Sample S2 Research Articles

Influence of Pr-ion substitution in Cu2X hexaferrites on their magnetic and dielectric properties

A series of Sr2Cu2PrxFe28-xO46 (x = 0.00 to x = 0.32 with a step of 0.08) hexagonal ferrite was synthesized by the heat treatment method, and heated at 1300 °C for 6 h. These samples were characterized using FTIR, XRD, FESEM, VSM, and low-frequency (20 Hz–2 MHz) dielectric measurements. FTIR investigation confirms the ferrite phase formation in all the samples. XRD investigation reveals that all samples possess the X-type as a major phase with a minor M-phase. FESEM images show smaller grain size ranges between 25.27 μm and 51.25 μm. EDX elemental analysis confirms the existence of constituent elements in synthesized materials. VSM analysis shows that prepared ferrites possess a soft magnetic nature, the saturation magnetization of heated samples was found in the range of 35.99 Am2/kg to 49.44 Am2/kg, and coercivity was observed in the range of 10.372 kA/m to 37.443 kA/m. Relaxation peaks have been observed in the loss tangent profile for x = 0.00, 0.08. The Nyquist plot for samples S1 and S2 represents the low-loss universal capacitance circuit, while samples S3 to S5 represent the parallel conductance-capacitance circuit.

Simultaneous nitrate and chromium removal mechanism in a pyrite-involved mixotrophic biofilter.

Microbially mediated NO3--N and Cr(VI) reduction is being recognized as an eco-friendly and cost-effective remediation strategy. Iron sulfide mineral, as a natural inorganic electron donor, has a strong influence on NO3--N and Cr(VI) transformation, respectively. However, little is known about the simultaneous nitrate and chromium removal performance and underlying mechanism in an iron sulfide mineral-involved mixotrophic biofilter. This study demonstrated that the NO3--N and Cr(VI) removal efficiencies were stable at 62 ± 8% and 56 ± 10%, and most of them were eliminated in the 0-100-mm region of the biofilter. Cr(VI) was reduced to insoluble Cr(III) via microbial and chemical pathways, which was confirmed by the SEM-EDS morphology and the XPS spectra of biofilm and pyrite particles. SO42- was as a main byproduct of pyrite oxidation; however, the bacterial SO42- reduction synchronously occurred, evidenced by the variations of TOC and SO42- concentrations. These results suggested that there were complicated and intertwined biochemical relations between NO3--N/Cr(VI)/SO42-/DO (electron acceptors) and pyrite/organics (electron donors). Further investigation indicated that both the maximal biomass and greatest denitrifiers' relative abundances in microbial sample S1 well explained why the pollutants were removed in the 0-100-mm region. A variety of denitrifiers such as Pseudoxanthomona, Acidovorax, and Simplicispira were enriched, which probably were responsible for both NO3--N and Cr(VI) removal. Our findings advance the understanding of simultaneous nitrate and chromium removal in pyrite-involved mixotrophic systems and facilitate the new strategy development for nitrate and chromium remediation.

Extraction of essential oil from lemon grass through hydro distillation methods using solar and biomass energy

The extraction of essential oils from medicinal plants, traditionally achieved by using conventional energy sources such as LPG, wood and others, which are costly and detrimental to the environment. This study focused on using solar and biomass energy to process five pre-treated shade-dried Lemongrass samples [fresh (S1), 12 h (S2), 24 h (S3), 36 h (S4) and 48 h (S5)] for essential oil extraction using hydro distillation method. A complete set of distillation unit with 16 m2 Scheffler solar collector is provided, which can generate temperature of between 300 and 450°C when exposed to beam radiation ranging from 800 to 850 W/m2. It works efficiently only on sunny days; so a backup energy source is required hence; biomass distillation system (BDS) is utilised. The thermal energy required for a 5 kg, S3 sample with 10 L of water was 10.32 and 10.62 kWh, and extracted oil was 43.8 and 46.4 ml, in solar distillation system (SDS) and BDS, respectively, which is the maximum oil yield. Statistical analysis was tested at the 1% significant level by central composite model. The system has been proven to be economically feasible, with the extracted oil having similar physicochemical properties as the available market oil.

