Net Products Research Articles

МЕТОДИЧНІ ПІДХОДИ ДО ВИЗНАЧЕННЯ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ ВИРОБНИЦТВА В СІЛЬСЬКОМУ ГОСПОДАРСТВІ

At the level of individual sectors of the national economy, the criteria of economic efficiency are specified according to the specifics of the direction. For example, in agriculture, it is primarily an increase in the production of net products at the lowest cost of living and tangible labor. For some agricultural producers, the criterion of economic efficiency of economic activity will be the maximum profit, because it characterizes the main purpose of production. It is difficult to assess the economic efficiency of agricultural production. This is due to the use of not only material, technical and labor resources, but also natural factors – heat, light, precipitation, etc., as well as scientific, technical and information. Not only live labor is used, but also past, as well as the environment. Therefore, the system of indicators makes it possible to conduct a comprehensive analysis and draw sound conclusions about improving the economic efficiency of production. With the help of a system of indicators it is possible to specify the main or auxiliary criteria, to give a generalized and qualitative description of economic processes. Practice shows that for different industries, levels of government and goals it is necessary to use different indicators, which should be organically related to the main criterion and provide a clearer comparison of the results. The economic result of the enterprise largely depends on the extent to which the financial return of the resources used and the extent to which the level of profitability is achieved in the process of formation of production costs. At the same time, to make certain conclusions about the level of economic efficiency of the enterprise, the profit must be compared with the costs or assets that provide business activities, to determine profitability, because the absolute amount of profit does not characterize the level of production efficiency. In determining the level of economic efficiency of production in agriculture, it is necessary to take into account the interrelated factors and indicators that make it possible to comprehensively determine the level of efficiency. Natural and cost indicators are used for this purpose.

Study on analysis of kerf width variation in WEDM of insulating zirconia

ABSTRACT The shaping of the electrically insulating ceramic component in post sintered state has always been a difficulty in developing ceramic applications. Wire electrical discharge machining is an ascertained option to produce near net shape products in conductive materials. When it comes to insulating ceramics, sustaining the threshold electrical conductivity comes into the picture. This paper explores the feasibility of wire electrical discharge machining of Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 with graphite powder additive mixed distilled water to replace the kerosene. In this research, the assisting electrode method has been employed to provide electrical conductivity to the work material to have initial electrical contact. Sparking initiates at assisting electrode coating and further conservation of electrical contact leads to successful engraving. Along with graphite concentration, the servo reference voltage is varied to study the kerf width variation deciding the accuracy of the component. The optimum graphite concentration was found to be in the range of 3 to 5 g/ltr. For this range, the ceramic erosion experienced to be most stable through optimum kerf width. Continuous increase in the kerf was observed with increasing gap voltage for individual graphite concentration.

Statistical methodology for defining allowable limits of quantification differences in movements and stock of net bulk products

Statistical methodology for defining allowable limits of quantification differences in movements and stock of net bulk products

Characterization of a 17-4 PH stainless steel obtained through metal powder Hot Isostatic Pressing process for automotive application

Steels of the family 17-4 Precipitation Hardening stainless steels are often considered as potential candidates for applications requiring high levels of strength (typically above 600 MPa in tensile strength) and a moderate ductility. The aim of this work is the characterization of a 17-4 precipitation hardening stainless steel obtained through metal powder Hot Isostatic Pressing process. The main purposes of using Hot Isostatic Pressing process are the better chemical composition and microstructure homogeneity, the finer grain size (allowing to higher mechanical properties), and the possibility to obtain net shape products, avoiding subsequent finishing operations. The Hot Isostatic Pressing process temperature does not seem to significantly influence the tensile properties, while, the aging temperature is a key factor: lower aging temperature brings to higher strength and lower ductility. However, a higher influence of the Hot Isostatic Pressing process temperature was detected on the toughness. Improved toughness both at room and at low temperature was obtained by optimizing the aging treatments. An improvement of 32 % in impact energy was obtained by the optimization of the aging process thanks to a higher austenite content, which has shown a nanosized shape between the martensite platelets, in the steel structure.

