Effect of the Mg3N2 Sub-Micron Particle on the Grain Refinement of AZ80 Alloy

AZ80 alloy has been widely used to produce high performance Mg casting and wrought parts for high-end applications due to its high mechanical properties and deformation ability. However, at least two important issues still need to be solved in order to further improve its mechanical properties and deformation ability. Firstly, the grain size of α-Mg in AZ80 alloy is relatively large (more than 1000 µm) due to a lack of efficient grain refinement methodologies. Secondly, the size of the eutectic Mg17Al12 phase is also large and the distribution of the eutectic Mg17Al12 phase is continuous, which is very harmful for the mechanical properties, in particular to elongation. In this paper, these two important issues are investigated by adding Mg3N2 sub-micron particle into AZ80 alloy and thereby refining the α-Mg and the eutectic Mg17Al12 phase. Firstly, the Mg3N2 sub-micron particle was directly added into AZ80 alloy by using mechanically stirring in the semi-solid state, subsequently the melting temperature was increased above the liquidous temperature, and finally the melting was casted in the liquid state. It was found that the grain size of α-Mg can be refined from 883.8 µm to 169.9 µm. More importantly, the eutectic Mg17Al12 phase was also refined and the distribution became discontinuous. It should be noted that directly adding the Mg3N2 sub-micron particle into AZ80 alloy leads to a great loss of the Mg3N2 sub-micron particle due to the weak wetting behavior between the Mg3N2 sub-micron particle and Mg melt. The second methodology through mixing Mg3N2 sub-micron particles with AZ91 chips using a twin extruder was also used to prepare AZ91 master alloy with 3wt.% Mg3N2 sub-micron particle, which was subsequently added into AZ80 alloy in the liquid state. In this way, a significant grain refinement of α-Mg and a simultaneous refinement of the eutectic Mg17Al12 phase in AZ80 alloy was also achieved. The grain size of α-Mg can be refined from 883.8 µm to 325.9 µm. However, no significant grain refinement by using UST was observed. Instead, the grain size increases from 325.9 µm to 448.6 µm, indicating that the Mg3N2 sub-micron particle may lose its grain refinement potency due to possible aggregation and clustering. This paper provides an efficient and simple methodology for the grain refinement of α-Mg and the simultaneous refinement of the eutectic Mg17Al12 phase in AZ80 alloy.

A Heat Vulnerability Index: Spatial Patterns of Exposure, Sensitivity and Adaptive Capacity for Urbanites of Four Cities of India

Extreme heat and heat waves have been established as disasters which can lead to a great loss of life. Several studies over the years, both within and outside of India, have shown how extreme heat events lead to an overall increase in mortality. However, the impact of extreme heat, similar to other disasters, depends upon the vulnerability of the population. This study aims to assess the extreme heat vulnerability of the population of four cities with different characteristics across India. This cross-sectional study included 500 households from each city across the urban localities (both slum and non-slum) of Ongole in Andhra Pradesh, Karimnagar in Telangana, Kolkata in West Bengal and Angul in Odisha. Twenty-one indicators were used to construct a household vulnerability index to understand the vulnerability of the cities. The results have shown that the majority of the households fell under moderate to high vulnerability level across all the cities. Angul and Kolkata were found to be more highly vulnerable as compared to Ongole and Karimnagar. Further analysis also revealed that household vulnerability is more significantly related to adaptive capacity than sensitivity and exposure. Heat Vulnerability Index can help in identifying the vulnerable population and scaling up adaptive practices.

