Search results for: sex determination

Authors: Eman M. Morgan, Hayam M. Lotfy, Yasmin M. Fayez, Mohamed Abdelkawy, Engy Shokry

Abstract:

Two simple, selective, economic, safe, accurate, precise and environmentally friendly methods were developed and validated for the quantitative determination of valaciclovir (VAL) in the presence of its related substances R1 (acyclovir), R2 (guanine) in bulk powder and in the commercial pharmaceutical product containing the drug. Method A is a colorimetric method where VAL selectively reacts with ferric hydroxamate and the developed color was measured at 490 nm over a concentration range of 0.4-2 mg/mL with percentage recovery 100.05 ± 0.58 and correlation coefficient 0.9999. Method B is a reversed phase ultra performance liquid chromatographic technique (UPLC) which is considered superior in technology to the high-performance liquid chromatography with respect to speed, resolution, solvent consumption, time, and cost of analysis. Efficient separation was achieved on Agilent Zorbax CN column using ammonium acetate (0.1%) and acetonitrile as a mobile phase in a linear gradient program. Elution time for the separation was less than 5 min and ultraviolet detection was carried out at 256 nm over a concentration range of 2-50 μg/mL with mean percentage recovery 100.11±0.55 and correlation coefficient 0.9999. The proposed methods were fully validated as per International Conference on Harmonization specifications and effectively applied for the analysis of valaciclovir in pure form and tablets dosage form. Statistical comparison of the results obtained by the proposed and official or reported methods revealed no significant difference in the performance of these methods regarding the accuracy and precision respectively.

Keywords: hydroxamic acid, related substances, UPLC, valaciclovir

Procedia PDF Downloads 245

Authors: Suwapitch Chalongkulasak, Teerasak E-Kobon, Pramote Chumnanpuen

Abstract:

Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease mainly caused by the Gram–positive pathogenic bacterium, Propionibacterium acnes. This bacterium stimulates inflammation process in human sebaceous glands. Giant African snail (Achatina fulica) is alien species that rapidly reproduces and seriously damages agricultural products in Thailand. There were several research reports on the medical and pharmaceutical benefits of this snail mucus peptides and proteins. This study aimed to in silico predict multifunctional bioactive peptides from A. fulica mucus peptidome using several bioinformatic tools for determination of antimicrobial (iAMPpred), anti–biofilm (dPABBs), cytotoxic (Toxinpred), cell membrane penetrating (CPPpred) and anti–quorum sensing (QSPpred) peptides. Three candidate peptides with the highest predictive score were selected and re-designed/modified to improve the required activities. Structural and physicochemical properties of six anti–P. acnes (APA) peptide candidates were performed by PEP–FOLD3 program and the five aforementioned tools. All candidates had random coiled structure and were named as APA1–ori, APA2–ori, APA3–ori, APA1–mod, APA2–mod and APA3–mod. To validate the APA activity, these peptide candidates were synthesized and tested against six isolates of P. acnes. The modified APA peptides showed high APA activity on some isolates. Therefore, our biomimetic mucus peptides could be useful for preventing acne vulgaris and further examined on other activities important to medical and pharmaceutical applications.

Keywords: Propionibacterium acnes, Achatina fulica, peptidomes, antibacterial peptides, snail mucus

Procedia PDF Downloads 130

Authors: Rizgar Abdullah Sabir Jaf, Bayan Sedeeq Azeez Hussin, Dler Moosa Ahmed Karim

Abstract:

Presently, economic and technological developments are growing faster in an unparalleled way. The result of that is innovative changing a great deal of a great deal of assumption, concepts, transactions, and high of competition between companies all over the world. The title of the thesis is one of the subjects that get large concerns in the financial and business world in the present time. That is because many competitive firms have appeared in the regional and global markets and the rapid changes that covered all fields of life. The subjects of the dissertation have a special importance in making the firm's businesses succeed in general and the industrial firms especially. Thus, the basic purpose of this study is to determine whether target costing is used in the costing application process in their customer expectation, profit margin, cost and price determination, cost reduction and management operations. In today’s intensely competitive and highly volatile business environment, consistent development of low cost and high quality products meeting the functional requirements is a key to a company's survival. Companies continuously strive to reduce the costs while still producing quality products to stay ahead in the competition. Many companies have turned to target costing to achieve this objective. The results indicate that there is a significant positive relationship (at the significance level less than 0.05) between the factors competitive advantage and management accounting techniques in the firm's sample study.

Keywords: strategic information, target cost, competitive advantage, Iraqi soft drink firms

Procedia PDF Downloads 303

Authors: Ali Ozvan, Ismail Akkaya, Mucip Tapan

Abstract:

Travertine is generally a weak or medium strong rock, and physical, mechanical and structural properties of travertines are direct impacts on geotechnical studies. New settlement areas were determined on travertine units after two destructive earthquakes which occurred on October 23rd, 2011 (M=7.1) and November 9th, 2011 (M=5.6) in Tabanlı and Edremit districts of Van province in Turkey, respectively. In the study area, the travertines have different lithotype and engineering properties such as strong crystalline crust, medium strong shrub, and weak reed which can affect mechanical and engineering properties of travertine and each level have different handicaps. Travertine has a higher strength when compared to the soil ground; however, it can have different handicaps such as having poor rock mass, karst caves and weathering alteration. Physico-mechanical properties of travertine in the study area are determined by laboratory tests and field observations. Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) values were detected by indirect methods, and the strength map of different lithotype of Edremit travertine was created in order to define suitable settlement areas. Also, rock mass properties and underground structure were determined by bore holes, field studies, and geophysical method. The reason of this study is to investigate the relationship between lithotype and physicomechanical properties of travertines. According to the results, lithotype has an effect on physical, mechanical and rock mass properties of travertine levels. It is detected by several research methods that various handicaps may occur on such areas when the active tectonic structure of the area is evaluated along with the karstic cavities within the travertine and different lithotype qualities.