Normal value and changes in CRP values on maternal and fetal umbilical cord blood with the labor and intrapartum interventions

Introduction: C-reactive protein (CRP) is widely used as an inflammatory marker. Since labour is an inflammatory process, CRP values vary during the intrapartum and postpartum period due to multiple factors.Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was carried out at Castle Street Hospital for Women. Mothers who have term singleton pregnancies with uneventful antenatal periods and have undergone vaginal delivery were recruited for the study. Samples were obtained just after admission to the labour ward (S1), 24 hours after the delivery (S2), and the fetal umbilical cord blood (S3). Reference ranges for S2 and S3 were determined using the interquartile range (IQR).Results: Out of 300 mothers recruited for the study, the mean age was 26.73 years (95% Confidence interval 19.5-36.9). There were 266 samples of S1,177 samples of S2, and 173 samples of S3 were collected. The reference range for S2 is 12.70-150.83 mg/dl, and for S3 is 0.1-8.1 mg/dL. The S2 value is significantly associated with duration of labor (r=0.47, p=0.046), number of vaginal examinations (VEs) (p < 0.001), augmentation of labor (AOL) (p=0.001), method of cervical ripening (p=0.014) and intrapartum intervention (p < 0.001). The number of vaginal examinations (p=0.02) and augmentation of labor (p=0.025) are significantly associated with fetal umbilical cord blood (S3).Conclusion: Early postpartum CRP can be risen up to 151 mg/dL after 24 hours of vaginal delivery. It may be associated with prolonged labor, number of VEs performed, AOL, method of cervical ripening, and episiotomy. Fluctuation of normal CRP values during the periods of antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum needs to be assessed in the Sri Lankan community.

Regenerative endodontic procedures in immature permanent teeth with pulp necrosis: the impact of microbiology on the clinical and radiographic outcome

AimsThe current study aimed to determine how the regenerative endodontic procedures (REP) disinfection strategy influences overall bacterial load and REP outcomes. Different bacterial species in the teeth were also examined.MethodsA previously reported non-randomized controlled clinical research on REP ± leukocyte and platelet-rich fibrin gathered microbial samples from 14 of 29 patients during REP (LPRF). Four microbiological samples were obtained in two treatment sessions. S1 and S2 were taken before and after the first irrigation with 1.5% NaOCl and saline. Samples S3 and S4 were obtained before and after rinsing with 17% EDTA in the second treatment session. Microbial samples were identified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction with species-specific primers.ResultsThe total bacterial load recovered from patients showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease after the first treatment and was maintained throughout the second treatment. Fusobacterium nucleatum, Treponema denticola, and Enterococcus faecalis were the most prevalent species in root canals, detected in all analyzed cases (100%), followed by Prevotella intermedia and Tannerella forsythia, both in six of 14 (42.9%) cases. The presence of these abundant species was significantly reduced after S1. Parvimonas micra was present in four of 14 (28.6%) cases and Actinomyces naeslundii in two of 14 (14.3%) cases. Filifactor alocis, Porphyromonas endodontalis, and Porphyromonas gingivalis were each detected in only one of 14 (7.1%) cases. No statistical correlation could be made between bacterial species and clinical or radiographic outcomes due to the small sample size. In the LPRF group, two cases required retreatment due to early post-treatment flare-up, and two other cases presented radiographically a persistent apical periodontitis 3 years after treatment. In the control group, all analyzed cases were clinically asymptomatic after treatment, and radiographically the final periapical index score at the last recall revealed healthy periapices.ConclusionThe REP disinfection protocol of the present study seems to be satisfactorily effective in reducing the total bacterial load, omitting clinical symptoms, and inducing periapical bone healing in immature permanent teeth with pulp necrosis. LPRF seems to prevent these outcomes from being achieved and should consequently not be recommended in REP.

