Search results for: synthetic zeolites
618 The Effects of Hydraulic Retention Time on the Sludge Characteristics and Effluent Quality in an Aerobic Suspension Sequencing Batch Reactor
Authors: Ali W. N. Alattabi, Clare B. Harris, Rafid M. Alkhaddar, Montserrat Ortoneda, David A. Phipps, Ali Alzeyadi, Khalid S. Hashim
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This study was performed to optimise the hydraulic retention time (HRT) and study its effects on the sludge characteristics and the effluent quality in an aerobic suspension sequencing batch reactor (ASSBR) treating synthetic wastewater. The results showed that increasing the HRT from 6 h to 12 h significantly improved the COD and Nitrate removal efficiency; it was increased from 78.7% - 75.7% to 94.7% – 97% for COD and Nitrate respectively. However, increasing the HRT from 12 h to 18 h reduced the COD and Nitrate removal efficiency from 94.7% - 97% to 91.1% – 94.4% respectively. Moreover, Increasing the HRT from 18 h to 24 h did not affect the COD and Nitrate removal efficiency. Sludge volume index (SVI) was used to monitor the sludge settling performance. The results showed a direct relationship between the HRT and SVI value. Increasing the HRT from 6 h to 12 h led to decrease the SVI value from 123 ml/g to 82.5 ml/g, and then it remained constant despite of increasing the HRT from 12 h to 18 h and to 24 h. The results obtained from this study showed that the HRT of 12 h was better for COD and Nitrate removal and a good settling performance occurred during that range.Keywords: COD, hydraulic retention time, nitrate, sequencing batch reactor, sludge characteristics
Procedia PDF Downloads 372617 A Decision Support System for the Detection of Illicit Substance Production Sites
Authors: Krystian Chachula, Robert Nowak
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Manufacturing home-made explosives and synthetic drugs is an increasing problem in Europe. To combat that, a data fusion system is proposed for the detection and localization of production sites in urban environments. The data consists of measurements of properties of wastewater performed by various sensors installed in a sewage network. A four-stage fusion strategy allows detecting sources of waste products from known chemical reactions. First, suspicious measurements are used to compute the amount and position of discharged compounds. Then, this information is propagated through the sewage network to account for missing sensors. The next step is clustering and the formation of tracks. Eventually, tracks are used to reconstruct discharge events. Sensor measurements are simulated by a subsystem based on real-world data. In this paper, different discharge scenarios are considered to show how the parameters of used algorithms affect the effectiveness of the proposed system. This research is a part of the SYSTEM project (SYnergy of integrated Sensors and Technologies for urban sEcured environMent).Keywords: continuous monitoring, information fusion and sensors, internet of things, multisensor fusion
Procedia PDF Downloads 115616 Convergence Analysis of Training Two-Hidden-Layer Partially Over-Parameterized ReLU Networks via Gradient Descent
Authors: Zhifeng Kong
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Over-parameterized neural networks have attracted a great deal of attention in recent deep learning theory research, as they challenge the classic perspective of over-fitting when the model has excessive parameters and have gained empirical success in various settings. While a number of theoretical works have been presented to demystify properties of such models, the convergence properties of such models are still far from being thoroughly understood. In this work, we study the convergence properties of training two-hidden-layer partially over-parameterized fully connected networks with the Rectified Linear Unit activation via gradient descent. To our knowledge, this is the first theoretical work to understand convergence properties of deep over-parameterized networks without the equally-wide-hidden-layer assumption and other unrealistic assumptions. We provide a probabilistic lower bound of the widths of hidden layers and proved linear convergence rate of gradient descent. We also conducted experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets to validate our theory.Keywords: over-parameterization, rectified linear units ReLU, convergence, gradient descent, neural networks
Procedia PDF Downloads 142615 Detection of Image Blur and Its Restoration for Image Enhancement
Authors: M. V. Chidananda Murthy, M. Z. Kurian, H. S. Guruprasad
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Image restoration in the process of communication is one of the emerging fields in the image processing. The motion analysis processing is the simplest case to detect motion in an image. Applications of motion analysis widely spread in many areas such as surveillance, remote sensing, film industry, navigation of autonomous vehicles, etc. The scene may contain multiple moving objects, by using motion analysis techniques the blur caused by the movement of the objects can be enhanced by filling-in occluded regions and reconstruction of transparent objects, and it also removes the motion blurring. This paper presents the design and comparison of various motion detection and enhancement filters. Median filter, Linear image deconvolution, Inverse filter, Pseudoinverse filter, Wiener filter, Lucy Richardson filter and Blind deconvolution filters are used to remove the blur. In this work, we have considered different types and different amount of blur for the analysis. Mean Square Error (MSE) and Peak Signal to Noise Ration (PSNR) are used to evaluate the performance of the filters. The designed system has been implemented in Matlab software and tested for synthetic and real-time images.Keywords: image enhancement, motion analysis, motion detection, motion estimation
Procedia PDF Downloads 287614 EnumTree: An Enumerative Biclustering Algorithm for DNA Microarray Data
Authors: Haifa Ben Saber, Mourad Elloumi
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In a number of domains, like in DNA microarray data analysis, we need to cluster simultaneously rows (genes) and columns (conditions) of a data matrix to identify groups of constant rows with a group of columns. This kind of clustering is called biclustering. Biclustering algorithms are extensively used in DNA microarray data analysis. More effective biclustering algorithms are highly desirable and needed. We introduce a new algorithm called, Enumerative tree (EnumTree) for biclustering of binary microarray data. is an algorithm adopting the approach of enumerating biclusters. This algorithm extracts all biclusters consistent good quality. The main idea of EnumLat is the construction of a new tree structure to represent adequately different biclusters discovered during the process of enumeration. This algorithm adopts the strategy of all biclusters at a time. The performance of the proposed algorithm is assessed using both synthetic and real DNA micryarray data, our algorithm outperforms other biclustering algorithms for binary microarray data. Biclusters with different numbers of rows. Moreover, we test the biological significance using a gene annotation web tool to show that our proposed method is able to produce biologically relevent biclusters.Keywords: DNA microarray, biclustering, gene expression data, tree, datamining.
