Mixed oxide supported hydrodesulfurization catalysts—a review

Support effects form important aspect of hydrodesulfurization (HDS) studies and mixed oxide supports received maximum attention in the last two decades. This review will focus attention on studies on mixed oxide supported Mo and W catalysts. For convenience of discussion, these are divided into Al₂O₃ containing mixed oxide supports, TiO₂ containing mixed oxide supports, ZrO₂ containing mixed oxide supports and other mixed oxide supports containing all the rest. TiO₂ containing mixed oxides received maximum attention, especially TiO₂–Al₂O₃ supported catalysts. A brief discussion about their prospects for application to ultradeep desulfurization is also included. An overview of the available literature with emphasis on research carried out in our laboratory form the contents of this publication.     

The relationship between bioelectrical impedance phase angle and subjective global assessment in advanced colorectal cancer

Background  

Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA) derived phase angle is increasingly being used as an objective indicator of nutritional status in advanced cancer. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is a subjective method of nutritional status. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between BIA derived phase angle and SGA in advanced colorectal cancer.     

Effect of type of processing on the microstructural features and mechanical properties of Al-Cu/SiC metal matrix composites

In this study, an aluminum based metallic matrix (Al-2wt.% Cu) was reinforced with SiC particulates using a conventional casting technique and a new disintegrated melt deposition technique. Microstructural characterization studies conducted on the samples taken from disintegrated melt deposition technique revealed a more uniform distribution of SiC particulates and good interfacial integrity between SiC particulates and metallic matrix when compared to the conventionally cast composite samples. Results of ambient temperature mechanical tests demonstrate an increase in 0.2% YS and ultimate tensile strength of samples taken from disintegrated melt deposition technique when compared with the unreinforced and conventionally cast composite samples. The results of microstructural characterization and mechanical testing were finally rationalized in terms of the nature of processing technique employed to reinforce Al-2wt.% Cu metallic matrix with SiC particulates.     

Quantitation of Cefaclor in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography

A stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography for the quantitation of cefaclor in pharmaceutical dosage forms has been developed. The method is accurate and precise with a percent relative standard deviation of 1.2 based on 5 readings. A number of inactive ingredients present in the capsules and suspensions did not interfere with the assay procedure. The extraction procedure from the dosage forms is very simple. The recovery from the synthetic mixtures was quantitative. The capsules which had expired 3 years ago lost only 3% of the potency. The drug appears to be very sensitive to strong acids or bases since a 5 minute boiling caused 100% degradation of drug in both the solutions.     

Radiation-Induced graft copolymerization of methacrylic acid onto polypropylene fibers. V. Mechanical properties

Mechanical properties of polypropylene-g-poly(methacrylic acid) fibers, prepared by graft copolymerization of methacrylic acid onto polypropylene fiber using simultaneous gamma ray irradiation technique, were evaluated. In general, an improvement in the mechanical behavior of the polypropylene fiber by grafting was observed. Denier and initial modulus of the fiber showed a linear increase with the percent graft, and elongation showed an opposite trend. The results have been explained in terms of reinforcing effect of poly(methacrylic acid) grafts and reduction in the segmental mobility of the polymeric chains. Tenacity also increases up to certain graft level, beyond which a sharp decrease occurs, probably due to the influence on the compactness of the macromolecular chains with the further grafting.     

Quantitation of Sulfacetamide, Sulfadiazine, Sulfamerazine and Sulfame Thazine in Various Cominations Dsing High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

A reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for the quantitation of sulfacetamide, sulfadiazine, sulfamerazine, and sulfamethazine in various combinations has been developed. The method is simple, accurate, precise and reproducible. The percent relative standard deviations based on 6 injections were 2.1, 0.6, 1.9, and 1.6 for sulfacetamide, sulfadiazine, sulfamerazine, and sulfamethazine, respectively. The ratio of peak heights (drug/internal standard) wer closely related (r value 0.99 or better) to concentrations (± 20% of the standard solution concentrations). The results of synthetic mixtures showed quantitative recovery and method was successfully applied to commercial dosage forms (tablets and suspension). Extraction of sulfa drugs from the dosage forms required a very simple procedure.     

A Study of Interspeaker Variability in Speaker Verification

We propose a new approach to the problem of estimating the hyperparameters which define the interspeaker variability model in joint factor analysis. We tested the proposed estimation technique on the NIST 2006 speaker recognition evaluation data and obtained 10%-15% reductions in error rates on the core condition and the extended data condition (as measured both by equal error rates and the NIST detection cost function). We show that when a large joint factor analysis model is trained in this way and tested on the core condition, the extended data condition and the cross-channel condition, it is capable of performing at least as well as fusions of multiple systems of other types. (The comparisons are based on the best results on these tasks that have been reported in the literature.) In the case of the cross-channel condition, a factor analysis model with 300 speaker factors and 200 channel factors can achieve equal error rates of less than 3.0%. This is a substantial improvement over the best results that have previously been reported on this task.