Probing the effect of lightly doped Iron in Bi2S3 nanostructures on Physiochemical properties and efficacy in anti-microbial activity

In this study, Bi2S3 nanostructures doped with Iron (Fe) at various concentrations i.e., FexBi2-xS3 (x = 0.0, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 wt%) were synthesized using the reverse micelle method. EDAX (Energy Dispersive Analysis of x-rays) has shown that the prepared samples are in stoichiometry without any kind of impurities. Rietveld refinement XRD (x-ray diffraction) pattern confirmed the orthorhombic crystal structure and showed good crystallinity of all the samples with increase in Fe content. The unit cell volume is found to be varied from 12.34 nm to 19.39 nm. HRTEM (High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy) has shown that the prepared nanostructures are nanorods and nanocylinders with high crystallinity and corroborates with our XRD results. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy analysis indicated that the band gap has increased from 1.550 eV for pure Bi2S3 to 1.592 eV for Fe0.08Bi1.92S3 nanostructures reflecting the blue shift compared to bulk sample. The photoluminescence spectra (PL) recorded with 250 nm excitation wavelength for powder samples has shown that with increase in Iron concentration the intensity of 440 nm peak increases whereas the peaks at 470 nm and 510 nm decreases. The PL spectra is also recorded for nanostructures dispersed in liquid media and has shown that the peaks at 501 nm is observed while rest of the two peaks are quenched. Raman spectra dependent on temperature is obtained for FexBi2-xS3 (x = 0.0, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 wt%) samples in pellet form in the range of 80 K to 280 K. All samples have shown B1g and Ag phonon modes with higher intensity. The Gruneisen parameter determined for B1g mode varies from 1.21 to 14.13 whereas for Ag mode it varies from 0.60 to 7.91 with the exception of a negative value of −3.10 for Fe0.06Bi1.94S3 sample. VSM (vibrating sample magnetometer) showed the diamagnetic behavior of Bi2S3 and ferromagnetic behaviour of FexBi2-xS3 (x = 0.0, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 wt%) samples. The saturation magnetization is found to be reaching to a value of 127.5 emu gm−1 for 0.6 wt% of Fe doping in Bi2S3 and then decreases drastically to 40.34 emu gm−1 for 0.8 wt% Fe doping. The antibacterial efficacy showed that as Fe concentration increases, the MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) fluctuates between 60 to 70 μg ml−1 and is found to be maximum for Fe0.08Bi1.92S3 sample. It is also found that Fe0.04Bi1.96S3 nanostructures show the lowest MIC value for Gram +ve and Gram –ve bacteria in comparison to Bi2S3 nanostructures.

Study on wear, corrosion and fatigue properties of dual metallic bearings coated with nickel and aluminum particles

One of the solutions for improving the mechanical properties is coating them with particles, which is carried out by various methods. In this study, dual metallic copper/steel bearings were investigated so that, one of them was an uncoated (S0) and three coated samples, nickel micro-particles (S1), nickel/aluminum micro-particles (S2), and nickel/aluminum nano-particles (S3) were produced. The samples were subjected to mechanical tests including micro hardness, wear, and scratch, and then their corrosion rate and fatigue life were evaluated. The results showed that creating a nano-sized coating on the sample improved their properties compared to the micro-sized and uncoated samples. The highest micro hardness was obtained for sample S3, which was equal to 103.6 HV, 18% higher than sample S0. The lowest wear and corrosion rates were also obtained for sample S3, which were equal to 0.38 mg m−1 and 3.14 mm year−1, respectively. Also, sample S3 had lowest delamination amount in the scratch test equal to 0.17 mm and most number of cycles until failure, 242 thousand cycles, in the fatigue test which was 76% more than the number of cycles spent on sample S0. Additionally, the microstructure of the corroded and worn surfaces of samples were examined by SEM imaging.

Graphene reinforced 3D printed polymer nanocomposites for diverse applications

The use of 3D printing in robotics has a lot of potential, and the technology is rapidly gaining traction in a variety of industries. Additive manufacturing has expanded into new areas thanks to the availability of a wide range of printing resources and fabrication methods. Moreover, the properties of the printed materials can be improved by incorporating nanoparticles. We used a stereo lithography equipment apparatus(SLA) to print nanocomposites and put them through various tests to determine the characteristics of a polymer based on Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) and varying concentrations of graphene (Gr). Including S1 (pure ABS resin), S2 (ABS resin with 0.1 % Gr), S3 (ABS resin with 0.3 % Gr), and S4 (ABS resin with 0.5 % Gr), we created a total of four types of materials. Tensile, bending, compression, hardness tests, and many others, are used for mechanical testing purposes on all specimen kinds. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy were used for morphological study. The S2 sample (ABS resin with 0.1 % Gr) performed exceptionally well in every mechanical test. When 0.1 % Gr was added, the tensile, bending, and compressive strength were much improved, whereas in the bending test, S2 showed the greatest results, withstanding stress up to 47 N/mm2 and displaying a strain of 12 %, which contains 0.1 % graphene and There, we were able to notice that the compression stress varied from 13.3 N/mm2 to 18.3 N/mm2 whereas sample S2 (ABS resin with 0.1 % graphene) demonstrated the best compressive strength. The SEM and EDX analysis of S2 revealed remarkable properties, such as a surface structure devoid of fractures, pores, and cavities and substantial carbon stretching in almost all samples obtained by FTIR. TGA results showed that under heating conditions, all samples had essentially the same characteristics and showed essential signs of crystallization in XRD analysis.