Keywords: travertine, lithotype, geotechnical parameters, Van earthquake

Procedia PDF Downloads 230

Authors: Habtamu Abdisa

Abstract:

Spring water is particularly valuable due to its high mineral content, which is beneficial for human health. However, anthropogenic activities usually imbalance the natural levels of its composition, which can cause adverse health effects. Regular monitoring of a naturally given environmental resource is of great concern in the world today. The spectrophotometric application is one of the best methods for qualifying and quantifying the mineral contents of environmental water samples. This research was conducted to evaluate the quality of spring water concerning its heavy metal composition. A grab sampling technique was employed to collect representative samples, including duplicates. The samples were then treated with concentrated HNO3 to a pH level below 2 and stored at 4oC. The samples were digested and analyzed for cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) following method validation. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) was utilized for the sample analysis. Quality control measures, including blanks, duplicates, and certified reference materials (CRMs), were implemented to ensure the accuracy and precision of the analytical results. Of the metals analyzed in the water samples, Cd and Cr were found to be below the detection limit. However, the concentrations of Mn, Cu, Fe, and Zn ranged from mean values of 0.119-0.227 mg/L, 0.142-0.166 mg/L, 0.183-0.267 mg/L, and 0.074-0.181 mg/L, respectively. Sediment analysis revealed mean concentration ranges of 348.31-429.21 mg/kg, 0.23-0.28 mg/kg, 18.73-22.84 mg/kg, 2.76-3.15 mg/kg, 941.84-1128.56 mg/kg, and 42.39-66.53 mg/kg for Mn, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, and Zn, respectively. The study results established that the evaluated spring water and its associated sediment met the regulatory standards and guidelines for heavy metal concentrations. Furthermore, this research can enhance the quality assurance and control processes for environmental sample analysis, ensuring the generation of reliable data.

Keywords: method validation, heavy metal, spring water, sediment, method detection limit

Procedia PDF Downloads 67

Authors: Gen Sakoda, Hideki Takayasu, Misako Takayasu

Abstract:

Waste reduction is a fundamental problem for sustainability. Methods for waste reduction with point-of-sales (POS) data are proposed, utilizing the knowledge of a recent econophysics study on a statistical property of POS data. Concretely, the non-stationary time series analysis method based on the Particle Filter is developed, which considers abnormal fluctuation scaling known as Taylor's law. This method is extended for handling incomplete sales data because of stock-outs by introducing maximum likelihood estimation for censored data. The way for optimal stock determination with pricing the cost of waste reduction is also proposed. This study focuses on the examination of the methods for large sales numbers where Taylor's law is obvious. Numerical analysis using aggregated POS data shows the effectiveness of the methods to reduce food waste maintaining a high profit for large sales numbers. Moreover, the way of pricing the cost of waste reduction reveals that a small profit loss realizes substantial waste reduction, especially in the case that the proportionality constant  of Taylor’s law is small. Specifically, around 1% profit loss realizes half disposal at =0.12, which is the actual  value of processed food items used in this research. The methods provide practical and effective solutions for waste reduction keeping a high profit, especially with large sales numbers.

Keywords: food waste reduction, particle filter, point-of-sales, sustainable development goals, Taylor's law, time series analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 130

Authors: Maulik L. Sisodia, Tirth K. Raval, Aarsh S. Mistry

Abstract:

This paper summarizes the ongoing researches about the defects in both flexible and rigid pavement and the maintenance in both flexible and rigid pavements. Various defects in pavements have been identified since the existence of both flexible and rigid pavement. Flexible Pavement failure is defined in terms of decreasing serviceability caused by the development of cracks, ruts, potholes etc. Flexible Pavement structure can be destroyed in a single season due to water penetration. Defects in flexible pavements is a problem of multiple dimensions, phenomenal growth of vehicular traffic (in terms of no. of axle loading of commercial vehicles), the rapid expansion in the road network, non-availability of suitable technology, material, equipment, skilled labor and poor funds allocation have all added complexities to the problem of flexible pavements. In rigid pavements due to different type of destress the failure like joint spalling, faulting, shrinkage cracking, punch out, corner break etc. Application of correction in the existing surface will enhance the life of maintenance works as well as that of strengthening layer. Maintenance of a road network involves a variety of operations, i.e., identification of deficiencies and planning, programming and scheduling for actual implementation in the field and monitoring. The essential objective should be to keep the road surface and appurtenances in good condition and to extend the life of the road assets to its design life. The paper describes lessons learnt from pavement failures and problems experienced during the last few years on a number of projects in India. Broadly, the activities include identification of defects and the possible cause there off, determination of appropriate remedial measures; implement these in the field and monitoring of the results.

Keywords: Flexible Pavements, Rigid Pavements, Defects, Maintenance

Procedia PDF Downloads 170

Authors: B. Khatri, K. Lappe, M. Habedank, T. Müller, C. Megnin, T. Hanemann

Abstract:

We present a process flow for the development of ceramic-filled polymer composite filaments compatible with the fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing process. Thermoplastic-ceramic composites were developed using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and 10- and 20 vol.% barium titanate (BaTiO3) powder (corresponding to 39.47- and 58.23 wt.% respectively) and characterized for their flow properties. To make them compatible with the existing FDM process, the composites were extruded into filaments. These composite filaments were subsequently structured into tensile stress specimens using a commercially available FDM 3D printer and characterized for their mechanical properties. Rheometric characterization of the material composites revealed non-Newtonian behavior with the viscosity logarithmically decreasing over increasing shear rates, as well as higher viscosities for samples with higher BaTiO3 filler content for a given shear rate (with the ABS+20vol.% BaTiO3 composite being over 50% more viscous compared to pure ABS at a shear rate of 1x〖10〗^3 s^(-1)). Mechanical characterization of the tensile stress specimens exhibited increasingly brittle behavior as well as a linearly decreasing ultimate tensile strength of the material composites with increasing volumetric ratio of BaTiO3 (from σ_max=32.4MPa for pure ABS to σ_max=21.3MPa for ABS+20vol.% BaTiO3). Further studies being undertaken include the development of composites with higher filler concentrations, sintering of the printed composites to yield pure dielectric structures and the determination of the dielectric characteristics of the composites.

