Palm oil-based wax is a waste material from palm oil refining process. Recent prototyping
activities have used industrial blue wax or synthetic wax to produce prototype parts by machining
processes. The new palm oil-based wax blended with LLDPE reduces the use of synthetic wax for
engineering applications. This paper studies the machining characteristic of two different composite
blends: LLDPE/PALMAC 95 -16 Palm Oil-Based Wax and LLDPE/PALMAC 98-18 Palm Oil-Based
Wax. Three machining characteristic results were recorded, namely; surface roughness, temperature
and dimensional consistency.
Stature estimation is an important step during medico-legal and forensic examination. Difficulty arises when highly decomposed and mutilated dead bodies with fragmentary remains are brought for forensic identification like in mass disaster or airplane crash. The body remains could be just a jaw with some teeth. The objective of this study was to explore if the stature of an individual can be determined from the tooth crown dimensions.
Honey is rich in phenolic compounds, which act as natural antioxidants and are becoming increasingly popular because of their potential role in contributing to human health. A wide range of phenolic constituents is present in honey like quercetin, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), acacetin, kaempferol, galangin which have promising effect in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Many epidemiological studies have shown that regular intake of phenolic compounds is associated with reduced risk of heart diseases. In coronary heart disease, the protective effects of phenolic compounds include mainly antithrombotic, anti-ischemic, anti-oxidant, and vasorelaxant. It is suggested that flavonoids decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by three major actions: improving coronary vasodilatation, decreasing the ability of platelets in the blood to clot, and preventing low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) from oxidizing. In this review paper, we discussed the preventive role of polyphenols of honey against cardiovascular diseases.
5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content is an indicator of the purity of honey. High concentrations of HMF in honey indicate overheating, poor storage conditions and old honey. This study investigated the HMF content of nine Malaysian honey samples, as well as the correlation of HMF formation with physicochemical properties of honey. Based on the recommendation by the International Honey Commission, three methods for the determination of HMF were used: (1) high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), (2) White spectrophotometry and (3) Winkler spectrophotometry methods. HPLC and White spectrophotometric results yielded almost similar values, whereas the Winkler method showed higher readings. The physicochemical properties of honey (pH, free acids, lactones and total acids) showed significant correlation with HMF content and may provide parameters that could be used to make quick assessments of honey quality. The HMF content of fresh Malaysian honey samples stored for 3-6 months (at 2.80-24.87 mg/kg) was within the internationally recommended value (80 mg/kg for tropical honeys), while honey samples stored for longer periods (12-24 months) contained much higher HMF concentrations (128.19-1131.76 mg/kg). Therefore, it is recommended that honey should generally be consumed within one year, regardless of the type.
We extend the operational matrices technique to design a spectral solution of nonlinear fractional differential equations (FDEs). The derivative is considered in the Caputo sense. The coupled system of two FDEs is considered, subjected to more generalized integral type conditions. The basis of our approach is the most simple orthogonal polynomials. Several new matrices are derived that have strong applications in the development of computational scheme. The scheme presented in this article is able to convert nonlinear coupled system of FDEs to an equivalent S-lvester type algebraic equation. The solution of the algebraic structure is constructed by converting the system into a complex Schur form. After conversion, the solution of the resultant triangular system is obtained and transformed back to construct the solution of algebraic structure. The solution of the matrix equation is used to construct the solution of the related nonlinear system of FDEs. The convergence of the proposed method is investigated analytically and verified experimentally through a wide variety of test problems.
The phenolic acid and flavonoid contents of Malaysian Tualang, Gelam, and Borneo tropical honeys were compared to those of Manuka honey. Ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities were also quantified. All honey extracts exhibited high phenolic contents (15.21 ± 0.51- 42.23 ± 0.64 mg/kg), flavonoid contents (11.52 ± 0.27- 25.31 ± 0.37 mg/kg), FRAP values (892.15 ± 4.97- 363.38 ± 10.57 μM Fe[II]/kg), and high IC₅₀ of DPPH radical-scavenging activities (5.24 ± 0.40- 17.51 ± 0.51 mg/mL). Total of 6 phenolic acids (gallic, syringic, benzoic, trans-cinnamic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acids) and 5 flavonoids (catechin, kaempferol, naringenin, luteolin, and apigenin) were identified. Among the Malaysian honey samples, Tualang honey had the highest contents of phenolics, and flavonoids, and DPPH radical-scavenging activities. We conclude that among Malaysian honey samples, Tualang honey is the richest in phenolic acids, and flavonoid compounds, which have strong free radical-scavenging activities.
