Surface mass transfer processes using peat as an adsorbent for dyestuffs

The factors affecting the initial rate of Telon Blue (Acid) dye adsorption onto peat have been investigated. The surface mass transfer coefficients for the rate of dye removal from solution have been determined and correlated as the dimensionless mass transfer term Sh/Sc^0.33. The function Sh/Sc^0.33 has been correlated with respect to four variables, namely, agitation, initial dye concentration, peat particle size range and the temperature of the dye solution. The mass transfer term varies with T^5.5, d_p^0.13, c_o^?1.1 and R.P.M.^0.26; consequently temperature has the most pronounced effect on the mass transfer coefficient.     

TP53 Targeted Deep Sequencing of Cell-Free DNA in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Low-Quality Serum: Concordance with Tumor Mutation

Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is emerging as a potential tumor biomarker. CfDNA-based biomarkers may be applicable in tumors without an available non-invasive screening method among at-risk populations. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and residents of the Asian cancer belt are examples of those malignancies and populations. Previous epidemiological studies using cfDNA have pointed to the need for high volumes of good quality plasma (i.e., >1 mL plasma with 0 or 1 cycles of freeze-thaw) rather than archival serum, which is often the main available source of cfDNA in retrospective studies. Here, we have investigated the concordance of TP53 mutations in tumor tissue and cfDNA extracted from archival serum left-over from 42 cases and 39 matched controls (age, gender, residence) in a high-risk area of Northern Iran (Golestan). Deep sequencing of TP53 coding regions was complemented with a specialized variant caller (Needlestack). Overall, 23% to 31% of mutations were concordantly detected in tumor and serum cfDNA (based on two false discovery rate thresholds). Concordance was positively correlated with high cfDNA concentration, smoking history (p-value = 0.02) and mutations with a high potential of neoantigen formation (OR; 95%CI = 1.9 (1.11–3.29)), suggesting that tumor DNA release in the bloodstream might reflect the effects of immune and inflammatory context on tumor cell turnover. We identified TP53 mutations in five controls, one of whom was subsequently diagnosed with ESCC. Overall, the results showed that cfDNA mutations can be reliably identified by deep sequencing of archival serum, with a rate of success comparable to plasma. Nonetheless, 70% non-identifiable mutations among cancer patients and 12% mutation detection in controls are the main challenges in applying cfDNA to detect tumor-related variants when blindly targeting whole coding regions of the TP53 gene in ESCC.     

Polystyrene/polyethylene terephthalate/polystyrene-block–polycaprolactone blends: Emulsification and mechanical performance

A polystyrene-polycaprolactone diblock copolymer was extrusion blended with polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate. The morphologies of the resultant blends were studied using differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. In all compositions studied, the polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate phases exhibited discrete glass transitions indicative of the immiscibility of these components. However, addition of the copolymer increased the extent of dispersion of the homopolymer components within one another quite effectively. Blend specimens were tested with respect to tensile, flexural, impact, and thermal performance characteristics to study the effects of morphology and composition on these factors. In general, the blends were rigid, brittle materials with some-what enhanced thermal characteristics. Addition of polystyrene-block-polycaprolactone polymer to the blends resulted in increased brittleness, slightly reduced thermal performance, and, in some instances, greatly increased rigidity.     

Circulation solutions of three-port circulators using first order split impedance zeros

The conventional operation of the three-port circulator relies on a pair of split, counter-rotating, impedance poles and one in-phase impedance zero. It is, however, also possible to realize circulation solutions about the dual problem of a pair of split, counter-rotating impedance zeros and an in-phase impedance pole. One such case involving a classic stripline circulator using a disk gyromagnetic resonator has been identified in the literature but its origin has not been fully spelled out. The purpose of this letter is to do so in terms of split counter-rotating impedance zeros instead of the more usual poles.     

Self-created Rules and Conflict Management Processes: The Case of Water Users' Associations on Waghad Canal in Maharashtra,India

In India, community participation is receiving much importance in water planning and management. However, in the absence of effective institutional arrangements to govern the allocation and maintenance activities, it is more likely that such participation will fail to achieve the desired results. Therefore, the present study is an attempt to assess the self-created rules adopted by two Water Users' Associations (WUAs) in Maharashtra State, India, to govern the use and distribution of water resources. The paper describes the perception of the members with regard to some of these self-created rules. It was observed that both the WUAs studied had effectively enforced these rules, leading to improved water management and efficient conflict management process. Although preliminary, the findings indicate scope for designing strategies to achieve the objective of forming a federation — better planning and distribution of water among WUAs.     

生物质对低浓度染料废物的协同多层吸收(英文)

Due to the high cost of adsorbents and their thermal regeneration in recent years,much research has focused on the search for cheaper adsorbents for treating wastewater from textile industry.The single component adsorption of an acidic dye,Acid Yellow 117,and a basic dye,Methylene Blue,onto several adsorbents—bamboo,waste wood,bamboo char,waste wood char,bamboo activated carbon,wood activated carbon and active carbon F400 were conducted.Based on a Langmuir analysis,the monolayer adsorption capacities were determined.Three of the adsorbents were selected for binary layer adsorption to check the multilayer concept and the potential application for better adsorbent usage.The two cheapest adsorbents,bamboo and wood are compared with the commercial activated carbon F400,and all three systems were successful.     

Historical survey of manufacturing control practices from a production research perspective

Manufacturing control is concerned with what is done where, when and why in manufacturing. Over time, methods and practices have developed for efficient and effective inventory control, resource utilization and ensuring customer delivery. A limited review of the production research literature from the past two centuries was undertaken to determine the prior existence and awareness of a number of present practices. Rather than focus on one particular practice and explore it exhaustively, 22 practices were researched, five of which are described at greater depth. It is clear from this limited review of the historical literature that many of the same or similar manufacturing problems have been consciously recognized and dealt with in the past, often with the same concepts and philosophies. The elegant and sophisticated mathematical modelling and justification of the present might have been absent in the past, but the common sense basis of the solutions can be observed.     

Error Probability and SINR Analysis of Optimum Combining in Rician Fading

This paper considers the analysis of optimum combining systems in the presence of both co-channel interference and thermal noise. We address the cases where either the desired-user or the interferers undergo Rician fading. Exact expressions are derived for the moment generating function of the SINR which apply for arbitrary numbers of antennas and interferers. Based on these, we obtain expressions for the symbol error probability with M-PSK. For the case where the desireduser undergoes Rician fading, we also derive exact closed-form expressions for the moments of the SINR. We show that these moments are directly related to the corresponding moments of a Rayleigh system via a simple scaling parameter, which is investigated in detail. Numerical results are presented to validate the analysis and to examine the impact of Rician fading on performance.