Synthesis of Chemically Cross-Linked Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose Hydrogels and their Application in Controlled Release of 5-Amino Salicylic Acid

The objective of this study was to achieve the colon-specific delivery of an anti-ulcerative colitis drug using hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) hydrogels. HPMC hydrogels containing poly ethylene glycol (PEG) as cross-links have been prepared by reacting HPMC sodium salt with polyethylene glycol dichloride.

The effect of cross-linking agent on swelling behavior of HPMC-PEG hydrogels, were investigated. Swelling parameters such as equilibrium degree of swelling, swelling ratio and network parameter such as molecular mass between cross-links (M_c) were determined. The cross-linking concentrations were 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% (based on weight of HPMC). The equilibrium swelling ratio (Q) of cross-linked HPMC hydrogels increases from 13.2 to 27.1 as the cross-linker percentage increases from 0.5% to 2%. 5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) was used as a model of an anti-inflammatory drug. Cross-linked HPMC hydrogels were found to be a promising drug delivery system for the drugs to be delivered to the colon.     

Incorporating Nano-silica as a Binder to Improve Corrosion Resistance of High Alumina Refractory Castables

In this study, four types of castables as calcium-aluminate cement (CAC)-bonded and nano-silica (NS)-bonded castables based on tabular-alumina and bauxite aggregates were prepared to investigate the replacement of the calcium-aluminate cement by NS. All samples were allowed to dry at 110 °C then fired at 800 and 1200 °C. Bulk density and apparent porosity of samples were measured. The molten aluminum static corrosion test (cup test) results showed that NS-bonded specimens had higher resistance to corrosion compared to CAC-bonded samples (based on the measured average aluminum penetration depth into the refractory texture). However no penetration was observed in bauxite NS-bonded samples. The results were consistent with dynamic corrosion test in aluminum melt carried out at 800 °C for 100 h. The small pore size in NS-bonded castables was found to be the main cause for high corrosion resistance as micro-pores prevented the melt to penetrate into the refractory.     

Identifying the period of a step change in high‐yield processes

Quality control charts have proven to be very effective in detecting out‐of‐control states. When a signal is detected a search begins to identify and eliminate the source(s) of the signal. A critical issue that keeps the mind of the process engineer busy at this point is determining the time when the process first changed. Knowing when the process first changed can assist process engineers to focus efforts effectively on eliminating the source(s) of the signal. The time when a change in the process takes place is referred to as the change point. This paper provides an estimator for a period of time in which a step change in the process non‐conformity proportion in high‐yield processes occurs. In such processes, the number of items until the occurrence of the first non‐conforming item can be modeled by a geometric distribution. The performance of the proposed model is investigated through several numerical examples. The results indicate that the proposed estimator provides a reasonable estimate for the period when the step change occurred at the process non‐conformity level. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An innovative method of die design and evaluation of flow balance for thermoplastics extrusion profiles

In this article, a computational and experimental method for flow balancing of a U‐shaped die profile with nonuniform thicknesses is presented. The approach was to implement a flow restricting mechanism along the melt flow path. A parametric study based on the restrictor dimensions was carried out to attain a preliminary optimal design. Simulations were performed using Fluent software to analyze the flow velocity at the die exit. Experimental study was then carried out at various restrictor positions for the purpose of attaining a desirable flow balance. The velocity at various segments of the die exit was measured utilizing an innovative procedure by implementing the “separating blades.” Experimental findings were compared with those of simulations which showed an acceptable agreement. The results suggest that a flexible die can be designed to achieve a flow balance under various processing conditions. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Six-Phase Voltage Source Inverter Driven Induction Motor

A six-phase six-step voltage-fed induction motor is presented. The inverter is a transistorized six-step voltage source inverter, while the motor is a modified standard three-phase squirrel-cage motor. The stator is rewound with two three-phase winding sets displaced from each other by 30 electrical degrees. A model for the system is developed to simulate the drive and predict its performance. The simulation results for steady-state conditions and experimental measurements show very good correlation. It is shown that this winding configuration results in the elimination of all air-gap flux time harmonics of the order (6v ±1, v = 1,3,5,...). Consequently, all rotor copper losses produced by these harmonics as well as all torque harmonics of the order (6v, v = 1,3,5,...) are eliminated. A comparison between-the measured instantaneous torque of both three-phase and six-phase six-step voltage-fed induction machines shows the advantage of the six-phase system over the three-phase system in eliminating the sixth harmonic dominant torque ripple.     

