Soot mass estimation from electrical capacitance tomography imaging for a diesel particulate filter

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)The Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) method has recently been adapted to obtain tomographic images of the cross section of a diesel particulate filter (DPF). However, a soot mass estimation algorithm is still needed to translate the ECT image pixel data to obtain soot load in the DPF. In this research, we propose an estimation method to quantify the soot load in a DPF through an inverse algorithm that uses the ECT images commonly generated by a back-projection algorithm. The grayscale pixel data generated from ECT is used in a matrix equation to estimate the permittivity distribution of the cross section of the DPF. Since these permittivity data has direct correlation with the soot mass present inside the DPF, a permittivity to soot mass distribution relationship is established first. A numerical estimation algorithm is then developed to compute the soot mass accounting for the mass distribution across the cross-section of the DPF as well as the dimension of the DPF along the exhaust flow direction. Firstly, ANSYS Electronic Desktop software is used to compute the capacitance matrix for different amounts of soot filled in the DPF, furthermore it also analyzed different soot distribution types applied to the DPF. The Analysis helped in constructing the sensitivity matrix which was used in the numerical estimation algorithm. Experimental data have been further used to verify the proposed soot estimation algorithm which compares the estimated values with the actual measured soot mass to validate the performance of the proposed algorithm

Stiff Person syndrome: a case report

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is rather unique among neurologic diagnoses. At relaxation, motor- unit activation, continuous agonist and antagonist muscular contractions, as well as contractions triggered by tactile triggers, quiescent stretch, and involuntary movement of affected or unaffected musculature, startled sounds and emotional stimuli are the clinical signs of SPS. Sleep, general anesthesia, myoneural, and peripheral nerve blockage all help to reduce rigidity and spasms. The syndrome may be a sporadic autoimmune syndrome (associated with anti–glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies and often accompanied by other autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes) or paraneoplastic (associated with anti–amphiphysin antibodies). People with SPS respond to high doses of diazepam and several anti-convulsants, gabapentin and tiagabine. Immunomodulatory drugs including steroids, plasmapheresis, and intravenous immunoglobulin appear to help significantly. The symptoms of our patient progressed slowly over time. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies ruled out other possible causes of comparable symptoms such as neuromyotonia. Raised anti-GAD autoantibodies titer in serum found by immunocytochemistry assays, our patient's history, clinical examination findings, and reaction to benzodiazepines all pointed to SPS.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM LEVELS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION OF BORON ON WHEAT YIELD

From the present study, it could be concluded that the highest concentration of nitrogen in wheat grains was obtained at 90 kg N fed-1 in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. Increasing nitrogen levels increased the amount of nitrogen uptake by grains of wheat. Also the crude protein (%) in grains increased gradually with increasing nitrogen level in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. The highest concentration of K in grains of wheat was obtained at the high levels of nitrogen in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. Also the highest amounts of K uptake by the grains of wheat were recorded by the high levels of nitrogen in the presence of potassium and spraying of boron

Efficiency Increase and Fuel Save Benefits of Combined Cycle Operation (Garri Power Plant as a Case Study)

Thermal power plants’ overall efficiency increase, and fuel consumption decrease draw worldwide researcher’s attention due to the limited resources and high cost of fossil fuel. Considering Al-Jaily power plant, the so-called Garri power plants 1 and 2 in Sudan as the case study, this paper compares overall plant efficiency and fuel save with the combined cycle and open cycle operation in which both plants could run. Evaluation of plant’s efficiency is based on the first law of thermodynamics. The results reveal advantage of the combined cycle operation mode in terms of efficiency increase, and on the other hand, in terms of fuel consumption decrease with the same amount of energy produced

How Does The Fasting of Ramadan Affect Breast Milk Constituents?

Background: Breast-feeding of infants is associated with their better biological, psychological and intellectual development. However, many factors affect the volume and composition of human milk such as stage of lactation and maternal diet. Many breast-feeding Muslim mothers fast the lunar month of Ramadan. The effects of fasting on milk constituents have not been previously studied in Sudan. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the variations between milk constituents during fasting and non-fasting periods among a group of Sudanese women.Materials and Methods: Twenty four healthy breast-feeding mothers volunteered to participate in this cross-sectional study. Each mother provided 100 ml of breast milk during fasting and again 2 weeks after end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Milk was properly stored and analyzed for the various constituents, using the appropriate laboratory methods. The main constituents analyzed were: ash, protein, lactose, iron and electrolytes.Results: The age range of lactating women was between 18 and 38 years, mean (+SD) 28.8 (± 5.15 years). Most mothers 17 (70.8%) were house-wives. Analysis of breast milk during fasting and non-fasting periods showed that: lactose, protein, sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphate were significantly decreased in the fasting breast milk compared with the non-fasting milk (p=0.01), while total soluble solid, moisture, ash and iron constituents had not significantly changed during fasting.Conclusion: Fasting of Ramdan significantly affects proteins, carbohydrates and electrolytes in breast milk.Keywords: breast-feeding, milk constituents, Ramadan, fasting

Selenium and Nano-Selenium Biofortification for Human Health

Selenium is an essential micronutrient required for the health of humans and lower plants, but its importance for higher plants is still being investigated. The biological functions of Se related to human health revolve around its presence in 25 known selenoproteins (e.g., selenocysteine or the 21st amino acid). Humans may receive their required Se through plant uptake of soil Se, foods enriched in Se, or Se dietary supplements. Selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) have been applied to biofortified foods and feeds. Due to low toxicity and high e ciency, Se-NPs are used in applications such as cancer therapy and nano-medicines. Selenium and nano-selenium may be able to support and enhance the productivity of cultivated plants and animals under stressful conditions because they are antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic agents, with antioxidant capacity and immune-modulatory efficacy. Thus, nano-selenium could be inserted in the feeds of fish and livestock to improvise stress resilience and productivity. This review offers new insights in Se and Se-NPs biofortification for edible plants and farm animals under stressful environments. Further, extensive research on Se-NPs is required to identify possible adverse effects on humans and their cytotoxicity.Peer Reviewe

