Abstract: The hydromagnetic flow of a Maxwell fluid past a vertical stretching sheet with thermophoresis is considered. The impact of chemical reaction species to the flow is analyzed for the first time by using the homotopy analysis method (HAM). The h-curves for the flow boundary layer equations are presented graphically. Several values of wall skin friction, heat and mass transfer are obtained and discussed.
Abstract: Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a measure of
the oxygen used in bacteria mediated oxidation of organic substances
in water and wastewater. Theoretically an infinite time is required for
complete biochemical oxidation of organic matter, but the
measurement is made over 5-days at 20 0C or 3-days at 27 0C test
period with or without dilution. Researchers have worked to further
reduce the time of measurement.
The objective of this paper is to review advancement made in
BOD measurement primarily to minimize the time and negate the
measurement difficulties. Survey of literature review in four such
techniques namely BOD-BARTTM, Biosensors, Ferricyanidemediated
approach, luminous bacterial immobilized chip method.
Basic principle, method of determination, data validation and their
advantage and disadvantages have been incorporated of each of the
methods.
In the BOD-BARTTM method the time lag is calculated for the
system to change from oxidative to reductive state. BIOSENSORS
are the biological sensing element with a transducer which produces
a signal proportional to the analyte concentration. Microbial species
has its metabolic deficiencies. Co-immobilization of bacteria using
sol-gel biosensor increases the range of substrate. In ferricyanidemediated
approach, ferricyanide has been used as e-acceptor instead
of oxygen. In Luminous bacterial cells-immobilized chip method,
bacterial bioluminescence which is caused by lux genes was
observed. Physiological responses is measured and correlated to
BOD due to reduction or emission.
There is a scope to further probe into the rapid estimation of BOD.
Abstract: Pressure driven microscale gas flow-separation has
been investigated by solving the compressible Navier-Stokes (NS)
system of equations. A two dimensional explicit finite volume (FV)
compressible flow solver has been developed using modified
advection upwind splitting methods (AUSM+) with no-slip/first
order Maxwell-s velocity slip conditions to predict the flowseparation
behavior in microdimensions. The effects of scale-factor
of the flow geometry and gas species on the microscale gas flowseparation
have been studied in this work. The intensity of flowseparation
gets reduced with the decrease in scale of the flow
geometry. In reduced dimension, flow-separation may not at all be
present under similar flow conditions compared to the larger flow
geometry. The flow-separation patterns greatly depend on the
properties of the medium under similar flow conditions.
Abstract: This study was set to determine the antimicrobial
activities of brine salting, chlorinated solution, and oil frying
treatments on enteric bacteria and fungi in Rastrineobola argentea
fish from fish landing beaches within L. Victoria basin of western
Kenya. Statistical differences in effectiveness of the different
treatment methods was determined by single factor ANOVA, and
paired two-tail t-Test was performed to compare the differences in
moisture contents before and after storage. Oil fried fish recorded the
lowest microbial loads, sodium chloride at 10% concentration was
the second most effective and chlorinated solution even at 150ppm
was the least effective against the bacteria and fungi in fish. Moisture
contents of the control and treated fish were significantly lower after
storage. These results show that oil frying of fish should be adopted
for processing and preserving Rastrineobola argentea which is the
most abundant and affordable fish species from Lake Victoria.
Abstract: By using Mawhin-s continuation theorem of coincidence degree theory, we establish the existence of 2n positive periodic solutions for n species non-autonomous Lotka-Volterra competition systems with harvesting terms. An example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of our results.
Abstract: The biological activity of A. pullulans isolates against
species of the genus Fusarium, bacteria of the genus Azotobacter and
pseudomonads colonizing wheat kernels was evaluated. A field
experiment was carried out in 2009-2011, in north-eastern Poland.
Winter wheat (cv. Bogatka) plants were sprayed with a cell
suspension of A. pullulans at a density of 106 - 108 per cm3 water at
the stem elongation stage and the heading stage. Untreated plants
served as control. The abundance of epiphytic yeasts, bacteria of the
genus Azotobacter, pseudomonads and Fusarium pathogens on wheat
grain was estimated at harvest and after six months’ storage. The
average size of yeast communities was significantly greater on wheat
kernels treated with a cell suspension of A. pullulans, compared with
control samples. In 2010-2011, biological control reduced the
abundance of some species of the genus Fusarium.
