No description available.

Barley grain is an important source of energy and protein for ruminant animals. However, feeding must be carefully managed to avoid maladies caused by the rapid breakdown of barley starch in the rumen. The development of slower degrading barley for ruminants may alleviate health problems associated with barley grain consumption. Selection for hard endosperm may result in slower starch degradation and improved feed quality. The objectives of this study were to: examine the effect of grain hardness, variety and environment on dry matter disappearance rate (DMDR); identify accurate and efficient hardness selection tools; and study environmental effects, inheritance and heritability of hardness.<p>To study grain hardness and genetic and environmental effects on DMDR, two genotypes grown at multiple locations in 2004 were analyzed for Single Kernel Characterization System (SKCS) hardness, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and for in situ DMDR. Genotype by environment interaction influenced DMDR, while neither SKCS hardness nor SEM analysis accurately differentiated DMDR between genotypes. <p>Eight genotypes were grown at multiple locations during 2003 and 2004 to study grain hardness measurement methodology, and genetic and environmental effects on hardness. Genotypes were analyzed for SKCS hardness, milling energy, endosperm light reflectance, feed particle size, protein and beta-glucan. Hardness measurements ranked genotypes similarly across environments. Feed particle size was correlated with milling energy but not other hardness measurements. Hardness measurements appeared to be influenced by protein and beta-glucan.<p>To examine the inheritance and heritability of barley grain hardness, 245 double haploid (DH) genotypes and parents, grown in 2003 and 2004, were analyzed for SKCS hardness, milling energy, protein, beta-glucan, with 100 evaluated for light reflectance. The population exhibited normal distributions for SKCS hardness, milling energy, protein and beta-glucan, suggesting quantitative inheritance for these traits with no apparent epistatic gene interaction. Narrow-sense heritability was 0.75 for SKCS hardness and 0.41 for protein. Light reflectance was not normally distributed, suggesting complementary gene interaction. Broad-sense heritability was 0.53.<p>Barley grain hardness is highly heritable and an efficient tool in making selections in a breeding program. However, breeding for high beta-glucan and protein may be better selection criteria for indirect selection of DMDR.

Barley grain is an important source of energy and protein for ruminant animals. However, feeding must be carefully managed to avoid maladies caused by the rapid breakdown of barley starch in the rumen. The development of slower degrading barley for ruminants may alleviate health problems associated with barley grain consumption. Selection for hard endosperm may result in slower starch degradation and improved feed quality. The objectives of this study were to: examine the effect of grain hardness, variety and environment on dry matter disappearance rate (DMDR); identify accurate and efficient hardness selection tools; and study environmental effects, inheritance and heritability of hardness.<p>To study grain hardness and genetic and environmental effects on DMDR, two genotypes grown at multiple locations in 2004 were analyzed for Single Kernel Characterization System (SKCS) hardness, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and for in situ DMDR. Genotype by environment interaction influenced DMDR, while neither SKCS hardness nor SEM analysis accurately differentiated DMDR between genotypes. <p>Eight genotypes were grown at multiple locations during 2003 and 2004 to study grain hardness measurement methodology, and genetic and environmental effects on hardness. Genotypes were analyzed for SKCS hardness, milling energy, endosperm light reflectance, feed particle size, protein and beta-glucan. Hardness measurements ranked genotypes similarly across environments. Feed particle size was correlated with milling energy but not other hardness measurements. Hardness measurements appeared to be influenced by protein and beta-glucan.<p>To examine the inheritance and heritability of barley grain hardness, 245 double haploid (DH) genotypes and parents, grown in 2003 and 2004, were analyzed for SKCS hardness, milling energy, protein, beta-glucan, with 100 evaluated for light reflectance. The population exhibited normal distributions for SKCS hardness, milling energy, protein and beta-glucan, suggesting quantitative inheritance for these traits with no apparent epistatic gene interaction. Narrow-sense heritability was 0.75 for SKCS hardness and 0.41 for protein. Light reflectance was not normally distributed, suggesting complementary gene interaction. Broad-sense heritability was 0.53.<p>Barley grain hardness is highly heritable and an efficient tool in making selections in a breeding program. However, breeding for high beta-glucan and protein may be better selection criteria for indirect selection of DMDR.

