Investigations on pool boiling critical heat flux,transient characteristics and bonding strength of heater wire with aqua based reduced graphene oxide nanofluids

In the present work, the pool boiling critical heat flux, transient heat transfer characteristics, and bonding strength of thin Ni-Cr wire with aqua based reduced graphene oxide(r GO) nanofluids are experimentally studied. Results indicate:(i) the critical heat flux(CHF) of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 g·L~(-1) concentrations of r GO-water nanofluids varies from 1.42 to 2.40 MW·m~(-2);(ii) the CHF remains same for the tested samples during transient heat transfer studies and(iii) a constant value of CHF upto 10 tests when the nanocoated Ni-Cr wire is tested with DI water and deterioration occurs beyond this which implies a chance of peel off of r GO layer below the critical coating thickness.     

Tuberculosis control in Bangladesh: success of the DOTS strategy

SETTING: Tuberculosis (TB) has been a major public-health problem in Bangladesh for many decades. National control efforts in the past have not been successful, with less than half of detected cases being cured. In 1993, a project based on the DOTS (directly observed treatment, short-course) strategy was initiated for a population of approximately one million in a rural setting. Following a 78% cure rate in the initial cohort of new smear-positive patients, the project was expanded in phases to cover a rural population of 67 million in 1996. OBJECTIVES: Routine programme data on all new sputum smear-positive patients registered in the TB project since its inception until 1996 were analysed. Case finding results are presented until 1996, as are results of sputum smear conversion after 2 months of treatment in new smear-positive patients for the same cohort of patients. Final treatment outcome results were analysed for new smear-positive patients registered up to 1995. RESULTS: A total of 41,525 patients were registered in the project during the 3-year period. Two-thirds of these were new smear-positive cases and 27% were new smear-negative patients. Sputum smear conversion in 26,151 new smear-positive patients at 2 months was 85%; 5% remained smear-positive, 3% had died and the rest had no sputum examination. Final treatment outcome results in 10,142 new smear-positive patients registered during 1993-1995 showed that 75% were cured, 4% completed treatment but did not have a sputum smear result, 2% remained smear-positive, 6% died, 10% defaulted and 3% were transferred out. CONCLUSION: The DOTS strategy can be successfully implemented in phases in large countries with a high tuberculosis burden. This success is due to decentralizing sputum smear microscopy and treatment delivery services to peripheral health facilities, utilizing the existing primary health care network. High cure rates can be maintained despite rapid expansion of coverage, with proper implementation of the strategy and regular monitoring of reports on case finding, sputum smear conversion and treatment outcome. Case detection needs to be further increased by informing and involving the community in TB control efforts through social mobilization.     

Streamlined life cycle assessment of residue utilization options in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tongkat Ali </Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eurycoma longifolia</Emphasis>) water extract manufacturing process

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is often used to compare alternative process options in terms of their overall impact on the environment to easily identify the most environmentally friendly alternative. In this work, a streamlined LCA study was conducted to assess three different residue utilization schemes for Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) extract production. The case study was firstly simulated using a batch process simulation software. The results of mass and energy balances obtained from the simulation software were then subjected to life cycle analysis. By evaluating the different schemes for using the fibrous residue from the extraction process, the potential for environmental process improvement was identified. Overall, use of the residue as process fuel was found to be the most environmentally friendly option. It produces the least emissions and reduces resource usage per unit of product than the other options evaluated.     

Inline injection microdevice for attomole-scale sanger DNA sequencing

A new affinity-capture-based inline purification, concentration, and injection method is developed for microchip capillary electrophoresis (CE) and used to perform efficient attomole-scale Sanger DNA sequencing separations. The microdevice comprises three axial domains for nanoliter-scale sequencing sample containment, sample plug formation, and high-resolution capillary gel electrophoresis. Purified and concentrated inline sample plugs are formed by electrophoretically driving Sanger sequencing extension fragments into an affinity-capture polymer network positioned within a CE separation channel. Extension fragments selectively hybridize and concentrate at the polymer interface while residual primer, nucleotides, and salts electrophorese out of the system. The plug is thermally released and injected into the CE channel by direct application of the separation voltage. To evaluate this system, 30 nL of sequencing sample prepared from 100 amol (60 million molecules) of human mitochondrial hypervariable region II amplicon was introduced into the microchip, purified, concentrated, and injected, generating a read length of 365 bases with 99% accuracy. This efficient inline injection system obviates the need for the excess sample that is required by cross-injection techniques, thereby enabling Sanger sequencing and other high-performance genetic analysis using DNA quantities approaching theoretical detection limits.     

