Search results for: industrial index

Authors: Pavana Basavakumar, Devadas Bhat

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Diabetes is a disease which often goes undiagnosed until its secondary effects are noticed. Early detection of the disease is necessary to avoid serious consequences which could lead to the death of the patient. Conventional invasive tests for screening of diabetes are mostly painful, time consuming and expensive. There’s also a risk of infection involved, therefore it is very essential to develop non-invasive methods to screen and estimate the level of blood glucose. Extensive research is going on with this perspective, involving various techniques that explore optical, electrical, chemical and thermal properties of the human body that directly or indirectly depend on the blood glucose concentration. Thus, non-invasive blood glucose monitoring has grown into a vast field of research. In this project, an attempt was made to device a prototype for screening of diabetes by measuring electrical impedance of the skin and building a model to predict a patient’s condition based on the measured impedance. The prototype developed, passes a negligible amount of constant current (0.5mA) across a subject’s index finger through tetra polar silver electrodes and measures output voltage across a wide range of frequencies (10 KHz – 4 MHz). The measured voltage is proportional to the impedance of the skin. The impedance was acquired in real-time for further analysis. Study was conducted on over 75 subjects with permission from the institutional ethics committee, along with impedance, subject’s blood glucose values were also noted, using conventional method. Nonlinear regression analysis was performed on the features extracted from the impedance data to obtain a model that predicts blood glucose values for a given set of features. When the predicted data was depicted on Clarke’s Error Grid, only 58% of the values predicted were clinically acceptable. Since the objective of the project was to screen diabetes and not actual estimation of blood glucose, the data was classified into three classes ‘NORMAL FASTING’,’NORMAL POSTPRANDIAL’ and ‘HIGH’ using linear Support Vector Machine (SVM). Classification accuracy obtained was 91.4%. The developed prototype was economical, fast and pain free. Thus, it can be used for mass screening of diabetes.

Keywords: Clarke’s error grid, electrical impedance of skin, linear SVM, nonlinear regression, non-invasive blood glucose monitoring, screening device for diabetes

Procedia PDF Downloads 311

Authors: Petros Gkotsis, Anastasios Zouboulis, Manasis Mitrakas, Dimitrios Zamboulis, E. Peleka

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The most serious drawback in wastewater treatment using membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is membrane fouling which gradually leads to membrane permeability decrease and efficiency deterioration. This work is part of a research project that aims to develop an integrated methodology for membrane fouling control, using specific chemicals which will enhance the coagulation and flocculation of compounds responsible for fouling, hence reducing biofilm formation on the membrane surface and limiting the fouling rate acting as a pre-treatment step. For this purpose, a pilot-scale plant with fully automatic operation achieved by means of programmable logic controller (PLC) has been constructed and tested. The experimental set-up consists of four units: wastewater feed unit, bioreactor, membrane (side-stream) filtration unit and permeate collection unit. Synthetic wastewater was fed as the substrate for the activated sludge. The dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of the aerobic tank was maintained in the range of 2-3 mg/L during the entire operation by using an aerator below the membrane module. The membranes were operated at a flux of 18 LMH while membrane relaxation steps of 1 min were performed every 10 min. Both commercial and composite coagulants are added in different concentrations in the pilot-scale plant and their effect on the overall performance of the ΜΒR system is presented. Membrane fouling was assessed in terms of TMP, membrane permeability, sludge filterability tests, total resistance and the unified modified fouling index (UMFI). Preliminary tests showed that particular attention should be paid to the addition of the coagulant solution, indicating that pipe flocculation effectively increases hydraulic retention time and leads to voluminous sludge flocs. The most serious drawback in wastewater treatment using MBRs is membrane fouling, which gradually leads to membrane permeability decrease and efficiency deterioration. This results in increased treatment cost, due to high energy consumption and the need for frequent membrane cleaning and replacement. Due to the widespread application of MBR technology over the past few years, it becomes clear that the development of a methodology to mitigate membrane fouling is of paramount importance. The present work aims to develop an integrated technique for membrane fouling control in MBR systems and, thus, contribute to sustainable wastewater treatment.

Keywords: coagulation, membrane bioreactor, membrane fouling, pilot plant

Procedia PDF Downloads 287

Authors: Ali Kamal M. Sami, Safa Almukhtar, Alaa Al-Krush, Ismael Hama-Amin Akha Weas, Ruqaya Ahmed Alqais

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Introduction and Objectives Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common among men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The combination of 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors and alpha-blockers has been used as a conservative treatment of male LUTS secondary to BPH. Nanotechnology structured water magnalife is a type of water that is produced by modulators and specific frequency and energy fields that transform ordinary water into this Nanowater. In this study, we evaluated the use of Nano-water with the conservative treatment and to see if it improves the outcome and gives better results in those patients with LUTS/BPH. Material and methods For a period of 3 months, 200 men with International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS)≥13, maximum flow rate (Qmax)≤ 15ml/s, and prostate volume > 30 and <80 ccs were randomly divided into two groups. Group A 100 men were given Nano-water with the (tamsulosindutasteride) and group B 100 men were given ordinary bottled water with the (tamsulosindutasteride). The water bottles were unlabeled and were given in a daily dose of 20ml/kg body weight. Dutasteride 0.5mg and tamsulosin 0.4 mg daily doses. Both groups were evaluated for the IPSS, Qmax, Residual Urine (RU), International Index of Erectile Function–Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) domain at the beginning (baseline data), and at the end of the 3 months. Results Of the 200 men with LUTS who were included in this study, 193 men were followed, and 7 men dropped out of the study for different reasons. In group A which included 97 men with LUTS, IPSS decreased by 16.82 (from 20.47 to 6.65) (P<0.00001) and Qmax increased by 5.73 ml/s (from 11.71 to 17.44) (P<0.00001) and RU <50 ml in 88% of patients (P<0.00001) and IIEF-EF increased to 26.65 (from 16.85) (P<0.00001). While in group B, 96 men with LUTS, IPSS decreased by 8.74(from 19.59 to 10.85)(P<0.00001) and Qmax increased by 4.67 ml/s(from 10.74 to 15.41)(P<0.00001), RU<50 ml in 75% of patients (P<0.00001), and IIEF-EF increased to 21(from 15.87)(P<0.00001). Group A had better results than group B. IPSS in group A decreased to 6.65 vs 10.85 in group B(P<0.00001), also Qmax increased to 17.44 in group A vs 15.41 in group B(P<0.00001), group A had RU <50 ml in 88% of patients vs 75% of patients in group B(P<0.00001).Group A had better IIEF-EF which increased to 26.65 vs 21 in group B(P<0.00001). While the differences between the baseline data of both groups were statistically not significant. Conclusion The use of nanotechnology structured water magnalife gives a better result in terms of LUTS and scores in patients with BPH. This combination is showing improvements in IPSS and even in erectile function in those men after 3 months.

