Performance Evaluation of Vortex Generator of Finite Thickness to Augment Heat Transfer in a Compact Heat Exchanger

The effect of non dimensional thickness of a winglet type vortex generator is investigated in terms of heat transfer rate, stream-wise vortices and flow losses in a plate fin heat exchanger with triangular inserts as secondary fins. The winglet type vortex generators are mounted alternatively on the upper and lower plates of the heat exchanger to disrupt the flow in the triangular domain formed by the inserts. The fluid flow within the duct is considered to be confined and laminar. While the hydrodynamic flow is fully developed, the thermal characteristics are assumed to be in developing stage under isothermal boundary conditions. The winglet is located in the duct where the flow is fully developed (Xi = 2.765 w.r.t. leading edge) at an angle of 27o with respect to the bulk flow direction. The aforesaid performance characteristics are computed numerically by solving the mass continuity, momentum and energy equations. Computational results clearly show an enhancement of 12.91% in the heat transfer rate (quantified as Num/ Nuo) for an increase in non dimensional thickness c/2H from 0.00 to 0.05. Besides, the pressure drop penalty is found to be only 3.8% at Re = 150. The results have also been substantiated by carrying out experiments on a scaled model configuration. Three dimensional velocity components are verified behind the winglet to ensure the stable flow field for non dimensional thickness of winglet c/2H=0.05 and Reynolds number of 350

Analysis of Chemical Properties of Thermally Treated Pinus roxburghii Sargent Wood

Effects of thermal modification were determined relative to chemical parameters of Pinus roxburghii. Thermal modification of wood was carried out at 80, 120, 160, and 200 °C for 2, 4, and 6 h. The chemical properties were different for different temperatures and different heating time. All parameters were similar except for cold water soluble extractives. Among the chemical properties studied, the maximum mean value of cold water extractives (8.20%), hot water soluble extractives (12.7%), holocellulose content (71.8%), and ash content (1.46%) were recorded at 120 °C, whereas the maximum mean values of alcohol benzene soluble extractives (13.9%) and lignin content (33.7%) were observed at 200 °C. The minimum mean value of cold water soluble extractives (5.82%), hot water soluble extractives (9.27%), holocellulose content (65.8%), and ash content (1.03%) were found to be at 200 °C, while the highest value of alcohol benzene soluble extractives 12.2% (control) and lignin content (28.0%) were found to be at 80 °C

Functional enrichment analysis of deregulated long non-coding RNAs in cancer based on their genomic neighbors

The dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs’ (lncRNAs) expressions has been implicated in cancer. Since most of the lncRNAs’ are not functionally characterized well, investigating the set of perturbed lncRNAs are is challenging. Existing methods that inspect lncRNAs functionally rely on the coexpressed coding genes, which are far better characterized functionally. LncRNAs can be known to act as transcriptional regulators; they may activate or repress the neighborhood’s coding genes on the genome. Based on this, in this work, we aim to analyze the deregulated lncRNAs in cancer by taking into account their ability to regulate nearby loci on the genome. We perform functional analysis on differentially expressed lncRNAs for 28 different cancers considering their adjacent coding genes. We identify that some deregulated lncRNAs are cancer-specific, but a substantial number of lncRNAs are shared across cancers. Next, we assess the similarities of the cancer types based on the functional enrichment of the deregulated lncRNA sets. We find some cancers are very similar in the functions and biological processes related to the deregulated lncRNAs. We observe that some of the cancers for which we find similarity can be linked through primary, metastatic site relations. We investigate the similarity of enriched functional terms for the deregulated lncRNAs and the mRNAs. We further assess the enriched functions’ similarity to the functions and processes that the known cancer driver genes take place. We believe that our methodology help to understand the impact of the lncRNAs in cancer functionally

L-Methionase: A Therapeutic Enzyme to Treat Malignancies

Cancer is an increasing cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. L-methionase has potential application against many types of cancers. L-Methionase is an intracellular enzyme in bacterial species, an extracellular enzyme in fungi, and absent in mammals. L-Methionase producing bacterial strain(s) can be isolated by 5,5′-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) as a screening dye. L-Methionine plays an important role in tumour cells. These cells become methionine dependent and eventually follow apoptosis due to methionine limitation in cancer cells. L-Methionine also plays an indispensable role in gene activation and inactivation due to hypermethylation and/or hypomethylation. Membrane transporters such as GLUT1 and ion channels like Na2+, Ca2+, K+, and Cl− become overexpressed. Further, the α-subunit of ATP synthase plays a role in cancer cells growth and development by providing them enhanced nutritional requirements. Currently, selenomethionine is also used as a prodrug in cancer therapy along with enzyme methionase that converts prodrug into active toxic chemical(s) that causes death of cancerous cells/tissue. More recently, fusion protein (FP) consisting of L-methionase linked to annexin-V has been used in cancer therapy. The fusion proteins have advantage that they have specificity only for cancer cells and do not harm the normal cells

