Cut Quality Research Articles

The Pristine survey – XX. GTC follow-up observations of extremely metal-poor stars identified from Pristine and LAMOST

ABSTRACT Ultra-metal-poor stars ($\rm {[Fe/H]} \lt -4.0$) are very rare, and finding them is a challenging task. Both narrow-band photometry and low-resolution spectroscopy have been useful tools for identifying candidates, and in this work, we combine both approaches. We cross-matched metallicity-sensitive photometry from the Pristine survey with the low-resolution spectroscopic Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) data base, and re-analysed all LAMOST spectra with $\rm {[Fe/H]} _{\rm Pristine} \lt -2.5$. We find that ∼1/3rd of this sample (selected without $\rm {[Fe/H]} _{\rm Pristine}$ quality cuts) also have spectroscopic $\rm {[Fe/H]} \lt -2.5$. From this sample, containing many low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) spectra, we selected 11 stars potentially having $\rm {[Fe/H]} \lt -4.0$ or $\rm {[Fe/H]} \lt -3.0$ with very high carbon abundances, and we performed higher S/N medium-resolution spectroscopic follow-up with the Optical System for Imaging and low Resolution Integrated Spectroscopy (OSIRIS) on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). We confirm their extremely low metallicities, with a mean of $\rm {[Fe/H]} = -3.4$, and the most metal-poor star having $\rm {[Fe/H]} = -3.8$. Three of these are clearly carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars with $+1.65 \lt \rm {[C/Fe]} \lt +2.45$. The two most carbon-rich stars are either among the most metal-poor CEMP-s stars or the most carbon-rich CEMP-no stars known, the third is likely a CEMP-no star. We derived orbital properties for the OSIRIS sample and find that only one of our targets can be confidently associated with known substructures/accretion events, and that three out of four inner halo stars have prograde orbits. Large spectroscopic surveys may contain many hidden extremely and ultra-metal-poor stars, and adding additional information from e.g. photometry as in this work can uncover them more efficiently and confidently.

Experimental Studies on Hastealloy C276 while Machining with CO2 Laser Cutting Machine

Laser cutting process is well suitable process for the cutting applications of high strength temperature resistant alloys, that are very difficult to cut with conventional process. Moreover, the lasers are widely using now-a-days for variety of cutting operations in many varieties of industries. Because of its complex nature of its operation, it is not easy to control so as to get the desired quality of cut in case of laser beam cutting process. This necessitates the importance of research to be carried out on the various processes i.e cutting, drilling, and welding etc by using the laser apparatus. The research mainly concentrated on the conduction of experiments i.e the cutting operation on Haste alloy C276 with CO2 laser beam. Total 31 trails are done using the CO2 laser beam apparatus. Laser power, speed, gas pressure and focal distance were the parameters chosen to vary. The outputs measured are surface roughness and the burr height which are direct measure to the quality of the cut surfaces. Two dimensional plots are plotted and analyzed the reasons for the increase or decrease of output with either the increase or decrease of input process parameters. Also, 3D plots are plotted to know the interactions.

Evaluating the Effect of Accelerated Aging at Different Temperature and Time Points on Beef Quality and Enzyme Activity of Lower Quality Beef Cuts

Objective: This study aimed to explore the effects of four accelerated aging (AA) methods at different temperature and time points on meat quality and enzymatic activity of two lower quality beef cuts.

Methods of examination and assessment of the safety of goat meat of the Zaanen breed