Intraoperative tissue sampling for histology in chronic osteomyelitis shows high neutrophil infiltration centrally and low remains in debrided presumed infection-free regions

IntroductionHistology of debrided bone tissue is a confirmatory diagnostic criterion for fracture related infection (FRI) and prosthetic joint infection (PJI). The aim of the present study was to describe the histopathology of the first and last debrided bone tissue in chronic osteomyelitis (CO) according to the international diagnostic guidelines for FRI and PJI. Methods15 patients with CO were allocated to surgical treatment using a one-stage protocol including extensive debridement. Suspected infected bone tissue eradicated early in the debridement procedure was collected as a clearly infected sample (S1). Likewise, the last eradicated bone tissue was collected as a suspected non-infected sample (S2). The samples were processed for histology. HE-stained sections were patho-morphologically examinated. Immunohistochemistry with MAC-387 antibodies towards calprotectin was used for estimation of neutrophil granulocyte (NP) score (0, 1, 2 or 3). ResultsS1 samples showed a mean NP score of 2.6 (3 is confirmatory for infection). Following debridement, the NP score was significantly (p = 0.005) reduced to a mean NP score of 1.6. The S1 samples showed a mix of fibrovascular tissue, dense fibrosis, viable bone, bone necrosis and bone debris. S2 samples contained mostly viable bone tissue, however, often small fragments of necrotic bone or bone debris were present. ConclusionThe inflammatory response of CO still exists after debridement, although the response fades from the center. Therefore, sampling of debrided bone tissue for histology must be performed initially during surgery, otherwise there is a risk for underestimation of NP infiltration. The present results might also be highly relevant for FRI and PJI.

Response of soil aggregate disintegration to antecedent moisture during splash erosion

Soil aggregate breakdown is the initial stage of splash erosion. Preventing aggregate disintegration can effectively control the material source for sediment transport. The impact factors of aggregate disintegration have been partially studied, but the effect of soil moisture content on slaking and physico-chemical dispersion remains unclear. In this study, simulation tests of splash erosion were carried out on three sandy clay loam soils with different years of vegetation restoration (S1, S2 and S3 were 55, 80 and 100 years of reforestation and land restoration, respectively). Three rainfall heights (1.5 m, 2 m and 2.5 m) were used to simulate aggregate disintegration caused by different rainfall kinetic energies. Soil aggregates with five antecedent moisture contents (air drying, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20 %) were subjected to three different pretreatments: fast wetting (FW), slow wetting (SW) and shaking after prewetting (WS). It was found that the mean weight diameter in the fast wetting (MWDFW) treatment increased and then decreased with increasing moisture content. Aggregate sensitivity to slaking decreased with increasing moisture content. After rainfall, the macroaggregates content (>0.25 mm) increased and then decreased with increasing moisture content. In the S1 sample, the contribution of physico-chemical dispersion to splash erosion was dominant for increasing splash erosion rate at the moisture content of 15–20 %. The slaking contributed more to decreasing splash erosion rate with increasing moisture content in the S2 and S3 samples. This study clarifies the response of slaking and physico-chemical dispersion to moisture content, which is helpful for thoroughly understanding the disintegration mechanisms of soil aggregates.

