Entire Samples Research Articles

Risk of Faecal Contamination of Water Used by Food Vendors in Owerri Munipality, Imo State Nigeria

Assessment of faecal contamination of water is a key factor in assessing the quality and safety of food. It also reveals the level of hygiene adopted by food handlers in the course of preparation and serving of such foods. This study assessed the risk of microbial contamination of water used by food vendors in Owerri munipality, Imo State Nigeria between January-December 2019 with an emphasis on total coliforms and the faecal coliforms/ faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) – Escherichia coli (E. coli) and thermotolerant coliforms (TTC). One hundred and thirty water samples collected across three vending types (street vendors, high level and low level restaurants) were evaluated for microbial contamination using standard methods. Data obtained was statistically analyzed with p-value set at 0.05 significance level. The result identified Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp. The result showed that 48.46% (63) of the 130 water samples examined were contaminated with coliform bacteria, of which 20 (22.22%) samples had faecal coliform bacteria, representing 10.77% of the entire water samples examined. Of the 64 samples from water used for food preparation, 12.50% (8) had faecal coliform bacteria as against 9.09% (6) of 66 samples collected from water offered to customers for drinking. The result showed that 116 (89.23%) of the 130 water samples recorded no faecal coliform contamination, hence they were considered excellent based on the guidelines for determination of faecal contamination of water. Two samples had faecal coliform counts of 1-3 per 100 ml of water accounting for 1.54% of water samples, which is considered Satisfactory. The result revealed suspicious (4-9 per 100 ml) coliform count in 9 (6.92%) water samples, while three water samples (2.31%) had ≥10 count and are classified as unsatisfactory. The result revealed that 89.23% (116) of the examined water samples were of ‘no risk’ to the public, which was significantly higher than 8.46% (11) and 2.31% (3) recognized as being of low and intermediate risk respectively (p <0.05). High and very high risk water samples were not encountered in the study. This trend in qualification of risk of water samples reflected in the two types of water usages, and the observed differences was however not statistically significant (p>0.05).

Varicolored Marble in the Central Metasedimentary Belt, Grenville Supergroup. I. Circumstantial Evidence of Melting

Abstract Large expanses of granulite-facies white marble occur in the Central Metasedimentary Belt of the Grenville orogen in western Quebec and in contiguous areas of eastern Ontario and New York. Locally, the white rock is transformed into “varicolored” marble, ranging from pink, orange, yellow, green, gray to blue marble, in some cases closely juxtaposed. We have dissected specimens from three target areas in western Quebec. A powerful analytical workflow including high-resolution ZEISS Atlas 5 large-area imaging was employed in combination with detailed energy-dispersive spectroscopy analyses to create digital map-like online datasets of entire samples to display the textures and characteristics in their entirety. We describe in detail the texture and mineralogy of marble specimens collected from exposures created during the construction of Autoroute 5 near Wakefield and of Autoroute 50 near Grenville-sur-la-Rouge and two specimens collected near Bryson, Quebec. At the inferred pressure and temperature and in the presence of H2O, the white marble seems to have melted. A carbonate melt, a powerful flux, can dissolve silicate wallrocks along a mutual contact. In this way, a marble-derived melt has assimilated wallrocks ranging from peridotite to granite. This melting event may have occurred more than once in the 350-million-year lifespan of the Grenville event; the thermal event associated with the Rigolet stage, during gravitational collapse of the orogen approximately one billion years ago, was the most intense. The marble samples contain no vestiges of older deformed assemblages. Whereas the varicolored marble undoubtedly is metasedimentary, a coeval influx of mantle-derived carbonatitic melt and related fluids from a subjacent complex may have caused localized metasomatism of the marble prior to and after melting.