Keywords: nano water, lower urinary tract symptoms, benign prostatic hypertrophy, erectile dysfunction

Procedia PDF Downloads 53

Authors: Z. Kassab, A. Aboulkas, A. Barakat, M. El Achaby

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The red algae are available enormously around the world and their exploitation for the production of agar product has become as an important industry in recent years. However, this industrial processing of red algae generated a large quantity of solid fibrous wastes, which constitute a source of a serious environmental problem. For this reason, the exploitation of this solid waste would help to i) produce new value-added materials and ii) to improve waste disposal from environment. In fact, this solid waste can be fully utilized for the production of cellulose microfibers and nanocrystals because it consists of large amount of cellulose component. For this purpose, the red algae waste was chemically treated via alkali, bleaching and acid hydrolysis treatments with controlled conditions, in order to obtain pure cellulose microfibers and cellulose nanocrystals. The raw product and the as-extracted cellulosic materials were successively characterized using serval analysis techniques, including elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. As an application, the as extracted cellulose nanocrystals were used as nanofillers for the production of polymer-based composite films with improved thermal and tensile properties. In these composite materials, the adhesion properties and the large number of functional groups that are presented in the CNC’s surface and the macromolecular chains of the polymer matrix are exploited to improve the interfacial interactions between the both phases, improving the final properties. Consequently, the high performances of these composite materials can be expected to have potential in packaging material applications.

Keywords: cellulose nanowhiskers, food packaging, polymer composites, red algae waste

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Authors: Anna Vanderbruggen, Kai Bachmann, Martin Rudolph, Rodrigo Serna

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Recycling of lithium-ion batteries has attracted a lot of attention in recent years and focuses primarily on valuable metals such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium. Despite the growth in graphite consumption and the fact that it is classified as a critical raw material in the European Union, USA, and Australia, there is little work focusing on graphite recycling. Thus, graphite is usually considered waste in recycling treatments, where graphite particles are concentrated in the “black mass”, a fine fraction below 1mm, which also contains the foils and the active cathode particles such as LiCoO2 or LiNiMnCoO2. To characterize the material, various analytical methods are applied, including X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS), and SEM-based automated mineralogy. The latter consists of the combination of a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). It is a powerful and well-known method for primary material characterization; however, it has not yet been applied to secondary material such as black mass, which is a challenging material to analyze due to fine alloy particles and to the lack of an existing dedicated database. The aim of this research is to characterize the black mass depending on the metals recycling process in order to understand the liberation mechanisms of the active particles from the foils and their effect on the graphite particle surfaces and to understand their impact on the subsequent graphite flotation. Three industrial processes were taken into account: purely mechanical, pyrolysis-mechanical, and mechanical-hydrometallurgy. In summary, this article explores various and common challenges for graphite and secondary material characterization.

Keywords: automated mineralogy, characterization, graphite, lithium ion battery, recycling

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Authors: Penrug Pengsombut, Worawut Hamarn, Teerawuth Suwannasri, Kittiphong Songrukkiat, Kanatip Ratanachoo

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PTT Public Company Limited or simply PTT has played an important role in strengthening national energy security of the Kingdom of Thailand by transporting natural gas to customers in power, industrial and commercial sectors since 1981. PTT has been constructing and operating natural gas pipeline system of over 4,500-km network length both onshore and offshore laid through different area classifications i.e., marine, forest, agriculture, rural, urban, and city areas. During project development phase, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is conducted and submitted to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) for approval before project construction commencement. Knowledge and experiences gained and revealed from EIA in the past projects definitely are developed to further advance EIA study process for newly 5th Transmission Natural Gas Pipeline Project (5TP) with approximately 415 kilometers length. The preferred pipeline route is selected and justified by SMARTi map, an advance digital one-map platform with consists of multiple layers geographic and environmental information. Sensitive area impact focus (SAIF) is a practicable impact assessment methodology which appropriate for a particular long distance infrastructure project such as 5TP. An environmental modeling simulation is adopted into SAIF methodology for impact quantified in all sensitive areas whereas other area along pipeline right-of-ways is typically assessed as an impact representative. Resulting time and cost deduction is beneficial to project for early start.

Keywords: environmental impact assessment, EIA, natural gas pipeline, sensitive area impact focus, SAIF

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Authors: Muhammad Umair, Yuri Nikolaev, Denis Artemov, Ighor Uzhinsky

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A flexible manufacturing system is an integral part of a smart factory of industry 4.0 in which every machine is interconnected and works autonomously. Robots are in the process of replacing humans in every industrial sector. As the cyber-physical-system (CPS) and artificial intelligence (AI) are advancing, the manufacturing industry is getting more dependent on computers than human brains. This modernization has boosted the production with high quality and accuracy and shifted from classic production to smart manufacturing systems. However, material handling for such automated productions is a challenge and needs to be addressed with the best possible solution. Conventional clamping systems are designed for manual work and not suitable for highly automated production systems. Researchers and engineers are trying to find the most economical solution for loading/unloading and transportation workpieces from a warehouse to a machine shop for machining operations and back to the warehouse without human involvement. This work aims to propose an advanced multi-shape tooling solution for highly automated manufacturing systems. The currently obtained result shows that it could function well with automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and modern conveyor belts. The proposed solution is following requirements to be automation-friendly, universal for different part geometry and production operations. We used a bottom-up approach in this work, starting with studying different case scenarios and their limitations and finishing with the general solution.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, cyber physics system, Industry 4.0, material handling, smart factory, flexible manufacturing system

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Authors: Ina Nasto, Denada Sota, Kerol Sacaj, Brunilda Veshaj, Hajdar Kicaj

