Liquid Container Research Articles

Effect of Different Semen Extenders on Cat Epididymal Semen Cryopreservation

BACKGROUND: Cryopreservation of spermatozoa is a biotechnology used for fertilization purposes and preservation of genetic material in various domestic species. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of two different commercial semen diluents in the cryopreservation of epididymal semen of domestic cats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty male cats aged between 1 - 3 years and weighing 2.5 - 4.5 kg were used in the study. The testicular tissues removed from the cats were immediately brought to the laboratory in physiological saline and the epididymal parts were trimmed in commercial semen extenders (INRA 96, Group I; OPTIXCELL, Group II). Diluted semen samples were cooled to 4°C and filled into 0.25 mL straws. Semen samples were frozen in a programmable semen freezing device and then placed in a liquid nitrogen container at -196 C. Semen samples were thawed at 38°C for 25 s. Thawed semen samples were evaluated in terms of motility and kinematic parameters using CASA. RESULTS: No statistical difference was found between the groups in terms of total motility, progressive motility, and velocity parameters at 4 °C. The rate of spermatozoa at slow speeds was found to be lower in group II. In addition, after freezing and thawing process, no statistical difference was observed between the groups in terms of motility, kinematics, and velocity parameters. CONCLUSION: Both commercial semen extenders can be used for cryopreservation of cat epididymal semen.

Design and performance evaluation of toroidal TLCDs in bidirectional seismic control of structures using a modified dynamic model

In this study, a modified dynamic model which distinguishes between liquid oscillation and sloshing in vertical columns is derived for toroidal tuned liquid column dampers (TLCDs). In the modified model of toroidal TLCDs, the primary sloshing mode within vertical columns is modeled as mass–spring-dashpot systems, whereas the oscillatory behavior of the liquid is analyzed employing the conventional theory of TLCDs. The accuracy of the modified dynamic model in capturing bidirectional liquid responses is verified by computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based simulations. A large number of CFD-based simulations are performed to establish a ready-to-use suggested formula for a newly introduced parameter (which is related to the geometric configuration of liquid containers and the initial liquid depth) in the modified model. Subsequently, considering the maximum allowable liquid displacement in vertical columns, an optimized design approach for toroidal TLCDs installed in symmetric and asymmetric structures is illustrated. On the basis of the proposed optimization design method, the bidirectional vibration control effects of toroidal TLCDs are comprehensively analyzed under El Centro, Loma Prieta, Northridge, and Chi–Chi seismic excitations in both the time and frequency domains. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of toroidal TLCDs for bidirectional seismic control of structures.

Remote liquid level monitoring based on coda wave interferometry

Abstract Accurate monitoring of liquid level is important for both liquid stocking and related industrial procedures, it is however difficult under extreme circumstances where the inner space of the container is inaccessible or out of reach. Therefore, this paper proposes a remote liquid level monitoring method based on the use of ultrasonic coda wave interferometry. Coda waves stem from multiply scattering of elastic waves under the interactions with the boundary of propagation medium or scatters during their propagation, they are commonly observed in complex propagation medium. For having propagation trajectories much longer than the coherent waves, coda waves are capable of sampling the propagation medium repeatedly and more comprehensively, which in turn provides coda waves with higher sensitivity to its propagation medium. Letting ultrasonic waves propagate within the liquid container, which is often elastic medium, they are capable of probing the solid-liquid interface globally and repeatedly. As the changing in liquid level alters such solid-liquid interfaces inevitably, the propagation of coda wave is thus affected even without any contact with the liquid level. In this manuscript, experimental study is represented, of which the results show that waveform distortion of coda waves, estimated by remnant decorrelation coefficients, is quantitatively related with the change of liquid level, demonstrates the feasibility of remote liquid level measurement and continuous monitoring of liquid level with ultrasonic techniques.

Evaluation of Heating Pad using Electrical Heating Element for Flexitank Transportation Application

Liquid transportation is accomplished in various ways, including the use of tankers and containers. Recently, most liquid shipments have utilized Flexitank as liquid containers, where steam heating is employed to melt frozen cargo liquids. However, due to limitations and disadvantages associated with steam-type heating pads, particularly in terms of the time taken to melt the liquid, researchers are exploring alternative methods for heating liquid within the Flexitank. This project aims to investigate the possibility of implementing electrical heating pads as an option for liquid heating in liquid transportation. Various types of electrical heating pads have been studied to explore their characteristics and operational capabilities. Experimental testing has been conducted on several electrical heating pads to compare their characteristics, especially in terms of the desired temperature requirement for specific liquid temperatures, as well as current consumption for each heating pad. This study will assist in determining the best option for implementing electrical heating pads in Flexitank. The results show a promising future for electrical heating pads in Flexitank, but further study is required to examine various heating pad arrangements in actual implementation.

