Microbial desulfurization of three different coals from Indonesia, China and Korea in varying growth medium

Shake flask studies on microbial desulfurization of three different coal samples (Indonesian lignite, Chinese lignite and Korean anthracite) were performed to optimize the best suitable growth medium. Among the three different growth mediums (basal salt medium, basal salt medium supplemented with 9 g/L Fe and basal salt medium supplemented with 2.5% S⁰) tested, the basal salt medium was found to be the best, considering process dynamics and economical factors. The extent of pyrite oxidation was highest with 95% in the experiments with Korean anthracite in basal salt medium supplemented with 9 g/L Fe, while the lowest pyrite oxidation of 70–71% was observed in the experiments with Indonesian and Chinese Lignite’s in only basal salt medium. The microbial sulfur removal in the experiments with basal salt medium supplemented with 9 g/L Fe for all the three coal samples was between 94–97%, while the experiments on basal salt medium supplemented with 2.5% S⁰ for all the coal samples were relatively much lower ranging between 27–48%. However, the overall study resulted with promising directions for further scaling up of microbial desulphurization in a best growth medium devoid of iron and sulfur supplement.     

Arbitrary‐order sliding mode‐based robust control algorithm for the developing artificial pancreas mechanism

In Diabetes Mellitus, the pancreas remains incapable of insulin administration that leads to hyperglycaemia, an escalated glycaemic concentration, which may stimulate many complications. To circumvent this situation, a closed‐loop control strategy is much needed for the exogenous insulin infusion in diabetic patients. This closed‐loop structure is often termed as an artificial pancreas that is generally established by the employment of different feedback control strategies. In this work, the authors have proposed an arbitrary‐order sliding mode control approach for development of the said mechanism. The term, arbitrary, is exercised in the sense of its applicability to any n ‐order controllable canonical system. The proposed control algorithm affirms the finite‐time effective stabilisation of the glucose–insulin regulatory system, at the desired level, with the alleviation of sharp fluctuations. The novelty of this work lies in the sliding manifold that incorporates indirect non‐linear terms. In addition, the necessary discontinuous terms are filtered‐out once before its employment to the plant, i.e. diabetic patient. The robustness, in the presence of external disturbances, i.e. meal intake is confirmed via rigorous mathematical stability analysis. In addition, the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is ascertained by comparing the results with the standard literature.Inspec keywords: diseases, blood, control system synthesis, medical control systems, feedback, sugar, stability, closed loop systems, robust control, variable structure systemsOther keywords: finite‐time effective stabilisation, glucose–insulin regulatory system, sliding manifold, nonlinear terms, necessary discontinuous terms, employment, diabetic patient, arbitrary‐order sliding mode‐based robust control algorithm, developing artificial pancreas mechanism, Diabetes Mellitus, insulin administration, escalated glycaemic concentration, closed‐loop control strategy, exogenous insulin infusion, closed‐loop structure, different feedback control strategies, mode control approach, n‐order controllable canonical system, control algorithm affirms     

In-cylinder fluid flow,turbulence and spray models—A review

This article is a literature review of use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes to model the in-cylinder fluid flow, turbulence and spray characteristics. This study is based on the reports of about 60 scientists, who published their results between 1978 and 2008. Most of the scientists and researchers used CFD codes to analyze the models under simulation conditions and compared these simulated results with experimental results. Some scientists reported that different engines exhibit different behaviors with similar fuel sprays and Re-Normalized Group (RNG) k-? model is the best applicable turbulence model for engine simulation. The KIVA code is widely used for model development in academia due to the availability of the source. However, its capability for resolving complex geometries is limited. On the other hand, other commercial CFD codes such as STAR-CD, FIRE, VECTIS and FLUENT are frequently used by the industry due to their superior mesh generation interfaces and because of their available user support. Some scientists combined STAR-CD and KIVA code for the engine simulations but they concluded that, it would be preferable to implement the advanced submodels directly into one commercial code for engine simulations.     

