Effects of Water Deficit and Chitosan Spraying on Osmotic Adjustment and Soluble Protein of Cultivars Castor Bean (Ricinus communis L.)

The present study was aimed investigating the effect of water deficit and chitosan spraying on osmotic adjustment and soluble protein of cultivars castor bean under field condition. experiment was carried out as a split factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that water deficit caused increase a significant (P<0.05) in the concentration of sugars and proline content in the leaves of castor bean. The most amount of total soluble sugars obtain of Levels (D2: Water deficit in beginning of flowering stage, D3: Water deficit in beginning of seedling stage, 0.042%) and minimum amount related to treatment control (D1: complete Irrigation , 0.014%) and maximum proline content related to (D3: water deficit in beginning seedling stage) and minimum proline content related to (D1: complete Irrigation). Also water Deficit caused decrease a significant (P<0.05) in Protein content. The mean comparison shows that maximum amount Protein related to (D1: complete Irrigation, 26.79%) and the minimum amount Protein obtain from (D2: Water deficit in beginning of Flowering stage, 21.04%). also a had cultivars between different a significant (P<0.01) of total soluble sugars. Chitosan spraying no had a significant in osmotic Adjustment and soluble protein. The accumulation of the osmolytes can help the castor bean plant to maintain the cell turgor and the structural integrity of membranes. castor bean herb is drought tolerant, the experimental our, cultivars between no had a significant different of proline and protein content. But, cultivars between had a significant different of total soluble sugars, the result show that cultivar Ahvaz local the most amount of total soluble sugars. therefore suggested that Ahvaz Local cultivar in water deficit condition rate of other cultivar toleranter, we can be with attention Damghan Climate condition, there Cultivate Ahvaz local cultivar

Improvement of operation efficiency in Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) hemodialysis (HD) units using discrete-event simulation modeling

Facility based Hemodialysis (HD) treats over 75% of Canadian patients with kidney failure. HD in Winnipeg costs approximately $60,000 per patient annually and predictions indicate this population will double within the next 10 years. This research investigates workflow bottlenecks for improvement in HD units of Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre. A validated discrete-event simulation (DES) model is built to evaluate different strategies in HD care processes for improvement based on proposed alternatives for renal program workflows. Simulation modeling is used to study the behaviour change of entities and resources in HD systems. Proposed alternative scenarios in the simulation model examine key performance indicators (KPIs) including wait-time to start dialysis machines, length of stay, and percentage of times that dialysis machines start within the target time. The application of proposed improvement strategies results in desirable outcomes on KPIs up-to 31%. The solution can be applied to support future HD units’ improvements.October 201

Sand production simulation under true-triaxial stress conditions

Sand production in weakly consolidated sandstone reservoirs could result in damaging the production and surface facilities. Sanding includes two stages: the failure of sandstone around the borehole and sand grains being transported into the borehole. The first stage is related to stresses around the borehole whereas the second one is controlled by drawdown pressure. In order to avoid sanding, the stresses around the borehole and the drawdown pressure which initiate sanding are studied.This research simulated sand production through laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. The effect of three independent far-field stresses was investigated which is contrary to most of the current studies being performed under a uniaxial or triaxial stress state. Accordingly, a unique experimental setup and procedure was introduced to conduct sand production experiments under true-triaxial stress conditions. The effect of drawdown pressure and state of far-field stresses on the sanding mechanism and development of the failure zone around a borehole were investigated. The experiments were conducted on 100×100×100 mm3 cubic samples of synthetic sandstones. The samples were manufactured using an established procedure developed to produce samples with properties similar to weakly consolidated sandstone. The properties of the synthetic sandstone samples were determined by conducting a series of standard rock mechanics tests on cylindrical plugs. Using a true-triaxial stress cell (TTSC), cubic samples were subjected to three independent boundary stresses and uniform lateral fluid flow from the outer boundaries. The fluid flows through the sample radially and discharges from a hole drilled at the centre of the sample: this allows the study of sanding initiation by changing the state of stress, sample material and fluid properties.In this research, firstly, the concept of sand production from a geomechanics point of view and a summary of previous sanding experiments are explained. Thereafter, the procedure to prepare a sample suitable for sand production experiments is provided. Subsequently, the experimental equipment, setup and procedure are explained in detail. This is followed by presenting the results of two sets of experiments performed at different states of stress. The effect of changing the lateral stresses on the development of the failure zone around borehole was investigated in these experiments. During these experiments it was observed that a minimum drawdown pressure is needed to initiate sand production, regardless of the state of the boundary stresses. In addition, it was observed that the geometry (i.e. width and depth) of the failure zone developed around the borehole is a function of the state of stresses.The experiments were also simulated numerically using ABAQUS in order to gain a better understanding of sand production mechanisms. The numerical modelling procedure and results are presented in a separate section in this thesis. Good agreement was obtained between the results of both experimental and numerical methods which confirm the importance of the state of stresses on the evolution of sanding. Based on the experimental and numerical observations, it was shown that the effect of the magnitude of the maximum lateral stress on the depth of failure is more significant than the minimum lateral stress