Procedia PDF Downloads 372613 Effect of Electrodes Spacing on Energy Consumption of Electrocoagulation Cells
Authors: Khalid S. Hashim, Andy Shaw, Rafid Al-Khaddar, Montserrat Ortoneda Pedrola
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In spite of the acknowledged advantages of the electrocoagulation (EC) method to remove a wide range of pollutants from waters and wastewaters, its efficiency is limited by several operational parameters (such as electrolysis time, current density, electrode material, distance between electrodes, and water temperature). Hence, optimizing these key operating parameters is considered a vital step to remove a pollutant efficiently. In this context, the present study has been carried out to explore the influence of electrodes spacing on energy consumption, temperature of the water being treated, and iron removal from water. To achieve this target, iron containing synthetic water samples were electrolysed for 20 min, using a new flow column electrocoagulation reactor (FCER), at three different gaps between electrodes (5, 10, and 20 mm). These batch experiments were commenced at a constant current density of 1.5 mA/cm² and initial pH of 6. The obtained results demonstrated that increasing gap between electrodes negatively influenced the performance of the EC method. It was found that increasing the gap between electrodes from 5 to 20 mm increased the energy consumption from about 3.3 to 7.3 kW.h/m³, and water temperature from 20.2 to 22 °C, respectively. In addition, it has been found, after 20 min of electrolysing, that increasing the gap between electrodes from 5 to 20 mm increased the residual iron concentration from 0.05 to 1.01 mg/L, respectively.Keywords: electrocoagulation, water, electrodes, iron
Procedia PDF Downloads 264612 Advancements in Arthroscopic Surgery Techniques for Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction
Authors: Islam Sherif, Ahmed Ashour, Ahmed Hassan, Hatem Osman
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Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are common among athletes and individuals participating in sports with sudden stops, pivots, and changes in direction. Arthroscopic surgery is the gold standard for ACL reconstruction, aiming to restore knee stability and function. Recent years have witnessed significant advancements in arthroscopic surgery techniques, graft materials, and technological innovations, revolutionizing the field of ACL reconstruction. This presentation delves into the latest advancements in arthroscopic surgery techniques for ACL reconstruction and their potential impact on patient outcomes. Traditionally, autografts from the patellar tendon, hamstring tendon, or quadriceps tendon have been commonly used for ACL reconstruction. However, recent studies have explored the use of allografts, synthetic scaffolds, and tissue-engineered grafts as viable alternatives. This abstract evaluates the benefits and potential drawbacks of each graft type, considering factors such as graft incorporation, strength, and risk of graft failure. Moreover, the application of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies in surgical planning and intraoperative navigation has gained traction. AR and VR platforms provide surgeons with detailed 3D anatomical reconstructions of the knee joint, enhancing preoperative visualization and aiding in graft tunnel placement during surgery. We discuss the integration of AR and VR in arthroscopic ACL reconstruction procedures, evaluating their accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and overall impact on surgical outcomes. Beyond graft selection and surgical navigation, patient-specific planning has gained attention in recent research. Advanced imaging techniques, such as MRI-based personalized planning, enable surgeons to tailor ACL reconstruction procedures to each patient's unique anatomy. By accounting for individual variations in the femoral and tibial insertion sites, this personalized approach aims to optimize graft placement and potentially improve postoperative knee kinematics and stability. Furthermore, rehabilitation and postoperative care play a crucial role in the success of ACL reconstruction. This abstract explores novel rehabilitation protocols, emphasizing early mobilization, neuromuscular training, and accelerated recovery strategies. Integrating technology, such as wearable sensors and mobile applications, into postoperative care can facilitate remote monitoring and timely intervention, contributing to enhanced rehabilitation outcomes. In conclusion, this presentation provides an overview of the cutting-edge advancements in arthroscopic surgery techniques for ACL reconstruction. By embracing innovative graft materials, augmented reality, patient-specific planning, and technology-driven rehabilitation, orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine specialists can achieve superior outcomes in ACL injury management. These developments hold great promise for improving the functional outcomes and long-term success rates of ACL reconstruction, benefitting athletes and patients alike.Keywords: arthroscopic surgery, ACL, autograft, allograft, graft materials, ACL reconstruction, synthetic scaffolds, tissue-engineered graft, virtual reality, augmented reality, surgical planning, intra-operative navigation
Procedia PDF Downloads 92611 Removal of Copper from Wastewaters by Nano-Micro Bubble Ion Flotation
Authors: R. Ahmadi, A. Khodadadi, M. Abdollahi
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The removal of copper from a dilute synthetic wastewater (10 mg/L) was studied by ion flotation at laboratory scale. Anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as a collector and ethanol as a frother. Different parameters such as pH, collector and frother concentrations, foam height and bubble size distribution (multi bubble ion flotation) were tested to determine the optimum flotation conditions in a Denver type flotation machine. To see into the effect of bubbles size distribution in this paper, a nano-micro bubble generator was designed. The nano and microbubbles that are generated in this way were combined with normal size bubbles generated mechanically. Under the optimum conditions (concentration of SDS: 192mg/l, ethanol: 0.5%v/v, pH value: 4 and froth height=12.5 cm) the best removal obtained for the system Cu/SDS with a dry foam (water recovery: 15.5%) was 85.6%. Coalescence of nano-microbubbles with bubbles of normal size belonging to mechanical flotation cell improved the removal of Cu to a maximum floatability of 92.8% and reduced the water recovery to a 13.1%.The flotation time decreased considerably at 37.5% when the multi bubble ion flotation was used.Keywords: froth flotation, copper, water treatment, optimization, recycling
