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Abstract This article presents a Z source (ZS) based switched capacitor multilevel inverter (SC-MLI) with low capacitors charging inrush currents utilizing a modified modulation strategy. The topology generates nine output voltage levels with quadruple voltage gain utilizing eight power switches, five capacitors, two inductors, four discrete diodes, and a single DC source. The voltage gain can be further increased by applying shoot through (ST) states to the frontend ZS-network. Owing to its high voltage gain, the topology is suitable for low voltage renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics (PV), and fuel cells (FC). A modified modulation strategy is presented based on the conventional level shifted sinusoidal pulse width modulation (LS-SPWM). The proposed modulation strategy improves the dc-link utilization at higher modulation index. A detailed mathematical analysis is provided for the gain calculation based on the modified modulation strategy. A comparative study is implemented to verify the merits of the proposed topology. A simulation model is implemented utilizing MATLAB / Simulink to verify the topology characteristics. The power losses and efficiency calculations are presented using Altair PSIM. Furthermore, an experimental prototype is constructed to verify the simulation findings. The topology is tested with different loading conditions at numerous modulation index values and ST duty ratios. Furthermore, step change conditions are implemented to test the topology response. The effect of the ZS network on the switched capacitors charging inrush currents is validated. The proposed topology shows an overall advantage in terms of the output characteristics as well as the hardware requirements.

Abstract In this paper, a single stage buck–boost DC–AC converter based on coupled inductors is presented for renewable energy and electric vehicle applications. The proposed topology works with only three semiconductor switches, two diodes, and three coupled inductors to transfer input DC voltage to a high gain or low gain output AC voltage. A coupled inductor is used instead of normal inductors, which will reduce core and size requirements. The sinusoidal pulse width modulation strategy is used in this paper for controlling the main switch. There are many merits in the presented topology, like high gain up to five times of input voltage, compact size, less number of components, which results in reducing the overall cost, reducing switching loss, and increasing the converter efficiency. The simulation study is carried out using MATLAB/SIMULINK to simulate the operation of the proposed converter. Also, an experimental setup is built up to examine the actual operation of the proposed converter. There is a good agreement between simulation and experimental results which increases the validation and confidence of the model.

Today, the biggest challenge faced by the refining industries globally is the production of environmentally friendly fuels with a high amount produced annually to meet the needs of markets due to the sharp regulations imposed environmentally with allowable sulfur levels in diesel fuel. This study examines the most recent developments in solid sorbent adsorption and catalytic oxidization techniques for desulfurizing diesel fuel. Reviewing the benefits, limitations, and future potential of each technique for desulfurizing liquid fuels using solid catalysts constructed using waste from agriculture. Activated carbon is one of these carbon materials; however, the traditional methods of producing activated carbon are time-consuming and costly. Activated carbon has impressive characteristics such as low concentration of ash, enormous surface area, permeability, ease of being activated, and high compressive strength, thereby rendering this an ideal substrate for the synthetic production of heterogeneous catalysts. Because they are in charge of igniting the substances that oxidize, their supported catalysts are crucial to the oxidation process. Various types of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts such as metal oxides, ionic liquids, polyoxometalates, and organic acids have been used to form oxidative desulfurization (ODS) systems. Therefore, to enhance the efficiency of catalytic ODS process some modifications must be taken into account. These adjustments may involve doping the catalyst’s surfaces with metal oxides or increasing the catalyst’s surface area when combined with sulfur compounds. In addition to reviewing the preparation conditions for carbon waste-based activated carbon catalysts, this work also carried out the desulfurization procedures to remove substances containing sulfur. Overall, the comprehensive review of carbon wastes into activated carbon catalysts with conventional and microwave heating shows promises in addressing two pressing environmental issues: agriculture waste management and reducing the ODS cost through the production of a sustainable fuel-efficient catalyst. This review explores the environmental feasibility of agro-waste as a waste-to-energy (solid carbon) technology. The use of agro-waste as a source to produce activated carbon catalysts mitigates the environmental impact associated with traditional waste disposal avenues, such as incineration and landfilling.