Keywords: ceramic composites, fused deposition modeling, material characterization, rapid prototyping

Procedia PDF Downloads 330

Authors: Arturo Reyes Roman, Daniza Castillo Godoy, Francisca Balarezo Olivares, Francisco Arriagada Castro, Miguel Maulen Tapia

Abstract:

Mining waste–based geopolymers are a sustainable alternative to conventional cement materials due to their contribution to the valorization of mining wastes as well as to the new construction materials with reduced fingerprints. The objective of this study was to determine the potential of leaching gravel (LG) from hydrometallurgical copper processing to be used as a raw material in the manufacture of geopolymer. NaOH, Na2SiO3 (modulus 1.5), and LG were mixed and then wetted with an appropriate amount of tap water, then stirred until a homogenous paste was obtained. A liquid/solid ratio of 0.3 was used for preparing mixtures. The paste was then cast in cubic moulds of 50 mm for the determination of compressive strengths. The samples were left to dry for 24h at room temperature, then unmoulded before analysis after 28 days of curing time. The compressive test was conducted in a compression machine (15/300 kN). According to the laser diffraction spectroscopy (LDS) analysis, 90% of LG particles were below 500 μm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis identified crystalline phases of albite (30 %), Quartz (16%), Anorthite (16 %), and Phillipsite (14%). The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) determinations showed mainly 55% of SiO2, 13 % of Al2O3, and 9% of CaO. ICP (OES) concentrations of Fe, Ca, Cu, Al, As, V, Zn, Mo, and Ni were 49.545; 24.735; 6.172; 14.152, 239,5; 129,6; 41,1;15,1, and 13,1 mg kg-1, respectively. The geopolymer samples showed resistance ranging between 2 and 10 MPa. In comparison with the raw material composition, the amorphous percentage of materials in the geopolymer was 35 %, whereas the crystalline percentage of main mineral phases decreased. Further studies are needed to find the optimal combinations of materials to produce a more resistant and environmentally safe geopolymer. Particularly are necessary compressive resistance higher than 15 MPa are necessary to be used as construction unit such as bricks.

Keywords: mining waste, geopolymer, construction material, alkaline activation

Procedia PDF Downloads 93

Authors: Olaide O. Wahab, Lukman O. Olasunkanmi, Krishna K. Govender, Penny P. Govender

Abstract:

The economic and environmental challenges associated with azo disperse dyes applications are due to poor aqueous solubility and low degradation tendency which stems from low chemical reactivity. Poor aqueous solubility property of this group of dyes necessitates the use of dispersing agents which increase operational costs and also release toxic chemical components into the environment, while their low degradation tendency is due to the high stability of the azo functional group (-N=N-) in their chemical structures. To address these problems, this study investigated theoretically the effects of some polar substituents on the aqueous solubility and reactivity properties of disperse yellow (DY) 119 dye with a view to theoretically develop new azo disperse dyes with improved solubility in water and higher degradation tendency in the environment using DMol³ computational code. All calculations were carried out using the Becke and Perdew version of Volsko-Wilk-Nusair (VWN-BP) level of density functional theory in conjunction with double numerical basis set containing polarization function (DNP). The aqueous solubility determination was achieved with conductor-like screening model for realistic solvation (COSMO-RS) in conjunction with known empirical solubility model, while the reactivity was predicted using frontier molecular orbital calculations. Most of the new derivatives studied showed evidence of higher aqueous solubility and degradation tendency compared to the parent dye. We conclude that these derivatives are promising alternative dyes for more economic and environmental benign dyeing practice and therefore recommend them for synthesis.

Keywords: aqueous solubility, azo disperse dye, degradation, disperse yellow 119, DMol³, reactivity

Procedia PDF Downloads 203

Authors: Karthikeyan Kalirajan, Ashok Joshi

Abstract:

An optimization problem is to setup to maximize the terminal kinetic energy of a maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV). The target location, the impact angle is given as constraints. The MaRV uses an explicit guidance law called Vector guidance. This law has two gains which are taken as decision variables. The problem is to find the optimal value of these gains which will result in minimum miss distance and impact angle error. Using a simple 3DOF non-rotating flat earth model and Lockheed martin HP-MARV as the reentry vehicle, the nature of solutions of the optimization problem is studied. This is achieved by carrying out a parametric study for a range of closed loop gain values and the corresponding impact angle error and the miss distance values are generated. The results show that there are well defined lower and upper bounds on the gains that result in near optimal terminal guidance solution. It is found from this study, that there exist common permissible regions (values of gains) where all constraints are met. Moreover, the permissible region lies between flat regions and hence the optimization algorithm has to be chosen carefully. It is also found that, only one of the gain values is independent and that the other dependent gain value is related through a simple straight-line expression. Moreover, to reduce the computational burden of finding the optimal value of two gains, a guidance law called Diveline guidance is discussed, which uses single gain. The derivation of the Diveline guidance law from Vector guidance law is discussed in this paper.

Keywords: Marv guidance, reentry trajectory, trajectory optimization, guidance gain selection

Procedia PDF Downloads 424

Authors: A. Ouargui, N. Belouaggadia, M. Ezzine

Abstract:

In Morocco, the building sector is largely responsible for the evolution of energy consumption. The control of energy in this sector remains a major issue despite the rise of renewable energies. The design of an environmentally friendly building requires mastery and knowledge of energy and bioclimatic aspects. This implies taking into consideration of all the elements making up the building and the way in which energy exchanges take place between these elements. In this context, thermal insulation seems to be an ideal starting point for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, thermal insulation seems to be an ideal starting point for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this work is to provide some solutions to reduce energy consumption while maintaining thermal comfort in the building. The objective of our work is to present an experimental study on the characterization of local materials used in the thermal insulation of buildings. These are paper recycling stabilized with cement and clay. The thermal conductivity of these materials, which were constituted based on sand, clay, cement; water, as well as treated paper, was determined by the guarded-hot-plate method. It involves the design of two materials that will subsequently be subjected to thermal and mechanical tests to determine their thermophysical properties. The results show that the thermal conductivity decreases as well in the case of the paper-cement mixture as that of the paper-clay and seems to stabilize around 40%. Measurements of mechanical properties such as flexural strength have shown that the enrichment of the studied material with paper makes it possible to reduce the flexural strength by 20% while optimizing the conductivity.

