Potential histopathological and molecular changes in rat vas deferens inhaled by Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii

Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii released from smoke contaminate indoor environment and consequently adversely affect humans as evidenced by respiratory disturbances. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of these plants on pathological and biochemical changes in vas deferens of albino rats. Animals were administered 4g/kg body weight B. papyrifera and B. carterii daily for 120days along with controls. Significant changes were observed in epithelial cell types and some cells showed signs of degeneration. The ultrastructural studies revealed marked changes in cytoplasmic organelles. Microvilli were missing and lysosomes were found in the cytoplasm. In addition, all treated groups plasma fructose and other biochemical parameters were decreased indicating reduced energy necessary for motility and contractility of spermatozoa. Many spermatozoa were disorganized and agglomerated. Data suggest that smoke from these plants adversely affects vas deferens.

Die Filling Behaviour of Semi Solid A356 Al Alloy Slurry During Rheo Pressure Die Casting

The present work discusses the findings obtained from simulations of semi solid die filling of a steering knuckle, prior to actual component development using in-house developed rheo pressure die casting system. Die filling capability of A356 Al alloy at semi-solid state has been investigated using commercial software Flow-3Dcast to optimise the pouring temperature of semi-solid slurry into the die cavity, while all other variables such as gating design, die preheat temperature and injection velocity are kept constant based on the prior knowledge obtained from trial numerical simulations and experimentation. Efforts have been made to nullify the essence of costly, time consuming experiments towards obtaining high-quality castings out of the findings obtained from numerical simulations. The optimum pouring temperature identified in the present study is 610 A degrees C, which facilitates smoother slurry flow, minimum surface defect concentration, uniform temperature field and solid fraction distribution within the component cavity.

Pyrolysis of 3-carene: Experiment, Theory and Modeling

Thermal decomposition studies of 3-carene, a bio-fuel, have been carried out behind the reflected shock wave in a single pulse shock tube for temperature ranging from 920 K to 1220 K. The observed products in thermal decomposition of 3-carene are acetylene, allene, butadiene, isoprene, cyclopentadiene, hexatriene, benzene, toluene and p-xylene. The overall rate constant for 3-carene decomposition was found to be k/s(-1) = 10((9.95 +/- 0.54)) exp(-40.88 +/- 2.71 kcal mol(-1) /RT). Ab-initio theoretical calculations were carried out to find the minimum energy pathway that could explain the formation of the observed products in the thermal decomposition experiments. These calculations were carried out at B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p) and G3 level of theories. A kinetic mechanism explaining the observed products in the thermal decomposition experiments has been derived. It is concluded that the linear hydrocarbons are the primary products in the pyrolysis of 3-carene.

Multi-scale vulnerability assessment for adaptation planning

Vulnerability of communities and natural ecosystems, to potential impacts of climate change in developing countries like India, and the need for adaptation are rapidly emerging as central issues in the debate around policy responses to climate change. The present study presents an approach to identify and prioritize the most vulnerable districts, villages and households in Karnataka State, through a multi-scale assessment of inherent vulnerability to current climate variability. It also identifies the drivers of inherent vulnerability, thereby providing a tool for developing and mainstreaming adaptation strategies, in ongoing developmental or dedicated adaptation programmes. The multi-scale assessment was made for all 30 districts at the state level in Karnataka, about 1220 villages in Chikballapur district, and at the household level for two villages - Gundlapalli and Saddapalli - in Bagepalli taluk of Chikballapur district. At the district, village and household levels, low levels of education and skills are the dominant factors contributing to vulnerability. At the village and household level, the lack of income diversification and livelihood support institutions are key drivers of vulnerability. The approach of multi-scale vulnerability assessment facilitates identification and prioritization of the drivers of vulnerability at different scales, to focus adaptation interventions to address these drivers.

