Possibilities of Measuring and Detecting Defects of Forged Parts in Die Hot-Forging Processes

This paper presents research results in the field of industrial die forging, mostly related to the use of advanced measuring techniques and tools, numerical simulations, and other IT tools and methods for a geometrical analysis of the forged items as well as detection of forging flaws and their prevention, and optimization of the hot-forging processes. The results of the conducted investigations were divided into three main areas. The first area refers to the application of, e.g., optical scanners and programs related to their operation, data analysis, including the construction of virtual gauges, measurements of selected geometrical features of both the manufactured forgings and their physical and virtual models, as well as an analysis of the durability of the forging tools based on the proprietary reverse scanning method. The second area presents the results of measurements and analyses performed with the use of finite element modeling and by means of some special functions in the calculation packages, such as contact, flow lines, trap, or fold, for the detection of forging defects and an analysis of the force parameters. In turn, the third area presents a combination of different methods of measurement and analysis, both FEM and scanning, as well as other IT methods (physical modeling, image analysis, etc.) for the analysis of the geometry and defects of the forgings. The presented results point to the great potential of these types of tools and techniques in forging industry applications as they significantly shorten the time and increase the accuracy of the measurement, as well as providing a lot of valuable information, physical variables, and technological parameters that are difficult or impossible to determine either analytically or through experimental means. The use and development of these techniques and methods are fully justified, both in the aspect of science and the increased effectiveness and efficiency of production.

Development of Induction Heating System Ensuring Increased Heating Efficiency of the Charge Material in a Forging

This study performs a complex analysis and review of the currently applied methods of inductively heating the charge material in hot die forging processes, as well as elaborates and verifies a more effective heating method. On this basis, a device for inductive heating using variable frequency inductors was designed and constructed, which made it possible to reduce the scale and decarburization with respect to the heater used so far. In the first place, the temperature distributions in the heater in the function of time were modeled with the use of the CEDRAT FLUX software. The aim of the research was to analyze the temperature gradient and value diversification on the surface and in the material core, as well as to determine the process stability. The following stage was designing and constructing a heater with an automatic system of loading and positioning of the charge on the exit, as well as with a possibility of working in a fully automated system adjusted to the work center. The last stage of investigations was the verification of the elaborated effective heating method on the basis of a short production series and a continuous work for the period of 8 h, both in the quantitative and qualitative aspect (reduced oxidation and decarburization as well as a gradient between the core and the surface). The obtained results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed solution referring to heating the charge material, especially in the aspect of stability and repeatability of the process, as well as a significant reduction in oxidation and decarburization of the material surface.

Effects of abomasal infusion of essential fatty acids together with conjugated linoleic acid in late and early lactation on performance, milk and body composition, and plasma metabolites in dairy cows

Rations including high amounts of corn silage are currently very common in dairy production. Diets with corn silage as forage source result in a low supply of essential fatty acids, such as α-linolenic acid, and may lead to low conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) production. The present study investigated the effects of abomasal infusion of essential fatty acids, especially α-linolenic acid, and CLA in dairy cows fed a corn silage-based diet on performance, milk composition, including fatty acid (FA) pattern, and lipid metabolism from late to early lactation. Rumen-cannulated Holstein cows (n = 40) were studied from wk 9 antepartum to wk 9 postpartum and dried off 6 wk before calving. The cows were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups. Cows were abomasally supplemented with coconut oil (CTRL, 76 g/d), linseed and safflower oil (EFA, 78 and 4 g/d; linseed/safflower oil ratio = 19.5:1; n-6/n-3 FA ratio = 1:3), Lutalin (CLA, 38 g/d; BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany; isomers cis-9,trans-11 and trans-10,cis-12 each 10 g/d) or EFA+CLA. Milk composition was analyzed weekly, and blood samples were taken several times before and after parturition to determine plasma concentrations of metabolites related to lipid metabolism. Liver samples were obtained by biopsy on d 63 and 21 antepartum and on d 1, 28, and 63 postpartum to measure triglyceride concentration. Body composition was determined after slaughter. Supplementation of CLA reduced milk fat concentration, increased body fat mass, and improved energy balance (EB) in late and early lactation, but EB was lowest during late lactation in the EFA group. Cows with CLA treatment alone showed an elevated milk citrate concentration in early lactation, whereas EFA+CLA did not reveal higher milk citrate but did have increased acetone. Milk protein was increased in late lactation but was decreased in wk 1 postpartum in CLA and EFA+CLA. Milk urea was reduced by CLA treatment during the whole period. After calving, the increase of nonesterified fatty acids in plasma was less in CLA groups; liver triglycerides were raised lowest at d 28 in CLA groups. Our data confirm an improved metabolic status with CLA but not with exclusive EFA supplementation during early lactation. Increased milk citrate concentration in CLA cows points to reduced de novo FA synthesis in the mammary gland, but milk citrate was less affected in EFA+CLA cows, indicating that EFA supplementation may influence changes in mammary gland FA metabolism achieved by CLA.

