Real-time quantification of viable bacteria in liquid medium using infrared thermography

Quantifying viable bacteria in liquids is important in environmental, food processing, manufacturing, and medical applications. Since vegetative bacteria generate heat as a result of biochemical reactions associated with cellular functions, thermal sensing techniques, including infrared thermography (IRT), have been used to detect viable cells in biologic samples. We developed a novel method that extends the dynamic range and improves the sensitivity of bacterial quantification by IRT. The approach uses IRT video, thermodynamics laws, and heat transfer mechanisms to directly measure, in real-time, the amount of energy lost as heat from the surface of a liquid sample containing bacteria when the specimen cools to a lower temperature over 2 min. We show that the Energy Content (EC) of liquid media containing as few as 120 colony-forming units (CFU) of Escherichia coli per ml was significantly higher than that of sterile media (P < 0.0001), and that EC and viable counts were strongly positively correlated (r = 0.986) over a range of 120 to approximately 5 × 10⁸ CFU/ml. Our IRT approach is a unique non-contact method that provides real-time bacterial enumeration over a wide dynamic range without the need for sample concentration, modification, or destruction. The approach could be adapted to quantify other living cells in a liquid milieu and has the potential for automation and high throughput.     

Development of high durability plasma filter for air circulating disinfection system

Deadly diseases are caused by pathogenic bacteria and viruses that spread, among other means, through air circulating systems; hence, it is important to focus on pathogen removal from the air before circulating air through the system. Our paper introduces a novel plasma-based filter that, when used in an air circulating system with particulate air filter, disinfects the air flow. This device, based on dielectric filter discharge (DFD) structure with low pressure drops, indicates easy installation into existing air circulating system. Its performance was evaluated in accordance with the specifications of duct used in hospitals, with consistent O₃ generation during 200 h showing high durability. Escherichia coli and Micrococcus luteus were used as the target airborne bacteria; the system exhibited a removal efficiency of approximately 99.99% on bacterial aerosols and continuous bactericidal action, demonstrating that the DFD system can be directly applied to existing air circulating systems.     

Monitoring structural transformation of hydroxy-sulphate green rust in the presence of sulphate reducing bacteria

The activities of bacterial consortia enable organisms to maximize their metabolic capabilities. This article assesses the synergetic relationship between iron reducing bacteria (IRB), Shewanella putrefaciens and sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) Desulfovibrio alaskensis. Thus, the aim of this study was first to form a biogenic hydroxy-sulpahte green rust GR2( $ {\text{SO}}_{{\text{4}}} ^{{2 - }} The activities of bacterial consortia enable organisms to maximize their metabolic capabilities. This article assesses the synergetic relationship between iron reducing bacteria (IRB), Shewanella putrefaciens and sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) Desulfovibrio alaskensis. Thus, the aim of this study was first to form a biogenic hydroxy-sulpahte green rust GR2() through the bioreduction of lepidocrocite by S. putrefaciens and secondly to investigate if sulfate anions intercalated in the biogenic GR2() could serve as final electron acceptor for a sulfate reducing bacterium, D. alaskensis. The results indicate that the IRB lead to the formation of GR2() and this mineral serve as an electron acceptor for SRB. GR2() precipitation and its transformation was demonstrated by using X-ray diffraction (DRX), M?ssbauer spectroscopy (TMS) and transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM). These observations point out the possible acceleration of steel corrosion in marine environment in presence of IRB/SRB consortia.     

Removal of bacteria Legionella pneumophila,Escherichia coli,and Bacillus subtilis by (super)cavitation

In sufficient concentrations, the pathogenic bacteria L. pneumophila can cause a respiratory illness that is known as the “Legionnaires” disease. Moreover, toxic Shiga strains of bacteria E. coli can cause life-threatening hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Because of the recent restrictions imposed on the usage of chlorine, outbreaks of these two bacterial species have become more common. In this study we have developed a novel rotation generator and its effectiveness against bacteria Legionella pneumophila and Escherichia coli was tested for various types of hydrodynamic cavitation (attached steady cavitation, developed unsteady cavitation and supercavitation). The results show that the supercavitation was the only effective form of cavitation. It enabled more than 3 logs reductions for both bacterial species and was also effective against a more persistent Gram positive bacteria, B. subtilis. The deactivation mechanism is at present unknown. It is proposed that when bacterial cells enter a supercavitation cavity, an immediate pressure drop occurs and this results in bursting of the cellular membrane. The new rotation generator that induced supercavitation proved to be economically and microbiologically far more effective than the classical Venturi section (super)cavitation.     