An integrated approach for water minimisation in a PVC manufacturing process

This paper presents a water minimisation study carried out for a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins manufacturing plant. Due to the complexity of the mixed batch and continuous polymerisation process, an integrated process integration approach, which consists of process synthesis, analysis and optimisation was used for this work. A simulation model was first developed in a batch process simulation software, SuperPro Designer V6.0, based on the operating condition of a PVC manufacturing process. The batch simulation model captured the essential information needed for a water minimisation study, e.g. process duration, water mass flow, etc. Data extracted from the simulation model was later used in the water minimisation study, utilising the widely established process synthesis technique of water pinch analysis. Two water saving scenarios were presented. Scenario 1 reports a fresh water and wastewater reduction of 28.5 and 90.1% respectively, for the maximum water recovery scheme without water storage system. In Scenario 2, higher fresh water and wastewater reduction are reported at 31.7 and 100% respectively, when water storage tank is installed in the water network.     

Socio-cultural dimensions of leprosy in north-western Botswana

A study to determine some socio-cultural factors influencing knowledge and attitudes of the community toward leprosy was carried out in north-western Botswana, where cases of leprosy have been known to exist over the years. The study was largely qualitative, using ethnographic approaches. The research was tailored in a way to capture the ethnic diversity of the region, in particular two ethnic groups, namely Bayei and Bambukushu. The name or symptom complex associated with leprosy was 'ngara' or 'lepero' and this was associated with bad blood. Knowledge on disease causation was lacking, which in turn influenced health seeking behaviour of patients. Patients were well integrated and accepted into the social structure of communities. Women caring for these patients did experience some additional burden and identified time as their major constraint in caretaking. It was apparent that the degree of rejection correlated with seriousness of the disease and extent of disabilities and dysfunction. The present pattern of health seeking behaviour needs to be altered, so that an early diagnosis can be made at the health facility. This will aid appropriate management and prevent occurrence of deformities and disabilities, which in turn will reduce rejection and isolation of patients. Education of community, patients, traditional and religious healers on various aspects of the disease, especially causation, is essential to achieve a change in the health seeking behaviour.     

Time-variant attribute-based multitype encryption algorithm for improved cloud data security using user profile

The Journal of Supercomputing - Cloud computing becomes more sophisticated to provide different services at different levels of user access. Even though various services are accessed at a different...     

Evaluation of New Anion Exchange Resins for Plutonium Processing

Abstract

This paper presents the results of studies comparing the performance of two new anion exchange resins for plutonium processing with the well proven and widely used benchmark, Dowex 1X4 resin. In this connection, the experiments on distribution ratio measurement of plutonium as a function of nitric acid concentration, Pu(IV) sorption kinetics, chemical, thermal, and radiation degradation of the two commercially available anion exchange resins namely, Tulsion A‐PSL 4 and Tulsion A‐PSL 6 have been studied, vis‐à‐vis the benchmark. Tulsion A‐PSL 6 was found to have higher plutonium sorption capacity and polymer matrix stability as well as better kinetics of sorption than the other two resins, while Tulsion A‐PSL 4 and Dowex 1X4 were found to have comparable sorption capacity, kinetics, and resistance to chemical and radiation degradation. The small‐scale evaluation of these new anion exchange resins shows that they can be used for the purification and concentration of plutonium.     

Experimental and FE simulation validation of sheet thickness optimization in superplastic forming of Al alloy

Superplasticity is the ability of a polycrystalline materials to exhibit very large elongations without necking prior to failure. In this paper, the superplastic forming potential of fine grained 7075 aluminium alloy was studied. The process parameters like pressure, forming time and initial sheet thickness were selected, using the design of experiments technique. The same condition of formation process was attempted in the finite element simulation using ABAQUS software. The deviation of the thickness distribution between the simulation and experiment was made and the variation lies within 8%.