An Electrical Capacitance Tomography Based Soot Load Estimation Method for a Diesel Particulate Filter

poster abstractThis research presents a novel approach of Particulate Material (soot) measurement in a Diesel particulate filter using Electrical Capacitance Tomography. Modern Diesel Engines are equipped with Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF’s), as well as on-board technologies to evaluate the status of DPF because complete knowledge of DPF soot loading is very critical for robust efficient operation of the engine exhaust after treatment system. Emission regulations, getting stringent day by day, imposed upon all internal combustion engines, including Diesel engines on gaseous as well as particulates (soot) emissions by Environment Regulatory Agencies. In course of time, soot will be deposited inside the DPFs which tend to clog the filter and hence generate a back pressure in the exhaust system, negatively impacting the fuel efficiency. To remove the soot build-up, regeneration (active or passive) of the DPF must be done as an engine exhaust after treatment process at pre-determined time intervals. Since the regeneration process consume fuel, a robust and efficient operation based on accurate knowledge of the particulate matter deposit (or soot load) becomes essential in order to keep the fuel consumption at a minimum. In this paper, we propose a sensing method for a DPF that can accurately measure in-situ soot load using Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT). Simulation results show that the proposed method offers an effective way to accurately estimate the soot load in DPF. A hardware-in-loop bench has been built in the Mechatronics Research Lab at IUPUI to further develop this sensing concept and experimentally verify the associated measurement technology. Preliminary experimental data is very promising. This poster will present this novel sensing concept and some of the experimental results that support this technology. A patent application has been filed on this technology by IURTC in January, 2014. The proposed method is expected to have a profound impact in improving overall PM filtering efficiency (and thereby fuel efficiency), and durability of a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) through appropriate closed loop regeneration operation

Diagnostic approach for monitoring hydroclimatic conditions related to emergence of West Nile virus in West Virginia

West Nile virus (WNV), mosquito-borne and water-based disease, is increasingly a global threat to public health. Since its appearance in the northeastern United States in 1999, WNV has since been reported in several states in the continental United States. The objective of this study is to highlight role of hydroclimatic processes estimated through satellite sensors in capturing conditions for emergence of the vectors in historically disease free regions. We tested the hypothesis that an increase in surface temperature, in combination with intensification of vegetation, and enhanced precipitation, lead to conditions favorable for vector (mosquito) growth. Analysis of land surface temperature (LST) pattern shows that temperature values \u3e16°C, with heavy precipitation, may lead to abundance of the mosquito population. This hypothesis was tested in West Virginia where a sudden epidemic of WNV infection was reported in 2012. Our results emphasize the value of hydroclimatic processes estimated by satellite remote sensing, as well as continued environmental surveillance of mosquitoes, because when a vector-borne infection like WNV is discovered in contiguous regions, the risk of spread of WNV mosquitoes increase at points where appropriate hydroclimatic processes intersect with the vector niche

Effectiveness of integrated weed management in five varieties of aromatic rice in Bangladesh

An experiment was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh to evaluate the efficacy, rice selectivity and cost-effectiveness of some integrated weed control methods on the productivity of aromatic rice under randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment consisted of five aromatic rice varieties; Kalijira, BRRI dhan34, BRRI dhan37, BRRI dhan38 and Binadhan-13, and six different weed management practices comprising no weeding, weed free, mechanical + manual weeding, pre–emergence herbicide + manual weeding, post–emergence herbicide + manual weeding, pre– + post–emergence herbicide. Ten weed species belonging to five families infested the experimental plots. Herbicide treatments provided excellent weed control efficiency and produced much higher net benefit and cost benefit ratio than weedy plot. Among the herbicidal and mechanical treatments, sequential application of Bensulfuran methyl + Acetachlor at early growth stage (pre-emergence herbicide) followed by Pyrazosulfuran ethyl at mid growth stage (post-emergence herbicide) provided the highest weed control efficiency, productivity and net benefit. Single application of Pyrazosulfuran ethyl at mid growth stage followed by one hand weeding performed very close to the pre– + post–emergence herbicide application in terms of productivity and net benefit but in terms of weed control efficiency at 45 days after transplanting application of Bensulfuran methyl + Acetachlor at early growth stage followed by one hand weeding performed very close to pre– + post–emergence herbicide application. Mechanical weeding followed by one hand weeding and application of Bensulfuran methyl + Acetachlor at early growth stage followed by one hand weeding also provided satisfactory results in terms of productivity and economic return. Since manual weeding was less economic, sequential application of pre- and post-emergence herbicides may be recommended for effective weed management in aromatic rice