Procedia PDF Downloads 502610 In vitro Estimation of Genotoxic Lesions in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Rat Exposed to Organophosphate Pesticides
Authors: A. Ojha, Y. K. Gupta
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Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are among the most widely used synthetic chemicals for controlling a wide variety of pests throughout the world. Chlorpyrifos (CPF), methyl parathion (MPT), and malathion (MLT) are among the most extensively used OP pesticides in India. DNA strand breaks and DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC) are toxic lesions associated with the mechanisms of toxicity of genotoxic compounds. In the present study, we have examined the potential of CPF, MPT, and MLT individually and in combination, to cause DNA strand breakage and DPC formation. Peripheral blood lymphocytes of rat were exposed to 1/4 and 1/10 LC50 dose of CPF, MPT, and MLT for 2, 4, 8, and 12h. The DNA strand break was measured by the comet assay and expressed as DNA damage index while DPC estimation was done by fluorescence emission. There was significantly marked increase in DNA damage and DNA-protein crosslink formation in time and dose dependent manner. It was also observed that MPT caused the highest level of DNA damage as compared to other studied OP compounds. Thus, from present study, we can conclude that studied pesticides have genotoxic potential. The pesticides mixture does not potentiate the toxicity of each other. Nonetheless, additional in vivo data are required before a definitive conclusion can be drawn regarding hazard prediction to humans.Keywords: organophosphate, pesticides, DNA damage, DNA protein crosslink, genotoxic
Procedia PDF Downloads 356609 Effects of Vitexin on Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment in Rats
Authors: Mehdi Sheikhi, Marjan Nassiri-Asl, Esmail Abbasi, Mahsa Shafiee
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Various synthetic derivatives of natural flavonoids are known to have neuroactive properties. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of vitexin (5, 7, 4-trihydroxyflavone-8-glucoside), a flavonoid found in such plants as tartary buckwheat sprouts, wheat leaves phenolome, Mimosa pudica Linn and Passiflora spp, on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in rats. To achieve this goal, we assessed the effects of vitexin on memory retrieval in the presence or absence of scopolamine using a step-through passive avoidance trial. In the first part of the study, vitexin (25, 50, and 100 μM) was administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) before acquisition trials. In the second part, vitexin, at the same doses, was administered before scopolamine (10 μg, i.c.v.) and before the acquisition trials. During retention tests, vitexin (100 μM) in the absence of scopolamine significantly increased the stepthrough latencies compared to scopolamine. In addition, vitexin (100 μM) significantly reversed the shorter step-through latencies induced by scopolamine (P < 0.05). These results indicate that vitexin has a potential role in enhancing memory retrieval. A possible mechanism is modulation of cholinergic receptors; however, other mechanisms may be involved in its effects in acute exposure.Keywords: flavonoid, memory retrieval, passive avoidance, scopolamine, vitexin
Procedia PDF Downloads 352608 Insecticidial Effects of Essential Oil of Carum copticum on Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Giti Sabri, Sohrab Imani, Ali Ahadiyat, Aref Maroof, Yahya Ostadi
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Recently, there has been a growing interest in research concerning the possible use of plant extracts as alternatives to synthetic insecticides. In this research, the insecticidal effects of Carum copticum essential oils against rice weevil adults were investigated in laboratory condition. Essential oils was extracted through distillation with water using Clevenger apparatus. Tests of randomized complete block included six concentrations and three replications for essential oils (fumigant toxicity) along with control treatment in condition of 27±1ºC degrees Celsius temperature, relative humidity of 65 ± 5 percent and darkness. LC50 values were calculated by SPSS.21.0 software which presented the value of LC50 of Carum copticum essential oils after 48 hurs, 187.35± 0.40 µl/l air on rice weevil adults. Results showed that increasing the concentration of essential oils increased the mortality rate cases. The results also showed that essential oils of Carum copticum are effective biological sources which can effectively protect stored grain from infestation by the rice weevil; although for application of these combinations further research may be needed.Keywords: insecticidial effects, essential oil, Carum copticum, Sitophilus oryzae
Procedia PDF Downloads 414607 Reviewing Image Recognition and Anomaly Detection Methods Utilizing GANs
Authors: Agastya Pratap Singh
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This review paper examines the emerging applications of generative adversarial networks (GANs) in the fields of image recognition and anomaly detection. With the rapid growth of digital image data, the need for efficient and accurate methodologies to identify and classify images has become increasingly critical. GANs, known for their ability to generate realistic data, have gained significant attention for their potential to enhance traditional image recognition systems and improve anomaly detection performance. The paper systematically analyzes various GAN architectures and their modifications tailored for image recognition tasks, highlighting their strengths and limitations. Additionally, it delves into the effectiveness of GANs in detecting anomalies in diverse datasets, including medical imaging, industrial inspection, and surveillance. The review also discusses the challenges faced in training GANs, such as mode collapse and stability issues, and presents recent advancements aimed at overcoming these obstacles.Keywords: generative adversarial networks, image recognition, anomaly detection, synthetic data generation, deep learning, computer vision, unsupervised learning, pattern recognition, model evaluation, machine learning applications
