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The increasing research interest toward natural and advanced engineered materials demands new experimental protocols capable of retrieving highly dense sets of experimental data on the full-surface of samples under multiple loading conditions. Such information, in fact, would allow to capture the possible heterogeneity and anisotropy of the material by using up-to-date inverse characterization methods. Although the development of object-specific test protocols could represent the optimal choice to address this need, it is unquestionable that universal testing machines (UTM) remain the most widespread and versatile option to test materials and components in both academic and industrial contexts. A major limitation of performing standard material tests with UTM, however, consists in the scarce information obtainable with the commonly associated sensors since they provide only global (LVDTs, extensometers, 2D-video analyzers) or local (strain gages) measures of displacement and strain. This paper presents a 3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system developed to perform highly accurate full-surface 360-deg measurements on either standard or custom-shaped samples under complex loading within universal testing machines. To this aim, a low cost and easy to setup video rig was specifically designed to overcome the practical limitations entailed with the integration of a multi-camera system within an already existing loading frame. In particular, the proposed system features a single SLR digital camera moved through multiple positions around the specimen by means of a large rotation stage. A proper calibration and data-processing procedure allows to automatically merge the experimental data obtained from the multiple views with an accuracy of 10 − 2 m m . The results of a full benchmarking of the metrological performances of the system are here reported and discussed together with illustrative examples of full-360-deg shape and deformation measurements on a Grade X65 steel sample under tensile loading. The methodology demonstrated to be robust and accurate thus representing a viable practical solution to afford the modern challenges in the field of materials and components testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Coal particles were pyrolysed at temperature up to 1600°C and pressure up to 12bar. [•] Fragmentation, reactivity with O2/CO2 and structure were measured. [•] Pressure has a non monotonous effect on all properties. [•] Fragmentation and structural order pass through a maximum at 2–5bar. [•] Porosity and reactivity are minimum at pressure between 2 and 5bar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: It is widely accepted that damage due to plastic deformation and ductile fracture in metals greatly depends on the triaxiality level (T) of the stress tensor, but according to recent developments described in the literature, it has been observed that the fracture limit εf may depend also on the deviatoric parameter (X) of the stress state. In the present paper, several special fracture tests comprising tensile, torsion, flattening and bending have been devised for the specific purpose of investigating as much wide as possible region of the T, X domain. In addition, numerical simulations of each test have been set up to provide additional information whenever direct measures could not be feasible. Three steel grades for cold working applications, each characterized by two different heat treatments have been investigated in the experimental campaign. The results state that fracture limits in the εf - T plane can be confined between two boundary curves, characterized by the values X =0 and X =1. The paper proposes that this evidence is a consequence of the application of Tresca criterion for shear failure. It is furthermore theoretically derived and experimentally verified that the two limits are linked together through the material hardening behaviour. Finally, it is discussed that an asymmetry between tension and compression states could exist as a consequence of the proposed approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Ti6Al4V, 17-4PH and AlSi10Mg AM alloys have been characterized by multiaxial tests. • Four ductile damage models have been effectively calibrated, showing a good accuracy. • The AM alloys were found to have a comparable strength to their not AM homologous. • An appreciable ductility reduction was observed for AM Ti6Al4V and AlSi10Mg. A great research effort has been spent during the latest years in the characterization of additive manufacturing (AM) alloys, mostly focused on the analysis of microstructure and on the assessment of mechanical strength, especially under high cycle fatigue loads. Post-process treatments have been also investigated, as methods to further improve the AM materials performance. On the contrary, still fewer data are available on AM materials ultimate static strength. The present paper is intended to present a comprehensive experimental and numerical static characterization of Ti6Al4V, 17-4PH, and AlSi10Mg alloys