The purpose of the study was to develop a comprehensive system of veterinary and sanitary examination of the safety and quality of slaughter products of Zaanen goats. The studies were conducted on goats at the age of 36 months. According to the results of veterinary and sanitary examination of organs and carcasses, all experimental animals were found to be healthy. Five muscles served as the material for studying the chemical composition: the semi-webbed muscle, the biceps femur, the longest back, the biceps shoulder and intercostal muscles were studied. Organoleptic studies of meat and internal organs were carried out in accordance with the requirements of GOST 7269-79, physico-chemical studies of meat were carried out in accordance with GOST 23392-78, the mineral composition of tissues was studied on an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The biological value of Zaanen goat meat was determined according to the “Methodological recommendations for the use of the express method of biological evaluation of products and feeds”. Studies have shown that to assess the safety and quality of goat cuts and carcasses as meat raw materials, anatomical characteristics and morphometric parameters of regional lymph nodes should be used: heads - mandibular, parotid and pharyngeal lateral and medial; necks - superficial and deep cervical; thoracic limbs - axillary, axillary of the first rib and superficial cervical; sternum - axillary; chest wall - superficial cervical and intercostal; lower back - lumbar; pelvic extremity - popliteal, superficial and deep inguinal; the mammary glands are supramental.

Soil medium and watering frequency alter growth and allocation for Blue Diamond cholla (Cylindropuntia multigeniculata), a rare cactus of the northeast Mojave Desert, USA

Blue Diamond cholla (<i>Cylindropuntia multigeniculata</i> (Clokey) Blackb. [Cactaceae]) is a rare cactus of the Mojave Desert. We explored whether cultivation from joint cuttings is a viable method for supporting threatened populations. Terminal joints were collected from adult plants at the type locality and grown in a shade house: We tested whether 2 soil mixes that varied in the ratio of inorganic and organic components (50:50 compared to 85:15) and 2 watering frequencies (250 ml every 5 d compared to 500 ml every 10 d) promote root growth important to outplanting survival. Plants grown from joint cuttings in the 50:50 soil had greater shoot and root biomass, produced more joint segments, and had higher initial and final survivorship over the 5-mo study. Neither soil nor watering treatments shifted biomass allocation to roots as hypothesized, but frequent watering produced longer roots, which may benefit reintroduced plants by assisting root access to deep soil moisture. Despite their vigor during collection, freshly cut joints rapidly declined in condition, resulting in approximately 50% mortality during the first month of the study. Initial mortality was not explained by the identity, condition, or size of the maternal plant. Prior-year weather patterns and collection procedures may influence quality and durability of joint cuttings and require further study. While larger plants were produced from the 50:50 mix, and root length was increased by frequent watering, reintroduction of nursery-grown plants will indicate whether such treatments aid establishment in the dry habitat where this species occurs. Scoles-Sciulla S, Stosich A, DeFalco L. 2023. Soil medium and watering frequency alter growth and allocation for Blue Diamond cholla (<i>Cylindropuntia multigeniculata</i>), a rare cactus of the northeast Mojave Desert, USA. Native Plants Journal 24(1):4–17.

Effect of light quality of long-day treatments on flowering in &lt;i&gt;Delphinium&lt;/i&gt;

The effects of light quality on the flowering need to be investigated for the efficient use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in cut flower production because of the environmentally friendly features of LEDs. Assuming long-day treatments in cut flower production, we used Delphinium species, popular long-day plants, and treated the plants at night with relatively weak light to investigate the effects of light quality. We used reproductive experimental conditions with phytotrons and long-day treatments, mainly monochromatic light, to establish an experimental system to elucidate physiological and molecular mechanisms in the near future. Before investigating the effect of monochromatic light, we first performed a long-day treatment with a widely used white LED. A similar effect to the incandescent lamp on bolting was observed, suggesting the possibility that red or blue light, but not far-red light, are adequate to promote flowering from the spectra of both light sources. Next, long-day treatments were performed with LEDs emitting monochromatic blue, red, and far-red light. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, flowering is well known to be promoted by far-red and blue light and inhibited by red light. However, long-day treatment with red light for Delphinium effectively promoted flowering. Treatment with far-red light, which shows an opposite flowering response to red light in A. thaliana, also promoted the flowering of Delphinium. As for blue light, the flower budding rate of D. grandiflorum reached 100%, and that of D. elatum was lower. Compared to far-red and blue lights, long-day treatment with red light did not negatively impact cut flower quality, including cut flower length and number of florets. Our results on light quality impact on flowering response will contribute to technology for regulating Delphinium flowering and potentially also lead to the elucidation of the mechanism of unique flowering promotion by red light.

