The degradtion of humic substance using continuous photocatalysis systems

Photocatalytic oxidation is an emerging technology in water and wastewater treatment. Photocatalysis often leads to complete degradation of organic pollutants without the need for chemicals. This study investigated the degradation of humic substances in water using photocatalysis systems coupled with physio-chemical processes such as adsorption and/or flocculation. Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) removal of PAC-TiO2 was improved by a factor of two to three times compared with TiO2 alone. Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME)/Gas Chromatograph (GC) flame ionisation detector (FID) was used to investigate intermediates of photocatalytic oxidation in a batch reactor with TiO2 alone and with powder activated carbon (PAC) with TiO2. GC peaks showed that PAC-TiO2 adsorbed some by-products which were photo-resistant and prevented the reverse reaction that occurred when TiO2 was used alone. The two other types of photocatalytic reactors used were the continuous photocatalytic reactor and recirculated photocatalytic reactor. The results show that the recirculated reactor had the highest efficiency in removing organic matter in a short photo-oxidation (detention) time of less than 10min. The use of PAC-TiO2 in recirculated continuous reactor resulted in 80% removal of organic matter even when it was operated for a short detention time and allowed the use of a smaller dose of TiO2

Multi-serotype pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage prevalence in vaccine naïve Nepalese children, assessed using molecular serotyping.

Invasive pneumococcal disease is one of the major causes of death in young children in resource poor countries. Nasopharyngeal carriage studies provide insight into the local prevalence of circulating pneumococcal serotypes. There are very few data on the concurrent carriage of multiple pneumococcal serotypes. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and serotype distribution of pneumococci carried in the nasopharynx of young healthy Nepalese children prior to the introduction of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine using a microarray-based molecular serotyping method capable of detecting multi-serotype carriage. We conducted a cross-sectional study of healthy children aged 6 weeks to 24 months from the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between May and October 2012. Nasopharyngeal swabs were frozen and subsequently plated on selective culture media. DNA extracts of plate sweeps of pneumococcal colonies from these cultures were analysed using a molecular serotyping microarray capable of detecting relative abundance of multiple pneumococcal serotypes. 600 children were enrolled into the study: 199 aged 6 weeks to <6 months, 202 aged 6 months to < 12 months, and 199 aged 12 month to 24 months. Typeable pneumococci were identified in 297/600 (49.5%) of samples with more than one serotype being found in 67/297 (20.2%) of these samples. The serotypes covered by the thirteen-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine were identified in 44.4% of samples containing typeable pneumococci. Application of a molecular serotyping approach to identification of multiple pneumococcal carriage demonstrates a substantial prevalence of co-colonisation. Continued surveillance utilising this approach following the introduction of routine use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccinates in infants will provide a more accurate understanding of vaccine efficacy against carriage and a better understanding of the dynamics of subsequent serotype and genotype replacement

On the large sunfish landed near Mandapam

A sunfish, Ranzania laevis (Pennant) measuring 660 mm total length was caught on 5.3.1998 in shoreseine near Mandapam in Palk Bay. In fresh condition its colour was bluish with dark above and pale white below with small hexagonal plates and smooth skin. Six streaks of lighter colour bordered with dark descended from snout to gill slits and curved downwards to the ventral profile. The posterior three streaks were branched with dark spots. The lips were produced forward beyond the teeth closing as a vertical slit

Stark tuning of the charge states of a two-donor molecule in silicon

Gate control of phosphorus donor based charge qubits in Si is investigated using a tight-binding approach. Excited molecular states of P2+ are found to impose limits on the allowed donor separations and operating gate voltages. The effects of surface (S) and barrier (B) gates are analyzed in various voltage regimes with respect to the quantum confined states of the whole device. Effects such as interface ionization, saturation of the tunnel coupling, sensitivity to donor and gate placement are also studied. It is found that realistic gate control is smooth for any donor separation, although at certain donor orientations the S and B gates may get switched in functionality. This paper outlines and analyzes the various issues that are of importance in practical control of such donor molecular systems.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

Interoceptive Ability Predicts Survival on a London Trading Floor.

Interoception is the sensing of physiological signals originating inside the body, such as hunger, pain and heart rate. People with greater sensitivity to interoceptive signals, as measured by, for example, tests of heart beat detection, perform better in laboratory studies of risky decision-making. However, there has been little field work to determine if interoceptive sensitivity contributes to success in real-world, high-stakes risk taking. Here, we report on a study in which we quantified heartbeat detection skills in a group of financial traders working on a London trading floor. We found that traders are better able to perceive their own heartbeats than matched controls from the non-trading population. Moreover, the interoceptive ability of traders predicted their relative profitability, and strikingly, how long they survived in the financial markets. Our results suggest that signals from the body - the gut feelings of financial lore - contribute to success in the markets.UK Economic and Social Research Council (Programme Grant), European Research Council (Grant ID: ERC AdG324150:CCFIB), Dr. Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, ARC DECRA Fellowship, Queensland Smart Future FundThis is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Nature Publishing Group via https://doi.org/10.1038/srep3298

SOME ABSTRACT PROPERTIES OF SEMIGROUPS APPEARING IN SUPERCONFORMAL THEORIES

A new type of semigroups which appears while dealing with $N=1$ superconformal symmetry in superstring theories is considered. The ideal series having unusual abstract properties is constructed. Various idealisers are introduced and studied. The ideal quasicharacter is defined. Green's relations are found and their connection with the ideal quasicharacter is established.Comment: 11 page

Foam-mat Drying of Papaya (Carica Papaya L.) using Glycerol monostearate as Foaming Agent

The study was carried out to production of papaya powder using glycerol mono-stearate as foaming agent under foam-mat drying technique. Foaming, drying, reconstitution, quality and sensory attributes of dried papaya powder were investigated. Foams were prepared from papaya pulp by adding different concentration of glycerol monostearate (1, 2, 3 and 4% w/w) at whipping time of 5, 10 and 15 min. The foam expansion was significantly influenced by pulp concentration and levels of the foaming agent at 1% level. The maximum stable foam formation was 90% at 3% glycerol monostearate with 9°Brix pulp concentration and whipping time of 10 min. The resulting foams were dried at air temperatures of 60, 65 and 70°C with foam thickness of 2, 4, 6 and 8 mm in a batch type cabinet dryer under air flow rate of 2.25 m3/min. Lower drying temperature and higher foam thickness resulted in longer drying time. Biochemical and sensory properties of fresh papaya fruit and reconstituted juice from foam-mat dried papaya powder were determined. Biochemical analysis results showed a significant (P?0.05) reduction in ascorbic acid, ?-carotene and total sugars in the foamed papaya dried product at higher foam thickness (6 and 8 mm) and temperature (65 and 70°C due to destruction at higher drying temperature and increasing time. There was no significant change in other biochemical constituents such as pH and acidity. The sensory attributes of papaya powder juice were significantly (P?0.01) influenced by drying temperature and was compared with fresh papaya juice. The papaya powder obtained from the foam thickness of 4 mm and dried at 60°C was found to be optimum to produce the foam-mat dried papaya powder. Keywords: papaya pulp, glycerol monostearate, whipping, foam expansion, foam thickness, drying, moisture conten