Application of a Prototype Thermoplastic Treatment Line in Order to Design a Thermal Treatment Process of Forgings with the Use of the Heat from the Forging Process

The global production of die forgings is an important branch of the motor industry for obvious reasons, resulting from the very good mechanical properties of the forged products. The expectations of the recipients, beside the implementation of the forging process, include also a range of supplementary procedures, such as finishing treatment including shot blasting, thermal treatment, and machining, in order to ensure the proper quality of the provided semi-product or the ready detail for the assembly line. Especially important in the aspect of the operational properties of the products is the thermal treatment of the forgings, which can be implemented in many variants, depending on the expected results. Unfortunately, a treatment of this type, realized separately after the forging process, is very time and energy-consuming; additionally, it significantly raises the production costs due to the increased energy consumption resulting from the necessity of repeated heating of the forgings for such thermal treatment. The article reviews the most frequently applied (separately, after the forging process) thermal treatments for die forgings together with the devices/lines assigned for them, as well as presents an alternative (thermoplastic) method of forging production with the use of the forging heat. The paper also presents a prototype semi-industrial controlled cooling line developed by the authors, which allows the development of the assumed heat treatment of forgings directly after forging with the use of forging heat, together with sample results of conducted tests.

Effects of abomasal infusion of essential fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid on performance and fatty acid, antioxidative, and inflammatory status in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to test the effects of essential fatty acids (EFA), particularly α-linolenic acid, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on fatty acid (FA) composition, performance, and systemic and hepatic antioxidative and inflammatory responses in dairy cows. Four cows (126 ± 4 d in milk) were investigated in a 4 × 4 Latin square and were abomasally infused with 1 of the following for 6 wk: (1) coconut oil (control treatment, CTRL; 38.3 g/d; providing saturated FA), (2) linseed and safflower oil (EFA treatment; 39.1 and 1.6 g/d, respectively; providing mainly α-linolenic acid), (3) Lutalin (BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany; CLA treatment; cis-9,trans-11 and trans-10,cis-12 CLA, 4.6 g/d each), (4) or EFA+CLA. The initial dosage was doubled every 2 wk, resulting in 3 dosages (dosage 1, 2, and 3). Cows were fed a corn silage-based total mixed ration with a high n-6/n-3 FA ratio. Dry matter intake and milk yield were recorded daily, and milk composition was measured weekly. The FA compositions of milk fat and blood plasma were analyzed at wk 0, 2, 4, and 6. The plasma concentration and hepatic mRNA abundance of parameters linked to the antioxidative and inflammatory response were analyzed at wk 0 and 6 of each treatment period. Infused FA increased in blood plasma and milk of the respective treatment groups in a dose-dependent manner. The n-6/n-3 FA ratio in milk fat was higher in CTRL and CLA than in EFA and EFA+CLA. The sum of FA <C16 in milk fat decreased in CLA and EFA+CLA in a dosage-dependent manner. Energy-corrected milk and milk fat decreased in CLA and EFA+CLA in a dosage-dependent manner and were higher in EFA and CTRL than in CLA at dosages 2 and 3. Energy balance tended to be highest in CLA cows. Milk protein content was lower in CLA and EFA+CLA than in CTRL. Milk urea concentration decreased in CLA and EFA+CLA in a dosage-dependent manner and was lower in CLA and EFA+CLA than in EFA and CTRL at dosages 2 and 3. Milk citrate concentration increased in CLA in a dosage-dependent manner and was higher in CLA and EFA+CLA than in EFA and CTRL. Glutathione peroxidase activity in blood plasma was lower in CTRL than in EFA, and plasma concentration of β-carotene increased in EFA and EFA+CLA with dosage. Increased milk citrate pointed at reduced de novo FA synthesis and a better antioxidative status in milk due to CLA treatment. Supplementation with CLA may also affect milk protein synthesis, but EFA and CLA treatment did not influence the inflammatory status in a consistent manner in mid-lactating cows.