One of the main sources of crude oil and product losses in refineries is the storage tanks. The lightest hydrocarbons in these tanks evaporate during operation, causing not only a loss of the precious raw hydrocarbon material but also a source of dangerous gas pollution. For calculating these losses, several direct and indirect approaches have been devised. In this study, we used a method based on the comparison of the differences in the characteristics of crude oil or other products. This work aimed to find the specifications of two products, kerosene and gas oil, and calculate the losses that occur for the quantities in the dispatch warehouse in the NRC. Four samples of kerosene were used and named: kero@02-1, kero@05-2, kero@10-3, and kero@11-4, while four samples of gas oil were named: gaso@02-1, gaso@05-2, gaso@10-3, and gaso@11-4. Also, they depend on the date of certificate issue, respectively. The received quantities were calculated in ml and converted to cubic meters using the tank coefficient (kerosene tank coefficient 0.638 and gas oil tank coefficient 0.408). Calculations were made of 1500 ml for kerosene and 2500 ml for gas oil. In addition, this project dealt with a simplified method of work that includes the physical properties to find the actual quantities that are lost for the mentioned petroleum products. Moreover, the highest losses were for kerosene (5 m 3 ) at sp. gr 0.750, and the highest losses were for gas oil (5 m 3 ) at sp. gr 0.820. The results showed that there is a quantity of fluctuating losses that does not exceed 5 m 3 / 1000 m 3 and that these losses are in accordance with the permissible limits. The results recommend directing the laboratory tester's teams in the NRC Baiji to conduct periodic examinations of the petroleum products, as well as not to collusion when receiving a low product with laboratory examination specifications to reduce losses in quantities.

Abstract In this paper, a single-phase direct pulse width modulation (PWM) buck-boost AC–AC converter is proposed. The proposed converter utilizes a minimum number of semiconductor switches and passive components that decreases the converter power losses and offers high efficiency. It can be operated with simple PWM control and doesn’t require soft-commutation strategies. It does not suffer from input source shoot-through and commutation problems. Moreover, it supplies both continuous input and output currents. The common sharing ground of the input and output gives the proposed converter the feature that it can be utilized for voltage sag and swell compensation. A comparison of the proposed converter performance with similar existing converters is presented. Also, detailed circuit analysis, component design guidelines, and simulation results using the MATLAB/Simulink environment are demonstrated. A laboratory prototype has been built and tested to validate the converter performance and confirm the results obtained by computer simulation.

Modeling and simulation at the bench scale are crucial for understanding industrial process behavior, particularly in oxidative desulfurization (ODS). Mathematical models are powerful tools in chemical process engineering, enabling the adjustment of process conditions without physical modifications, thereby optimizing process performance. In this study, a comprehensive mathematical model for the ODS of sour diesel fuel, supplied by the NRC refinery, was developed using O₂ as the oxidant and Fe/AC as the catalyst, based on experimental data from the literature. This model addresses key limitations of existing ODS models, including their limited applicability in industrial settings and challenges in scaling up while maintaining high sulfur conversion efficiency. By simulating an industrial batch reactor, the model advances current knowledge by providing a robust framework for scaling ODS processes. Optimal reaction conditions were determined to achieve ≥99 % sulfur conversion, with kinetic parameters of a reaction order of 1.2, an activation energy of 50 kJ/mol, and a pre-exponential factor of 9050 g(−0.2).h(−1). Scale-up results, based on these parameters, suggested optimal reactor dimensions of 1.3 m in diameter and 2 m in length. The batch reactor scale-up was conducted using the gPROMS software, yielding insights that can be applied directly to industrial reactors. Ultimately, this model contributes to the field by offering a scalable, practical approach to ODS reactor design and optimization, aiding the production of cleaner diesel fuels in compliance with stringent environmental standards.