An internet based surface texture information system

This paper presents an internet based surface texture analysis and information system, which applies Java and internet technology to engineering metrology. The system includes most of the standardized and advanced analysis tools and a database for surface texture. The most distinct feature of this system is that it can run on the internet, which enables platform independent and remote data and analysis of surface texture.     

Single-site Biomimetic Amino Acid Complexes for the Benign Oxidation of Hydrocarbons and Alcohols

Zeolite encapsulated amino acid complexes such as Fe-proline, Fe-histidine and Cu-valine have shown significant promise in the selective oxidation of hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane and benzylic alcohols. This novel encapsulation procedure, which involves building a zeolite (host) around a pre-formed and structurally defined amino acid complex (guest), results in the generation of isolated single-sites for catalytic oxidations. IR and UV–Vis techniques were used for structure determination as well as establishing the integrity of the synthesised complexes. Preliminary results indicate that complexes were formed by coordination to the nitrogen atom of the amino group and the oxygen atom of the carboxylate group to the metal. The hydrophobic/hydrophilic nature of the zeolite, coupled with the high activity of the neat complex, generates highly active and selective single-site heterogeneous catalysts for the production of cyclohexanone, an important precursor to the production of commodity chemicals such as adipic acid and ε-caprolactam.     

Radio-on-hybrid WDM transport systems based on mutually injection-locked Fabry–Perot laser diodes

A radio-on-hybrid wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) transport system employing mutually injection-locked Fabry–Perot laser diodes (F–P LDs) is proposed and demonstrated. System performances evaluated by carrier to noise ratio (CNR), composite second order (CSO), composite triple beat (CTB), bit error rate (BER), and third-order intermodulation distortion to carrier ratio (IMD₃/C) for simultaneous transmission of CATV/LAN/ITS are improved. Our proposed systems are relatively simple and potentially low cost due to the use of mutually injection-locked F–P LDs as broadband light source (BLS).     

Formation and stability of anatase phase of phosphate incorporated and carbon doped titania nanotubes

Phase transformation analysis of the phosphate containing and carbon doped titania nanotubes, prepared by a simple anodization method, reveals complete transformation from amorphous to anatase phase in air between 360 and 400 °C. Activation energies for formation of anatase phase are evaluated and compared for the two types of titania nanotubes. A detailed analysis of the phase transformation characteristics and stability of the anatase phase is reported.     

Diet-Regulating Microbiota and Host Immune System in Liver Disease

The gut microbiota has been known to modulate the immune responses in chronic liver diseases. Recent evidence suggests that effects of dietary foods on health care and human diseases are related to both the immune reaction and the microbiome. The gut-microbiome and intestinal immune system play a central role in the control of bacterial translocation-induced liver disease. Dysbiosis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, translocation, endotoxemia, and the direct effects of metabolites are the main events in the gut-liver axis, and immune responses act on every pathways of chronic liver disease. Microbiome-derived metabolites or bacteria themselves regulate immune cell functions such as recognition or activation of receptors, the control of gene expression by epigenetic change, activation of immune cells, and the integration of cellular metabolism. Here, we reviewed recent reports about the immunologic role of gut microbiotas in liver disease, highlighting the role of diet in chronic liver disease.     

Determination of selenium content in selected Pakistani foods

Owing to increased concern in a number of diseases associated with low-selenium (Se) foods, the estimation of total Se content (TSC) is the focus of research these days. TSC was determined in fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, poultry, fish and cereals. Hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometric method was employed using the wet digestion method. Different certified reference materials were used for the validation of the method. The lowest Se content was found in plant-based foods, whereas the highest was in fish and appreciable in other animal-based foods. The data was compared with TSC data from other countries. TSC in Pakistani foods was comparable with other countries, with few exceptions. This report may serve as a database for TSC in Pakistani foods.