同构计算环境中一种新的静态任务调度算法

延伸了TTIG模型并提出新的算法．在模拟实验中，将此算法与MATE和其它同构环境中基于DAG的调度算法，在不同测试条件下进行了比较，结果显示该算法性能明显优于MATE，与基于DAG模型的调度算法比较而言，在性能方面各有千秋，但在算法时间复杂度方面具有显著的优势．     

The prediction of the combustion and heat transfer performance of a refinery heater

Predictions have been obtained for the flow, combustion, and heat transfer within a refinery process heater. The flow and combustion in the highly three-dimensional geometry are handled by a numerical solution technique and physical modeling which have an estab;ished two-dimensional predictive history. The radiation transfer is handled by the more recent and very flexible “discrete transfer” technique. Special grids and computational procedures are employed in the interests of computational economy, with the burner region and the main combustion chamber region being handled in separate subcodes. The predictions of the wall heat transfer distribution are compared with measurements and the agreement is remarkably good.     

Lysine fortification of wheat flour improves selected indices of the nutritional status of predominantly cereal-eating families in Pakistan

Wheat provides more than 50% of the protein and calorie intake of the population of Pakistan. Legumes and animal protein that could complement the amino acid pattern of wheat, in which lysine is the first limiting amino acid for utilization of protein, are not affordable by members of lower socioeconomic groups in developing countries. The purpose of the study was to determine whether lysine fortification of wheat flour would have a positive impact on populations consuming a predominantly wheat-based diet. A double-blind study was carried out for three months on the outskirts of Peshawar, Pakistan. Forty families received wheat flour fortified with lysine, and 40 families received wheat flour without lysine. Wheat provided 59% of the protein for men, 65% for women, and 58% for children. The weight and height of the children in both groups increased during the study, but the increase was significantly greater in the lysine group. Hemoglobin increased significantly in the women receiving lysine-fortified flour. Transferrin levels increased significantly in men, women, and children in the lysine group as compared with those in the control group. Prealbumin increased significantly in adults receiving additional lysine but decreased in children. Men, women, and children in the lysine-supplemented families had significant increases in CD4, CD8, and complement C3 as compared with controls. These results indicate that lysine fortification of wheat flour can significantly improve sensitive indicators of nutritional status in a population consuming a diet in which 58% to 65% of the protein, depending on age and sex, is supplied by wheat.     

A time-series analysis of mortality and air temperature in Greater Beirut

The literature on the association between health and weather in the temperate to semi-arid cities of the Eastern Mediterranean is scarce. The quantification of the relationship between temperature and daily mortality can be useful for developing policy interventions such as heat-warning systems. A time-series analysis of total daily mortality and weather data for the city of Beirut was carried out. The study covered the period between 1997 and 1999. Poisson auto-regressive models were constructed, with mean daily temperature and mean daily humidity as explanatory variables. Delayed effects, up to 2 weeks, were accounted for. The regression models were used next to assess the effect of an average increase in temperature on yearly mortality. The association between temperature and mortality was found to be significant. A relatively high minimum-mortality temperature (TMM) of 27.5 degrees C was calculated. A 1 degrees C rise in temperature yielded a 12.3% increase (95% confidence interval: 5.7-19.4%) and 2.9% decrease (95% confidence interval: 2-3.7%) in mortality, above and below TMM, respectively. Lag temperature variables were found to be significant below TMM but not above it. Where the temperature change was less than 0.5 degrees C, annual above-TMM losses were offset by below-TMM gains, within a 95% confidence interval. TMM for Beirut fell within the range usually associated with warm climates. However, the mild below-TMM and steep above-TMM slopes were more typical of cities with temperate to cold climates. Our findings suggest that heat-related mortality at moderately high temperatures can be a significant public health issue in countries with warm climates. Moreover, at the projected climate change over the next 50 years, heat-related losses are unlikely to be offset by cold-related gains.