Procedia PDF Downloads 25606 Importance of Solubility and Bubble Pressure Models to Predict Pressure of Nitrified Oil Based Drilling Fluid in Dual Gradient Drilling
Authors: Sajjad Negahban, Ruihe Wang, Baojiang Sun
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Gas-lift dual gradient drilling is a solution for deepwater drilling challenges. As well, Continuous development of drilling technology leads to increase employment of mineral oil based drilling fluids and synthetic-based drilling fluids, which have adequate characteristics such as: high rate of penetration, lubricity, shale inhibition and low toxicity. The paper discusses utilization of nitrified mineral oil base drilling for deepwater drilling and for more accurate prediction of pressure in DGD at marine riser, solubility and bubble pressure were considered in steady state hydraulic model. The Standing bubble pressure and solubility correlations, and two models which were acquired from experimental determination were applied in hydraulic model. The effect of the black oil correlations, and new solubility and bubble pressure models was evaluated on the PVT parameters such as oil formation volume factor, density, viscosity, volumetric flow rate. Eventually, the consequent simulated pressure profile due to these models was presented.Keywords: solubility, bubble pressure, gas-lift dual gradient drilling, steady state hydraulic model
Procedia PDF Downloads 275605 Synthesis and Pharmaco-Potential Evaluation of Quinoline Hybrids
Authors: Paul Awolade, Parvesh Singh
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The global threat of pathogenic resistance to available therapeutic agents has become a menace to clinical practice, public health and man’s existence inconsequential. This has therefore led to an exigency in the development of new molecular scaffolds with profound activity profiles. In this vein, a versatile synthetic tool for accessing new molecules by incorporating two or more pharmacophores into a single entity with the unique ability to be recognized by multiple receptors hence leading to an improved bioactivity, known as molecular hybridization, has been explored with tremendous success. Accordingly, aware of the similarity in pharmacological activity spectrum of quinoline and 1,2,3-triazole pharmacophores such as; anti-Alzheimer, anticancer, anti-HIV, antimalarial and antimicrobial to mention but a few, the present study sets out to synthesize hybrids of quinoline and 1,2,3-triazole. The hybrids were accessed via click chemistry using copper catalysed azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. All synthesized compounds were evaluated for their pharmaco-potential in an antimicrobial assay out of which the 3-OH derivative emerged as the most active with MIC value of 4 μg/mL against Cryptococcus neoformans; a value superior to standard Fluconazole and comparable to Amphotericin B. Structures of synthesized hybrids were elucidated using appropriate spectroscopic techniques (1H, 13C and 2D NMR, FT-IR and HRMS).Keywords: bioisostere, click chemistry, molecular hybridization, quinoline, 1, 2, 3-triazole
Procedia PDF Downloads 129604 Polysaccharide Polyelectrolyte Complexation: An Engineering Strategy for the Development of Commercially Viable Sustainable Materials
Authors: Jeffrey M. Catchmark, Parisa Nazema, Caini Chen, Wei-Shu Lin
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Sustainable and environmentally compatible materials are needed for a wide variety of volume commercial applications. Current synthetic materials such as plastics, fluorochemicals (such as PFAS), adhesives and resins in form of sheets, laminates, coatings, foams, fibers, molded parts and composites are used for countless products such as packaging, food handling, textiles, biomedical, construction, automotive and general consumer devices. Synthetic materials offer distinct performance advantages including stability, durability and low cost. These attributes are associated with the physical and chemical properties of these materials that, once formed, can be resistant to water, oils, solvents, harsh chemicals, salt, temperature, impact, wear and microbial degradation. These advantages become disadvantages when considering the end of life of these products which generate significant land and water pollution when disposed of and few are recycled. Agriculturally and biologically derived polymers offer the potential of remediating these environmental and life-cycle difficulties, but face numerous challenges including feedstock supply, scalability, performance and cost. Such polymers include microbial biopolymers like polyhydroxyalkanoates and polyhydroxbutirate; polymers produced using biomonomer chemical synthesis like polylactic acid; proteins like soy, collagen and casein; lipids like waxes; and polysaccharides like cellulose and starch. Although these materials, and combinations thereof, exhibit the potential for meeting some of the performance needs of various commercial applications, only cellulose and starch have both the production feedstock volume and cost to compete with petroleum derived materials. Over 430 million tons of plastic is produced each year and plastics like low density polyethylene cost ~$1500 to $1800 per ton. Over 400 million tons of cellulose and over 100 million tons of starch are produced each year at a volume cost as low as ~$500 to $1000 per ton with the capability of increased production. Cellulose and starches, however, are hydroscopic materials that do not exhibit the needed performance in most applications. Celluloses and starches can be chemically modified to contain positive and negative surface charges and such modified versions of these are used in papermaking, foods and cosmetics. Although these modified polysaccharides exhibit the same performance limitations, recent research has shown that