Prediction of Burr Formation in End Micro Milling Poly methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) and Polycarbonate (PC) Substrates Using Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)

Polymer microfluidic device is growing in the fields of disease detection, drug synthesis, and environmental monitoring because of the benefits of the miniaturized platforms that provides rapid high-throughput analysis at small sample volumes. A machining technique called micro milling is employed in the manufacture of micro components (micro fluidic devices) such as poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polycarbonate (PC). Micro milling has the advantage of being a quicker, more affordable, and more effective method for fabricating more complex structures. PMMA has been used as the substrate in this study for micro milling followed by factor analysis. This aim of this study is to understand the influence of each micro milling parameter to the surface quality. This paper includes 450 microscopic images of the micro-milling substrate by different parameters like spindle speed, depth of cut and Surface quality. The microscopic images are divided to test, train and Val dataset, using three datasets and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is designed.

Design and Performance Test of Multi Intake Foods Product Cutting Machine

Appropriate technology is one of the answers to support small and medium enterprises in the sustainability of their business production. This research aims to design and test the performance of multi-intake food product cutting machines, this cutting machine can be applied to cutting food products such as tempeh, crackers, fruits, or tubers. This machine is called multi intake because it can cut more than one material at the same time and produce more cuts in a relatively short time. This machine is equipped with an automatic propulsion system that can produce pieces of uniform thickness. The results showed that the construction of a multi-intake cutting machine for cutting food ingredients in the form of tempeh has a capacity of 120 kg h-1 to 173.5 kg h-1, the most optimal performance of the cutting machine for foodstuffs and can increase the capacity and quality of the stripping results achieved in the use of an electric motor with power 375 Watt with engine shaft rotation (n) = 327 rad s-1 and a thrust speed of 0.370 cm s-1 which can produce a cutting capacity of 173.5 kg h-1 with intact, not defective, and flat cut quality.

Effect of Mill Scale on Laser Cutting Quality of Various Thick Steel Plates

Laser cutting provides more precise and higher quality cuts than other thermal cutting processes, and is adaptable to automation requirements. On the other hand, laser cutting with oxygen assist gas of thick steel plates is a complex process in which various factors affect laser cutting quality compared to the thin plates. When laser cutting of the plate with mill scale is performed, the mill scale on the surface of plate generally plays a role in supporting stable laser cutting, although self-burning may also occur due to peeling of the mill scale. Therefore, this paper focuses on the mill scale and investigates the effects of the adhesion, thickness, and surface roughness of the mill scale on the laser cutting quality. As a result, it was found that the laser cutting quality is higher when the adhesion of the mill scale is high, the thickness of the mill scale is between 20 μm and 40 μm, and the surface roughness is small.

DRY AND WET TENDERIZATION OF MEATS: BASIC FEATURES AND TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT

Subject of research. Tenderization (softening) of meat raw materials by using technological equipment with various working bodies. Purpose. Study of the technological features of raw meat tenderization under mechanical and hydro-mechanical action of tenderizers and multi-needle brine injectors, respectively. Methods. In order to carry out research, we used a systematic approach to factual materials, in particular, scientific and scientific-practical literature, legal acts, regulatory documents, etc., abstract-logical approach to generalize the results of the study and formulate conclusions. The experimental treatment of whole muscle meat raw materials was performed using a pneumatic brine injector brand Ya5-FSh1L with 50 needles. Results. Several methods of softening raw materials have been developed, among which mechanical tenderization takes not the last place. Meat cuts are mechanically tenderized and/or enhanced to add value to lower quality cuts by improving sensory attributes such as palatability and tenderness. The term “mechanically tenderized” is defined as “manipulating meat with deep penetration by processes which may be referred to as “blade tenderizing,” “jaccarding,” “pinning,” “needling,” or using blades, pins, needles or any mechanical device”. The tenderization process fulfilled without simultaneous injection of pickling brines is dry tenderization. The main methods for the practical implementation of the process of softening meat raw materials are piercing with knives or needles, passing through paired rollers equipped with a notch or wedge-shaped teeth, processing using plates with a notched surface. The wet tenderization is achieved when meats are penetrated by injection needles saturating muscle tissue with pickling brines. The research fulfilled showed that for tenderization of meat of increased hardness, the most effective diameter of needles is 2.5-3.5 mm. The smallest tenderizing effect is observed when raw meat is processed with needles with a diameter of 2 mm. When needles with a diameter of 2 mm are used, the nature of the mechanical action is essentially closer to the separation of muscle and connective fibers without significant incisions. However, combine effect of the mechanical action and hydro-mechanical action upon the treated meats has not yet been properly studied so the corresponding research shall be held in future. Scope of research results. The results of the experiments will be used to improve the technology and specialized equipment for injection of whole muscle meat raw materials to increase the profitability of meat processing, food safety of meat products, and to enhance their quality.

