Biokinetics Of microbial consortia using biogenic sulfur as a novel electron donor for sustainable denitrification

In this study, the biokinetics of autotrophic denitrification with biogenic S0 (ADBIOS) for the treatment of nitrogen pollution in wastewaters were investigated. The used biogenic S0, a by-product of gas desulfurization, was an elemental microcrystalline orthorhombic sulfur with a median size of 4.69 µm and a specific surface area of 3.38 m2/g, which made S0 particularly reactive and bioavailable. During denitritation, the biomass enriched on nitrite (NO2–) was capable of degrading up to 240 mg/l NO2–-N with a denitritation activity of 339.5 mg NO2–-N/g VSS·d. The use of biogenic S0 induced a low NO2–-N accumulation, hindering the NO2–-N negative impact on the denitrifying consortia and resulting in a specific denitrification activity of 223.0 mg NO3–-N/g VSS·d. Besides Thiobacillus being the most abundant genus, Moheibacter and Thermomonas were predominantly selected for denitrification and denitritation, respectively

Biologically-inspired transport of solid spherical nanoparticles in an electrically-conducting viscoelastic fluid with heat transfer

Bio-inspired pumping systems exploit a variety of mechanisms including peristalsis to achieve more efficient propulsion. Non-conducting, uniformly dispersed, spherical nano-sized solid particles suspended in viscoelastic medium forms a complex working matrix. Electromagnetic pumping systems often employ complex working fluids. A simulation of combined electromagnetic bio-inspired propulsion is observed in the present article. Currents formation has increasingly more applications in mechanical and medical industries. A mathematical study is conducted for magnetohydrodynamic pumping of a bi-phase nanofluid coupled with heat transfer in a planar channel. Two-phase model is employed to separately identity the effects of solid nanoparticles. Base fluid employs Jeffery’s model to address viscoelastic characteristics. The model is simplified using of long wavelength and creeping flow approximations. The formulation is taken to wave frame and non-dimensionalize the equations. The resulting boundary value problem is solved analytically, and exact expressions are derived for the fluid velocity, particulate velocity, fluid/particle temperature, fluid and particulate volumetric flow rates, axial pressure gradient and pressure rise. The influence of volume fraction density, Prandtl number, Hartmann number, Eckert number and relaxation time on flow and thermal characteristics is evaluated in detail. The axial flow is accelerated with increasing relaxation time and greater volume fraction whereas it is decelerated with greater Hartmann number. Both fluid and particulate temperature are increased with increment in Eckert and Prandtl number whereas it is reduced when the volume fraction density increases. With increasing Hartmann, number pressure rise is reduced. Furthermore, pressure is reduced with greater relaxation time in the retrograde pumping region whereas it is elevated in the co-pumping and free pumping regions. The number of the trapped boluses is decreased whereas the quantity of boluses increases with a rise in volume fraction density of particles

Consumer Perception towards Online Marketing in India

The growing use of Internet in India provides varied opportunities for online shopping from both customer and seller perspective. If Electronic marketers (E-Marketers) know the factors affecting online Indian behavior, the relationships between these factors and the type of online buyers, they can further develop their marketing strategies to convert potential buyers into active buyerswhile retainingits original customer base. This study focuses on the factors which online buyers takes into consideration while shopping online. This research will help in finding the impact of e-market on customers' purchasing patterns and how their security and privacy concerns about online marketinginfluences their online buying behavior. The study will further encompass the various important inputs which will equip the marketers for creating online marketing more lucrative and assured by adding value to the existing services

Relevance of progesterone receptor immunohistochemical staining to Oncotype DX recurrence score

AbstractObjective/BackgroundProgesterone-receptor negativity (PR−) is predictive of adverse outcomes in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. The Oncotype DX assay provides risk stratification for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) invasive breast cancer; however, the association of PR status and Oncotype DX recurrence scores (RSs) is less clear.MethodsWe designed an analysis to determine whether a significant difference exists in the RS for ER+/PR− tumors when compared with ER+/PR+ breast cancer. Three hundred and fifty patients with HR+ invasive breast cancer who underwent Oncotype DX testing at our institution from December 2006 to October 2013 were included. We also examined the concordance in the HR status reported by immunohistochemical (IHC) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance, F test, t test, and chi-square tests. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine significant predictors of Oncotype DX RS.ResultsA total of 301 patients had ER+/PR+ tumors and 47 patients had ER+/PR− tumors by IHC. PR− tumors had a significantly higher RS than PR+ tumors (24.7±8.53 vs. 17.3±7.38; p<.001), predicting a greater 10-year risk of distant recurrence. Multivariate linear regression showed PR status and tumor grade to be significant predictors of Oncotype DX RS (p<.0001). A total of 284 patients had HR status reported by Oncotype DX assay. Concordance between IHC and RT-PCR was 99.3% for ER and 88.7% for PR.ConclusionOur study shows that ER+/PR− breast cancer tumors are associated with a significantly higher Oncotype DX scores; this interprets into a higher risk of recurrence. Our data also show that the concordance between IHC and RT-PCR was 99.3% for ER and lower at 88.7% for PR