Effect of welding current on the mechanical properties of Al 5083 alloy processed using high-current gas metal arc welding

This study investigated the effect of welding current during gas metal arc welding (GMAW) on the microstructure and composition of an Al 5083 alloy. As the welding current increased from 650 to 950 A, several changes were observed in the heat-affected zone (HAZ): grain coarsening and the formation of liquation cracks, and in the weld zone (WZ): increasing average secondary arm spacing and Mg loss. Therefore, the welding currents above 800 A are likely to cause liquation cracks in the HAZ and deterioration of the alloy's mechanical properties. Thus, welding condition with low heat input must be applied to improve the mechanical properties of the welds. This study provides a correlation between the weldability of Al 5083 alloy and welding current, offering a competitive advantage of liquid hydrogen storage containers.

Dynamic Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessment of Nuclear Power Plants Using Advanced Structural Methodologies

The conditional core damage probability (CCDP) of a representative nuclear power plant is estimated for a beyond design basis earthquake (BDBE) using state-of-the-art structural models within a dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (DPRA) framework. Randomness of seismic excitation and uncertainty of structural parameters are considered using a simulation-based approach. Finite element models are developed for the structure and a liquid container (hydro-accumulator), and fluid–structure interaction is considered with the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian method. The CCDP is evaluated through a time-dependent event tree. Also, correlation among multiple hydro-accumulators is investigated. The results show that operator action and implementation time of mobile safety equipment are critical under BDBE in case of loss of offsite power following an earthquake. It was also found necessary to adopt a DPRA approach to determine the available time for action and core damage timing probabilistically.

Effects of cysteine on goat sperm quality in cryopreservation

Cryopreservation is an effective method for long-term storage of sperm. It is essential to investigate the optimal conditions for preserving semen for the purpose of artificial insemination. Cysteine has been proven to reduce the extent of sperm damage caused by oxidative stress during cryopreservation. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of cysteine required for cryopreservation of goat semen. The experiment was carried out on 2 bucks with 4 treatments, each treatment repeated 8 times. Goat semen was diluted with cryopreservation medium supplemented with cysteine at 4 concentrations: 0 mM, 2 mM, 5 mM, and 10 mM. The sample was transferred to a straw at 0.5 mL, then stored in a liquid nitrogen container. The samples were then thawed, and the sperm quality was evaluated after 72 hours of storage. The results showed that the treatment with 5 mM cysteine showed the best sperm quality results, and the difference was statistically significant with the rest of the treatments (P < 0.05). Specifically, the overall motility, viability, and membrane integrity of spermatozoa in the most optimal treatment were: 82.21%, 90.71%, and 76.09%, respectively. In summary, the study showed that adding a 5 mM concentration of cysteine to the cryopreservation medium significantly enhanced sperm quality

Measurement of Zinc Ions in Seawater Samples Using a Microfluidic System Based on the GR/CeO2/Nafion Material.

Considering that heavy-metal contamination of seawater is getting worse, building a quick, accurate and portable device for detecting trace zinc in seawater in real time would be very beneficial. In this work, a microfluidic system was developed that includes a planar disc electrode, a micro-cavity for detection, an electrochemical workstation, a computer, a container for waste liquid reprocessing, an external pipeline and other components as well as a graphene/cerium oxide/nano-cerium oxide/Nafion composite membrane was used to modify the planar disc electrode (GR/CeO2/Nafion/Au) to investigate the electrochemical behaviour of Zn(II) using cyclic voltammetry, square-wave voltammetry and orthogonal test methods. Under optimal experimental conditions, the peak reaction current of Zn(II) showed a good linear relationship with the concentration of Zn(II) in the range of 1-900 μg/L with a correlation coefficient of 0.998, and the detection limit of the method was 0.87 μg/L. In addition, the microfluidic system had good stability, reproducibility and anti-interference. The system was used for determining zinc ions in real seawater samples, and the results were very similar to those of inductively coupled plasma-emission spectrometry, demonstrating the practicality of the system for the detection of trace zinc.