Prevalencia de Cysticercus bovis en el matadero de Amerrisque

En el presente trabajo se analizó la situación existente en relación a la Prevalencia de Cysticercosis bovina en la Empresa Agrícola Centro Americana, S.A. Matadero de Amerrisque, ubicado en el km 128 carretera al Rama, Juigalpa, Chontales. Esta empresa se fundó en el año 1977 y del total de su producción el 98% va destinado a la exportación y el 2% para consumo local. Los análisis se realizaron basándose en datos de la Inspección Post-morten de los años 1982, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, para loe cuales se determinó el Año de mayor prevalencia, Categoría más afectada, Departamento de mayor prevalencia y Pérdidas económicas. Para la valoración estadística de los datos registrados fue utilizado el Método de Mínimos Cuadrados Generalizado, usando el procedimiento CATHOD del Paquete Statical Analisis System. Loa resultados obtenidos en el Análisis de Varianza, demuestran que existen diferencias significativas entre años, con un nivel de significancia de (P < 0.05), obteniéndose 0.93% de infestación promedio en los cinco años evaluados. A su vez también se encontraron diferencias significativas para las categorías (P < 0.05) encontrándose la categoría Buey (C4) la más infestada. Resultando Chontales el departamento con mayor número de animales parasitados, seguido de Boaco, Zelaya y Matagalpa. Las pérdidas económicas para estos años resultaron ser de US$ 71,905.85 para el productor, sumándose a ello, las divisas no captadas con un monto aproximado de US$ 535,511.63 al prescindir de su exportación.

Efecto de cuatro biofertilizantes (EM-BOKASHI) sobre el crecimiento y rendimiento del cultivo del frijol común (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Durante la época de apante de 1996, en la Cooperativa Carlos Fonseca, comarca Las Escaleras Municipio de San Ramón, Dpto. de Matagalpa, se llevó a cabo la siguiente investigación con el propósito de evaluar el efecto de cuatro biofertilizantes (EM• Bokashi), sobre el crecimiento, desarrollo y rendimiento del frijol común (Phoseolus vulgaris L.) variedad Honduras-46. El diseño utilizado fue un B.C.A. (Bloque Completo al Azar), con cuatro repeticiones y seis tratamientos. Los biofertilizantes (EM-Bokashi) fueron preparados mezclando diferentes residuos orgánicos tanto de origen animal como vegetal, inoculados con microorganismos efectivos (EM); utilizando una dosis de 200 g/m2 equivalente a 2000 kg/ha; mientras que en la fertilización inorgánica se utiliza NPK (12•30-10) con dosis de 5.5 g/m lineal equivalente a 136.4 kg/ha. Los resultados demuestran que los biofertilizantes 4 y 2 presentaron los valores promedios más altos en la mayoría de las variables evaluadas como diámetro de cobertura, porcentaje de emergencia, número de nódulos activos por planta, plantas cosechadas y los componentes del rendimiento. El biofertilizante 4, presentó el rendimiento más alto con 1369.1 kg/ha seguido del biofertilizante 2 con 1220 kg/ha. Así mismo al realizar el análisis económico se demostró que económicamente el biofertilizante 4 fue el mejor, presentando una tasa de retomo marginal de 2574%, superior a la tasa de retorno mínima de comparación, la cual es de 130%. Demostrando de ésta manera que si se puede producir reduciendo el uso de agroquímicos y obtener buenos rendimientos, producto de mayor calidad, sin poner en riesgo la salud humana y contaminar el medio ambiente. Además con el uso de biofertilizantes no se pretende sustituir prácticas de la agricultura sostenible, sino complementarlas con otras prácticas como: Rotación de cultivos, manejo integrado de plagas, obras de conservación de suelos y diversificación de cultivos entre otras; con el objetivo de optimizar el uso del suelo, estabilizar las áreas de producción, incrementar los rendimientos por unidad de área, reducir los costos y obtener mayores beneficios

The Corogal: one of the big dredges in Culebra Cut, Panama Canal (ca. 1914)

Leonard Carpenter Panama Canal Collection. Photographs: Dredging, Soldiers, and Ships. [Box 1] from the Special Collections & Area Studies Department, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida.