Analysis of the Surface Stereometry of Alloyed Austenitic Steel after Fibre Laser Cutting using Confocal Microscopy

The paper extends the concept of cut edge quality and examines the fibre laser cutting process. A Prima Power Platino Fiber Evo device with a reference speed (RS) of 3500 mm/min was used for laser cutting. In order to analyse the influence of the laser cutting speed on the cut edge quality of X5CrNi18-10 stainless steel sheets, macroscopic studies were conducted on a stereoscopic microscope and surface stereometry on a confocal microscope. The obtained results were analysed to evaluate 2D and 3D parameters. These parameters make it possible to determine the cut edge quality and the susceptibility to the application of protective coatings. It was observed that the value of the Sa parameter is the highest for a cutting speed equal to 130% of RS. The Sz parameter is similar, while the Sk, Spk and Svk parameters rise as the speed increases, which is a negative phenomenon. Comparative tests were also conducted for four specimens made at cutting speeds of 70%, 85%, 100% and 115% of RS, respectively. It was found that the laser cutting speed has a significant impact on the cut edge quality and that stainless steel can be cut while maintaining the technological regime at 115% of RS.

Anemone Cut Flower Timing, Yield, and Quality in a High-Elevation Field and High Tunnel

A narrow window of optimal spring temperatures limits anemone (Anemone coronaria L.) cut flower production in the US Intermountain West, where fall plantings risk winter injury and spring plantings are limited by summer dormancy. Regional management recommendations are needed to improve anemone harvest timing and yield for growers in USDA hardiness zones 6 and below (average annual minimum temperatures below −18 °C). The aim of this research was to optimize flower timing, yield, quality, and profitability in high tunnel and field production systems by evaluating planting dates, winter insulation, tuber preparation, and cultivar selection. High tunnel and field trials were conducted from fall 2020 to spring 2022 in North Logan, UT (41.767° N, −111.811° W, 1405 m elevation, USDA hardiness zone 5). Tubers were pre-sprouted or directly planted into a high tunnel (left bare or covered with low tunnels) or field (left bare or covered with mulch, a low tunnel, or mulch and a low tunnel) from November to April. Harvest began as early as 2 March in the high tunnel and 9 April in the field, with overall average marketable yields (stems per m2 ± SE) of 142 ± 7 in the high tunnel and 85 ± 4 in the field. Planting pre-sprouted tubers under low tunnels in the high tunnel in November delivered the earliest harvest (2 March), greatest marketable yield (280 stems per m2 ± 73 SE), and greatest net returns ($38 per m2). For November field plantings, insulation improved emergence by 75% and marketable yield by 77 stems per m2 ± 15 SE. Combining high tunnel and field production with the season advancement techniques of fall planting dates, low-cost insulation, and pre-sprouting resulted in high total yields in the Intermountain West compared to traditional industry recommendations.

