6,229 results
Search Results
52. Identifying Overlapping and Hierarchical Thematic Structures in Networks of Scholarly Papers: A Comparison of Three Approaches
- Author
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Michael Heinz, Jochen Gläser, Frank Havemann, and Alexander Struck
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FOS: Computer and information sciences ,Physics - Physics and Society ,Science Policy ,lcsh:Medicine ,FOS: Physical sciences ,Physics and Society (physics.soc-ph) ,Bibliometrics ,Social and Behavioral Sciences ,Information theory ,Bioinformatics ,Engineering ,Fuzzy Logic ,Sociology ,Citation analysis ,Cluster Analysis ,Digital Libraries (cs.DL) ,Management Planning and Control ,lcsh:Science ,Social and Information Networks (cs.SI) ,Physics ,Multidisciplinary ,Information retrieval ,Research ,Applied Mathematics ,lcsh:R ,Computer Science - Digital Libraries ,Computer Science - Social and Information Networks ,Webometrics ,Research Assessment ,Hierarchical clustering ,Identification (information) ,Thematic map ,Computer Science ,lcsh:Q ,Periodicals as Topic ,Management Engineering ,Algorithms ,Mathematics ,Research Article ,Network analysis - Abstract
We implemented three recently proposed approaches to the identification of overlapping and hierarchical substructures in graphs and applied the corresponding algorithms to a network of 492 information-science papers coupled via their cited sources. The thematic substructures obtained and overlaps produced by the three hierarchical cluster algorithms were compared to a content-based categorisation, which we based on the interpretation of titles and keywords. We defined sets of papers dealing with three topics located on different levels of aggregation: h-index, webometrics, and bibliometrics. We identified these topics with branches in the dendrograms produced by the three cluster algorithms and compared the overlapping topics they detected with one another and with the three pre-defined paper sets. We discuss the advantages and drawbacks of applying the three approaches to paper networks in research fields., Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures
- Published
- 2012
53. Does Modality of Survey Administration Impact Data Quality: Audio Computer Assisted Self Interview (ACASI) Versus Self-Administered Pen and Paper?
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Rochelle P. Walensky, Elena Losina, Steven A. Safren, Adam Hetland, George R. Seage, Jeffrey N. Katz, Christian Arbelaez, and William M. Reichmann
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Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Future studies ,lcsh:Medicine ,Context (language use) ,Hiv testing ,law.invention ,Interviews as Topic ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Randomized controlled trial ,law ,Humans ,Medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,lcsh:Science ,Multidisciplinary ,Modality (human–computer interaction) ,Computers ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,030208 emergency & critical care medicine ,Survey research ,Emergency department ,Infectious Diseases/HIV Infection and AIDS ,Middle Aged ,3. Good health ,Data quality ,Family medicine ,Female ,lcsh:Q ,Mathematics/Statistics ,Public Health and Epidemiology/Epidemiology ,business ,Research Article - Abstract
Background In the context of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on HIV testing in the emergency department (ED) setting, we evaluated preferences for survey modality and data quality arising from each modality. Methods Enrolled participants were offered the choice of answering a survey via audio computer assisted self-interview (ACASI) or pen and paper self-administered questionnaire (SAQ). We evaluated factors influencing choice of survey modality. We defined unusable data for a particular survey domain as answering fewer than 75% of the questions in the domain. We then compared ACASI and SAQ with respect to unusable data for domains that address sensitive topics. Results Of 758 enrolled ED patients, 218 (29%) chose ACASI, 343 chose SAQ (45%) and 197 (26%) opted not to complete either. Results of the log-binomial regression indicated that older (RR = 1.08 per decade) and less educated participants (RR = 1.25) were more likely to choose SAQ over ACASI. ACASI yielded substantially less unusable data than SAQ. Conclusions In the ED setting there may be a tradeoff between increased participation with SAQ versus better data quality with ACASI. Future studies of novel approaches to maximize the use of ACASI in the ED setting are needed.
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- 2010
54. Treatment of waste stabilization pond effluent using natural zeolite for irrigation potential
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G. Tazhkenova, Timoth Mkilima, A. Temirbekova, Gulnur Saspugayeva, E. Bukenova, A. Meirbekov, K. Beisembayeva, Kulyash Meiramkulova, and G. Adilbektegi
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Irrigation ,Multidisciplinary ,Stabilization pond ,Sodium ,Wastewater ,Total dissolved solids ,Pulp and paper industry ,Waste Disposal, Fluid ,law.invention ,Salinity ,law ,Sodium adsorption ratio ,Zeolites ,Environmental science ,Calcium ,Ponds ,Effluent ,Filtration - Abstract
Direct utilization of treated effluent from natural treatment systems for irrigation can be challenging on sensitive plants due to high levels of salinity. Post-treatment of such an effluent prior to its applicability in irrigation can be of significant importance. In this study, the wastewater from a natural treatment plant was treated using a lab-scale filtration system with zeolite as a filter material. Three different column depths (0.5 m, 0.75 m, and 1 m) were used to investigate the effect of column depth on the treatment efficiency of the media. The suitability of the raw wastewater and the treated effluent from each column for irrigation purposes was investigated. The water quality parameters investigated were; electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium (Mg2+). From the analysis results, it was observed that the column depth had a significant influence on the removal efficiency of the pollutants. The highest removal efficiency (94.58%) was achieved from the combination of electrical conductivity and 1 m column depth, while the lowest removal efficiency (10.05%) was observed from the combination of calcium and 0.5 m column depth. The raw wastewater fell mostly into a “very high” hazard, which is class four (C4) based on electrical conductivity and class four (S4) based sodium adsorption ratio; making it unsuitable for irrigation purposes. However, when the wastewater was subjected to 1 m column depth, the quality of the treated effluent improved significantly which in turn also improved the suitability of the effluent for irrigation purposes, with percent compliance ranging from 20.19% to 97.54%.
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- 2021
55. Documenting contributions to scholarly articles using CRediT and tenzing
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Balazs Aczel, Alex O. Holcombe, Marton Kovacs, Frederik Aust, and Psychologische Methodenleer (Psychologie, FMG)
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Computer and Information Sciences ,Science and Technology Workforce ,Medical Journals ,Science Policy ,Science ,Data management ,Information Storage and Retrieval ,Plan (drawing) ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Careers in Research ,Computer Software ,Database and Informatics Methods ,Taxonomy (general) ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Humans ,Sociology ,Database Searching ,Data Management ,Scientific Publishing ,Metadata ,Multidisciplinary ,business.industry ,Software Engineering ,Paper based ,Public relations ,Authorship ,Controlled Vocabularies ,R package ,Professions ,Bibliometrics ,People and Places ,Medicine ,Position (finance) ,Engineering and Technology ,Scientists ,Population Groupings ,User interface ,business ,Medical Humanities ,Software ,Research Article - Abstract
Scholars traditionally receive career credit for a paper based on where in the author list they appear, but position in an author list often carries little information about what the contribution of each researcher was. “Contributorship” refers to a movement to formally document the nature of each researcher’s contribution to a project. We discuss the emerging CRediT standard for documenting contributions and describe a web-based app and R package called tenzing that is designed to facilitate its use. tenzing can make it easier for researchers on a project to plan and record their planned contributions and to document those contributions in a journal article.
- Published
- 2020
56. Comparison of different preparation techniques of dried blood spot quality controls in newborn screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia
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Nóra Grecsó, Ákos Baráth, Péter Monostori, Gábor Rácz, Zsolt Galla, Anita Zádori, and Csaba Bereczki
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Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia ,Physiology ,Systems Engineering ,Biochemistry ,Mass Spectrometry ,Cortisol ,Analytical Chemistry ,Medical Conditions ,Spectrum Analysis Techniques ,Filter Paper ,Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry ,Tandem Mass Spectrometry ,Animal Cells ,Red Blood Cells ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,03.02. Klinikai orvostan ,Lipid Hormones ,Dried blood ,Liquid Chromatography ,Multidisciplinary ,Organic Compounds ,17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone ,Chromatographic Techniques ,Dried blood spot ,Body Fluids ,Laboratory Equipment ,Chemistry ,Blood ,Genetic Diseases ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Steroids ,Anatomy ,Cellular Types ,Research Article ,Analyte ,Science ,Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ,Cortodoxone ,Equipment ,Steroid biosynthesis ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Neonatal Screening ,Autosomal Recessive Diseases ,medicine ,Humans ,Congenital adrenal hyperplasia ,Clinical Genetics ,Reproducibility ,Newborn screening ,Steroid Hormones ,Chromatography ,Blood Cells ,Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ,business.industry ,Organic Chemistry ,Androstenedione ,Infant, Newborn ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Cell Biology ,medicine.disease ,Hormones ,Dried Blood Spot Testing ,business ,Quality Assurance - Abstract
In newborn screening, samples suspected for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a potentially lethal inborn error of steroid biosynthesis, need to be confirmed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Daily quality controls (QCs) for the 2nd-tier CAH assay are not commercially available and are therefore generally prepared within the laboratory. For the first time, we aimed to compare five different QC preparation approaches used in routine diagnostics for CAH on the concentrations of cortisol, 21-deoxycortisol, 11-deoxycortisol, 4-androstenedione and 17-hydroxyprogesterone in dried blood spots. The techniques from Prep1 to Prep5 were tested at two analyte concentrations by spiking aliquots of a steroid-depleted blood, derived from washed erythrocyte suspension and steroid-depleted serum. The preparation processes differed in the sequence of the preparation steps and whether freeze-thaw cycles were used to facilitate blood homogeneity. The five types of dried blood spot QCs were assayed and quantitated in duplicate on five different days using a single calibration row per day. Inter-assay variations less than 15% and concentrations within ±15% of the nominal values were considered acceptable. Results obtained by means of the four dried blood spot QC preparation techniques (Prep1, Prep2, Prep4 and Prep5) were statistically similar and remained within the ±15% ranges in terms of both reproducibility and nominal values. However, concentration results for Prep3 (spiking prior to three freeze-thaw cycles) were significantly lower than the nominal values in this setting, with differences exceeding the ±15% range in many cases despite acceptable inter-assay variations. These findings have implications for the in-house preparation of QC samples in laboratory developed tests for CAH, including 2nd-tier assays in newborn screening.
- Published
- 2021
57. DipTest: A litmus test for E. coli detection in water
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Saumyadeb Dasgupta, Naga Siva Kumar Gunda, and Sushanta K. Mitra
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Microbiological Techniques ,Capillary action ,lcsh:Medicine ,Chemical Composition ,02 engineering and technology ,01 natural sciences ,Fluorides ,Contaminants ,Blotting paper ,Water pollution ,lcsh:Science ,Wax ,Multidisciplinary ,Organic Compounds ,Monosaccharides ,Contamination ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Pollution ,Chemistry ,visual_art ,Physical Sciences ,visual_art.visual_art_medium ,Engineering and Technology ,Organic Materials ,0210 nano-technology ,Water Microbiology ,Research Article ,Paper ,Materials science ,Environmental Engineering ,Materials Science ,Carbohydrates ,Color ,Chlorides ,Surface Water ,Escherichia coli ,Materials by Attribute ,010401 analytical chemistry ,lcsh:R ,Water Pollution ,Organic Chemistry ,Chemical Compounds ,Substrate (chemistry) ,0104 chemical sciences ,Culture Media ,Glucose ,Chemical engineering ,Reagent ,Waxes ,Earth Sciences ,lcsh:Q ,Hydrology ,Surface water - Abstract
We have developed a new litmus paper test (DipTest) for detecting Escherichia coli (E. coli) in water samples by performing enzymatic reactions directly on the porous paper substrate. The paper strip consists of a long narrow piece of cellulose blotting paper coated with chemoattractant (at bottom edge), wax hydrophobic barrier (at the top edge), and custom formulated chemical reagents (at reaction zone immediately below the wax hydrophobic barrier). When the paper strip is dipped in water, E. coli in the water sample is attracted toward the paper strip due to a chemotaxic mechanism followed by the ascent along the paper strip toward the reaction zone due to a capillary wicking mechanism, and finally the capillary motion is arrested at the top edge of the paper strip by the hydrophobic barrier. The E. coli concentrated at the reaction zone of the paper strip will react with custom formulated chemical reagents to produce a pinkish-red color. Such a color change on the paper strip when dipped into water samples indicates the presence of E. coli contamination in potable water. The performance of the DipTest device has been checked with different known concentrations of E. coli contaminated water samples using different dip and wait times. The DipTest device has also been tested with different interfering bacteria and chemical contaminants. It has been observed that the different interfering contaminants do not have any impact on the DipTest, and it can become a potential solution for screening water samples for E. coli contamination at the point of source.