Chemical Analysis of Essential Trace Elements in Wastewater Samples Collected from Four Different Mines

Mine water contains trace heavy metals which are some essential trace elements in high concentrations causing the pollution of nearby water bodies, related ground waters and soils degradation. The aim of the study is to identify and quantify the essential trace elements present in the different mine water samples and their level of toxicity. Digestion technique was employed to pretreat the mine wastewater before analysis. Physicochemical analysis was conducted for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and salinity. The samples collected from four different locations are Sample A (Gold mine), Sample B (Copper mine), Sample C (Iron mine), Sample D (Tin mine). The raw or untreated mine water samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The results showed the essential trace elements present in all the mine water samples are Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn. Cu is highly concentrated in copper (73.87 mg/L) and tin (2.09 mg/L) mine water while Fe is dominant in water samples collected from gold (7.19 mg/L) and iron (13.12 mg/L) mine. In conclusion, the essential trace elements Mn, Cu, and Fe present in all the mines are very high and can be harmful to human life in the environment but the concentrations of Zn in the entire mine water samples are within the permissible level of standard drinking water and hence it can pose no threat to human life.

Improving CO2 Absorption Using Artificial Intelligence and Modern Optimization for a Sustainable Environment

One of the essential factors in maintaining environmental sustainability is to reduce the harmful effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This can be performed either by reducing the emissions themselves or capturing and storing the emitted CO2. This work studies the solubility of carbon dioxide in the capturing solvent, which plays a crucial role in the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Therefore, the study aims to enhance the solubility of CO2 by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and modern optimization. Accordingly, this study consists of two consecutive stages. In the first stage, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model as an AI tool was developed based on experimental data. The mol fraction was targeted as the model’s output in terms of three operating parameters; the concentration of tetrabutylphosphonium methanesulfonate [TBP][MeSO3], temperature, and pressure of CO2. The operating ranges are (2–20 wt%), (30–60 °C), and (2–30 bar), respectively. Based on the statistical measures of the root mean squared error (RMSE) and the predicted R2, the ANFIS model outperforms the traditional analysis of variance (ANOVA) modeling technique, where the resulting values were found to be 0.126 and 0.9758 for the entire samples, respectively. In the second stage, an improved grey wolf optimizer (IGWO) was utilized to determine the optimal operating parameters that increase the solubility of CO2. The optimal values of the three operating parameters that improve the CO2 solubility were found to be 3.0933 wt%, 40.5 °C, and 30 bar, respectively. With these optimal values, the collaboration between the ANFIS and IGWO produced an increase of 13.4% in the mol fraction compared to the experimental data and the response surface methodology. To demonstrate the efficacy of IGWO, the obtained results were compared to the results of four competitive optimization techniques. The comparison showed that the IGWO demonstrates superior performance. Overall, this study provided a cost-efficient approach based on AI and modern optimization to enhance CO2 solubility in CCS.

Understanding and Measuring Child Well-being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round Five.

This research paper aims to present the results of the implementation of the C.W.-SMILE tool that recorded child well-being in the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year. This is the fifth round of this ongoing diachronic research. The C.W.-SMILE tool consists of six dimensions: home conditions (D.1), nutrition (D.2), unemployment of guardians (D.3), free healthcare (D.4), moral education (D.5), and leisure (D.6). The first three dimensions concern children's economic well-being, while the latter three dimensions determine children's non-economic well-being. Based on welfare economics, the combination of economic well-being and non-economic well-being constitutes children's general (social) well-being. Each dimension consists of Simple Indicators. The paper also presents the results of the school year as a whole, to help investigate the evolving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's well-being for more periods. The tool was used to measure the well-being of children in Attica, through questionnaires that were circulated in 22 public schools and three support centers of the organization 'The Smile of the Child' (25 units in total). The sample consisted of 509 children, belonging to three distinct school categories. The results of the second semester are mapped in seven clusters (relating to seven socio-economically homogenous groups of municipalities in Attica). Analysis of the results of the school year 2020-2021 was done based on the data collected from a sample of 1,623 children; in other words, it took into account the data relating to the entire samples that were surveyed in the first and second semesters. The central outcomes of all the previous rounds of the research are verified through a principal component analysis (PCA), and a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) which are employed for the fifth round. Finally, the paper suggests an action plan of social welfare based on a ChoiCo game designed for the needs of the fifth round of the C.W.-SMILE research.