Carbon and oxygen isotope microanalysis of calcite in the Permian Kupferschiefer system, Saale subbasin, eastern Germany

The Kupferschiefer district in Central Europe contains some of the world's highest-grade sediment-hosted stratiform Cu (SSC) deposits. In the Saale subbasin (eastern Germany), high-grade sulfides formed via replacement of calcite cement in the continental sandstones of the uppermost Rotliegend (S1), the overlying organic-rich marine mudstones of the Kupferschiefer (T1) and the Zechstein Limestone (Ca1) units. The spatial distribution of the calcite cement, therefore, had a fundamental role to play in the Cu mineralizing system. In this study, we investigate the origin of the calcite cement (and crosscutting calcite veins) using detailed petrography (cathodoluminescence, CL; scanning electron microscopy, SEM), major element chemistry (electron probe microanalyzer, EPMA), and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) microanalyses of δ13C and δ18O values in drill core samples (n = 47) from the Saale subbasin. The calcite cement in the S1, T1 and Ca1 has a similar CL response and major element chemistry, suggestive of a common origin. Overlapping δ13C and δ18O values in calcite cement in samples from the S1 and T1 in the Sangerhausen and Wallendorf drill cores also suggest that the calcite cement was derived from fluids of similar composition. The low δ13C values of calcite cement in samples from the S1 (−13‰ to 4.3‰, VPDB) and T1 (−10‰ to 0.7‰) indicates carbonate alkalinity was sourced mainly from seawater-derived fluids and the oxidation of organic matter. The wide range of δ18O values in the calcite cement in the S1 (∼18‰ to 31‰, VSMOW) and T1 (∼ 22‰ to 31‰) samples suggest they are derived from pore fluids with a chemical composition influenced by early diagenetic alteration of detrital clasts, mainly dissolution of volcanic rock fragments, with minor contributions from the influx of meteoric waters and evaporated seawater. The negative δ13C values (down to −15‰) in calcite veins from the T1 and Ca1 indicate sources of carbonate alkalinity derived from organic matter degradation. Our data demonstrate that no isotopic hydrothermal alteration haloes can be inferred from the δ13C and δ18O values in calcite cement associated with the high-grade sulfide mineralization. The lack of systematic isotopic variability in the calcite cement likely indicates the mineralizing fluid flux or temperature was not sufficient to overprint the background sources of isotopic variability, which may help to explain the modest size of SSC deposits in this part of the Kupferschiefer district.

Fatigue behaviour of Kevlar/carbon/basalt fibre-reinforced SiC nanofiller particulate hybrid epoxy composite

Abstract It is vital to conduct research on the behaviour of natural fibre composites under cyclic loading in order to have confidence in the mechanical durability. During this study, the fabrication of composite laminates will be carried out by the hybridization effect of natural and synthetic fibres. Quantifying the impact that the SiC filler (10, 20, and 30 g) has when combined with the fibre reinforcement and epoxy matrix (275 g) under cyclic loading circumstances and determining the significant sequence of hybrid composites are the goals of this research. The results of the tensile mode were used to determine the input parameters, and based on the tensile strength of the hybrid composite, 70% of the tensile strength was fixed at 3 Hz frequency as the input for fatigue analysis. The life span was then determined for the hybrid composite. The results of this fatigue test showed that increasing the amount of SiC nanofillers produced a very high potential output for the fatigue test. As a result of increasing the amount of silicon carbide fillers from 10 to 30 g, sample S3 was able to significantly tolerate 65% more life. Failure mode can be identified from scanning electron microscope analysis revealing the major porosity, matrix crack, and laminate bonding strength that causes the failure during fatigue analysis.

An investigation of some ionizing radiation interaction parameters in selected composite scintillation materials