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The UK Health & Safety Executive are responsible for advising on ways to ensure the safety of employees within the workplace. One of the main areas of concern is the potential problem of unwanted fire, and it has been identified that within the area of large-scale storage in warehouses, there is an uncertainty posed by large quantities of thermoplastic. Some forms of thermoplastic exhibit melt-flow behaviour when heated, and a large vertical array exposed to a fire may melt and ignite forming a pool fire in addition to a wall fire. This project is largely experimental, and aimed at quantifying the effect of a growing pool fire fuelled by a melting wall on overall fire growth rate. The pool fire has been found to increase melting and burning rates, producing a much faster growing fire. It has also been found that - 80% of flowing and burning material will enter a potential pool fire, with only 20 - 25% of total mass loss actually burning from the original array. During the project 400+ small-scale tests and several medium-scale experiments have been undertaken at both Edinburgh University and the HSE's Fire & Explosion Laboratory, Buxton. The experiments have confirmed the main parameters governing pool fire development are molecular weight degradation rate and mechanism, which control flow viscosity. There have also been investigations into other influences, the most significant of which was found to be flooring substrate. These parameters then form the basis of a simple 1-D model. A semi-infinite heat transfer approximation is used to determine temperature profile through a thermoplastic exposed to its own flame flux, with extrapolated temperature dependant material properties. The derived profile is then inserted into a gravity driven flow model, to produce estimates of flow rate and quantity for plastics undergoing either random or end chain scission thermal degradation processes. The model identifies property data which are required to permit its use as a hazard assessment tool.

Tato diplomová práce se zabývá testováním vhodných indikátorových inkoustů k ohodnocení fotokatalytické aktivity. V teoretické části jsem studovala literaturu související s možnostmi stanovování fotokatalytické aktivity a zaměřila se také na kinetiku, kterou je zmíněnou fotokatalýzu možné ohodnotit. V experimentální části jsem mnou vybraná barviva natiskla na skleněný substrát obsahující vrstvu oxidu titaničitého a následně je otestovala. Došlo také k úpravě aparatury, aby bylo možné měřit větší škálu barev. Po otestování a vybrání vhodných barviv jsem se pokusila o optimalizaci podmínek tisku. Nakonec jsem optimalizovala i samotnou aparaturu.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a polymer chain consisting of repeating units of lactic acid (LA) used in various biomedical applications because of its biocompatible features. It is commonly used as a subdermal filler and constitutes as the main ingredient in SculptraR, which is a collagen regenerating filler used to treat lipoatrophy of the cheeks or to rejuvenate the skin. The presence of macrophages triggers a foreign body reaction in response to PLA, which in turn prompts fibroblasts to gradually increase collagen fibers in the dermis. This literature study investigates how physical properties such as Mw, morphology, stereochemistry as well as chemical properties, influence the biological response and degradation of PLA. Additionally, a comparison of other bio stimulants, substituents and copolymers were performed. The aim of this study was constructed in collaboration with Galderma. All aspects that were taken into consideration affected the biological response and degradation to some extent. The degradation of the PLLA microspheres has a noticeable correlation to the biological immune response. An increase in the Mw and degree of crystallinity results in a decrease in degradation rate. Morphology greatly influences the immune response and particle size is vital for the degradation as well as biostimulation. The most suitable stereoisomer of PLA is the (L)-form based on both biological response and degradation. Decomposition of PLLA varies depending on the Mw which is affected by the pH of the surrounding environment. Compared to other substances used in biodegradable products, PLLA is regarded as the most auspicious for a durable result. PDLLA has desirable biological responses but is degraded too fast. PDLA is not suitable as a dermal filler due to its inflammatory response and bad collagen regeneration.