Enhancing the performance of an integrated CCHP system including ORC, Kalina, and refrigeration cycles through employing TEG: 3E analysis and multi-criteria optimization

In the current work thermodynamic modeling, exergo-economic and multi-objective optimization of an integrated geothermal based CCHP system coupled with thermoelectric generator is examined. A numerical simulation in the Engineering Equation Solver (EES) is developed to simulate the behavior of the CCHP/TEG integrated system. Exergo-economic modeling to find the cost formation of different streams is done and parametric study with considering different thermodynamic and economic criteria is performed. Thermodynamic analysis reveal that the net output power and total useful products are 139.7 kW and 807 kW. Moreover, the energy and exergy efficiency of the considered system is 55.81 % and 22.63 %, respectively. Parametric study on the CCHP/TEG system for net output power, exergy efficiency, electrical cost rate, and total useful products is carried out. Regarding parametric study the multi-objective optimization with exergy efficiency and electrical cost rate is done. The concept of ideal point is employed to determine the final optimum conditions of CCHP/TEG system. The optimization calculations show that in the final optimum values of the electrical cost rate and exergy efficiency of the system are 12.52 $/h and 22.11 %, respectively. In addition the optimization process indicates that the optimum turbine inlet pressure and separation I inlet temperature are around 8 bars and 13 bars.

Comparative functional survival and equivalent annual cost of 3 long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) products in Tanzania: A randomised trial with 3-year follow up.

Two billion long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) have been procured for malaria control. A functional LLIN is one that is present, is in good physical condition, and remains insecticidal, thereby providing protection against vector-borne diseases through preventing bites and killing disease vectors. The World Health Organization (WHO) prequalifies LLINs that remain adequately insecticidal 3 years after deployment. Therefore, institutional buyers often assume that prequalified LLINs are functionally identical with a 3-year lifespan. We measured the lifespans of 3 LLIN products, and calculated their cost per year of functional life, to demonstrate the economic and public health importance of procuring the most cost-effective LLIN product based on its lifespan. A randomised double-blinded trial of 3 pyrethroid LLIN products (10,571 nets in total) was conducted at 3 follow-up points: 10 months (August-October 2014), 22 months (August-October 2015), and 36 months (October-December 2016) among 3,393 households in Tanzania using WHO-recommended methods. Primary outcome was LLIN functional survival (LLIN present and in serviceable condition). Secondary outcomes were (1) bioefficacy and chemical content (residual insecticidal activity) and (2) protective efficacy for volunteers sleeping under the LLINs (bite reduction and mosquitoes killed). Median LLIN functional survival was significantly different between the 3 net products (p = 0.001): 2.0 years (95% CI 1.7-2.3) for Olyset, 2.5 years (95% CI 2.2-2.8) for PermaNet 2.0 (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73 [95% CI 0.64-0.85], p = 0.001), and 2.6 years (95% CI 2.3-2.8) for NetProtect (HR = 0.70 [95% CI 0.62-0.77], p < 0.001). Functional survival was affected by accumulation of holes, leading to users discarding nets. Protective efficacy also significantly differed between products as they aged. Equivalent annual cost varied between US$1.2 (95% CI $1.1-$1.4) and US$1.5 (95% CI $1.3-$1.7), assuming that each net was priced identically at US$3. The 2 longer-lived nets (PermaNet and NetProtect) were 20% cheaper than the shorter-lived product (Olyset). The trial was limited to only the most widely sold LLINs in Tanzania. Functional survival varies by country, so the single country setting is a limitation. These results suggest that LLIN functional survival is less than 3 years and differs substantially between products, and these differences strongly influence LLIN value for money. LLIN tendering processes should consider local expectations of cost per year of functional life and not unit price. As new LLIN products come on the market, especially those with new insecticides, it will be imperative to monitor their comparative durability to ensure that the most cost-effective products are procured for malaria control.

Characteristics of the Reanalysis and Satellite-Based Surface Net Radiation Data in the Arctic

In this study, we compared four net radiation products: the fifth generation of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts atmospheric reanalysis of the global climate (ERA5), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF), and Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX), based on ground observation data and intercomparison data. ERA5 showed the highest accuracy, followed by EBAF, GEWEX, and NCEP. When analyzing the validation grid, ERA5 showed the most similar data distribution to ground observation data. Different characteristics were observed between the reanalysis data and satellite data. In the case of satellite-based data, the net radiation value tended to increase at high latitudes. Compared with the reanalysis data, Greenland and the central Arctic appeared to be overestimated. All data were highly correlated, with a difference of 6–21 W/m2 among the products examined in this study. Error was attributed mainly to difficulties in predicting long-term climate change and having to combine net radiation data from several sources. This study highlights criteria that may be helpful in selecting data for future climate research models of this region.