The clinical application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in sepsis of immunocompromised patients.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was commonly applied given its ability to identify and type all infections without depending upon culture and to retrieve all DNA with unbiasedness. In this study, we strive to compare outcomes of mNGS with conventional culture methods in adults with sepsis, investigate the differences between the immunocompromised and control group, and assess the clinical effects of mNGS. In our study, 308 adult sepsis patients were included. We used both mNGS and conventional culture methods to analyze diagnostic results, pathogens, and sample types. The correlation between some laboratory tests and the frequency of pathogens by groups was also analyzed. Furthermore, the clinical impacts of mNGS were estimated. 308 samples were assigned to an immunocompromised group (92/308,29.9%) and a control group (216/308,70.1%). There was the sensitivity of mNGS considered greater than that of the culture method in all samples (88.0% vs 26.3%; P <​ 0.001), in the immunocompromised group (91.3% vs 26.1%; P <​ 0.001), and the control group (86.6% vs 26.4%; P <​ 0.001), particularly in all sample types of blood (P <​ 0.001), BALF (P <​ 0.001), CSF (P <​ 0.001), sputum (P <​ 0.001) and ascitic fluid (P = 0.008). When examining the mNGS results between groups, Pneumocystis jirovecii (P < 0.001), Mucoraceae (P = 0.014), and Klebsiella (P = 0.045) all showed significant differences. On the whole, mNGS detected more pathogens than culture methods (111 vs 25), found 89 organisms that were continuously overlooked in entire samples by culture methods, and showed a favorable positive clinical effect in 76.3% (235 of 308) of patients. In 185 (60.1%) patients, mNGS prompted a modification in the course of management, which included antibiotic de-escalation in 61(19.8%) patients. The research discovered that mNGS was more sensitive than the culture method, particularly in samples of blood, BALF, CSF, sputum, and ascitic fluid. When examining the mNGS results, Pneumocystis jirovecii and Mucoraceae were the pathogens seen more commonly in immunocompromised patients with sepsis, which required more attention from clinicians. There was a substantial benefit of mNGS in enhancing the diagnosis of sepsis and advancing patient treatment.

Pepper Mild Mottle Virus as a Potential Indicator of Fecal Contamination in Influents of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Several indicators of fecal pollution in water resources are continuously monitored for their reliability and, of particular interest, their correlation to human enteric viruses-not justified by traditional bacterial indicators. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) has recently been proposed as a successful viral surrogate of human waterborne viruses; however, in Saudi Arabia there are no available data in terms of its prevalence and concentration in water bodies. The concentration of PMMoV in three different wastewater treatment plants (King Saud University (KSU), Manfoha (MN), and Embassy (EMB) wastewater treatment plants (WWTP)) was measured using qRT-PCR during a one-year period and compared to the human adenovirus (HAdV), which is highly persistent and considered an indicator for viral-mediated fecal contamination. PMMoV was found in ~94% of the entire wastewater samples (91.6-100%), with concentrations ranging from 62 to 3.5 × 107 genome copies/l (GC/l). However, HAdV was detected in 75% of raw water samples (~67-83%). The HAdV concentration ranged between 1.29 × 103 GC/L and 1.26 × 107 GC/L. Higher positive correlation between PMMoV and HAdV concentrations was detected at MN-WWTP (r = 0.6148) than at EMB-WWTP (r = 0.207). Despite the lack of PMMoV and HAdV seasonality, a higher positive correlation (r = 0.918) of PMMoV to HAdV was recorded at KSU-WWTP in comparison to EMB-WWTP (r = 0.6401) around the different seasons. Furthermore, meteorological factors showed no significant influence on PMMoV concentrations (p > 0.05), thus supporting the use of PMMoV as a possible fecal indicator of wastewater contamination and associated public health issues, particularly at MN-WWTP. However, a continuous monitoring of the PMMoV distribution pattern and concentration in other aquatic environments, as well as its correlation to other significant human enteric viruses, is essential for ensuring its reliability and reproducibility as a fecal pollution indicator.

