Separation and recovery of organic acids from fermented kitchen waste by an integrated process

Organic acids produced from anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste were recovered using a new integrated method which consisted of freezing and thawing, centrifugation, filtration and evaporation. The main organic acid produced was lactic acid (98%). After the freezing and thawing process, 73% of the total suspended solids were removed and the organic acids were elevated from 59.0 to 70 g/L. The evaporation technique was used to further concentrate the organic acids up to 224 g/L. Using the integrated recovery method, the reduction of the total suspended solids in the solution achieved was about 93%. The material balance for the recovery process was also presented

Genetic analysis of some Egyptian rice genotypes using RAPD, SSR and AFLP

nformation of genetic similarities and diversity among superior Egyptian rice genotypes is necessary for future rice breeding programs and derivation of plant lines. Genetic variability and relationships among seven Egyptian rice genotypes namely Giza 178, Giza177, Giza 175, Giza171 Giza 172, Sakha 102, and Sakha 101 were established by using eight RAPD primers, six SSR primer pairs, eight AFLP primer combinations. The level of polymorphism as revealed by RAPD, SSR and AFLP was 72.2, 90, and 67.9%, respectively. The highest genetic relationship as revealed by combined RAPD, SSR, and AFLP was detected between Giza 175 and Giza177 (83.4%), while the lowest similarity was found between Giza 178 and Sakha 101 (61.5%). Dendrograms derived from different techniques include minor differences inclustering pattern but did not affect the main grouping of the different genotypes. Moreover RAPD, SSR and AFLP-based dendrograms clustered the two genotypes Giza171 and Giza 172 together and the two genotypes Giza 175 and Giza 177 in the same cluster. RAPD, SSR, and AFLP techniques characterized the seven rice varieties by a large number of unique markers, which revealed 17, 4, and 65 unique markers, respectively. It could be concluded that each type of the three molecular approaches of DNA analysis could identify the different rice genotypes, and some of the Egyptian rice genotypes under investigation have probably originated from closely related ancestors and possess high degree of genetic similarity

Postfault operation of an asymmetrical six-phase induction machine with single and two isolated neutral points

The paper presents a study of postfault control for an asymmetrical six-phase induction machine with single and two isolated neutral points, during single open-phase fault. Postfault control is based on the normal decoupling (Clarke) transformation, so that reconfiguration of the controller is minimized. Effect of the single open-phase fault on the machine equations under this control structure is discussed. Different modes of postfault operation are analyzed and are further compared in terms of the achievable torque and stator winding losses. Validity of the analysis is verified using experimental results obtained from a six-phase induction motor drive prototype. © 1986-2012 IEEE

TB or not TB?

Object: The aim of the study was to identify diagnoses that are confused with pulmonary tuberculosis in children. Design: Prospective, investigative clinical study. Setting: Tertiary care teaching hospital and an urban tuberculosis clinic in an area with a very high incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis (> 800 new cases/100 ODD/year). Patients: Children suspected of having tuberculosis, children followed up for pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia and children with congenital pulmonjiry anomalies were investigated. Intervention(s): None. Outcome measure: Pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed using modified World Health Organisation criteria and the diagnoses of those children not suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis were analysed. Results: Of the 354 children initially suspected of suffering from tuberculosis 71 (20%) were found to be suffering from other pulmonary disease, viz. pneumonia or bronchopneumonia (29%), bronchopneumonia with Wheezing (18%), and asthma with lobar or segmental collapse (12%). Of 14 children suffering from pulmonary infiltrates with peripheral eosinophilia 6 (43%) were initially incorrectly diagnosed and treated for tuberculosis. Of 54 children with congenital pulmonary anomalies, 8 (15%) were treated for tuberculosis before the correct diagnosis was made. Congenital anomalies most often confused with tuberculosis were unilateral lung hypoplasia, bronchogenic cyst and tracheal bronchus with an anomalous lobe. Conclusions: The criteria for diagnosing tuberculosis in children is complicated in areas with a high incidence of tuberculosis and poor socio-economic circumstances where many children presenting with conditions other than tuberculosis will be in contact with an adult case of pulmonary tuberculosis. The commonest conditions confused with tuberculosis are pneumonia, bronchopneumonia and asthma. Pulmonary infiltrates with  peripheral eosinophilia and congenital lung abnormalities should be considered especially if the children have an atypical clinical picture or do not respond to tuberculosis treatment.S Afr Med J 1995; 85: 658-66

Comparative study on the diversity performance between different microstrip antenna arrays

Institution of Engineering and Technology. All rights reserved. In this paper, a unique systematic comparative study between different microstrip antennas array types is presented. The study includes a comparison based on the mutual coupling (S 21 ) and the envelope correlation coefficient between four different antennas array types: (a) PIFA antenna, (b) patch antenna, (c) monopole antenna, (d) slot antenna. All these different microstrip antennas have been designed and printed on a thin 1.6 mm FR-4 substrate with dielectric constant (ѓ r = 4.4), suitable for wireless PCS applications (1.9 GHz). Numerical simulations are carried out using HFSS ver 17.0 software. The mutual coupling and envelope correlation coefficient between these different microstrip antennas are studied for various antenna separations. Also, another brief comparison is presented which based on the obtained results particularly in inputs return and radiation characteristics loss at fixed antenna separation, by determining the primarily associated parameters such as the bandwidth, gain, directivity, radiation efficiency. However; it is found that separation between multiple antenna elements is the most critical and crucial parameter affecting on the antenna diversity performance such as both the mutual coupling and the envelope correlation coefficient (primarily it will decrease linearly with the distance increment). This comparative study would be very helpful for RF design engineers to select suitable microstrip antenna type while designing antenna arrays at frequency 1.9 GHz for wireless PCS applications

Appetite, gut hormone and energy intake responses to low volume sprint interval and traditional endurance exercise.