Discrepancies in the Simulated Global Terrestrial Latent Heat Flux from GLASS and MERRA-2 Surface Net Radiation Products

Surface all-wave net radiation (Rn) is a crucial variable driving many terrestrial latent heat (LE) models that estimate global LE. However, the differences between different Rn products and their impact on global LE estimates still remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated two Rn products, Global LAnd Surface Satellite (GLASS) beta version Rn and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications-version 2 (MERRA-2) Rn, from 2007–2017 using ground-measured data from 240 globally distributed in-situ radiation measurements provided by FLUXNET projects. The GLASS Rn product had higher accuracy (R2 increased by 0.04–0.26, and RMSE decreased by 2–13.3 W/m2) than the MERRA-2 Rn product for all land cover types on a daily scale, and the two Rn products differed greatly in spatial distribution and variations. We then determined the resulting discrepancies in simulated annual global LE using a simple averaging model by merging five diagnostic LE models: RS-PM model, SW model, PT-JPL model, MS-PT model, and SIM model. The validation results showed that the estimated LE from the GLASS Rn had higher accuracy (R2 increased by 0.04–0.14, and RMSE decreased by 3–8.4 W/m2) than that from the MERRA-2 Rn for different land cover types at daily scale. Importantly, the mean annual global terrestrial LE from GLASS Rn was 2.1% lower than that from the MERRA-2 Rn. Our study showed that large differences in satellite and reanalysis Rn products could lead to substantial uncertainties in estimating global terrestrial LE.

Effect of Extrusion Speed on the Microstructures and Density of Compaction Efficiency in Powder Pressing

Powder metallurgy is an effective process of manufacturing near net shape products. It offers many advantages, including high productivity, low production costs less energy consumption and environmental friendship, which is widely concern in powder metallurgy industry. In this paper, the effects of pressing parameters, such as pressing pressure, pressing speed and holding time, on the density of blanking Fe-based amorphous alloys at room temperature are studied. The experimental results show that with the increase of pressure, the density of the blank has just started to increase faster, but the pressing pressure cannot exceed the limit of the die. Accelerating the pressing speed is helpful to increase the density of the compact at the very beginning, but with the pressing speed exceeding one value, the density of the blank decreases. The pressure time is not particularly obvious to the density of the blank, and the general holding time is two minutes.

Location-based parameterization of controlled-source electromagnetic data inversion for the monitoring of hydraulic fracturing with magnetically enhanced proppants

The injection of fluids with electromagnetic (EM) contrast is regarded as a promising tool for EM monitoring. We have developed a novel model-based inversion method, designated as a particle mapping (PM) method, as a fit-for-purpose inversion tool for EM monitoring. The PM method optimizes the location of particles while constraining a priori information on the net physical property-volume products in the inversion domain. In addition, as a regularization method for location-based inversion, a fuzzy clustering method is adopted to integrate the PM method with the geometries of an a priori anomalous distribution. The EM monitoring of hydraulic fracturing is considered as a primary application of the PM method. In particular, numerical experiments focus on the injection of magnetically enhanced proppants and the use of the fracture model as a cluster geometry. Numerical experiments also include situational assumptions of incorrect a priori injected amounts of fluids and the distribution of anomalous regions to fully investigate the practicality of the method. The results indicate not only how clear and intrinsically interpretable the imaging results can be obtained with the PM method but also how known or assumed information on injected fluids and the fracture model can be integrated with the EM inversion.

Study of Sustainable Development of Natural Resources in Economic Development of MP: Special Reference to SDGSs

Sustainable development (SD) has become a popular catchphrase in contemporary development discourse. However, in spite of its pervasiveness and the massive popularity it has garnered over the years, the concept still seems unclear as many people continue to ask questions about its meaning and history, as well as what it entails and implies for development theory and practice. In the present study, an attempt has been made to establish cause and effect relationship in between different land use patterns, total population, urban population and net state domestic products (NSDPs) for entire Madhya Pradesh (MP) from the year 1990-91 to 2000-01and to make an effective policy implications for sustainable forest management. The secondary information has been collected to fulfill the requirement of objectives. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the discourse on SD by further explaining the paradigm and its implications for human thinking and actions in the quest for sustainable development. This is done through extensive literature review.