In this study, the interaction parameters of neutrons, charge particles and gamma rays in seven inorganic scintillation materials with densities ranged from 3.86 to 8.30 g/cm3 were theoretically examined. SRIM Monte Carlo software was used to determine the range of H + , H e + + , A u + and O − − ions in the energy range (0.01–20) MeV, Phy-X/PSD while Py-MLBUF computer programs were used to estimate gamma radiation interaction parameters in the energy range (0.02–15) MeV. The electron total stopping power and range values at energies ranging from 0.01 to 1000 MeV were calculated using the ESTAR NIST program. The fast neutron removal cross-section (FNRCS) and the macroscopic effective removal cross-section (MRCS) were calculated using the Phy-X/PSD and MRCS tools, respectively. The outcomes of this research showed that the range of H + , H e + + , A u + and O − − ions increased with decreasing sample density but decreased with increasing projectile energies; the largest range of H + is 2090 µm in the lowest density S1 sample, while the range of A u + is 5.16 µm in the same sample. The denser sample S7 had the highest stopping power and the lowest range at higher electron energies. The S1 sample had the highest calculated HVL value of 5.403 cm, while the S7 sample had the lowest calculated HVL value of 0.0008 cm. Rising sample density causes the MAC to rise, while rising gamma energy causes the MAC to decrease. The highest MAC value recorded was 107 cm2/g at 0.015 MeV in the S7 sample, and the lowest value recorded was 0.0369 cm2/g at 15 MeV in the S1 sample. For all inorganic scintillation samples at particular gamma energies, the standard deviations for the MAC, HVL and Zeff values between the Phy-X/PSD and, Py-MLBUF programs were calculated. With energy range variation, the results for Zeff for the two samples S2 and S4 appeared to be constant. Regards to the fast neutrons, the heights value’s of FNRCS, and MRCS were recorded for S7.

Synthesis and characterization of (Al,Si)3(Zr,Ti)-D022/D023 intermetallics: Understanding the stability of silicon substitution

(Al,Si)3(Zr,Ti)-D022/D023 are phases that may form in aerospace and automotive aluminium alloys. The substitution of Zr/Ti in these solid solutions is widely reported in the literature; however, it remains relatively unexplored for Si. In this work, in situ precipitation of (Al,Si)3(Zr,Ti)-D022/D023 intermetallics was performed using Al-Si-Zr-Ti alloys. The precipitation, sedimentation and concentration of numerous intermetallic particles were accomplished by filtrating the residual molten aluminium using a temperature/pressure-controlled vessel adapted with a PoDFA filter. A combination of SEM, TEM, XRD and EMP analysis allowed the identification of (Al,Si)3(Zr,Ti)-D022/D023 intermetallics concentrated within α-FCC matrices of non-Si-doped (sample S2) and Si-doped (samples S4 and S6) alloys. EDS analysis confirmed that Zr and Ti substitute each other in the D022 and D023 phases, whereas Si substitutes in Al sites. Acceptance of Si inside the D023 phase was not expected according to FTlite (FactSage) and TCAL7 (Thermo-Calc) databases. Additionally, Si was found to enhance the formation of (Al,Si)3(Zr,Ti)-D022 intermetallics with high Zr-content, contrary to FactSage 7.3 predictions. TEM results showed intermetallic/FCC crystal coherency for samples S2 and S6, implying that these intermetallics acted as nucleation sites for the Al-phase due to their small lattice mismatch. Furthermore, Si site occupancy was calculated for both (Al,Si)3Ti-D022 and (Al,Si)3Zr-D023 phases via DFT, showing that sites 2b and 4e are the most favorable for Si occupation, respectively. Finally, a thermodynamic model is derived to describe Si substitution upon solidification. Experimental and numerical examinations indicate that Si substitution preferentially occurs in the D022 intermetallics compared to the D023 phase.

Exploring virus presence in field-collected potato leaf samples using RNA sequencing

BackgroundThe quick and accurate identification of viruses is essential for plant disease management. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology may allow the discovery, detection, and identification of plant pathogens. This study adopted RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology to explore the viruses in three potato plants (S3, S4, and S6) growing under field conditions. ResultsPotato-known infecting viruses, such as alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), potato leafroll virus (PLRV), and potato virus Y (PVY), were identified using bioinformatics programs and validated using RT-PCR. The presence of these potato viruses was also confirmed by visual inspection of host symptoms. In addition, the nearly complete genome of PLRV and the complete or partial genome sequence of multipartite virus segments have been identified. Besides the three major potato viruses that BLASTn analysis revealed were present in our samples, BLASTx analysis revealed some reads are derived from other potato viruses, such as potato virus V (PVV), Andean potato latent virus (APLV), and tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), which are not frequently reported in potato field screenings in Egypt. Other microbial agents, such as bacteria and fungi, were also identified in the examined sample sequences. Some mycovirus sequences derived from ourmia-like viruses and Alternaria alternata chrysovirus were also identified in sample S4, confirming the complexity of the potato microbiome under field conditions. ConclusionNGS quickly and accurately identifies potato plant viruses under field conditions. Implementing this technology on a larger scale is recommended to explore potato fields and imported plants, where symptoms may be absent, unspecific, or only triggered under certain conditions.