Free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in contributing to the processes of aging and disease. In an effort to combat free radical activity, scientists are studying the effects of increasing individuals' antioxidant levels through diet and dietary supplements. Honey appears to act as an antioxidant in more ways than one. In the body, honey can mop up free radicals and contribute to better health. Various antioxidant activity methods have been used to measure and compare the antioxidant activity of honey. In recent years, DPPH (Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power), ORAC (The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), ABTS [2, 2-azinobis (3ehtylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diamonium salt], TEAC [6-hydroxy-2, 5, 7, 8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox)-equivalent antioxidant capacity] assays have been used to evaluate antioxidant activity of honey. The antioxidant activity of honey is also measured by ascorbic acid content and different enzyme assays like Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPO), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD). Among the different methods available, methods that have been validated, standardized and widely reported are recommended.
An investigation on the application of thermosensitive core-shell Fe3O4@PNIPAM nanogels in enhanced oil recovery was successfully performed. Here, the unique core-shell architecture was fabricated by conducting the polymerization at the surface of 3-butenoic acid-functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), 1H NMR, vibration sample magnetometer (VSM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). According to the results, this core-shell structure was beneficial for achieving the desired high viscosity and low nanofluid mobility ratio at high temperatures, which is essential for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) application. The results demonstrated that the nanogels exhibited a unique temperature-dependent flow behavior due to the PNIPAM shell's ability to transform from a hydrated to a dehydrated state above its low critical solution temperature (LCST). At such conditions, the nanogels exhibited a significantly low mobility ratio (M = 0.86), resulting in an even displacement front during EOR and leads to higher oil production. Based on the result obtained from sand pack flooding, about 25.75% of an additional secondary oil recovery could be produced when the nanofluid was injected at a temperature of 45 °C. However, a further increase in the flooding temperature could result in a slight reduction in oil recovery due to the precipitation of some of the severely aggregated nanogels at high temperatures.
A new genus of onchidiid slugs, Wallaconchis Goulding & Dayrat, gen. n., is described, including ten species. Five species were previously described but known only from the type material: Wallaconchis ater (Lesson, 1830), W. graniferum (Semper, 1880), W. nangkauriense (Plate, 1893), W. buetschlii (Stantschinsky, 1907), and W. gracile (Stantschinsky, 1907), all of which were originally classified in Onchidium Buchannan, 1800. Many new records are provided for these five species, which greatly expand their known geographic distributions. Five species are new: Wallaconchis achleitneri Goulding, sp. n., W. comendadori Goulding & Dayrat, sp. n., W. melanesiensis Goulding & Dayrat, sp. n., W. sinanui Goulding & Dayrat, sp. n., and W. uncinus Goulding & Dayrat, sp. n. Nine of the ten Wallaconchis species are found in the Coral Triangle (eastern Indonesia and the Philippines). Sympatry is high, with up to six species found on the island of Bohol (Philippines) and eight species overlapping in northern Sulawesi (Indonesia). Wallaconchis is distinguished from other onchidiids by its bright dorsal colors (red, yellow, orange) but those are extremely variable and not useful for specific identification. Internally, the reproductive system can be used to identify all Wallaconchis species. The copulatory organs of Wallaconchis species are especially diverse compared to other onchidiid genera, and the possible role of reproductive incompatibility in species diversification is discussed. All specimens examined were freshly collected for the purpose of a worldwide revision of the Onchidiidae Rafinesque, 1815. The species are well delineated using DNA sequences and comparative anatomy. Mitochondrial DNA analysis yields thirteen molecular units separated by a large barcode gap, while nuclear DNA yields nine units. By integrating nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA with morphology, ten species are recognized. The natural history of each species (e.g., the microhabitat where they are found) is also documented. Nomenclature is addressed thoroughly (the types of all onchidiid species were examined, lectotypes were designated when needed, nomina dubia are discussed). Morphological characters, transitions to new microhabitats, and diversification processes are discussed in the context of a robust molecular phylogeny.