交汇、分流河道洪水演进模型及其应用

通过引入水深连接方程,耦合了干、支流河道的水流运动,给出了它们的流量分配关系,建立了交汇、分流河道洪水演进模型.对交汇河道中水流顶托作用随河道参数的变化规律进行了研究.分析了干、支流洪峰遭遇现象,指出干流和支流的洪峰遭遇是1998年长江大洪水干流高洪水位的重要原因之一.并定性解释长江干流荆江河段的裁弯取直和长江分流河道的淤积对河道水流的影响.

SUPER CE/SE的新算法及其在爆炸力学中的应用

研究了SUPER CE/SE的新算法及其在爆炸力学中的应用. 算法和模型方面, 主要包括改进CE/SE算法、快速杂交粒子水平集方法、常用化学反应模型和两流体模型. 使用上述算法和模型, 对激波楔面反射、爆炸焊接、爆轰波胞格结构和气液两相爆轰问题进行了数值模拟. 数值结果表明, 该文采用的算法具有计算精度高、应用范围广和兼容性强等优点, 可广泛应用于爆炸力学的数值研究.

Optical properties of transparent alkali gallium silicate glass-ceramics containing Ni2+-doped beta-Ga2O3 nanocrystals

Broadband near-infrared (IR) luminescence in transparent alkali gallium silicate glass-ceramics containing N2+-doped beta-Ga2O3 nanocrystals was observed. This broadband emission could be attributed to the T-3(2g) (F-3) -> (3)A(2g) (F-3) transition of octahedral Ni2+ ions in glass-ceramics. The full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the near-IR luminescence and fluorescent lifetime of the glass-ceramic doped with 0.10 mol% NiO were 260 nm and similar to 1220 mu s, respectively. It is expected that transparent Ni2+-doped beta-Ga2O3 glass-ceramics with this broad near-IR emission and long fluorescent lifetime have potential applications as super-broadband optical amplification media.

基于U形塑料光纤的氧气传感器

报道了一种基于荧光猝灭原理的光纤氧气传感器.采用塑料光纤作为传感和传光元件进行氧气传感,传感头制成U形.以邻菲咯啉钌作为荧光标记物,用溶胶-凝胶法制备敏感材料.采用相移法来实现对荧光寿命的测定.测量了不同弯曲半径传感头对氧气传感的灵敏度,发现当U形光纤的弯曲半径较小时系统的灵敏度较高.对荧光寿命和氧气浓度的关系进行了测量,发现二者呈亚线性关系,提出双荧光体模型解释这一实验现象.

高斯光束通过空间滤波器的传输特性

采用矩阵分解和用有限个复高斯函数之和逼近硬边光阑窗口函数相结合的方法，从柯林斯衍射积分公式出发，对高斯光束通过空间滤波器的传输特性进行了分析，得到了相应的解析式。通过对解析式的数值模拟，得出了直观的结果，并进行了误差分析。数值计算结果表明，最佳滤波小孔尺寸的选择和计算误差均与光束的截断参数有关。在此基础上，进一步研究了空间滤波器具有像传递功能时，高斯光束和平顶高斯光束（N=12）通过空间滤波器的传输特性，得出了截断参数与滤波后光强分布的关系，并证实了此方法也可用于计算其他类型光束通过空间滤波器的传输。

Transparent Ni2+-doped silicate glass ceramics for broadband near-infrared emission

Transparent Ni2+-doped MgO-Al2O3-Ga2O3-SiO2-TiO2 glass ceramics were fabricated. The precipitated nanocrystal phase in the glass ceramics was identified by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope. Broadband near-infrared emission centered at 1220 nm with full width at half maximum of about 240 nm and lifetime of about 250 mu s was observed with 980 nm excitation. The longer wavelength emission compared with Ni2+-doped MgAl2O4 crystal was attributed to the low crystal field occupied by Ni2+ in the glass ceramics. The present Ni2+-doped transparent glass ceramics may have potential applications in broadband optical amplifiers. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.