Risk associated with the intake of aflatoxin M1 from milk in Iran

Aflatoxin M1 is an oxidative metabolite of aflatoxin B1 formed in liver and excreted into milk, urine and faeces of dairy cattle and other mammalian species. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified aflatoxin M1 in Group 2B because of its potential to get bioactivated to a mutagen analogous to aflatoxin B1. Risk assessments are undertaken to guide food regulators and scientists in risk management processes, such as the legislative levels or guideline targets for mycotoxins in food supplies. Using existing international resources for hazard data and local exposure data, and based on cancer potency as the endpoint, the risk of exposure to aflatoxin M1 in milk for the Iranian population was calculated considering various scenarios. During 2014-2015, 518 samples were collected from the market and tested for aflatoxin M1 contamination by HPLC-FLD. The most probable scenarios calculated as mean occurrence multiplied by the mean consumption in consumers of milk, and for maximum level allowed for aflatoxin M1 in milk with 99 percentiles of milk consumption showed the risk of 0.08 and 0.72 additional liver cancer cases per year for the Iranian population, respectively. Thus, our study reveals a low risk and that the current maximum limit of 100 ng/l for aflatoxin M1 in milk, heat treated milk and flavoured milk is sustainable.

Analysis of alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether in foodstuffs by molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Molecularly imprinted porous polymer microspheres selective to Alternaria mycotoxins, alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), were synthesized and applied to the extraction of both mycotoxins in food samples. The polymer was prepared using 4-vinylpiridine (VIPY) and methacrylamide (MAM) as functional monomers, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as cross-linker and 3,8,9-trihydroxy-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-6-one (S2) as AOH surrogate template. A molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) method has been optimized for the selective isolation of the mycotoxins from aqueous samples coupled to HPLC with fluorescence (λ_ex=258nm; λ_em=440nm) or MS/MS analysis. The MISPE method was validated by UPLC-MS/MS for the determination of AOH and AME in tomato juice and sesame oil based on the European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Method performance was satisfactory with recoveries from 92.5% to 106.2% and limits of quantification within the 1.1-2.8µgkg^-1 range in both samples.

Differences in milk fat composition from four old sheep breeds

Abstract. The present short communication presents a comparison between the milk fat composition of four old sheep breeds. All animals were fed the same diet and a milk sample was obtained at the same lactation day and analyzed for its major components, cholesterol concentration and a complete fatty acid profile. From all studied candidates, the Walachian breed (also when compared with modern breeds employed in the dairy industry) was determined to have the most suitable milk composition for human health.

Assessment and introduction of quantitative resistance to Fusarium head blight in elite spring barley

Breeding for resistance is a key task to control Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease of small cereals leading to economic losses and grain contamination with mycotoxins harmful for humans and animals. In the present work, FHB resistance of the six-rowed spring barley 'Chevron' to FHB in Germany was compared with those of adapted German spring barley cultivars. Both under natural infection conditions and after spray inoculation with conidia of Fusarium culmorum, F. sporotrichioides, and F. avenaceum under field conditions, Chevron showed a high level of quantitative resistance to the infection and contamination of grain with diverse mycotoxins. This indicates that Chevron is not only a little susceptible to deoxynivalenol-producing Fusarium spp. but also to Fusarium spp. producing type A trichothecenes and enniatins. Monitoring the initial infection course of F. culmorum on barley lemma tissue by confocal laser-scanning microscopy provided evidence that FHB resistance of Chevron is partially mediated by a preformed penetration resistance, because direct penetration of floral tissue by F. culmorum was observed rarely on Chevron but was common on susceptible genotypes. Alternatively, F. culmorum penetrated Chevron lemma tissue via stomata, which was unusual for susceptible genotypes. We generated double-haploid barley populations segregating for the major FHB resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) Qrgz-2H-8 of Chevron. Subsequently, we characterized these populations by spray inoculation with conidia of F. culmorum and F. sporotrichioides. This suggested that Qrgz-2H-8 was functional in the genetic background of European elite barley cultivars. However, the degree of achieved resistance was very low when compared with quantitative resistance of the QTL donor Chevron, and the introgression of Qrgz-2H-8 was not sufficient to mediate the cellular resistance phenotype of Chevron in the European backgrounds.

Synthetic routes to isotopologues of acetylated derivatives of deoxynivalenol to be used in stable isotope dilution assays

The isomers 3-O-acetyl- and 15-O-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON and 15-ADON) are intermediates of deoxynivalenol (DON) biosynthesis. Both compounds are present along with DON in contaminated food and feed, but they are not analysed routinely. This review describes synthetic routes to stable isotope labelled 3-ADON and 15-ADON that can be used as internal standards in stable isotope dilution assays. The label was introduced either as [2H3]-acetyl or [13C2]-acetyl group in all protocols. Regioselective acetylation can be obtained by the use of protection groups or stepwise acetylation and hydrolysis. Advantages and disadvantages of both strategies are discussed.