Effects of an adapted physical activity program in a group of elderly subjects with flexed posture: clinical and instrumental assessment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Flexed posture commonly increases with age and is related to musculoskeletal impairment and reduced physical performance. The purpose of this clinical study was to systematically compare the effects of a physical activity program that specifically address the flexed posture that marks a certain percentage of elderly individuals with a non specific exercise program for 3 months.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants were randomly divided into two groups: one followed an Adapted Physical Activity program for flexed posture and the other one completed a non-specific physical activity protocol for the elderly. A multidimensional clinical assessment was performed at baseline and at 3 months including anthropometric data, clinical profile, measures of musculoskeletal impairment and disability. The instrumental assessment of posture was realized using a stereophotogrammetric system and a specific biomechanical model designed to describe the reciprocal position of the body segments on the sagittal plane in a upright posture.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The Adapted Physical Activity program determined a significant improvement in several key parameters of the multidimensional assessment in comparison to the non-specific protocol: decreased occiput-to-wall distance, greater lower limb range of motion, better flexibility of pectoralis, hamstrings and hip flexor muscles, increased spine extensor muscles strength. Stereophotogrammetric analysis confirmed a reduced protrusion of the head and revealed a reduction in compensative postural adaptations to flexed posture characterized by knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion in the participants of the specific program.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Adapted Physical Activity program for flexed posture significantly improved postural alignment and musculoskeletal impairment of the elderly. The stereophotogrammetric evaluation of posture was useful to measure the global postural alignment and especially to analyse the possible compensatory strategies at lower limbs in flexed posture.</p

Postural stability in older adults with a distal radial fracture

BACKGROUND: The physical risk factors leading to distal radial fractures are poorly understood. The goal of this study was to compare postural stability between older adults with and without a prior distal radial fragility fracture. METHODS: This case-control evaluation was performed at a single tertiary institution. The fracture cohort comprised 23 patients treated for a low-energy distal radial fracture within 6 to 24 months prior to this study. Twenty-three age and sex-matched control participants, without a prior fragility fracture, were selected from an outpatient clinic population. All participants completed a balance assessment with a computerized balance platform device. Dynamic motion analysis (DMA) scores ranging from 0 to 1,440 points are produced, with lower scores indicating better postural stability. Participants also completed validated questionnaires for general health quality (EuroQol-5D-3L [EQ-5D-3L]) and physical activity (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly [PASE]) and comprehensive health and demographic information including treatment for compromised balance or osteoporosis. Statistical analysis compared data between cases and controls using either the Student t test or the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in age, sex, body mass index, physical activity score, or EQ-5D-3L general health visual analog scale score between participants with or without prior distal radial fracture. The fracture cohort demonstrated poorer balance, with higher DMA scores at 933 points compared with 790 points for the control cohort (p = 0.008). Nineteen patients (83%) in the fracture cohort reported having dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans within 5 years prior to this study, but only 2 patients (9%) had ever been referred for balance training with physical therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults who sustain low-energy distal radial fractures demonstrate impaired postural stability compared with individuals of a similar age who have not sustained such fractures. Following a distal radial fracture, these patients may benefit from interventions to improve postural stability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence

Effects of Thiobacillus, Sulfur and Micronutrient Spray on Some Traits of Green Beans