Keywords: building, composite material, insulation, thermal conductivity, paper residue

Procedia PDF Downloads 125

Authors: Thidarat Duangyod, Chanida Palanuvej, Nijsiri Ruangrungsi

Abstract:

Pentace burmanica Kurz., belonging to the Malvaceae family, is commonly used for anti-diarrhea in Thai traditional medicine. A method for quantification of (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin in P. burmanica stem bark from 12 different Thailand markets by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was investigated and validated. The analysis was performed by a Shimadzu DGU-20A3 HPLC equipped with a Shimadzu SPD-M20A photo diode array detector. The separation was accomplished with an Inersil ODS-3 column (5 µm x 4.6 x 250 mm) using 0.1% formic acid in water (A) and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile (B) as mobile phase at the flow rate of 1 ml/min. The isocratic was set at 20% B for 15 min and the column temperature was maintained at 40 ºC. The detection was at the wavelength of 280 nm. Both (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin existed in the ethanolic extract of P. burmanica stem bark. The content of (-)-epicatechin was found as 59.74 ± 1.69 µg/mg of crude extract. In contrast, the quantitation of (+)-catechin content was omitted because of its small amount. The method was linear over a range of 5-200 µg/ml with good coefficients (r2 > 0.99) for (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin. Limit of detection values were found to be 4.80 µg/ml for (+)-catechin and 5.14 µg/ml for (-)-epicatechin. Limit of quantitation of (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin were of 14.54 µg/ml and 15.57 µg/ml respectively. Good repeatability and intermediate precision (%RSD < 3) were found in this study. The average recoveries of both (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin were obtained with good recovery in the range of 91.11 – 97.02% and 88.53 – 93.78%, respectively, with the %RSD less than 2. The peak purity indices of catechins were more than 0.99. The results suggested that HPLC method proved to be precise and accurate and the method can be conveniently used for (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin determination in ethanolic extract of P. burmanica stem bark. Moreover, the stem bark of P. burmanica was found to be a rich source of (-)-epicatechin.

Keywords: pentace burmanica, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, high performance liquid chromatography

Procedia PDF Downloads 452

Authors: Recep Kesli, Gulsah Asik, Cengiz Demir, Onur Turkyilmaz

Abstract:

Objective: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an important nosocomial pathogen which causes serious hospital infections and is resistant to many commonly used antibiotics. P. aeruginosa can develop resistance during therapy and also it is very resistant to disinfectant chemicals. It may be found in respiratory support devices in hospitals. In this study, the antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa strains isolated from bronchial aspiration samples was evaluated retrospectively. Methods: Between October 2013 and September 2015, a total of 318 P. aeruginosa were isolated from clinical samples obtained from various intensive care units and inpatient patients hospitalized at Afyon Kocatepe University, ANS Practice and Research Hospital. Isolated bacteria identified by using both the conventional methods and automated identification system-VITEK 2 (bioMerieux, Marcy l’etoile France). Antibacterial resistance tests were performed by using Kirby-Bauer disc (Oxoid, Hampshire, England) diffusion method following the recommendations of CLSI. Results: Antibiotic resistance rates of identified 318 P. aeruginosa strains were found as follows for tested antibiotics; 32 % amikacin, 42% gentamicin, 43% imipenem, 43% meropenem, 50% ciprofloxacin, 57% levofloxacin, 38% cefepime, 63% ceftazidime, and 85% piperacillin/tazobactam. Conclusion: Resistance profiles change according to years and provinces for P. aeruginosa, so these findings should be considered empirical treatment choices. In this study, the highest and lowest resistance rates found against piperacillin/tazobactam % 85, and amikacin %32.

Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, antibiotic resistance rates, intensive care unit, Pseudomonas spp.

Procedia PDF Downloads 287

Authors: Camarena Rodriguez C. S., Portocarrero Bonifaz A., Palma Esparza R., Romero Carlos N. A.

Abstract:

Adobe is a construction material that fulfills the same function as a conventional brick. Widely used since ancient times, it is present in an appreciable percentage of buildings in Latin America. Adobe is a mixture of clay and sand. The interest in the study of the properties of this material arises due to its presence in the infrastructure of hospital´s radiological services, located in places with low economic resources, for the attenuation of radiation. Some materials such as lead and concrete are the most used for shielding and are widely studied in the literature. The present study will determine the mass attenuation coefficient of Adobe. The minimum required thicknesses for the primary and secondary barriers will be estimated for the shielding of radiological facilities where conventional and dental X-rays are performed. For the experimental procedure, an X-ray source emitted direct radiation towards different thicknesses of an Adobe barrier, and a detector was placed on the other side. For this purpose, an UNFORS Xi solid state detector was used, which collected information on the difference of radiation intensity. The initial parameters of the exposure started at 45 kV; and then the tube tension was varied in increments of 5 kV, reaching a maximum of 125 kV. The X-Ray tube was positioned at a distance of 0.5 m from the surface of the Adobe bricks, and the collimation of the radiation beam was set for an area of 0.15 m x 0.15 m. Finally, mathematical methods were applied to determine the mass attenuation coefficient for different energy ranges. In conclusion, the mass attenuation coefficient for Adobe was determined and the approximate thicknesses of the most common Adobe barriers in the hospital buildings were calculated for their later application in the radiological protection.