Comparative Functional Survival and Equivalent Annual Cost of Three Long Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN) Products in Tanzania: A Three-Year Prospective Cohort Study of LLIN Attrition, Physical Integrity, and Insecticidal Activity

Background: Almost 1.2 billion long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) have been procured for malaria control. World Health Organization (WHO) prequalifies LLINs that remain adequately insecticidal three years after deployment. Institutional buyers often assume that prequalified LLINs are functionally identical with a three-year lifespan. We measured the lifespans of three LLIN products, and calculated their cost per year of functional life, to explore whether using such data for LLIN procurement could lead to more cost-effective product selection. Methods: A randomised double-blinded prospective evaluation of three pyrethroid LLIN products was conducted in 2013 to 2016 among 3,420 study households in Tanzania using WHO-recommended methods. Primary outcome was LLIN functional survival (LLINs present in serviceable condition). Secondary outcomes were 1) bioefficacy and chemical content (residual insecticidal activity) and 2) protective efficacy for volunteers sleeping under the LLINs (bite reduction and mosquitoes killed). Findings: LLIN median functional survival was significantly different: 2·0 years for Olyset, 2·5 years for PermaNet and 2·6 years for NetProtect. Functional survival was affected by accumulation of holes resulting in users discarding nets. Protective efficacy also significantly differed between products as they aged. Equivalent annual cost varied between $1·2 and $1·5 USD, assuming that each net was priced identically at $3. The longer-lived nets were 20% cheaper than the shorter-lived product. Interpretation: LLIN functional survival is less than three years, and differs substantially between products. These differences strongly influence LLIN cost-effectiveness, and cannot be ignored by LLIN buyers who care about value for money. Funding Statement: The research was made possible by the Research Council of Norway through the ABCDR Project no. 220757. Sarah Moore was funded by awards from IVCC and Notre Dame OPP1081737. Declaration of Interests: Sarah Moore, William Kisinza, Olivier Pigeon and Jason Moore conduct product evaluations for a number of vector control product manufacturers. The other authors declare that they have no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Ethical approval was granted from ethical review committees at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (6333/A443), Ifakara Health Institute (IHI/IRB/AMM/ No: 07- 2014) and the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR/HQ/R.8c/Vol. I/285).

Spatial Distribution of Forest Fire Emissions: A Case Study in Three Mexican Ecoregions

This study shows a simplified approach for calculating emissions associated with forest fires in Mexico, based on different satellite observation products: the biomass, burnt area, emission factors, and burning efficiency. Biomass loads were based on a Mexican biomass map, updated with the net primary productivity products. The burning efficiency was estimated from a Random Forest Regression (RFR) model, which considered the fuel, weather and topographical conditions. The burned areas were the downloaded Maryland University MCD64c6 product. The emission factors were obtained from well-known estimations, corrected by a dedicated US Forest Service and Mexican campaign. The uncertainty was estimated from an integrative method. Our method was applied to a four-year period, 2011–2014, in three Mexican ecoregions. The total burned in the study region was 12,898 km2 (about 4% of the area), producing 67.5 (±20) Tg of CO2. Discrepancies of the land cover maps were found to be the main cause of a low correlation between our estimations and the Global Emission Database (GFED). The emissions were clearly associated to precipitation patterns. They mainly affected dry and tropical forests (almost 50% of all emissions). Six priority areas were identified, where prevention or mitigation measures must be implemented.

