STUDY OF THE FILTRATION PROCESS THROUGH A CERAMIC CANDLE FILTER

ABSTRACT Ceramic candle filters have been developed for cleaning high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) gas streams. They meet environmental and economical considerations in Combined cycle power plant, where gas turbine blades can be protected from the erosion that occurs due to using HTHP exhaust from the fluidized bed. Ceramic candle filters are the most promising hot gas filtration technology, which has demonstrated high collection efficiencies at high-temperature high-pressure conditions. This paper reports a computational fluid dynamics (CF)) investigation of a candle filter. Constant filtration velocity boundary models have been used to investigate the filter in cross flow conditions using the CFI) code FLUENT. Different approach (inlet) velocity to filter faze velocity ratios and different face velocities (ranging from 2 to 5 cm(s) are used in the CF) calculation. Particles in the diameter range 1 to 100 microns are tracked through the domain. The radius of convergence (or the critical trajectory) is compared and plotted as a function of many parameters. The deposition process and the factors that affect the build up of the filter cake have also been studied

Implementation of an ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infraction Bypass Protocol in the Northern United Arab Emirates

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the translation of an ST-segment elevation myocardial infraction (STEMI) bypass protocol to the outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome in the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted, which included all patients who had a prehospital 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) performed by ambulance crews. Analysis of those who were identified as having STEMI and who subsequently underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed. Results: A total of 152 patients had a 12-lead ECG performed during the pilot study period (February 24, 2016-August 31, 2016) with 118 included for analysis. Mean patient age was 52 years. There were 87 male (74%) and 31 female (26%) patients. Twenty-nine patients suffered a STEMI, and data were available for 11 who underwent PCI. There was no mortality, and no major adverse cardiac events were reported. The median door-to-balloon (D2B) time was 73 min (range 48-124), and 81% of patients had a D2B time \u3c90 min. Discharge data were available for six patients: All were discharged home with no impediments to rehabilitation. Conclusion: This pilot study has demonstrated agreement with the existing literature surrounding prehospital ECG and PCI activation in an unstudied STEMI population and in a novel clinical setting. It has demonstrated a D2B time of \u3c90 min in over 80% of STEMI patients, and a faster mean D2B time than self-presentations (mean 77 min vs. 113 min), with no associated mortality or major adverse cardiac events

Preparation of H3PO4 modified Sidr biochar for the enhanced removal of ciprofloxacin from water

In this study, biochar was prepared from Sidr plant leaves and used for the treatment of ciprofloxacin (CIP)-contaminated water. CIP is important class of emerging water pollutants from pharmaceutical industries. The biochar showed 65% adsorption efficiency and 43.48 mg/g adsorption capacity of CIP. Adsorption efficiency as well as adsorption capacity were improved to 91% and 62.50 mg/g, respectively, by phosphoric acid (H3PO4) modified biochar. Removal of CIP by the prepared biochar was due to different surface functional groups of CIP and biochar as revealed from the study of different characterization analyses. The presence of PO43- group in modified biochar led to maximum binding of CIP. Also, the modified biochar showed higher reusability potential and less leaching of ions when compared to the raw biochar. Removal of CIP was affected by concentrations of CIP, the amount of biochar and different pH\u27s; the maximum removal of CIP was achieved at pH 4. The Freundlich and pseudo-first-order models best fitted the removal of CIP by modified biochar. Advanced characterization techniques were applied to investigate surface and physiological characteristics of the biochar and modified biochar. The modification showed high impact on the performance and stability of biochar. The study showed significant impacts of modification on the potential of the biochar for treatment of CIP-contaminated water

Sexual Dysfunction in Jordanian Diabetic Women

OBJECTIVE—To estimate the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in diabetic and nondiabetic Jordanian women

Methodological quality of a systematic review on physical therapy for temporomandibular disorders: influence of hand search and quality scales