Innovative, low-loss, and compact optical systems are essential to meet the experimental requirements of emerging novel radiation sources. The microchannel plate (MCP), a metamaterial-based optical device, shows promising potential for shaping, condensing, and focusing soft x-ray radiation at synchrotron radiation (SR) facilities. This study highlights the impact of MCP optical devices on SR beam condensing capability and their sensitivity to the degree of coherence by investigating the profile of transmitted beams through single and double MCP optical devices. Transmitted diffraction patterns of soft x-ray SR radiation change with energy and radiation modes. At 92 eV, the double MCP-based device affects the beam divergence and degree of coherence more than the single MCP. Moreover, the double MCP device shows potential as a condensing optics at shorter wavelengths, i.e., 480 eV. Experiments were performed at the available end-station of the Circular Polarization beamline at the Elettra synchrotron facility in Trieste, using a high-vacuum chamber with a hexapod system, providing the precise movement necessary to align these diffractive optics. The findings contribute to the development of innovative optical systems for SR and free-electron laser beamlines, paving the way for advanced experiments in spectroscopy, microscopy, and imaging in a wide energy range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning algorithms have gained popularity recently as a method for predicting the efficiency of industrial processes. The fluctuation of desulfurization process operation conditions, especially sulfur content in diesel fuel, has an impact on the efficiency of the process. This study presents the development of an artificial neural network (ANN) model using Python to predict the efficiency of the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) process in highly sour diesel fuel. Experimental data from a trickle bed reactor were used to train and validate the model. The dataset included variables such as ODS temperature, pressure, liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV), and sulfur content in the feed. The ANN model demonstrated a high prediction accuracy with sulfur conversion results matching the experimental data with approximately 98% accuracy and a regression coefficient (R²) of 0.99. The model effectively captured the influence of the operating conditions, showing that higher temperatures and pressures significantly enhanced the desulfurization efficiency. Additionally, the optimization of LHSV contributed to achieving optimal sulfur removal. This work highlights the potential of machine learning techniques in enhancing the predictive capabilities and efficiency of industrial desulfurization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Poultry Science / Archiv für Geflügelkunde is the property of Verlag Eugen Ulmer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the main sources of crude oil and product losses in refineries is the storage tanks. The lightest hydrocarbons in these tanks evaporate during operation, causing not only a loss of the precious raw hydrocarbon material but also a source of dangerous gas pollution. For calculating these losses, several direct and indirect approaches have been devised. In this study, we used a method based on the comparison of the differences in the characteristics of crude oil or other products. This work aimed to find the specifications of two products, kerosene and gas oil, and calculate the losses that occur for the quantities in the dispatch warehouse in the NRC. Four samples of kerosene were used and named: kero@02-1, kero@05-2, kero@10-3, and kero@11-4, while four samples of gas oil were named: gaso@02-1, gaso@05-2, gaso@10-3, and gaso@11-4. Also, they depend on the date of certificate issue, respectively. The received quantities were calculated in ml and converted to cubic meters using the tank coefficient (kerosene tank coefficient 0.638 and gas oil tank coefficient 0.408). Calculations were made of 1500 ml for kerosene and 2500 ml for gas oil. In addition, this project dealt with a simplified method of work that includes the physical properties to find the actual quantities that are lost for the mentioned petroleum products. Moreover, the highest losses were for kerosene (5 m3) at sp. gr 0.750, and the highest losses were for gas oil (5 m3) at sp. gr 0.820. The results showed that there is a quantity of fluctuating losses that does not exceed 5 m3 / 1000 m3 and that these losses are in accordance with the permissible limits. The results recommend directing the laboratory tester's teams in the NRC Baiji to conduct periodic examinations of the petroleum products, as well as not to collusion when receiving a low product with laboratory examination specifications to reduce losses in quantities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Petroleum Research & Studies is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, a single-phase direct pulse width modulation (PWM) buck-boost AC–AC converter is proposed. The proposed converter utilizes a minimum number of semiconductor switches and passive components that decreases the converter power losses and offers high efficiency. It can be operated with simple PWM control and doesn't require soft-commutation strategies. It does not suffer