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Rocky shores are often used as models to describe the dynamics of biodiversity around the world, making them one of the most studied marine habitats and their communities. The variability in the number of species and the abundance of hard-bottom benthic animal communities on the coast of Triporti, north of the Bay of Vlora, Albania is described in relation to environmental variables using multivariate analysis. The purpose of this study is to monitor the species composition, quantitative characteristics, and seasonal variations of the benthic macroinvertebrate populations of the shallow rocky shores of the Triportit-Vlora area, as well as the assessment of the ecological condition of these populations. The rocky coast of Triport, with a length of 7 km, was divided into three sampling stations, with three transects each of 50m. The monitoring of benthic macroinvertebrates in these areas was carried out in two seasons, spring and summer (June and August 2021). In each station and sampling season, estimates of the total and average density for each species, the presence constant, and the assessment of biodiversity were calculated using the Shannon–Wiener and the Simpson index. The species composition, the quantitative characteristics of the populations, and the indicators mentioned above were analyzed in a comparative way, both between the seasons within one station and between the three stations with each other. Statistical processing of the data was carried out to analyze the changes between the seasons and between the sampling stations for the species composition, population density, as well as correlation between them. A total of 105 benthic macroinvertebrate taxa were found, dominated by Molluscs, Annelids, and Arthropods. The small density of species and the low degree of stability of the macrozoobenthic community are indicators of the poor ecological condition and environmental impact in the studied areas. Algal cover, the diversity of coastal microhabitats, and the degree of coastal exposure to waves play an important role in the characteristics of macrozoobenthos populations in the studied areas. Also, the rocky shores are of special interest because, in the infralittoral of these areas, there are dense kelp forests with Gongolaria barbata, Ericaria crinita as well as fragmented areas with Posidonia oceanica that reach the coast, priority habitats of special conservation importance in the Mediterranean.

Keywords: Macrozoobenthic communities, Shannon–Wiener, Triporti, Vlore, rocky shore

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Authors: Elena Roadhouse

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“When it take the kitchen middens from the latest canning session out to the compost before going to bed, the orchestra is in full chorus. Night vapors and scents from the earth mingle with the fragrance of honeysuckle nearby and basil grown in the compost. They merge into the rhythmic pulse of night”. William Longgood Carl Jung did not specifically recognize scent and olfactory function as a window into the psyche. He did recognize instinct and the natural history of mankind as key to understanding and reconnecting with the Psyche. The progressive path of modern humans has brought incredible scientific and industrial advancements that have changed the human relationship with Mother Earth, the primal wisdom of mankind, and led to the loss of instinct. The olfactory bulbs are an integral part of our ancient brain and has evolved in a way that is proportional to the human separation with the instinctual self. If olfaction is a gateway to our instinct, then it is also a portal to the soul. Natural aromatics are significant and powerful instruments for supporting the mind, our emotional selves, and our bodies. This paper aims to shed light on the important role of scent in the understanding of the existence of the psyche, generational trauma, and archetypal fragrance. Personalized Natural Perfume combined with mindfulness practices can be used as an effective behavioral conditioning tool to promote the healing of transgenerational and individual trauma, the fragmented self, and the physical body.

Keywords: scentscape of the soul, psyche, individuation, epigenetics, depth psychology, carl Jung, instinct, trauma, archetypal scent, personal myth, holistic wellness, natural perfumery

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Authors: Almaz Negash, Dessie Tibebe, Marye Mulugeta, Yezbie Kassa

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Large-scale textile industries use large amounts of toxic chemicals, which are very hazardous to human health and environmental sustainability. In this study, the removal of various dyes from effluents of textile industries using the electrocoagulation process was investigated. The studied dyes were Reactive Red 120 (RR-120), Basic Blue 3 (BB-3), and Basic Red 46 (BR-46), which were found in samples collected from effluents of three major textile factories in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. For maximum removal, the dye BB-3 required an acidic pH 3, RR120 basic pH 11, while BR-46 neutral pH 7 conditions. BB-3 required a longer treatment time of 80 min than BR46 and RR-120, which required 30 and 40 min, respectively. The best removal efficiency of 99.5%, 93.5%, and 96.3% was achieved for BR-46, BB-3, and RR-120, respectively, from synthetic wastewater containing 10 mg L1of each dye at an applied potential of 10 V. The method was applied to real textile wastewaters and 73.0 to 99.5% removal of the dyes was achieved, Indicating Electrocoagulation can be used as a simple, and reliable method for the treatment of real wastewater from textile industries. It is used as a potentially viable and inexpensive tool for the treatment of textile dyes. Analysis of the electrochemically generated sludge by X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy revealed the expected crystalline aluminum oxides (bayerite (Al(OH)3 diaspore (AlO(OH)) found in the sludge. The amorphous phase was also found in the floc. Textile industry owners should be aware of the impact of the discharge of effluents on the Ecosystem and should use the investigated electrocoagulation method for effluent treatment before discharging into the environment.

Keywords: electrocoagulation, aluminum electrodes, Basic Blue 3, Basic Red 46, Reactive Red 120, textile industry, wastewater

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Authors: Audrius Dedele, Aukse Miskinyte

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Air pollution is a major problem, especially in large cities, causing a variety of environmental issues and a risk to human health effects. In order to observe air quality, to reduce and control air pollution in the city, municipalities are responsible for the creation of air quality management plans, air quality monitoring and emission inventories. Atmospheric dispersion modelling systems, along with monitoring, are powerful tools, which can be used not only for air quality management, but for the assessment of human exposure to air pollution. These models are widely used in epidemiological studies, which try to determine the associations between exposure to air pollution and the adverse health effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of particulate matter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) in different districts of Kaunas city during winter season. ADMS-Urban dispersion model was used for the simulation of PM10 pollution. The inputs of the model were the characteristics of stationary, traffic and domestic sources, emission data, meteorology and background concentrations were entered in the model. To assess the modelled concentrations of PM10 in Kaunas districts, geographic information system (GIS) was used. More detailed analysis was made using Spatial Analyst tools. The modelling results showed that the average concentration of PM10 during winter season in Kaunas city was 24.8 µg/m3. The highest PM10 levels were determined in Zaliakalnis and Aleksotas districts with are the highest number of individual residential properties, 32.0±5.2 and 28.7±8.2 µg/m3, respectively. The lowest pollution of PM10 was modelled in Petrasiunai district (18.4 µg/m3), which is characterized as commercial and industrial neighbourhood.

