Abstract: Pretreatment is an essential step in the conversion of
lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugar that used for biobutanol
production. Among pretreatment processes, microwave is considered
to improve pretreatment efficiency due to its high heating efficiency,
easy operation, and easily to combine with chemical reaction. The
main objectives of this work are to investigate the feasibility of
microwave pretreatment to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis of
corncobs and to determine the optimal conditions using response
surface methodology. Corncobs were pretreated via two-stage
pretreatment in dilute sodium hydroxide (2 %) followed by dilute
sulfuric acid 1 %. Pretreated corncobs were subjected to enzymatic
hydrolysis to produce reducing sugar. Statistical experimental design
was used to optimize pretreatment parameters including temperature,
residence time and solid-to-liquid ratio to achieve the highest amount
of glucose. The results revealed that solid-to-liquid ratio and
temperature had a significant effect on the amount of glucose.
Abstract: Rhizopus oligosporus was used in the present study
for the production of protease enzyme under SSF. Sunflower meal
was used as by-product of oil industry incorporated with organic salts
was employed for the production of protease enzyme. The main
purpose of the present was to study different parameters of protease
productivity, its yields and to optimize basal fermentation conditions.
The optimal conditions found for protease production using
sunflower meal as a substrate in the present study were inoculum size
(1%), substrate (Sunflower meal), substrate concentration (20 g), pH
(3), cultivation period (72 h), incubation temperature (35oC),
substrate to diluent-s ratio (1:2) and tween 81 (1 mL). The maximum
production of protease in the presence of cheaper substrate at low
concentration and stability at acidic pH, these characteristics make
the strain and its enzymes useful in different industry.
Abstract: In the present study, an attempt was made to examine
the potential of aerobic mixed culture for decolourization of Remazol Black B dye in batch reactors. The effect of pH, temperature, inoculum, initial concentration of dye and initial concentration of
glucose was studied with an aim to determine the optimal conditions
required for maximum decolourization and degradation. The culture
exhibited maximum decolourization ability at pH between 7-8 and at
30°C. A 10% (v/v) inoculum and 1% (w/v) glucose concentration
were found to be the optimum for decolourization. A maximum of
98% decolourization was observed at 25 ppm initial concentration of
dye after 18 hours of incubation period. At higher dye concentration
of 300 ppm, the removal in colour was found to be 75% in 48 hours of incubation period. The results show that the enriched mixed culture from activated sludge has good potential in removal of Remazol Black B dye from wastewater under aerobic conditions.
Abstract: Spray chilling using air-mist nozzles has received
much attention in the food processing industry because of the
benefits it has shown over forced air convection. These benefits
include an increase in the heat transfer coefficient and a reduction in
the water loss by the product during cooling. However, few studies
have simulated the heat transfer and aerodynamics phenomena of the
air-mist chilling process for optimal operating conditions. The study
provides insight into the optimal conditions for spray impaction, heat
transfer efficiency and control of surface flooding. A computational
fluid dynamics model using a two-phase flow composed of water
droplets injected with air is developed to simulate the air-mist
chilling of food products. The model takes into consideration
droplet-to-surface interaction, water-film accumulation and surface
runoff. The results of this study lead to a better understanding of the
heat transfer enhancement, water conservation, and to a clear
direction for the optimal design of air-mist chilling systems that can
be used in commercial applications in the food and meat processing
industries.
Abstract: Mycotoxin (aflatoxins) contamination of peanuts is a
great concern for human health. A total of 72 samples of unripe,
roasted, and salty peanuts were collected randomly from Pothohar
plateau of Pakistan for the assessment of aflatoxin. Samples were
dried, ground and extracted by acetonitrile (84%). The filtered
extracts were cleaned up by MycoSep-226 and analyzed by high
performance liquid chromatography with flourescence detector.
Quantification limit of Aflatoxin was 1 μg/kg and 70% Recovery was
observed in spiked samples in the range 1–10 μg/kg. The screening
of mycotoxins indicated that aflatoxins were present in most of the
samples being detected in 82%, in concentrations from 14.25 μg/kg
to 98.80 μg/kg. Optimal conditions for mycotoxin production and
fungal growth are frequently found in the crop fields as well as in
store houses. Human exposure of such toxin can be controlled by
pointed out such awareness and implemented the regulations.
Abstract: Alpfa-fetoprotein and its fragments may be an important vehicle for targeted delivery of radionuclides to the tumor. We investigated the effect of conditions on the labeling of biologically active synthetic peptide based on the (F-afp) with technetium-99m. The influence of the nature of the buffer solution, pH, concentration of reductant, concentration of the peptide and the reaction temperature on the yield of labeling was examined. As a result, the following optimal conditions for labeling of (F-afp) are found: pH 8.5 (phosphate and bicarbonate buffers) and pH from 1.7 to 7.0 (citrate buffer). The reaction proceeds with sufficient yield at room temperature for 30 min at the concentration of SnCl2 and (Fafp) (F-afp) is to be less than 10 mkg/ml and 25 mkg/ml, respectively. Investigations of the test drug accumulation in the tumor cells of human breast cancer were carried out. Results can be assumed that the in vivo study of the (F-afp) in experimental tumor lesions will show concentrations sufficient for imaging these lesions by SPECT.
