Recycling of waste PET‐bottles using dimethyl sulfoxide and hydrotalcite catalyst

The degradation of PET bottles has been successfully achieved using hydrotalcite as catalyst and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent. The reaction was carried out at boiling point of DMSO (190°C) and degradation was complete in 10 min. The oligomer (tetramer) obtained was treated with NaOH at room temperature in methanol to get dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and ethylene glycol (EG). Thus, it is a safe and cleaner process. Oligomer was characterized by MS, 13 C‐NMR, X‐ray diffractometric, and thermogravimetric analysis. DMT and EG were characterized by GC‐MS. DMT was also characterized by FT‐IR. GC‐MS analysis shows that the purity of DMT was 99%. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2012     

Nonnegative solutions of singular boundary value problems with sign changing nonlinearities

The paper presents sufficient conditions for the existence of positive solutions of the equation x″(t) + q(t)f(t,x(t),x′(t)) = 0 with the Dirichlet conditions x(0) = 0, x(1) = 0 and of the equation (p(t)x′(t))′ + p(t)q(t)f(t,x(t),p(t)x′(t)) = 0 with the boundary conditions lim_t→o⁺ p(t)x′(t) = 0, x(1) = 0. Our nonlinearity f is allowed to change sign and f may be singular at x = 0. The proofs are based on a combination of the regularity and sequential techniques and the method of lower and upper functions.     

Effect of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) on performance,emissions, deposits and durability of a constant speed compression ignition engine

To meet stringent vehicular exhaust emission norms worldwide, several exhaust pre-treatment and post-treatment techniques have been employed in modern engines. Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is a pre-treatment technique, which is being used widely to reduce and control the oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) emission from diesel engines. EGR controls the NO_x because it lowers oxygen concentration and flame temperature of the working fluid in the combustion chamber. However, the use of EGR leads to a trade-off in terms of soot emissions. Higher soot generated by EGR leads to long-term usage problems inside the engines such as higher carbon deposits, lubricating oil degradation and enhanced engine wear. Present experimental study has been carried out to investigate the effect of EGR on soot deposits, and wear of vital engine parts, especially piston rings, apart from performance and emissions in a two cylinder, air cooled, constant speed direct injection diesel engine, which is typically used in agricultural farm machinery and decentralized captive power generation. Such engines are normally not operated with EGR. The experiments were carried out to experimentally evaluate the performance and emissions for different EGR rates of the engine. Emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), NO_x, carbon monoxide (CO), exhaust gas temperature, and smoke opacity of the exhaust gas etc. were measured. Performance parameters such as thermal efficiency, brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were calculated. Reduction in NO_x and exhaust gas temperature were observed but emissions of particulate matter (PM), HC, and CO were found to have increased with usage of EGR. The engine was operated for 96 h in normal running conditions and the deposits on vital engine parts were assessed. The engine was again operated for 96 h with EGR and similar observations were recorded. Higher carbon deposits were observed on the engine parts operating with EGR. Higher wear of piston rings was also observed for engine operated with EGR.     

Whole-Cell MALDI-ToF MS Coupled with Untargeted Metabolomics Facilitates Investigations of Microbial Chemical Interactions

The emergence of drug-resistant pathogens necessitates the development of new countermeasures. In this regard, the introduction of probiotics to directly attack or competitively exclude pathogens presents a useful strategy. Application of this approach requires an understanding of how a probiotic and its target pathogen interact. A key means of probiotic-pathogen interaction involves the production of small molecules called natural products (NPs). Here, we report the use of whole-cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry to characterize NP production by candidate probiotics (mouse airway microbiome isolates) when co-cultured with the respiratory pathogen Burkholderia. We found that a Bacillus velezensis strain inhibits growth of and elicits NP production by Burkholderia thailandensis. Dereplication of known NPs detected in the metabolome of this B. velezensis strain suggests that a previously unannotated bioactive compound is involved. Thus, we present the use of whole-cell MALDI as a broadly applicable method for screening the NP composition of microbial co-cultures; this can be combined with other -omics methods to characterize probiotic-pathogen and other microbe-microbe interactions.     

Ultrasound-guided cutaneous nerve chemo-ablation for severe access site neuropathic pain—A case report

Neuropathic pain at the cannulation site is challenging, both for the patient and the dialysis team. We present a case of a middle-aged man on chronic hemodialysis, who developed excruciating pain at the cannulation area without incident, limiting his dialysis sessions. Multidisciplinary collaboration allowed identification of the cutaneous nerve—the inferior lateral cutaneous nerve of the arm, relaying his pain. Subsequent ultrasound-guided phenol chemoablation resulted in the complete resolution of his pain and allowed continued use of the well-functioning fistula for dialysis.     