Replicate DNA metabarcoding can discriminate seasonal and spatial abundance shifts in river macroinvertebrate assemblages.

The delivery of consistent and accurate fine-resolution data on biodiversity using metabarcoding promises to improve environmental assessment and research. Whilst this approach is a substantial improvement upon traditional techniques, critics note that metabarcoding data are suitable for establishing taxon occurrence, but not abundance. We propose a novel hierarchical approach to recovering abundance information from metabarcoding, and demonstrate this technique using benthic macroinvertebrates. To sample a range of abundance structures without introducing additional changes in composition, we combined seasonal surveys with fish-exclusion experiments at Catamaran Brook in northern New Brunswick, Canada. Five monthly surveys collected 31 benthic samples for DNA metabarcoding divided between caged and control treatments. A further six samples per survey were processed using traditional morphological identification for comparison. By estimating the probability of detecting a single individual, multispecies abundance models infer changes in abundance based on changes in detection frequency. Using replicate detections of 184 genera (and 318 species) from metabarcoding samples, our analysis identified changes in abundance arising from both seasonal dynamics and the exclusion of fish predators. Counts obtained from morphological samples were highly variable, a feature that limited the opportunity for more robust comparison, and emphasizing the difficulty standard methods also face to detect changes in abundance. Our approach is the first to demonstrate how quantitative estimates of abundance can be made using metabarcoding, both among species within sites as well as within species among sites. Many samples are required to capture true abundance patterns, particularly in streams where counts are highly variable, but few studies can afford to process entire samples. Our approach allows study of responses across whole communities, and at fine taxonomic resolution. We discuss how ecological studies can use additional sampling to capture changes in abundance at fine resolution, and how this can complement broad-scale biomonitoring using DNA metabarcoding.

Abstract 6624: 3D assessment of the lung cancer microenvironment using multi-resolution open-top light-sheet microscopy

Abstract Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue is a valuable resource for diagnosis, treatment planning, and drug development. Current 2D histopathological techniques introduce under-sampling error (i.e., a single 5 um section represents 0.5% of a 1 mm thick biopsy), interobserver variability, and fail to capture the biology contained within the entire tissue sample. We have developed a suite of technologies to stain, chemically clarify, image, visualize, and analyze entire intact NSCLC tissue samples. Methods: Human NSCLC tissue, stored frozen in OCT, was fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, stained with nuclear (TOPRO-3) and general protein (Eosin) fluorescent dyes, and optically cleared using a modified iDISCO protocol with ethyl cinnamate as the refractive index matching solution. Whole, intact tissue samples, roughly 1-5mm3 in volume, were imaged at 2 microns/pixel resolution with an open-top light-sheet microscope (3Di, Alpenglow Biosciences). Smaller regions of interest (ROIs) with key pathologic features were reimaged at higher resolution, 0.17 microns/pixel, to reveal subnuclear features and for cell typing. Visualization was performed using Aivia software. Results: NSCLC tissue samples were successfully imaged in 3D. Low resolution images (2 microns/pixel) were obtained within 4-31 minutes, depending on the tissue volume. The 3D distribution of cancer cells, immune cells, vessels, and fibrosis varied substantially throughout the volume of the tissue. Recognizable histologic features, including nests of tumor cells surrounded by vasculature and immune cells, were readily visualized. Squamous and adenocarcinoma with its subtypes (solid, acinar, lepidic, and micropapillary) morphologies were recognizable in 2D optical sections of the 3D datasets. Imaging quality degraded in tissue deeper than 1 mm due to light scattering. Conclusion: We assessed intact NSCLC tissue samples measuring up to 5 mm3 using our custom light-sheet microscope and tissue clearing techniques. This novel method enables us to visualize key features of NSCLC such as the tumor interfaces, tertiary lymphoid structures, vessels and fibrosis in the entire tissue sample, preventing under sampling error, and potentially enabling new biologic insights. Next steps include segmentation and quantification of key tissue structures such as tumor volume, immune cell distribution, and fibrosis/immune cell exclusion. This proof-of-concept study provides motivation for further investigation into the significance of 3D tissue features in NSCLC tissue samples. Citation Format: Alexandra Alvarsson, Carl Storey, Brandy Olin Pope, Caleb Stoltzfus, Robert Vierkant, Jessica Tufariello, Aaron Bungum, Julia Naso, Cheuk Ki Chan, Eric Edell, Christopher Hartley, Janani Reisenauer, Nicholas Reder. 3D assessment of the lung cancer microenvironment using multi-resolution open-top light-sheet microscopy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 6624.