A factorial experiment with the split plot arrangement using the complete randomized block design with three replications was carried out adjacent to the Agriculture School of Shahrood University of Technology in 2010-2011 to study the effects of sulfur and Thiobacillus application and zinc and molybdenum sprays on some traits of green beans. The treatments included three levels of sulfur (zero, 100 kg/ha of sulfur powder, and 100 kg/ha of sulfur powder + Thiobacillus bacteria) as the main factor, and three levels of zinc spray (0, 5, and 10g/l) and two levels of molybdenum spray (0 and 0.5 g/l) as the sub-main factors. The treatments that included sulfur were applied before seeding. Zinc (using zinc sulfate) and molybdenum (using sodium molybdate) were sprayed during the growing season and 5 weeks after planting. Results showed the treatment of applying sulfur at 100 kg/hectare and Thiobacillus bacteria increased leaf fresh and dry weights by 57 and 54%, mean pod length by 14%, and number of lateral branches by 25% compared to the control. Moreover, this treatment increased pod fresh and dry weights by 41.6 and 42.11%, respectively, compared to the treatment of not applying sulfur, and improved yield by 42% compared to the control. Considering the results concerning yield in response to sulfur, zinc, and molybdenum, it can be said that application of sulfur and Thiobacillus together with zinc spray can be very useful in growing green beans

Numerical Modeling of Methane Decomposition for Hydrogen Production in a Fluidized Bed Reactor

The decomposition of methane for hydrogen production is an attractive alternative to the established method of reforming. This process considerably reduces the emission of greenhouse gases, and its overall efficiency and cost are competitive. The decomposition of methane is performed with a catalyst to produce a substantial amount of hydrogen, and decrease the operating temperature. Between different catalysts available, carbon is selected in this study due to its low rate of decay and advantages such as low cost and availability. Also, a fluidized bed reactor operating in the particulate regime is employed due to the efficient contact between the catalyst and the gas. Consequently, hydrogen production from the thermocatalytic decomposition of methane in a particulate fluidized bed reactor of carbon particles is investigated. To obtain an appropriate design and operation for this process, the effect of different operating parameters and catalyst properties should be investigated on the performance. This aim can be achieved by modeling. A number of models with different complexities have been proposed for this process. Considering the objective of this thesis, a complex kinetic model is required to represent the effect of the catalyst properties. In literature, the kinetics is generally modeled with a global equation using experimental parameters. Since investigation on the effect of the properties of the catalyst is not feasible with this method, the detailed kinetic model with a surface reaction mechanism is employed in this study. Investigation on this surface mechanism is very limited, and only one of the models available in literature is determined to be appropriate. Nevertheless, this model has some important drawbacks. The major problem is that the specific surface area is considered as the only catalyst property affecting the activity of carbon. Experimental studies suggest that the activity of this catalyst is a function of its specific surface area and number of active sites, and neglecting either of these properties can lead to a high inaccuracy. Consequently, a new kinetic model is developed where a modified form of the available mechanism is used, and the number of active sites and the specific surface area of the catalyst are considered in the rate equations. It is noted that although several experimental investigations have been performed on the origin of the active sites, their quantity has not been acceptably determined yet. A method is presented in this study to estimate the number of active sites with the developed model and experimental data. To the best knowledge of the author, this is the first model to incorporate the effect of this parameter for carbon catalysts in the decomposition of methane and quantify its value. Another important problem of the model available in literature is its dependency on experimental measurements for determining the hydrodynamic characteristics of the fluidized bed. In this study, the hydrodynamics of the reactor is modeled with empirical correlations to obtain a complete representation of the process within the required accuracy, with minimal experimental requirements. The model is used to investigate the effect of different operating parameters and catalyst properties on the amount of the initial methane conversion. The operating parameters studied are the temperature, residence time, gas velocity, and composition of the feed gas. The catalyst properties considered are the particle size and pore volume, the number of active sites, and the percentage of fine particles in the bed. The effect of the variations of each of these factors in a certain range is investigated for a fluidized bed reactor operating at the onset of fluidization at nominal condition. The onset of fluidization is maintained by changing the inlet flow rate in a reactor of a specific size. The results show that, considering the range of variations in this study, the procedures that cause the highest improvement in conversion are: increasing the residence time, decreasing the size of particles, adding fine particles to the bed, increasing the temperature, using catalysts with high surface areas or large number of active sites, changing the inlet gas composition, and using catalysts with large pore volumes, respectively. It is noted that all of these improvements are associated with higher initial or operating costs. Therefore, changing each of these factors beyond a certain value is faced with economic and technical barriers. Consequently, the possibility and efficiency of using two factors simultaneously for achieving higher conversions was also investigated. The results can be used as a guideline to choose between several catalysts considering their characteristics, or to suggest appropriate operating conditions.1 yea