Statistical Analysis on Dowry Cases in India

It has been seen from the last decade that the misuse of un-exempted provisions of dowry law been increasing and in result the other party is facing the world with great loss. A long delayed case of dowry has been pending in district courts just due to clashes of hard provisions of law and lack of evidences. Even just after the complaint a woman can claim and complaint of other additional things as a right of wife like maintenance which leads to makeable financial burden on man irrespective of his financial and social position. Women use the weapons called Section 498A and Dowry Act to file a false complaint so as to attack their husband. Section 498A of Indian Penal Code is a provision under which a husband, his parents, and relatives can be booked for subjecting a woman to cruelty to meet their unlawful demands (dowry). Generally, the husband, his parents, and relatives are immediately arrested without sufficient investigation and put behind bars on non-bailable terms. The NCRB’s ‘Crime in India’ report categorizes crimes various heads of the IPC. If one looks at the respective conviction rates of all the categories, cases registered under Sec 498-A (Cruelty by Husband & Relatives) have one of the lowest conviction rates. In 9 out of these 10 years, the conviction rate of Sec 498-A cases was in the bottom three. This study concentrates on the effects of misuse of dowry law on man which has always been neglected. In India the trial courts are just filling their duty by giving dates of hearing and due to this delay the husband and his family members are paying which deteriorates their life without any fault. This research aims to count the loss of man and his family on monitory and social term specially the cases pending long before the trial courts.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of DnaJ Gene Family in Grape (Vitis vinifera L.)

Grape production in southern China suffers great loss due to various environmental stresses. To understand the mechanism of how the grape plants respond to these stresses is an active area of research in developing cultivation techniques. Plant stress resistance is known to rely on special proteins. Amongst them, DnaJ protein (HSP40) serves as co-chaperones of HSP70, playing crucial roles in various stress response. However, the DnaJ proteins encoded by the DnaJ gene family in Vitis vinifera L. have not been fully described yet. In this study, we identified 78 VvDnaJs in the grape genome that can be classified into three groups—namely, DJA, DJB, and DJC. To reveal the evolutionary and stress response mechanisms for the VvDnaJ gene family, their evolutionary and expression patterns were analyzed using the bioinformatic approach and qRT-PCR. We found that the members in the same group exhibited a similar gene structure and protein domain organization. Gene duplication analysis demonstrated that segmental and tandem duplication may not be the dominant pathway of gene expansion in the VvDnaJ gene family. Codon usage pattern analysis showed that the codon usage pattern of VvDnaJs differs obviously from the monocotyledon counterparts. Tissue-specific analysis revealed that 12 VvDnaJs present a distinct expression profile, implying their distinct roles in various tissues. Cis-acting element analysis showed that almost all VvDnaJs contained the elements responsive to either hormones or stresses. Therefore, the expression levels of VvDnaJs subjected to exogenous hormone applications and stress treatments were determined, and we found that VvDnaJs were sensitive to hormone treatments and shade, salt, and heat stresses, especially VIT_00s0324g00040. The findings of this study could provide comprehensive information for the further investigation on the genetics and protein functions of the DnaJ gene family in grape.

In Memory of Vladimir Gerdt

Center for Computational Methods in Applied Mathematics of RUDN, Professor V.P. Gerdt, whose passing was a great loss to the scientific center and the computer algebra community. The article provides biographical information about V.P. Gerdt, talks about his contribution to the development of computer algebra in Russia and the world. At the end there are the authors personal memories of V.P. Gerdt.

Obligations in Contract, Tort and Equity: Reliance, Responsibility, and the Moral Dimension: Essay in honour of Sir John McGrath

I publish this essay to honour the memory of Sir John McGrath. I sat with Sir John for a number of years, first in the Court of Appeal and then in the Supreme Court. Professional respect soon turned into friendship. While we did not always agree, I always respected his views. They were carefully considered and fully researched. John gave detailed consideration to the opinions of others but was very much his own man when it came to his ultimate conclusion. His innate caution in departing from the well-trodden path was a valuable contribution in a final appellate court. Stability is an important feature of any legal system. And John provided that quality, but not at the expense of innovation when that was clearly desirable and could be achieved in a principled way. John's passing, so soon after his retirement, was a great loss, not only to his wife and family, but also to his many friends and colleagues, both in the law and beyond.

