A study of external mass transfer effect on biodegradation of phenol using low‐density polyethylene immobilized Bacillus flexus GS1 IIT (BHU) in a packed bed bioreactor

The impact of external mass transport on the biodegradation rate of phenol in a packed bed bioreactor (PBBR) was studied. A potential bacterial species, Bacillus flexus GS1 IIT (BHU), was isolated from the petroleum‐contaminated soil. Low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) immobilized with the B. flexus GS1 IIT (BHU) was used as packing material in the PBBR. The PBBR was operated by varying the inlet feed flow rate from 4 to 10 mL/min, and the corresponding degradation rate coefficients were found to be in the range of 0.119–0.157 L/g h. In addition, the highest removal rate of phenol was obtained to be 1.305 mg/g h at an inlet feed rate of 10 mL/min. The external mass transfer was studied using the model . A new empirical correlation for the biodegradation of phenol in the PBBR was developed after the evaluation at various values of K and n.     

CFD analysis of natural convection heat transfer augmentation from square conductive horizontal and inclined pin fin arrays

Numerical investigations on natural convection heat transfer from a vertical isothermal plate with pin fins have been made by solving the Navier–Stokes equation along with the energy equation. Average Nusselt number for the plate with different configurations of pin fins have been obtained. It was observed that the maximum increase of the average Nusselt number occurs at S_v/L?=?0.2 for θ?=?45° with fin height of 24?mm (H/t?=?8). The average Nusselt number increases with fin aspect ratio and decreases with angle of inclination. There is not much difference between the average Nusselt number for in-line and staggered arrangement of fins for the range of parameters studied in the present work. A correlation is developed to predict the average Nusselt number of the plate as a function of fin spacing in stream- and span-wise direction, aspect ratio of fins and its angle of inclination.     

Performance of a twin cylinder dual-fuel diesel engine using blends of neat Karanja oil and producer gas

In the present study, performance and emission analysis are done in a twin cylinder four-stroke dual-fuel diesel engine in two cases of operation. In the first case, the engine is tested using diesel, K10 (10% neat oil+90% diesel) and K20 (20% neat oil+80% diesel) in single mode and in the dual-fuel mode with an optimum producer gas flow rate of 21.49 kg/h under different load conditions. In the second case, the engine is tested using the same test fuels in the dual-fuel mode at different gas flow rates under a constant load of 10 kW. The study reveals that the dual-fuel operation of all test fuels shows a lower engine performance and better control of smoke and oxide of nitrogen emission compared with their single-mode operation under all load conditions. Whereas other emission parameters such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon are at a higher level.     

Computational modeling of heat transfer in magneto-non-Newtonian material in a circular tube with viscous and Joule heating

Numerous industrial and engineering systems, like, heat exchangers, chemical action reactors, geothermic systems, geological setups, and many others, involve convective heat transfer through a porous medium. The diffusion rate, drag force, and mechanical phenomenon are dealt with in the Darcy–Forchheimer model, and hence this model is vital to study the fluid flow and heat transport analysis. Therefore, numerical simulation of the Darcy–Forchheimer dynamics of a Casson material in a circular tube subjected to the energy losses due to the viscous heating and Joule dissipation mechanisms is performed. The novelty of the present investigation is to scrutinize the convective heat transport characteristics in a circular tube saturated with Darcy–Forchheimer porous matrix by utilizing the non-Newtonian Casson fluid. The flow occurs due to the elongation of the surface of a tube with a uniform heat-based source/sink. The similarity solution of the nonlinear problem was obtained using dimensionless similarity variables. The effects of operating parameters related to the flow phenomena are analyzed. Further, the friction factor and Nusselt number are also analyzed in detail. The present flow model ensures no flow reversal and acts as a coolant of the heated cylindrical surface; the existence of the magnetic field, as well as an inertial coefficient, acts as the momentum-breaking forces, whereas Casson fluidity builds it. The Joule heating phenomenon enhances the magnitude of temperature. The thermal field of the Casson fluid is higher at the surface of the circular pipe due to convective thermal conditions.     

In utero cardiac gene transfer via intraplacental delivery of recombinant adenovirus

BACKGROUND: The relationship among the maternal, placental, and uniquely shunted embryonic circulation was explored to provide access to the embryonic cardiovascular system in utero. Manipulation of gene expression in the developing heart would be particularly useful for studying the effects of altered gene expression on cardiac development and in the etiology of congenital cardiac anomalies. METHODS AND RESULTS: Dye studies demonstrated that intraplacental injection allows direct access to the embryonic cardiac and systemic circulation. To evaluate the efficacy of cardiac gene transfer using this approach, replication-deficient recombinant adenoviral vectors encoding luciferase or beta-galactosidase as reporter genes were injected intraplacentally into embryonic day (E)12.5 murine embryos, an age at which the mass of the heart was observed to be large compared with other organs. Embryos were assayed for transgene expression at E15.5 and at birth. Survival rates at these times were similar among vector-injected and control groups. At E15.5 and at birth, luciferase activity within the heart was 9- and 23-fold higher, respectively, than in the remainder of the embryo, although levels of expression were generally lower at birth than during embryonic life. Beta-galactosidase expression was observed within all regions of the embryonic heart and was localized to approximately 15% of atrial and ventricular cells. CONCLUSIONS: Intraplacental delivery of adenovirus at embryonic day 12.5 results in somatic gene transfer to the murine embryonic heart, which persists at least until birth. The combination of intraplacental injection to directly access the fetal coronary circulation and injection at E12.5 when the mass of the heart is large compared with other organs results in transgene expression in cardiac cells. Intraplacental injections early in embryonic life may thus be useful to study the effects of temporal manipulation of gene expression on cardiac development and disease.     

Primary prevention of eating disorders.

Eating disorders have increased dramatically over the past two decades, but the primary prevention of these disorders has received little attention. This article summarizes our current understanding of anorexia nervosa and bulimia and offers some suggestions for the primary prevention of these disorders at the individual, family, and community levels. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interactional group therapy for anorexic and bulimic women.

Describes interactional group therapy for anorexic and bulimic women, as it was used for 12 groups (with 4–8 Ss each) conducted over 4.5 yrs. Bulimics and anorexics were combined because it is believed that the 2 types of eating-disordered patients have much that they can learn from each other. Group themes particularly relevant to eating-disordered women are discussed, including confidentiality, sexuality, commonalities between the 2 types, and transference. Stages in the evolution of the group and strategies for facilitating group process are reviewed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)