Отработка методики плазменной резки меди марки М1, алюминиевого сплава Д16Т и титанового сплава ОТ4-1 с использованием плазмотрона с обратной полярностью

Introduction. An important area of research in the field of plasma metal cutting is obtaining a metal cut face characterized by minimal roughness and geometric deviations. It is also important to minimize changes in the structure of the metal under the cutting surface caused by the temperature effects of the plasma jet, including the formation of dross. The solution to the problem of obtaining a quality cut is to optimize the parameters of the cutting process. The plasma arc current and voltage, cutting height and cutting speed are considered to be the main parameters that determine cut quality. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the processes of plasma metal cutting of thicknesses above 20 mm due to the limitations associated with the operation conditions of plasma torches with direct polarity currents. Accordingly, for cutting large thicknesses, the use of a plasma torch operating on currents of reverse polarity seems promising. The aim of this work is to develop the technique of plasma cutting of copper, titanium and aluminum alloy sheets up to 40 mm thick using a plasma torch operating on currents of reverse polarity. Results and discussion. Investigations show that for cutting aluminum alloy (Al 90.9–94.7 %; Cu 3.8–4.9 %; Mg 1.2-1.8 %; Mn 0.3–0.9 %) and titanium alloy (Ti 94.33–97.5 %; Al 1.5–2.5 %; Mn 0.7–2.0 %) it is possible to regulate the cutting speed in a wide range, while for rolled copper (Cu ≥99.96 %) and aluminum alloy with thickness of 40 mm the range of cutting speed regulation is rather narrow. While for aluminum alloy due to excessive precipitation of alloying elements from the solid solution in the heat-affected zone decrease of microhardness is observed, for titanium alloy the microhardness growth due to material hardening is characteristic. Changing the cutting mode parameters allows receiving more homogeneous macrogeometry of a cutting surface, smaller depth of a zone of melting of a material and a heat-affected zone and smaller changes of mechanical properties of a material in a zone of a cut. For the titanium alloy, almost all of the cutting modes used are close to optimum. For alloy aluminum and copper the modes providing the best cutting quality in the considered range of parameters are determined. According to the results of the work it can be concluded that plasma cutting on reverse polarity currents is effective for cutting rolled products of large thicknesses, but the technique requires further development in order to improve the quality of the resulting cut.

Dimensioning of the Clearance as a Means of Avoiding Burr and Film Formation during the Punching of PC/ABS Cable Ducts

The production of staple articles such as cable ducts offers reductions in resource and production energy consumption if the process is optimized. Side recesses made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) have already been punched successfully as one of the process steps during the production of cable ducts. However, punching cable ducts made of flame-retardant polycarbonate/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (PC/ABS) is challenging because increased burr and film formation occurs. This study introduces the correct dimensioning of the clearance as a means of reducing the burr and film formation and presents the ideal clearance dimensions. This new process design approach comprises the dimensioning of the clearance and its subsequent successful application. Tools with clearances in the relevant size range were purchased and examined by means of punching tests. The punch-outs were evaluated regarding the quality characteristics, such as the burr, film, cut surface quality, shear droop, and plastic flow characteristics. Excerpts from high-speed recordings were used to assess the punch-outs qualitatively. The burr formation is significantly decreased by the use of a correctly dimensioned clearance, allowing for the crack initiated at the punch side and the crack initiated at the die side to meet perfectly. It is assumed that film formation can be avoided via a significant reduction in the friction or heat input during the punching process.

Supplemental light with different blue and red ratios in the physiology, yield and quality of Impatiens