composite materials comprised of cationic and anionic polysaccharides in polyelectrolyte complexation exhibit significantly improved performance including stability in diverse environments. Moreover, starches with added plasticizers can exhibit thermoplasticity, presenting the possibility of improved thermoplastic starches when comprised of starches in polyelectrolyte complexation. In this work, the potential for numerous volume commercial products based on polysaccharide polyelectrolyte complexes (PPCs) will be discussed, including the engineering design strategy used to develop them. Research results will be detailed including the development and demonstration of starch PPC compositions for paper coatings to replace PFAS; adhesives; foams for packaging, insulation and biomedical applications; and thermoplastic starches. In addition, efforts to demonstrate the potential for volume manufacturing with industrial partners will be discussed.Keywords: biomaterials engineering, commercial materials, polysaccharides, sustainable materials
Procedia PDF Downloads 17603 Flood Monitoring in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta Using Sentinel-1 SAR with Global Flood Mapper
Authors: Ahmed S. Afifi, Ahmed Magdy
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Satellite monitoring is an essential tool to study, understand, and map large-scale environmental changes that affect humans, climate, and biodiversity. The Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instrument provides a high collection of data in all-weather, short revisit time, and high spatial resolution that can be used effectively in flood management. Floods occur when an overflow of water submerges dry land that requires to be distinguished from flooded areas. In this study, we use global flood mapper (GFM), a new google earth engine application that allows users to quickly map floods using Sentinel-1 SAR. The GFM enables the users to adjust manually the flood map parameters, e.g., the threshold for Z-value for VV and VH bands and the elevation and slope mask threshold. The composite R:G:B image results by coupling the bands of Sentinel-1 (VH:VV:VH) reduces false classification to a large extent compared to using one separate band (e.g., VH polarization band). The flood mapping algorithm in the GFM and the Otsu thresholding are compared with Sentinel-2 optical data. And the results show that the GFM algorithm can overcome the misclassification of a flooded area in An Giang, Vietnam.Keywords: SAR backscattering, Sentinel-1, flood mapping, disaster
Procedia PDF Downloads 105602 Antiprotozoal Activity of Peganum harmala against Babesiosis in Cattle
Authors: Muhammad Mustafa Jafar, Syed Ashar Mahfooz, Muhammad Ejaz Saleem, Muhammad Asif Raza, Asghar Abbas, Rao Zahid Abbas, Muhammad Kasib Khan, Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq
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The Babesia gradually attained resistance against the synthetic medicines. To overcome the drug resistance, herbal therapy has gained more attention as compared to allopathic therapy. Peganumharmala (harmal) is a plant which has shown effective results against various protozoal diseases. Therefore, the present study was planned to monitor the efficacy of Peganumharmala (aqueous extract) against Babesiosis in cattle. For this purpose, a total of forty (n=40) infected animals were randomly divided into four equal groups (A, B, C, and D). Group A was treated with aqueous extract of Peganum harmala at 7.5 mg/kg, group B at 10 mg/kg and group C at 12.5 mg/kg of body weight. Group D served as a control group (normal). It was observed that there was a stabilization in hematological parameters (white and red blood cells, hemoglobin and Packed cell volume) in infected animals treated with Peganum harmala at different doses. Results of this study hence indicated that Peganum harmala extract at 12.5mg/kg BW is more effective against Babesiosis than lower doses.Keywords: Babesiosis, cattle, control, Peganum harmala
Procedia PDF Downloads 284601 The Pharmacology and Physiology of Steroid Oral Contraceptives
Authors: Ragy Raafat Gaber Attaalla
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PIP: This review, based on 2 large-scale studies, discusses the pharmacology and physiology of oral steroid contraceptives (OCs). The pharmacological distinction between synthetic and naturally occurring steroids centers on changes in biological activity dependent on compound formulation and an individual's metabolism. OC mechanism of action is explained as the main prevention of ovulation by interference with gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Since some 52 metabolic alterations have been reported in OC users, these phenomena are dealt with in 3 categories: 1) effects on the primary target organs of the female reproductive tract (ovary, myometrium, endometrium, cervix, vagina, breasts, and hypothalamus), 2) general metabolic effects (serum proteins, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, water and electrolyte metabolism, body weight, tryptophan metabolism, and vitamins and minerals), and 3) effects on other organ systems (liver, central nervous system, skin, genitourinary, gastrointestinal tract, eye, immune phenomena, and effect on subsequent fertility). The choice of the proper OC formulation and use of OCs by adolescents are discussed. Assessment of OC safety, contraindications, and patient monitoring are provided.Keywords: steroid oral contraceptives, ovulation, female reproductive tract, metabolic effects
Procedia PDF Downloads 96600 Corrosion Inhibition of AA2024 Alloy with Graphene Oxide Derivative: Electrochemical and Surface Analysis
Authors: Nisrine Benzbiria, Abderrahmane Thoume, Mustapha Zertoubi