- Published
- 2017
58. Influence of various chilling methods on the sustainable beef production based on high voltage electrical stimulation
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Paulius Matusevičius, Joanna K. Banach, and Ryszard Żywica
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Food Handling ,Animal Slaughter ,Electricity ,Animal Products ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Food Industry ,media_common ,Animal Management ,Mammals ,Multidisciplinary ,Physics ,Eukaryota ,High voltage ,Agriculture ,Ruminants ,Muscle Analysis ,Pulp and paper industry ,Cold Temperature ,Bioassays and Physiological Analysis ,Physical Sciences ,Vertebrates ,Medicine ,Beef ,Efficient energy use ,Research Article ,Meat ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Science ,Surgical and Invasive Medical Procedures ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Sustainability Science ,Bovines ,Production (economics) ,Animals ,Quality (business) ,Nutrition ,Consumption (economics) ,Functional Electrical Stimulation ,business.industry ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Electric Stimulation ,Diet ,Sustainable management ,Food ,Greenhouse gas ,Amniotes ,Environmental science ,Cattle ,business ,Zoology - Abstract
Among the challenges of sustainable management of meat production, the key issue is to improve the energy efficiency of production processes, which will consequently affect the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Such effects are achieved by combining various chilling systems with electrical stimulation that determines the quality of meat at the slaughter stage. The novelties of the research undertaken included determining the impact of various variants of meat production (chilling method: slow, fast, accelerated + HVES/NES) on changes in the basic (industrial) quality indicators (pH and temperature) of beef produced from Polish Holstein-Friesian breed cattle, and then indicating the optimal variant for energy-efficient (sustainable) beef production. The HVES and the fast chilling method yielded positive economic (meat weight loss), technological (high quality, hot-boning), energetic (lower electricity consumption), and organizational effects (reduced chilling and storage surfaces and expenditures for staff wages) compared to the slow and accelerated methods. Reaching the desired final temperature with an increased amount of chilled meat enables obtaining a few-fold decrease in the specific energy consumption and a higher energy efficiency of the process. This allows recommending the above actions to be undertaken by entrepreneurs in the pursuit of sustainable meat production.
- Published
- 2020
59. Potential application of novel technology developed for instant decontamination of personal protective equipment before the doffing step
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Jailson B. de Andrade, Leone Peter Correia da Silva Andrade, Bruna Aparecida Souza Machado, Luis Alberto Breda Mascarenhas, Katharine Valéria Saraiva Hodel, Paulo Roberto Freitas Neves, Milena Botelho Pereira Soares, Alex Álisson Bandeira Santos, Leticia de Alencar Pereira Rodrigues, and Roberto Badaró
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Face shield ,RNA viruses ,business.product_category ,Sanitization ,Coronaviruses ,Yeast and Fungal Models ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Respirators ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Medical Conditions ,Protective Clothing ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Infection control ,Public and Occupational Health ,Respirator ,Respiratory Protective Devices ,Decontamination ,Candida ,Fungal Pathogens ,Multidisciplinary ,Hypochlorites ,Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ,Eukaryota ,Human decontamination ,Bacterial Infections ,Contamination ,Pulp and paper industry ,Bacterial Pathogens ,Chemistry ,Infectious Diseases ,Experimental Organism Systems ,Medical Microbiology ,Sodium hypochlorite ,Physical Sciences ,Viruses ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Safety Equipment ,Safety ,Pathogens ,SARS CoV 2 ,Research Article ,Biotechnology ,Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional ,Infectious Disease Control ,SARS coronavirus ,Science ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,Equipment ,Bioengineering ,Enterococcus Faecalis ,Mycology ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Microbiology ,Pseudomonas ,Humans ,Candida Albicans ,Personal protective equipment ,Microbial Pathogens ,Infection Control ,Bacteria ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,Viral pathogens ,Fungi ,COVID-19 ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Yeast ,Health Care ,Disinfection ,chemistry ,Animal Studies ,Environmental science ,Salts ,Medical Devices and Equipment ,Preventive Medicine ,business ,Enterococcus - Abstract
The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) has been considered the most effective way to avoid the contamination of healthcare workers by different microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2. A spray disinfection technology (chamber) was developed, and its efficacy in instant decontamination of previously contaminated surfaces was evaluated in two exposure times. Seven test microorganisms were prepared and inoculated on the surface of seven types of PPE (respirator mask, face shield, shoe, glove, cap, safety glasses and lab coat). The tests were performed on previously contaminated PPE using a manikin with a motion device for exposure to the chamber with biocidal agent (sodium hypochlorite) for 10 and 30s. In 96.93% of the experimental conditions analyzed, the percentage reduction was >99% (the number of viable cells found on the surface ranged from 4.3x106 to E. faecalis collected from the glove showed the lowest percentages reduction, with 86.000 and 86.500% for exposure times of 10 and 30 s, respectively. The log10 reduction values varied between 0.85 log10 (E. faecalis at 30 s in glove surface) and 9.69 log10 (E. coli at 10 and 30 s in lab coat surface). In general, E. coli, S. aureus, C. freundii, P. mirabilis, C. albicans and C. parapsilosis showed susceptibility to the biocidal agent under the tested conditions, with >99% reduction after 10 and 30s, while E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa showed a lower susceptibility. The 30s exposure time was more effective for the inactivation of the tested microorganisms. The results show that the spray disinfection technology has the potential for instant decontamination of PPE, which can contribute to an additional barrier for infection control of healthcare workers in the hospital environment.
- Published
- 2020
60. Impact of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation on new silicone half-piece elastometric respirator (VJR-NMU) performance, structural integrity and sterility during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Uraporn Phumisantiphong, Jakravoot Maneerit, Chayanee Setthabramote, Anan Manomaipiboon, Bunpot Seakow, Thananda Trakarnvanich, Supanit Porntheeraphat, and Sujaree Pupipatpab
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business.product_category ,Light ,Sanitization ,Staphylococcus ,Silicones ,Economic shortage ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Respirators ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Medical Conditions ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Medicine ,Public and Occupational Health ,Respiratory Protective Devices ,Respirator ,Decontamination ,Virus Testing ,Multidisciplinary ,Organic Compounds ,Physics ,Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ,Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation ,Human decontamination ,Pulp and paper industry ,Bacterial Pathogens ,Physical sciences ,Chemistry ,Infectious Diseases ,Medical Microbiology ,Engineering and Technology ,Pathogens ,Research Article ,Biotechnology ,Ultraviolet radiation ,Infectious Disease Control ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Ultraviolet Rays ,Science ,Bioengineering ,Microbiology ,Silicone ,Electromagnetic radiation ,Diagnostic Medicine ,Pseudomonas ,Humans ,Staphylococcus Epidermidis ,Pandemics ,Microbial Pathogens ,Ventilators, Mechanical ,Bacteria ,business.industry ,Uvc irradiation ,Organic Chemistry ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,COVID-19 ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Structural integrity ,Health Care ,chemistry ,Alcohols ,Medical Devices and Equipment ,Preventive Medicine ,Ultraviolet C ,business - Abstract
Since the innovation of our new half-piece elastometric respirator, this type of filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) has been used widely in Thailand. Decontamination methods including ultraviolet C (UVC) germicidal irradiation and 70% alcohol have been implemented to decontaminate these respirators. We then examined the inactivation potential of different decontamination processes on porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and numerous bacterial strains, most of which were skin-derived. To enable rigorous integrity of the masks after repeated decontamination processes, fit tests by the Bitrex test, tensile strength and elongation at break were also evaluated. Our results showed that UVC irradiation at a dose of 3 J/cm2 can eradicate bacteria after 60 min and viruses after 10 min. No fungi were found on the mask surface before decontamination. The good fit test results, tensile strength and elongation at break were still maintained after multiple cycles of decontamination. No evidence of physical degradation was found by gross visual inspection. Alcohol (70%) is also an easy and effective way to eradicate microorganisms on respirators. As the current pandemic is expected to continue for months to years, the need to supply adequate reserves of personnel protective equipment (PPE) and develop effective PPE reprocessing methods is crucial. Our studies demonstrated that the novel silicone mask can be safely reprocessed and decontaminated for many cycles by UVC irradiation, which will help ameliorate the shortage of important protective devices in the COVID-19 pandemic era.
- Published
- 2021
61. An expansin-like protein expands forage cell walls and synergistically increases hydrolysis, digestibility and fermentation of livestock feeds by fibrolytic enzymes
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Claudio F. Gonzalez, Adegbola T. Adesogan, Diwakar Vyas, John J. Bromfield, Muhammad Irfan, Nicolas DiLorenzo, Y. Jiang, Felipe X. Amaro, Ibukun M Ogunade, Andres A Pech-Cervantes, and Kathy G. Arriola
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0301 basic medicine ,Metabolic Processes ,Biochemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Filter Paper ,Cell Wall ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Cellulases ,Food science ,Silage ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Organic Compounds ,Hydrolysis ,Chemical Reactions ,Eukaryota ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Plants ,Recombinant Proteins ,Enzymes ,Laboratory Equipment ,Chemistry ,Experimental Organism Systems ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,medicine.drug ,Bacillus subtilis ,Research Article ,Science ,Equipment ,Cellulase ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Zea mays ,03 medical and health sciences ,Model Organisms ,Bacterial Proteins ,Plant and Algal Models ,medicine ,Hemicellulose ,Grasses ,Cellulose ,Nutrition ,Organic Chemistry ,0402 animal and dairy science ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,Membrane Proteins ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Proteins ,040201 dairy & animal science ,Carboxymethyl cellulose ,Maize ,Diet ,030104 developmental biology ,Metabolism ,chemistry ,Fibrolytic bacterium ,Cynodon ,Fermentation ,biology.protein ,Enzymology ,Animal Studies - Abstract
Bacterial expansin-like proteins have synergistically increased cellulose hydrolysis by cellulolytic enzymes during the initial stages of biofuel production, but they have not been tested on livestock feeds. The objectives of this study were to: isolate and express an expansin-like protein (BsEXLX1), to verify its disruptive activity (expansion) on cotton fibers by immunodetection (Experiment 1), and to determine the effect of dose, pH and temperature for BsEXLX1 and cellulase to synergistically hydrolyze filter paper (FP) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) under laboratory (Experiment 2) and simulated ruminal (Experiment 3) conditions. In addition, we determined the ability of BsEXLX1 to synergistically increase hydrolysis of corn and bermudagrass silages by an exogenous fibrolytic enzyme (EFE) (Experiment 4) and how different doses of BsEXLX1 and EFE affect the gas production (GP), in vitro digestibility and fermentation of a diet for dairy cows (Experiment 5). In Experiment 1, immunofluorescence-based examination of cotton microfiber treated without or with recombinant expansin-like protein expressed from Bacillus subtilis (BsEXLX1) increased the surface area by > 100% compared to the untreated control. In Experiment 2, adding BsEXLX1 (100 μg/g FP) to cellulase (0.0148 FPU) increased release of reducing sugars compared to cellulase alone by more than 40% (P < 0.01) at optimal pH (4.0) and temperature (50°C) after 24 h. In Experiment 3 and 4, adding BsEXLX1 to cellulase or EFE, synergistically increased release of reducing sugars from FP, corn and bermudagrass silages under simulated ruminal conditions (pH 6.0, 39°C). In Experiment 5, increasing the concentration of BsEXLX1 linearly increased (P < 0.01) GP from fermentation of a diet for dairy cows by up to 17.8%. Synergistic effects between BsEXLX1 and EFE increased in vitro NDF digestibility of the diet by 23.3% compared to the control. In vitro digestibility of hemicellulose and butyrate concentration were linearly increased by BsEXLX1 compared to the control. This study demonstrated that BsEXLX1 can improve the efficacy of cellulase and EFE at hydrolyzing pure substrates and dairy cow feeds, respectively.
