There is a paucity of quantitative data on the status of porcine cysticercosis in Venezuela, information which is essential for understanding the level of disease transmission. This study was, therefore, conducted in a typical small rural community in Yaracuy State, Venezuela, where previous cases of human Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis had been reported and where the free-ranging pig management practices and the lack of rudimentary sanitary facilities indicated an obvious risk for transmission of the disease. Serum samples from 52 village pigs were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for anti-cysticercal antibodies (Ab-ELISA), using T. solium cyst fluid as the antigen and the HP10, monoclonal antibody-based, antigen trapping ELISA for parasite antigen (HP10 Ag-ELISA). Significantly, a high proportion of the animals (65.4% for the Ab-ELISA and 42.3% for the HP10 Ag-ELISA) were sero-positive. Five of the pigs, which were selected on that basis of positive tongue palpation, were killed for autopsy, and large numbers of viable cysticerci were found in the carcases. This unequivocal documentation of porcine cysticercosis in Venezuelan pigs presents clear evidence that T. solium is actively transmitted in Venezuela. Further detailed studies and implementation of appropriate control measures are therefore indicated.

<p>In this study, Al-Ni alloy ribbons in hypoeutectic, euctectic and hypereutectic compositions were obtained by melt spinning. The microstructural changes of the samples, from the as-cast to rapid solid-ification processes at different Cu wheel tangential velocities were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The rapid solidification caused <br />morphological transformation of the Al-Al3Ni microstructure from acicular in the as-cast condition to globular in the melt spun ribbons and the growth of the metastable Al9Ni2 intermetallic compound, which acted as reinforcing particles. Due to the increment of the Ni content and the presence of these intermetallic compounds, with size of ~5nm, distributed in the aluminum matrix, the hardness of the alloys significantly increased from the hypoeutectic (90 VHN) to the hypereutectic (205VHN) composition.</p>

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Three quaternary Al-6Si-3Cu-xMg (x= 0.59, 3.80, and 6.78 wt.%) alloys were produced by melt-spun and characterized using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and microhardness techniques. Obtained second phases were for the alloy with 0.59% Mg and (Q) for the alloys with 3.80 and 6.78% Mg. These phases are present as 30–50 nm or as 5–10 nm nanoparticles. Alloying elements content in solid solution increased, mainly for Si and Mg. The high alloying elements content in solid solution and the small -Al cell size for melt-spun alloys leads to microhardness values about 2 times higher than those of ingot counterparts. The microhardness increase for melt-spun alloys with 3.80 and 6.78% Mg depends on Mg content in solid solution.