Whole-Brain Clearing and Immunofluorescence in Nothobranchius furzeri.

Tissue clearing techniques for three-dimensional reconstruction and imaging of entire organs and thick samples have become a popular and broadly used methodology, leading to the development of numerous protocols. Due to the complex cellular architecture of the brain and the wide spatial range of the connections that neurons may display, having the possibility to stain, image, and reconstruct neurons and/or neuronal nuclei in their entire extent can be crucial. However, this is hard to accomplish due to the natural opacity of the brain and the general thickness of the sample, posing a barrier to both imaging and antibody penetration. Nothobranchius furzeri has recently become a widely used model to study brain aging thanks to its short life span (3-7 mo), providing new opportunities to study the effects of aging on the brain and the role of aging in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we present a methodology to clarify and stain whole N. furzeri brains. This protocol is based on the ScaleA2 and ScaleS protocols developed and presented by Hama and colleagues, together with an in-house developed staining procedure for thick slices of tissues. ScaleS is a convenient and easy clearing technique based on sorbitol and urea that does not require particularly complex equipment, but due to the high urea concentration in some of the solutions, not all antigens are preserved. To overcome this issue, we developed a method that allows optimal staining of Nothobranchius furzeri brains before clarification.

Efficient 3D light-sheet imaging of very large-scale optically cleared human brain and prostate tissue samples

The ability to image human tissue samples in 3D, with both cellular resolution and a large field of view (FOV), can improve fundamental and clinical investigations. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of light-sheet imaging of ~5 cm3 sized formalin fixed human brain and up to ~7 cm3 sized formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) prostate cancer samples, processed with the FFPE-MASH protocol. We present a light-sheet microscopy prototype, the cleared-tissue dual view Selective Plane Illumination Microscope (ct-dSPIM), capable of fast 3D high-resolution acquisitions of cm3 scale cleared tissue. We used mosaic scans for fast 3D overviews of entire tissue samples or higher resolution overviews of large ROIs with various speeds: (a) Mosaic 16 (16.4 µm isotropic resolution, ~1.7 h/cm3), (b) Mosaic 4 (4.1 µm isotropic resolution, ~ 5 h/cm3) and (c) Mosaic 0.5 (0.5 µm near isotropic resolution, ~15.8 h/cm3). We could visualise cortical layers and neurons around the border of human brain areas V1&V2, and could demonstrate suitable imaging quality for Gleason score grading in thick prostate cancer samples. We show that ct-dSPIM imaging is an excellent technique to quantitatively assess entire MASH prepared large-scale human tissue samples in 3D, with considerable future clinical potential.