- Published
- 2019
62. Comparison of the efficiency of Deebag and jute made bag for faecal sludge management and wastewater treatment
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Muhammed Alamgir, Mehedi Hasan Mishuk, and S. M. Tariqul Islam
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Biochemical oxygen demand ,Polymers ,Chemical Oxygen Demand ,0208 environmental biotechnology ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,Waste Disposal, Fluid ,Sludge ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Feces ,Electricity ,Water Quality ,Materials ,Suspended solids ,Bangladesh ,Multidisciplinary ,Sewage ,Textiles ,Physics ,Chemical oxygen demand ,Pulp and paper industry ,Chemistry ,Wastewater ,Macromolecules ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Sewage treatment ,Research Article ,Science ,Materials Science ,Solid Waste Management ,Phloem ,Polypropylenes ,Water Purification ,Phosphates ,Chlorides ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Polypropylene ,Nitrates ,Sewage Treatment ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Chemical Compounds ,Electric Conductivity ,Polymer Chemistry ,Dewatering ,020801 environmental engineering ,chemistry ,Environmental science ,Sanitary Engineering ,Filtration ,Waste disposal - Abstract
Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) has become a prominent environmental concern in the today’s world. Dewatering of sludge and the treatment of wastewater (WW) are the prime spiny issue because of the deleterious essence of faecal sludge (FS) and WW in the environment. The main focus of this study was on FSM by ‘Deebag’ and ‘Jute Bag’ through dewatering and filtering. Deebag is a dewatering as well as filtering media which is made with geotextile and polypropylene. Contrariwise, three types of jute bags were made of jute fiber for using as the same purposes of Deebag. A polyacrylamide polymer was used in this study and both filtering and dewatering were done in two ways—with and without the presence of polymer. Biochemical Oxygen Demand at 5 days (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Chloride (Cl-), Phosphate (PO43-), Nitrate (NO3-), Total Suspended Solid (TSS) and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) parameters of raw and filtering samples were analyzed to assess the performance of WW treatment by Deebag and jute bags. Only using polymer was observed as one kind of treatment of WW. Deebag has been found to show the maximum dewatering capacity as well as treatment efficiency comparing with the jute bags. However, among three types of jute bags, double jute layered bag has shown the best performance. Maximum dewatering for Deebag and jute bags were found 88% and 83% respectively while using the polymer.
- Published
- 2020
63. Canary in the coliform mine: Exploring the industrial application limits of a microbial respiration alarm system
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Marthinus J. Booysen, Wendy Stone, Gideon M. Wolfaardt, and Tobi M. Louw
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Canaries ,Marine and Aquatic Sciences ,030501 epidemiology ,Wastewater ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Bioreactors ,Water Quality ,Natural Resources ,Anaerobiosis ,0303 health sciences ,Multidisciplinary ,Physics ,Classical Mechanics ,Eukaryota ,Contamination ,Pulp and paper industry ,Pollution ,6. Clean water ,Chemistry ,Carbon dioxide ,Physical Sciences ,Vertebrates ,Water Resources ,Medicine ,0305 other medical science ,Water Microbiology ,Anaerobic exercise ,Environmental Monitoring ,Research Article ,Freshwater Environments ,Science ,Partial Pressure ,12. Responsible consumption ,Birds ,03 medical and health sciences ,Rivers ,Surface Water ,Respiration ,Bioreactor ,Pressure ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,Bacteria ,030306 microbiology ,Drinking Water ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Water Pollution ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,Aquatic Environments ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Carbon Dioxide ,Bodies of Water ,Fecal coliform ,chemistry ,13. Climate action ,Greenhouse gas ,Biofilms ,Amniotes ,Earth Sciences ,Environmental science ,Water quality ,Hydrology ,Zoology - Abstract
Fundamental ecological principles of ecosystem-level respiration are extensively applied in greenhouse gas and elemental cycle studies. A laboratory system termed CEMS (Carbon Dioxide Evolution Measurement System), developed to explore microbial biofilm growth and metabolic responses, was evaluated as an early-warning system for microbial disturbances in industrial settings: in (a) potable water system contamination, and (b) bioreactor inhibition. Respiration was detected as CO2 production, rather than O2 consumption, including aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Design, thresholds, and benefits of the remote CO2 monitoring technology were described. Headspace CO2 correlated with contamination levels, as well as chemical (R2 > 0.83–0.96) and microbiological water quality indicators (R2 > 0.78–0.88). Detection thresholds were limiting factors in monitoring drinking water to national and international standards (0 CFU/100 mL fecal coliforms) in both open- (>1500 CFU/mL) and closed-loop CO2 measuring regimes (>100 CFU/100 mL). However, closed-loop detection thresholds allow for the detection of significant contamination events, and monitoring less stringent systems such as irrigation water (2 fluctuations from chemical CO2 dynamics, to optimize this real-time, sustainable, low-waste technology, facilitating timeous responses to biological disturbances in bioreactors.
- Published
- 2020
64. Isolating, identifying and evaluating of oil degradation strains for the air-assisted microbial enhanced oil recovery process
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Zaiwang Zhang, Guanglun Lei, Jianbo Gao, Long Yu, and Mingming Cheng
- Subjects
Fossil Fuels ,Physiology ,Microorganism ,Microbial metabolism ,Bacillus ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,Bacterial growth ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,Physical Chemistry ,Flooding ,Materials Physics ,Water Quality ,Oil and Gas Fields ,Materials ,Multidisciplinary ,Viscosity ,Respiration ,Physics ,Pulp and paper industry ,Lipids ,Chemistry ,Microbial enhanced oil recovery ,Biodegradation, Environmental ,Petroleum ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Research Article ,Chemical Elements ,Science ,Materials Science ,Material Properties ,Enterobacter ,Fuels ,Permeability ,Oxygen Consumption ,020401 chemical engineering ,Pseudomonas ,Alkanes ,Dissolved Oxygen ,0204 chemical engineering ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Bacteria ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Biodegradation ,Crude Oil ,Oxygen ,Energy and Power ,Chemical Properties ,Fermentation ,Earth Sciences ,Environmental science ,Degradation (geology) ,Limiting oxygen concentration ,Petroleum microbiology ,Hydrology ,Physiological Processes ,Oils - Abstract
Due to the inefficient reproduction of microorganisms in oxygen-deprived environments of the reservoir, the applications of microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) are restricted. To overcome this problem, a new type of air-assisted MEOR process was investigated. Three compounding oil degradation strains were screened using biochemical experiments. Their performances in bacterial suspensions with different amounts of dissolved oxygen were evaluated. Water flooding, microbial flooding and air-assisted microbial flooding core flow experiments were carried out. Carbon distribution curve of biodegraded oil with different oxygen concentration was determined by chromatographic analysis. The long-chain alkanes are degraded by microorganisms. A simulation model was established to take into account the change in oxygen concentration in the reservoir. The results showed that the optimal dissolved oxygen concentration for microbial growth was 4.5~5.5mg/L. The main oxygen consumption in the reservoir happened in the stationary and declining phases of the microbial growth systems. In order to reduce the oxygen concentration to a safe level, the minimum radius of oxygen consumption was found to be about 145m. These results demonstrate that the air-assisted MEOR process can overcome the shortcomings of traditional microbial flooding techniques. The findings of this study can help for better understanding of microbial enhanced oil recovery and improving the efficiency of microbial oil displacement.
- Published
- 2020
65. Pulp obtained after isolation of starch from red and purple potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) as an innovative ingredient in the production of gluten-free bread
- Author
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Magdalena Surma, Rafał Ziobro, Jarosław Korus, and Dorota Gumul
- Subjects
Dietary Fiber ,Starch ,Flour ,Social Sciences ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,Starches ,Antioxidants ,Ingredient ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Flavonols ,Vegetables ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Psychology ,Food science ,Potato starch ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Acrylamide ,Multidisciplinary ,Organic Compounds ,Pulp (paper) ,digestive, oral, and skin physiology ,Food Ingredients ,food and beverages ,Eukaryota ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Bread ,Plants ,040401 food science ,Smell ,Chemistry ,Taste ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Sensory Perception ,Potato ,Nutritive Value ,Porosity ,Research Article ,Glutens ,Science ,Carbohydrates ,engineering.material ,Raw material ,Solanum ,0404 agricultural biotechnology ,Phenols ,Humans ,Nutrition ,Solanum tuberosum ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Organic Chemistry ,Organisms ,Chemical Compounds ,Cognitive Psychology ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Polyphenols ,0104 chemical sciences ,Diet ,Celiac Disease ,Freeze Drying ,chemistry ,Polyphenol ,Food ,engineering ,Cognitive Science ,Perception ,Neuroscience - Abstract
Starch based gluten-free bread (formulations containing mixture of corn and potato starch with hydrocolloids) are deficient in nutrients and do not contain health promoting compounds. Therefore they could be supplemented with raw materials rich in such components, especially antioxidants. Among them pseudo-cereals, seeds, fruits and vegetables are often applied to this purpose. Potato pulp produced by processing red fleshed (Magenta Love) and purple fleshed (Violetta) varieties could become a new innovative substrate for gluten-free bread enrichment, because of high levels of endogenous polyphenols, namely flavonoids, flavonols, phenolic acids and especially anthocyanins with high antioxidant potential, as well as dietary fiber. Study material consisted of gluten-free bread enriched in the pulp. Dietary fiber, acrylamide content and antioxidant and antiradical potential of the bread were determined. Sensory evaluation included crumb elasticity, porosity and other characteristics, taste and smell. Among all analyzed gluten-free breads, the sample containing 7.5% share of freeze-dried red potato pulp Magenta Love was characterized by high content of phenolic compounds and dietary fiber, pronounced antioxidant activity, low levels of potentially dangerous acrylamide and good physical and sensory characteristics. Therefore such an addition (7.5% Magenta Love) could be recommended for industrial production of gluten-free bread.