Keywords: Adobe, attenuation coefficient, radiological protection, shielding, x-rays

Procedia PDF Downloads 156

Authors: John Carlo Combista, Jimbert Tan

Abstract:

The orchid, Vanda tessellata was chosen by the researchers because of the presence of the constituents in the family Orchidaceae such as alkaloids, flavonoids and glycosides that might give an inhibition activity of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme. This study aimed to determine the in vitro inhibition of carbonic anhydrase of Vanda tessellata flower extract. With the use of modified colorimetric Maren T.H. (1960) method, the time in seconds each test solution changed its color after the rate of CO2 hydration were recorded. Two solvents were used: the semi-polar, 95% ethanol and the non-polar, dichloromethane solvents. The percent inhibition activity of carbonic anhydrase of the different concentrations of solvents ethanol (1%, 25% and 50%) and dichloromethane (1% and 10%) test solutions were determined. Results showed that the ethanol-based extract of Vanda tessellata in different concentrations showed an inhibitory effect while the dichloromethane-based extract of Vanda tessellata showed no inhibitory effect of carbonic anhydrase activity. For ethanol extract, the concentration with the highest activity was 50% followed by 25% which changed its color from red to yellow with an average time of 13.11 seconds and 11.57 seconds but 1% with an average time of 7.56 seconds did not exhibit an effect. The researchers recommend the isolation of the specific active constituents of Vanda tessellata that is responsible for the inhibitory effect of carbonic anhydrase enzyme. It is also recommended to utilize different blood types to observe different reactions to the inhibition of the carbonic anhydrase.

Keywords: carbonic anhydrase, inhibition, modified colorimetric Maren TH method, Vanda orchid

Procedia PDF Downloads 297

Authors: Mubarek Alpkiray, Tan Nguyen, Arild Saasen

Abstract:

Geothermal drilling operations contain numerous challenges that are encountered to increase the well cost and nonproductive time. Fluid loss is one of the most undesirable troublesome that can cause well abandonment in geothermal drilling. Lost circulation can be seen due to natural fractures, high mud weight, and extremely high formation temperatures. This challenge may cause wellbore stability problems and lead to expensive drilling operations. Wellbore stability is the main domain that should be considered to mitigate or prevent fluid loss into the formation. This paper describes the causes of fluid loss in the Pamukoren geothermal field in Turkey. A geomechanics approach integration and assessment is applied to help the understanding of fluid loss problems. In geothermal drillings, geomechanics is primarily based on rock properties, in-situ stress characterization, the temperature of the rock, determination of stresses around the wellbore, and rock failure criteria. Since a high-temperature difference between the wellbore wall and drilling fluid is presented, temperature distribution through the wellbore is estimated and implemented to the wellbore stability approach. This study reviewed geothermal drilling data to analyze temperature estimation along the wellbore, the cause of fluid loss and stored electric capacity of the reservoir. Our observation demonstrates the geomechanical approach's significant role in understanding safe drilling operations on high-temperature wells. Fluid loss is encountered due to thermal stress effects around the borehole. This paper provides a wellbore stability analysis for a geothermal drilling operation to discuss the causes of lost circulation resulting in nonproductive time and cost.

Keywords: geothermal wells, drilling, wellbore stresses, drilling fluid loss, thermal stress

Procedia PDF Downloads 192

Authors: Gabriel Efomeh Omolaiye, Olatunji Seminu, Jimoh Ajadi, Yusuf Ayoola Jimoh

Abstract:

The Nigerian part of the Chad Basin till date has been one of the few critically studied basins, with few published scholarly works, compared to other basins such as Niger Delta, Dahomey, etc. This work was undertaken by the integration of 3D seismic interpretations and the well data analysis of eight wells fairly distributed in block A, Baga/Lake sub-basin in Borno basin with the aim of determining the thickness of Chad, Kerri-Kerri, Fika, and Gongila Formations in the sub-basin. Da-1 well (type-well) used in this study was subdivided into stratigraphic units based on the regional stratigraphic subdivision of the Chad basin and was later correlated with other wells using similarity of observed log responses. The combined density and sonic logs were used to generate synthetic seismograms for seismic to well ties. Five horizons were mapped, representing the tops of the formations on the 3D seismic data covering the block; average velocity function with maximum error/residual of 0.48% was adopted in the time to depth conversion of all the generated maps. There is a general thickening of sediments from the west to the east, and the estimated thicknesses of the various formations in the Baga/Lake sub-basin are Chad Formation (400-750 m), Kerri-Kerri Formation (300-1200 m), Fika Formation (300-2200 m) and Gongila Formation (100-1300 m). The thickness of the Bima Formation could not be established because the deepest well (Da-1) terminates within the formation. This is a modification to the previous and widely referenced studies of over forty decades that based the estimation of formation thickness within the study area on the observed outcrops at different locations and the use of few well data.

Keywords: Baga/Lake sub-basin, Chad basin, formation thickness, seismic, velocity

Procedia PDF Downloads 181

Authors: Sudhir K. Gupta

Abstract:

Introduction: When a forensic doctor determines that a suspicious death is a suicide, homicide, or accident, the decision virtually becomes incontestable by the investigating police officer, and it becomes an issue whether the medical opinion was created with necessary checks and balances on the other probabilities of the case. It is suggested that the opinion of Forensic Medical experts is conventional, mutable, and shifting from one expert to another. The determination of suicide, accident, or homicide is mandatorily required, which is the Gold Standard for conducting death investigations. Forensic investigations serve many audiences, but the court is by far the most critical. The likely questions on direct and cross-examination determine how forensic doctors gather and handle evidence and what conclusions they reach. Methodology: The author interacted with the investigative authority, and a crime scene visit was also done along with the perusal of the Postmortem report, subsequent opinion, and crime scene photographs and statements of the witness and accused. Further analysis of all relevant scientific documents and opinions of other forensic doctors, forensic scientists, and ballistic experts involved in these cases was done to arrive at an opinion with scientific justification. Findings: The opinions arrived at by the author and how they helped the judiciary in delivering justice in these cases have been discussed in this article. This can help the readers to understand the process involved in formulating a credible forensic medical expert opinion for investigators and the judiciary. Conclusion: A criminal case might be won or lost over doubt cast on the chain of custody. Medically trained forensic doctors, therefore, learn to practice their profession in legally appropriate ways, and opinions must be based on medical justifications with credible references.