A new species, Onchidium melakense Dayrat & Goulding, sp. nov., is described, bringing the total to four known species in the genus Onchidium Buchannan, 1800. Onchidium melakense is a rare species with only nine individuals found at three mangrove sites in the Andaman Islands and the Strait of Malacca (western Peninsular Malaysia and eastern Sumatra). The new species is delineated based on mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and nuclear (ITS2 and 28S) DNA sequences as well as comparative anatomy. Each Onchidium species is characterized by a distinct color and can easily be identified in the field, even in the Strait of Malacca where there are three sympatric Onchidium species. An identification key is provided. In addition, Onchidium stuxbergi (Westerlund, 1883) is recorded for the first time from eastern Sumatra, and Onchidium pallidipes Tapparone-Canefri, 1889, of which the type material is described and illustrated here, is regarded as a new junior synonym of O. stuxbergi.
Disease susceptibility and genetic variability in 10 eggplant genotypes were studied after inoculating Phomopsis vexans under confined field conditions. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to assess genetic variation and relationships among eggplant genotypes. The disease index of leaves ranged 0.208-13.79%, while fruit infection ranged 2.15-42.76%. Two varieties, Dohazari G and Laffa S, were found to be susceptible, 6 were moderately resistant, 1 was moderately susceptible, and BAU Begun-1 was resistant to P. vexans. Amplification of genomic DNA by using 3 RAPD primers produced 20 bands: 14 (70%) were polymorphic and 6 (30%) were monomorphic. The highest intra-variety similarity indices values were found in ISD 006, Ishurdi L, Jessore L, and BAU Begun-1 (100%), while the lowest was in Dohazari G (90%). The lowest genetic distance (0.0513) and the highest genetic identity (0.9500) were observed between the ISD 006 and Ishurdi L combinations. A comparatively higher genetic distance (0.3724) and the lowest genetic identity (0.6891) were observed between the ISD 006 and Dohazari G combinations. A dendogram was constructed based on Nei's genetic distance, which produced 2 main clusters of the genotypes - Cluster I: ISD 006, Ishurdi L, Marich begun L, BAU Begun-1, Marich begun S, and Chega and Cluster 2: Laffa S, Dohazari G, Jessore L, and Singhnath. Genetic variation and its relationship with disease susceptibility were assessed using RAPD markers, to develop disease-resistant varieties and improve eggplant crops.
Objectives. Brunei Darussalam has a high prevalence and incidence of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Up until 2012, all renal transplantations were performed in overseas centres, either as government-sponsored (living-related transplantation) or as self-sponsored (commercialized transplantation) ones. We hypothesize that graft and patient survival of Brunei renal transplant patients are on a par with international standards. Materials and Methods. Data of all renal transplant patients in Brunei were analysed over a twenty-year period from registry records and case notes. Comparative survival data from other countries were obtained from PubMed-listed literature. Results. A total of 49 transplantation procedures were performed in foreign centres between 1993 and 2012. 29 were government-sponsored and 20 were self-sponsored transplantations. The 5- and 10-year overall patient survival rates were 93.3% and 90.1%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year overall graft survival rates were 91.1% and 81.2%. There is no difference in the survival outcomes of government-sponsored and self-sponsored patients. Living-related (government-sponsored) and commercialised (self-sponsored) grafts had equivalent survival to those reported in the literature. Conclusion. Our survival data was on par with those achieved in many countries. We hope to use this information to convince local stakeholders and patients to favour transplantation as the preferred modality of RRT.
This study investigated the main target sites of chlorpyrifos (CPF), its effect on biochemical indices, and the pathological changes observed in rat liver and kidney function using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Adult female Wistar rats (n = 12) were randomly assigned into two groups (one control and one test group; n = 6 each). The test group received CPF via oral gavage for 21 days at 5 mg/kg daily. The distribution of CPF was determined in various organs (liver, brain, heart, lung, kidney, ovary, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle), urine and stool samples using GCMS. Approximately 6.18% of CPF was distributed in the body tissues, and the highest CPF concentration (3.80%) was found in adipose tissue. CPF also accumulated in the liver (0.29%), brain (0.22%), kidney (0.10%), and ovary (0.03%). Approximately 83.60% of CPF was detected in the urine. CPF exposure resulted in a significant increase in plasma transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin levels, a significant reduction in total protein levels and an altered lipid profile. Oxidative stress due to CPF administration was also evidenced by a significant increase in liver malondialdehyde levels. The detrimental effects of CPF on kidney function consisted of a significant increase in plasma urea and creatinine levels. Liver and kidney histology confirmed the observed biochemical changes. In conclusion, CPF bioaccumulates over time and exerts toxic effects on animals.