Seasonal Cholera from Multiple Small Outbreaks, Rural Bangladesh

Clinical and environmental Vibrio cholerae organisms collected from February 2004 through April 2005 were systematically isolated from 2 rural Bangladeshi locales. Their genetic relatedness was evaluated at 5 loci that contained a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR). The observed minimal overlap in VNTR patterns between the 2 communities was consistent with sequential, small outbreaks from local sources

Population Vulnerability to Biannual Cholera Outbreaks and Associated Macro-Scale Drivers in the Bengal Delta

The highly populated floodplains of the Bengal Delta have a long history of endemic and epidemic cholera outbreaks, both coastal and inland. Previous studies have not addressed the spatio-temporal dynamics of population vulnerability related to the influence of underlying large-scale processes. We analyzed spatial and temporal variability of cholera incidence across six surveillance sites in the Bengal Delta and their association with regional hydroclimatic and environmental drivers. More specifically, we use salinity and flood inundation modeling across the vulnerable districts of Bangladesh to test earlier proposed hypotheses on the role of these environmental variables. Our results show strong influence of seasonal and interannual variability in estuarine salinity on spring outbreaks and inland flooding on fall outbreaks. A large segment of the population in the Bengal Delta floodplains remain vulnerable to these biannual cholera transmission mechanisms that provide ecologic and environmental conditions for outbreaks over large geographic regions

Interaction of Vibrio cholerae non-O1/non-O139 with Copepods, Cladocerans and Competing Bacteria in the Large Alkaline Lake Neusiedler See, Austria

Vibrio cholerae is a human pathogen and natural inhabitant of aquatic environments. Serogroups O1/O139 have been associated with epidemic cholera, while non-O1/non-O139 serogroups usually cause human disease other than classical cholera. V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139 from the Neusiedler See, a large Central European lake, have caused ear and wound infections, including one case of fatal septicaemia. Recent investigations demonstrated rapid planktonic growth of V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139 and correlation with zooplankton biomass. The aim of this study was to elucidate the interaction of autochthonous V. cholerae with two dominant crustacean zooplankton species in the lake and investigate the influence of the natural bacterial community on this interaction. An existing data set was evaluated for statistical relationships between zooplankton species and V. cholerae and co-culture experiments were performed in the laboratory. A new fluorescence in situ hybridisation protocol was applied for quantification of V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139 cells, which significantly reduced analysis time. The experiments clearly demonstrated a significant relationship of autochthonous V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139 with cladocerans by promoting growth of V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139 in the water and on the surfaces of the cladocerans. In contrast, copepods had a negative effect on the growth of V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139 via competing bacteria from their surfaces. Thus, beside other known factors, biofilm formation by V. cholerae on crustacean zooplankton appears to be zooplankton taxon specific and may be controlled by the natural bacterial community. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00248-010-9764-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Herbicide based weed management in aromatic rice of Bangladesh

Selection of appropriate weed management strategy helps reduce rice yield loss due to weeds. Despite some undesirable side-effects, no viable alternative is currently available to shift the chemical weed management in rice. However, time of herbicide application is very important with respect to its efficacy. Keeping in mind the inevitability of herbicidal weed control, the current study was designed to evaluate the response of selected aromatic fine rice varieties of Bangladesh to different herbicides based weed management practices compare to farmers’ practices. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment consisted of five aromatic rice varieties; Kalijira, BRRI dhan34, BRRI dhan37, BRRI dhan38 and Binadhan-13, and six different weed management practices comprising no weeding, weed free, mechanical + manual weeding, pre–emergence herbicide + manual weeding, post–emergence herbicide + manual weeding and pre– + post–emergence herbicide. Eleven weed species belonging to five families were observed in the experimental plots. Based on the summed dominance ratio (SDR), grassy weed species Echinochloa crusgalli (SDR of 30.7) was the most dominant species, whereas broadleaf weed Nymphaea nouchali (SDR of 0.83) was the least one. Among the weed control treatments, application of pre–+ post emergence herbicides offered the highest reduction in weed density and biomass at all sampling dates which resulted in minimum crop-weed competition facilitating improvement in the yield contributing characters and finally resulted in the highest grain yield (2.5 t ha−1) and harvest index (30.7%) next to the weed free treatment. The variety BRRI dhan38 gave the highest grain yield (3.4 t ha−1) due to the highest performance of the yield contributing characters among the varieties. In interaction, BRRI dhan38 with pre–+ post–emergence herbicide application gave the highest yield (3.4 t ha−1) apart from the weed free treatment. Being efficient in weed density and biomass reduction as well as the highest yield producer, sequential application of pre–and post–emergence herbicides may be recommended for effective weed management practices in BRRI dhan38

