Topological invariance of integral Pontrjagin classes mod p

AbstractIt is proved that integral Pontrjagin classes Pk mod p are topological invariant if p is odd, k < n(p) and they are not topological invariant if k ⩾ n(p), where n(p) is the smallest value of k for which p divides ek and ek is the smallest positive integer such that ekpk is topological invariant. For example, pk mod p is topological invariant for p = 3, 5, 11 etc. for every k ⩾ 1 but not topological invariant for p = 7 and k ⩾ 2

Laboratory Investigation of Indigenous Consortia TERIJ-188 for Incremental Oil Recovery

Bacterial Profile modification is an efficient process which brings the alteration in permeability of the porous media of the reservoir by selective plugging which eventually recover the residual oil. It is an advantageous and feasible method for residual oil recovery from high permeability zones of the reservoir. In this study, indigenous bacterial consortia, TERIJ-188 was developed from Gujarat oil fields. TERIJ-188 was identified as Thermoanaerobacter sp., Thermoanaerobacter brockii, Thermoanaerobacter italicus, Thermoanaerobacter mathranii, Thermoanaerobacter thermocopriae. The novelty of consortia was that it produces biomass (850 mg l-1), bio-surfactant (500 mg l-1), and volatile fatty acids (495 mg l-1) at 70°C in the span of 10 days, which are adequate to alter the permeability and sweep efficiency of high permeability zones facilitating the displacement of oil. The biosurfactant was analyzed for its functional group by FTIR and NMR techniques which indicate the presence of C-N bond, aldehydes, triacylglycerols. TERIJ-188 showed an effective reduction in permeability at residual oil saturation from 28.3 to 11.3 mD and 19.2% incremental oil recovery in a core flood assay. Pathogenicity test suggested that TERIJ-188 is non-toxic, non-virulent and safe for field implementation

Effectiveness of a national quality improvement programme to improve survival after emergency abdominal surgery (EPOCH): a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

Background: Emergency abdominal surgery is associated with poor patient outcomes. We studied the effectiveness of a national quality improvement (QI) programme to implement a care pathway to improve survival for these patients. Methods: We did a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of patients aged 40 years or older undergoing emergency open major abdominal surgery. Eligible UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals (those that had an emergency general surgical service, a substantial volume of emergency abdominal surgery cases, and contributed data to the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit) were organised into 15 geographical clusters and commenced the QI programme in a random order, based on a computer-generated random sequence, over an 85-week period with one geographical cluster commencing the intervention every 5 weeks from the second to the 16th time period. Patients were masked to the study group, but it was not possible to mask hospital staff or investigators. The primary outcome measure was mortality within 90 days of surgery. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80682973. Findings: Treatment took place between March 3, 2014, and Oct 19, 2015. 22 754 patients were assessed for elegibility. Of 15 873 eligible patients from 93 NHS hospitals, primary outcome data were analysed for 8482 patients in the usual care group and 7374 in the QI group. Eight patients in the usual care group and nine patients in the QI group were not included in the analysis because of missing primary outcome data. The primary outcome of 90-day mortality occurred in 1210 (16%) patients in the QI group compared with 1393 (16%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·11, 0·96–1·28). Interpretation: No survival benefit was observed from this QI programme to implement a care pathway for patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Future QI programmes should ensure that teams have both the time and resources needed to improve patient care. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme

Effectiveness of a national quality improvement programme to improve survival after emergency abdominal surgery (EPOCH): a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

BACKGROUND: Emergency abdominal surgery is associated with poor patient outcomes. We studied the effectiveness of a national quality improvement (QI) programme to implement a care pathway to improve survival for these patients. METHODS: We did a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of patients aged 40 years or older undergoing emergency open major abdominal surgery. Eligible UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals (those that had an emergency general surgical service, a substantial volume of emergency abdominal surgery cases, and contributed data to the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit) were organised into 15 geographical clusters and commenced the QI programme in a random order, based on a computer-generated random sequence, over an 85-week period with one geographical cluster commencing the intervention every 5 weeks from the second to the 16th time period. Patients were masked to the study group, but it was not possible to mask hospital staff or investigators. The primary outcome measure was mortality within 90 days of surgery. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80682973. FINDINGS: Treatment took place between March 3, 2014, and Oct 19, 2015. 22 754 patients were assessed for elegibility. Of 15 873 eligible patients from 93 NHS hospitals, primary outcome data were analysed for 8482 patients in the usual care group and 7374 in the QI group. Eight patients in the usual care group and nine patients in the QI group were not included in the analysis because of missing primary outcome data. The primary outcome of 90-day mortality occurred in 1210 (16%) patients in the QI group compared with 1393 (16%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·11, 0·96-1·28). INTERPRETATION: No survival benefit was observed from this QI programme to implement a care pathway for patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Future QI programmes should ensure that teams have both the time and resources needed to improve patient care. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme

Instigation of indigenous thermophilic bacterial consortia for enhanced oil recovery from high temperature oil reservoirs.

