Wax co-cracking synergism of high density polyethylene to alternative fuels

AbstractAttempts have been made to understand the thermal degradation of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and their combined co-cracking using different ratios of HDPE and petroleum wax under nitrogen atmosphere. We have conducted the experiments using HDPE as the raw material and petroleum wax as co-feed by at 400 and 450°C reaction temperatures. The product distribution was noted along with reaction time of 0.5–3h for the degradation. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) technique was used to measure the weight change of the feedstock as a function of temperature and time. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the degradation temperature. Products were characterized using gas chromatography (GC) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), some other standard physical methods were used to determine the main properties of the liquid products. Results show that the mixed plastic-wax samples could be converted into gases, gasoline, and middle distillate depending upon the composition of feed polymer/wax ratio. It was found that the products mostly consisted of paraffin and olefin compounds, with carbon numbers of C1–C4, C5–C9 and C10–C19 in the case of gases, gasoline and middle distillate respectively

Preliminary analysis of growth and yield parameters in rice cultivars when exposed to different transplanting dates

The growing seasons usually depends on the seedling transplanting dates. Proper sowing time is good cultural practice to complete growing phase successfully. This research was conducted on the basis of randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement (three replicates) during the 2012 cropping season at Rice Research Institute of Iran, Mazandaran. Three seedling transplanting dates (1st May, 21st May and 10th June) and six rice cultivars (‘Neda’, ‘Hovaze’, ‘Hashemi’, ‘Domsiah’, ‘Tarom’ and ‘Fajr’) were studied. Among the studied cultivars, ‘Neda’, transplanted on 21st May, recorded higher effective tillers, fertile spikelets, bolder grains with greater 1000-grain weight and grain yield. However, panicle exertion, 1000-grain weight and fertile spikelets were equally greater with non-significant differences in 1st and 21st May except for plant height which declined in the early and mid transplanting. The suitability of early and mid transplanting was mainly due to favourable weather temperature during the growing phase. Correlation coefficient analysis showed that a unit increase in effective tillers, total number of spikelets and 1000-grain weight correspondingly increased grain yield by 236.6, 39.4 and 72.1 kg/ha, respectively. Irrespective of cultivars type, the late transplanting of 10th June increased plant height while it decreased important yield components. Observed trends associated with growth and yield features were found to be similar in all the studied cultivars. The study concludes that rice crop may be sown on early and mid transplanting dates (1st or 21st May) for achieving better growth and grain yield

A qualitative study exploring perceptions and attitudes of community pharmacists about extended pharmacy services in Lahore, Pakistan

Background In recent decades, community pharmacies reported a change of business model, whereby a shift from traditional services to the provision of extended roles was observed. However, such delivery of extended pharmacy services (EPS) is reported from the developed world, and there is scarcity of information from the developing nations. Within this context, the present study was aimed to explore knowledge, perception and attitude of community pharmacists (CPs) about EPS and their readiness and acceptance for practice change in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. Methods A qualitative approach was used to gain an in-depth knowledge of the issues. By using a semi-structured interview guide, 12 CPs practicing in the city of Lahore, Pakistan were conveniently selected. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and were then analyzed for thematic contents by the standard content analysis framework. Results Thematic content analysis yielded five major themes. (1) Familiarity with EPS, (2) current practice of EPS, (3) training needed to provide EPS, (4) acceptance of EPS and (5) barriers toward EPS. Majority of the CPs were unaware of EPS and only a handful had the concept of extended services. Although majority of our study respondents were unaware of pharmaceutical care, they were ready to accept practice change if provided with the required skills and training. Lack of personal knowledge, poor public awareness, inadequate physician-pharmacist collaboration and deprived salary structures were reported as barriers towards the provision of EPS at the practice settings. Conclusion Although the study reported poor awareness towards EPS, the findings indicated a number of key themes that can be used in establishing the concept of EPS in Pakistan. Over all, CPs reported a positive attitude toward practice change provided to the support and facilitation of health and community based agencies in Pakistan

Relationship among oral health status, bolus formation and food comfortability during consumption of model cheeses in elderly

International audienceThe aim of this study was to investigate the impact of oral impairment on chewing behaviour, food bolus properties and food comfortability during elderly consumption of model cheeses. Seventy-two elderly persons (aged 66 to 88) was recruited and classified into two groups according to dental status (poor vs. satisfactory). They showed a wide range of salivary flow rates whatever their dental status (stimulated: 0.2-3.8 mL min-1, resting: 0.1-0.8 mL min-1). Standardized bites of four model cheeses with an identical composition but different textures (soft, hard, processed and whipped) were tested. The time and number of chewing cycles required to form a bolus were measured. The rheological properties of the bolus were studied, as was saliva moistening. Food comfortability was assessed by means of a questionnaire composed of 5 sections (1-oral comfort, 2-bolus formation, 3-pain, 4-texture and 5-flavour perception). The chewing parameters measured were not modified by the oral health. However, elderly with poor dentition formed harder boluses than elderly with satisfactory dentition. Moreover, for elderly with poor dentition, the quantity of saliva incorporated into the bolus was correlated with the stimulated salivary flow rate, which was not the case for elderly with satisfactory dentition. General oral comfort and its different attributes were poorly associated with the oral health of the elderly. A multifactorial analysis performed on an average cheese showed that food comfortability is independent of changes in the hardness and moistening of the bolus, regardless of dental status. In particular, poor dental status increases the hardness of the bolus without modifying its comfortability