Electro-coagulation coupled Electro-floatation process: Feasible choice in Doxycycline removal from Pharmaceutical effluents

Article CC-BYInternational audienceElectrochemical treatment involving a coupled coagulation and floatation was performed in the removal of Doxycycline Hyclate (DCH) from aqueous solutions. All the experiments were carried out in an electrochemical reactor of 1.5 L which contained aluminium electrodes as cathode and anode. The removal of doxycycline hyclate (DCH) species by EC/EF was determined as a function of electrolysis time, pH, current intensity, flow rate and DCH concentration. From the observed results, it was corroborated that the DCH removal through the EC/EF process was excellent. The effective contribution from initial pH (7.03) and current intensity (5.39 mA cm-2) was very much remarkable and well apparent from flocs of good buoyancy. The removal of DCH was inversely proportional to spacing between electrodes (SBE) and circulating flow rate in the presence of the supporting NaCl electrolyte of 1 g L-1. It was also highly promoted by the addition of NaCl in comparison to NaNO3 and KCl to the electrolytic system. The compliance of four kinetic models was verified with DCH removal system. The free energy values from DKR model suggested the nature of bonding by chemical forces. Characterization by FTIR, SEM and XRD interpreted the assignments of various functional groups, surface morphology and crystalline incorporated amorphous nature, respectively of electro – generated flocs. The current efficiency and specific electrical energy consumption at optimized conditions of the EC/EF system were calculate

AN INSIGHT INTO THE VOLUME COMPONENT GENERATED FROM RISAT-1 HYBRID POLARIMETRIC SAR DATA FOR CROP BIOPHYSICAL PARAMETERS RETRIEVAL

Polarimetric parameters have been extensively used for target parameters retrieval than backscattering coefficients. In previous studies, volume component generated from polarimetric SAR data has been considered as the return signal component from vegetation and intern used this for biophysical parameters retrieval. Un-polarized component of the return signal has been considered as volume component. The present study is mainly focused to analyze the volume component generated from C-band RISAT-1 hybrid polarimetric SAR data from wheat crop. Three temporal datasets acquired at ∼31° central incidence angle between Jan and Mar 2016 over parts of Bharatpur and Mathura districts located in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (India) have been used in this study. Water Cloud Model with Gaps has been considered for modeling the first Stokes parameter (g0), which represents total intensity of return signal, from wheat crop using LAI and Interaction factor as vegetation descriptors. The vegetation component derived using calibrated Water Cloud Model with Gaps has been analyzed with volume component derived from RISAT-1 hybrid polarimetric SAR data. The analyses observed that a significant difference during lower LAI values and shown comparably during higher LAI values. The higher values of volume component derived from RISAT-1 SAR data than modeled vegetation component indicates that the volume component can also be generated by underneath soil. It is also observed the difference in derived un-polarized component and modeled vegetation component has shown higher correlation with underneath soil moisture than directly correlating with derived un-polarized component. This study indicates that the volume component derived from hybrid polarimetric SAR data has return signals from vegetation as well as underneath soil

THE SENSITIVITY OF C-BAND HYBRID POLARIMETRIC RISAT-1 SAR DATA TO LEAF AREA INDEX OF PADDY CROP

Active microwave remote sensing data has become an important source to retrieve crop biophysical parameters due to its unique sensitivity towards geometrical, structural and dielectric properties of various crop components. The temporal variability of various crop biophysical parameters during crop cycle has significant impact on the overall crop yield. In this study, two RISAT-1 hybrid polarimetric temporal SAR datasets at ∼32° incidence angle were acquired during 2015 Kharif season. The in-situ leaf area index (LAI) values from seventeen paddy fields were measured in synchrony to the satellite passes during both the campaigns. Analysis observed the decreasing trend of backscattering coefficients (σ°RH, σ°RV) with increase in LAI. Results indicate that the sensitivity of hybrid polarimetric parameters towards LAI, also depends on the change in crop structure due to crop growth. This study investigate the sensitivity of backscattering coefficients (σ°RH, σ°RV) and polarimetric parameters (even bounce, odd bounce and volume component) generated from m-δ, m-χ and m-α space decompositions towards LAI using empirical analysis. An increase of 0.16 in R2 (from 0.63 to 0.79) clearly indicates that the polarimetric parameters (even bounce, odd bounce and volume component) are more sensitive to LAI of paddy crop than the backscattering coefficients (σ°RH, σ°RV). It has been identified that the combined use of backscattering coefficients as well as polarimetric parameters (even bounce, odd bounce and volume component) in the model, can significantly improve the accuracy of the LAI estimation

Complex regulation by Apetala2 domain-containing transcription factors revealed through analysis of the stress-responsive TdCor410b promoter from durum wheat

