Nonlinear Control of pH System for Change Over Titration Curve

Wiener model based nonlinear controller for a pH process efficiently tackles the variations in gain. However, the controller performance deteriorates for significant change over titration curve (i.e. when the nature of the feed stream switches from a weak acid to a strong acid). To improve the performance of this controller, a nonlinear cascade controller is proposed. The nonlinear cascade structure consists of a Wiener model based nonlinear P controller in the inner loop and a linear PI controller in the outer loop. The proposed strategy is simulated for switch over titration curve from a weak acid – strong base system to strong acid – strong base system and then back to the weak acid – strong base system. The performance of the nonlinear cascade controller is compared with that of single loop Wiener model based PI controller and linear cascade (P-PI) controller

Kernels for Grassmann flops

We develop a generalization of the $Q$-construction of the first author, Diemer, and the third author for Grassmann flips. This generalization provides a canonical idempotent kernel on the derived category of the associated global quotient stack. The idempotent kernel, after restriction, induces a semi-orthogonal decomposition which compares the flipped varieties. Furthermore its image, after restriction to the geometric invariant theory semistable locus, "opens" a canonical "window" in the derived category of the quotient stack. We check this window coincides with the set of representations used by Kapranov to form a full exceptional collection on Grassmannians

In-silico analysis of bioactive compounds extracted from seaweed Amphiroa anceps on the pathogenicity of bacteria

Screening of biochemical compounds in marine algae is a gateway to understand the bioactive principles of antimicrobial activity and may be a significant tool in developing environment friendly herbicides and in drug discovery. In this study, the antibacterial activity of the seaweed Amphiroa anceps extracted with methanol and ethanol was determined against clinical isolates namely Vibrio cholerae 01 ogawa, Vibrio cholerae O139, Vibrio fluvialis, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus 81, V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6, salmonella enteritidis type 5, Enterotoxigenic E. coli, Bacillus cereus by disc diffusion method at different concentrations. Ethanolic extract showed the highest activity against V. parahaemolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus 81 and V. cholerae. The FTIR results showed the presence of major functional groups like amine, hydrogen bonded alcohols, alkanes and aromatic rings. Four major bioactive compounds were selected based on GC-MS data and used as ligands to dock in-silico against proteins of pathogenic bacteria that were used in antibiotic studies

Study of evaluation of groundwater in Gadilam basin using hydrogeochemical and isotope data

Gadilam river basin has gained its importance due to the presence of Neyveli Lignite open cast mines and other industrial complexes. It is also due to extensive depressurization of Cuddalore aquifer, and bore wells for New Veeranam Scheme are constructed downstream of the basin. Geochemical indicators of groundwater were used to identify the chemical processes that control hydrogeochemistry. Chemical parameters of groundwater such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca+), magnesium (Mg+), bicarbonate (HCO-3 ), sulfate (SO-4 ),phosphate (PO-4 ), and silica (H4SiO4) were determined. Interpretation of hydrogeochemical data suggests that leaching of ions followed by weathering and anthropogenic impact controls the chemistry of the groundwater. Isotopic study reveals that recharge from meteoric source in sedimentary terrain and rock-water interaction with significant evaporation prevails in hard rock region

Source apportionment and health risk assessment of nitrate in foothill aquifers of Western Ghats, South India

The present research reports the level of nitrate (NO3-), associated health risks and possible sources of contamination in groundwater from south India. Many samples (32%) are above or approaching the recommended level of NO3- for safe drinking water. The correlation analysis indicates different sources of NO3- contamination in different regions rather than a common origin. The isotopic measurements provide information about potential nitrogen sources contributing NO3- to the groundwater. Based on isotope analysis, the sources of NO3- in the groundwater of this region are likely to be from (a) septic sewage (b) organic nitrogen (animal and livestock excreta) (c) sewage (domestic & chemical fertilizers). Among the sample analyzed sewage, manure and septic sewage contribute 46%, 23% and 31% NO3- to groundwater. The HQ \u3e 1 indicates non-carcinogenic health risk due to consumption of high NO3- in drinking water. Among the studied age groups, infants are exposed to higher risk than children and adults. Results indicate that groundwater of this region is polluted with NO3- due to anthropogenic activities. Continuous consumption of such water may pose serious health risk to the residents