Genome analysis revealed a repertoire of oligosaccharide utilizing CAZymes in Weissella confusa CCK931 and Weissella cibaria YRK005

Food Science and Biotechnology - Weissella bacteria are gram-positive, anaerobic, fermentative, and have probiotic potential. This study aimed to compare the genomes of W. cibaria YRK005 and W....     

Firmicutes with iron dependent hydrogenase drive hydrogen production in anaerobic bioreactor using distillery wastewater

Distillery wastewater rich in organics is an inexpensive renewable resource for making first generation biofuel. Distillery wastewaters are mostly treated via the biomethanation route; however, in this study the conditions in sequential batch reactor (SBR) are being set to develop and analyze the microbial community that opted for hydrogen production. An optimum performance condition for a bioreactor was achieved after 40 days of operation, which gave substrate degradation rate of 0.72 kg/m³-day with volumetric hydrogen production of 0.32 mol H₂/m³-day. Study proposes that the dominant Delftia sp., a hydrogen oxidizing bacterium has been replaced during hydrogen production mode with dominant Anaerofilum sp., an anaerobic Firmicute and the iron dependent hydrogenases dominated as functional gene for hydrogen production. Future studies are required where process-engineering interventions could be applied to improve the hydrogen driving biochemical process.     

Effect of antioxidants and associate changes in antioxidant enzymes in controlling browning and necrosis of proliferating shoots of elite Jatropha curcas L

A high yielding elite plant of Jatropha curcas was established under aseptic condition from field-grown nodal explants. Shoots were proliferated in MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg dm^?3 benzyladenine and 0.1 mg dm^?3 indolebutyric acid along with 10 mg dm^?3 adenine sulphate and a combination of 15 mg dm^?3 each of l-glutamine and l-arginine. However, within 15–20 d of culture incubation, tissue browning/necrosis leading to poor plant regeneration in vitro was observed. A set of different antioxidants, namely, reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid, tocopherol and cysteine were used in the medium individually and in combination to solve the problem of tissue browning and necrosis. The addition of antioxidants proved beneficial for the growth of the shoots. The optimum medium comprised of 25 mg dm^?3 reduced glutathione and 10 mg dm^?3 ascorbic acid, where proliferating shoots having highest leaf canopy area, remained fresh, green and regenerative up to 40 d of culture incubation without any subculture. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase was higher in control shoots, indicating that tissue browning/necrosis was associated with oxidative stress which was further supported by higher contents of H₂O₂ and phenolics in control shoots compared to the other treatments. Similarly glutathione reductase, ascorbate peroxidase and guiacol peroxidase was higher in treated shoots than control indicating that these shoots have developed antioxidant enzymatic protective system which determine the ability to survive in oxidative stress and up regulation of these enzymes would help to reduce the built up of reactive oxygen species.     

The self diffusion of iron in Fe2SiO4 and CaFeSiO4 melts

The self diffusion of iron in Fe₂SiO₄ and CaFeSiO₄ melts has been measured in the temperature range 1250° to 1540°C using Fe⁵⁹ as the radio tracer and the capillary-liquid reservoir method of diffusion measurement. The results obtained are represented by $$log D_{Fe} = - \frac{{3800 \pm 500}}{T} - 2.74 \pm 0.29$$ for Fe₂SiO₄, and $$log D_{Fe} = - \frac{{5450 \pm 620}}{T} - 1.93 \pm 0.37$$ for CaFeSiO₄. Excellent agreement is obtained with the self-diffusivity of iron calculated from the measured interdiffusivity of iron and oxygen in iron oxide melts.     

Hydriding behavior of Mg-50 wt% ZrCrFe composite Prepared by high energy ball milling

Magnesium hydride has a high theoretically storage capacity, which amounts to 7.6 wt%. It is therefore a promising candidate for hydrogen storage applications. However, its major drawback is its high desorption temperature of well over 300 °C, which is related to the high stability of the Mg–H bonds and expressed in the high enthalpy of hydride formation (77 kJ/mol). The preparation of Mg composites with other hydrogen storage compounds is an effective method to improve the hydrogen storage properties of Mg. Thus we prepared Mg-50 wt% ZrCrFe alloy composite by high energy ball milling under argon atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies on the composite before and after hydriding cycles suggest no intermetalic phase is formed between Mg and the elements of the alloy. The morphological studies carried on by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) technique suggest that the alloy particles are homogeneously distributed throughout the Mg surface. A particle reduction after hydrogenation is also visible. Hydriding/dehydriding properties of the composites are investigated by PCT measurements using a dynamic system. The maximum hydrogen capacity for this composite is found to be 4.5 wt%. The reaction kinetics have also been recorded in a temperature range from RT to 300 °C and the thermodynamic parameters calculated from Van’t Hoff plot. From the results it is found that the alloy reacts with hydrogen also when cooled to room temperature while at higher temperature it works as catalyst.