Pulmonary function between 40 and 80 years of age

Spirometry is the most frequently performed lung function test. To determine a normal range of spirometry results, reference formulas are used. Predicted values play an important role in establishing whether the volumes measured in an individual fall within a range to be expected in a healthy person of the same gender, height, and age. Such standards enable to assess the development of the respiratory system in the youth, the early recognition of the influence of a disease on the respiratory system and the influence of environmental factors on lung function. The objective of the present study was to estimate lung function prediction equations and to identify appropriate normal reference values for the Lublin Region local population of adults. We addressed the issue by analyzing the data from a lung function screening program conducted in the Lublin Region of Poland. Pulmonary function of adults aged 40-80 years was assessed from the measurements of forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expired volume in the first second (FEV(1)) in 136 adults. Reference values of FVC and FEV(1) for females and males were calculated by linear multiple regressions with age and height used as predictors. Different equations were compared to show their reliability when applied to the local population. The results were as follows. In females, the mean FEV(1) was 2.856 +/-0.534 (L) (113.7 +/-14.3%) and the mean FVC was 3.517 +/-0.662 (L) (118.5 +/-14.1%), in males, 3.913 +/-0.773 (L) (110.9 +/-15.1%), 4.922 +/-0.941 (L) (112.1 +/-14.1%), respectively. The estimated prediction equations were: for the FVC - for females - FVC (L) = 0.0528 (height) - 0.0262 (age) - 3.676 and for males - FVC = 0.0756 (height) - 0.0649 (age) - 4.904; and for the FEV(1) - for females - FEV(1) (L) = 0.0378 (height) - 0.0282 (age) - 1.799 and for males - FEV(1) (L) = 0.0553 (height) - 0.0553 (age) - 2.874. Units are years for age and centimeters for height. In conclusion, the analysis of the lung function data showed that there were significant difficulties in determining the appropriate reference values of FEV(1) and FVC. The predicted FEV(1) and FVC values derived from equations based on the ECSC (1) reference populations are considerably lower than those calculated in the present study, re-emphasizing the need to be cautious when applying the ECSC reference values for the local Lublin population. There seems to be a need for a constant refinement of spirometric standards.

Mass spectrometric studies of trimethylsilylpantothenic acid and related substances

The characteristic fragment of trimethylsilylated pantothenic acid (TMS-PA) at m/z 291 upon electron ionization was shown to originate from the molecular ion by a McLafferty rearrangement instead of by ejection of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilacyclobutane. The verification consisted of labelling experiments and high-resolution mass spectrometry of the fragment and studies on its isotopic distribution. The remaining fragmentation pathways of TMS-PA were clarified by B/E-linked scans and collision-induced dissociation.

Quantification of free and bound pantothenic acid in foods and blood plasma by a stable isotope dilution assay

A stable isotope dilution assay for quantification of pantothenic acid in food and blood plasma uses a 4-fold labeled isotopomer of the vitamin as an internal standard. Pantothenic acid and its labeled analogue were detected as trimethylsilyl derivatives by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, showing a minimized spectral overlap. In starch a detection limit of 44 microg/kg, an intrasample relative standard deviation of 6.7%, and recovery values ranging between 97.5 and 99.4% were determined. Total pantothenic acid content was determined in rice, milk powder, apple juice, and blood plasma after enzymatic hydrolysis of the vitamin's conjugates; free pantothenic acid was quantified prior to enzyme treatment. Almost all results were found to be in good agreement with literature data.

Quantification of the mycotoxin patulin by a stable isotope dilution assay

Two stable isotope dilution assays for the quantification of patulin [4-hydroxy-4H-furo[3,2-c]pyran-2(6H)-one] in foods were developed using (13)C-labeled patulin as the internal standard. One method was performed by means of LC/MS in negative electrospray ionization mode without derivatization; the other used HRGC/HRMS after trimethylsilylation of the patulin isotopomers. In comparison with previously reported methods based on high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection, HRGC/HRMS of the derivatized samples showed better repeatability, higher recovery rates (96% at a spike level of 200 ng/L), and a 100 times lower detection limit (12 ng/L). In contrast, LC/MS showed a much lower performance as compared to HPLC/UV or HRGC/HRMS. Using HRGC/HRMS, the mycotoxin was quantified in many different fruit products and in molded wheat bread.