Keywords: forensic doctor, professional credibility, investigation, expert opinion

Procedia PDF Downloads 74

Authors: Vedansh More, Lalatendu Bal, Ronak Panchal, Atharva Kulkarni

Abstract:

The project aims at developing a cost-effective test bench capable of testing and validating the complete powertrain package of an electric vehicle. Emrax 228 high voltage synchronous motor was selected as the prime mover for study. A tandem type dynamometer comprising of two loading methods; inertial, using standard inertia rollers and absorptive, using a separately excited DC generator with resistive coils was developed. The absorptive loading of the prime mover was achieved by implementing a converter circuit through which duty of the input field voltage level was controlled. This control was efficacious in changing the magnetic flux and hence the generated voltage which was ultimately dropped across resistive coils assembled in a load bank with all parallel configuration. The prime mover and loading elements were connected via a chain drive with a 2:1 reduction ratio which allows flexibility in placement of components and a relaxed rating of the DC generator. The development will aid in determination of essential characteristics like torque-RPM, power-RPM, torque factor, RPM factor, heat loads of devices and battery pack state of charge efficiency but also provides a significant financial advantage over existing versions of dynamometers with its cost-effective solution.

Keywords: absorptive load, chain drive, chordal action, DC generator, dynamometer, electric vehicle, inertia rollers, load bank, powertrain, pulse width modulation, reduction ratio, road load, testbench

Procedia PDF Downloads 228

Authors: Çağan Alevkayali, Şermin Tağil

Abstract:

Determination of soil pH surface distribution in urban areas is substantial for sustainable development. Changes on soil properties occur due to functions on performed in agriculture, industry and other urban functions. Soil pH is important to effect on soil productivity which based on sensitive and complex relation between plant and soil. Furthermore, the spatial variability of soil reaction is necessary to measure the effects of urbanization. The objective of this study was to explore the spatial variation of soil pH quality and the influence factors of human land use on soil Ph around Balikesir City using data for 2015 and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). For this, soil samples were taken from 40 different locations, and collected with the method of "Systematic Random" from the pits at 0-20 cm depths, because anthropologic sourced pollutants accumulate on upper layers of soil. The study area was divided into a grid system with 750 x 750 m. GPS was used to determine sampling locations, and Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation technique was used to analyze the spatial distribution of pH in the study area and to predict the variable values of un-exampled places with the help from the values of exampled places. Natural soil acidity and alkalinity depend on interaction between climate, vegetation, and soil geological properties. However, analyzing soil pH is important to indirectly evaluate soil pollution caused by urbanization and industrialization. The result of this study showed that soil pH around the Balikesir City was neutral, in generally, with values were between 6.5 and 7.0. On the other hand, some slight changes were demonstrated around open dump areas and the small industrial sites. The results obtained from this study can be indicator of important soil problems and this data can be used by ecologists, planners and managers to protect soil supplies around the Balikesir City.

Keywords: Balikesir, IDW, GIS, spatial variability, soil pH, urbanization

Procedia PDF Downloads 321

Authors: Roman Medvedev, Andrey Yakshin, Konstantin Nikolaev, Sergey Yakunin, Fred Bijkerk

Abstract:

Multilayer structures are used as spectroscopic elements in fluorescence analysis. These serve the purpose of analyzing soft x-ray emission spectra of materials upon excitation by x-rays or electrons. The analysis then allows quantitative determination of the x-ray emitting elements in the materials. Shorter wavelength range for this application, below 2.5nm, can be covered by using short period multilayers, with a period of 2.5 nm and lower. Thus the detrimental effect on the reflectivity of morphological roughness between materials of the multilayers becomes increasingly pronounced. Ion beam polishing was previously shown to be effective in reducing roughness in some multilayer systems with Si. In this work, we explored W/Si multilayers with the period of 2.5 nm. Si layers were polishing by Ar ions, employing low energy ions, 100 and 80 eV, with the etched Si thickness being in the range 0.1 to 0.5 nm. CuK X-ray diffuse scattering measurements revealed a significant reduction in the diffused scattering in the polished multilayers. However, Grazing Incidence CuK X-ray showed only a marginal reduction of the overall roughness of the systems. Still, measurements of the structures with Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray scattering indicated that the vertical correlation length of roughness was strongly reduced in the polished multilayers. These results together suggest that polishing results in the reduction of the vertical propagation of roughness from layer to layer, while only slightly affecting the overall roughness. This phenomenon can be explained by ion-induced surface roughening inherently present in the ion polishing methods. Alternatively, ion-induced densification of thin Si films should also be considered. Finally, the reflectivity of 40% at 0.84 nm at grazing incidence of 9 degrees has been obtained in this work for W/Si multilayers. Analysis of the obtained results is expected to lead to further progress in reflectance.

Keywords: interface roughness, ion polishing, multilayer structures, W/Si

Procedia PDF Downloads 133

Authors: Adel M. Al-Shutairi, Ahmed H. Al-Zahrani

Abstract:

Tea is a popular beverage drunk by millions of people throughout the globe. Tea has considerable health advantages, in-cluding antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, chemopreventive, and anticarcinogenic properties. As a result of environmental pollution (atmospheric deposition) and the production process, tealeaves may also include a variety of dangerous substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this study, graphene oxide reinforced chitosan/poly-nitroaniline polymer was prepared to develop a sensitive and reliable solid phase extraction method (SPE) for extraction of PAH7 in tea samples, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography- fluorescence detection. The prepared adsorbent was validated in terms of linearity, the limit of detection, the limit of quantification, recovery (%), accuracy (%), and precision (%) for the determination of the PAH7 (benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and Benzo[g,h,i]perylene) in tea samples. The concentration was determined in two types of tea commercially available in Saudi Arabia, including black tea and green tea. The maximum mean of Σ7PAHs in black tea samples was 68.23 ± 0.02 ug kg-1 and 26.68 ± 0.01 ug kg-1 in green tea samples. The minimum mean of Σ7PAHs in black tea samples was 37.93 ± 0.01 ug kg-1 and 15.26 ± 0.01 ug kg-1 in green tea samples. The mean value of benzo[a]pyrene in black tea samples ranged from 6.85 to 12.17 ug kg-1, where two samples exceeded the standard level (10 ug kg-1) established by the European Union (UE), while in green tea ranged from 1.78 to 2.81 ug kg-1. Low levels of Σ7PAHs in green tea samples were detected in comparison with black tea samples.