Searching for a Common Thrombo-Inflammatory Basis in Patients With Deep Vein Thrombosis or Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background: Inflammation and hypercoagulability play a pivotal role in venous thromboembolism and atherothrombosis. Since venous thrombosis increases the risk of atherothrombotic events and vice versa, common mechanisms may be involved.Objectives: To elucidate the role of neutrophils and coagulation in the occurrence of atherothrombotic events in patients with a history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT or peripheral artery disease (PAD).Materials and Methods: We studied 115 patients from two cohorts (75 DVT, 40 PAD). From those with PAD, 20 patients had progressive disease; from those with DVT, 25 patients had a recurrent DVT and 25 suffered from post thrombotic syndrome (PTS); patients were age and sex matched to DVT and PAD patients without events. Markers of neutrophil recruitment (p-selectin) and activation [nucleosomes, human neutrophil elastase- α1anti-trypsin (HNE-AT)], an anti-inflammatory marker (Lipoxin A4) and a clotting activity marker (d-dimer), were measured with ELISA. Coagulation potential was analyzed by thrombin generation (CAT method).Results: Higher nucleosome levels were found in DVT patients [11.3 U/mL (7.4–17.7)] compared to PAD patients [7.1 U/mL (5.1–13.8)], lower HNE-AT levels were found in DVT patients [33.4 ng/mL (23.5–40.5)] in comparison to PAD patients [158 ng/mL (88.1–283)]. No difference in nucleosome levels was found between DVT patients with cardiovascular (CV) events [12.6 U/mL (8.2–16.1)], and PAD patients with CV events [6.9 U/mL (4.9–11.2)]. Lipoxin A4 levels appeared to be significantly lower in DVT [2.4 ng/mL (1.7–4.8)] vs. PAD [35.6 ng/mL (16.6–80.1)], with similar results in DVT patients with CV events vs. PAD patients with CV events. Thrombin generation showed higher ETP [160.4% (141.1–215.4)], and peak height [292.1% (177.9–330)] values in DVT patients. D-dimer levels were significantly lower in the DVT cohort [330 ng/mL (220–550)] compared to the PAD cohort [550 ng/mL (369–959)].Conclusion: In DVT patients, neutrophil activity does not appear to be an important driver of CV events. Although neutrophil activity is more pronounced in PAD, its effect is partly dampened by Lipoxin A4. Moreover, no associations were found between NET products and coagulation activity, suggesting that neutrophil activation does not play a pivotal role in the risk of thrombosis in either DVT or PAD.

Oxidative Addition of Dihydrogen, Boron Compounds, and Aryl Halides to a Cobalt(I) Cation Supported by a Strong-Field Pincer Ligand.

Cationic cobalt(I) dinitrogen complexes with a strong-field tridentate pincer ligand were prepared and the oxidative addition of polar and non-polar bonds was studied. Addition of H2 to [(iPrPNP)Co(N2)]+ (iPrPNP = 2,6-bis((diisopropylphosphaneyl)methyl)pyridine) in THF-d8 resulted in rapid oxidative addition and formation of the cis-Co(III) dihydride complex, cis-[(iPrPNP)Co(H)2L]+ where L = THF or N2. The addition of H2 was reversible as evidenced by the dynamics observed by variable temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy and the regeneration of [(iPrPNP)Co(N2)]+ upon exposure to dinitrogen. In contrast, addition of HBPin, (Pin = pinacolato) B2Pin2 and aryl halides resulted in the formation of net one-electron oxidation products: cationic Co(II)-boryl and Co(II)-halide/aryl complexes, respectively. All products were structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and the electronic structures were determined by a combination of magnetic moment measurements, EPR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Monitoring the addition of HBPin to [(iPrPNP)Co(N2)]+ provided evidence for a transient Co(III) oxidative addition product that likely undergoes comproportionation with the cobalt(I) starting material to generate the observed Co(II) products.

Gender wage gap in the agricultural labor market of India: An empirical analysis

Abstract. The gender wage gap in the agricultural labor market is observed in all the states of India. This paper will try to identify possible policies which can reduce this gender wise wage discrimination in agricultural labor market. We consider the period between 2010-11 to 2015-16 and 18 major states of India. The possible factors which can create an impact on gender wage gap are the expansion of MGNREGP, Self Help Group, primary education among rural women, expenditure on the social sector as a percentage of Net state domestic products and the cropping intensity. It initially assumes that Cropping Intensity of a state in a specific time is very much dependent on the net irrigated area of that state in that time. Our endogeneity test supports our claim. So, Instrumental variable method is applied in our Fixed Effect panel regression. The result shows that expansion of primary education among women, the number of self-help groups in the state and enhancement of cropping intensity through improving irrigation facility can play a significant role to reduce the male and female wage discrimination in the agricultural labor market in India. But participation of women in MGNREGP and social sector expenditure as a percentage of NSDP fails to create any impact on the gender wage gap. Keywords. Agricultural labor market, Gender wage gap, Panel data, Instrumental variable. JEL. C23, C26, J16, J43.