Physical activity level and stroke risk in US population: A matched case-control study of 102,578 individuals

Background: Stroke has been linked to a lack of physical activity; however, the extent of the association between inactive lifestyles and stroke risk has yet to be characterized across large populations. Purpose: This study aimed to explore the association between activity-related behaviors and stroke incidence. Methods: Data from 1999 to 2018 waves of the concurrent cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were extracted. We analyzed participants characteristics and outcomes for all participants with data on whether they had a stroke or not and assessed how different forms of physical activity affect the incidence of disease. Results: Of the 102,578 individuals included, 3851 had a history of stroke. A range of activity-related behaviors was protective against stroke, including engaging in moderate-intensity work over the last 30 days (OR = 0.8, 95% CI = 0.7-0.9; P = 0.001) and vigorous-intensity work activities over the last 30 days (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.5-0.8; P \u3c 0.001), and muscle-strengthening exercises (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.5-0.8; P \u3c 0.001). Conversely, more than 4 h of daily TV, video, or computer use was positively associated with the likelihood of stroke (OR = 11.7, 95% CI = 2.1-219.2; P = 0.022). Conclusion: Different types, frequencies, and intensities of physical activity were associated with reduced stroke incidence, implying that there is an option for everyone. Daily or every other day activities are more critical in reducing stroke than reducing sedentary behavior duration

Distance and Engagement: Hegel’s Account of Critical Reflection

Hegel famously argues that Kant’s account of critical distance depends upon an impoverished conception of freedom. In its place, Hegel introduces a richer conception of freedom, according to which the self who is capable of self-determination is multifaceted: wanting and thinking, social and individual. This richer conception gives rise to an account of critical reflection that emphasizes engagement with our motives and practices rather than radical detachment from them. But what is most distinctive about Hegel’s account is the idea that when we reflect upon motives and practices, we draw upon shared self-understandings that are neither universal nor just particular to individuals. There is, Hegel argues, no presocial identity or self that can be detached from our socially constituted contexts of thought and value. This has important implications for how we conceive of critical reflection

Biopiracy <i>versus </i>one-world medicine – from colonial relicts to global collaborative concepts

Background: Practices of biopiracy to use genetic resources and indigenous knowledge by Western companies without benefit-sharing of those, who generated the traditional knowledge, can be understood as form of neocolonialism.Hypothesis: : The One-World Medicine concept attempts to merge the best of traditional medicine from developing countries and conventional Western medicine for the sake of patients around the globe.Study design: Based on literature searches in several databases, a concept paper has been written. Legislative initiatives of the United Nations culminated in the Nagoya protocol aim to protect traditional knowledge and regulate benefit-sharing with indigenous communities. The European community adopted the Nagoya protocol, and the corresponding regulations will be implemented into national legislation among the member states. Despite pleasing progress, infrastructural problems of the health care systems in developing countries still remain. Current approaches to secure primary health care offer only fragmentary solutions at best. Conventional medicine from industrialized countries cannot be afforded by the impoverished population in the Third World. Confronted with exploding costs, even health systems in Western countries are endangered to burst. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular among the general public in industrialized countries, although the efficacy is not sufficiently proven according to the standards of evidence-based medicine. CAM is often available without prescription as over-the-counter products with non-calculated risks concerning erroneous self-medication and safety/toxicity issues. The concept of integrative medicine attempts to combine holistic CAM approaches with evidence-based principles of conventional medicine.Conclusion: To realize the concept of One-World Medicine, a number of standards have to be set to assure safety, efficacy and applicability of traditional medicine, e.g. sustainable production and quality control of herbal products, performance of placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trials, phytovigilance, as well as education of health professionals and patients

A convenient method for the synthesis of (prop-2-ynyloxy)benzene derivatives via reaction with propargyl bromide, their optimization, scope and biological evaluation

A highly convenient method has been developed for the synthesis of (prop-2-ynyloxy) benzene and its derivatives. Differently substituted phenol and aniline derivatives were allowed to react with propargyl bromide in the presence of K2CO3 base and acetone as solvent. The compounds were synthesized in good yields (53–85%). Low cost, high yields and easy availability of compounds helped in the synthesis. Electron withdrawing groups favor the formation of stable phenoxide ion thus in turn favors the formation of product while electron donating groups do not favor the reaction. Phenol derivatives gave good yields as compared to that of aniline. As aprotic polar solvents favor SN2 type reactions so acetone provided best solvation for the reactions. K2CO3 was proved to be good for the synthesis. Antibacterial, Antiurease and NO scavenging activity of synthesized compounds were also examined. 4-bromo-2-chloro-1-(prop-2-ynyloxy)benze​ne2a was found most active compound against urease enzyme with a percentage inhibition of 82.00±0.09 at 100 µg/mL with IC50 value of 60.2. 2-bromo-4-methyl-1-(prop-2-ynyloxy)benze​ne2d was found potent antibacterial against Bacillus subtillus showing excellent inhibitory action with percentage inhibition of 55.67±0.26 at 100 µg/ml wih IC50 value of 79.9. Based on results, it can be concluded that some of the synthesized compounds may have potential antiurease and antibacterial effects against several harmful substances