Comparative Evaluation of the Increase in Enamel Hardness Post-External Bleaching after Using Casein Phosphopeptide Amorphous Calcium Phosphate Fluoride (CPP-ACPF) and 5% Sodium Fluoride (NaF) Remineralizing Agents.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the increase in enamel hardness post-external bleaching after remineralized with casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate fluoride (CPP-ACPF) and 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) and the difference in increased enamel hardness between CPP-ACPF and NaF materials. The study was true experimental in vitro using 30 samples of mandibular premolars. All samples were bleached using 40% hydrogen peroxide. The samples were divided into three groups of 10 samples each; group I as a control without application of remineralization material, group II was given an application of CPP-ACPF (GC Tooth Mousse Plus: GC Europe, Lot #201130B), and group III was given an application of 5% NaF (Clinpro White Varnish: 3M ESPE, Lot #NA62322) Then the entire samples were stored in artificial saliva. The hardness of the samples was measured using a Vickers hardness tester before bleaching, after bleaching, and after remineralization for 7, 14, and 21 days. Analysis of the data used was an analysis of variance test to assess differences in the increase in enamel hardness between groups and paired t-tests and to determine differences in enamel hardness in each group. This study showed that there was an increase in the enamel hardness after bleaching which was remineralized with CPP-ACPF and 5% NaF. There was a difference in the increased enamel hardness between teeth remineralized with CPP-ACPF and 5% NaF. The enamel hardness of CPP-ACPF was higher compared with 5% NaF after remineralization of 7, 14, and 21 days. There was an increase in the enamel hardness after external bleaching that was remineralized with CPP-ACPF and 5% sodium fluoride (NaF). There was a difference in the increased enamel hardness between teeth remineralized with CPP-ACPF and 5% sodium fluoride (NaF). CPP-ACPF showed a higher enamel hardness value than 5% NaF.

Reference Respiratory Muscle Strength Values and a Prediction Equation Using Physical Functions for Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Korea.

In Korea, tests for evaluating respiratory muscle strength are based on other countries' clinical experience or standards, which can lead to subjective evaluations. When evaluating respiratory function based on the standards of other countries, several variables, such as the race and cultures of different countries, make it difficult to apply these standards. The purpose of this study was to propose objective respiratory muscle strength standards and predicted values for healthy Korean adults based on age, height, weight, and muscle strength, by measuring maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and peak cough flow (PCF). This cross-sectional study analyzed MIP, MEP, and PCF in 360 people, each group comprising 30 adult men and women aged 20-70, diagnosed as healthy after undergoing medical check-ups at a general hospital. Hand grip strength (HGS) and the five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST) results were also recorded. Correlations among respiratory muscle strength, participant demographics, and overall muscle strength were evaluated using Pearson's correlation analysis. The predicted values of respiratory muscle strength were calculated using multiple regression analysis. Respiratory muscle strength differed from the values reported in studies from other countries. In the entire samples, both MIP and MEP had the highest correlations with peak HGS (r = 0.643, r = 0.693; P < 0.05), while PCF had the highest correlation with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r = 0.753; P < 0.05). Age, body mass index, peak HGS, and FTSST results were independent variables affecting respiratory muscle strength. A predictive equation for respiratory muscle strength was developed using the multiple regression equation developed in this study. Respiratory muscle strength index may differ by country. For more accurate diagnoses, standard values for each country are required. This study presents reference values for Korea, and a formula for estimation is proposed when no respiratory muscle strength measurement equipment is available. Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0006778.

Sustainable waste cotton and pigeon pea stalk fibers composite materials for acoustics and thermal properties

This study focuses on the development and characterization of pigeon pea stalk/cotton fibers mixed with a blend ratio of 50/50, 70/30, 30/70, 60/40, 100/0 waste cotton and 0/100 waste pea stalk composites are equipped with a compression molding system. The entire composite samples are tested for acoustics, thermal and physical parameters as per the American Society for Testing and Materials standard (ASTM). The sound absorption coefficients (SAC) were measured according to ASTME1050 by an impedance tube method, and the SAC over six frequencies 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz were calculated. The result revealed that the composite samples that are prepared from cotton/pigeon pea waste have confirmed more than 80% of the SAC and the waste composites provided the best insulation, sound absorption, moisture absorption, and fiber properties. The effect exposed that composites materials arranged from cotton/pea stalk waste fiber have established further than 75% by the sound immersion measure and the waste 28% composites handed the fashionable Appropriation, sound immersion, humidity immersion, and fiber materials. The waste cotton/pigeon pea stalk composite samples have satisfactory moisture resistance at high humidity situations without disturbing the insulation properties.