Abstract: In this paper we present modeling and simulation for
physical vapor deposition for metallic bipolar plates. In the models
we discuss the application of different models to simulate the
transport of chemical reactions of the gas species in the gas chamber.
The so called sputter process is an extremely sensitive process to
deposit thin layers to metallic plates. We have taken into account
lower order models to obtain first results with respect to the gas
fluxes and the kinetics in the chamber.
The model equations can be treated analytically in some
circumstances and complicated multi-dimensional models are solved
numerically with a software-package (UG unstructed grids, see [1]).
Because of multi-scaling and multi-physical behavior of the models,
we discuss adapted schemes to solve more accurate in the different
domains and scales. The results are discussed with physical
experiments to give a valid model for the assumed growth of thin
layers.
Abstract: A new and novel approach in medicine is the use of
cold plasma for various applications such as sterilization blood
coagulation and cancer cell treatment. In this paper a pin-to-hole
plasma jet suitable for biological applications is investigated and
characterized and the possibility and feasibility of cancer cell
treatment is evaluated. The characterization includes power
consumption via Lissajous method, thermal behavior of plasma using
Infra-red camera as a novel method, Optical Emission Spectroscopy
(OES) to determine the species that are generated. Treatment of
leukemia cancer cells is also implemented and MTT assay is used to
evaluate viability.
Abstract: Taking into account the importance of Lake Sevan and
Lake Sevan basin-s rivers for Armenian economy, the main goals of
our investigations were the documentation of water quality and the
biodiversity of invertebrates developed in Lake Sevan basin-s rivers
and selected tributaries.
Moderately satisfied ecological condition for the biodiversity of
Lake Sevan basin-s rivers has been established, and the changes in
species- composition of zoobenthos in Lake Sevan were detected.
A growing tendency of antibiotic resistance among E. coli isolates
in water resources has been shown.
Abstract: Present communication deals with general
distribution and diversification of Monogenean families parasitizing
different freshwater fish families of India. Levels of monogenean
parasitism and their diversity are significantly greater in Indian fishes.
The most monogeneans parasitized family of fish is Cyprinidae and
most dactylogyrids parasitise cyprinids. The family dactylogyridae
has more species than any other monogenean family and frequently
associated with cyprinid, silurids and bagrids families. Of the various
52 families of freshwater fishes from India, only the Anguillidae,
Balitoridae, Chacidae, Chanidae, Channidae, Cobitidae, Coiidae,
Erethistidae, Megalopidae, Pristidae, Psilorhynchidae, Salmonidae,
Schileidae, Sparidae, Synodontidae and Terapontidae were found to
be free of infection with monogeneans. The present study takes a
broad look at monogenean diversity in the freshwater fishes of India.
Abstract: The organic farmers use wider range of crop varieties than the conventional farming. Bread wheat is the most favorite and the most common food crop. The organic bread wheat is usually of worse technological quality. Therefore, it is supposed to be an attractive alternative to the hulled wheat species (einkorn, emmer wheat and spelt). Twenty-five hulled bread wheat varieties and control bread wheat ones were grown on the certified organic parcel in České Budějovice (the Czech Republic) between 2009 and 2012. Their baking quality was measured and evaluated with standard methods, and in accordance with ICC. The results have shown that the grain of hulled wheat varieties contain a lot of proteins in grains (up to 18 percent); even the organic hulled bread wheat varieties are characterized by such good baking quality. Einkorn and emmer wheat are of worse technological quality of proteins (low values of gluten index and Zeleny test), which is a disadvantage of these two wheat species. On the other hand, spelt wheat is of better technological quality and is similar to the control bread wheat varieties. Mixtures consisting of bread wheat, among others, are considered good alternatives; they may contribute to wider range of use of the hulled wheat species. It is one of the possibilities which may increase the proportion of proteins in bread wheat grains; the nutrition-rich hulled wheat grains may be also used in such way at the same time.
Abstract: The zero truncated model is usually used in modeling
count data without zero. It is the opposite of zero inflated model.
Zero truncated Poisson and zero truncated negative binomial models
are discussed and used by some researchers in analyzing the
abundance of rare species and hospital stay. Zero truncated models
are used as the base in developing hurdle models. In this study, we
developed a new model, the zero truncated strict arcsine model,
which can be used as an alternative model in modeling count data
without zero and with extra variation. Two simulated and one real
life data sets are used and fitted into this developed model. The
results show that the model provides a good fit to the data. Maximum
likelihood estimation method is used in estimating the parameters.
