Centrifugal microfluidics has received much attention in the last decade for the automation of blood testing at the point-of-care, specifically for the detection of chemistries, proteins, and nucleic acids. However, the detection of common blood cells on-disc, particularly leukocytes, remains a challenge. In this paper, we present two analytical methods for enumerating leukocytes on a centrifugal platform using a custom-built fluorescent microscope, acridine orange nuclear staining, and image processing techniques. In the first method, cell analysis is performed in glass capillary tubes; in the second, acrylic chips are used. A bulk-cell analysis approach is implemented in both cases where the pixel areas of fractionated lymphocyte/monocyte and granulocyte layers are correlated with cell counts. Generating standard curves using porcine blood sample controls, we observed strong linear fits to measured cell counts using both methods. Analyzing the pixel intensities of the fluorescing white cell region, we are able to differentiate lymphocytes from monocytes via pixel clustering, demonstrating the capacity to perform a 3-part differential. Finally, a discussion of pros and cons of the bulk-cell analysis approach concludes the paper.

The ignition and combustion of anthracite modified by the addition of pyrolysis oil obtained during thermal processing of waste car tires (WCTs) had been studied. The mass fraction of WCT pyrolysis oil was varied in the range from 5 to 30 wt %. The additive was applied by the drop impregnation method. Ignition and combustion of obtained samples were carried out in a combustion chamber at temperatures of the heating medium T g = 600–800 °C. The gas-phase combustion products were analyzed using an in-line gas analyzer. The application of WCT pyrolysis oil as a combustion modifier contributed to an increase in the reactivity of anthracite, which was expressed in a decrease in the minimum ignition temperature (by 23–104 °C) and a reduction in the ignition delay time. The high-speed video recording indicated that the combustion of both initial and modified with 5 wt % pyrolysis oil anthracite samples was realized in oxidation mode. For samples with more than 10 wt % pyrolysis oil additive, the formation of a visible flame was observed near the sample surface. With an increase in the mass fraction of the additive, the rate of combustion front propagation was increased. The application of WCT pyrolysis oil as a combustion modifier also contributed to the reduction or even the almost complete elimination of unburnt carbon content in the ash residue formed after anthracite combustion.

A significant proportion of mechanical losses in internal combustion engines accounted for mechanical losses in the cylinder-piston group. Depending on the operating modes of the internal combustion engine, contact interaction in the piston-cylinder pair is possible, which leads to wear of the working surfaces of the resource-determining elements and a decrease in the operational life of the power unit as a whole, in connection with which the reduction of friction losses in the internal combustion engine elements and the piston - cylinder liner coupling in particular is relevant. Both domestic and foreign researchers are engaged in the solution of the above described problems, various profiles of pistons, methods of calculating the parameters of the oil layer are proposed, but the practical state of the issue determines the relevance of research in this direction. The paper considers the possibility of reducing the wear of piston skirts by reducing the contact surface in conjugation and providing an oil film in the friction zone, regardless of engine operating conditions. This opportunity is realized by forming a certain macro profile on the working surface of the piston skirt. The formation of the macrorelief was carried out by means of surface plastic deformation, with the reciprocating movement of a spherical tool on the machined surface.

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The process of slow pyrolysis of seven nut shell samples, in a nitrogen-purged atmosphere, has been studied, as well as characteristics of biochar obtained. The heat carrier with a temperature of 400–600 °C (with a step of 100 °C) was supplied indirectly using a double-walled reactor. The heating rate was 60 °C/min. At increased temperature of the heating medium, a decrease in the amount of the resulting carbon residue averaged 6.2 wt%. The release of non-condensable combustible gas-phase compounds CO, CH4, and H2, with maximum concentrations of 12.7, 14.0, and 0.7 vol%, respectively, was registered. The features of the obtained biochar sample conversions were studied using thermal analysis in inert (nitrogen) and oxidative (air) mediums at 10 °C/min heating rate. Kinetic analysis was performed using Coats–Redfern method. Thermal analysis showed that the main weight loss (Δm = 32.8–43.0 wt%) occurs at temperatures ranging between 290 °C and 400 °C, which is due to cellulose decomposition. The maximum carbon content and, hence, heat value were obtained for biochars made from macadamia nut and walnut shells. An increased degree of coalification of the biochar samples affected their reactivity and, in particular, caused an increase in the initial temperature of intense oxidation (on average, by 73 °C). While technical and elemental composition of nut shell samples studied were quite similar, the morphology of obtained biochar was different. The morphology of particles was also observed to change as the heating medium temperature increased, which was expressed in the increased inhomogeneity of particle surface. The activation energy values, for biochar conversion in an inert medium, were found to vary in the range of 10–35 kJ/mol and, in an oxidative medium—50–80 kJ/mol. According to literature data, these values were characteristic for lignin fibers decomposition and oxidation, respectively.