Effect of process parameters of mechanical studies on friction stir welded AA5083 by GRA

This study relates about the mechanical properties, contour analysis and multi response method was implemented into the processed similar joint of AA5083 by friction stir welding (FSW). The processing was carried with fluted cylinder tool pin profile with applicable process parameters namely; tool traverse speed (35 to 65 mm/min), spinning speed (1250 to 1750 rpm) and tilt angle (1.5 to 2.50), respectively. These parameters are mingled together with Taguchi L9 array to reframe the parameters to identify the optimal by grey analysis technique. The hardness and tensile properties were employed with whole nine welded samples. The entire samples procured fine mechanical strength due to the influence of FSW parameters resulting in more plastic deformation was occurred in the stirred region. From the GRG responses the optimal FSW parameters are 50 mm/min of traverse speed, 1500 rpm of spinning speed and 2.5 of tilt angle. The hardness and tensile strength was attained more in those particular process parameters. Influence of tool traverse and spinning speed as major impact to improve their properties.

In Vitro Gastrointestinal Bioaccessibility, Bioactivities and Colonic Fermentation of Phenolic Compounds in Different Vigna Beans.

Beans are widely consumed throughout the world, rich in non-nutrient phenolic compounds and other bioactive constituents, including alkaloids, lectins, and others. However, research about in vitro digestion impacts on the changes of bioactive compounds' release and related antioxidant potential in different Vigna beans is limited. This research aimed to assess the modifications that occur in the content and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds in four Vigna samples (adzuki bean, black urid whole, black eye bean, and mung bean), their antioxidant properties, and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production through static in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation. Adzuki bean exhibited relatively higher total phenolic content (TPC; 4.76 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant activities after in vitro digestion. The black eye beans' total flavonoid content (0.74 mg QE/g) and total condensed tannins (10.43 mg CE/g) displayed higher tendencies. For colonic fermentation, the greatest TPC value of entire samples was detected through a 2-h reaction. In most selected beans, phenolic compounds were comparably more bioaccessible during the oral phase. Acetic acid showed the highest level through SCFAs production, and the total SCFAs in adzuki beans was the greatest (0.021 mmol/L) after 16-h fermentation. Adzuki beans may be more beneficial to gut health and possess a stronger antioxidant potential after consumption.

X-ray-aided characterization of micro-hydro-mechanical behaviour of unsaturated sand using a suction-controlled mini-triaxial system

Despite the advancement of the knowledge of unsaturated soil behaviour developed over the past decades, the understandings remain largely at the macro or element scale. Existing testing systems allow simultaneous in situ loading and X-ray imaging to facilitate the studies at micro or pore scale, but the soils of concern are normally two-phase (i.e., dry or saturated). This paper develops a new suction-controlled miniature triaxial apparatus for studying the micro-hydro-mechanical behaviour of three-phase unsaturated soils via in situ quantification of the evolutions of soil microstructures, aided by micro-X-ray computer tomography imaging. The apparatus can independently control combinations of net mean stress and matric suction whilst permitting high-resolution full-field imaging of the entire samples through the image analysis via methods of pore network modelling and discrete digital image correction. Results reveal that at equilibrium, suction at the “transition zone” of the soil does not necessarily mean to have both the air and water phases continuous, as otherwise recognized at the element scale. This phenomenon leads to nonuniform distributions of local void ratio and degree of saturation. Post-peak strain localization and shear band development are explained by the movements of pore fluid and the associated influences on local soil void ratio change.