- Published
- 2019
66. From waste to food: Optimising the breakdown of oil palm waste to provide substrate for insects farmed as animal feed
- Author
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Marc Parker, James Donarski, Maureen Wakefield, Mark Harrison, Elizabeth Dickinson, Adrian J. Charlton, Michael Dickinson, Aida Rafat, Julie Wilson, Florence J. V. Gschwend, Jason P. Hallett, Rosie Nolan, and Royal Academy Of Engineering
- Subjects
Life Cycles ,Insecta ,Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ,Biomass ,Biogas ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,Palm Oil ,Spectrum analysis techniques ,01 natural sciences ,Lignin ,Biochemistry ,Larvae ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Metabolites ,Bioenergy ,Oil Palm ,Anaerobiosis ,Materials ,Principal Component Analysis ,Multidisciplinary ,food and beverages ,Eukaryota ,Plants ,Pulp and paper industry ,Insects ,Chemistry ,Data Acquisition ,Biofuel ,Digestate ,Physical Sciences ,Metabolome ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Research Article ,Computer and Information Sciences ,Arthropoda ,General Science & Technology ,Animal feed ,Science ,020209 energy ,Materials Science ,Steaming ,Fuels ,NMR spectroscopy ,Animals ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Waste Products ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Pressure cooking ,Feeding Behavior ,Animal Feed ,Invertebrates ,Energy and Power ,Research and analysis methods ,Anaerobic digestion ,Metabolism ,Biofuels ,Environmental science ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
Waste biomass from the palm oil industry is currently burned as a means of disposal and solutions are required to reduce the environmental impact. Whilst some waste biomass can be recycled to provide green energy such as biogas, this investigation aimed to optimise experimental conditions for recycling palm waste into substrate for insects, farmed as a sustainable high-protein animal feed. NMR spectroscopy and LC-HRMS were used to analyse the composition of palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) under experimental conditions optimised to produce nutritious substrate rather than biogas. Statistical pattern recognition techniques were used to investigate differences in composition for various combinations of pre-processing and anaerobic digestion (AD) methods. Pre-processing methods included steaming, pressure cooking, composting, microwaving, and breaking down the EFB using ionic liquids. AD conditions which were modified in combination with pre-processing methods were ratios of EFB:digestate and pH. Results show that the selection of pre-processing method affects the breakdown of the palm waste and subsequently the substrate composition and biogas production. Although large-scale insect feeding trials will be required to determine nutritional content, we found that conditions can be optimised to recycle palm waste for the production of substrate for insect rearing. Pre-processing EFB using ionic liquid before AD at pH6 with a 2:1 digestate:EFB ratio were found to be the best combination of experimental conditions.
- Published
- 2019
67. Seed germination ecology of Ageratum houstonianum: A major invasive weed in Nepal
- Author
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Anju Lamsal, Mohan P. Devkota, Srijana Joshi, Anil Shrestha, and Deepa Shrestha
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Light ,Biodiversity ,Invasive Species ,Plant Science ,Ageratum ,Plant Reproduction ,01 natural sciences ,Invasive species ,Polyethylene Glycols ,Filter Paper ,Seed Germination ,Evolutionary Emergence ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Ecology ,Plant Anatomy ,Physics ,Electromagnetic Radiation ,Eukaryota ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Plants ,Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ,Droughts ,Laboratory Equipment ,Germination ,Plant Physiology ,Seeds ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Medicine ,Research Article ,Evolutionary Processes ,Science ,Equipment ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Species Colonization ,Nepal ,Evolutionary Biology ,Controlled environment chamber ,Crop yield ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Ageratum houstonianum ,Seedlings ,Seedling ,040103 agronomy & agriculture ,0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries ,Weeds ,Introduced Species ,Weed - Abstract
In recent years, spread of invasive alien plant species (IAPS) has been a major concern in Nepal. One such IAPS is Ageratum houstonianum, an Asteraceae, that is a prolific seed producer and difficult-to-control in farmland and various ecological regions causing crop yield and biodiversity losses. However, very little information is available on the germination biology and ecology of this species. Therefore, experiments were conducted to assess the effect of water stress, pH level, and light requirement on seed germination, and the effect of seed burial depth on seedling emergence. Water stress was simulated by polyethylene glycol solutions ranging from 0-5.56 MPa and pH solutions ranging from 4 to 9 were prepared using hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. Germination tests were conducted in petri dishes lined with filter paper and placed in a controlled environment chamber set at 20° C. Light requirement comparisons were made by having petri dishes wrapped with aluminum foil or left unwrapped. Seedling emergence was evaluated by placing seeds at depths ranging from 0 to 20 mm in the soil. Results indicated that this species was moderately drought-tolerant because germination ceased beyond 0.51 MPa. Greater germination occurred at neutral to acidic than at alkaline pH levels. The seeds were positively photoblastic because no germination occurred under dark condition. No seedlings emerged from seeds placed more than 2 mm deep in the soil, indicating that this is a primarily surface germinating species. These findings will help predict future invasions and in development of management strategies for this IAPS.
- Published
- 2019
68. Occurrence mechanism and coping paths of accidents of highly aggregated tourist crowds based on system dynamics
- Author
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Xiang-min Zheng, Ruey-Chyn Tsaur, and Jie Yin
- Subjects
Psychological Defense Mechanisms ,Coping (psychology) ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,Social Sciences ,Marine and Aquatic Sciences ,Poison control ,02 engineering and technology ,Systems Science ,Cultural Anthropology ,Crowds ,Sociology ,Filter Paper ,Adaptation, Psychological ,Psychology ,Multidisciplinary ,05 social sciences ,Social Communication ,Human factors and ergonomics ,Sports Science ,Virtuous circle and vicious circle ,Laboratory Equipment ,Religion ,Chemistry ,Social Networks ,Risk analysis (engineering) ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Network Analysis ,Research Article ,Sports ,Freshwater Environments ,Computer and Information Sciences ,Science ,Equipment ,Catalysis ,Rivers ,0502 economics and business ,Injury prevention ,Humans ,Control Theory ,Behavior ,021110 strategic, defence & security studies ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Aquatic Environments ,Bodies of Water ,Control Engineering ,Root cause ,Communications ,System dynamics ,Crowding ,Anthropology ,Accidents ,Earth Sciences ,Recreation ,Business ,Social Media ,Mathematics ,050203 business & management - Abstract
The safety of highly aggregated tourist crowds is a challenging and important issue. This paper not only provided a comprehensive analysis of the accidents of highly aggregated tourist crowds but also determined the occurrence mechanism and coping paths. Based on the analysis of multiple cases, we found that the variable status of highly aggregated tourist crowds was the result of the interaction of three main elements: multisource pressure, state mutations and management responses. A series of factors interact and result in accidents, and the lack of a management response or a low-quality management response is the root cause of such accidents. A high-quality management response is a basic safety precaution for highly aggregated tourist crowds. Therefore, forming a virtuous circle of multisource pressure, state mutations and management responses is an effective path for coping with accidents.
- Published
- 2019
69. Decontamination of N95 masks for re-use employing 7 widely available sterilization methods
- Author
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Barret Rush, Kevin Hills, Kimberly Malo, Gloria Vazquez-Grande, Paul Z. Chen, Samantha B Kasloff, Anders Leung, Sylvain A. Lother, James E. Strong, Jay Krishnan, Todd Cutts, Frank X. Gu, Ryan Zarychanski, and Anand Kumar
- Subjects
Ethylene Oxide ,RNA viruses ,business.product_category ,Plasma Gases ,Light ,Sanitization ,Coronaviruses ,02 engineering and technology ,Respirators ,Autoclave ,law.invention ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Medical Conditions ,law ,Peracetic acid ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Public and Occupational Health ,Respirator ,Decontamination ,Pathology and laboratory medicine ,Virus Testing ,0303 health sciences ,Multidisciplinary ,Physics ,Oxides ,Human decontamination ,Medical microbiology ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Pulp and paper industry ,Peroxides ,Equipment Sterilization ,Physical sciences ,Chemistry ,Infectious Diseases ,Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ,Viruses ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,SARS CoV 2 ,Pathogens ,0210 nano-technology ,Research Article ,Biotechnology ,Equipment Preparation ,Ultraviolet radiation ,Materials science ,Infectious Disease Control ,SARS coronavirus ,N95 Respirators ,Ultraviolet Rays ,Science ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,Bioengineering ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Microbiology ,Rhabdoviruses ,03 medical and health sciences ,Electromagnetic radiation ,Diagnostic Medicine ,Equipment Reuse ,Humans ,Peracetic Acid ,Personal protective equipment ,Filtration ,Biology and life sciences ,SARS-CoV-2 ,030306 microbiology ,Organisms ,Viral pathogens ,Chemical Compounds ,COVID-19 ,Hydrogen Peroxide ,Vesiculovirus ,Microbial pathogens ,Health Care ,Autoclaving ,chemistry ,Medical Devices and Equipment ,Preventive Medicine ,Ultraviolet C ,business - Abstract
The response to the COVID-19 epidemic is generating severe shortages of personal protective equipment around the world. In particular, the supply of N95 respirator masks has become severely depleted, with supplies having to be rationed and health care workers having to use masks for prolonged periods in many countries. We sought to test the ability of 7 different decontamination methods: autoclave treatment, ethylene oxide gassing (ETO), low temperature hydrogen peroxide gas plasma (LT-HPGP) treatment, vaporous hydrogen peroxide (VHP) exposure, peracetic acid dry fogging (PAF), ultraviolet C irradiation (UVCI) and moist heat (MH) treatment to decontaminate a variety of different N95 masks following experimental contamination with SARS-CoV-2 or vesicular stomatitis virus as a surrogate. In addition, we sought to determine whether masks would tolerate repeated cycles of decontamination while maintaining structural and functional integrity. All methods except for UVCI were effective in total elimination of viable virus from treated masks. We found that all respirator masks tolerated at least one cycle of all treatment modalities without structural or functional deterioration as assessed by fit testing; filtration efficiency testing results were mostly similar except that a single cycle of LT-HPGP was associated with failures in 3 of 6 masks assessed. VHP, PAF, UVCI, and MH were associated with preserved mask integrity to a minimum of 10 cycles by both fit and filtration testing. A similar result was shown with ethylene oxide gassing to the maximum 3 cycles tested. Pleated, layered non-woven fabric N95 masks retained integrity in fit testing for at least 10 cycles of autoclaving but the molded N95 masks failed after 1 cycle; filtration testing however was intact to 5 cycles for all masks. The successful application of autoclaving for layered, pleated masks may be of particular use to institutions globally due to the virtually universal accessibility of autoclaves in health care settings. Given the ability to modify widely available heating cabinets on hospital wards in well-resourced settings, the application of moist heat may allow local processing of N95 masks.