The validity of a systematic review depends on completeness of identifying randomised clinical trials (RCTs) and the quality of the included RCTs. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of hand search on the number of identified RCTs and of four quality lists on the outcome of quality assessment of RCTs evaluating the effect of physical therapy on temporomandibular disorders. In addition, we investigated the association between publication year and the methodological quality of these RCTs. Cochrane, Medline and Embase databases were searched electronically. The references of the included studies were checked for additional trials. Studies not electronically identified were labelled as “obtained by means of hand search”. The included RCTs (69) concerning physical therapy for temporomandibular disorders were assessed using four different quality lists: the Delphi list, the Jadad list, the Megens & Harris list and the Risk of Bias list. The association between the quality scores and the year of publication were calculated. After electronic database search, hand search resulted in an additional 17 RCTs (25%). The mean quality score of the RCTs, expressed as a percentage of the maximum score, was low to moderate and varied from 35.1% for the Delphi list to 54.3% for the Risk of Bias list. The agreement among the four quality assessment lists, calculated by the Interclass Correlation Coefficient, was 0.603 (95% CI, 0.389; 0.749). The Delphi list scored significantly lower than the other lists. The Risk of Bias list scored significantly higher than the Jadad list. A moderate association was found between year of publication and scores on the Delphi list (r = 0.50), the Jadad list (r = 0.33) and the Megens & Harris list (r = 0.43)

Mutations in the RNA Granule Component TDRD7 Cause Cataract and Glaucoma

The precise transcriptional regulation of gene expression is essential for vertebrate development, but the role of posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms is less clear. Cytoplasmic RNA granules (RGs) function in the posttranscriptional control of gene expression, but the extent of RG involvement in organogenesis is unknown. We describe two human cases of pediatric cataract with loss-of-function mutations in TDRD7 and demonstrate that Tdrd7 nullizygosity in mouse causes cataracts, as well as glaucoma and an arrest in spermatogenesis. TDRD7 is a Tudor domain RNA binding protein that is expressed in lens fiber cells in distinct TDRD7-RGs that interact with STAU1-ribonucleoproteins (RNPs). TDRD7 coimmunoprecipitates with specific lens messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and is required for the posttranscriptional control of mRNAs that are critical to normal lens development and to RG function. These findings demonstrate a role for RGs in vertebrate organogenesis

Spermatogenesis-Specific Features of the Meiotic Program in Caenorhabditis elegans

In most sexually reproducing organisms, the fundamental process of meiosis is implemented concurrently with two differentiation programs that occur at different rates and generate distinct cell types, sperm and oocytes. However, little is known about how the meiotic program is influenced by such contrasting developmental programs. Here we present a detailed timeline of late meiotic prophase during spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans using cytological and molecular landmarks to interrelate changes in chromosome dynamics with germ cell cellularization, spindle formation, and cell cycle transitions. This analysis expands our understanding C. elegans spermatogenesis, as it identifies multiple spermatogenesis-specific features of the meiotic program and provides a framework for comparative studies. Post-pachytene chromatin of spermatocytes is distinct from that of oocytes in both composition and morphology. Strikingly, C. elegans spermatogenesis includes a previously undescribed karyosome stage, a common but poorly understood feature of meiosis in many organisms. We find that karyosome formation, in which chromosomes form a constricted mass within an intact nuclear envelope, follows desynapsis, involves a global down-regulation of transcription, and may support the sequential activation of multiple kinases that prepare spermatocytes for meiotic divisions. In spermatocytes, the presence of centrioles alters both the relative timing of meiotic spindle assembly and its ultimate structure. These microtubule differences are accompanied by differences in kinetochores, which connect microtubules to chromosomes. The sperm-specific features of meiosis revealed here illuminate how the underlying molecular machinery required for meiosis is differentially regulated in each sex

The econometrics of demand systems with special reference to commodity group data for Bahrain