Lead phytochemicals for anticancer drug development

Cancer is a serious concern at present. A large number of patients die each year due to cancer illnesses in spite of several interventions available. Development of an effective and side effects lacking anticancer therapy is the trending research direction in healthcare pharmacy. Chemical entities present in plants proved to be very potential in this regard. Bioactive phytochemicals are preferential as they pretend differentially on cancer cells only, without altering normal cells. Carcinogenesis is a complex process and includes multiple signaling events. Phytochemicals are pleiotropic in their function and target these events in multiple manners; hence they are most suitable candidate for anticancer drug development. Efforts are in progress to develop lead candidates from phytochemicals those can block or retard the growth of cancer without any side effect. Several phytochemicals manifest anticancer function in vitro and in vivo. This article deals with these lead phytomolecules with their action mechanisms on nuclear and cellular factors involved in carcinogenesis. Additionally, druggability parameters and clinical development of anticancer phytomolecules have also been discussed

Behavioral Change in Physical, Anatomical, and Mechanical Characteristics of Thermally Treated Pinus roxburghii Wood

Thermal treatment of pine wood was carried out at 80, 120, 160, and 200 °C for 2, 4, and 6 hours. The highest mean values were, for specific gravity (0.492), moisture content (29.1%), and maximum moisture content (191%), whereas the lowest mean values were for specific gravity (0.418), moisture content (1.20%), and maximum moisture content (127%). The maximum mean values were for shrinkage in longitudinal plane (0.42%), radial plane (4.63%), volumetric shrinkage (9.28%), and maximum mean value tangential plane (3.67%). The minimum mean values were for shrinkage in longitudinal plane (0.04%), radial plane (2.22%), tangential plane (1.55%), and volumetric shrinkage (4.88%). Maximum mean values were for swelling in longitudinal (0.41%), radial (5.22%), and tangential plane (3.15%) and maximum mean volumetric swelling (7.71%), while minimum mean values were for swelling in longitudinal plane (0.08%), radial plane (2.26%), and tangential plane (1.29%) and minimum mean volumetric swelling (3.15%). The highest mean values were for tensile strength (57.3 MPa) and compression parallel to the grain (50.3 MPa), the maximum mean value of bending strength (84 MPa) and compression strength perpendicular to grain (27 MPa), whereas the lowest values were for tensile strength (42.7 MPa), bending strength (7.33 MPa), compression parallel to the grain (7.33 MPa) and compression strength perpendicular to grain (12.3 MPa)

Tunneled Catheter Placement in a Pediatric Patient: A Novel Approach

© 2017 Association for Vascular Access Establishing venous access can be an important and often complex aspect of care for pediatric patients. When stable central venous access is required for long-term intravenous infusions, several options are available including peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), tunneled catheters and ports. Both PICC placement and tunneled catheter placement include an exposed external segment of catheter, either in an extremity or on the chest. We present a pediatric patient with complex behavioral history who required long-term intravenous therapy. After careful review, the best option for the patient was determined to be a tunneled catheter that exited the skin in the right upper back, making it difficult to grab and pull out. The catheter was successfully placed and the patient appropriately completed his intravenous antibiotic course. Upon completion, the catheter was removed without complications. This tunneling technique to the scapular region may be useful for patients with psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders where purposeful dislodgement may be a problem

Ultrasound-guided introital drainage of pyometrocolpos

Pyometrocolpos can be caused by congenital malformations such as distal vaginal atresia and imperforate hymen. Patients usually present with obstructive urinary tract infections, acute kidney injury, or sepsis. Percutaneous drainage of the infected fluid can help treat the patient; however, recurrence is of concern. In this case report, we present a case of a child with recurrent pyometrocolpos due to distal vaginal atresia despite initial percutaneous drainage. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ultrasound-guided introital drainage of pyometrocolpos with relief of symptoms obviating the need for repeat drainage or immediate surgery. Keywords: Pyometrocolopos, Interventional radiology, Ultrasound guided, Introital drainag

Not Available

Not AvailableLow phosphorus availability poses major constrain to crop yield in many Indian soil types (acidic, alkaline and calcareous). Therefore, modern cereal genotypes, like, the single cross maize hybrids is dependent on external application of high dose of phosphate for optimum production. Plants are capable of utilizing only less than 20% of the applied phosphorus and unutilized phosphate results in environmental degradation via algal bloom and eutrophication. Therefore the development of maize hybrids having high phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) may significantly contribute toward sustainable maize production with low environmental footprint. High PUE hybrids can be developed if we have high phosphate use efficient inbred lines for hybrid development. In this endeavor, a hydroponic based method of screening for low phosphate stress tolerance in tropical maize has been standardized by changing concentrations of various nutrients in Hoagland’s solution. Forty inbreds were evaluated for PUE using optimized hydroponic culture under glass house condition. Maize inbreds were grown hydroponically under optimum (1mM KH2PO4) and deficient (5µM KH2PO4) phosphate conditions for 22 days. The solution was regularly aerated by aquarium pumps and was replaced after every 3 days. Plants were harvested and observations were recorded on all important shoot and root physiological parameters, viz., fresh weight, dry weight, length, stem girth, shoot:root ratio etc. On the basic of phosphorus deficiency symptoms and physiological data, high (BML-5) and low (BML-10) PUE lines were identified. The phosphate content in high PUE line root and shoot was 0.155 and 0.068 µg P/g of dry weight biomass, respectively, in phosphate stressed condition. However, in low PUE line it was 0.033 and 0.022 µg P/g of dry weight biomass in root and shoot, respectively, in phosphate stressed condition. High PUE line could be utilized in breeding programme for developing PUE hybrids and to study molecular mechanisms playing role for phosphate stress tolerance.Not Availabl