Sequencing report of the rRNA amplicons of Echinochloa crus-galli in Iraq

This study was conducted to identify the genetic polymorphisms of one wild grass sample species and assess the phylogenetic distribution these isolates occupy based on their internal transcribed (ITS) ribosomal sequences. This study amplified one genetic locus covering a portion of the ITS rRNA sequences. A direct sequencing strategy was performed for the observed PCR amplicons in the amplified genetic locus. Subsequently, a comprehensive phylogenetic tree was constructed in the observed variants for these sequences to reveal the accurate phylogenetic distances alongside other relative sequences. Our results indicated the identity of the investigated wild grass samples (assigned S1 and S2). Sequencing reactions indicated that our investigated samples belonged to Echinochloa crusgalli var. crus-galli (panicum grass), a common wild grass dominated in tropical Asia. Two ribosomal variations were identified in the investigated wild grass samples, 61C>T, observed in the S2 sample and 408C>A, observed in both the S1 and S2 samples. According to the identified results, the investigated samples were positioned within one distinct phylogenetic clade of these identified wild grass sequences in the currently generated comprehensive tree. These positionings were observed within the main clade of Echinochloa crus-galli. Based on the identified ribosomal sequences, it was found that the currently investigated samples may exhibit variable extents of diversities originating from several Asian and South American ancestors. Also, the currently constructed tree revealed that the investigated wild grass sequences belonged to one distinct clade of Echinochloa crus-galli, having many sequences of close phylogenetic connections. This clade occupied far away phylogenetic positions from the other comparable grasses within the same tree. Keywords: rRNA amplicons, Echinochloa crus-galli, Rice

Wear behaviour of hybrid (boron carbide-graphite) aluminium matrix composites under high temperature

Aluminium MMCs are among the many metal composites and are regarded as progressive engineering materials in numerous industries because of their advantages compared to standard aluminium alloy. Among the reinforcements in MMCs, ceramic particles are preferred for their superior wear resistance, temperature resistance, and adhesion to their matrix, making them a popular choice. This research work has been carried out to synthesise ceramic particle-reinforced aluminium metal matrix composites and to evaluate their tribological properties at different temperatures (50–300℃). Al2618 alloy was selected as the matrix, and boron carbide (B4C) and graphite (Gr) were selected as reinforcements. Hybrid composites are prepared through stir casting by varying the wt.% of B4C and Gr reinforcement particles with a ratio of 3:2. Microstructural observation shows the uniform distribution of B4C and Gr particles throughout the matrix without any agglomeration, and it also exhibits excellent scanning electron microscope (SEM). X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) was performed to verify the presence of different constituents in the developed material. Samples S4 (Al 2618 + 12 wt.% B4C—8 wt.% Gr) and S5 (Al 2618 + 15 wt.% B4C—10 wt.% Gr) exhibit enhanced wear resistance (16.45%) due to the incorporation of a higher quantity of Gr solid lubricants alongside B4C within the temperature range of 50 to 300℃. The thickness and stability of the glazed layer exhibited adequate resistance to wear.

INFLUENCE OF MECHANICAL AND THE CORROSION CHARACTERISTICS ON THE SURFACE OF MAGNESIUM HYBRID NANOCOMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH HAp AND rGO AS BIODEGRADABLE IMPLANTS