Abstract: The article deals with the relation between rainfall in selected months and subsequent weed infestation of spring barley. The field experiment was performed at Mendel University agricultural enterprise in Žabčice, Czech Republic. Weed infestation was measured in spring barley vegetation in years 2004 to 2012. Barley was grown in three tillage variants: conventional tillage technology (CT), minimization tillage technology (MT), and no tillage (NT). Precipitation was recorded in one-day intervals. Monthly precipitation was calculated from the measured values in the months of October through to April. The technique of canonical correspondence analysis was applied for further statistical processing. 41 different species of weeds were found in the course of the 9-year monitoring period. The results clearly show that precipitation affects the incidence of most weed species in the selected months, but acts differently in the monitored variants of tillage technologies.
Abstract: Ligula intestinalis is a three-host life-cycle
Pseudophyllidean Cestode which in its plerocercoid stage infests a
range of fresh water species. The objective of the present study was
the worm occurrence within planctonic copepods, fishes and
piscivorous birds and examine of parasite-hosts samples in the Lake
of Sattarkhan Dam (near the city of Ahar, East Azerbaijan, Iran).
Fish sample were collected with fyke and gill nets and the abdominal
cavity was examined for the presence of ligula. Zooplanktons were
captured using a planktonic net and occurrence of parasitic larval
form in the body cavity was determined. Piscivorous birds were
selected by telescope, they hunted and dissected for presence of
parasite eggs in their gut. Results indicated that prevalence of
infection was 16% for cyclopid copepoda and majority of infected
cyclopid were female Cyclops. Investigation of 310 fishes specimens
were indicated to infection of five species of cyprinid fishes. In
addition, results indicated to manipulation of six species of migratory
aquatic and semi aquatic birds by ligula. Obtained results are in
agreement by previous studies. Its definite in this study that all of
fishes in Sattarkhan Lake capable to infection, its important for
health because they capture by native people and it is documented
that ligula can be introduce as a zoonose. It's seemed that to prevent
from disperses of parasite and restricted of infection, biological
elimination can be effective and it's necessary to inform native
people about sanitation.
Abstract: A sequential treatment of ozonation followed by a
Fenton or photo-Fenton process, using black light lamps (365 nm) in
this latter case, has been applied to remove a mixture of
pharmaceutical compounds and the generated by-products both in
ultrapure and secondary treated wastewater. The scientifictechnological
innovation of this study stems from the in situ
generation of hydrogen peroxide from the direct ozonation of
pharmaceuticals, and can later be used in the application of Fenton
and photo-Fenton processes. The compounds selected as models
were sulfamethoxazol and acetaminophen. It should be remarked that
the use of a second process is necessary as a result of the low
mineralization yield reached by the exclusive application of ozone.
Therefore, the influence of the water matrix has been studied in terms
of hydrogen peroxide concentration, individual compound
concentration and total organic carbon removed. Moreover, the
concentration of different iron species in solution has been measured.
Abstract: Studies regarding the determination of population
trend of Lipaphis erysimi (kalt.) and its associated natural enemies in
different Brassica lines along with the effect of gamma radiation on
their population were conducted at Agricultural Research Farm,
Malakandher, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University
Peshawar during spring 2006. Three different Brassica lines F6B3,
F6B6 and F6B7 were used, which were replicated four times in
Randomized Complete Block Design. The data revealed that aphid
infestation invariably stated in all three varieties during last week of
February 2006 (1st observation). The peak population of 4.39 aphids
leaf-1 was s recorded during 2nd week of March and lowest population
of 1.02 aphids leaf-1 was recorded during 5th week of March. The
species of lady bird beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) and Syrphid
fly (Syrphus balteatus) first appeared on 24th February with a mean
number of 0.40 lady bird beetle leaf-1 and 0.87 Syrphid fly leaf-1,
respectively. At the time when aphid population started to increase
the peak population of C. septempunctata (0.70 lady bird beetle leaf-
1) and S. balteatus (1.04 syrphid fly leaf-1) was recorded on the 2nd
week of March. Chrysoperla carnea appeared in the 1st week of
March and their peak population was recorded during the 3rd week of
March with mean population of 1.46 C. carnea leaf-1. Among all the
Brassica lines, F6B7 showed comparatively more resistance as
compared to F6B3 F6B6. F6B3 showed least resistance against L.
erysimi, which was found to be the most susceptible cultivar. F6B7
was also found superior in terms of natural enemies. Maximum
number of all natural enemies was recorded on this variety followed
by F6B6. Lowest number of natural enemies was recorded in F6B3.