Keywords: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, CS, PNA and GO, black/green tea, solid phase extraction, Saudi Arabia

Procedia PDF Downloads 95

Authors: Mustafa Salman, Nurcan Cetinkaya, Zehra Selcuk, Bugra Genc

Abstract:

The objectives of the present study were to estimate the microbial-N flow to the small intestine and to predict the digestible organic matter intake (DOMI) in grazing Karayaka sheep based on urinary excretion of purine derivatives (xanthine, hypoxanthine, uric acid, and allantoin) by the use of spot urine sampling under field conditions. In the trial, 10 Karayaka sheep from 2 to 3 years of age were used. The animals were grazed in a pasture for ten months and fed with concentrate and vetch plus oat hay for the other two months (January and February) indoors. Highly significant linear and cubic relationships (P<0.001) were found among months for purine derivatives index, purine derivatives excretion, purine derivatives absorption, microbial-N and DOMI. Through urine sampling and the determination of levels of excreted urinary PD and Purine Derivatives / Creatinine ratio (PDC index), microbial-N values were estimated and they indicated that the protein nutrition of the sheep was insufficient. In conclusion, the prediction of protein nutrition of sheep under the field conditions may be possible with the use of spot urine sampling, urinary excreted PD and PDC index. The mean purine derivative levels in spot urine samples from sheep were highest in June, July and October. Protein nutrition of pastured sheep may be affected by weather changes, including rainfall. Spot urine sampling may useful in modeling the feed consumption of pasturing sheep. However, further studies are required under different field conditions with different breeds of sheep to develop spot urine sampling as a model.

Keywords: Karayaka sheep, spot sampling, urinary purine derivatives, PDC index, microbial-N, feed intake

Procedia PDF Downloads 528

Authors: Tewele Gebretsadkan Haile

Abstract:

Mountain terrains are essential to regional water resources by regulating hydrological processes that use downstream water supplies. Nevertheless, limited observed earth data in complex topography poses challenges for water resources regulation. That's why satellite product is implemented in this study. This study evaluates hydrological processes on mountain catchment of Gumera, Ethiopia using HBV-light model with satellite precipitation products (CHIRPS) for the temporal scale of 1996 to 2010 and area coverage of 1289 km2. The catchment is characterized by cultivation dominant and elevation ranges from 1788 to 3606 m above sea level. Three meteorological stations have been used for downscaling of the satellite data and one stream flow for calibration and validation. The result shows total annual water balance showed that precipitation 1410 mm, simulated 828 mm surface runoff compared to 1042 mm observed stream flow with actual evapotranspiration estimate 586mm and 1495mm potential evapotranspiration. The temperature range is 9°C in winter to 21°C. The catchment contributes 74% as quack runoff to the total runoff and 26% as lower groundwater storage, which sustains stream flow during low periods. The model uncertainty was measured using different metrics such as coefficient of determination, model efficiency, efficiency for log(Q) and flow weighted efficiency 0.76, 0.74, 0.66 and 0.70 respectively. The research result highlights that HBV model captures the mountain hydrology simulation and the result indicates quack runoff due to the traditional agricultural system, slope factor of the topography and adaptation measure for water resource management is recommended.

Keywords: mountain hydrology, CHIRPS, Gumera, HBV model

Procedia PDF Downloads 9

Authors: Tewele Gebretsadkan Haile

Abstract:

Mountain terrains are essential to regional water resources by regulating hydrological processes that use downstream water supplies. Nevertheless, limited observed earth data in complex topography poses challenges for water resources regulation. That's why satellite product is implemented in this study. This study evaluates hydrological processes on mountain catchment of Gumera, Ethiopia using HBV-light model with satellite precipitation products (CHIRPS) for the temporal scale of 1996 to 2010 and area coverage of 1289 km2. The catchment is characterized by cultivation dominant and elevation ranges from 1788 to 3606 m above sea level. Three meteorological stations have been used for downscaling of the satellite data and one stream flow for calibration and validation. The result shows total annual water balance showed that precipitation 1410 mm, simulated 828 mm surface runoff compared to 1042 mm observed stream flow with actual evapotranspiration estimate 586mm and 1495mm potential evapotranspiration. The temperature range is 9°C in winter to 21°C. The catchment contributes 74% as quack runoff to the total runoff and 26% as lower groundwater storage, which sustains stream flow during low periods. The model uncertainty was measured using different metrics such as coefficient of determination, model efficiency, efficiency for log(Q) and flow weighted efficiency 0.76, 0.74, 0.66 and 0.70 respectively. The research result highlights that HBV model captures the mountain hydrology simulation and the result indicates quack runoff due to the traditional agricultural system, slope factor of the topography and adaptation measure for water resource management is recommended.