A theoretical study of the photoelectron spectrum of atomic lithium

The 1s photoelectron spectrum of atomic lithium has been calculated for incident photon energies of 151 and 1487 eV. For this open-shell system there are four possible final-state manifolds for the residual ion, with symmetries ³S, ¹S, ³P^o and ¹P^o. The line energies for the first four members of each manifold have been calculated using relaxed Hartree—Fock or configuration interaction wavefunctions as required. The agreement with available optical data is excellent.The intensity expressions neglecting interchannel coupling have been evaluated to allow a comparison of line intensities between final-state manifolds and hence the synthesis of theoretical spectra. The variation of the spectral profile with photon energy is clearly demonstrated. Conjugate shake-up, as well as shake-up processes are predicted to be important at high photon energy.     

Low-energy excited states of 3d transition metal ions in zinc selenide

The results of studying the impurity heat capacity of Zn_1?x M _xSe (M = Cr²⁺, Fe²⁺, Ni²⁺, Mn²⁺) solid solutions in the temperature range 1.8–20.0 K are presented. A heat-capacity method is described and applied for the measurement of the intracenter-transition energy in these systems. The role of the Jahn-Teller effect in the formation of low-energy excited states of 3d ions in ZnSe is discussed.     

Relativistic models of a class of compact objects

A class of general relativistic solutions in isotropic spherical polar coordinates which describe compact stars in hydrostatic equilibrium are discussed. The stellar models obtained here are characterized by four parameters, namely, ??, k, A and R of geometrical significance related to the inhomogeneity of the matter content of the star. The stellar models obtained using the solutions are physically viable for a wide range of values of the parameters. The physical features of the compact objects taken up here are studied numerically for a number of admissible values of the parameters. Observational stellar mass data are used to construct suitable models of the compact stars.     

Real-time quantification of Staphylococcusaureus in liquid medium using infrared thermography

We previously showed that infrared thermography (IRT) could be used to quantify viable Escherichiacoli, a representative gram-negative bacterium, in liquid growth media. Here, we evaluated the ability of IRT to enumerate a viable representative gram-positive organism, Staphylococcusaureus. We found that the energy content (EC) of the media was strongly positively correlated (r = 0.999) to measured viable counts of S.aureus ranging from 85 colony-forming units (CFU)/ml to ∼4 × 10⁸ CFU/ml. The EC of S.aureus was ∼2-fold higher than that of E.coli at comparable cell concentrations suggesting that IRT may be used to distinguish genera.     

Mixed convection boundary layer flow over a vertical surface embedded in a thermally stratified porous medium

The mixed convection boundary layer flow through a stable stratified porous medium bounded by a vertical surface is investigated. The external velocity and the surface temperature are assumed to vary as xm, where x is measured from the leading edge of the vertical surface and m is a constant. Numerical solutions for the governing Darcy and energy equations are obtained. The results indicate that the thermal stratification significantly affects the surface shear stress as well as the surface heat transfer, besides delays the boundary layer separation.     

Influence of the oxygen content in the oxidizing medium on the combustion of fuel–oxidizing medium–hydrofluorocarbon near-stoichiometric mixtures

The effect of the oxygen content in the oxidizing medium (O₂–N₂ mixture) on the characteristics of the combustion of gaseous fuel (hydrogen, methane)–oxidizing medium–hydrofluorocarbon (trifluoromethane CHF₃, pentafluoroethane C₂HF₅, or perfluorobutane C₄F₁₀) is experimentally studied. The oxygen concentrations in the oxidizing medium are 15, 20.6 (air), and 25 vol %. The dependences of the maximum explosion pressure ΔP _max, maximum explosion pressure rise rate (dP/dt)_max, and laminar burning velocity Sui on the hydrofluorocarbon content at various oxygen concentrations in the oxidizing medium are determined. It is shown that, at a relatively low deterrent content C_d (up to 30–50% of the minimum inhibitory concentration of the hydrofluorocarbon, i.e., up to 30–50% of the hydrofluorocarbon content at the “peak” point of the inhibition curve), the maximum explosion pressure is only slightly dependent on C _d. It is demonstrated that the larger the molecule of the hydrofluorocarbon, the higher is its inhibitory ability in terms of (dP/dt)_max and S_ui. A qualitative interpretation of the results is given, based on the concept of additional heat release in the flame front by reactions involving hydrofluorocarbons.     