No significant effect was recorded for the effect of gamma radiation
on the population of aphids, natural enemies and on the varieties.
Abstract: This paper describes studies carried out to investigate
the viability of using wireless cameras as a tool in monitoring
changes in air quality. A camera is used to monitor the change in
colour of a chemically responsive polymer within view of the camera
as it is exposed to varying chemical species concentration levels. The
camera captures this image and the colour change is analyzed by
averaging the RGB values present. This novel chemical sensing
approach is compared with an established chemical sensing method
using the same chemically responsive polymer coated onto LEDs. In
this way, the concentration levels of acetic acid in the air can be
tracked using both approaches. These approaches to chemical plume
tracking have many applications for air quality monitoring.
Abstract: Independent component analysis (ICA) is a computational method for finding underlying signals or components from multivariate statistical data. The ICA method has been successfully applied in many fields, e.g. in vision research, brain imaging, geological signals and telecommunications. In this paper, we apply the ICA method to an analysis of mass spectra of oligomeric species emerged from aluminium sulphate. Mass spectra are typically complex, because they are linear combinations of spectra from different types of oligomeric species. The results show that ICA can decomposite the spectral components for useful information. This information is essential in developing coagulation phases of water treatment processes.
Abstract: It is well recognized that the green house gases such
as Chlorofluoro Carbon (CFC), CH4, CO2 etc. are responsible
directly or indirectly for the increase in the average global temperature
of the Earth. The presence of CFC is responsible for
the depletion of ozone concentration in the atmosphere due to
which the heat accompanied with the sun rays are less absorbed
causing increase in the atmospheric temperature of the Earth. The
gases like CH4 and CO2 are also responsible for the increase in
the atmospheric temperature. The increase in the temperature level
directly or indirectly affects the dynamics of interacting species
systems. Therefore, in this paper a mathematical model is proposed
and analysed using stability theory to asses the effects of increasing
temperature due to greenhouse gases on the survival or extinction of
populations in a prey-predator system. A threshold value in terms
of a stress parameter is obtained which determines the extinction or
existence of populations in the underlying system.
Abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex
metabolic disorder that characterized by the presence of high glucose
in blood that cause from insulin resistance and insufficiency due to
deterioration β-cell Langerhans functions. T2DM is commonly
caused by the combination of inherited genetic variations as well as
our own lifestyle. Metallothionein (MT) is a known cysteine-rich
protein responsible in helping zinc homeostasis which is important in
insulin signaling and secretion as well as protection our body from
reactive oxygen species (ROS). MT scavenged ROS and free
radicals in our body happen to be one of the reasons of T2DM and its
complications. The objective of this study was to investigate the
association of MT1A and MT2A polymorphisms between T2DM and
control subjects among Malay populations. This study involved 150
T2DM and 120 Healthy individuals of Malay ethnic with mixed
genders. The genomic DNA was extracted from buccal cells and
amplified for MT1A and MT2A loci; the 347bp and 238bp banding
patterns were respectively produced by mean of the Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR). The PCR products were digested with Mlucl
and Tsp451 restriction enzymes respectively and producing
fragments lengths of (158/189/347bp) and (103/135/238bp)
respectively. The ANOVA test was conducted and it shown that there
was a significant difference between diabetic and control subjects for
age, BMI, WHR, SBP, FPG, HBA1C, LDL, TG, TC and family
history with (P0.05). The genotype
frequency for AA, AG and GG of MT1A polymorphisms was 72.7%,
22.7% and 4.7% in cases and 15%, 55% and 30% in control
respectively. As for MT2A, genotype frequency of GG, GC and CC
was 42.7%, 27.3% and 30% in case and 5%, 40% and 55% for
control respectively. Both polymorphisms show significant difference
between two investigated groups with (P=0.000). The Post hoc test
was conducted and shows a significant difference between the
genotypes within each polymorphism (P=0. 000). The MT1A and
MT2A polymorphisms were believed to be the reliable molecular
markers to distinguish the T2DM subjects from healthy individuals in
Malay populations.