Efficient feedforward sloshing suppression strategy for liquid transport

This paper introduces an advanced feedforward control method to suppress sloshing in high-speed liquid container transfers in robotic systems. Three key concepts are combined: (1.) A virtual pendulum tray is envisaged to suspend the liquid container. By moving only the virtual pivot, the resulting container motion robustly reduces sloshing. (2.) A geometric condition is found for the virtual tray/container assembly to fully suppress one specific sloshing mode, allowing rapid transfers in a way that the dominant sloshing dynamics is fully suppressed. (3.) An analytic feedforward trajectory control based on differential flatness is formulated to design fast and efficient rest-to-rest transport manoeuvres. Any sloshing of modelled higher modes which is excited during the manoeuvre is accurately stopped at the end of such a manoeuvre. The resulting control law is computationally simple and achieves excellent sloshing-suppression performance. The concept is validated via simulations, finite-element analyses, and experimental tests, proving excellent theoretical and real-world performance and showing high robustness even with variations in the liquid filling level.

Knowledge, awareness, and risk practices related to bacterial contamination of antiseptics, disinfectants, and hand hygiene products among healthcare workers in sub-saharan Africa: a cross-sectional survey in three tertiary care hospitals (Benin, Burkina Faso, and DR Congo)

BackgroundAntiseptics, disinfectants, and hand hygiene products can be contaminated with bacteria and cause healthcare-associated infections, which are underreported from low- and middle-income countries. To better understand the user-related risk factors, we conducted a knowledge, awareness, and practice survey among hospital staff in sub-Saharan Africa.MethodsSelf-administered questionnaire distributed among healthcare workers in three tertiary care hospitals (Burkina Faso, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo).Results617 healthcare workers (85.3% (para)medical and 14.7% auxiliary staff) participated. Less than half (45.5%) had been trained in Infection Prevention & Control (IPC), and only 15.7% were trained < 1 year ago. Near two-thirds (64.2%) preferred liquid soap for hand hygiene, versus 33.1% for alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR). Most (58.3%) expressed confidence in the locally available products. Knowledge of product categories, storage conditions and shelf-life was inadequate: eosin was considered as an antiseptic (47.5% of (para)medical staff), the shelf life and storage conditions (non-transparent container) of freshly prepared chlorine 0.5% were known by only 42.6% and 34.8% of participants, respectively. Approximately one-third of participants approved using tap water for preparation of chlorine 0.5% and liquid soap. Most participants (> 80%) disapproved recycling soft-drink bottles as liquid soap containers. Nearly two-thirds (65.0%) declared that bacteria may be resistant to and survive in ABHR, versus 51.0% and 37.4% for povidone iodine and chlorine 0.5%, respectively. Depicted risk practices (n = 4) were ignored by 30 to 40% of participants: they included touching the rim or content of stock containers with compresses or small containers, storing of cotton balls soaked in an antiseptic, and hand-touching the spout of pump dispenser. Filling containers by topping-up was considered good practice by 18.3% of participants. Half (52.1%) of participants acknowledged indefinite reuse of containers. Besides small differences, the findings were similar across the study sites and professional groups. Among IPC-trained staff, proportions recognizing all 4 risk practices were higher compared to non-trained staff (35.9% versus 23.8%, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe present findings can guide tailored training and IPC implementation at the healthcare facility and national levels, and sensitize stakeholders’ and funders’ interest.

Control of Cooperative-Transportation Dynamics in Twin-Lift Cranes Suspending a Liquid Container

Bulky and heavy liquid containers may need to be transported by multiple cranes. Unfortunately, the interaction between swing effects from the multiple suspension cables and fluid sloshing in the container may corrupt efficiency and safety of the cooperative operation. Although significant work has been devoted to understanding the swing dynamics of industrial cranes and sloshing dynamics in liquid containers, less effort has been directed at the interaction between swing and sloshing dynamics in multiple cranes transporting a liquid container. A dynamic model of the motion of twin cranes carrying a liquid container has been derived. The complicated interaction between twin-lift swing and fluid sloshing has been captured by the analytical model. Additionally, a novel control method has been proposed to reduce coupled oscillations. Numerous experiments have been performed to validate the effectiveness of the dynamic model and oscillation-control method.

