Multislip and Soret–Dufour influence on nonlinear convection flow of MHD dissipative Casson fluid over a slendering stretching sheet with generalized heat flux phenomenon

In the present investigation, Soret–Dufour and multislip's impact on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) Casson fluid flow encompassing variable thermophysical features in the nonlinear convection process is analyzed. It is believed that to any effective heat and mass transfer enhancement, the relaxation of such fluid and material time along with the thermo-physical features, are well estimated. In this model, a magnetic field of nonuniform strength is applied perpendicular to the slendering sheet with variable thickness, and nonlinear convection flow is considered in this generalized heat flux examination. An appropriate similarity variable is implemented on the governing equations embedding the variable viscosity, thermal conductivity, and generalized Fourier's law to drive ordinary differential equations. Galerkin weighted residual approach is utilized to calculate the flow field among other flow characteristics. The novel flow features are discussed therein. Modified Fourier and multislip's parameters are seen to have downsized the velocity and temperature field greatly. Thermal and solutal buoyancy effects are more pronounced in nonlinear form compared to the linear model. Dufour number influences both velocity and energy fields positively but negates the concentration field, while the Soret number gives an opposing characterization.     

Homeostasis and Cancer Initiation: Organoids as Models to Study the Initiation of Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer represents a significant disease burden worldwide. The factors that initiate cancer are not well understood. Chronic inflammation such as that triggered by H. pylori infection is the most significant cause of gastric cancer. In recent years, organoid cultures developed from human and animal adult stem cells have facilitated great advances in our understanding of gastric homeostasis. Organoid models are now being exploited to investigate the role of host genetics and bacterial factors on proliferation and DNA damage in gastric stem cells. The impact of a chronic inflammatory state on gastric stem cells and the stroma has been less well addressed. This review discusses what we have learned from the use of organoid models to investigate cancer initiation, and highlights questions on the contribution of the microbiota, chronic inflammatory milieu, and stromal cells that can now be addressed by more complex coculture models.     

Effect of Addition of Ficus exasperata and Spoudias mombin Leaves on Functional and Sensory Properties of Cassava Roots in “Lafun” Production

Peeled and unpeeled cassava tubers (TMS 30572) were soaked with the leaves of Ficus exasperata (Ipin) and Spondias mombin (Iyeye) and the effects were determined on functional and sensory properties. The cassava samples were soaked in water to ferment for 72 h, pressed, dried, milled and sieved to obtain lafun flour. The lafun flour was reconstituted with hot water to produce a stiff dough and subjected to sensory evaluation using a 9-point Hedonic scale. Bulk density, water holding capacity, swelling index and dispersibility index varied from 0.53 to 0.63 g/cm³, 14.13 to 14.85 g/ml, 0.50 to 1.00 g/ml and 8.00 to 10.00 ml respectively. Lafun obtained from cassava steeped with F. exasperata leaves was significantly different (p < 0.05) from others; the maltose equivalent of lafun increased and this invariably reduced water absorption during dough preparation. Amylograph data showed that pasting time, temperature, peak viscosity, final viscosity and set-back value were between 4.00 to 5.15 min; 77.65 to 79.25°C; 331.33 to 371.17 RVU (Rapid Visco-Analyzer Unit); 225.50 to 279.00 RVU and 29.25 to 57.58 RVU respectively. Stiff dough of lafun samples obtained from unpeeled cassava steeped with F. exasperata had the highest mean scores for mouth feel, texture and overall acceptability, although all the samples were statistically similar (p > 0.05). The work revealed that F. exasperata increased the maltose equivalent and invariably reduced the level of water absorption in dough preparation. S. mombin on the other hand had no significant effect. Extract is more effective in stabilizing RPKO (hydrolytically and oxidatively) than MALE.     

Gastric volvulus in the newborn

A review of the world literature has revealed only 11 cases of gastric volvulus symptomatic in the first month of life. To those 11, this report adds two cases of intrathoracic organoaxial gastric volvulus that were observed in the first week of life and were managed operatively. Gastric volvulus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of newborn infants initially observed to have persisting regurgitation, vomiting, and respiratory distress. The diagnosis can be made with plain thoracoabdominal roentgenograms and confirmed by upper gastrointestinal contrast studies. Prompt surgical management is indicated and should include reduction and fixation of the stomach and repair of associated anomalies. The results of early surgery are excellent.     

Transmission of 160-Gb/s Modified Manchester modulation over WDM system

The paper examines the performance of Modified Manchester (MM) modulation scheme over wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) in high-speed optical communication links. The MM as a new modulation technique has a narrow spectral width compared to conventional Manchester coding, which allows its implementation in WDM systems beneficial. In this study, the performance characteristics of MM and conventional Manchester modulation formats are assessed in WDM system at 10 Gb/s bitrate for each channel, for the least allowable channel spacing as well as tolerance to chromatic dispersion (CD). It is revealed from the results of simulation that MM performs meaningfully well in comparison with conventional Manchester in terms of tolerance against narrow optical filtering, spectral efficiency, which is improved by 32% and CD tolerance, which is improved by +100 ps/nm. Sixteen wavelength channels (16 × 10 Gb/s) are modulated to provide 160 Gb/s data capacity, which was transmitted successfully over 224 km standard single mode fibre (SSMF) using MM while the conventional Manchester only covered about 157 km.     

Efficiency enhancement of a commercial natural gas liquid recovery plant: A MINLP optimization analysis

ABSTRACT

This paper aims at modeling and optimizing a Middle East-based commercial natural gas liquid (NGL) recovery and fractionation plant, using a predictive process simulator. NGL units are known to be highly energy-intensive as steam-based heating and refrigeration-based cryogenic cooling are critical requirements for their operation. Indeed, these units govern the degree of profitability of gas plants especially during low natural gas price scenarios. As a result, this study explores the ways of improving the performance of NGL units through a deterministic optimization analysis. A steady state model of the plant is built using gPROMS process builder followed by validation using plant data to ensure the model accuracy. A mixed integer nonlinear programming optimization problem is formulated with the objective of maximizing the net revenue of the plants by means of manipulating various decision variables such as feed gas temperature, column operating pressure, feed stage location, reflux and boil up ratios subject to specific process constraints. Optimization problem is solved using outer approximation equality relaxation augmented penalty algorithm. It is determined that the process optimization yields an additional revenue of 4.1 MM USD annually due to ~22% increase in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) production, ~6% increase in Naphtha production, and ~16% reduction in steam consumption in the reboiler of the columns.