Expression of the wheat dehydrin gene Cor410b is induced several fold above its non-stressed levels upon exposure to stresses such as cold, drought and wounding. Deletion analysis of the TdCor410b promoter revealed a single functional C-repeat (CRT) element. Seven transcription factors (TFs) were shown to bind to this CRT element using yeast one-hybrid screens of wheat and barley cDNA libraries, of which only one belonged to the DREB class of TFs. The remaining six encoded ethylene response factors (ERFs) belong to three separate subfamilies. Analysis of binding selectivity of these TFs indicated that all seven could bind to the CRT element (GCCGAC), and that three of the six ERFs could bind both to the CRT element and the ethylene-responsive GCC-box (GCCGCC). The TaERF4 subfamily members specifically bound the CRT element, and did not bind either the GCC-box or DRE element (ACCGAC). Molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis identified a single residue Pro42 in the Apetala2 (AP2) domain of TaERF4-like proteins that is conserved in monocotyledonous plants and is responsible for the recognition selectivity of this subfamily. We suggest that both DREB and ERF proteins regulate expression of the Cor410b gene through a single, critical CRT element. Members of the TaERF4 subfamily are specific, positive regulators of Cor410b gene expression.Omid Eini, Nannan Yang, Tatiana Pyvovarenko, Katherine Pillman, Natalia Bazanova, Natalia Tikhomirov, Serik Eliby, Neil Shirley, Shoba Sivasankar, Scott Tingey, Peter Langridge, Maria Hrmova, Sergiy Lopat

Tight Junction-Related Barrier Contributes to the Electrophysiological Asymmetry across Vocal Fold Epithelium

Electrophysiological homeostasis is indispensable to vocal fold hydration. We investigate tight junction (TJ)-associated components, occludin and ZO-1, and permeability with or without the challenge of a permeability-augmenting agent, histamine. Freshly excised ovine larynges are obtained from a local abattoir. TJ markers are explored via reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Paracellular permeabilities are measured in an Ussing system. The gene expression of both TJ markers is detected in native ovine vocal fold epithelium. Luminal histamine treatment significantly decreases transepithelial resistance (TER) (N = 72, p<0.01) and increases penetration of protein tracer (N = 35, p<0.001), respectively, in a time-, and dose-dependent fashion. The present study demonstrates that histamine compromises TJ-related paracellular barrier across vocal fold epithelium. The detection of TJ markers indicates the existence of typical TJ components in non-keratinized, stratified vocal fold epithelium. The responsiveness of paracellular permeabilities to histamine would highlight the functional significance of this TJ-equivalent system to the electrophysiological homeostasis, which, in turn, regulates the vocal fold superficial hydration

Children pillion rider safety awareness among motorcycle users in Malaysia

Motorcycle is one of the more popular modes of transport for Malaysian people due to its low price and easy usability. This paper reviews the current safety initiatives undertaken to address the need to enhance children safety whilst riding as pillion on motorcycles and suggest possible remedial action to counter the possible lack of awareness for child pillion riders. A search was undertaken of all the major database of articles. Articles related to children’s safety systems, children related injuries, children related accident data, available laws and legislation were reviewed. There is a greater need for the stricter enforcement of safety laws in Malaysia due to the fact that the accident statistics show a large percentage of motorcycle accidents involve pillion riding children. However, enforcement of laws in developing countries is not easy and one has to start at the root of the problem, i.e. the parents and adults who ride these children as pillion on motorcycles. This paper highlights the need for new safety initiatives and programmes to be undertaken by the government, law agencies and non-governmental organisations for parents and adults to understand the importance of their children safety while riding on motorcycles. Engineering countermeasures and intervention are needed to protect these vulnerable users. Besides the helmet, a device capable of providing some sort of protection to the child whilst riding pillion should be designed and developed

Cross-Sample Validation Provides Enhanced Proteome Coverage in Rat Vocal Fold Mucosa

The vocal fold mucosa is a biomechanically unique tissue comprised of a densely cellular epithelium, superficial to an extracellular matrix (ECM)-rich lamina propria. Such ECM-rich tissues are challenging to analyze using proteomic assays, primarily due to extensive crosslinking and glycosylation of the majority of high Mr ECM proteins. In this study, we implemented an LC-MS/MS-based strategy to characterize the rat vocal fold mucosa proteome. Our sample preparation protocol successfully solubilized both proteins and certain high Mr glycoconjugates and resulted in the identification of hundreds of mucosal proteins. A straightforward approach to the treatment of protein identifications attributed to single peptide hits allowed the retention of potentially important low abundance identifications (validated by a cross-sample match and de novo interpretation of relevant spectra) while still eliminating potentially spurious identifications (global single peptide hits with no cross-sample match). The resulting vocal fold mucosa proteome was characterized by a wide range of cellular and extracellular proteins spanning 12 functional categories

Internet of Things in Sustainable Energy Systems

Our planet has abundant renewable and conventional energy resources but technological capability and capacity gaps coupled with water-energy needs limit the benefits of these resources to citizens. Through IoT technology solutions and state-of-the-art IoT sensing and communications approaches, the sustainable energy-related research and innovation can bring a revolution in this area. Moreover, by the leveraging current infrastructure, including renewable energy technologies, microgrids, and power-to-gas (P2G) hydrogen systems, the Internet of Things in sustainable energy systems can address challenges in energy security to the community, with a minimal trade-off to environment and culture. In this chapter, the IoT in sustainable energy systems approaches, methodologies, scenarios, and tools is presented with a detailed discussion of different sensing and communications techniques. This IoT approach in energy systems is envisioned to enhance the bidirectional interchange of network services in grid by using Internet of Things in grid that will result in enhanced system resilience, reliable data flow, and connectivity optimization. Moreover, the sustainable energy IoT research challenges and innovation opportunities are also discussed to address the complex energy needs of our community and promote a strong energy sector economy