Even though avian damage to sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a worldwide economic issue, several of the current methods used to reduce sunflower damage were developed and tested in the Prairie ...Pothole Region of the United States. An intensive research program was conducted in that area because of the regionalized concentration of sunflower production and the severe incidences of blackbird (Icteridae) depredation. During the past 40 years, federal and university scientists tested chemical and physical frightening agents, aversive repellents, bird-resistant sunflowers, decoy crops, habitat management, population management, and cultural modifications in cropping. Some of these techniques have broad applicability and may be useful in depredation scenarios involving other bird species and crops. Population suppression is intuitively appealing, but it typically fails beyond local scales because of avian mobility, population dynamics, and public antipathy. Scare devices, repellents, habitat management, and decoy crops are more likely to meet the test of predictable efficacy and practicality.
This study aims to address the current situation of the late start of mechanized harvesting technology for the pod pepper, the high damage rate of existing pod pepper harvesters, and the lack of ...theoretical support for key harvesting components. The Hertz theory is employed to investigate the damage mechanism of collisions between pod pepper and comb fingers. The study analyzes the maximum deformation of pod pepper and the critical speed at which damage occurs during the collision process. Furthermore, it explores the critical relative speed that leads to damage in pod pepper. Orthogonal tests are conducted to analyze the effects of rotational speed, hose thickness, and moisture content on the efficiency of pod pepper picking. The experimental results are then subjected to multifactorial ANOVA to identify the optimal test parameters. The structural and motion parameters of the picking device are optimized based on these conditions. It is determined that the critical relative velocity for damage to pod pepper during a collision with the comb finger is V0 = 11.487 m s−1. The collision velocities of pod pepper with different hose thicknesses are analyzed using the i-SPEED TR endoscopic high-speed dynamic analysis system to obtain the corresponding collision velocities for different hose thicknesses. The study finds that rotational speed, hose thickness, and the water content of pod pepper affect the damage rate and stem shedding rate. The optimal experimental parameters are determined to be a rotational speed of 705.04 rpm, hose thickness of 3 mm, and water content of the pepper of 71.27%.
Ground liquefaction is causing great damage to the structure of land during earthquakes. Accordingly, various liquefaction damage reduction methods have been studied and developed. However, most of ...the ground liquefaction prevention methods have limitations in their application to existing structures. Therefore, in this study, a ground liquefaction damage reduction method, applicable to existing structures, was studied using the grouting method. A 1-G shaking table test was performed, and the ground was created with Jumunjin standard sand. A two-story model structure was manufactured by applying the similarity law, and an input wave applied a sinusoidal motion with an acceleration level of 0.6 g and a frequency of 10 Hz. The grouting chemical was produced by mixing water and cement, and the effect of reducing structural damage was analyzed according to various mixing ratios; in addition, the separation distance between the grouting chemical injection point and the structure was analyzed. As a result of the analysis, when the ground was reinforced by applying the grouting method, the settlement of the structure was about 84% smaller than when the ground was not reinforced, and the mixing ratio with the smallest settlement was 0.45. In addition, when there was no separation distance between the structure and the grouting chemical injection point, it was confirmed that the effect of reducing structural damage was the greatest. These research results will be used as basic data for developing a grouting method applicable to existing structures in the future.
Effective interventions are needed to solve conflicts between humans and predators over livestock killing, nuisance behavior, and attacks on pets and humans. Progress in quantification of ...evidence-based effectiveness and selection of the best interventions raises new questions, such as the existence of thresholds to identify truly effective interventions. Current classification of more and less effective interventions is subjective and statistically unjustified. This study describes a novel method to differentiate true and untrue effectiveness on a basis of false positive risk (FPR). I have collected 152 cases of applications of damage-reducing interventions from 102 scientific publications, 26 countries, 22 predator species, and 6 categories of interventions. The analysis has shown that the 95% confidence interval of the relative risk of predator-caused damage was 0.10–0.25 for true effectiveness (FPR < 0.05) and 0.35–0.56 for untrue effectiveness (FPR ≥ 0.05). This means that damage was reduced by 75–90% for truly effective interventions and by 44–65% for interventions of untrue effectiveness. Based on this, it was specified that truly effective interventions have the relative risk ≤ 0.25 (damage reduction ≥ 75%) and the effectiveness of interventions with the relative risk > 0.25 (damage reduction < 75%) is untrue. This threshold is statistically well-justified, stable, easy to remember, and practical to use in anti-predator interventions. More research is essential to know how this threshold holds true for other conservation interventions aiming to reduce negative outcomes (e.g., poaching rates) or increase positive outcomes (e.g., species richness).
A large number of accidents involving damage of temporary grandstands during different types of events were observed in the past. The aim of the paper is to analyse numerically the effectiveness of a ...polymer damper in damage reduction of a temporary steel scaffolding grandstand exposed to dynamic load due to jumping. The element has been installed as a diagonal one at the back part of the structure. The method has been compared with the typical solution of strengthening the grandstand with the diagonal stiffener of tubular cross section. The results of the study clearly show that the response of a temporary steel grandstand equipped with a diagonal damper as well as with the diagonal stiffener is substantially different. The application of the polymer damper leads to considerable reduction in the level of measured accelerations due to the increased structural damping preventing from damage.
This study evaluated thermal variation (heat generation) by dental drills of similar geometries, made from different materials, during performance of 450 standardized osteotomies in bovine ribs to ...simulate implant site preparations.
Each of the 3 groups-steel with a diamond-like carbon coating (SG), experimentally surface-treated steel (EG), and aluminum-toughened zirconium ceramic (ZG)-included 3 drills, distributed across 6 subgroups. An implant motor provided torque, rotation, and irrigation for 50% of subgroups.