Agrometeorological Advisory to assist the farmers in meeting the challenges of extreme weather events

In recent past extreme weather events are causing great concern in different sectors contributing to the Indian economy. Among other, agricultural sectors are badly affected by the extreme weather events. Weather and climate information play a great role in minimizing the loss of crops. India Meteorological Department is doing yeomen’s service by providing advance information including monitoring of the extreme weather events along with the proper advisories to the farming community by using state of art instruments & technology through efficient delivering mechanism of the information and ultimately help the farmers from incurring great loss. Satellite information is also used for preparation of the accurate crop and location specific Agromet Advisories. Under Public Private Partnership, today it is possible to send the weather forecast and advisories within short time to large number of farmers in the country before the occurrence of extreme weather events and ultimately possible to improve the economic condition of small and marginal farmers by increasing the productivity of crops.

The Effects of Wearing Helmets on Reaction of Motorcycle Riders

In Taiwan, motorcycles are the most commonly used means of transportation and also have the highest accident rate. Because motorcycles are less stable and provide less protection than cars, motorcycle riders are vulnerable in traffic accidents. Furthermore, head trauma is often fatal, causing a great loss to society. Although helmets provide protection to the head, they also affect the visual field of motorcycle riders. However, the literature mostly focuses on the protective effect of helmets after a collision and rarely considers the influence of helmets prior to collisions. In the study design, participants wore three different types of helmet and watched a pre-recorded video of an actual street with pre-placed warning triangles at a speed of 60 km/h. Participants were asked to press a button when they saw a warning triangle. The time between participants seeing the warning triangle and arriving at the warning triangle was calculated. This time is referred to as the “early reaction time.” The number of missed presses and false presses was also recorded. The results of the study show that: (1) Of the three types of helmet, wearing half helmets produced the longest early reaction times, followed by 3/4 helmets, with full face helmets with the shortest early reaction times. (2) Early reaction times when wearing a half helmet were the same as early reaction times when not wearing a helmet. (3) The results for the total number of missed and false presses when wearing the three types of helmet were the same as for the results of the early reaction time analysis. (4) Sex and age had no effect on early reaction times. The experimental results can be used as a reference for helmet design and academic research.

Lost and Found—Unfolding and Refolding Aesthetic Learning Processes

The ongoing marketisation of education is a great loss for visual arts education since explorative learning processes are marginalised in favour of more goal-oriented learning. The empirical material analysed in this research derives from the visual art portfolio of a student from an elective university course in visual arts education. Working within Deleuze and Guattari’s philosophical framework, we examine the folding, unfolding, and refolding of aesthetic learning processes, suggesting productive concepts and practices. The analysis made us aware of our own pedagogical ideals and the loss of having to disassemble them, in line with the new curricula. The student’s visual learning process showed us how to reassemble new and explorative learning processes, assigning aspects of sustainability and an ethics of care in relation to environmental and social questions. We suggest strategies for learning in the folds, where educators are called upon to prepare students for an uncertain future. This demands a creative imagination, an ethical standpoint for negotiating the curriculum in line with differentiation by forming, inventing, and fabricating new concepts and images.

Modeling, structural and cfd analysis of mobile robot for banana cultivation

The banana plantation is a popular cash crop in southern parts of India. Globally, India ranks first in banana production by producing about 14 million metric tons annually. Cultivation of which involves humongous manual tasks with moderate difficulty, often the tasks are accompanied by considerable spending towards accomplishing those tasks. More often than not it affects the earning prospects of the farmer thus, succumbing to a great loss of investment. A valid solution to this problem from the technological perspective is to provide low-cost automation for the hectic tasks in banana cultivation. Through this work, a baby step towards addressing the issues in banana cultivation is initiated. This paper deals with the design, structural, computational fluid dynamics simulation of an Agricultural field robot for aiding banana cultivation by producing a plantation hole for banana seedlings. The conceptualized idea is modeled in 3dimension using SolidWorks software with suitable dimensions, then by applying desired material properties to the individual components a static structural analysis is executed on the assembly. After the completion of structural analysis, subsequently, CFD analysis is carried out with an Ansys-Fluent workbench on the equivalent solid modal replica of the assembly modal, developed exclusively to analyze the wind effects.