As part of an ongoing effort to revise the taxonomy of air-breathing, marine, onchidiid slugs, a new genus, Laspionchis Dayrat & Goulding, gen. nov., is described from the mangroves of South-East Asia. It includes two new species, Laspionchis boucheti Dayrat & Goulding, sp. nov., and Laspionchis bourkei Dayrat & Goulding, sp. nov., both distributed from the Malacca Strait to the Philippines and Australia. This study is based on extensive field work in South-East Asia, comparative anatomy, and both mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and nuclear (ITS2 and 28S) DNA sequences. The two new species are found in the same habitat (mud surface in mangrove forests) and are externally cryptic but are distinct anatomically. Both species are also strongly supported by DNA sequences. Three cryptic, least-inclusive, reciprocally-monophyletic units within Laspionchis bourkei are regarded as subspecies: L. bourkei bourkei Dayrat & Goulding, ssp. nov., L. bourkei lateriensis Dayrat & Goulding, ssp. nov., and L. bourkei matangensis Dayrat & Goulding, ssp. nov. The present contribution shows again that species delineation is greatly enhanced by considering comparative anatomy and nuclear DNA sequences in addition to mitochondrial DNA sequences, and that thorough taxonomic revisions are the best and most efficient path to accurate biodiversity knowledge.
Superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPNs) have been considered as one of the most studied nanomaterials for subsurface applications, including in enhanced oil recovery (EOR), due to their unique physicochemical properties. However, a comprehensive understanding of the effect of surface functionalization on the ability of the nanoparticles to improve secondary and tertiary oil recoveries remains unclear. Therefore, investigations on the application of bare and surface-functionalized SPNs in EOR using a sand pack were carried out in this study. Here, the as-prepared SPNs were functionalized using oleic acid (OA) and polyacrylamide (PAM) to obtain several types of nanostructure architectures such as OA-SPN, core-shell SPN@PAM, and SPN-PAM. Based on the result, it is found that both the viscosity and mobility of the nanofluids were significantly affected by not only the concentration of the nanoparticles but also the type and architecture of the surface modifier, which dictated particle hydrophilicity. According to the sand pack tests, the nanofluid containing SPN-PAM was able to recover as much as 19.28% of additional oil in a relatively low concentration (0.9% w/v). The high oil recovery enhancement was presumably due to the ability of suspended SPN-PAM to act as a mobility control and wettability alteration agent and facilitate the formation of a Pickering emulsion and disjoining pressure.
Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (IONPs) have received unprecedented interest in various applications. The main challenges in IONPs are fluid stability due to agglomeration in a saline condition. This paper aims to investigate the colloidal stability of citric acid (CA), sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) under various molar ratios and levels of salinity. Firstly, the IONPs were synthesized using a facile co-precipitation approach. Secondly, the IONPs were coated using a simple dip-coating method by varying the molar ratio of CA, SDS and PVA. Next, the coated IONPs were characterized by using an X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) for the morphological and crystallographic study of coated IONPs. Finally, the coated IONPs were characterized for their zeta potential value and hydrodynamic size using a Zetasizer and their turbidity was measured using a turbidity meter. It was found that at a low salinity level, 0.07 M of CA-IONPs, a high zeta potential value, a smaller hydrodynamic size, and a high turbidity value of -40.9 mV, 192 nm and 159 NTU were observed, respectively. At a high salinity level, 1.0 M SDS-IONPs recorded a high zeta potential value of 23.63 mV, which corresponds to a smaller hydrodynamic size (3955 nm) and high turbidity result (639 NTU). These findings are beneficial for delivering cutting-edge knowledge, especially in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications.