Comparative genomic analysis reveals evidence of two novel Vibrio species closely related to V. cholerae

Background: In recent years genome sequencing has been used to characterize new bacterial species, a method of analysis available as a result of improved methodology and reduced cost. Included in a constantly expanding list of Vibrio species are several that have been reclassified as novel members of the Vibrionaceae. The description of two putative new Vibrio species, Vibrio sp. RC341 and Vibrio sp. RC586 for which we propose the names V. metecus and V. parilis, respectively, previously characterized as non-toxigenic environmental variants of V. cholerae is presented in this study. Results: Based on results of whole-genome average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI), rpoB similarity, MLSA, and phylogenetic analysis, the new species are concluded to be phylogenetically closely related to V. cholerae and V. mimicus. Vibrio sp. RC341 and Vibrio sp. RC586 demonstrate features characteristic of V. cholerae and V. mimicus, respectively, on differential and selective media, but their genomes show a 12 to 15% divergence (88 to 85% ANI and 92 to 91% AAI) compared to the sequences of V. cholerae and V. mimicus genomes (ANI <95% and AAI <96% indicative of separate species). Vibrio sp. RC341 and Vibrio sp. RC586 share 2104 ORFs (59%) and 2058 ORFs (56%) with the published core genome of V. cholerae and 2956 (82%) and 3048 ORFs (84%) with V. mimicus MB-451, respectively. The novel species share 2926 ORFs with each other (81% Vibrio sp. RC341 and 81% Vibrio sp. RC586). Virulence-associated factors and genomic islands of V. cholerae and V. mimicus, including VSP-I and II, were found in these environmental Vibrio spp. Conclusions: Results of this analysis demonstrate these two environmental vibrios, previously characterized as variant V. cholerae strains, are new species which have evolved from ancestral lineages of the V. cholerae and V. mimicus clade. The presence of conserved integration loci for genomic islands as well as evidence of horizontal gene transfer between these two new species, V. cholerae, and V. mimicus suggests genomic islands and virulence factors are transferred between these species.

Ecology of \u3ci\u3eVibrio parahaemolyticus\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eVibrio vulnificus\u3c/i\u3e in the Coastal and Estuarine Waters of Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, and Washington (United States)

Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus, which are native to estuaries globally, are agents of seafood-borne or wound infections, both potentially fatal. Like all vibrios autochthonous to coastal regions, their abundance varies with changes in environmental parameters. Sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH), and chlorophyll have been shown to be predictors of zooplankton and thus factors linked to vibrio populations. The contribution of salinity, conductivity, turbidity, and dissolved organic carbon to the incidence and distribution of Vibrio spp. has also been reported. Here, a multicoastal, 21-month study was conducted to determine relationships between environmental parameters and V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus populations in water, oysters, and sediment in three coastal areas of the United States. Because ecologically unique sites were included in the study, it was possible to analyze individual parameters over wide ranges. Molecular methods were used to detect genes for thermolabile hemolysin (tlh), thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh), and tdh-related hemolysin (trh) as indicators of V. parahaemolyticus and the hemolysin gene vvhA for V. vulnificus. SST and suspended particulate matter were found to be strong predictors of total and potentially pathogenic V. parahaetnolyticus and V. vulnificus. Other predictors included chlorophyll a, salinity, and dissolved organic carbon. For the ecologically unique sites included in the study, SST was confirmed as an effective predictor of annual variation in vibrio abundance, with other parameters explaining a portion of the variation not attributable to SST