Keywords: air pollution, dispersion model, GIS, Particulate matter

Procedia PDF Downloads 252

Authors: G. Hosseini, A. Sadighzadeh, M. Rahimnejad, N. Hosseini, Z. Jamalzadeh

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Metal pollutants, especially heavy metals from anthropogenic sources such as metallurgical industries’ waste including mining, smelting, casting or production of nuclear fuel, including mining, concentrate production and uranium processing ends in the environment contamination (water and soil) and risk to human health around the facilities of this type of industrial activity. There are different methods that can be used to remove these contaminants from water and soil. These are very expensive and time-consuming. In this case, the people have been forced to leave the area and the decontamination is not done. For example, in the case of Chernobyl accident, an area of 30 km around the plant was emptied of human life. A very efficient and cost-effective method for decontamination of the soil and the water is phytoremediation. In this method, the plants preferentially native plants which are more adaptive to the regional climate are well used. In this study, three types of plants including Alfalfa, Sunflower and wheat were used to Barium decontamination. Alfalfa and Sunflower were not grown good enough in Saghand mine’s soil sample. This can be due to non-native origin of these plants. But, Wheat rise in Saghand Uranium Mine soil sample was satisfactory. In this study, we have investigated the effect of 4 types of acids inclusive nitric acid, oxalic acid, acetic acid and citric acid on the removal efficiency of Barium by Wheat. Our results indicate the increase of Barium absorption in the presence of citric acid in the soil. In this paper, we will present our research and laboratory results.

Keywords: phytoremediation, heavy metal, wheat, soil

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Authors: Soebowo Musa

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Mining industries are known to be very volatile due to their sensitive nature toward changes in the environment, particularly coal mining. Heavy equipment distributors and coal mining contractors are among heavily affected by such volatility. They are facing more uncertainty on the sustainability of the coal mining industry. Strategic alliances and organizational capabilities such as innovation capability have long been seen as ways to stay competitive with a focus more on the strategic alliances partner-to-partner in serving their customers. In today’s rapid change in the environment, a shift in consumer behaviors, and the human-centric business approach, this study looks at the strategic alliance partner-to-customer relationship in both the industrial organization and resource-based theories. This study was conducted based on 250 respondents from the strategic alliances partner-to-customer between heavy equipment distributors and coal mining contractors in Indonesia. This study finds strategic alliances have the highest association toward cost reduction, a proxy of operational efficiency followed by its association toward innovation capability. Further, strategic alliances and innovation capability have a positive relationship with customer loyalty, while innovation capability and customer loyalty have no significant relationships toward the firm’s competitive advantage. This study also indicates that cost reduction is not a condition to develop customer loyalty in the strategic alliance partner-to-customer relationship. It confirms strategic alliances are a strategy that creates a firm’s operational efficiency, innovation capability that develops customer loyalty, and competitive advantage.

Keywords: strategic alliance, innovation capability, cost reduction, customer loyalty, competitive advantage

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Authors: Muhammad nor Farhan Sa'At, Xin Y. Lim, Terence Y. C. Tan, Siti Hajar M. Rosli, Syazwani S. Ali, Ami F. Syed Mohamed

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INTRODUCTION: Hemp (Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa), commonly used for industrial purposes, differs from marijuana by containing lower levels of delta-9-tetrahydronannabidiol- the principal psychoactive constituent in cannabis. Due to its non-psychoactive nature, there has been growing interest in hemp’s therapeutic potential, which has been investigated through pre-clinical and clinical study modalities. OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of the current landscape of hemp research, through recent scientific findings specific to the pharmacological effects of the medicinal hemp plant and its derived compounds. METHODS: This review was conducted through a systematic search strategy according to the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis-ScR (PRISMA-ScR) checklist on electronic databases including MEDLINE, OVID (OVFT, APC Journal Club, EBM Reviews), Cochrane Library Central and Clinicaltrials.gov. RESULTS: From 65 primary articles reviewed, there were 47 pre-clinical studies related to medicinal hemp. Interestingly, the hemp derivatives showed several potential activities such as anti-oxidative, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-neuroinflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-acne, and anti-microbial activities. Renal protective effects and estrogenic properties were also exhibited in vitro. CONCLUSION: Medicinal hemp possesses various pharmacological effects tested in vitro and in vivo. Information provided in this review could be used as tool to strengthen the study design of future clinical trial research.

Keywords: Preclinical, Herbal Medicine, Hemp, Cannabis

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Authors: Anderson Chidi Amadioha, Promise Chidi Kenkwo, A. A. Markson

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Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important food and cash crop that provide cheap source of carbohydrate for food, feed and raw material for industries hence a commodity for feature economic development of developing countries. Despite the importance, its production potentials is undermined by disease agents that greatly reduce yield and render it unfit for human consumption and industrial use. Pathogenicity tests on fungal isolates from infected cassava revealed Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger, and Trichodderma viride as rot-causing organisms. Water and ethanol extracts of Piper guineense, Ocimum graticimum, Cassia alata, and Tagetes erecta at 50% concentration significantly inhibited the radial growth of the pathogens in vitro and their development and spread in vivo. Low cassava rot incidence and severity was recorded when the extracts were applied before than after spray inoculating with spore suspension (1x105 spores/ml of distilled water) of the pathogenic organisms. The plant materials are readily available, and their extracts are biodegradable and cost effective. The fungitoxic potentials of extracts of these plant materials could be exploited as potent biopesticides in the management of postharvest fungal deterioration of cassava especially in developing countries where synthetic fungicides are not only scarce but also expensive for resource poor farmers who produce over 95% of the food consumed.

Keywords: cassava, biopesticides, in vitro, in vivo, pathogens, plant extracts

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Authors: You-Kai Jhang, Yang-Cheng Lu

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Major contributions of this study are threefold: designing a new model of planar-membrane humidifier for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), an index to measure the Effectiveness (εT) of that humidifier, and an air compressor system to replicate related planar-membrane humidifier experiments. PEMFC as a kind of renewable energy has become more and more important in recent years due to its reliability and durability. To maintain the efficiency of the fuel cell, the membrane of PEMFC need to be controlled in a good hydration condition. How to maintain proper membrane humidity is one of the key issues to optimize PEMFC. We developed new humidifier to recycle water vapor from cathode air outlet so as to keep the moisture content of cathode air inlet in a PEMFC. By measuring parameters such as dry side air outlet dew point temperature, dry side air inlet temperature and humidity, wet side air inlet temperature and humidity, and differential pressure between dry side and wet side, we calculated indices obtained by dew point approach temperature (DPAT), water flux (J), water recovery ratio (WRR), effectiveness (εT), and differential pressure (ΔP). We discussed six topics including sealing effect, flow rate effect, flow direction effect, channel effect, temperature effect, and humidity effect by using these indices. Gas cylinders are used as sources of air supply in many studies of humidifiers. Gas cylinder depletes quickly during experiment at 1kW air flow rate, and it causes replication difficult. In order to ensure high stable air quality and better replication of experimental data, this study designs an air supply system to overcome this difficulty. The experimental result shows that the best rate of pressure loss of humidifier is 0.133×10³ Pa(g)/min at the torque of 25 (N.m). The best humidifier performance ranges from 30-40 (LPM) of air flow rates. The counter flow configured humidifies moisturizes the dry side inlet air more effectively than the parallel flow humidifier. From the performance measurements of the channel plates various rib widths studied in this study, it is found that the narrower the rib width is, the more the performance of humidifier improves. Raising channel width in same hydraulic diameter (Dh ) will obtain higher εT and lower ΔP. Moreover, increasing the dry side air inlet temperature or humidity will lead to lower εT. In addition, when the dry side air inlet temperature exceeds 50°C, the effect becomes even more obvious.