from input source shoot-through and commutation problems. Moreover, it supplies both continuous input and output currents. The common sharing ground of the input and output gives the proposed converter the feature that it can be utilized for voltage sag and swell compensation. A comparison of the proposed converter performance with similar existing converters is presented. Also, detailed circuit analysis, component design guidelines, and simulation results using the MATLAB/Simulink environment are demonstrated. A laboratory prototype has been built and tested to validate the converter performance and confirm the results obtained by computer simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pot experiment was carried out on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) for growing 2021 season to study the effect of various water sources i.e., fresh water (FW), agricultural drainage (ADW), sewage (SW) and industrial drainage (IDW) after treated with moringa seed extract (MSE) on remove water and soils contamination and its effect on yield and heavy metals content of lettuce plants. The lowest values of SSP, SAR, SCAR, RSC, RSBC, PI, PS, KR and MAR were obtaind in fresh water followed by industrial drainage water, sewage water and agricultural drainage water when treated with MSE. The classification of all water sources indicates before treated with MSE of high salinity-low sodicity (C4S1) and moderate low sodicity (C2S1) after treated with MSE. Addition of MSE to water soureces reduced water turbidity, NO3-N, BOD, COD, DO and heavy metals compared with untreated water. The highest values of fresh and dry weight, N, P and K- uptake of lettuce plants obtainted in different water sources treated with MSE. Addition of MSE to different water sources gave the lowest accumulation of Pb, Cd, Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn in soil and lettuce plants compared to untreated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation was carried out at the experimental farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University through the growing summer season of 2019. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of inorganic, organic and bio-fertilization on plant growth and NPK content by successive four cuts of sudan grass plants grown in clayey soils. The most important findings could be summarized as follows: Generally, in most cases, adding any organic sources i.e., chicken manure (CM) or rabbit manure (RM) or Quail manure (QM) or farmyard manure (FYM) at the rate of 0.5% with50 % RD (NPK) plus inoculated by microbien (Mic.) gave the highest significant values of four cuts and accumulative fresh weight as well as N, P and K percentage of sudan grass grown in clay soil compared with control treatment. As a general view, the fresh weight and N percentage of sudan grass grown in clay soil was increased from 1st cut to 2nd one then decreased in 3rd cut followed by last one using the control treatment or 100% RD (NPK) with or without microbien inoculated or 50% RD (NPK) with CM, QM, RM and FYM with microbien inoculated. The same trend was noticed for P% using the microbien inoculated with 50 % RD (NPK) or 50% RD (NPK) alone or control treatment. Also, the fresh weight of sudan grass was increased from 1st cut to 2nd one followed by 3rd cut then decreased in last one by adding the treatment of 50% RD (NPK) with QM or CM. Similar trend was obtained for N% by adding the 100% RD (NPK) with or without microbien inoculated or 50% RD (NPK) with Mic. The same trend was noticed for P% by adding 50% RD (NPK) plus 0.5% of any organic wastes with or without microbien inoculated. Similar trend was obtained for K% by adding 50% RD (NPK) plus 0.5% of any organic wastes with microbien inoculated compared with control treatment. In general, it could be stated that to increase forage production and its quality of sudan grass, mineral with organic and bio-fertilizer can be used at rate of 50% NPK mineral fertilizers with any organic wastes plus bio- fertilizer (microbien)under the same soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a split-capacitor shunt Active Power Filter (SC-APF) based on Synchronous Reference Frame (SRF) theory. This topology is used in compensating the currents of 3-Ph unbalanced non-linear loads. The voltage control loop used in SRF which is only suitable in controlling Four-Leg APF (FL-APF) is modified to control Spilt-Capacitor APF (SC-APF). The proposed scheme provides compensating the 3-Ph unbalanced non-linear loads with lower number of switches, passive elements, and sensors. The performance of the SC-APF with the modified calculation algorithm is verified through simulation and experimental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a transformerless/non-isolated, high-gain DC-DC converter required to increase low voltages in renewable energy applications. The converter topology uses only a single-switch with minimum voltage stress over the semiconductors. The design is obtained by integrating both the boost and the quadratic boost converter topology. Operating principles of the converter circuit topology are detailed, and the steady-state performance is analysed. The design results in lower switching voltage that significantly improves the efficiency of the controlled switches. The results obtained by computer simulation