- Published
- 2020
70. Honey bees (Apis cerana) use animal feces as a tool to defend colonies against group attack by giant hornets (Vespa soror)
- Author
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Ngoc T Phan, Heather R. Mattila, Hanh Duc Pham, Olivia M. Knight, Lien T P Nguyen, and Gard W. Otis
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Forage (honey bee) ,Wasps ,Social Sciences ,Predation ,01 natural sciences ,Habits ,Feces ,Honey Bees ,Sociology ,Filter Paper ,Nest ,Psychology ,Predator ,Apis cerana ,Multidisciplinary ,Ecology ,Animal Behavior ,biology ,Organic Compounds ,Eukaryota ,Bees ,Trophic Interactions ,Insects ,Laboratory Equipment ,Chemistry ,Community Ecology ,Physical Sciences ,Social Systems ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Research Article ,Ethers ,Arthropoda ,Science ,Equipment ,Zoology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Nesting Habits ,Species Specificity ,Vespa soror ,Animals ,Behavior ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organic Chemistry ,Organisms ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Hymenoptera ,Invertebrates ,Brood ,010602 entomology ,Predatory Behavior ,Entomology - Abstract
Honey bees (genusApis)are well known for the impressive suite of nest defenses they have evolved to protect their abundant stockpiles of food and the large colonies they sustain. In Asia, honey bees have evolved under tremendous predatory pressure from social wasps in the genusVespa, the most formidable of which are the giant hornets that attack colonies in groups, kill adult defenders, and prey on brood. We document for the first time an extraordinary collective defense used byApis ceranaagainst the giant hornetVespa soror. In response to attack byV.soror,A.ceranaworkers foraged for and applied spots of animal feces around their nest entrances. Fecal spotting increased after colonies were exposed either to naturally occurring attacks or to chemicals that scout hornets use to target colonies for mass attack. Spotting continued for days after attacks ceased and occurred in response toV.soror, which frequently landed at and chewed on entrances to breach nests, but notVespa velutina, a smaller hornet that rarely landed at entrances. Moderate to heavy fecal spotting suppressed attempts byV.sororto penetrate nests by lowering the incidence of multiple-hornet attacks and substantially reducing the likelihood of them approaching and chewing on entrances. We argue thatA.ceranaforages for animal feces because it has properties that repel this deadly predator from nest entrances, providing the first report of tool use by honey bees and the first evidence that they forage for solids that are not derived from plants. Our study describes a remarkable weapon in the already sophisticated portfolio of defenses that honey bees have evolved in response to the predatory threats they face. It also highlights the strong selective pressure honey bees will encounter if giant hornets, recently detected in western North America, become established.
- Published
- 2020
71. Development of highly efficient protocols for extraction and amplification of cytomegalovirus DNA from dried blood spots for detection and genotyping of polymorphic immunomodulatory genes
- Author
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Christian Berg, Thomas Benfield, Mette M. Rosenkilde, Thomas Sundelin, Lene Rostgaard Nielsen, Martin Barfred Friis, and Hans R. Lüttichau
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Human cytomegalovirus ,Male ,Cytomegalovirus Infection ,Viral Diseases ,Genotyping Techniques ,Physiology ,Cytomegalovirus ,Artificial Gene Amplification and Extension ,medicine.disease_cause ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Biochemistry ,law.invention ,0302 clinical medicine ,Filter Paper ,law ,Nucleic Acids ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Pathogen ,DNA extraction ,Polymerase chain reaction ,Multidisciplinary ,virus diseases ,Viral Load ,Body Fluids ,Laboratory Equipment ,Titer ,Infectious Diseases ,Blood ,Medical Microbiology ,Viral Pathogens ,Cytomegalovirus Infections ,Viruses ,Medicine ,Human Cytomegalovirus ,Engineering and Technology ,Female ,Receptors, Chemokine ,Pathogens ,Anatomy ,Chemokines, CXC ,Research Article ,Herpesviruses ,Science ,030106 microbiology ,Equipment ,Biology ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Microbiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Viral Proteins ,Extraction techniques ,medicine ,Genetics ,Humans ,Molecular Biology Techniques ,Genotyping ,Gene ,Molecular Biology ,Microbial Pathogens ,Retrospective Studies ,Polymorphism, Genetic ,Infant, Newborn ,Organisms ,Gene Amplification ,Biology and Life Sciences ,DNA ,medicine.disease ,Virology ,Dried Blood Spot Testing ,DNA viruses - Abstract
Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major cause of birth defects ranging from developmental disorders to stillbirth. Most newborns affected by CMV do not present with symptoms at birth but are at risk of sequelae at later stages of their childhood. Stored dried blood spots (DBS) taken at birth can be used for retrospective diagnosis of hereditary diseases, but detection of pathogens is challenged by potentially low pathogen concentrations in the small blood volume available in a DBS. Here we test four different extraction methods for optimal recovery of CMV DNA from DBS at low to high CMV titers. The recovery efficiencies varied widely between the different extractions (from 3% to 100%) with the most efficient method extracting up to 113-fold more CMV DNA than the least efficient and 8-fold more than the reference protocol. Furthermore, we amplified four immunomodulatory CMV genes from the extracted DNA: the UL40 and UL111A genes which occur as functional knockouts in some circulating CMV strains, and the highly variable UL146 and US28 genes. The PCRs specifically amplified the CMV genes at all tested titers with sufficient quality for sequencing and genotyping. In summary, we here report an extraction method for optimal recovery of CMV DNA from DBSs that can be used for both detection of CMV and for genotyping of polymorphic CMV genes in congenital CMV infection.
- Published
- 2019
72. Impacts and interactions of organic compounds with chlorine sanitizer in recirculated and reused produce processing water
- Author
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Bin Zhou, Yaguang Luo, Cathleen J. Hapeman, Patricia D. Millner, Sam Van Haute, Qin Wang, and Zi Teng
- Subjects
Food Safety ,Chemical Oxygen Demand ,0208 environmental biotechnology ,Chemical Composition ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,Fructoses ,01 natural sciences ,Water Quality ,Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated ,Organic Chemicals ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Multidisciplinary ,Chemistry ,Organic Compounds ,Chemical oxygen demand ,Monosaccharides ,Eukaryota ,Plants ,Pulp and paper industry ,Organic Acids ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Water treatment ,Chlorine ,Research Article ,Chemical Elements ,Science ,Carbohydrates ,chemistry.chemical_element ,Brassica ,Water conservation ,Hand sanitizer ,Dry weight ,Phenols ,Organic matter ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organic Chemistry ,Organisms ,Chemical Compounds ,Water ,Biology and Life Sciences ,020801 environmental engineering ,Water quality ,Acids ,Disinfectants - Abstract
Water conservation and economics dictate that fresh produce processors reuse/recirculate the process water. However, the ensuing accumulation of organic matter in water depletes the chlorine sanitizer required for food safety. In this study, we comprehensively investigated chemical compounds that are responsible for water quality in relation to chemical oxygen demand (COD) and chlorine demand (CLD), the two most critical factors associated with water treatment and chlorine replenishment. Simulating commercial fresh-cut wash operations, multiple batches of diced cabbage (0.3 x 0.3 cm2) were washed in the same tank of water. The major components were isolated from the wash water and analyzed by HPLC. Sugars were the predominant compounds (82.7% dry weight) and the major contributor to COD (81.6%), followed by proteins/peptides (7.3% dry weight, 5.3% COD), organic acids (6.2% dry weight, 3.6% COD), and phenolics (0.5% dry weight, 0.5% COD). By repeated time course measures, the effect of these chemicals on CLD are dependent on the chemical structure, concentration in the wash water, and their rate of reaction. Proteins/peptides accounted for about 50% of the total CLD over a 120-min period and phenolics was 21% at 5 min, but diminished with time. The contribution by organic acids and sugars increased continuously, reaching 22% and 16% of total CLD at 120 min of chlorination, respectively. Collectively, these compounds represented 86% of the CLD in cabbage wash water at 5 min and greater than 94% CLD afterwards. This is the first systematic report on the source of COD and CLD during fresh produce washing. It provides essential information for the produce processors to develop safe, effective, and economical wash water treatment/reuse and chlorine replenishment strategies.
- Published
- 2018
73. Assessment of malaria real-time PCR methods and application with focus on low-level parasitaemia
- Author
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Kurt Hanevik, Bjørn Blomberg, Stein Christian Mohn, Gro Elizabeth Ann Strøm, Christel Gill Haanshuus, Nina Langeland, and Kristine Mørch
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Plasmodium ,Focus (geometry) ,Physiology ,Pcr cloning ,Genes, Protozoan ,Artificial Gene Amplification and Extension ,Parasitemia ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,law.invention ,0302 clinical medicine ,Filter Paper ,law ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Organic Chemicals ,Polymerase chain reaction ,Protozoans ,Multidisciplinary ,Malarial Parasites ,Eukaryota ,Drugs ,Cytochromes b ,Body Fluids ,Laboratory Equipment ,Real-time polymerase chain reaction ,Blood ,Child, Preschool ,Quinolines ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Anatomy ,Research Article ,Science ,030106 microbiology ,030231 tropical medicine ,Plasmodium falciparum ,Equipment ,Computational biology ,Biology ,Diamines ,Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,03 medical and health sciences ,Antimalarials ,Parasite Groups ,medicine ,Parasitic Diseases ,Humans ,Benzothiazoles ,Molecular Biology Techniques ,Molecular Biology ,Pharmacology ,Infant, Newborn ,Organisms ,Infant ,Reproducibility of Results ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Patient data ,DNA, Protozoan ,medicine.disease ,Tropical Diseases ,Parasitic Protozoans ,Highly sensitive ,Malaria ,Clinical diagnosis ,Parasitology ,Apicomplexa - Abstract
In epidemiological surveys and surveillance the application of molecular tools is essential in detecting submicroscopic malaria. A genus-specific conventional cytochrome b (cytb) PCR has shown high sensitivity in field studies, detecting 70% submicroscopic malaria. The main objective of this study was to assess the conversion from conventional to real-time PCR testing both SYBR and probe protocols, and including quantitative (q) PCR. The protocols were assessed applying well-defined clinical patient material consisting of 33 positive and 80 negative samples. Sequencing of positive PCR products was performed. In addition, a sensitivity comparison of real-time PCR methods was done by including five relevant assays investigating the effect of amplification target and platform. Sensitivity was further examined using field material consisting of 111 P.falciparum positive samples from Tanzanian children (< 5 years), as well as using related patient data to assess the application of q-PCR with focus on low-level parasitaemia. Both the cytb SYBR and probe PCR protocols showed as high sensitivity and specificity as their conventional counterpart, except missing one P. malariae sample. The SYBR protocol was more sensitive and specific than using probe. Overall, choice of amplification target applied is relevant for achieving ultra-sensitivity, and using intercalating fluorescence dye rather than labelled hydrolysis probes is favourable. Application of q-PCR analysis in field projects is important for the awareness and understanding of low-level parasitaemia. For use in clinical diagnosis and epidemiological studies the highly sensitive and user-friendly cytb SYBR q-PCR method is a relevant tool. The genus-specific method has the advantage that species identification by sequencing can be performed as an alternative to species-specific PCR. publishedVersion
- Published
- 2018
74. Analysis of very-high surface area 3D-printed media in a moving bed biofilm reactor for wastewater treatment
- Author
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Andres L. Carrano, David M. Blersch, and Gabriel Proano-Pena
- Subjects
Electronics engineering ,Engineering and technology ,02 engineering and technology ,Wastewater ,010501 environmental sciences ,Waste Disposal, Fluid ,01 natural sciences ,Surface area ,Bioreactors ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Moving bed biofilm reactor ,Chemical Reactions ,3D printing ,Pulp and paper industry ,Nitrification ,Chemistry ,Process Engineering ,Nitrifying bacteria ,Physical Sciences ,Printing, Three-Dimensional ,Biofilter ,Medicine ,Sewage treatment ,Research Article ,Nitrogen ,Science ,020209 energy ,Geometry ,Industrial Processes ,Microbiology ,Ammonia ,Specific surface area ,Industrial Engineering ,Mass Media ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Nitrates ,Bacteria ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Bacteriology ,biology.organism_classification ,Manufacturing Processes ,Biofilms ,Environmental science ,Bacterial Biofilms ,Mathematics - Abstract
Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBRs) can efficiently treat wastewater by incorporating suspended biocarriers that provide attachment surfaces for active microorganisms. The performance of MBBRs for wastewater treatment is, among other factors, contingent upon the characteristics of the surface area of the biocarriers. Thus, novel biocarrier topology designs can potentially increase MBBR performance in a significant manner. The goal of this work is to assess the performance of 3-D-printed biofilter media biocarriers with varying surface area designs for use in nitrifying MBBRs for wastewater treatment. Mathematical models, rendering, and 3D printing were used to design and fabricate gyroid-shaped biocarriers with a high degree of complexity at three different levels of specific surface area (SSA), generally providing greater specific surface areas than currently available commercial designs. The biocarriers were inoculated with a nitrifying bacteria community, and tested in a series of batch reactors for ammonia conversion to nitrate, in three different experimental configurations: constant fill ratio, constant total surface area, and constant biocarrier media count. Results showed that large and medium SSA gyroid biocarriers delivered the best ammonia conversion performance of all designs, and significantly better than that of a standard commercial design. The percentage of ammonia nitrogen conversion at 8 hours for the best performing biocarrier design was: 99.33% (large SSA gyroid, constant fill ratio), 94.74% (medium SSA gyroid, constant total surface area), and 92.73% (large SSA gyroid, constant biocarrier media count). Additionally, it is shown that the ammonia conversion performance was correlated to the specific surface area of the biocarrier, with the greatest rates of ammonia conversion (99.33%) and nitrate production (2.7 mg/L) for manufactured gyroid biocarriers with a specific surface area greater than 1980.5 m2/m3. The results suggest that the performance of commercial MBBRs for wastewater treatment can be greatly improved by manipulation of media design through topology optimization.