Thermal Stability and CO2 Uptake of Dicationic Ionic Liquids Containing 2-Cyanopyrrolide Anions

Thermal Stability and CO₂ Uptake of Dicationic Ionic Liquids Containing 2-Cyanopyrrolide Anions

Oxyfl uorinated polyethylene terephthalate for liquid storage containers

The effectiveness of surface modification of polyethylene terephthalate with a mixture of fluorine and oxygen to reduce the permeability to water and aqueous ethanol solutions has been studied. We obtained a decrease in the permeability coefficient of the modified fi lm for water and ethanol solutions, the degree of decrease in the permeability coefficient depends on the chemical composition of the liquid. Oxyfluorination leads to the production of a modified fi lm with an increased liquid diffusion coefficient compared to the original fi lm, which is associated with the formation of local defects which is confirmed by micrographs made with of an atomic force microscope and by measuring the surface roughness of the original and modified films.

LiquImager

WiFi has gradually developed into one of the main candidate technologies for ubiquitous sensing. Based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) WiFi devices, this paper proposes LiquImager, which can simultaneously identify liquid and image container regardless of container shape and position. Since the container size is close to the wavelength, diffraction makes the effect of the liquid on the signal difficult to approximate with a simple geometric model (such as ray tracking). Based on Maxwell's equations, we construct an electric field scattering sensing model. Using few measurements provided by COTS WiFi devices, we solve the scattering model to obtain the medium distribution of the sensing domain, which is used for identifing and imaging liquids. To suppress the signal noise, we propose LiqU-Net for image enhancement. For the centimeter-scale container that is randomly placed in an area of 25 cm × 25 cm, LiquImager can identify the liquid more than 90% accuracy. In terms of container imaging, LiquImager can accurately find the edge of the container for 4 types of containers with a volume less than 500 ml.

A Comparative Study of the Corrosion Behavior of P110 Casing Steel in Simulated Concrete Liquid Containing Chloride and Annulus Fluid from an Oil Well

The corrosion behavior of P110 casing steel in simulated concrete liquid and simulated annulus fluid was investigated to reveal the corrosion pattern and protective properties of corrosion products in the two environments. Potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Mott–Schottky tests, and electrochemical noise (EN) tests were used to study the corrosion behavior of P110 casing steel in simulated concrete liquid and simulated annulus fluid saturated with CO2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with Energy-Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) mapping was used to characterize the corrosion morphology and elemental distribution of P110 casing steel. The results show that the corrosion resistance of P110 casing steel deteriorates with the increasing immersion days in the simulated annulus fluid, the impedance decreases gradually, and the corrosion-product film shows a loose and porous structure. In the simulated concrete liquid, under the condition of containing a low concentration of Cl−, the protection of the corrosion products gradually increases with the extension of immersion days. With the increasing concentration of Cl− and the extension of immersion days, the electrochemical noise resistance and charge transfer resistance of P110 steel decrease gradually, and the protective property of the corrosion-product film decreases, which is capable of forming steady pitting corrosion.

Comparing commercial versus low-cost gelatinous phantoms for ultrasound-guided needle tracking: A randomized crossover trial, among emergency medicine residents.

The objective of this study was to devise a low-cost indigenous gelatin-based vascular phantom and to compare this newly constructed phantom with a commercially available phantom. This was a randomized crossover study conducted at a tertiary care hospital of India. The aim of the study was to develop a prototype low-cost gelatin-based vascular phantom and compare it with a commercially available phantom. Gelatin, psyllium husk, corn starch, antiseptic liquid, food-coloring agent, latex balloons, and metallic containers were used to prepare the gelatin phantom. The newly prepared gelatin model was labeled "Model A" and the commercially available gelatin model was labeled "Model B." Emergency medicine residents (n = 34) who routinely perform ultrasound (USG)-guided invasive procedures were asked to demonstrate USG-guided in-plane and out-of-plane approach of needle-tracking in both the models and fill out a questionnaire on a Likert scale (1-5). An independent supervisor assessed the image quality. The cost of our phantom was USD 6-8 (vs. USD 1000-1200 for commercial phantom). The participants rated the ease of performance and tissue resemblance as 4 (interquartile range [IQR]: 4-5) for both the models "A" and "B." The supervisor rated the overall performance as 4 (IQR: 3-4) for both the models. In all the parameters assessed, model A was noninferior to model B. The indigenously developed vascular phantom was noninferior to the commercially available phantom in terms of tissue resemblance and overall performance. The cost involved was a fraction of that incurred with the currently available commercial model. The authors feel that gelatin-based models can be easily prepared in resource-constraint settings which may be used for USG-guided training and medical education in low- and middle-income countries.