Abstract: Raisin Concentrate (RC) are the most important
products obtained in the raisin processing industries. These RC
products are now used to make the syrups, drinks and confectionery
productions and introduced as natural substitute for sugar in food
applications. Iran is a one of the biggest raisin exporter in the world
but unfortunately despite a good raw material, no serious effort to
extract the RC has been taken in Iran. Therefore, in this paper, we
determined and analyzed affected parameters on extracting RC
process and then optimizing these parameters for design the
extracting RC process in two types of raisin (round and long)
produced in Khorasan region. Two levels of solvent (1:1 and 2:1),
three levels of extraction temperature (60°C, 70°C and 80°C), and
three levels of concentration temperature (50°C, 60°C and 70°C)
were the treatments. Finally physicochemical characteristics of the
obtained concentrate such as color, viscosity, percentage of reduction
sugar, acidity and the microbial tests (mould and yeast) were
counted. The analysis was performed on the basis of factorial in the
form of completely randomized design (CRD) and Duncan's multiple
range test (DMRT) was used for the comparison of the means.
Statistical analysis of results showed that optimal conditions for
production of concentrate is round raisins when the solvent ratio was
2:1 with extraction temperature of 60°C and then concentration
temperature of 50°C. Round raisin is cheaper than the long one, and
it is more economical to concentrate production. Furthermore, round
raisin has more aromas and the less color degree with increasing the
temperature of concentration and extraction. Finally, according to
mentioned factors the concentrate of round raisin is recommended.
Abstract: We investigated statistical performance of Bayesian inference using maximum entropy and MAP estimation for several models which approximated wave-fronts in remote sensing using SAR interferometry. Using Monte Carlo simulation for a set of wave-fronts generated by assumed true prior, we found that the method of maximum entropy realized the optimal performance around the Bayes-optimal conditions by using model of the true prior and the likelihood representing optical measurement due to the interferometer. Also, we found that the MAP estimation regarded as a deterministic limit of maximum entropy almost achieved the same performance as the Bayes-optimal solution for the set of wave-fronts. Then, we clarified that the MAP estimation perfectly carried out phase unwrapping without using prior information, and also that the MAP estimation realized accurate phase unwrapping using conjugate gradient (CG) method, if we assumed the model of the true prior appropriately.
Abstract: Biodiesel production with used frying by
transesterification reaction with methanol, using a commercial
kaolinite thermally-activated solid acid catalyst was investigated.
The surface area, the average pore diameter and pore volume of the
kaolinite catalyst were 10 m2/g, 13.0 nm and 30 mm3/g, respectively.
The optimal conditions for the transesterification reaction were
determined to be oil/methanol, in a molar ratio 1:31, temperature 160
ºC and catalyst concentration of 3% (w/w). The yield of fatty acids
methyl esters (FAME) was 92.4% after 2 h of reaction. This method
of preparation of biodiesel can be a positive alternative for utilizing
used frying corn oil for feedstock of biodiesel combined with the
inexpensive catalyst.
Abstract: Chicken feathers were used as biosorbent for Pb
removal from aqueous solution. In this paper, the kinetics and
equilibrium studies at several pH, temperature, and metal
concentration values are reported. For tested conditions, the Pb
sorption capacity of this poultry waste ranged from 0.8 to 8.3 mg/g.
Optimal conditions for Pb removal by chicken feathers have been
identified. Pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order equations
were used to analyze the experimental data. In addition, the sorption
isotherms were fitted to classical Langmuir and Freundlich models.
Finally, thermodynamic parameters for the sorption process have
been determined. In summary, the results showed that chicken
feathers are an alternative and promising sorbent for the treatment of
effluents polluted by Pb ions.
Abstract: This study aims to screen out and to optimize the
major nutrients for maximum carotenoid production and
antioxidation characteristics by Rhodotorula rubra. It was found that
supplementary of 10 g/l glucose as carbon source, 1 g/l ammonium
sulfate as nitrogen source and 1 g/l yeast extract as growth factor in
the medium provided the better yield of carotenoid content of 30.39
μg/g cell dry weight the amount of antioxidation of Rhodotorula
rubra by DPPH, ABTS and MDA method were 1.463%, 34.21% and
34.09 μmol/l, respectively.
Abstract: The present paper discusses the selection of process
parameters for obtaining optimal nanocrystallites size in the CuOZrO2
catalyst. There are some parameters changing the inorganic
structure which have an influence on the role of hydrolysis and
condensation reaction. A statistical design test method is
implemented in order to optimize the experimental conditions of
CuO-ZrO2 nanoparticles preparation. This method is applied for the
experiments and L16 orthogonal array standard. The crystallites size
is considered as an index. This index will be used for the analysis in
the condition where the parameters vary. The effect of pH, H2O/
precursor molar ratio (R), time and temperature of calcination,
chelating agent and alcohol volume are particularity investigated
among all other parameters. In accordance with the results of
Taguchi, it is found that temperature has the greatest impact on the
particle size. The pH and H2O/ precursor molar ratio have low
influences as compared with temperature. The alcohol volume as
well as the time has almost no effect as compared with all other
parameters. Temperature also has an influence on the morphology
and amorphous structure of zirconia. The optimal conditions are
determined by using Taguchi method. The nanocatalyst is studied by
DTA-TG, XRD, EDS, SEM and TEM. The results of this research
indicate that it is possible to vary the structure, morphology and
properties of the sol-gel by controlling the above-mentioned
parameters.
Abstract: The article deals with technical support of intracranial single unit activity measurement. The parameters of the whole measuring set were tested in order to assure the optimal conditions of extracellular single-unit recording. Metal microelectrodes for measuring the single-unit were tested during animal experiments. From signals recorded during these experiments, requirements for the measuring set parameters were defined. The impedance parameters of the metal microelectrodes were measured. The frequency-gain and autonomous noise properties of preamplifier and amplifier were verified. The measurement and the description of the extracellular single unit activity could help in prognoses of brain tissue damage recovery.