The purpose of the study involves the development of an anaerobic, thermophilic microbial consortium TERIK from the high temperature reservoir of Gujarat for enhance oil recovery. To isolate indigenous microbial consortia, anaerobic baltch media were prepared and inoculated with the formation water; incubated at 65°C for 10 days. Further, the microbial metabolites were analyzed by gas chromatography, FTIR and surface tension. The efficiency of isolated consortia towards enhancing oil recovery was analyzed through core flood assay. The novelty of studied consortia was that, it produces biomass (600 mg/l), bio-surfactant (325 mg/l), and volatile fatty acids (250 mg/l) at 65°C in the span of 10 days, that are adequate to alter the surface tension (70 to 34 mNm -1) and sweep efficiency of zones facilitating the displacement of oil. TERIK was identified as Clostridium sp. The FTIR spectra of biosurfactant indicate the presence of N-H stretch, amides and polysaccharide. A core flooding assay was designed to explore the potential of TERIK towards enhancing oil recovery. The results showed an effective reduction in permeability at residual oil saturation from 2.14 ± 0.1 to 1.39 ± 0.05 mD and 19% incremental oil recovery

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery: An Overview and Case Studies

After traditional oil recovery processes, large amount of residual oil are still trapped in the pore spaces of the complex capillary network of the reservoir. MEOR (microbial enhanced oil recovery), a promising tertiary oil recovery method involves the utilization of indigenous microbial species capable of producing various secondary metabolites which further enhances the recovery of oil through their plugging, viscosity or interfacial tension reduction mechanisms. The chapter represents the overview of MEOR, mechanism involved in the process and field trials. Furthermore, microbial based mechanisms are widely demonstrated. The chapter confirms the credibility of MEOR process towards the enhanced oil recovery

Модифікація целюлози наночастинками ZnO: від жому цукрової тростини до антимікробного композиту

Волокна целюлози були вилучені з жому цукрової тростини і потім модифіковані наночастинками (НЧ) ZnO за допомогою золь-гель процесу з використанням оксим-модифікованого прекурсора Zn [ZnCl2.2{HONC(CH3)2}] у різних вагових співвідношеннях, щоб зробити їх антимікробними. Модифіковані ZnO волокна целюлози додатково характеризувались інфрачервоною спектроскопією з перетворенням Фур'є (FTIR), рентгенівською дифракцією (XRD) та скануючою електронною мікроскопією (SEM). Отримані результати підтвердили наявність добре диспергованих НЧ гексагонального вюрцита ZnO на поверхні целюлози. Більш низькі значення ширини забороненої зони (2,87-2,48 еВ) спостерігалися в модифікованій ZnO целюлозі в порівнянні з чистими НЧ ZnO (~ 3,3 еВ). Антибактеріальну активність досліджували щодо Staphylococcus aureus і Escherichia coli при різних співвідношеннях (1:1, 1:2 і 1:3) і концентраціях (1,5·200 мг·мл – 1) модифікованої ZnO целюлози. Протигрибкову активність модифікованої ZnO целюлози (1:1) оцінювали щодо Aspergillus niger, Phanerochaete chrysosporium і Geotrichum candidum. Співвідношення 1:1 модифікованої ZnO целюлози при випробуваній концентрації помітно інгібувало ріст міцелію гриба. Протигрибкова ефективність модифікованої ZnO целюлози залежала від концентрації досліджуваного зразка, тому максимальне інгібування росту міцелію відбувалося при найвищій концентрації (5 мг).Cellulose fibers were extracted from sugarcane bagasse and then modified with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) by a sol-gel process using an oxime modified Zn precursor [ZnCl2.2{HONC(CH3)2}] in different gram ratios to make them antimicrobial. ZnO modified cellulose fibers were further characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. Obtained results confirmed well-dispersed hexagonal wurtzite ZnO NPs onto the surface of cellulose. Lower band gaps (2.87-2.48 eV) were observed in ZnO modified cellulose as compared to pure ZnO NPs (~ 3.3 eV). Antibacterial activities were examined against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in different ratios (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3) and concentrations (1.5 to 200 mg·ml – 1) of ZnO modified cellulose. The antifungal activity of ZnO modified cellulose (1:1) was evaluated against Aspergillus niger, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Geotrichum candidum. ZnO modified cellulose ratio of 1:1 at the tested concentration remarkably inhibited the mycelial growth of the fungus. The antifungal efficacy of ZnO modified cellulose depended on the concentration of the sample concerned, therefore maximal inhibition of mycelia growth occurred at the highest concentration (5 mg)

Rapid micropropagation and callus induction of Terminalia bellerica Roxb. -An endangered plant

ABSTRACT An in vitro micropropagation system has been developed fo