tuff and 10 % to 26 % for yellow tuff for the four concrete strength grades.Key Words: Pozzolan (Volcanic tuff), flexural and shear capacities, Reinforced concrete beam

Identifying Difficult exercises in an eTextbook Using Item Response Theory and Logged Data Analysis

The growing dependence on eTextbooks and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has led to an increase in the amount of students' learning data. By carefully analyzing this data, educators can identify difficult exercises, and evaluate the quality of the exercises when teaching a particular topic. In this study, an analysis of log data from the semester usage of the OpenDSA eTextbook was offered to identify the most difficult data structure course exercises and to evaluate the quality of the course exercises. Our study is based on analyzing students' responses to the course exercises. We applied item response theory (IRT) analysis and a latent trait mode (LTM) to identify the most difficult exercises .To evaluate the quality of the course exercises we applied IRT theory. Our findings showed that the exercises that related to algorithm analysis topics represented the most difficult exercises, and there existing six exercises were classified as poor exercises which could be improved or need some attention.Comment: 6 pages,5 figure

SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULIN PROFILE OF Trypanosoma congolense - INFECTED SHEEP IN RELATION TO PARASITAEMIA AND CHANGES IN CIRCULATING LEUCOCYTE AND ERYTHROCYTE MASS

Trypanosomiasis is a major problem in developing countries most especially Africa and the incriminating agents are T. congolense, T.vivax. T.brucei in small ruminants. It has high morbity  and mortality Rates of 70% and 20% respectively . The experimental animals were four Rams which were used as control and infected group, Parameters for this experiment were recorded before infection. Following inoculation with T.congolense, 2 mls of blood was collected from the sheep in vacutainers for serum biochemical assay. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to assay IGG and IGM concentrations and 1ml of blood was collected in vacutainers with anti coagulant to check leucocytic and erythrocytic index.This was done every day until day 6 and then every other day. Clinical signs observed post infection were , Anemia, Hematuria ,Rhinitis, dyspnea ,emaciation and paralysis of the fore and hind limbs and death .Statistical tables and charts were used for analyses. The  role of   Hypoprotenemia , IGG and IGM  in experimental infection with Trypanosoma congolense   were looked at. The anemia was Normocytic normochromic and later became Microcytic hypochromic, PCV Recorded on the first day prior to infection was 27%  and on the last day of  infection became 6% . Leucocytosis was Degenerative and Leucopenia was also observed Perhaps due to the antigenic nature of the parasite. On first day WBC count was 8.5 x109/L and Prior to death Leucocytosis of 6.1x 109 /L. Hypoproteneimia was also seen with Blood urea Nitrogen and Alanine aminotransferase falling to values below normal 55U/L and 155mg/dl respectively. There were also fluctuations in the values of IGG and IGM  with initial values of 1.4 and 0.71 µg/ML  and terminal values of 0.34 and 0.21 /L. The organs looked at Kidneys,Lungs,Heart and Liver were all in their initial stages of destruction , they were inflamed,edematous , congested and necrotic . Hypoprotenemia, , immune suppression,dyspnea ,Anemia and Leucopenia  may be the cause of death in Trypanosomiasis. Keywords:Leucopenea,Anemia,Trypanosoma,immunogobuins,Hypoprotenemia DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/11-6-06 Publication date:March 31st 202