Keywords: PEM fuel cell, water management, membrane humidifier, heat and mass transfer, humidifier performance

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Authors: Samir Chekchaki, ArifaBeddiar

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Nowadays, more and more species are introduced outside their natural range. If most of them remain difficult, some may adopt a much more dynamic behavior. Indeed, we have witnessed in recent decades, the development of high forests of Acacia mearnsii in El Kala National Park. Introduced indefinitely, this leguminous intended to make money (nitrogen supply for industrial plantations of Eucalyptus), became one of the most invasive and more costly in terms of forest management. It has crossed all barriers: it has acclimatized, naturalized and then expanded through diverse landscapes; entry into competition with native species such as cork oak and altered ecosystem functioning. Therefore, it is interesting to analyze this new threat by relying on plants as bio-indicator for assessing biodiversity at different scales. We have identified the species present in several plots distributed in a range of vegetation types subjected to different degrees of disturbance by using the braun-blanquet method. Fifty-six species have been recorded. They are distributed in 48 genera and 29 families. The analysis of the relative frequency of species correlated with relative abundance clearly shows that the Acacia mearnsii feels marginalized. The ecological analysis of this biological invasion shows that disruption of either natural or anthropogenic origin (fire, prolonged drought, cut) represent the factors that exacerbate invasion by opening invasion windows. The lifting of seeds of Acacia mearnsii lasting physical dormancy (and variable) is ensured by the thermal shock in relation to its heliophilous character.

Keywords: Acacia mearnsii De Wild, El Kala National park, fire, invasive, vegetation

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Authors: Sarah Al-Lumai, Fatima Al-Attar, Nour Jamal, Badria Al-Dabbous, Manal Abdulla

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Today, many commonly used Industrial Engineering tools and techniques are being used in hospitals around the world for the goal of producing a more efficient and effective healthcare system. A common quality improvement methodology known as Lean Six-Sigma has been successful in manufacturing industries and recently in healthcare. The objective of our project is to use the Lean Six-Sigma methodology to reduce waiting time in the Emergency Department (ED), in a local private hospital. Furthermore, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to evaluate the success of Lean Six-Sigma in the ED. According to the study conducted by Ibn Sina Hospital, in Morocco, the most common problem that patients complain about is waiting time. To ensure patient satisfaction many hospitals such as North Shore University Hospital were able to reduce waiting time up to 37% by using Lean Six-Sigma. Other hospitals, such as John Hopkins’s medical center used Lean Six-Sigma successfully to enhance the overall patient flow that ultimately decreased waiting time. Furthermore, it was found that capacity constraints, such as staff shortages and lack of beds were one of the main reasons behind long waiting time. With the use of Lean Six-Sigma and bed management, hospitals like Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital were able to reduce patient delays. Moreover, in order to successfully implement Lean Six-Sigma in our project, two common methodologies were considered, DMAIC and DMADV. After the assessment of both methodologies, it was found that DMAIC was a more suitable approach to our project because it is more concerned with improving an already existing process. With many of its successes, Lean Six-Sigma has its limitation especially in healthcare; but limitations can be minimized if properly approached.

Keywords: lean six sigma, DMAIC, hospital, methodology

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Authors: Castillo-Acevedo J, Mena-Rivero R, Silva-Poot H

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In Mexico, as largely of the developing countries, the rural housing is a study object, since the diversity of constructive idiosyncrasies for locality, involves various factors that make it vulnerable; an important aspect of study is the progressive deterioration that is seen in the rural housing. Various social programs, contribute financial resources in the field of housing to provide support for families living in rural areas, however, they do not provide a coordination with the self-construction that is usually the way in which is built in these areas. The present study, exposes the physical situation and an economic assessment that presents the rural self-constructed housing in three rural communities in the south of the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, which were built with funding from federal social programs. The information compilation was carried out in a period of seven months in which there was used the intentional sampling of typical cases, where the object study was the housing constructed with supports of the program “Rural Housing” between the year 2009 and 2014. Instruments were used as the interview, ballot papers of observation, ballot papers of technical verification and various measuring equipment laboratory for the classification of pathologies; for the determination of some pathologies constructive Mexican standards were applied how NMX-C-192-ONNCCE, NMX-C-111-ONNCCE, NMX-C-404-ONNCCE and finally used the software of Opus CMS ® with the help of tables of the National Consumer Price Index (CPI) for update of costs and wages according to the line of being applied in Mexico, were used for an economic valuation. The results show 11 different constructive pathologies and exposes greater presence with the 22.50% to the segregation of the concrete; the economic assessment shows that 80% of self-constructed housing, exceed the cost of construction it would have compared to a similar dwelling built by a construction company; It is also exposed to the 46.10% of the universe of study represent economic losses in materials to the social activities by houses not built. The system of self-construction used by the social programs, affect to some extent the program objectives applied in underserved areas, as implicit and additional costs affect the economic capacity of beneficiaries who invest time and effort in an activity that are not specialists, which this research provides foundations for sustainable alternatives or possibly eliminate the practice of self-construction of implemented social programs in marginalized rural communities in the south of state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Keywords: economic valuation, pathologies constructive, rural housing, social programs