Incidence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in District Haripur Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative, microaerophilic bacteria residing in stomach area, sometime presence of H. pylori does not demonstrate symptoms and causes disease to the host. H. pylori possibly the most common human pathogen, 60% of the world’s adult population’s guts are infested by this pathogen. Aim: Aim of study was to identify H. pylori in different age groups of Haripur district and examine different parameters associated with H. pylori. Method: Sero-prevalance rate of H. pylori among 150 individuals were analyzed using diaspot kit (Koeman Group of Companies.). Correlation of different parameters such as age group, occupation, gender, foods, water type consumption, sign and symptoms were analyzed in H. pylori infected individuals. The entire samples were collected from DHQ Haripur. All the methods were adopted as per manufacturer protocol using diaspot kit for H. pylori infection. Findings: Current study showed 85(56.6%) were positive samples while 65(43.3%) were negative. Among them, 48(56.4%) male and 37(43.5%) female were positive for H. pylori infection. Ratio of positive cases in age groups ranging from 20-30, 31-40, 41-50 and 51-60 were 21.1%, 31.7%, 24.7% and 22.3% respectively. Housewives (21.4%) employer (54.1%) and students were 24.7% positive for H. pylori. 65% of individual were found positive whose source of drinking water was tube well; water from bore well users were 55% positive and 43% filter users were positive for H. pylori. Among 150, 102(68%) were using spicy foods and remaining 48(32%) were using less spicy foods. 57(38%) of patients were on treatment of H. pylori while the 93(62%) were not taking treatment, results found that 85(56.6%) of individuals were positive while the 65(43.3%) found to be negative for the presence of H. pylori. Conclusion: Various epidemiological features like unhygienic food, increasing age, gender, and water type were also positively associated with H. pylori. Besides that, occupation and spicy food were also directly related to H. pylori. Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, Gram-negative bacteria, Incidence rate, Haripur, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

Thermo‐oxidative aging of acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber gaskets with real geometry used in plate heat exchangers

AbstractThis study investigates the effects of aging on the physical and mechanical properties of commercially available acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber (NBR) gaskets while maintaining their original geometry. Thermo‐oxidative cycles with 10 and 70 mm in length specimens were conducted from 80 to 170°C up to 180 days. The samples were analyzed employing compression set (CS), hardness, indentation modulus, cross‐link density, total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR), and thermogravimetry. The results showed that longer specimens presented better resistance to thermo‐oxidative aging. Indentation results indicated regular oxygen permeability into the entire samples up to 110°C, while at higher temperatures, limited diffusion oxidation (DLO) effects promoted non‐uniform aging. Time–temperature superposition (TTS) and Arrhenius methods were applied to predict the specimens' lifetime using CS as a failure criterion. Activation energies for 10 and 70 mm samples were 68.74 and 43.63 kJ mol−1, respectively. Thus, the 70 mm specimen's lifetime was greater than 10 mm. For temperatures below ≈38°C, the response to the thermo‐oxidative aging is independent of specimen length. Therefore, in determining the lifetime of gaskets with complex geometry, longer specimens are recommended to provide more reliable results than those suggested by the standards.

Chemical, Anti-Nutritional Factors and Sensory Properties of Maize-Kidney Bean Flours

In recent years, research efforts in developing countries have focused on the improvement of protein quality of food products due to mass malnutrition. TUWO is a traditional food made from maize flour and consumed by all ages in Nigeria. Flours blends were obtained from Maize and kidney bean flours using the following proportions: A= (100% maize flour as control), B= (90:10), C= (85:15), D= (80:20), E= (75:25). Products were analysed for proximate, functional, pasting, antinutrients and sensory properties. Proximate analysis showed increased in moisture, protein, ash, fiber contents while the reverse was the case for carbohydrate and fats. Functional analysis revealed bulk, water absorption and swelling capacities decreased while foaming, gelatinization, oil absorption capacities increased as substitution of kidney bean flour increased indicating good attributes suitable for food production. Pasting analysis showed increased in peak, trough, final, setback, and peak temperature as the kidney bean flour increased while the reverse was the case for peak time and breakdown viscosities. The antinutrients factors (Phytate, Tannins, Oxalate and Trypsin inhibitor) were found to be within the acceptable levels. The result of the sensory scores showed that sample C was the most liked among the entire samples at the ratio of (85% maize flour and 15 % kidney beans flours). Kidney beans and maize flour can be used to improve the nutrient composition and other quality attribute of TUWO.