ОЦЕНКА УРОВНЯ ПРОИЗВОДИТЕЛЬНОСТИ ТРУДА В СЕЛЬСКОХОЗЯЙСТВЕННЫХ ПРЕДПРИЯТИЯХ УЛЬЯНОВСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

The level of labor productivity, being an indicator of the efficiency of production, characterizes the degree of competitiveness of the economy of the region, including the agrarian sector. Robust labor productivity assessments are needed to assess the efficiency and monitor the state of the industry. To assess the productivity of labor, various indicators are used: natural, value (gross, commodity and net products, profits). The estimation of labor productivity in agricultural enterprises of the Ulyanovsk region was carried out according to the system of indicators in the dynamics for 2012 - 2017. Analysis of labor productivity in the agrarian sector of the region has revealed a positive trend of its growth, both in the value dimension and in the natural one. There is an increase in gross income and profit per worker in the industry, a decrease in labor costs per unit of the main types of products (grain, milk). The analysis of productivity in the region’s industries can act as an element of regional diagnostics: this analysis gives an idea of the level of labor force efficiency, growth potential and potential return from ongoing activities, public policy.

Comprehensive Assessment of Global Surface Net Radiation Products and Uncertainty Analysis

AbstractEarth surface net radiation (Rn) characterizes the surface radiation budget and plays a critical role in ecological, biogeochemical, and hydrological processes. The Rn products from remote sensing and reanalysis have not been validated comprehensively. In this study, four Rn products (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System [CERES], ERA‐Interim, Modern‐Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 2, and Japanese 55‐year Reanalysis) were validated using global ground measurements on monthly (255 sites) and annual (172 sites) timescales. These products have similar accuracies, with average root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) ranges of 5.35 W m−2 (monthly) and 2.30 W m−2 (annually). However, varying accuracies and systemic biases exist across different climatic zones. The annual land Rn intercomparison illustrates that large uncertainty exists over polar regions and deserts. A significantly negative annual anomaly in the CERES product for the 2001–2008 period is identified when examining annual Rn anomalies over the global land surface. Detailed uncertainty analysis indicates that the global CERES Rn anomaly is mainly due to different versions of input data such as aerosol optical thickness and atmospheric profiles (in 2006 and 2008) and cloud properties (in 2002). This work demonstrates that temporal analysis provides powerful quality control for global time series satellite products when the validation using ground measurements fails to capture potential issues.

Impacts of integrated soil and water conservation programs on vegetation regeneration and productivity as indicator of ecosystem health in Guna-Tana watershed: evidences from satellite imagery

BackgroundNorthern Ethiopian Highlands, including Guna-Tana watershed, have experienced profound natural resources degradation which are resulted from coupled natural and anthropogenic factors. To mitigate this problem, Ethiopian government has launched various soil and water conservation programs at different watersheds. Overall objective of this study was to analyze impacts of soil and water conservation programs on vegetation regeneration and ecosystem productivity at in Guna-Tana watershed. As prime data source, the study has utilized Moderate Imaging Spectrometer satellite bi-monthly Enhanced Vegetation Index, 8-day land surface temperature and annual Net Primary Productivity products of the past 17 years starting from 2000. Imagery was processed by using various image preprocessing and analytical techniques. Long-term trend was tested by using Sens slope estimator and Mann–Kendall’s monotonic trend test. Analyzed trend was also segregated into slope and agroecology classes. More importantly, to supplement trend analysis, Vegetation Disturbance Index was developed.ResultsResults have showed that despite of long-term soil and water conservation programs, except small patches, vast expanses of the watershed have showed decrease in vegetation regeneration and primary productivity trend. This observed trend has also spatial variability across slope gradient and agroecological classes of the watershed.ConclusionThough there is tendency of increasing vegetation regeneration and productivity, its observed that significant positive change as a result of watershed conservation programs was very little. This indicates that for better regeneration of vegetation and maintenance of ecosystem health in a watershed, intervention programs should be revised and constraints should be assessed. Taking these into consideration, the study calls further implementation strategies which have accounted agroecology and livelihoods production system.

Additive manufacturing for steels: a review

Additive manufacturing (AM) of steels involves the layer by layer consolidation of powder or wire feedstock using a heating beam to form near net shape products. For the past decades, the AM technique reaches the maturation of both research grade and commercial production due to significant research work from academic, government and industrial research organization worldwide. AM process has been implemented to replace the conventional process of steel fabrication due to its potentially lower cost and flexibility manufacturing. This paper provides a review of previous research related to the AM methods followed by current challenges issues. The relationship between microstructure, mechanical properties, and process parameters will be discussed. Future trends and recommendation for further works are also provided.