- Published
- 2020
75. Pore-size and polymer affect the ability of filters for washing-machines to reduce domestic emissions of fibres to sewage
- Author
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Emma L. Johnston, Mark Anthony Browne, Macarena Ros, and Biología
- Subjects
Polymers ,Surfactants ,Marine and Aquatic Sciences ,Sewage ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,law.invention ,law ,Limnology ,Water pollution ,Materials ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,0303 health sciences ,Multidisciplinary ,Polymer ,Contamination ,Pulp and paper industry ,Pollution ,6. Clean water ,Fibers ,Chemistry ,Macromolecules ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Medicine ,Sewage treatment ,Porosity ,Research Article ,Pore size ,Environmental Engineering ,Polyesters ,Science ,Materials Science ,Detergents ,Solid Waste Management ,03 medical and health sciences ,Effluent ,Filtration ,Laundering ,030304 developmental biology ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,business.industry ,Sewage Treatment ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Water Pollution ,Polymer Chemistry ,chemistry ,Earth Sciences ,Environmental science ,Sanitary Engineering ,business ,Water Pollutants, Chemical - Abstract
When clothes are worn and washed, they emit fibres into the ecosystem via discharges of sewage that have been linked to the global dispersion of clothing fibres. Facilities that treat sewage divert some fibres from sewage effluent to sludge, but no current methods of filtration eliminate their environmental release. While filters for washing-machines are sold to consumers with the argument they will reduce the emissions of fibres from clothes to the environment, there is insufficient scientific peer-reviewed evidence assessing their ability to retain fibres from washed clothes and reduce environmental contamination. To improve our understanding and develop more realistic methods to assess the efficiency of filters, we washed replicate cotton and polyester garments in replicate domestic front-loaded washing-machines with and without replicate filters (micro- and milli-meter-sized pores), and then quantified the masses of the fibres retained by the filters and those released in the effluent. Here we show micrometer-sized filters significantly reduced the mass of cotton by 67% (F-2,F-6= 11.69, P
- Published
- 2020
76. Methods to maximise recovery of environmental DNA from water samples
- Author
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Elise M. Furlan, Dianne Gleeson, Mark Lintermans, and Rheyda Hinlo
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Molecular biology ,Oriental weatherloach ,lcsh:Medicine ,Artificial Gene Amplification and Extension ,Dna recovery ,Molecular biology assays and analysis techniques ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,01 natural sciences ,law.invention ,Filter Paper ,Specimen Storage ,law ,Environmental DNA ,lcsh:Science ,DNA extraction ,Polymerase chain reaction ,Multidisciplinary ,Organic Compounds ,Ecology ,Pulp and paper industry ,Precipitation Techniques ,Laboratory Equipment ,Separation Processes ,Chemistry ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Degraded dna ,Water Microbiology ,Environmental Monitoring ,Research Article ,Equipment ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Extraction techniques ,Recovery rate ,DNA filter assay ,Biology and life sciences ,Ethanol ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,lcsh:R ,Organic Chemistry ,Chemical Compounds ,Water ,DNA ,Research and analysis methods ,Molecular biology techniques ,Storage and Handling ,Alcohols ,Environmental science ,lcsh:Q ,Extraction methods ,Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ,Filtration - Abstract
The environmental DNA (eDNA) method is a detection technique that is rapidly gaining credibility as a sensitive tool useful in the surveillance and monitoring of invasive and threatened species. Because eDNA analysis often deals with small quantities of short and degraded DNA fragments, methods that maximize eDNA recovery are required to increase detectability. In this study, we performed experiments at different stages of the eDNA analysis to show which combinations of methods give the best recovery rate for eDNA. Using Oriental weatherloach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) as a study species, we show that various combinations of DNA capture, preservation and extraction methods can significantly affect DNA yield. Filtration using cellulose nitrate filter paper preserved in ethanol or stored in a -20°C freezer and extracted with the Qiagen DNeasy kit outperformed other combinations in terms of cost and efficiency of DNA recovery. Our results support the recommendation to filter water samples within 24hours but if this is not possible, our results suggest that refrigeration may be a better option than freezing for short-term storage (i.e., 3-5 days). This information is useful in designing eDNA detection of low-density invasive or threatened species, where small variations in DNA recovery can signify the difference between detection success or failure.
- Published
- 2017
77. Characterization of crop residues from false banana /Ensete ventricosum/ in Ethiopia in view of a full-resource valorization
- Author
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Hanna Berhanu, Joana Ferreira, Ana Lourenço, Abubeker Yimam, Sisay Feleke, Helena Pereira, Zebene Kiflie, and Isabel Miranda
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Leaves ,Crop residue ,Musaceae ,Phytochemicals ,lcsh:Medicine ,Chemical Composition ,Plant Science ,Bananas ,Lignin ,01 natural sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ,Food science ,lcsh:Science ,valorization ,Flowering Plants ,2. Zero hunger ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Multidisciplinary ,Organic Compounds ,Plant Anatomy ,Pulp (paper) ,Monosaccharides ,Eukaryota ,Plants ,Chemistry ,Phenotype ,Inflorescence ,Stalk ,Physical Sciences ,ensete ventricosum ,Research Article ,Crops, Agricultural ,crop residues ,Inflorescences ,Carbohydrates ,engineering.material ,Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ,Sugar acids ,Fruits ,Crop ,Phenols ,010608 biotechnology ,Sugar ,Plant Extracts ,010405 organic chemistry ,Organic Chemistry ,lcsh:R ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Sugar Acids ,0104 chemical sciences ,chemistry ,engineering ,lcsh:Q ,Ethiopia ,Acids - Abstract
Research Article False banana /Ensete ventricosum [Welw.] Cheesman/ is exploited as a food crop in Ethiopia where it represents an important staple food. The plant is harvested and large amounts of biomass residues are originated, mainly from the pseudo stem (i.e., fiber bundles obtained from the leaf sheaths after being scrapped to produce starchy food) and the inflorescence stalk. These materials were studied in relation to their summative chemical composition, composition of lignin, lipophilic and polar extracts. Moreover, their structural characteristics, in view of their valorization, were scrutinized. The analytical studies were performed with the aid of FTIR, GC/MS, Py-GC/MS and SEM. The fiber bundles are aggregates of mainly long and slender fibers with low ash, extractives and lignin contents (3.8%. 4.4% and 10.5% respectively) and high holocellulose and α-cellulose contents (87.5% and 59.6% respectively). The hemicelluloses in the fibers are mostly highly acetylated xylans and the lignin is of the H-type (H:G:S, 1:0.7:0.8). This lignin composition is in line with the FTIR peaks at 1670 cm-1 and 1250 cm-1.The inflorescence stalk has high ash content (12.3% in the main stalk and 24.6% in fines) with a major proportion of potassium, high extractives (25.9%), and low lignin and α-cellulose contents (5.8% and 17.9% respectively). The stalk includes numerous starch granules in the cellular structure with the predominant presence of parenchyma. The potential valorization routes for these materials are clearly different. The fiber bundles could be used as a fiber source for paper pulp production with the possibility of a prior hemicelluloses removal while the inflorescence stalk has nutritional value for food and fodder. Furthermore, it can also be used for sugar fermentation products info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
- Published
- 2018
78. Backwashing performance of self-cleaning screen filters in drip irrigation systems
- Author
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Hongfei Yang, Zong Quanli, Liu Zhenji, and Huanfang Liu
- Subjects
Agricultural Irrigation ,Time Factors ,Drip Irrigation ,Drip irrigation ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,law.invention ,Screen filter ,Laminar Flow ,Bioreactors ,law ,Water Quality ,Flow Rate ,Multidisciplinary ,Physics ,Classical Mechanics ,Agriculture ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Agricultural Methods ,Pulp and paper industry ,Deformation ,Volumetric flow rate ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Medicine ,Porosity ,Research Article ,Reynolds Number ,Science ,Materials Science ,Material Properties ,Backwashing ,Fluid Mechanics ,Continuum Mechanics ,Tap water ,Self cleaning ,Pressure ,Prototypes ,Filtration ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Damage Mechanics ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Fluid Dynamics ,Pressure difference ,Technology Development ,040103 agronomy & agriculture ,0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries ,Environmental science - Abstract
The self-cleaning screen filter is one of the most common types used in drip irrigation systems. Backwashing pressure difference and backwashing time for two screen filters with one geometry and two different screens (178 μm and 124 μm) using two water qualities (tap water and sand-water mixture) were studied in a total of 88 runs (42 runs for tap water, 22 and 24 filtration cycles for sand-water mixture and backwashing, respectively). The backwashing pressure difference and backwashing time were calculated using the experimental data, and the results were largely in the range of measured values. Three constraint conditions (flowrate, sand condition and filtration time) of backwashing pressure difference were analysed, and the optimal values of backwashing pressure difference were given as 60.0 and 70.0 kPa for 178 μm and 124 μm filters, respectively. The backwashing time of the screen filter should be an optimal value that ensures that the pressure difference between the internal and external surfaces of the screen decreased to the initial value, and the sand concentration of the backwashed outlet decreased to a small, stable value. Based on the results of the backwashing experiment and prototype observation, the optimal backwashing time was given as 30 to 45 s for both screen filters.