Magnesium composites stay relevant for the applications of biodegradable implant as they are harmless and possess characteristics such as density and elastic modulus analogous to the cortical bone in humans. But corrosion is one major issue associated with magnesium when the biomedical applications are contemplated. Moreover, load bearing abilities are also required in case of an orthopedic implant. In this study, to achieve the desired implant characteristics, hybrid nanocomposites (HNCs) of Mg–2.5Zn binary alloys such as metal matrix, hydroxyapatite (HAp), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as reinforcements were fabricated via the vacuum-assisted stir casting method. The overall weight percentage of the reinforcements was fixed at 3% and both the reinforcements varied in compositions by weight to prepare the samples S0 (Pure Magnesium), S1 (Mg–2.5Zn–0.5HAp–2.5rGO), S2 (Mg–2.5Zn–1.0HAp–2.0rGO), S3 (Mg–2.5Zn–1.5HAp–1.5rGO), S4 (Mg–2.5Zn–2.0HAp–1.0rGO), and S5 (Mg–2.5Zn–2.5HAp–0.5rGO), respectively. The influence of mechanical characteristics such as tensile strength, compressive strength, and microhardness as well as the corrosion over the surface of the nanocomposite in simulated body fluid (SBF) have been assessed for their suitability as biodegradable orthopedic implants. Results suggest that the fabricated nanocomposites exhibit superior characteristics in comparison to pure magnesium. Increasing the HAp from 0.5 wt.% to 2.5 wt.% enhanced the compressive strength and reduced the corrosion rate. On the other hand, increasing the rGO from 0.5 wt.% to 1.5 wt.% increased the tensile strength. The formation of apatite layer over the composites is observed in the SBF solution. Among all the fabricated hybrid nanocomposite samples, the sample S3 (Mg–2.5Zn–1.5HAp–1.5rGO) with equal wt.% of HAp and rGO exhibited 209.60 MPa of ultimate tensile strength, 300.1 MPa of ultimate compressive strength, and a corrosion rate of 0.91 mm/year thus making it the best suited and a prospective material for biodegradable implant application.

Assessment of a new rigid wall permeameter for the slurry like barrier materials: zeolite example

Areas vulnerable to catastrophic disasters such as hurricane, landslide and earthquake require ready and sustainable solutions for the post-pollution scenarios. Clinoptilolite type zeolite re- sources of Türkiye can serve economical and sustainable solutions as a quick response. While the studies on compacted zeolite-bentonite mixture at optimum water content for the landfill liners applications or dry zeolite-sand mixtures in permeable reactive barrier (PRB)s are com- mon, the slurry form of zeolite emplacement at subsurface reactive barriers has not received an attention by the researchers. In this context, this experimental study presents the prelimi- nary findings on one-dimensional consolidation and hydraulic conductivity tests performed on crushed zeolite samples S1 and S2 with fine contents of 33 and 84%, respectively. The results indicate that S2 has a higher compression index than S1, without a significant change in swelling index attributed to less than 4% clay contents. A self-designed rigid wall type per- meameter was used to study on reconstituted slurry like materials under the benefit of back pressure saturation without the consolidation during testing that encountered in flexible wall permeameter. Falling head – rising tail water procedure was adopted under the back pressure in between 200 and 700 kN/m2. S2 samples reconstituted under 25, 50, 100 and 200 kN/m2 show a gradual decrease in kv from 3×10-8 to 2×10-9 m/s. Previous observations on the sample of S1 revealed 8 times higher kv values under the same σv'. Since the fine content of zeolite limits kv, the proposed permeameter will be beneficial to determine the proper grain size dis- tribution of fill materials considering the barrier height and in-situ stress conditions before the environmental studies with leachate.

Mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of hybrid kevlar/natural fiber composites

The current experiment aimed to identify the characteristics of composite materials enhanced with aloe vera, bamboo, palm, and kevlar fibres. Three different types of combinational fabrication—Type I (a blend of aloe vera and bamboo), Type II (a combination of bamboo and palm), and Type III—were carried out from all the other them (blend of palm and aloe vera). Analysis was done on the mechanical and dynamic-mechanical evaluation of biocomposites made spontaneously. Natural fibres used to produce hybrid composites were alkaline and treated in a 2.5 ml NaOH solution for 6 h at room temperature to get acceptable characteristics, then dried to remove the wax and oils on the natural fibre’s exterior surface. The effect of different stacking sequences on the mechanical and dynamic properties of manufactured composites has been investigated experimentally through ASTM standards. Impact, inter-delamination and double-shear tests are used to evaluate the mechanical properties; the failure mechanisms of the fabricated hybrid composites with various stacking sequences and testing conditions were investigated through the fractographs of SEM analysis. Type I S1 samples were found to display significant impact energy (10 Joules) as compared to other samples, and the break load of composite specimens was higher at 4.5 KN in S2 samples of type-III as compared to type-I and II, revealed Type-I samples with significant peak area of 0.492 delivered at 102.01 °C as compared to two types, Type-3 (Palmyra Palm + Aloe Vera) composite gave the best mechanical, dynamic properties.