Effects of Nitroxin Fertilizer on Physiological Characters Forage Millet under Irrigation Cessation

An experiment in the split plot factorial design using the randomized complete block design was conducted in Damghan, Semnan Province, Iran in the cropping year 2012-2013 to study the effects of irrigation cessation (based on the phenological stages of the plants) on physiological characteristics of forage millet cultivars. The treatments included three irrigation levels (the control with full irrigation, irrigation cessation when flowering started, and irrigation cessation when flowering ended) in the main plots, and applying nitroxinbiofertilizer (+) and not applying nitroxinbiofertilizer (control) and forage millet cultivars (Bastan, Pishahang, and Isfahan) in the subplots. The maximum water-soluble carbohydrates contents were observed in the cultivar Bastan (8.91%, respectively), the highest contents of fiber and water (74.17 and 48.83%, respectively) in the treatment of irrigation cessation when flowering started, and the largest proline concentration (1.90 mol/g-1ww-1 in the treatment of irrigation cessation when flowering started. Millet tolerated high levels of drought under conditions of irrigation cessation and Nitroxin, as a biological fertilizer, was useful in producing a good quality crop. The very rapid growth of millet, its short growing season, drought tolerance, unique feature with regard to harvest time, and its response to nitroxinbiofertilizer can help to expand its cultivation in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran

Foliar application of chitosan and nano-magnesium fertilizers influence on seed yield, oil content, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzyme activities of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under water-limited conditions

Applying elicitors and nano-fertilizer has been recommended to enhance the growth and yield of secondary metabolites in herbs and medicinal plants under water-limited stress. However, less information is available on the effects of chitosan and nano-magnesium fertilizers on sesame seed yield, oil content, and physiological traits in the presence of nano-magnesium chelate (nano-Mg) under water-limited supply. In this regard, field experiments as a split-factorial experiment was performed based on randomized blocks in three replicates in Varamin city, south of Tehran, Iran, during 2015-2016 to evaluate the impact of chitosan and nano-Mg on physiological, seed, and oil traits of sesame. Irrigation cut-off based on BBCH scale was considered as the main factor including normal irrigation (I1), irrigation cut-off in 75 (I2), and 65 BBCH (I3) stages. Secondary factors as the subplot included ‘Oltan’ (C1) and ‘Dashtestan-2’ (C2) sesame cultivars, and foliar application of nano-Mg (application and non-application) and chitosan (control (CH1), foliar application of 4.8 g L-1 in 65 BBCH (CH2), and 6.4 g L-1 in 75 BBCH stages (CH3)). Further, free proline content, total sugars, the activity of antioxidant enzymes including catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), photosynthetic pigments content, seed yield, and oil content were evaluated in the next stage. Based on the results, irrigation cut-off in 65 BBCH stage (flowering) significantly increased free proline content, total sugars, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, CAT, POD, and APX. However, chlorophyll a, b, and total contents, seed yield, oil percentage, and yield decreased under water stress. ‘Dashtestan-2’ cultivar had the highest seed yield and oil content, and more tolerant cultivar under water-limited stress. Interestingly, the production of proline content and total sugars increased while the activity of antioxidant enzymes, CAT, POD, and APX decreased under application of nano-Mg and CH2, which influenced both sesame response and seed attributes. As a result, the production of some physiological traits in sesame cultivars may be regulated by adjusting the irrigating practices. Finally, the co-application of nano-Mg and CH2 increased the seed yield and oil content of sesame under limited water supply in the arid and semi-arid region