- Published
- 2019
79. Application of enhanced assimilable organic carbon method across operational drinking water systems
- Author
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Graeme Moore, Joby Boxall, Catherine A. Biggs, Frances C. Pick, Katherine E. Fish, and Jonathan P. Moses
- Subjects
Environmental Engineering ,Water Management ,Science ,Cell Enumeration Techniques ,0208 environmental biotechnology ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,Bacterial growth ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Pseudomonas fluorescens ,01 natural sciences ,Water Purification ,Distribution system ,Spectrum Analysis Techniques ,Natural Resources ,Water Quality ,Organic Chemicals ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Total organic carbon ,Multidisciplinary ,Bacteria ,Drinking Water ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Total Cell Counting ,Reproducibility of Results ,Spirillum ,Flow Cytometry ,Pulp and paper industry ,Carbon ,020801 environmental engineering ,Chemistry ,Spectrophotometry ,Physical Sciences ,Water Resources ,Engineering and Technology ,Medicine ,Environmental science ,Water treatment ,Cytophotometry ,Water quality ,Chlorine ,Water Microbiology ,Research Article ,Chemical Elements - Abstract
Assimilable organic carbon (AOC) is known to correlate with microbial growth, which can consequently degrade drinking water quality. Despite this, there is no standardised AOC test that can be applied to drinking water distribution systems (DWDS). Herein we report the development of a quick, robust AOC that incorporates known strains Pseudomonas fluorescens strain P-17 and Spirillum strain NOX, a higher inoculum volume and enumeration using flow cytometry to generate a quicker (total test time reduced from 14 to 8 days), robust method. We apply the developed AOC test to twenty drinking water treatment works (WTW) to validate the method reproducibility and resolution across a wide range of AOC concentrations. Subsequently, AOC was quantified at 32 sample points, over four DWDS, for a year in order to identify sinks and sources of AOC in operative networks. Application of the developed AOC protocol provided a previously unavailable insight and novel evidence of pipes and service reservoirs exhibiting different AOC and regrowth behaviour. Observed correlations between AOC and microbial growth highlight the importance of monitoring AOC as an integral part of managing drinking water quality at the consumers tap.
- Published
- 2019
80. A simplistic approach of algal biofuels production from wastewater using a Hybrid Anaerobic Baffled Reactor and Photobioreactor (HABR-PBR) System
- Author
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Md. Khalekuzzaman, Md. Bashirul Islam, Muhammed Alamgir, and Mehedi Hasan
- Subjects
Marine and Aquatic Sciences ,02 engineering and technology ,Wastewater ,010501 environmental sciences ,Biochemistry ,Sludge ,01 natural sciences ,Turbidity ,Photobioreactors ,Materials Physics ,Limnology ,Microalgae ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Bioenergy ,Anaerobiosis ,Materials ,Multidisciplinary ,Physics ,Eukaryota ,Plants ,Pulp and paper industry ,Lipids ,Biofuel ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Sewage treatment ,Biodiesel ,Chlorella vulgaris ,Scenedesmus ,Research Article ,Algae ,Science ,020209 energy ,Materials Science ,Photobioreactor ,Context (language use) ,Fuels ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Chlorella sorokiniana ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Coculture Techniques ,Energy and Power ,Effluent ,Biofuels ,Earth Sciences ,Daylight ,Environmental science ,Chronobiology - Abstract
The current technologies of algal biofuels production and wastewater treatment (e.g., aerobic) process are still in question, due to the significant amount of fresh water and nutrients requirements for microalgae cultivation, and negative energy balance in both processes, especially when considered in the context of developing counties around the world. In this research, a simplistic sustainable approach of algal biofuels production from wastewater was proposed using a Hybrid Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (HABR) and Photobioreactor (PBR) system. The study suggests that the HABR was capable of removing most of the organic and solid (>90% COD and TSS removal) from wastewater, and produced a healthy feedstock (high N: P = 3:1) for microalgae cultivation in PBRs for biofuels production. A co-culture of Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella sorokiniana, and Scenedesmus simris002 showed high lipid content up to 44.1%; and the dominant FAMEs composition (C16-C18) of 87.9% in produced biofuels. Perhaps, this proposed low-cost technological approach (e.g., HABR-PBR system) would connect the currently broken link of sustainable bioenergy generation and wastewater treatment pathway for developing countries.
- Published
- 2019
81. Thermogravimetric analysis of the co-combustion of coal and polyvinyl chloride
- Author
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Hongbin Gao and Jingkuan Li
- Subjects
Fossil Fuels ,Polymers ,Combustion ,Social Sciences ,Astronomical Sciences ,02 engineering and technology ,Exothermic Reactions ,law.invention ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Mathematical and Statistical Techniques ,law ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Psychology ,Polyvinyl Chloride ,Materials ,Multidisciplinary ,Thermochemical Conversion ,Chemical Reactions ,Activation Energy ,Space Exploration ,Pulp and paper industry ,Curve Fitting ,Thermogravimetry ,Chemistry ,Coal ,Macromolecules ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Medicine ,Organic Materials ,Pyrolysis ,Research Article ,Thermogravimetric analysis ,Materials science ,Science ,020209 energy ,Materials Science ,Psychological Stress ,Activation energy ,Fuels ,Research and Analysis Methods ,020401 chemical engineering ,Mental Health and Psychiatry ,0204 chemical engineering ,Weightlessness ,business.industry ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Spaceflight ,Polymer Chemistry ,Energy and Power ,Ignition system ,Polyvinyl chloride ,chemistry ,Heat of combustion ,business ,Mathematical Functions - Abstract
Coal gangue has the shortcomings of low calorific value and refractory burnout, while polyvinyl chloride has the advantages of a long combustion process and high calorific value. In order to make up for these shortcomings of coal gangue, the possibility of a treatment method based on co-combustion of coal gangue with polyvinyl chloride, which can be centrally recovered from municipal solid waste, is proposed. In order to analyze the combustion effect of a mixture of these two substances, experimental samples were prepared by mixing these two substances in three different ratios, and they were tested by thermogravimetric analysis. The experimental results were compared, analyzed and evaluated. The effects of the proportion of polyvinyl chloride in the mixture on the temperature parameters, activation energy, and interaction during co-combustion were analyzed. In order to analyze the interaction during co-combustion of the two, a coupling analysis method for mixed combustion is presented, and the effectiveness of this method is verified by comparing with the correlation analysis results of co-combustion. The results show that co-combustion can mitigate the ignition difficulty and burnout of coal gangue. When the proportion of polyvinyl chloride in the mixture was increased from 20% to 80%, the maximum weightlessness rate of the first stage rapidly increased from 4.5%/min to 15.6%/min; however, that of the second stage slowly increased from 3.7%/min to 4.2%/min. A 20% proportion of polyvinyl chloride showed the most significant promotion of co-combustion, with a maximum coupling coefficient of 0.00318, which was 1.11 and 1.35 times greater than that of 50% and 80% proportions, respectively. Co-combustion can reduce the activation energy of coal gangue during the initial and end stages. Therefore, co-combustion is helpful to improve the problems of low calorific value and refractory burnout of coal gangue.
- Published
- 2019
82. Dynamic changes in the physicochemical properties of fresh-cut produce wash water as impacted by commodity type and processing conditions
- Author
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Jie Li, Shih Chi Weng, Ellen R. Turner, Bryan T. Vinyard, Bin Zhou, Zi Teng, and Yaguang Luo
- Subjects
Food Safety ,Chemical Phenomena ,Food Handling ,Chemical Oxygen Demand ,Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis ,Physical Chemistry ,Turbidity ,Mathematical and Statistical Techniques ,Materials Physics ,Water Quality ,Vegetables ,Flowering Plants ,Total organic carbon ,Multidisciplinary ,Physics ,Statistics ,Chemical oxygen demand ,Eukaryota ,Lettuce ,Plants ,Pulp and paper industry ,Daucus carota ,Chemistry ,Physicochemical Properties ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Chlorine ,Research Article ,Chemical Elements ,Science ,Materials Science ,chemistry.chemical_element ,Food Contamination ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Humans ,Statistical Methods ,Total suspended solids ,Total Dissolved Solids ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organisms ,Water ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Total dissolved solids ,Disinfection ,Physical Properties ,Chemical Properties ,chemistry ,Food Microbiology ,Environmental science ,Water quality ,Mathematics ,Disinfectants ,Forecasting - Abstract
Organic materials in fresh-cut produce wash water deplete free chlorine that is required to prevent pathogen survival and cross-contamination. This research evaluated water quality parameters frequently used to describe organic load for their fitness to predict chlorine demand (CLD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), which are major needs identified by the industry-led produce food safety taskforce. Batches of romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, or carrot of different cut sizes and shapes were washed in 40 liters of water. Physicochemical properties of wash water including CLD, COD, total organic carbon (TOC), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, total sugar content, and pH, were monitored. Results indicate that pH is primarily commodity dependent, while organic load is additionally impacted by cutting and washing conditions. Significant linear increases in COD, TOC, CLD, TDS, and turbidity resulted from increasing product-to-water ratio, and decreasing cut size. Physicochemical parameters, excluding pH, showed significant positive correlation across different cut sizes within a commodity. High correlations were obtained between CLD and COD and between COD and TOC for pooled products. The convenient measurement of TDS, along with its strong correlation with COD and CLD, suggests the potential of TDS for predicting organic load and chlorine reactivity. Finally, the potential application and limitation of the proposed models in practical produce processing procedures are discussed extensively.