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The goal of this research is to investigate the corrosion inhibition potential of functionalized graphene oxide (GO) with oxime derivative on AA2024-T3 surface in synthetic seawater. The utilization of functionalized graphene oxide is creating a category of corrosion inhibitors known as organically modified nanomaterials. In our work, the functionalization of GO by chalcone oxime enables graphene oxide to have enhanced water solubility and a good corrosion mitigation capacity. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was utilized to evaluate the main functional groups of the inhibitor. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization curves (PDP) showed that the inhibitor acts as a mixed-type inhibitor. The inhibitory efficiency (IE) improved as the concentration increased to a value of 96% after one hour of exposure to a medium containing 60 mg/L ppm of the inhibitor. According to thermodynamic calculations, the adsorption of the inhibitor on the AA2024-T3 surface in 3% NaCl followed the Langmuir isotherm. The formation of a barrier layer was further confirmed by surface analysis. The protective film prevented the alloy dissolution and limited the accessibility of attacking ions, as evinced by solution analysis techniques.Keywords: AA2024-T3, NaCl, electrochemical methods, FT-IR, SEM/AFM, DFT, MC simulation
Procedia PDF Downloads 60599 Biosurfactant-Mediated Nanoparticle Synthesis by Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Satya Eswari Jujjavarapu, Swasti Dhagat, Lata Upadhyay, Reecha Sahu
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Silver nanoparticles have a broad range of antimicrobial and antifungal properties ranging from soaps, pastes to sterilization and drug delivery systems. These can be synthesized by physical, chemical and biological methods; biological methods being the most popular owing to their non-toxic nature and reduced energy requirements. Microbial surfactants, produced on the microbial cell surface or excreted extracellularly are an alternative to synthetic surfactants for the production of silver nanoparticles. Hence, they are also called as green molecules. Microbial lipopeptide surfactants (biosurfactant) exhibit anti-tumor and anti-microbial properties and can be used as drug delivery agents. In this study, biosurfactant was synthesized by using a strain of acillus subtilis. The biosurfactant thus produced was analysed by emulsification assay, oil spilling test, and haemolytic test. Biosurfactant-mediated silver nanoparticles were synthesised by microwave irradiation of the culture supernatant and further characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy for a range of 400-600 nm. The UV–vis spectra showed a surface plasmon resonance vibration band at 410 nm corresponding to the peak of silver nanoparticles.Keywords: biosurfactant, Bacillus subtilis, silver nano particle, lipopeptide
Procedia PDF Downloads 239598 Colorful Textiles with Antimicrobial Property Using Natural Dyes as Effective Green Finishing Agents
Authors: Shahid-ul-Islam, Faqeer Mohammad
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The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of annatto, teak and flame of the forest natural dyes on color, fastness, and antimicrobial property of protein based textile substrate. The color strength (K/S) of wool samples at various concentrations of dyes were analysed using a Reflective Spectrophotometer. The antimicrobial activity of natural dyes before and after application on wool was tested against common human pathogens Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, by using micro-broth dilution method, disc diffusion assay and growth curve studies. The structural morphology of natural protein fibre (wool) was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Annatto and teak natural dyes proved very effective in inhibiting the microbial growth in solution phase and after application on wool and resulted in a broad beautiful spectrum of colors with exceptional fastness properties. The results encourage the search and exploitation of new plant species as source of dyes to replace toxic synthetic antimicrobial agents currently used in textile industry.Keywords: annatto, antimicrobial agents, natural dyes, green textiles
Procedia PDF Downloads 318597 Orthophthalic Polyester Composite Reinforced with Sodium Alginate-Treated Anahaw (Saribus rotundifolius) Fibers
Authors: Terence Tumolva, Johannes Kristoff Vito, Joanna Crystelle Ragasa, Renz Marion Dela Cruz
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Natural fiber reinforced polymer (NFRP) composites have been the focus of various research projects due to their advantages over synthetic fiber-reinforced composites. For this study, ana haw is used as the fiber source due to its abundance throughout the Philippines. A problem addressed in this study is the need for an environment-friendly method of fiber treatment. The use of sodium alginate to treat fibers was thus investigated. The fibers were immersed in a sodium alginate solution and then in a calcium chloride solution afterwards. The treated fibers were used to reinforce orthophthalic unsaturated polyester (ortho-UP) resin. The mechanical properties were tested using a universal testing machine (UTM), and the fracture surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results showed that the sodium alginate treatment had increased the tensile and flexural strength of the composite. The increase in fiber load had also been found to increase the stiffness of the composite. However, sodium alginate treatment did not provide any significant improvement in the wet mechanical properties of the NFRP. The composite is comparable to some commercially available polymeric materials.Keywords: NFRP, composite, alginate, anahaw, polymer
Procedia PDF Downloads 337596 Studying the Effect of Ethanol and Operating Temperature on Purification of Lactulose Syrup Containing Lactose
Authors: N. Zanganeh, M. Zabet
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Lactulose is a synthetic disaccharide which has remarkable applications in food and pharmaceutical fields. Lactulose is not found in nature and it is produced by isomerization reaction of lactose in an alkaline environment. It should be noted that this reaction has a very low yield since significant amount of lactose stays un-reacted in the system. Basically, purification of lactulose is difficult and costly. Previous studies have revealed that solubility of lactose and lactulose are significantly different in ethanol. Considering the fact that solubility is also affected by temperature itself, we investigated the effect of ethanol and temperature on separation process of lactose from the syrup containing lactose and lactulose. For this purpose, a saturated solution containing lactulose and lactose was made at three different temperatures; 25⁰C (room temperature), 31⁰C, and 37⁰C first. Five samples containing 2g saturated solution was taken and then 2g, 3g, 4g, 5g, and 6g ethanol separately was added to the sampling tubes. Sampling tubes were kept at respective temperatures afterward. The concentration of lactose and lactulose after separation process measured and analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Results showed that ethanol has such a greater impact than operating temperature on purification process. Also, it was observed that the maximum rate of separation occurred at initial amount of added ethanol.Keywords: lactulose, lactose, purification, solubility