Sprint interval exercise improves several health markers but the appetite and energy balance response is unknown. This study compared the effects of sprint interval and endurance exercise on appetite, energy intake and gut hormone responses. Twelve healthy males [mean (SD): age 23 (3) years, body mass index 24.2 (2.9) kg m(-2), maximum oxygen uptake 46.3 (10.2) mL kg(-1) min(-1)] completed three 8 h trials [control (CON), endurance exercise (END), sprint interval exercise (SIE)] separated by 1 week. Trials commenced upon completion of a standardised breakfast. Sixty minutes of cycling at 68.1 (4.3) % of maximum oxygen uptake was performed from 1.75-2.75 h in END. Six 30-s Wingate tests were performed from 2.25-2.75 h in SIE. Appetite ratings, acylated ghrelin and peptide YY (PYY) concentrations were measured throughout each trial. Food intake was monitored from buffet meals at 3.5 and 7 h and an overnight food bag. Appetite (P 0.05). Therefore, relative energy intake (energy intake minus the net energy expenditure of exercise) was lower in END than that in CON (15.7 %; P = 0.006) and SIE (11.5 %; P = 0.082). An acute bout of endurance exercise resulted in lower appetite perceptions in the hours after exercise than sprint interval exercise and induced a greater 24 h energy deficit due to higher energy expenditure during exercise

Tumour Suppressive Function and Modulation of Programmed Cell Death 4 (PDCD4) in Ovarian Cancer

Background: Programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4), originally identified as the neoplastic transformation inhibitor, was attenuated in various cancer types. Our previous study demonstrated a continuous down-regulation of PDCD4 expression in the sequence of normal-borderline-malignant ovarian tissue samples and a significant correlation of PDCD4 expression with disease-free survival. The objective of the current study was to further investigate the function and modulation of PDCD4 in ovarian cancer cells. Principal Findings: We demonstrated that ectopic PDCD4 expression significantly inhibited cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest at G1 stage and up-regulation of cell cycle inhibitors of p27 and p21. Cell migration and invasion were also inhibited by PDCD4. PDCD4 over-expressing cells exhibited elevated phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and inhibited protein kinase B (p-Akt). In addition, the expression of PDCD4 was up-regulated and it was exported to the cytoplasm upon serum withdrawal treatment, but it was rapidly depleted via proteasomal degradation upon serum re-administration. Treatment of a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor prevented the degradation of PDCD4, indicating the involvement of PI3K-Akt pathway in the modulation of PDCD4. Conclusion: PDCD4 may play a critical function in arresting cell cycle progression at key checkpoint, thus inhibiting cell proliferation, as well as suppressing tumour metastasis. The PI3K-Akt pathway was implied to be involved in the regulatio

Signaling network map of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor

We thank the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India for research support to the Institute of Bioinformatics, Bangalore. We thank the “Infosys Foundation” for research support to the Institute of Bioinformatics. We thank UK India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) for generous grant support. SDY is a recipient of DST-INSPIRE Senior Research Fellowship from Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. AR and JA are recipients of Senior Research Fellowship from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India. RR is a recipient of Research Associateship from Department of Biotechnology, Government of India

Clinicopathological Profile and Surgical Treatment of Abdominal Tuberculosis: A Single Centre Experience in Northwestern Tanzania.

Abdominal tuberculosis continues to be a major public health problem worldwide and poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to general surgeons practicing in resource-limited countries. This study was conducted to describe the clinicopathological profile and outcome of surgical treatment of abdominal tuberculosis in our setting and compare with what is described in literature. A prospective descriptive study of patients who presented with abdominal tuberculosis was conducted at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) in northwestern Tanzania from January 2006 to February 2012. Ethical approval to conduct the study was obtained from relevant authorities. Statistical data analysis was performed using SPSS version 17.0. Out of 256 patients enrolled in the study, males outnumbered females. The median age was 28 years (range = 16-68 years). The majority of patients (77.3%) had primary abdominal tuberculosis. A total of 127 (49.6%) patients presented with intestinal obstruction, 106 (41.4%) with peritonitis, 17 (6.6%) with abdominal masses and 6 (2.3%) patients with multiple fistulae in ano. Forty-eight (18.8%) patients were HIV positive. A total of 212 (82.8%) patients underwent surgical treatment for abdominal tuberculosis. Bands /adhesions (58.5%) were the most common operative findings. Ileo-caecal region was the most common bowel involved in 122 (57.5%) patients. Release of adhesions and bands was the most frequent surgical procedure performed in 58.5% of cases. Complication and mortality rates were 29.7% and 18.8% respectively. The overall median length of hospital stay was 32 days and was significantly longer in patients with complications (p < 0.001). Advanced age (age ≥ 65 years), co-morbid illness, late presentation, HIV positivity and CD4+ count < 200 cells/μl were statistically significantly associated with mortality (p < 0.0001). The follow up of patients were generally poor as only 37.5% of patients were available for follow up at twelve months after discharge. Abdominal tuberculosis constitutes a major public health problem in our environment and presents a diagnostic challenge requiring a high index of clinical suspicion. Early diagnosis, early anti-tuberculous therapy and surgical treatment of the associated complications are essential for survival