• LED 83R:17B increased the cuttings number per Impatiens plant in winter by 35.4%. • Anthocyanin content in Impatiens leaves did not increase with the use of LED. • Impatiens mother plants did not show oxidative stress with LED use and keep quality. • The 83R:17B LED reduced plugs height Impatiens White by 21.3%, even after light off. • The 67R:33B and 83R:17B LEDs, increased average 41.0% trichomes number on leaves. The yield of many ornamental plant species decreases sharply in the fall and winter seasons due to the decrease in solar radiation and temperature. The aim of this study was to verify the response of two Impatiens hybrid hort cultivars Sunpatiens Compact Royal Magenta and Sunpatiens Compact White to LED supplemental light with different ratios of red and blue: 83% red (640-660 nm): 17% blue (460-470 nm), 75% red (640-660 nm): 25% blue (460-470 nm), 67% red (640-660 nm): 33% blue (460-470 nm), and 50% red (640-660 nm): 25% red (620-630 nm): 25% blue (460-470 nm); and control (only natural light). Plants were grown in a nursery greenhouse at Atibaia, SP, Brazil, with day and night air temperature of 28°C and 21°C, respectively. Mother plants were grown with a spacing of 12 cm x 14 cm in plastic boxes (36 cm width x 56 cm length x 14 cm height) with 50% vermiculite and 50% perlite. Lights were placed at 1 m distance from the plants base, emitting a PPFD of 150 µmol m −2 s −1 . The daily supplemental light for 12 hours (6 am to 6 pm) began after mother plants transplant and was maintained for seven months until the end of the experiment. The yield and quality of both mother plants and cuttings collected from them, as well as of the plugs developed after three weeks were evaluated regarding to biometric characteristics, pigments, antioxidant enzymes, stress indicators, photosynthetic activity and trichomes counting. Impatiens response varied according to the growing season. In the winter season, at 202 DAT, the 83R:17B LED light increased in 35.4% the number of cuttings produced per plant compared to the control. The light supplementation with different spectral proportions did not cause oxidative stress of the Impatiens mother plants, maintaining its quality. The performance of Royal Magenta cv. differed from the White cv. regarding to the use of artificial lighting, mainly due to the higher concentration of anthocyanin in leaves of the Royal Magenta cv. The supplemental light effect during the cuttings production of the White cv. continued until the final phase of the plugs production, due to more compact cuttings produced in the 83R:17B LED light treatment.

Evaluation of Selected Parameters after Abrasive Water Jet Cutting of Wood Plastic Composite

Paper deals with cutting of composite material with natural reinforcement by AWJ (Abrasive Water Jet). The samples were cut with four different abrasive mass flow (from 150-300 g.min-1) and different traverse speeds (depending on the required cut quality Q according standard list). SN 214001 standard is used for evaluating of one selected parameter – edge radius (rk) by used a digital microscope. After the cutting, the weight loss/gain of the samples of the individual sets are also evaluated and conclusions formulated.

Design and parameter study of banana crown mechanical cutting device.

Banana mechanical crown cutting tool which is a critical component of banana crown cutting machine is designed and studied in this paper. Experiments were designed to optimize parameters of the cutting tool. Indexes are cut surface quality grade of banana crown, maximum cutting force and useful power consumption. For banana preservation, get high grade of cut surface quality is more significant than consume less energy. Results of experiments show that the optimum parameters are as follows: cutting speed is about 50-60 mm/s, number of cut sets are about 4-6, angle between thick cutter and axis of banana rachis is about 5°, width of thick cutter is about 8-14 mm, thickness of thick cutter is about 2-3 mm, edge angle of thick cutter is between 20° and 30°, width of thin cutter is about 10-14 mm and thickness of thin cutter is about 0.2-0.4mm. This study helps to make the completely mechanical postharvest treatments for banana postharvest treatments.

Influence of Expander Conditioning Prior to Pelleting on Pellet Quality, Broiler Digestibility and Performance at Constant Amino Acids Composition while Decreasing AMEN.