processed via selective laser melting (SLM). A dedicated set of specimen geometries was devised to induce desired multiaxial stress state, and experiments were carried out both on as built and machined AM samples. The results were employed to identify the constitutive behavior of the materials and to calibrate four different ductile damage models. The failure prediction capabilities of the tuned models were thoroughly analyzed and discussed. The overall mechanical properties and the ductility of the investigated alloys were estimated based on the experimental results and on the information provided by the tuned models. Additionally, a comparison with data collected on the corresponding wrought materials, performing the same experiments, was carried out. The results showed a limited reduction of yield and failure strength and a significant reduction in the ductility of AM materials with respect to their wrought counterparts. Moreover, for the less ductile alloys, a weaker dependence of the strain to fracture from the stress state was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The overall haemoplasma prevalence in the hunting dogs of southern Italy was 19.9 %. • PCR positive rates were 13.1 % for Mhc and 11.4 % for CMhp. • Co-infection with both Mycoplasma species was found in 4.6 % of dogs. • Tick infestation history and wild mammal hunting were risk factors for haemoplasmas. Mycoplasma haemocanis (Mhc) and " Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum" (CMhp) are the main haemoplasma species known to infect dogs. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of haemoplasma species infections in hunting dogs from southern Italy and assess related risk factors. 1,433 hunting dogs living in Campania region were tested by qPCR assay. The prevalence was 19.9 %; 13.1 % for Mhc and 11.4 % for CMhp ; 4.6 % showed a coinfection with both haemoplasma species. Statistical analysis revealed living in Salerno province (Mhc : OR 3.72; CMhp : OR 2.74), hound (Mhc : OR 5.26; CMhp : OR 8.46) and mixed breed (Mhc : OR 3.38; CMhp : OR 2.80), rural environment (Mhc : OR 12.58; CMhp : OR 10.38), wild mammal hunting (Mhc : OR 8.73; CMhp : OR 8.32), cohabitation with other animals (Mhc : OR 2.82; CMhp : OR 2.78) and large pack size (Mhc : OR 2.96; CMhp : OR 1.61) as risk factors for haemoplasmas. Male gender (OR 1.44) and tick infestation history (OR 1.40) represented risk factors only for Mhc , while adult age (2−7 years - OR 2.01; > 7 years - OR 1.84) and large body size (OR 1.48) were associated only to CMhp. Mhc infection was significantly associated to Babesia vogeli (p < 0.05) and Hepatozoon canis (p < 0.001), while CMhp with H. canis (p < 0.001). This study adds information on haemoplasma species distribution in hunting dogs in southern Italy. Outdoor lifestyle and contact with wild fauna, through greater exposure to tick infestation, or possibly wounds acquired during hunting or fighting, could be factors contributing to haemoplasma infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laminar drop tube reactor (DTR) was used to perform fast pyrolysis of walnut shells, a ligno-cellulosic biomass sample, in nitrogen and carbon dioxide atmospheres. The DTR reached the temperature of 1300 °C and the heating rate of 10 4 –10 5  °C/s. Char samples collected at different residence times along the reactor were characterized by ultimate and proximate analysis and by SEM. Char combustion reactivity was then measured by non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in air. The analyses show that at residence times of 66 ms pyrolysis in N 2 is not complete, whereas it is complete in CO 2 . For residence times of 115 ms the differences between samples produced in N 2 and CO 2 atmospheres level off. The derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) curves of the char combustion show the existence of multiple peaks. Notably, early combustion peaks progressively fade in the chars collected at increasing reactor residence time, confirming the completion of pyrolysis. A kinetic model of char combustion is proposed which includes multiple parallel reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Primary haemostasis (bleeding and blood clotting time), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), antithrombin III (ATIII), protein C, protein S, fibrinogen and D-dimer were determined in 13 cattle affected by chronic enzootic haematuria (CEH) and bladder neoplasms and 10 healthy cattle (control group). Increases in antithrombin III and protein S activities (P <0.01) and protein C and fibrinogen plasma levels (P <0.05) were observed in sick animals, while activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and D-dimer did not show significant differences when compared to healthy animals. The clotting profile observed does not seem responsible for the chronic bleeding typical of CEH. The observed modification of some coagulation markers may derive from multiple interactions among cancer, inflammation and viral infection status typical of this syndrome. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Characterization of refinery wastes from a hydro-catalytic process. • Pyrolysis and oxidative pyrolysis of Mo rich fuel are different. • Oxygen is uptake in the early stages of pyrolysis. • Molybdenum is retained during pyrolysis at 600 °C. Is lost during combustion. • Char combustion reactivity in fluidized bed is low. This study addresses pyrolysis and combustion of a heavy hydrocarbon residue of the refinery industry. The material has good calorific value (HHV = 34050 kJ/kg), is solid at room temperature and has a high content of metals, in particular Mo, and impurities. The effect of these metals on pyrolysis and combustion has been investigated. The activity included first of all the physical and chemical characterization of the raw sample before and of samples of char and ash by means of several techniques: ICP, SEM EDAX. Moreover pyrolysis and combustion have been investigated by TGA and in small scale reactors of the fixed and fluidized bed type. Mo, very abundant in the raw sample, is relatively stable upon pyrolysis at 500–600 °C, but is only marginally retained in the ash after combustion, because of the large volatility of this metal in the oxidized state. The metal content has interesting effects on the pyrolysis and char combustion behavior: when the sample is heated up under mildly oxidizing atmospheres (i.e oxygen concentration of < 1%), the metals promote the uptake of oxygen in parallel with char formation and affect the degree of graphitization of the carbon structure The composition of the pyrolysis gas is strongly affected by the presence of even low concentration of oxygen. Despite the fact that a catalytic action of the metals could be expected, reaction times in a fluidized bed reactor are relatively large compared to other conventional and non conventional solid fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study which evaluates the secondary haemostasis and platelet function in dogs infected by Leishmania infantum in different degrees of clinical involvement. The objective of the study is to gain insight on the association between haemostatic disorders and Leishmania infantum. Commercial kits were used to measure serum protein electrophoresis, alanine transaminase, creatinine and urea plasma levels and serum total plasma protein. The study concluded that primary and secondary haemostatic alterations are present in natural canine leishmaniasis.

Abstract The paper explores changes in reactivity and chemico-physical characteristics of char and tar produced by severe heat treatment of lignite in both inert atmospheres and CO 2 rich atmospheres. The role of mineral matter, in particular metal oxides, in catalysing chemical and physical transformations is also addressed. A Rhenish Lignite from the Garzweiler mine was studied and compared with: a) mineral-free synthetic carbon (HTC), obtained from cellulose; b) a synthetic carbon doped with iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3). A heated strip reactor (HSR) was employed at temperatures of 1300 and 1800 °C in N 2 and CO 2 atmospheres. Liquid and solid products (tar and char) were analysed and compared. Tar composition was evaluated by extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, whereas the solid carbonaceous material produced by pyrolysis, mainly composed of char, was characterized regarding its thermal behaviour by thermogravimetric analysis and its structure by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Results show that iron oxide exerts a catalytic influence on both pyrolysis and char oxidation. Upon severe heat treatment, it reduces char reactivity promoting graphitization and structural ordering. The overall effect on char reactivity is therefore not easy to predict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nocturia is highly prevalent in subjects with respiratory sleep disturbances (ie obstructive sleep apnea). The aim of our study is to evaluate whether nocturia is associated with intermittent desaturations or hypoxia length and severity in people undergoing polysomnography.Methods: We recruited 275 consecutive subjects attending the outpatient clinic for respiratory diseases at Campus Bio-Medico Teaching Hospital. Nocturia was defined as a self-reported voiding frequency ≥ two per night. The groups with and without nocturia were compared with parametric and non-parametric tests, as appropriated. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of nocturia with patients' characteristics, including oxygen desaturation index (ODI), respiratory efforts (RE) and oxygen saturation below 90% (TST90).Results: Sixty-six (24%) subjects reported nocturia, the median ODI was 15 (8-31), the median RE was 22 (12-38) and the median TST90 was 4.7 (0.3-20.6). ODI and RE were significantly higher in subjects with nocturia as compared with controls. In the multivariable model, ODI was associated with an increased probability of nocturia (OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.01-1.06), and the higher the ODI score, the higher the probability to have nocturia (P for trend = 0.038). No significant association was found between TST90 and the occurrence of nocturia.Conclusions: Intermittent desaturations and not hypoxia length and severity, expressed by TST90, are associated with the occurrence of nocturia in subjects complaining sleep disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a previous work [Heuer et al., 2016] a large production of a fluffy carbon-rich material was observed to accompany the char formed during the early stages of a medium rank (bituminous) coal pyrolysis in a drop tube furnace (1573 K, residence times < 130 ms). This peculiar material was found to be much more abundantly formed in CO 2 than in N 2 flow. SEM analysis showed that it contains a large portion of submicron soot-like particles mixed with particles of tenths of microns in size with the typical char morphology. The present work reports on the separation of the two differently sized fractions produced in CO 2 and N 2 flow and their subsequent analysis. The separation was performed dispersing the material in ethanol by ultrasonic mixing, followed by settling, and decanting to produce top and bottom products enriched in the fine and coarse particle fractions, respectively. The procedure was repeated several times and the size separation effectiveness was checked by SEM and laser granulometry sizing. Thermogravimetry, elemental and spectroscopic analysis were applied to the coarse and fine fractions to provide insights on their structural features. The fine soot particulate was almost ash-free, suggesting that its formation occurs in the gas phase, as typically soot does, while the coarse fraction presented significant residues of coal inorganic matter typical of char. Both fine and coarse particulate resulted less reactive, and somewhat smaller in size, when produced in CO 2 in comparison to N 2 /Ar pyrolysis conditions. Their lower reactivity is associated with higher aromaticity and structural order as well as with a lower presence of hydrogen and aliphatic functionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of penethamate hydriodide (Mamyzin, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ingelheim, Germany) on udder health and milk yields were evaluated in primiparous Mediterranean buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). An intramuscular administration of 10 million international units was performed in 20 buffaloes at 7 d precalving (treatment group; TG), and 20 animals were enrolled as the control group (CG). Evening milk samplings were performed at 10, 30, and 60 d in milk (DIM). Somatic cell count (SCC) values were evaluated on composite milk samples, whereas bacteriological culture and California Mastitis Test were performed on quarter milk. Daily milk yields were recorded after all milkings. After 60 DIM, composite milk samples from each animal were collected for monthly SCC and bacteriological culture until drying off. Statistically significant differences were found between the prevalence of mastitic quarters in the 2 groups at 10 and 30 DIM, and between the incidence of mastitic animals during the examined period (TG: 4/20, 20% vs. CG: 10/20, 50%). Even though lower and higher values of SCC and milk yields were found in TG during each sampling, statistically significant differences were only found at 30 (SCC) and 60 DIM (milk yields). In our study, the antibiotic administration precalving showed good bactericidal activity against the most common udder-specific pathogens that cause mastitis in primiparous Mediterranean buffaloes, and greater efficacy was observed at 10 and 30 DIM compared with 60 DIM. Given the significant decrease in SCC and increase in yields achieved, use of this antibiotic could be economically beneficial in buffalo breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the influence of pressure on the products of fast pyrolysis of a lignocellulosic biomass (Walnut Shells). Experiments were carried out using a special heated strip reactor (HSR) at temperature of 1573 and 2073 K, pressure up to 8 bar and heating rate of 104 K/s. Two atmospheres have been investigated: N 2 and CO 2. Increasing the pressure of heat treatment, the combustion pattern and the average combustion reactivity of the chars change remarkably. Multiple components with different combustion reactivity have been found in the char samples. Upon heat treatment in N 2 the most reactive components are depleted more easily than upon heat treatment in CO 2. Consequently, thermodeactivation is more severe in N 2 than in CO 2. Raman analysis of the chars shows that graphitic order develops only upon heat treatment at 2073 K at the pressure of 2 bar, but not upon heat treatment at 1573 K, not even at the higher pressure investigated (4 and 8 bar). The loss of reactivity induced by pressure is therefore ascribed to changes in the internal distribution of char components. The evolution of the solid components is accompanied by changes in the distribution of aliphatics/methoxy aromatic compounds in the produced tar. The interplay of temperature, pressure, and CO 2 affects both mineral matter and the carbon matrix resulting into a rather complex behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]