Procedia PDF Downloads 451595 Advances in Membrane Technologies for Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Deniz Sahin
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This study provides a literature review of the special issue on wastewater treatment technologies, especially membrane technologies. Currently, wastewater is a serious and increasing worldwide problem with an adverse effect on the environment and living organisms. For this reason, many technologies have been developed to treat wastewater before discharging it to water bodies. We have been discussed membrane technologies to remove contaminants from wastewater such as heavy metals, dyes, pesticides, etc., which represent the main pollutants in wastewater. All the properties of these technologies including performance, economics, simplicity, and operability are also compared with other wastewater treatment technologies. The conventional water treatment technologies have the disadvantages of low separation efficiency, high energy consumption, and strict operating temperature. To overcome these difficulties, membrane technologies have been developed and used in wastewater treatment. Membrane technology uses a selectively permeable membrane to remove suspended and dissolved solids from water. This membrane is a very thin film of synthetic organic or inorganic materials, that can allow a very selective separation between a mixture and its components. Examples of membrane technologies include microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), reverse osmosis (RO), electrodialysis (ED), gas separation, etc. Most of these technologies have been used extensively for the treatment of heavy metal wastewater. For instance, wastewater that contains Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺ was treated by ultrafiltration technology. It was shown that complete removal of metal ions could be achieved.Keywords: industrial pollution, membrane technologies, metal ions, wastewater
Procedia PDF Downloads 197594 Quaternary Ammonium Salts Based Algerian Petroleum Products: Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Houria Hamitouche, Abdellah Khelifa
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Quaternary ammonium salts (QACs) are the most common cationic surfactants of natural or synthetic origin usually. They possess one or more hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains and hydrophilic cationic group. In fact, the hydrophobic groups are derived from three main sources: petrochemicals, vegetable oils, and animal fats. These QACs have attracted the attention of chemists for a long time, due to their general simple synthesis and their broad application in several fields. They are important as ingredients of cosmetic products and are also used as corrosion inhibitors, in emulsion polymerization and textile processing. Within biological applications, QACs show a good antimicrobial activity and can be used as medicines, gene delivery agents or in DNA extraction methods. The 2004 worldwide annual consumption of QACs was reported as 500,000 tons. The petroleum product is considered a true reservoir of a variety of chemical species, which can be used in the synthesis of quaternary ammonium salts. The purpose of the present contribution is to synthesize the quaternary ammonium salts by Menschutkin reaction, via chloromethylation/quaternization sequences, from Algerian petroleum products namely: reformate, light naphtha and kerosene and characterize.Keywords: quaternary ammonium salts, reformate, light naphtha, kerosene
Procedia PDF Downloads 335593 A Comparative Assessment of Membrane Bioscrubber and Classical Bioscrubber for Biogas Purification
Authors: Ebrahim Tilahun, Erkan Sahinkaya, Bariş Calli̇
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Raw biogas is a valuable renewable energy source however it usually needs removal of the impurities. The presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the biogas has detrimental corrosion effects on the cogeneration units. Removal of H2S from the biogas can therefore significantly improve the biogas quality. In this work, a conventional bioscrubber (CBS), and a dense membrane bioscrubber (DMBS) were comparatively evaluated in terms of H2S removal efficiency (RE), CH4 enrichment and alkaline consumption at gas residence times ranging from 5 to 20 min. Both bioscrubbers were fed with a synthetic biogas containing H2S (1%), CO2 (39%) and CH4 (60%). The results show that high RE (98%) was obtained in the DMBS when gas residence time was 20 min, whereas slightly lower CO2 RE was observed. While in CBS system the outlet H2S concentration was always lower than 250 ppmv, and its H2S RE remained higher than 98% regardless of the gas residence time, although the high alkaline consumption and frequent absorbent replacement limited its cost-effectiveness. The result also indicates that in DMBS when the gas residence time increased to 20 min, the CH4 content in the treated biogas enriched upto 80%. However, while operating the CBS unit the CH4 content of the raw biogas (60%) decreased by three fold. The lower CH4 content in CBS was probably caused by extreme dilution of biogas with air (N2 and O2). According to the results obtained here the DMBS system is a robust and effective biotechnology in comparison with CBS. Hence, DMBS has a better potential for real scale applications.Keywords: biogas, bioscrubber, desulfurization, PDMS membrane
Procedia PDF Downloads 226592 Synthesis, Inhibitory Activity, and Molecular Modelling of 2-Hydroxy-3-Oxo-3-Phenylpropionate Derivatives as HIV-1-Integrase Inhibitors