Physical pellet quality and AMEN concentration are strongly related to each other in broiler feeding. A study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between dietary AMEN concentration and feed processing on pellet quality, nutrient digestibility, broiler performance, serum markers, and yield of commercial cuts. Six diets were formulated. The first diet had the recommended AMEN concentration, each further diet was calculated with 40 kcal/kg less, from 0 to -200 kcal/kg, resulting in six levels for each feed phase: starter (1-14 d), grower (15-28 d), and finisher (29-35 d). These diets were processed with and without expander conditioning prior to pelleting, using an average corn particle size of 1.6 mm, ground with a roller mill. A total of 1008 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were placed in a 6 × 2 (6 energy levels and 2 conditionings) factorial trial with six boxes as replications, with three in each broiler performance trial period. Excreta were collected 2 days before the end of each feed phase for apparent total tract digestibility measurement. On day 36, four broilers from each replication (pen) were weighed and then euthanized for blood collection, following which the gastrointestinal organs were weighed, and the ileal and gizzard contents were collected. On day 37, all remaining broilers were slaughtered after fasting to measure commercial cuts and abdominal fat. The results show that the pellet durability index (PDI) was most affected by energy reducing and expander conditioning prior to pelleting, and it was better when diets had energy reduced by 40 to 200 kcal/kg (p &gt; 0.001), as when expander conditioning was used. Digestibility of nutrients was slightly affected by treatments, as was the broiler performance; however, feed efficiency was improved in broiler-fed diets without AMEN reduction and when an expander was used, with p = 0.050 and p = 0.031, respectively. No effects were observed on the weight of gastrointestinal tract organs and serum markers, except for liver (p = 0.037) and α-amylase (p = 0.047). The lowest liver weight and lowest serum protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, gamma-glutamyl, and lipase concentrations were obtained when diets were formulated without energy reduction (Ross-0). There was no effect on commercial cuts relative to live weight at slaughter. The energy reduction was well reflected in the proportion of abdominal fat, which decreased when AMEN was reduced (p = 0.001). The present study shows it is possible to use diets with up to 200 kcal/kg reduction in AMEN without losses in performance, and the use of expander conditioning prior to pelleting promotes higher pellet quality and broiler feed efficiency.

Process window improvement for fin cut layer in self-aligned double-patterning process based on backscattered electron imaging

BackgroundThe self-aligned double-patterning (SADP) process is being used extensively to overcome the lithographic resolution limit in the manufacture of integrated circuits. One use case is fin definition in a fin field-effect transistor. Fin cut layers are applied to modify the fins to the requirements of the device designs.AimThe traditional secondary electron (SE) imaging exhibits a disadvantage in the process controlling the fin cut layers, and fin damage defects were observed. This work aims to improve the monitoring and controlling capabilities for the process quality of fin cut layers.ApproachA specially designed fin cut process flow and a backscattered electron (BSE) imaging technique are applied to check the process quality. The patterns formed through the fin cut etch and the fin structures are identified and measured simultaneously in one BSE image.ResultsBy measuring the edge-to-edge distance, pitch walking (PW) of fins, and overlay (OV), the root cause of the fin damage is revealed. The linear fitting model and third-order fitting model are applied to reduce the edge placement error (EPE). The edge distance protecting the “at risk” fin is enlarged from 5.6 to 11.6 nm. The range of the distance is reduced from 11.6 to 8.1 nm, and the improvement in standard deviation is about 33%.ConclusionsThis work shows the capability of the BSE imaging technique in the characterization of fin cut layers and the potential in process window improvement restricted to fin damage defects.

The Properties of Fast Yellow Pulsating Supergiants: FYPS Point the Way to Missing Red Supergiants

Fast yellow pulsating supergiants (FYPS) are a recently discovered class of evolved massive pulsators. As candidate supergiant objects, and one of the few classes of pulsating evolved massive stars, these objects have incredible potential to change our understanding of the structure and evolution of massive stars. Here we examine the lightcurves of a sample of 126 cool supergiants in the Magellanic Clouds observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite in order to identify pulsating stars. After making quality cuts and filtering out contaminant objects, we examine the distribution of pulsating stars in the Hertzprung–Russel (HR) diagram, and find that FYPS occupy a region above . This luminosity boundary corresponds to stars with initial masses of ∼18–20 M ⊙, consistent with the most massive red supergiant progenitors of supernovae (SNe) II-P, as well as the observed properties of SNe IIb progenitors. This threshold is in agreement with the picture that FYPS are post-RSG stars. Finally, we characterize the behavior of FYPS pulsations as a function of their location in the HR diagram. We find low-frequency pulsations at higher effective temperatures, and higher-frequency pulsations at lower temperatures, with a transition between the two behaviors at intermediate temperatures. The observed properties of FYPS make them fascinating objects for future theoretical study.