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No / This paper studies the selective maintenance problem for multi-state series systems working in variable loading conditions in the next mission. In the mission, a component's degradation depends on its current state and the load applied on it. A load-dependent degradation model is proposed for multi-state components operating in variable loading conditions. This model is inspired by the load-sharing model where many components share a common workload and the failure rate of a component depends on the state of other components. A Monte-Carlo simulation method is presented to simulate the multi-state component's degradation and to evaluate the system reliability. The final objective is to determine the best selective maintenance strategy to maximize the expected system reliability in the next mission within available resources. An illustrative example, reliability estimation results, and analysis of optimal selective maintenance scenarios for different levels of budget limitation are provided.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A set of assays was carried out to develop a method for estimating ruminal degradation of proteins based on ammonia production in vitro. Samples of soybean meal, meat and bone meal, ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and cynodon (Cynodon dactilon var. Dactylon) were incubated by using the procedures of the in vitro/gas method. The effects of sample amount; starch inclusion to correct for ammonia uptaked by bacteria; nitrogen concentration in buffer solution and preview treatment of samples for soluble nitrogen extraction were evaluated. Short-time in vitro assays were also carried out to estimate degradation rate or solubilization rate of soluble fraction of nitrogen. Results of protein degradation obtained for some samples incubated in vitro were compared to those obtained from in situ and in vivo assays carried out in parallel. Results of protein degradation of different samples were not affected by sample size (15 mg N/ sample 1 g of sample) whereas degradability and dagradation rate of ryegrass protein, without starch correction, was negativelly affected by exclusion of ammonium bicarbonate from buffer solution (P<0,05). The preview extraction of soluble fraction of samples affected (P<0.05) protein degradation only of the ryegrass and soybean meal samples. Estimates of protein degradation for concentrate samples were not affected by starch inclusion. However, starch inclusion increased (P<0.05) protein degradation for ryegrass samples. Determination coefficient (r²) of regressions relating ammonia concentration and incubation time were usually high (above 0.80). Protein degradability of soybean meal, meat and bone meal and ryegrass samples were lower by in vitro than by in situ method (P<0.05). In turn, protein degradability of ryegrass and cynodon samples estimated in vitro was similar to obtained in vivo. In conclusion, although it needs more consistent validation, the in vitro/gas method might be an useful tool for estimating rumen degradabilty of proteins. / Foi conduzido um conjunto de ensaios in vitro com o objetivo de desenvolver um método para estimar a degradação de proteína no rúmen baseado na liberação de amônia no meio de incubação. Foram incubadas amostras de farelo de soja, farinha de carne e ossos, azevém (Lolium multiflorum) e cynodon (Cynodon dactilon var. Dactylon) utilizando-se os procedimentos da técnica in vitro/gases. Foi avaliado o efeito da quantidade de amostra incubada, da inclusão de amido para corrigir a fração de nitrogênio capturado pelas bactérias, do teor de nitrogênio na solução tampão e do tratamento prévio das amostras para remoção da fração solúvel do nitrogênio. Foram conduzidos também ensaios in vitro de curta duração para medir a taxa de degradação ou de solubilização da fração solúvel da proteína das amostras. Os resultados de degradação protéica obtidos em algumas amostras incubadas in vitro foram comparados com os obtidos em ensaios in vivo e in sito, que foram conduzidos paralelamente. A degradação da proteína de diferentes amostras não foi afetada pelo tamanho de amostra (15 mg N/ amostra 1 g de amostra), entretanto a degradabilidade e a taxa de degradação protéica do azevém, sem correção de amido, foram negativamente afetadas pela exclusão do bicarbonato de amônio da solução tampão (P<0,05). O tratamento prévio da amostra interferiu (P<0,05) nos resultados de degradação protéica das amostras de azevém e farelo de soja, mas não da farinha de carne. Em geral, a inclusão de amido para correção da amônia utilizada pelos microorganismos, resultou em maiores valores de degradabilidade da proteína do azevém (P<0,05), mas não das outras amostras. O coeficiente de determinação (r²) das estimativas da taxa de degradação, calculada com base na variação da concentração de amônia no meio ao longo do tempo de incubação, foram geralmente altos (superiores a 80%). As degradabilidades efetivas da proteína das amostras de farelo de soja, farinha de carne e azevém, estimadas pelo método in vitro foram inferiores às estimadas pelo método in situ (P<0,05). Por outro lado, a degradabilidade efetiva da proteína de amostras de azevém e Cynodon estimada pelo método in vitro não diferiu dos valores obtidos in vivo com ovinos fistulados no duodeno. Em conclusão, o método in vitro/gases pode ser uma ferramenta útil para estimar a degradabilidade ruminal das proteínas, embora ainda necessite ser melhor validado com estudos in vivo.