demonstrate that the high voltage gain is obtained at lower values of duty ratio with an efficiency of more than 94%. The merits of the proposed converter are given in comparison with other high-gain DC-DC converters. Finally, a laboratory model is built using the digital signal processor [dSPACE (DS-1104)] to verify the converter theory. The theoretical, simulation and experimental results that indicate the claimed converter performance and capability are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a Four-Switch Three-Phase Shunt Active Power Filter (FSTP-APF) based on One Cycle Control (OCC) technique for compensating the currents of three phase non-linear loads. The power stage of FSTP-APF uses only four semiconducting switches which leads to reduce the overall cost of APF. The proposed technique retains the advantages of the conventional OCC, such as no reference current calculation, no need for using Phase-Locked Loop (PLL), very simple control circuit and constant switching frequency. In addition, the modification reduces the number of semiconductor switches, reduces the filter output inductances, reducing the number of sensors to only four sensors, two of them for measuring supply currents and the others for measuring DC-link voltages, and the control algorithm becomes simpler. The feasibility and performance of the proposed technique are demonstrated through the simulation and experimental verifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Poultry Science / Archiv für Geflügelkunde is the property of Verlag Eugen Ulmer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article presents an accurate computational technique for estimating the photovoltaic (PV) cell parameters from experimental measurements of the current‐voltage (I–V) characteristics. The technique is based on using various evolutionary algorithms (EAs) and the double‐diode eight‐parameter cell model to precisely estimate unknown parameters. The proposed technique is implemented to extract the PV cell parameters of different manufacturer's modules by minimising the summation of absolute square errors between theoretical and measured I–V output characteristics obtained under different irradiation levels. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed technique are demonstrated via a comparative assessment of the measured output I–V characteristics and those obtained by computer simulation, using Matlab SIMSCAPE library components. The good agreement obtained between theoretical and experimental results endorses the proposed approach to determine precisely the PV parameters required for power system studies. The proposed technique is useful power system studies with penetration of photovoltaic sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the natural cellulose has low ionic exchange properties, due to its characterization by a small number of carboxylic groups. Incorporation of different functional groups can promote its ionic exchange capacity. In this work, modification of orange peel by treating with sodium hydroxide and amination, phosphoration and sulfonation. The different ion exchanger has been used to increase the ion exchange capacity of such materials, by developing their swelling properties and decreasing their lignin content. A maximum uranium uptake of 726 mg/g was observed at the obtained optimum conditions using modified resin (ion exchange No. VII). The latter (0.841: 0.420) mm size orange peels were modified using a mixture of sulfonic and phosphoric acids. Ion exchange No. VII was used as the case study to remove uranium and associated elements from Sinai wells water. The main purpose of this work is to prepare different resins from the Egyptian plant waste. Orange peels were chosen because they are popular and widespread plant wastes in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Protection & Pathology is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Water plays a vital, essential and important role in our life fields. Nowadays, this natural resource became scare, making a fresh and availability is a major social and environmental concern. Dyes and synthetic dyes are the major industrial pollutants and water contaminants. The wastewater discharged contains various contaminants characterized by a high content of organic matter, additives, surfactants and dyes. Effluent streams which contain dyes within wastewater make it polluted, harmful, carcinogenic and environmentally problematic. However, combined advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as (O3/H2O2/Fe2+) were used and applied in this study as a novel wastewater treatment to remove color (decolorization) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from Disperse Blue 79 (DB79) within synthetic wastewater solution. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance efficiency of combined AOPs and examine the effect of various operational parameters such as ozone mass flow rate, hydrogen peroxide to ferrous ions (H2O2/Fe2+) mole ratio and contact time on decolorization and COD removal efficiency. According to the results obtained revealed that 93% and 85% color and COD removal efficiency respectively achieved at optimum operating conditions are 288 mg/L h ozone mass flow rate, 33.53 mole ratio (H2O2/Fe2+) and 60 min contact time. Overall it can be established that O3/H2O2/Fe2+ process plays an important role in obtaining good results and had better performance in color and COD removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a high-levels multilevel inverter (MLI) with a reduced number of the required switches. Forty-nine levels can be obtained in the output voltage from this circuit by using only 12 semiconductor switches, while in conventional topologies of MLI, a higher number of switches is required producing a lower number of levels in the output voltage. Reduction in the number of semiconductor switches, gate drivers, DC voltage sources and increasing the number of voltage levels are advantages of the proposed MLI compared with other topologies. These advantages result in smaller size, lower loss and low installation cost. Total harmonic distortion (THD) in the output waveform of the inverter is very low, thus, using a filter to improve the output waveform is not needed. A switching pulse system has been presented to produce nearly sinusoidal waveforms. Mathematical relations and switching states of the proposed topology have been discussed. Simulation results have been obtained and studied. The prototype of the modified MLI has been built and tested in the laboratory using a dSPACE (DS1104) evaluation board in order to verify the simulation results. Several of the experimental results of the proposed topology have been included and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of feeding glycine (Gly)-fortified low protein (LP) diets on the growth performance, duodenal morphology and caecal microbial populations of broiler chickens raised under unheated, cyclic or constant heat stress environmental conditions. 2. From d 1 to 21 (starter phase), an equivalent number of birds were fed either a normal protein (NP) diet or a LP diet fortified with Gly. From d 22 to 42 (grower phase), an equivalent number of birds from each starter diet were distributed to one of the following dietary groups: (i) an NP diet during the starter and grower phases (NPNP), (ii) an NP diet during the starter phase and a LP diet during the grower phase (NPLP), (iii) an LP diet during the starter phase and an NP diet during the grower phase (LPNP) or (iv) LP diets during both phases (LPLP). 3. Commencing from d 22, an equivalent number of birds from each dietary group were exposed to (i) 23 ± 1°C throughout (unheated), (ii) 34 ± 1°C for 7 h each day from 10:00 to 17:00 (cyclic heat) or (iii) 34 ± 1°C throughout (constant heat). 4. Feeding the LP diet during the starter phase resulted in feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratios (FCR) and energy efficiency ratios (EER) similar to those for the NP diet. The birds fed the LP diet had a significantly higher protein efficiency ratio (PER) compared with the birds fed the NP diet. 5. During the grower phase, there were significant diet × temperature interactions for F, WG, FCR, PER, EER, villus height, crypt depth and caecal Clostridia. The birds fed the NPLP and LPLP diets had lower FI, WG and EER, higher FCR, shorter villus height and crypt depth and higher caecal Clostridia compared with the birds fed LPNP and NPNP diets under constant heat stress. However, feeding birds the NPLP and LPLP diets resulted in FI, WG, EER, FCR, morphology parameters and caecal Clostridia equivalent to the birds fed LPNP and NPNP diets, as well as improved PER, under unheated and cyclic heat stress conditions. 6. In conclusion, our results indicate that Gly-fortified LP diets can be fed to broilers under normal and acute heat stress environmental conditions without any adverse effects on performance. However, the use of such LP diets can be detrimental to broilers under chronic heat stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Introduction Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is an indolent disease, representing Because conventional karyotype analysis is the only method allowing for the visualization in a single experiment of any [...], To compare the efficiency of novel mitogenic agents and traditional mitosis inductors, 18 patients with splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) were studied. Three cultures using oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) plus interleukin-2 (IL-2), or TPA, or LPS were setup in each patient. Seventeen/18 cases with ODN + IL2 had moderate/good proliferation (94, 4%) as compared with 10/18 cases with TPA and LPS (55%) (P = .015); 14/18 (77,7%) cases with ODN + IL2 had sufficient good quality of banding as compared with 8/18 cases (44,4%) with TPA and LPS. The karyotype could be defined from ODN + IL2-stimulated cultures in all 18 patients, 14 of whom (77,7%) had a cytogenetic aberration, whereas clonal aberrations could be documented in 9 and in 3 cases by stimulation with LPS and TPA, respectively. Recurrent chromosome aberrations in our series were represented by aberrations of chromosome 14q in 5 patients, by trisomy 12 and 7q deletion in 4 cases each, and by abnormalities involving 11q and 13q in two cases each. These findings show that stimulation with ODN + IL2 offers more mitotic figures of better quality and results in an increased rate of clonal aberrations in SMZL, making this method ideal for prospective studies aiming at the definition of the prognostic impact of cytogenetic aberrations in this disorder.

