Synthesis of heterogeneous catalyst for the production of biodiesel from soybean oil

This study explore the comparison of a suitable heterogeneous catalyst for conversion of triglyceride into fatty acid methyl ester. A series of heterogeneous cerium, manganese, and zinc oxide catalyst supported at mixture of cinder was prepared by co-precipitation and applied for conversion of triglyceride in oil to biodiesel using methanol as solvent. Results showed that a maximum TG conversion of 99% was obtained in the transesterification reaction catalyzed by CeSO4+MnSO4+K2CO3  catalyst calcinated in 5 h at 600oC under the optimal conditions as catalyst amount of 3%, Ce:Mn:K molar ratio of 1:1:1. The catalytic activity of catalyst at 70 ºC reaction temperature was over 90% after 6h. The experimental data were satisfactorily predicted at 99% confidence level. However, due to high and efficient yield CeSO4+MnSO4+K2CO3 catalyst was identified as the most potential catalyst.Keywords: biodiesel fuel; heterogeneous; trans-esterification; rare earth metals; eco-friendly regent; used oi

Robust foreground modelling to segment and detect multiple moving objects in videos

Last decade has witnessed an ever increasing number of video surveillance installations due to the rise of security concerns worldwide. With this comes the need for video analysis for fraud detection, crime investigation, traffic monitoring to name a few. For any kind of video analysis application, detection of moving objects in videos is a fundamental step. In this paper, an efficient foreground modelling method to segment multiple moving objects is implemented. Proposed method significantly reduces noise thereby accurately segmenting region of interest under dynamic conditions while handling occlusion to a large extent. Extensive performance analysis shows that the proposed method was found to give far better results when compared to the de facto standard as well as relatively new approaches used for moving object detection

Recurrent pregnancy loss at gynecology and obstetrical hospital in Duhok Province

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss is physically and emotionally harmful for mothers. This study aimed to find out the prevalence and associated factors of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in pregnant women in Duhok province.Methods: In this retrospective study, the medical records of the patients who had pregnancy loss and registered in Duhok Maternity Hospital were reviewed for the period of January - December 2019. Accordingly, 300 women aged 18 years and older with pregnancy loss were included in this study.Results: The prevalence of EPL was 16.3%. The study found that patients with RPL were statistically older compared to those patients without RPL, (39.27 vs. 33.24 years; P<0.001), respectively. Besides, the RPL group had a significantly higher percentage of family history of pregnancy loss (12.24% vs. 1.20%; P<0.001). The patients with RPL had significantly higher prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (14.29% vs. 3.59%; P=0.002), cervical incompetence (8.16% vs. 0.80%; P=0.002), structural abnormalities of uterus (14.29% vs. 4.8%; P=0.012), and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (40.82% vs. 11.95%; P<0.001). There was no significant association of RPL with smoking (P=0.261).Conclusions: This study revealed a high prevalence of RPL in patients with pregnancy loss. Also, the study showed that the patients in the RPL group were significantly older and had a higher prevalence of medical illnesses; including chlamydia trachomatis, cervical incompetence, structural anomalies of the uterus, and polycystic ovarian syndrome

Life after prostate cancer: A systematic literature review and thematic synthesis of the post-treatment experiences of Black African and Black Caribbean men

© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Evidence shows that there are significant ethnic variations in prostate cancer prevalence and outcomes. Specifically, Black African and Black Caribbean men may encounter different post-treatment experiences than Caucasian men due to their disproportionately higher risk of being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. But to date, no review of these experiences has been undertaken. This review synthesised findings from existing literature on the post-treatment experiences of Black African and Black Caribbean men with prostate cancer and identified pertinent issues which may be useful to inform practice and future research. Seven databases were systematically searched using developed search terms. Four qualitative studies were identified and critically appraised. Findings are summarised under four main themes: symptom experience, healthcare experience, marital and social relationships and coping strategies. Cultural definitions of masculinity influenced the meanings men gave to their post-treatment experiences. While men's experiences of healthcare varied, the provision of professional support to address their post-treatment distress was lacking. Men derived most support from wives, peers and church communities. A culturally sensitive approach which recognises diversity among Black African and Black Caribbean populations and treats individuals within their religious and socio-cultural contexts could potentially improve men's post-treatment experiences. Areas for further research were also identified

Does bracing affect bone health in women with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?

Purpose: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is often associated with low bone mineral content and density (BMC, BMD). Bracing, used to manage spine curvature, may interfere with the growth-related BMC accrual, resulting in reduced bone strength into adulthood. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of brace treatment on BMC in adult women, diagnosed with AIS and braced in early adolescence. Methods: Participants included women with AIS who: (i) underwent brace treatment (AIS-B, n = 15, 25.6 ± 5.8 yrs), (ii) underwent no treatment (AIS, n = 15, 24.0 ± 4.0 yrs), and (iii) a healthy comparison group (CON, n = 19, 23.5 ± 3.8 yrs). BMC and body composition were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Differences between groups were examined using a oneway ANOVA or ANCOVA, as appropriate. Results: AIS-B underwent brace treatment 27.9 ± 21.6 months, for 18.0 ± 5.4 h/d. Femoral neck BMC was lower (p = 0.06) in AIS-B (4.54 ± 0.10 g) compared with AIS (4.89 ± 0.61 g) and CON (5.07 ± 0.58 g). Controlling for lean body mass, calcium and vitamin D daily intake, and strenuous physical activity, femoral neck BMC was statistically different (p = 0.02) between groups. A similar pattern was observed at other lower extremity sites (p < 0.05), but not in the spine or upper extremities. BMC and BMD did not correlate with duration of brace treatment, duration of daily brace wear, or overall physical activity. Conclusion: Young women with AIS, especially those who were treated with a brace, have significantly lower BMC in their lower limbs compared to women without AIS. However, the lack of a relationship between brace treatment duration during adolescence and BMC during young adulthood, suggests that the brace treatment is not the likely mechanism of the low BMC