Keywords: mountain hydrology, CHIRPS, HBV model, Gumera

Procedia PDF Downloads 7

Authors: L. Krpalkova, N. O' Mahony, A. Carvalho, S. Campbell, G. Corkery, E. Broderick, J. Walsh

Abstract:

Farm management and operations will drastically change due to access to real-time data, real-time forecasting, and tracking of physical items in combination with Internet of Things developments to further automate farm operations. Dairy farms have embraced technological innovations and procured vast amounts of permanent data streams during the past decade; however, the integration of this information to improve the whole farm-based management and decision-making does not exist. It is now imperative to develop a system that can collect, integrate, manage, and analyse on-farm and off-farm data in real-time for practical and relevant environmental and economic actions. The developed systems, based on machine learning and artificial intelligence, need to be connected for useful output, a better understanding of the whole farming issue, and environmental impact. Evolutionary computing can be very effective in finding the optimal combination of sets of some objects and, finally, in strategy determination. The system of the future should be able to manage the dairy farm as well as an experienced dairy farm manager with a team of the best agricultural advisors. All these changes should bring resilience and sustainability to dairy farming as well as improving and maintaining good animal welfare and the quality of dairy products. This review aims to provide an insight into the state-of-the-art of big data applications and evolutionary computing in relation to smart dairy farming and identify the most important research and development challenges to be addressed in the future. Smart dairy farming influences every area of management, and its uptake has become a continuing trend.

Keywords: big data, evolutionary computing, cloud, precision technologies

Procedia PDF Downloads 189

Authors: Abderrezzak khatib

Abstract:

Biogenic amines are low molecular weight nitrogenous compounds that have the potential to accumulate in food, posing a significant risk to food safety and human health. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory activity of three strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), against the growth and production of biogenic amines by both foodborne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria. The foodborne pathogens studied included Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella Paratyphi, while the food spoilage bacteria comprised Enterobacter cloacae and Proteus mirabilis. The methodology involved bacterial growth determination in petri dishes, bacterial culture extraction and derivatization, and biogenic amine analysis using HPLC. Our findings revealed that the inhibitory effects of LAB on these pathogens varied, with all three LAB strains demonstrating a remarkable reduction in the total bacterial count when combined with most pathogens, compared to the individual cultures of the pathogens. Furthermore, the presence of LAB in co-cultures with the pathogens resulted in a significant decrease in the production of tyramine and other biogenic amines by the pathogens themselves. These results suggest that LAB strains hold considerable promise in preventing the accumulation of biogenic amines in food products, thereby enhancing food safety. This study provides insights into the potential utilization of LAB in the context of preserving and ensuring the safety of food products. It highlights the significance of conducting additional research endeavors to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved and to identify the precise bioactive compounds that are responsible for the observed inhibitory effects.

Keywords: food safety, lactic acid bacteria, foodborne pathogens, food spoilage bacteria, biogenic amines, tyrosine

Procedia PDF Downloads 54

Authors: Carolina V. Viegas, Monique Gonçalves, Gisel Chenard Diaz, Yordanka Reyes Cruz, Donato Alexandre Gomes Aranda

Abstract:

To develop the massive cultivation of microalgae, it is necessary to isolate and characterize the species, improving genetic tools in search of specific characteristics. Therefore, the detection, identification and quantification of the compounds that compose the Scenedesmus sp. were prerequisites to verify the potential of these microalgae. The main objective of this work was to carry out the characterization of Scenedesmus sp. as to the content of ash, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids as well as the determination of the composition of their lipid classes and main fatty acids. The biomass of Scenedesmus sp, showed 15,29 ± 0,23 % of ash and CaO (36,17 %) was the main component of this fraction, The total protein and carbohydrate content of the biomass was 40,74 ± 1,01 % and 23,37 ± 0,95 %, respectively, proving to be a potential source of proteins as well as carbohydrates for the production of ethanol via fermentation, The lipid contents extracted via Bligh & Dyer and in situ saponification were 8,18 ± 0,13 % and 4,11 ± 0,11 %, respectively. In the lipid extracts obtained via Bligh & Dyer, approximately 50 % of the composition of this fraction consists of fatty compounds, while the other half is composed of an unsaponifiable fraction composed mainly of chlorophylls, phytosterols and carotenes. From the lowest yield, it was possible to obtain a selectivity of 92,14 % for fatty components (fatty acids and fatty esters) confirmed through the infrared spectroscopy technique. The presence of polyunsaturated acids (~45 %) in the lipid extracts indicated the potential of this fraction as a source of nutraceuticals. The results indicate that the biomass of Scenedesmus sp, can become a promising potential source for obtaining polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids and proteins as well as the simultaneous obtainment of different compounds of high commercial value.

Keywords: microalgae, Desmodesmus, lipid classes, fatty acid profile, proteins, carbohydrates

Procedia PDF Downloads 95

Authors: Urbi Pal, Piyas Palit, Jitendra Mathur, Abhay Chaturvedi, Sandip Bhattacharya

Abstract:

The hot rolled slab lifting crane cable reel drum (CRD) failed due to failure of cable reel flat spring which are inside the cassette of CRD. CRD is used for the movement of tong cable. Stereoscopic observation revealed beach marks and Scanning Electron Microscopy showed striations confirming fatigue mode of failure. Chemical composition should be spring steel (Cr-Mo-V) as per IS 3431:1982 instead of C-Mn steel. To find out the reason of fatigue failure, the theoretical fatigue life of flat spiral spring has been calculated. The calculation of number of fatigue cycles included bending moment, maximum stress on the spring, ultimate tensile strength and alternative stress. The bending moment determination has been taken account with various parameters like Young’s Modulus, width, thickness, outer diameter, arbor diameter, pay out the length and angular deflection in rotations. With all the required data, the calculated fatigue life turned to be 10000 cycles, but the spring served 15000 cycles which clearly indicated beyond fatigue life usage. Different UTS values have been plotted with respect to the number of fatigue cycles and clearly showed that the increase in UTS by 40% increases fatigue life by 50%. The significance of higher UTS lied here, and higher UTS depends on modified chemistry with proper tempered martensite microstructure. This kind of failure can be easily avoided by changing the crane spring maintenance schedule from 2 years to 1.5 years considering 600 cycles per month. The plant has changed changing the schedule of cable reel spring and procured new flat reel spring made of 50CrV2 steel.

Keywords: cable reel spring, fatigue life, stress, spring steel

Procedia PDF Downloads 154