Authors: O. J. Jesumoroti, Faridoon, R. Klein, K. A. Iobb, D. Mnkadhla, H. C. Hoppe, P. T. Kaye
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The 1, 3-aryl diketo acids (DKA) based agents represent an important class of HIV integrase (IN) strand transfer inhibitors. In other to study the chelating role of the divalent metal ion in the inhibition of IN strand transfer, we designed and synthesized a series of 2-hydroxy-3-oxo-3-phenyl propionate derivatives with the notion that such compounds could interact with the divalent ion in the active site of IN. The synthetic sequence to the desired compounds involves the concept of Doebner knoevenagel condensation, Fischer esterification and ketohydroxylation using neuclophilic re-oxidant; compounds were characterized by their IR, IHNMR, 13CNMR, HRMS spectroscopic data and melting point determination. Also, molecular docking was employed in this study and it was revealed that there is interaction with the active site of the enzyme. However, there is disparity in the corresponding anti-HIV activity determined by the experimental bioassay. These compounds lack potency at low micromolar concentration when compared to the results of the docking studies. Nevertheless, the results of the study suggest modification of the aryl ring with one or two hydroxyl groups to improve the inhibitory activity.Keywords: anti-HIV-1 integrase, ketohydroxylation, molecular docking, propionate derivatives
Procedia PDF Downloads 194591 Biological Activity of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Surface of Implants
Authors: Saimir Heta, Ilma Robo, Dhimiter Papakozma, Eduart Kapaj, Vera Ostreni
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Introduction: The biocompatible materials applied to the implant surfaces are the target of recent literature studies. Methodologies: Modification of implant surfaces in different ways such as application of additional ions, surface microstructure change, surface or laser ultrasound alteration, or application of various substances such as recombinant proteins are among the most affected by articles published in the literature. The study is of review type with the main aim of finding the different ways that the mesenchymal cell reaction to these materials is, according to the literature, in the same percentage positive to the osteointegration process. Results: It is emphasized in the literature that implant success as a key evaluation key has more to implement implant treatment protocol ranging from dental health amenity and subsequent of the choice of implant type depending on the alveolar shape of the ridge level. Conclusions: Osteointegration is a procedure that should initially be physiologically independent of the type of implant pile material. With this physiological process, it can not "boast" for implant success or implantation depending on the brand of the selected implant, as the breadth of synthetic or natural materials that promote osteointegration is relatively large.Keywords: mesenchymal cells, implants, review, biocompatible materials
Procedia PDF Downloads 86590 Valorization of Marine Seaweed Biomass: Furanic Platform Chemicals and Beyond
Authors: Sanjay Kumar, Saikat Dutta, Devendra S. Rawat, Jitendra K. Pandey, Pankaj Kumar
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Exploding demand for various types of fuels and gradually growing impacts of atmospheric carbon dioxide have forced the researchers to search biofuels in general and algae-based biofuels in particular. However, strain identification in terms of fuel productivity and over all economics of fuel generation remains a debatable challenge. Utilization of marine biomass, especially the ones important in the Indian subcontinent, in forming furanic fuels and specialty chemicals would likely to be a better value-addition pathway. Seaweed species e.g. Ulva, Sarconema, and Gracilaria species have been found more productive than land-based biomass sources due to their higher growth rate. Additionally, non-recalcitrant nature of marine biomass unlike lignocellulosics has attracted much attention in recent years towards producing bioethanol. Here we report the production of renewable, biomass-derived platform molecules such as furfural and 5-(chloromethyl) furfural (CMF) from a seaweed species which are abundant marine biomass. These products have high potential for synthetic upgradation into various classes of value-added compounds such as fuels, fuel-additives, and monomers for polymers, solvents, agrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals.Keywords: seaweeds, Ulva, CMF, furan
Procedia PDF Downloads 454589 Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oils and Ethanolic Extracts of Four Medicinal Plants Alone and in Combination
Authors: Fatiha Bedjou, Meriem Meddas, Tadjajikt Chekkal
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The present work aims to evaluate the antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts and essential oils of aromatic plants of the Lamiaceae family: Thymus algeriensis and Salvia rosmarinus, and Anacardiaceae: Pistacia lentiscus, Myrtaceae: Eucalyptus polybracetea. The polyphenols were measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu method; the results showed that the essential oils studied as well as the ethanolic extracts are relatively rich in polyphenols. Their antioxidant properties were tested by the synthetic DPPH radical trapping method. The IC50 values were determined according to the graph representing the percentage of inhibition of the DPPH radical by essential oils and by ethanolic extracts, according to our results there is a correlation between the level of polyphenols present in the different essential oils and different ethanolic extracts and their ability to neutralize free radicals. Several combinations were carried out between the essential oils and also between the ethanolic extracts in order to determine the type of interactions existing between the combined substances, the results were represented in the form of isobolograms. Additive and super-additive effects were observed in combinations of essential oils, and super-additive and sub-additive effects were observed for combinations of ethanolic extracts.Keywords: essential oils, ethanolic extracts, DPPH, combination
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