The mam objective of this study is to estimate the demand relationships among commodity groups using Bahrain quarterly time series data for the period 1979-98. Three main demand systems are presented and estimated, namely the Linear Expenditure Demand System (LES) which was introduced by Kelin-Rubin (1946-47) and developed by Stone (1953-54), the Rotterdam System (RM) which was introduced by Theil (1965) and Barten (1966), and the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) introduced by Deaton and Muellbauer (1980). Also, the variables reflecting the effects of habit on purchases are incorporated into three main demand systems.Model selection procedures are applied to select the best model to reflect the Bahrain data. Based on procedures, the static Linear Almost Ideal Demand System (LAVAIDS) is selected among other static demand systems, namely, thelinear expenditure demand system and the Rotterdam system models. The selection is based on average information criterion. However the dynamic LAYAIDS is selected over its static counterpart and recommended for the futureapplication for Bahrain data. The selection is based on the likelihood ratio test.Further, the dynamic LAVAIDS satisfies all the restrictions implied by demand theory. All the compensated own price elasticities are negative as expected and the expenditure elasticity classifies the food & beverage, clothing & footwear,housing, and transportation as necessity products, while the other commodity group is classified as luxury products.The second main objective of this study is to test for unit roots and order of comtegration in Bahrain commodity group data. The results indicate that most of the time senes that will be used in estimating the linear AIDS model, such astotal real expenditures on various commodity groups, prices, budget shares are shown to be integrated of order one. The application of Johansen and Juselius(1990) Full Maximum Likelihood approach in this study confirm that equilibrium relationships exist between the variables that make-up the LAVAIDS model.Second, the homogeneity of degree zero of price, postulated by consumer theory, is rejected by the data. The argument that time series issues are responsible for this rejection is not always true.The study also focuses on a) Engel Curve and b) income distribution and poverty in Bahrain. The advantage of a cross- section study of the Engel Curve is that consumer demand theory is based on micro-demand data (individual's data).Income elasticities that are estimated from cross-section data are useful in predicting changes in aggregate time series data if the effects of price changes have to be eliminated from time series analyses. Therefore, seven Engel Curves for eight commodity groups are estimated using data from the Bahrain household survey for the period 1994-1995.Studying income distribution and poverty in Bahrain is important. Inequality of income and poverty influences the pattern of household expenditure. It also influences the welfare of households in the country. Therefore, studying income distribution and poverty could guide the policy makers in Bahrain to improve the living standard of households. The analyses of income distribution and poverty in Bahrain are based on the household expenditure and income survey data for the period (1984-85 to 1994-95), involving Gini coefficient and other measures

Association of \u3ci\u3eNeonectria macrodidyma\u3c/i\u3e with Dry Root Rot of Citrus in California

During yearly surveys that started in 2010 to identify pathogens associated with dry root rot disease of citrus in California, samples with root rot symptoms were collected in Tulare County. Small pieces of tissue from root samples were plated onto potato dextrose agar amended with 0.01% tetracycline and incubated at 25°C. Pure cultures of fungal isolates were identified by morphology and sequence analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer and Beta Tubulin regions. Neonectria macrodidyma (Cylindrocarpon macrodidymum) was first recovered in 2011 and has subsequently been recovered multiple times from citrus samples. The pathogen appeared to be widely distributed in association with citrus dry root rot and possibly interacts with Fusarium solani, Phytophthora nicotianae, and P. citrophthora, the major soil-borne pathogens that were frequently identified from plant samples with root and/or crown rot of citrus in California. The fungal genus Cylindrocarpon (Teleomorph: Neonectria wolenw = Dactylonect ria = Ilyonectria) contains ubiquitous soil-borne pathogens that cause black foot disease on a wide range of hosts, including grapevine, strawberry, apple, and conifers. Hosts typically become infected through natural wounds on roots and other below-ground parts. In this report, we present strain UCR3312, which is the most recently isolated pathogenic strain in 2015. Considering the potential damage that this organism may cause to the citrus industry, detailed studies are recommended to better understand its distribution, epidemiology, and the general pathogen biology to improve the disease management practices