Many marine species are specialized to specific parts of a habitat. In a mangrove forest, for instance, species may be restricted to the mud surface, the roots and trunks of mangrove trees, or rotting logs, which can be regarded as distinct microhabitats. Shifts to new microhabitats may be an important driver of sympatric speciation. However, the evolutionary history of these shifts is still poorly understood in most groups of marine organisms, because it requires a well-supported phylogeny with relatively complete taxon sampling. Onchidiid slugs are an ideal case study for the evolutionary history of habitat and microhabitat shifts because onchidiid species are specialized to different tidal zones and microhabitats in mangrove forests and rocky shores, and the taxonomy of the family in the Indo-West Pacific has been recently revised in a series of monographs. Here, DNA sequences for onchidiid species from the North and East Pacific, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic are used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among Onchidella species, and are combined with new data for Indo-West Pacific species to reconstruct a global phylogeny of the family. The phylogenetic relationships of onchidiid slugs are reconstructed based on three mitochondrial markers (COI, 12S, 16S) and three nuclear markers (28S, ITS2, H3) and nearly complete taxon sampling (all 13 genera and 62 of the 67 species). The highly-supported phylogeny presented here suggests that ancestral onchidiids most likely lived in the rocky intertidal, and that a lineage restricted to the tropical Indo-West Pacific colonized new habitats, including mudflats, mangrove forests, and high-elevation rainforests. Many onchidiid species in the Indo-West Pacific diverged during the Miocene, around the same time that a high diversity of mangrove plants appears in the fossil record, while divergence among Onchidella species occurred earlier, likely beginning in the Eocene. It is demonstrated that ecological specialization to microhabitats underlies the divergence between onchidiid genera, as well as the diversification through sympatric speciation in the genera Wallaconchis and Platevindex. The geographic distributions of onchidiid species also indicate that allopatric speciation played a key role in the diversification of several genera, especially Onchidella and Peronia. The evolutionary history of several morphological traits (penial gland, rectal gland, dorsal eyes, intestinal loops) is examined in relation to habitat and microhabitat evolutionary transitions and suggests that the rectal gland of onchidiids is an adaptation to high intertidal and terrestrial habitats.
A study of the kinetics and performance of solvent-yielding batch fermentation of individual sugars and their mixture derived from enzymic hydrolysis of sago starch by Clostridium acetobutylicum showed that the use of 30 g/L gelatinized sago starch as the sole carbon source produced 11.2 g/L total solvent, i.e. 1.5-2 times more than with pure maltose or glucose used as carbon sources. Enzymic pretreatment of gelatinized sago starch yielding maltose and glucose hydrolyzates prior to the fermentation did not improve solvent production as compared to direct fermentation of gelatinized sago starch. The solvent yield of direct gelatinized sago starch fermentation depended on the activity and stability of amylolytic enzymes produced during the fermentation. The pH optima for alpha-amylase and glucoamylase were found to be at 5.3 and 4.0-4.4, respectively. alpha-Amylase showed a broad pH stability profile, retaining more than 80% of its maximum activity at pH 3.0-8.0 after a 1-d incubation at 37 degrees C. Since C. acetobutylicum alpha-amylase has a high activity and stability at low pH, this strain can potentially be employed in a one-step direct solvent-yielding fermentation of sago starch. However, the C. acetobutylicum glucoamylase was only stable at pH 4-5, maintaining more than 90% of its maximum activity after a 1-d incubation at 37 degrees C.
The hazardous dyes on mixing with water resources are affecting many life forms. Granite stone is popular worldwide for decorating floors, making other forms of decorative materials and items. Granite stone powder waste can be obtained free of cost from marble factories as factories spend on the disposal of this waste. In the present study, novel granite stone powder waste composite has been prepared and utilized for the effective removal of Terasil dye. Two types of granite including gray granite and white granite were used in pure, calcinized, and chemically modified forms. Freundlich adsorption isotherm model best explained the adsorption mechanism of dye removal using granite composites as compared to other adsorption isothermal models. Characterization techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used for the determination of morphological features and functional groups of granite composites. The obtained results were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) along with the post hoc Tukey test. An extraordinarily high Terasil dye uptake capacity (more than 400 mg/g) was exhibited by granite composites prepared using sodium metasilicate. The synthesized novel nano-constructed composites provided a viable strategy as compared to the pure granite stone for dye removal from wastewater water.