Copyright of European Poultry Science / Archiv für Geflügelkunde is the property of Verlag Eugen Ulmer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The effects of protease supplementation on productive performance and physiological responses were investigated in broiler chickens fed reduced crude-protein (low-CP) diets and reared under normal or high stocking densities (SD). Chicks were housed in pens with two stocking densities (≈10 birds/m2 or ≈15 birds/m2) and fed diets with either the recommended or reduced level of CP and metabolisable energy (ME) from 1 to 21 days. From 22 to 42 days, an equal number of birds from each dietary group was fed one of the following finisher diets: (1) recommended-CP and ME, (2) low-CP and recommended-ME or (3) low-CP and recommended-ME supplemented with protease. No interactions (P > 0.05) were observed between diet and SD for feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), Newcastle disease antibody titre, pododermatitis, caecal clostridia, Escherichia coli , lactobacilli, serum corticosterone or acute-phase proteins. Diet had no effect (P > 0.05) on FI, WG or FCR during the finisher period nor on FI and WG during the overall (1–42 days) period. High SD resulted in lower FI (P < 0.05) and Newcastle disease antibody titre (P < 0.05) and higher FCR (P < 0.05), pododermatitis incidence (P < 0.05), caecal population of clostridia (P < 0.05) and E. Coli (P < 0.05), and acute-phase protein and corticosterone concentrations than did normal SD. In conclusion, the supplementation of protease to a low-CP diet during the finisher period had no effect on the performance and immunity of overcrowded broiler chickens. Regardless of dietary CP and protease supplementation, a high SD negatively affected the growth performance, immunity, caecal microflora and welfare of the broiler chickens. There is a dearth of information regarding the effects of feeding protease-supplemented reduced-protein diets on overcrowded broilers. The inclusion of protease in broiler diets could be considered by poultry industry as an effective nutritional tool for reducing nutrient density, so as to improve feed efficiency and increase the profit margin. The present study is not only of academic interest, but will be valuable to the poultry industry too, given present imperatives to produce better-quality chicken meats at low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological experiment was conducted in the clay and sandy soils to study the effect of inorganic, organic and bio fertilization on growth and yield components as well as N, P and Kuptake by wheat plants. Ammonium sulphate (N) was added at the rates of 25 [50% the recommended dose (RD)] and 50 (100% RD) mg N kg-1 soil, while ordinary superphosphate (P1) and rock phosphate (P2) were applied at the rates of 9.72 (50% RD) and 19.44 (100% RD mg P kg-1 soil. Potassium sulphate (K1) and feldspar (K2) were added at the rates of 20.8 (50% RD) and 41.5 (100% RD) mg K kg-1 soil. The organic materials i.e. clover straw (CS), sunflower seed teflon (ST) and banana peel (BP) were added at a rate of (0.5%). Some wheat grains were inoculated by biofertilizers i.e. nitrobein (nit), phosphate dissolving bacteria (PDB) and potassiumage (Pot). The results showed that the treatments of [50% RD (NP1K1) + CS + ST + BP + Nit + PDB + Pot] gave the greatest values of the straw and grains dry weight, biological yield and harvest index, N-uptake by grains and P- and K- uptake by straw and grains if compared to the other treatments in both soils under study. Wherease the highest 1000 grains weight was observed with the treatment of [50% RD (NP2K2) + CS + ST + BP + Nit + PDB + Pot] in the clayey soil and [50% RD (NP1K1) + CS + ST + BP] in the sandy soil compared to the other treatments. The greatest values of N- uptake by straw were recorded with treatments of [50% RD (NP1K1) + CS + ST + BP] in the clayey soil and [50% RD (NP1K1) + CS + ST + BP + Nit + PDB + Pot] in the sandy soil compared to the other treatments. Finally, it could be concluded that the use of 50% of the recommend dose of the most mineral fertilizers (NP1K1) mixed with organic materials (CS + ST + BP) and biofertilizers (Nit + PDB + Pot) may reduce the mineral fertilization (NP1K1) dose, production cost and environmental contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]