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Authors: Ayelet Gur

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Background: In recent years we are witnessing a welcome trend in which more children/persons with disabilities are living at home with their families and within their communities. This trend is related to various policy innovations as the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities that reflect a shift from the medical-institutional model to a human rights approach. We also witness the emergence of family centered approaches that perceive the family and not just the individual with the disability as a worthy target of policy planning, implementation and evaluation efforts. The current investigation aims to explore economic, psychological and social factors among households of families of children or adults with intellectual disabilities in Israel and to present policy recommendation. Methods: A national sample of 301 households was recruited through the education and employment settings of persons with intellectual disability. The main caregiver of the person with the disability (a parent) was interviewed. Measurements included the income and expense surveys; assets and debts questionnaire; the questionnaire on resources and stress; the social involvement questionnaire and Personal Wellbeing Index. Results: Findings indicate significant gaps in financial circumstances between households of families of children with intellectual disabilities and households of the general Israeli society. Households of families of children with intellectual disabilities report lower income and higher expenditures and loans than the general society. They experience difficulties in saving and coping with unexpected expenses. Caregivers (the parents) experience high stress, low social participation, low financial support from family, friend and non-governmental organizations and decreased well-being. They are highly dependent on social security allowances which constituted 40% of the household's income. Conclusions: Households' dependency on social security allowances may seem contradictory to the encouragement of persons with intellectual disabilities to favor independent living in light of the human rights approach to disability. New policy should aim at reducing caregivers' stress and enhance their social participation and support, with special emphasis on families of lower socio-economic status. Finally, there is a need to continue monitoring the economic and psycho-social needs of households of families of children with intellectual disabilities and other developmental disabilities.

Keywords: disability policy, family policy, intellectual and developmental disabilities, Israel, households study, parents of children with disabilities

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Authors: Alvin Chun Man Kwok, Wai Sun Chan, Wei Yuan, Joseph Tin Yum Wong

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Cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer, is the major constituent of plant and dinoflagellate cell walls. Thecate dinoflagellates, in particular, are renowned for their remarkable capacity to synthesize intricate cellulosic thecal plates (CTPs). Unlike the extracellular two-dimensional structure of plant cell walls, these CTPs are three-dimensional and reside within the cellular structure itself. The deposition of CTPs occurs with remarkable precision, and their arrangement serves as crucial taxonomic markers. It is noteworthy that these plates possess the hardness of wood, despite the absence of lignin. Partial and prolonged hydrolysis of CTPs results in the formation of uniform long bundles and lowdimensional, modular crystalline whiskers. This observation aligns with the consistent nanomechanical properties, suggesting a CTPboard structure. The unique composition and structural characteristics of CTPs distinguish them from other cellulose-based materials in the natural world. Spectroscopic studies using Raman and FTIR methods indicate a clear low crystallinity index, with the OH shift becoming more distinct following SDS treatment. Birefringence imaging confirms the highly organized structure of CTPs, demonstrating varying degrees of anisotropy in different regions, including both seaward and cytosolic passages. The knockdown of a cellulose synthase enzyme in dinoflagellates resulted in severe malformation of CTPs and hindered the life-cycle transition. Unlike certain other microalgal groups, these unique circum-spherical depositions of CTPs were not pre-fabricated and transported "to site," but synthesized within alveolar sacs at the specific site. Our research is particularly focused on unraveling the mechanisms underlying the biodeposition of CTPs and exploring their potential biotechnological applications. Understanding the processes involved in CTP formation can pave the way for harnessing their unique properties for various practical applications. Dinoflagellates play a crucial role as major agents of algal blooms and are also known for producing anti-greenhouse sulfur compounds such as DMS/DMSP, highlighting the significance of CTPs as a carbon-neutral source of cellulose. Grant acknowledgement: Research in the laboratory are supported by GRF16104523 from Research Grant Council to JTYW.

Keywords: cellulosic thecal plates, dinoflagellates, cellulose, cell wall

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Authors: Thabiso M. Sebolai, Victor Mlambo, Solomon Tefera, Othusitse R. Madibela

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In some tree species, sustained herbivory can induce changes in biosynthetic pathways resulting in overproduction of anti-nutritional secondary plant compounds. This inductive mechanism, which has not been demonstrated in semi-arid rangelands of South Africa, may result in browse leaves of lower nutritive value. In this study we investigate the interactive effect of browsing pressure and tree species on chemical composition, buffer nitrogen solubility index (NSI), in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability (IVDMD) and in vitro ruminal N degradability (IVND) of leaves. Leaves from Maytenus capitata, Olea africana, Coddia rudis, Carissa macrocarpa, Rhus refracta, Ziziphus mucronata, Boscia oliedes, Grewia robusta, Phyllanthus vessucosus and Ehretia rigida trees growing in a communal grazing area were harvested at two heights: browsable ( < 1.5 m) and non-browsable ( > 1.5 m), representing high and low browsing pressure, respectively. The type of animals utilizing the communal rangeland includes cattle at 1 livestock unit (450kg)/12 to 15 hectors and goats at 1 livestock unit/4 ha. Harvested leaves were dried, milled and analysed for proximate components, soluble phenolics, condensed tannins, minerals and in vitro ruminal fermentation. A significant plant species and harvesting height interaction effect (P < 0.05) was observed for total nitrogen (N) and soluble phenolics concentration. Tree species and harvesting height affected (P < 0.05) condensed tannin (CTs) content where samples harvested from the non-browsable height had higher (0.61 AU550 nm/200 mg) levels than those harvested at browsable height (0.55 AU550 nm/200 mg) while their interaction had no effects. Macro and micro-minerals were only influenced (P < 0.05) by browse species but not harvesting height. Species and harvesting height interacted (P < 0.05) to influence IVDMD and IVND of leaves at 12, 24 and 36 hours of incubation. The different browse leaves contained moderate to high protein, moderate level of phenolics and minerals, suggesting that they have the potential to provide supplementary nutrients for ruminants during the dry seasons.

Keywords: browse plants, chemical composition, harvesting heights, phenolics

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Authors: Ljiljana Stojković, Manja Zec, Maja Zivkovic, Maja Bundalo, Marija Glibetić, Dragan Alavantić, Aleksandra Stankovic