Synergistic antibacterial and antibiofilm effects of ultrasound and MEL-A against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is drug-resistant and biofilm-forming pathogenic bacteria with severe morbidity and mortality, and has been continuously detected in food products in recent years. Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are novel biosurfactants and perform antibacterial property against gram-positive bacteria. Ultrasound has been applied into food sterilization as non-thermal techniques and has advantage of maintaining food nutrition and flavor over heat pasteurization. In this work, the synergistic treatment of ultrasound and MEL-A was used to combat planktonic cells and biofilm of MRSA. As a result, the combined treatment has exhibited remarkable antibacterial effect proved by enumeration of viable microbes. Furthermore, flow cytometry, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed ultrasound has enhanced the inhibitory effect of MEL-A through exacerbating cell membrane damage. On the other hand, the collaborating working modes to eradicate MRSA biofilm were disturbing cell adhesion to surface by MEL-A and destructing mature biofilm mechanically by ultrasound, reaching to over 90% of clearance rate. The findings of this study illustrated the synergistic antimicrobial mechanism of ultrasound and MEL-A treatments, and offered theoretical basis for their potential applications in food preservation.     

Studies to control biofilm formation by coupling ultrasonication of natural waters and anodization of titanium

The main objective of this study was to investigate the combined effect of ultrasonication of natural waters and anodization of titanium on microbial density and biofilm formation tendency on titanium surfaces. Application of 24 kHz, 400 W high power ultrasound through a 14 mm horn type SS (stainless steel) Sonicator with medium amplitude of 60% for 30 min brought about three order decrease in total bacterial density of laboratory tap water, cooling tower water and reservoir water and two order decrease in seawater. Studies on the effect of ultrasonication on dilute pure cultures of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria showed five order and three order decrease for Pseudomonas sp. and Flavobacterium sp. respectively and two order and less than one order decrease for Bacillus sp. and Micrococcus sp. respectively. Ultrasonication increased lag phase and reduced logarithmic population increase and specific growth rate of Gram-negative bacteria whereas for Gram-positive bacteria specific growth rate increased. Studies on the biofilm formation tendency of these ultrasonicated mediums on titanium surface showed one order reduction under all conditions. Detailed biofilm imaging by advanced microscopic techniques like AFM, SEM and epifluorescence microscopy clearly visualized the lysed/damaged cells and membrane perforations due to ultrasonication. Combination of ultrasonication and anodization brought about maximum decrease in bacterial density and biofilm formation with greater than two order decrease in seawater, two order decrease in Bacillus sp. culture and more than four order decrease in Flavobacterium sp. culture establishing the synergistic effect of anodization and ultrasonication in this study.     

Effect of thermal inhomogeneity on the performance of a Brownian heat engine

We explore the effect of thermal inhomogeneity on the performance of a Brownian heat engine by considering exactly solvable models. We first consider a Brownian heat engine which is modeled as a Brownian particle in a ratchet potential moving through a highly viscous medium driven by the thermal kick it receives from a linearly decreasing background temperature. We show that even though the energy transfer due to kinetic energy is neglected, Carnot efficiency cannot be achieved at quasistatic limit. At quasistatic limit, the efficiency for such a Brownian heat engine approaches the efficiency of endoreversible engine η = 1 ? √T _c /T _h [F.L. Curzon, B. Ahlborn, Am. J. Phys. 43, 22 (1975)]. Moreover, the dependence of the current, the efficiency and the coefficient of performance of the refrigerator on the model parameters is also explored via Brownian dynamic simulations and analytically. We show that such a Brownian heat engine has a higher performance when acting as a refrigerator than when operating as a device subjected to a piecewise constant temperature [M. Asfaw, M. Bekele, Eur. Phys. J. B 38, 457 (2004), M. Asfaw, M. Bekele, Physica A 384, 346 (2007)]. Furthermore, for a Brownian heat engine driven by a piecewise constant temperature, we show that systematic removal of the inhomogeneous medium leads to a homogeneous medium with a uniform temperature where the effect of temperature inhomogeneity is replaced by an effective load.     

Glass transition behavior of binary GaxSe100−x (0?x?10) glass systems

The glass transition behavior of glassy Ga_xSe_100−x (x=0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10) systems were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The variation of glass transition temperature, T_g, with Ga concentration has been studied. The value of activation energy of glass transition, E_g, has been found to increase with increase in Ga content. This increase in E_g has been explained in terms of the average heat of atomization for these glasses.     