Determination of Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Liquids Using a Resonator with a Longitudinal Electric Field

The possibility of determining the elastic modules, viscosity coefficients, dielectric constant and electrical conductivity of a viscous conducting liquid using a piezoelectric resonator with a longitudinal electric field is shown. For the research, we chose a piezoelectric resonator made on an AT-cut quartz plate with round electrodes, operating with a shear acoustic mode at a frequency of about 4.4 MHz. The resonator was fixed to the bottom of a 30 mL liquid container. The samples of a mixture of glycerol and water with different viscosity and conductivity were used as test liquids. First, the frequency dependences of the real and imaginary parts of the electrical impedance of a free resonator were measured and, using the Mason electromechanical circuit, the elastic module, viscosity coefficient, piezoelectric constant and dielectric constant of the resonator material (quartz) were determined. Then, the container was filled with the test sample of a liquid mixture so that the resonator was completely covered with liquid, and the measurement of the frequency dependences of the real and imaginary parts of the electrical impedance of the loaded resonator was repeated. The dependences of the frequency of parallel and series resonances, as well as the maximum values of the electrical impedance and admittance on the conductivity of liquids for various viscosity values, were plotted. It was shown that these dependences can be used to unambiguously determine the viscosity and conductivity of the test liquid. Next, by fitting the theoretical frequency dependences of the real and imaginary parts of the electrical impedance of the resonator loaded with the liquid under study to the experimental dependences, the elastic module of the liquid and its dielectric constant were determined.

Displacement identification of oil storage tank and calibration of tank capacity table model based on indicator function integral.

Based on the indicator function integral, this paper identifies the displacement of oil storage tank and calibrates the tank capacity table model. The displacement parameters of a cylinder oil tank with spherical caps at both ends are deduced by establishing an appropriate rectangular coordinate system while cross-section analysis, coordinate transformation, and the functional relationship between oil reserves and oil level height are used as well. Furthermore, the displacement parameters are determined by the least square method and alternating contraction search method to verify the data, which improves the accuracy of the calculation. This research simplifies the integral operation and can be extended to other types of liquid containers of arbitrary shape as a generally applicable method, which shows significant application value for further research on the integral method of indicator function.

Analysis of factors related to the morphological evolution of Lingnan export mugs in the 18th-20th centuries in the context of one belt and one road.

As a significant trade item on the ancient Silk Road, the evolution of mug shapes represents a confluence of Eastern and Western economic history and cultural-artistic exchanges, also reflecting the flourishing export culture of Guangzhou. This paper analyzes the functional and social factors influencing the morphological changes of Lingnan mugs from 1616 to 1949 from the perspective of quantitative typological analysis. The overall design trend of these mugs transitioned from complex to simple, enhancing user comfort, while variations in mug scale reflect the diversity of consumer classes and regional drinking cultures. Among the 30 mugs analyzed, the average capacity was 356ml, with a range of 1588ml. Common shapes included cylindrical bodies and ear-shaped handles. Morphologically, the belly of the mugs transformed from arc-barrel bodies (emphasizing heat retention) to bulbous bodies, and eventually to cylindrical bodies (combining heat retention, practicality, and economy), with handles also showing signs of East-West integration. The analysis of the mug body' s inclination, with handle-side junction angles ranging from 34° to 53° and wall-side junction angles from 50° to 90°, indicates that these features are associated with stability in placement, aesthetic design, and practicality in liquid containment. These morphological evolutions reflect genuine responses to market demands and advancements in production technology, manifesting as products of market orientation and societal needs. By measuring changes in morphology, scale, volume, and external contour curves, this paper addresses how social factors shape material morphology in an academic context.

Study on Removal of Ammonia Nitrogen from Cleaning Waste Liquid Containing Ammonia

Study on Removal of Ammonia Nitrogen from Cleaning Waste Liquid Containing Ammonia