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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is associated with alterations in DNA methylation, the latter modulated by dietary polyphenols. The present pilot study (part of the original clinical study registered as NCT02800967 at www.clinicaltrials.gov) aimed to investigate the impact of 4-week daily consumption of polyphenol-rich Aronia melanocarpa juice on Long Interspersed Nucleotide Element-1 (LINE-1) methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes, in subjects (n=34, age of 41.1±6.6 years) at moderate CVD risk, including an increased body mass index, central obesity, high normal blood pressure and/or dyslipidemia. The goal was also to examine whether factors known to affect DNA methylation, such as folate intake levels, MTHFR C677T gene variant, as well as the anthropometric and metabolic parameters, modulated the LINE-1 methylation levels upon consumption of polyphenol-rich Aronia juice. The experimental analysis of LINE-1 methylation was done by the MethyLight method. MTHFR C677T genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Folate intake was assessed by processing the data from the food frequency questionnaire and repeated 24-hour dietary recalls. Serum lipid profile was determined by using Roche Diagnostics kits. The statistical analyses were performed using the Statistica software package. In women, after vs. before the treatment period, a significant decrease in LINE-1 methylation levels was observed (97.54±1.50% vs. 98.39±0.86%, respectively; P=0.01). The change (after vs. before treatment) in LINE-1 methylation correlated directly with MTHFR 677T allele presence, average daily folate intake and the change in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, while inversely with the change in serum triacylglycerols (R=0.72, R2=0.52, adjusted R2=0.36, P=0.03). The current results imply potential cardioprotective effects of habitual polyphenol-rich Aronia juice consumption achieved through the modifications of DNA methylation pattern in subjects at CVD risk, which should be further confirmed. Hence, the precision nutrition-driven modulations of DNA methylation may become targets for new approaches in the prevention and treatment of CVD.

Keywords: Aronia melanocarpa, cardiovascular risk, LINE-1, methylation, peripheral blood leukocytes, polyphenol

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Authors: Yun Chen, David Penton, Fazlul Karim, Santosh Aryal, Shahriar Wahid, Peter Taylor, Susan M. Cuddy

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Droughts have severely affected Afghanistan over the last four decades, leading to critical food shortages where two-thirds of the country’s population are in a food crisis. Long years of conflict have lowered the country’s ability to deal with hazards such as drought, which can rapidly escalate into disasters. Understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of droughts is needed to be able to respond effectively to disasters and plan for future occurrences. This study used Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) at monthly, seasonal, and annual temporal scales to map the spatiotemporal change dynamics of drought characteristics (distribution, frequency, duration, and severity) in Afghanistan. SPEI indices were mapped for river basins, disaggregated into 189 sub-catchments, using monthly precipitation and potential evapotranspiration derived from temperature station observations from 1980 to 2017. The results show these multi-dimensional drought characteristics vary along different years, change among sub-catchments, and differ across temporal scales. During the 38 years, the driest decade and period are the 2000s and 1999–2022, respectively. The 2000–01 water year is the driest, with the whole country experiencing ‘severe’ to ‘extreme’ drought, more than 53% (87 sub-catchments) suffering the worst drought in history, and about 58% (94 sub-catchments) having ‘very frequent’ drought (7 to 8 months) or ‘extremely frequent’ drought (9 to 10 months). The estimated seasonal duration and severity present significant variations across the study area and throughout the study period. The nation also suffered from recurring droughts with varying length and intensity in 2004, 2006, 2008, and, most recently, 2011. There is a trend towards increasing drought with longer duration and higher severity extending all over sub-catchments from southeast to north and central regions. These datasets and maps help to fill the knowledge gap on detailed sub-catchment scale meteorological drought characteristics in Afghanistan. The study findings improve our understanding of the influences of climate change on drought dynamics and can guide catchment planning for reliable adaptation to and mitigation against future droughts.

Keywords: SPEI, precipitation, evapotranspiration, climate extremes

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Authors: Felix U. Asoiro, Daniel I. Eleazar, Peter O. Offor

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As a result of increasing energy demands, research in bioethanol has increased in recent years all through the world, in abide to partially or totally replace renewable energy supplies. The first and third generation feedstocks used for biofuel production have fundamental drawbacks. Waste rice straw and cake from second generation feedstock like Jatropha curcas l. kernel (JC) is seen as non-food feedstock and promising candidates for the industrial production of bioethanol. In this study, JC and rice husk (RH) wastes were characterized for proximate composition. Bioethanol was produced from the residual polysaccharides present in rice husk (RH) and Jatropha seed cake by sequential hydrolytic and fermentative processes at varying mixing proportions (50 g JC/50 g RH, 100 g JC/10 g RH, 100 g JC/20 g RH, 100 g JC/50 g RH, 100 g JC/100 g RH, 100 g JC/200 g RH and 200 g JC/100 g RH) and particle sizes (0.25, 0.5 and 1.00 mm). Mixing proportions and particle size significantly affected both bioethanol yield and some bioethanol properties. Bioethanol yield (%) increased with an increase in particle size. The highest bioethanol (8.67%) was produced at a mixing proportion of 100 g JC/50g RH at 0.25 mm particle size. The bioethanol had the lowest values of specific gravity and density of 1.25 and 0.92 g cm-3 and the highest values of 1.57 and 0.97 g cm-3 respectively. The highest values of viscosity (4.64 cSt) were obtained with 200 g JC/100 g RH, at 1.00 mm particle size. The maximum flash point and cloud point values were 139.9 oC and 23.7oC (100 g JC/200 g RH) at 1 mm and 0.5 mm particle sizes respectively. The maximum pour point value recorded was 3.85oC (100 g JC/50 g RH) at 1 mm particle size. The paper concludes that bioethanol can be recovered from JC and RH wastes. JC and RH blending proportions as well as particle sizes are important factors in bioethanol production.

Keywords: bioethanol, hydrolysis, Jatropha curcas l. kernel, rice husk, fermentation, proximate composition

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Authors: Vasanth C. Shunmugasamy, Bilal Mansoor

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Magnesium alloys are increasingly being considered for structural systems across different industrial sectors, including precision components of biomedical devices, owing to their high specific strength, stiffness and biodegradability. However, Mg alloys exhibit a high corrosion rate that restricts their application as a biomaterial. For safe use as biomaterial, it is essential to control their corrosion rates. Mg alloy corrosion is influenced by several factors, such as grain size, precipitates and texture. In Mg alloys, microgalvanic coupling between the α-Mg matrix and secondary precipitates can exist, which results in an increased corrosion rate. The present research addresses this challenge by engineering the microstructure of a biodegradable Mg–Zn–RE–Zr alloy by friction stir processing (FSP), a severe plastic deformation process. The FSP-processed Mg alloys showed improved corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. FSPed Mg alloy showed refined grains, a strong basal texture and broken and uniformly distributed secondary precipitates in the stir zone. Mg, alloy base material, exposed to In vitro corrosion medium showed micro galvanic coupling between precipitate and matrix, resulting in the unstable passive layer. However, FS processed alloy showed uniform corrosion owing to stable surface film formation. The stable surface film is attributed to refined grains, preferred texture and distribution of precipitates. The research results show promising potential for Mg alloy to be developed as a biomaterial.