A Tachyonic Scalar Field with Mutually Interacting Components

We investigate the tachyonic cosmological potential V(?) in two different cases of the quasi-exponential expansion of universe and discuss various forms of interaction between the two components—matter and the cosmological constant—of the tachyonic scalar field, which lead to the viable solutions of their respective energy densities. The distinction among the interaction forms is shown to appear in the O _m (x) diagnostic. Further, the role of the high- and low-redshift observations of the Hubble parameter is discussed to determine the proportionality constants and hence the correct form of matter–cosmological constant interaction.     

Influence of thermophoresis on heat and mass transfer under non-Darcy MHD mixed convection along a vertical flat plate embedded in a porous medium in the presence of radiation

The paper presents an investigation of the influence of thermophoresis on MHD mixed convective heat and mass transfer of a viscous, incompressible and electrically conducting fluid along a vertical flat plate with radiation effects. The plate is permeable and embedded in a porous medium. To describe the deviation from the Darcy model the Forchheimer flow model is used. The Rosseland approximation is used to describe the radiative heat flux in the energy equation. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations using similarity transformation. The nonlinear ordinary differential equations are linearized by using quasilinearization technique and then solved numerically by using implicit finite difference scheme. The numerical results are analyzed for the effects of various physical parameters such as magnetic parameter Ha, mixed convection parameter Ra _d /Pe _d , Reynolds number Red, radiation parameter R, thermophoretic parameter τ, Prandtl number Pr, and Schmidt number Sc. The heat transfer coefficient is also tabulated for different values of physical parameters.     

Ultrasonic treatment decreases Lyophyllum decastes fruiting body browning and affects energy metabolism

Lyophyllum decastes is a common mushroom that is prone to browning during prolonged storage. In this study, the effects of ultrasonic treatment on metabolic gene expression, enzyme activity, and metabolic compounds related to L. decastes browning were investigated. Treatment of the fruiting body at 35 kHz and 300 W for 10 min reduced the browning index of L. decastes by 21.0 % and increased the L* value by 11.1 %. Ultrasonic treatment of the fruiting body resulted in higher levels of total phenols, flavonoids, and 9 kinds of amino acid with catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities maintained at high levels. Higher cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), phosphofructokinase (PFK), and pyruvate kinase (PK) activities may be ascribed to increased antioxidant capacity. Moreover, ultrasonication retained higher adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations with an increased energy charge, while there were lower levels of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and reduced and oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH and NAD⁺), respectively. Meanwhile, lower lignin contents were observed, along with retarded polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities. Lower PPO activity reduced the fruiting body enzymatic browning rate through decreased expression of LdPpo1, LdPpo2, and LdPpo3 during storage at 4 °C for 16 days. This activity may be used to determine the effectiveness of ultrasonication.     

Coupled radiative and conductive heat transfer in a non-grey absorbing and emitting semitransparent media under collimated radiation

This paper deals with heat transfer in non-grey semitransparent two-dimensional sample. Considering an homogeneous purely absorbing medium, we calculated the temperature field and heat fluxes of a material irradiated under a specific direction. Coupled radiative and conductive heat transfer were considered. The radiative heat transfer equation (RTE) was solved using a S₈ quadrature and a discrete ordinate method. Reflection and absorption coefficients of the medium were calculated with the silica optical properties. The conduction inside the medium was linked to the RTE through the energy conservation. Validation of the model and two original cases are also presented.     

Analysis of transport of collimated radiation in a participating media using the lattice Boltzmann method

Application of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) recently proposed by Asinari et al. [Asinari P, Mishra SC, Borchiellini R. A lattice Boltzmann formulation to the analysis of radiative heat transfer problems in a participating medium. Numer Heat Transfer B 2010; 57:126–146] is extended to the analysis of transport of collimated radiation in a planar participating medium. To deal with azimuthally symmetric radiation in planar medium, a new lattice structure for the LBM is used. The transport of the collimated component in the medium is analysed by two different, viz., flux splitting and direct approaches. For different angles of incidence of the collimated radiation, the LBM formulation is tested for the effects of the extinction coefficient, the anisotropy factor, and the boundary emissivities on heat flux and emissive power distributions. Results are compared with the benchmark results obtained using the finite volume method. Both the approaches in LBM provide accurate results.