In preparations drilled to 5 mm under irrigation, the number of osteotomies, material, and diameter did not influence thermal variation (ΔT); when drilling to 13 mm, the greatest ΔT occurred in EG (2.8°C). When drilling to 5 mm without irrigation, drill material influenced mean temperature; when drilling to 13 mm without irrigation, the greatest ΔT (5.5°C) occurred in EG. The highest temperature was observed in SG (79.6°C).
After 50 uses, the greatest ΔT occurred in EG and the ∅3.0-mm drill exhibited the highest mean and peak temperatures. Temperatures were influenced by irrigation, number of uses, depth, drill diameter, geometry, and material; however, mean values were within physiological limits.
ABSTRACT
Aim
The aim of the study was to investigate whether the functional IL10‐1082A/G polymorphism exert a role in congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) in children. Also, ...the serum IL‐10 and its association with genotype and renal parenchymal damage in CAKUT were explored.
Methods
In the current case‐control study, 134 paediatric cases of CAKUT and 382 unrelated controls were included. The genotyping of IL10‐1082A/G polymorphism was performed by amplification refractory mutation system‐PCR and IL‐10 serum level was determined by ELISA.
Results
Although, the genotype and allelic frequencies of IL10‐1082 A/G polymorphism in cases and controls were similar (χ2 = 0.459; P = 0.79 and χ2 = 0.426; P = 0.51, respectively), significant different genotype distribution between patients with or without parenchymal damage/reduction was observed (χ2 = 6.9; P = 0.032). The GG‐genotype was more frequent in cases with renal parenchymal damage/reduction compared to patients with preserved parenchyma (22% vs. 9%; OR = 2.987; 95% CI = 0.979–9.468; P = 0.031). On the contrary, the heterozygous genotype was less frequent among cases with parenchymal damage/reduction compared to cases with preserved parenchyma (39% vs. 59%; OR = 0.453; 95% CI = 0.214–0.958; P = 0.024). Additionally, the serum IL‐10 was significantly higher in CAKUT patients compared to age‐sex‐matched controls (median 11.98; IQR: 7.14–31.6 vs. 5.92; IQR: 4.68–14.8; P = 0.0057). Among carriers of GG‐genotype significantly higher IL‐10 level was detected in cases with parenchymal damage/reduction, than cases with preserved parenchyma (P = 0.028).
Conclusion
Our results suggested that the functional ‐1082A/G polymorphism in IL10 is associated with risk of renal parenchymal damage/reduction rather than genetic predisposition to CAKUT. Additionally, our study supposes that immunoregulatory cytokine IL‐10 might have a significant role in CAKUT.
Summary at a Glance
This case‐control study investigates whether functional IL10‐1082A/G polymorphism and IL10 exert a role in congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) in children. The authors found that the IL10‐1082A/G polymorphism is associated with risk of renal parenchymal damage/reduction, rather than genetic predisposition to CAKUT. Serum IL‐10 levels significantly associated with the GG‐genotype with parenchymal damage.
Analysis of Grain Damage by the Bucket Elevator during Loading/Unloading Nurmagambetov, Askhat; Kurmanov, Ayap; Ryspayev, Kuanysh ...
Komunikácie : vedecké listy Žilinskej univerzity = Communications : scientific letters of the University of Žilina,
1/2024, Letnik:
26, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
The purpose of the study was to identify problematic issues in the operation of bucket elevators during the loading and unloading of grain, which can lead to damage to seeds. To achieve this goal, ...methods of analysis and evaluation of factors that affect the damage rate of grain were used. The main results were an increase in the safety of the grain loading and unloading process using bucket elevators and a reduction in the risks of crop losses. The analysis of grain damage by a bucket elevator is of practical importance for the agricultural sector and can bring the following practical benefits: reducing the risk of product losses, as it helps to identify problem areas in the operation of the elevator and develop measures to eliminate them, improving the efficiency of work and the quality of seed grain.
This article presents a simple analogy, with practical applications, between the human spine and multilevel rocking cores (MLRCs) under similar loading conditions. The use of energy dissipating ...rocking cores in general and MLRCs in particular is a relatively new concept for reducing earthquake damage in new and existing buildings. The literature on the subject is rather scant. There are neither official guidelines nor educational materials for practical design of MLRCs. The first step toward rational design of MLRCs is to understand their elastic state static/dynamic behavior as part of a gravity and/or earthquake resisting system. The purpose of the current paper is not to reiterate the merits of various rocking systems but to provide reliable formulae for the preliminary design of simple MLRCs. Suffice to note that the multitude of gap movements in MLRCs results in increased damping and elongated periods of vibrations. Several parametric examples have been provided to demonstrate the applications, the validity, and the simplicity of the proposed solutions. All solutions are exact within the bounds of the theoretical assumptions. All results have been verified by independent computer analysis.
The present study aims to determine the effectiveness of a nonlinear mathematical model in simulating complex mechanical behaviour of a seismic isolation system to protect structures during strong ...and damaging earthquakes. In order to construct the Polymeric Bearings considered in this research, a specially prepared flexible polyurethane elastomer with increased damping properties has been used. The usefulness of the proposed mathematical model has been verified by comparing the dynamic response of a base-isolated single-storey structure model under various seismic excitations with the results obtained from the detailed numerical analyses where the previously examined experimental model has been considered as a multi-degree-of-freedom system. The results obtained from the numerical investigation using lumped-mass models have confirmed that the proposed nonlinear mathematical model can be successfully used to simulate the complex mechanical behaviour of the Polymeric Bearings in numerical analyses.
PDF