Keywords: biomaterials, severe plastic deformation, magnesium alloys, corrosion

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Authors: Bernhard Widhalm, Cornelia Rieder-Gradinger, Thomas Ters, Ewald Srebotnik, Thomas Kuncinger

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Terpenes are natural components in softwoods and rank among the most frequently emitted volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the wood-processing industry. In this study, the main focus was on α- and β-pinene as well as Δ3-carene, which are the major terpenes in softwoods. To lower the total emission level of wood composites, defined terpene degrading microorganisms were applied to basic raw materials (e.g. pine wood particles and strands) in an optimised and industry-compatible testing procedure. In preliminary laboratory tests, bacterial species suitable for the utilisation of α-pinene as single carbon source in liquid culture were selected and then subjected to wood material inoculation. The two species Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas fluorescens were inoculated onto wood particles and strands and incubated at room temperature. Applying specific pre-cultivation and daily ventilation of the samples enabled a reduction of incubation time from six days to one day. SPME measurements and subsequent GC-MS analysis indicated a complete absence of α- and β-pinene emissions after 24 hours from pine wood particles. When using pine wood strands rather than particles, bacterial treatment resulted in a reduction of α- and β-pinene by 50%, while Δ3-carene emissions were reduced by 30% in comparison to untreated strands. Other terpenes were also reduced in the course of the microbial treatment. The method developed here appears to be feasible for industrial application. However, growth parameters such as time and temperature as well as the technical implementation of the inoculation step will have to be adapted for the production process.

Keywords: GC-MS, pseudomonas, SPME, terpenes

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Authors: Mohamed Ouazene

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The insulating properties of the polymers are widely used in electrical engineering for the production of insulators and various supports, as well as for the insulation of electric cables for medium and high voltage, etc. These polymeric materials have significant advantages both technically and economically. However, although the insulation with polymeric materials has advantages, there are also certain disadvantages such as the influence of the heat which can have a detrimental effect on these materials. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the polymers used in a plasticized state in the cable insulation to medium and high voltage. The studied material is polyvinyl chloride (PVC 4000 M) from the Algerian national oil company whose formula is: Industrial PVC 4000 M is in the form of white powder. The test sample is a pastille of 1 mm thick and 1 cm in diameter. The consequences of increasing the temperature of a polymer are modifications; some of them are reversible and others irreversible [1]. The reversible changes do not affect the chemical composition of the polymer, or its structure. They are characterized by transitions and relaxations. The glass transition temperature is an important feature of a polymer. Physical aging of PVC is to maintain the material for a longer or shorter time to its glass transition temperature. The aim of this paper is to study this phenomenon by the method of thermally stimulated depolarization currents. Relaxations within the polymer have been recorded in the form of current peaks. We have found that the intensity decreases for more residence time in the polymer along its glass transition temperature. Furthermore, it is inferred from this work that the phenomenon of physical aging can have important consequences on the properties of the polymer. It leads to a more compact rearrangement of the material and a reconstruction or reinforcement of structural connections.

Keywords: depolarization currents, glass transition temperature, physical aging, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

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Authors: Deniz Sari, Selahattin İncecik, Nesimi Ozkurt

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Surface ozone, which named as one of the most critical pollutants in the 21th century, threats to human health, forest and vegetation. Specifically, in rural areas surface ozone cause significant influences on agricultural productions and trees. In this study, in order to understand to the surface ozone levels in rural areas we focus on the north-western side of Biga Peninsula which covers by the mountainous and forested area. Ozone concentrations were measured for the first time with passive sampling at 10 sites and two online monitoring stations in this rural area from 2013 and 2015. Using with the daytime hourly O3 measurements during light hours (08:00–20:00) exceeding the threshold of 40 ppb over the 3 months (May, June and July) for agricultural crops, and over the six months (April to September) for forest trees AOT40 (Accumulated hourly O3 concentrations Over a Threshold of 40 ppb) cumulative index was calculated. AOT40 is defined by EU Directive 2008/50/EC to evaluate whether ozone pollution is a risk for vegetation, and is calculated by using hourly ozone concentrations from monitoring systems. In the present study, we performed the trajectory analysis by The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model to follow the long-range transport sources contributing to the high ozone levels in the region. The ozone episodes observed between 2013 and 2015 were analysed using the HYSPLIT model developed by the NOAA-ARL. In addition, the cluster analysis is used to identify homogeneous groups of air mass transport patterns can be conducted through air trajectory clustering by grouping similar trajectories in terms of air mass movement. Backward trajectories produced for 3 years by HYSPLIT model were assigned to different clusters according to their moving speed and direction using a k-means clustering algorithm. According to cluster analysis results, northerly flows to study area cause to high ozone levels in the region. The results present that the ozone values in the study area are above the critical levels for forest and vegetation based on EU Directive 2008/50/EC.

Keywords: AOT40, Biga Peninsula, HYSPLIT, surface ozone

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Authors: Raymond Ezenweani, Jeffrey Ogbebor

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The menace of aquatic pollution has become increasingly of great concern and the effects of this pollution as a result of anthropogenic activities cannot be over emphasized. Phycoremediation is the application of algal remediation technology in the removal of harmful products from the environment. Harmful products also known as pollutants are usually introduced into the environment through variety of processes such as industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, flooding, and acid rain. This work has to do with the capability of algae in the efficient removal of different pollutants, ranging from hydrocarbons, eutrophication, agricultural chemicals and wastes, heavy metals, foul smell from septic tanks or dumps through different processes such as bioconversion, biosorption, bioabsorption and biodecomposition. Algae are capable of bioconversion of environmentally persistent compounds to degradable compounds and also capable of putting harmful bacteria growth into check in waste water remediation. Numerous algal organisms such as Nannochloropsis spp, Chlorella spp, Tetraselmis spp, Shpaerocystics spp, cyanobacteria and different macroalgae have been tested by different researchers in laboratory scale and shown to have 100% efficiency in environmental remediation. Algae as a result of their photosynthetic capacity are also efficient in air cleansing and management of global warming by sequestering carbon iv oxide in air and converting it into organic carbon, thereby making food available for the other organisms in the higher trophic level of the aquatic food chain. Algae play major role in the sustenance of the aquatic ecosystem by their virtue of being photosynthetic. They are the primary producers and their role in environmental sustainability is remarkable.

Keywords: Algae , Pollutant, ., Phycoremediation, Aquatic, Sustainability

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