Impact of Memory Frequency Scaling on User-centric Smartphone Workloads

Improving battery life in mobile phones has become a top concern with the increase in memory and computing requirements of applications with tough quality-of-service needs. Many energy-efficient mobile solutions vary the CPU and GPU voltage/frequency to save power consumption. However, energy-aware control over the memory bus connecting the various on-chip subsystems has had much less interest. This measurement-based study first analyse the CPU, GPU and memory cost (i.e. product of utilisation and frequency) of user-centric smartphone workloads. The impact of memory frequency scaling on power consumption and quality-of-service is also measured. We also present a preliminary analysis into the frequency levels selected by the different default governors of the CPU/GPU/memory components.We show that an interdependency exists between the CPU and memory governors and that it may cause unnecessary increase in power consumption, due to interference with the CPU frequency governor. The observations made in this measurement-based study can also reveal some design insights to system designers

Association of conjunctival bacterial infection and female sex in cicatricial trachoma.

PURPOSE: Conjunctival infection with non-chlamydial bacteria may play an important role in the progression of trachoma, especially with regard to the development of corneal opacity and blindness. To further characterize the microbiological profile of bacterial conjunctival infections in cicatricial trachoma, a conjunctival swabbing of adults in rural Ethiopia was performed. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study conducted in nine Ethiopian villages with hyperendemic trachoma, persons 40 years of age or older with signs or symptoms consistent with trichiasis were recruited and conjunctival swabbing for bacterial pathogens was performed. RESULTS: Conjunctival examination and swabbing on 112 females and 36 males were performed. Of the 148 study participants, 101 (68.2%) were confirmed to have trichiasis, and 118 (80%) had conjunctival swabs positive for bacteria. In multivariate analyses, growth of pathogenic conjunctival bacteria was independently associated with trichiasis (odds ratio [OR] 6.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.71-17.7) and female sex (OR 5.90; 95% CI 2.09-16.7). Females were more likely to have swabs positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae than were males (OR 9.09; 95% CI 1.17-70.8). CONCLUSIONS: In a region of Ethiopia with endemic trachoma, conjunctival bacterial growth was more common in females than that in males. S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae, both of which frequently colonize the nasopharynx of children, were more common in females, suggesting that the preponderance of infection in females may be attributable to close contact with children. This finding is consistent with the theory that childcare activities may preferentially expose females to ocular chlamydial infection. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00221364.)

Molecular Mechanism of Uranium Reduction by Clostridia and its Manipulation

This research addresses the need for detailed studies of the enzymatic mechanisms for reduction of radionuclides and/or metals by fermentative microorganisms. The overall objective of this research is to elucidate systematically the molecular mechanisms involved in the reduction of uranium by Clostridia. We propose to (1) determine the role of hydrogenases in uranium reduction, (22) purify the enzymes involved in uranium reduction, (3) determine the mechanisms of reduction, e.g., one or two electron transfer reactions, and (4) elucidate the genetic control of the enzymes and cellular factors involved in uranium reduction. This is a collaborative study between BNL and Stanford University involving expertise in biomolecular science, biochemistry, microbiology, and electrochemistry

Prospective comparison of microbial culture and polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of corneal ulcer.

PURPOSE: To compare polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to microbial culture for the detection and identification of bacterial and fungal pathogens in microbial keratitis. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: A total of 108 consecutive corneal ulcers were cultured and analyzed by PCR using pan-bacterial and pan-fungal primers. PCR products were cloned, sequenced, and compared to culture results using standard bioinformatics tools. RESULTS: Of the 108 samples, 56 were culture-positive, 25 for bacteria and 31 for fungi; 52 were culture-negative. After eliminating false-positive PCR products, 94 of 108 were positive by PCR, 37 for bacteria and 57 for fungi. Nineteen of 25 bacterial culture-positive samples were positive by PCR, and 29 of 31 samples culture-positive for fungi were positive by PCR. The majority of sequenced PCR products matched the positive culture results. Of the 52 culture-negative samples, 46 (88%) yielded pathogen deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) PCR products, 18 bacterial and 28 fungal. These represented a variety of species, including at least three novel previously uncultured microbes. CONCLUSIONS: PCR detects microbial DNA in the majority of bacterial and fungal corneal ulcers, and identifies potentially pathogenic organisms in a high proportion of culture-negative cases. Yield and concordance with culture are higher for fungal than bacterial ulcers. Practical use of the technique is limited by artefactual amplification of nonpathogenic organisms. PCR may be used as an adjunct to culture to identify potential pathogens in microbial keratitis