- Published
- 2019
83. Fecal indicator bacteria and virus removal in stormwater biofilters: Effects of biochar, media saturation, and field conditioning
- Author
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Alexandria B. Boehm, Benjamin P. Kranner, A. R. M. Nabiul Afrooz, and Nicole J. M. Fitzgerald
- Subjects
Statistical methods ,Rain ,Marine and Aquatic Sciences ,02 engineering and technology ,Wastewater ,010501 environmental sciences ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,01 natural sciences ,Feces ,Biomimetics ,Contaminants ,Limnology ,Biochar ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,020701 environmental engineering ,Materials ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Statistics ,Pulp and paper industry ,Pollution ,6. Clean water ,Bacterial Pathogens ,Monte Carlo method ,Physical sciences ,Medical Microbiology ,Charcoal ,Biofilter ,Medicine ,Engineering and Technology ,Seasons ,Pathogens ,Research Article ,Science ,Materials Science ,Stormwater ,0207 environmental engineering ,Amendment ,Indicator bacteria ,Bioengineering ,Coliphages ,Microbiology ,Water Purification ,Escherichia coli ,Coliphage ,Cities ,Microbial Pathogens ,Effluent ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Bacteria ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Water Pollution ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Bacteriology ,biology.organism_classification ,Research and analysis methods ,13. Climate action ,Biofilms ,Earth Sciences ,Mathematical and statistical techniques ,Environmental science ,Bacterial Biofilms ,Filtration ,Enterococcus ,Mathematics - Abstract
Stormwater biofilters are used to attenuate the flow and volume of runoff and reduce pollutant loading to aquatic systems. However, the capacity of biofilters to remove microbial contaminants remains inadequate. While biochar has demonstrated promise as an amendment to improve microbial removal in laboratory-scale biofilters, it is uncertain if the results are generalizable to the field. To assess biochar performance in a simulated field setting, sand and biochar-amended sand biofilters were periodically dosed with natural stormwater over a 61-week conditioning phase. Impact of media saturation was assessed by maintaining biofilters with and without a saturated zone. Biochar-amended biofilters demonstrated improved Escherichia coli removal over sand biofilters during the first 31 weeks of conditioning though media type did not impact E. coli removal during the last 30 weeks of conditioning. Presence of a saturated zone was not a significant factor influencing E. coli removal across the entire conditioning phase. Following conditioning, biofilters underwent challenge tests using stormwater spiked with wastewater to assess their capacity to remove wastewater-derived E. coli, enterococci, and male-specific (F+) coliphage. In challenge tests, biochar-amended biofilters demonstrated enhanced removal of all fecal indicators relative to sand biofilters. Additionally, saturated biofilters demonstrated greater removal of fecal indicators than unsaturated biofilters for both media types. Discrepant conclusions from the conditioning phase and challenge tests may be due to variable influent chemistry, dissimilar transport of E. coli indigenous to stormwater and those indigenous to wastewater, and differences in E. coli removal mechanisms between tests. Mobilization tests conducted following challenge tests showed minimal (
- Published
- 2019
84. An experimental study on the flocculating settling of unclassified tailings
- Author
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Hao Wang, Jiwei Bian, Chongchun Xiao, and Deming Zhang
- Subjects
Fossil Fuels ,Arithmetic underflow ,Velocity ,lcsh:Medicine ,Chemical Composition ,02 engineering and technology ,Waste Disposal, Fluid ,020501 mining & metallurgy ,Mud ,lcsh:Science ,Suspended solids ,Multidisciplinary ,Physics ,Experimental Design ,Classical Mechanics ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Pulp and paper industry ,Mineralogy ,Tailings ,Chemistry ,Coal ,0205 materials engineering ,Research Design ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Organic Materials ,0210 nano-technology ,Research Article ,Flocculation ,Materials by Structure ,Materials Science ,Material Properties ,Fuels ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Mining ,Permeability ,Motion ,Flux (metallurgy) ,Settling ,Materials by Attribute ,lcsh:R ,Energy and Power ,Slurries ,Mixtures ,Slurry ,Earth Sciences ,Environmental science ,lcsh:Q ,Waste disposal - Abstract
Unclassified tailings are the main backfilling aggregates in mines and their settling is the first step in the utilization of tailings; thus, it is very important to determine their settling behavior. The aim of this study was to understand the flocculating settling behavior of unclassified tailings with different factors. The combination of property detection, laboratory experiments and industrial tests were used to assess the flocculating settling behavior of unclassified tailings; the orthogonal experimental design and the control variate method were used for an experimental design. The results show that the flocculating settling velocity of unclassified tailings decreases with the increase of slurry concentration and that this settling velocity increases first and then decreases with the increase of flocculant unit consumption. The underflow concentration is positively correlated with the slurry concentration and negatively correlated with the flocculant unit consumption and flocculant concentration. Slower feed velocity could produce higher concentration underflow but lower clarity overflow water. The greater the mud height, the higher the underflow concentration and the suspended solids concentration in the overflow water. The underflow concentration has a maximum at the rake speed of 0.3 r/min, and the rake speed has little effect on the suspended solids concentration in the overflow water. By analyzing the settling velocity, the underflow concentration, the suspended solids concentration in the overflow water and the solid flux, the following parameters of the flocculating settling experiments were determined: the flocculant type is APAM with a molecular weight of 12 million, the flocculant unit consumption is 30 g/t, the slurry concentration is 6 vol.%, the flocculant concentration is 0.1 wt.%, the rake speed is 0.3 r/min, and the feed velocity is 0.4 L/min (its solid flux is 0.523 t/(m2·h)). The industrial tests were carried out based on the laboratory settling data, and the appropriate selection parameters of the industrial tests were estimated.
- Published
- 2017
85. Environmental Synthesis of Few Layers Graphene Sheets Using Ultrasonic Exfoliation with Enhanced Electrical and Thermal Properties
- Author
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Zaidan Abdul Wahab, Shahidan Radiman, Azmi Zakaria, and Monir Noroozi
- Subjects
Surfactants ,lcsh:Medicine ,02 engineering and technology ,Spectrum Analysis, Raman ,01 natural sciences ,Mechanical Treatment of Specimens ,law.invention ,X-Ray Diffraction ,Electricity ,law ,Ultrasonics ,Graphite ,Composite material ,lcsh:Science ,Minerals ,Fluids ,Multidisciplinary ,Physics ,Povidone ,Classical Mechanics ,Thermal Conductivity ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Mineralogy ,Exfoliation joint ,Physical Sciences ,symbols ,Engineering and Technology ,Powders ,0210 nano-technology ,Graphene nanoribbons ,Research Article ,Heat Treatment ,States of Matter ,Materials science ,Materials Science ,Material Properties ,Fluid Mechanics ,010402 general chemistry ,Thermal diffusivity ,Soaps ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Continuum Mechanics ,symbols.namesake ,Sonication ,Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ,Materials by Attribute ,Graphene oxide paper ,Graphene ,Graphene foam ,lcsh:R ,Electric Conductivity ,Water ,Fluid Dynamics ,Liquids ,Thermal Diffusion ,0104 chemical sciences ,Manufacturing Processes ,Specimen Preparation and Treatment ,Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ,Earth Sciences ,lcsh:Q ,Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ,Raman spectroscopy - Abstract
In this paper, we report how few layers graphene that can be produced in large quantity with low defect ratio from exfoliation of graphite by using a high intensity probe sonication in water containing liquid hand soap and PVP. It was founded that the graphene powder obtained by this simple exfoliation method after the heat treatment had an excellent exfoliation into a single or layered graphene sheets. The UV-visible spectroscopy, FESEM, TEM, X-ray powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy was used to analyse the graphene product. The thermal diffusivity of the samples was analysed using a highly accurate thermal-wave cavity photothermal technique. The data obtained showed excellent enhancement in the thermal diffusivity of the graphene dispersion. This well-dispersed graphene was then used to fabricate an electrically conductive polymer-graphene film composite. The results demonstrated that this low cost and environmental friendly technique allowed to the production of high quality layered graphene sheets, improved the thermal and electrical properties. This may find use in the wide range of applications based on graphene.
- Published
- 2015
86. A multi-criteria decision analysis of management alternatives for anaerobically digested kraft pulp mill sludge
- Author
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Antônio José Vinha Zanuncio, Claudio Mudadu Silva, Fábio de Ávila Rodrigues, Martijn Eikelboom, Alice do Carmo Precci Lopes, and José Cola Zanuncio
- Subjects
Atmospheric Science ,lcsh:Medicine ,Pulp mill sludge ,02 engineering and technology ,Heavy Metals ,Toxicology ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Sludge ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Toxins ,Bioenergy ,Anaerobiosis ,lcsh:Science ,Energy recovery ,Multidisciplinary ,Sewage ,Thermochemical Conversion ,Eukaryota ,Plants ,Pulp and paper industry ,Pollution ,Waste treatment ,Chemistry ,Digested kraft ,Kraft process ,Biofuel ,Textile Industry ,Physical Sciences ,Cements ,Engineering and Technology ,Pyrolysis ,Research Article ,Chemical Elements ,Environmental Engineering ,Algae ,Materials by Structure ,020209 energy ,Materials Science ,Toxic Agents ,Fuels ,complex mixtures ,Decision Support Techniques ,Greenhouse Gases ,Biogas ,Binders ,Environmental Chemistry ,Materials by Attribute ,lcsh:R ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Water Pollution ,technology, industry, and agriculture ,Organisms ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Carbon Dioxide ,Incineration ,Energy and Power ,Anaerobic digestion ,Atmospheric Chemistry ,Biofuels ,Earth Sciences ,Environmental science ,lcsh:Q ,Waste disposal - Abstract
The Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) procedure was used to compare waste management options for kraft pulp mill sludge following its anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion of sludge is advantageous because it produces biogas that may be used to generate electricity, heat and biofuels. However, adequate management of the digested sludge is essential. Landfill disposal is a non-sustainable waste management alternative. Kraft pulp mill digested sludge applied to land may pose risks to the environment and public health if the sludge has not been properly treated. This study is aimed to compare several recycling alternatives for anaerobically digested sludge from kraft pulp mills: land application, landfill disposal, composting, incineration, pyrolysis/gasification, and biofuel production by algae. The MCDA procedure considered nine criteria into three domains to compare digested sludge recycling alternatives in a kraft pulp mill: environmental (CO2 emission, exposure to pathogens, risk of pollution, material and energy recovery), economic (overall costs, value of products) and technical (maintenance and operation, feasibility of implementation). The most suitable management options for digested sludge from kraft pulp mills were found to be composting and incineration (when the latter was coupled with recycling ash to the cement industry). Landfill disposal was the worst option, presenting low performance in feasibility of implementation, risk of pollution, material and energy recovery.
- Published
- 2017
87. Aromatic amino acids in the cellulose binding domain of Penicillium crustosum endoglucanase EGL1 differentially contribute to the cellulose affinity of the enzyme
- Author
-
Zheng-gang Han, Jiang-Ke Yang, Fang-Yuan Chen, Li Xu, and Wei Xiong
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,lcsh:Medicine ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Biochemistry ,Substrate Specificity ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Binding Analysis ,Aromatic Amino Acids ,Filter Paper ,Aromatic amino acids ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Cellulases ,Amino Acids ,lcsh:Science ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Organic Compounds ,Amino acid ,Enzymes ,Laboratory Equipment ,Chemistry ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Cell Binding Assay ,Research Article ,Cell Binding ,Cell Physiology ,Green Fluorescent Proteins ,Equipment ,Cellulase ,Calorimetry ,Research and Analysis Methods ,03 medical and health sciences ,Amino Acids, Aromatic ,Signs and Symptoms ,Diagnostic Medicine ,Enzymatic hydrolysis ,Cellulose ,Penicillium crustosum ,Chemical Characterization ,030102 biochemistry & molecular biology ,Facies (Medical) ,lcsh:R ,Organic Chemistry ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Proteins ,Isothermal titration calorimetry ,Cell Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Cellulose binding ,digestive system diseases ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,biology.protein ,Enzymology ,lcsh:Q - Abstract
The cellulose binding domain (CBD) of cellulase binding to cellulosic materials is the initiation of a synergistic action on the enzymatic hydrolysis of the most abundant renewable biomass resources in nature. The binding of the CBD domain to cellulosic substrates generally relies on the interaction between the aromatic amino acids structurally located on the flat face of the CBD domain and the glucose rings of cellulose. In this study, we found the CBD domain of a newly cloned Penicillium crustosum endoglucanase EGL1, which was phylogenetically related to Aspergillus, Fusarium and Rhizopus, and divergent from the well-characterized Trichoderma reeseis cellulase CBD domain, contain two conserved aromatic amino acid-rich regions, Y451-Y452 and Y477-Y478-Y479, among which three amino acids Y451, Y477, and Y478 structurally sited on a flat face of this domain. Cellulose binding assays with green fluorescence protein as the marker, adsorption isotherm assays and an isothermal titration calorimetry assays revealed that although these three amino acids participated in this process, the Y451-Y452 appears to contribute more to the cellulose binding than Y477-Y478-Y479. Further glycine scanning mutagenesis and structural modelling revealed that the binding between CBD domain and cellulosic materials might be multi-amino-acids that participated in this process. The flexible poly-glucose molecule could contact Y451, Y477, and Y478 which form the contacting flat face of CBD domain as the typical model, some other amino acids in or outside the flat face might also participate in the interaction. Thus, it is possible that the conserved Y451-Y452 of CBD might have a higher chance of contacting the cellulosic substrates, contributing more to the affinity of CBD than the other amino acids.
- Published
- 2016
88. A single amino acid mutation affects elicitor and expansins-like activities of cerato-platanin, a non-catalytic fungal protein
- Author
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Federica Martellini, Francesco Bemporad, Paolo De Paoli, Simone Luti, Luigia Pazzagli, and Lorenzo Mazzoli
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Fungal Structure ,Mutant ,lcsh:Medicine ,Plant Science ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Filter Paper ,Urea ,lcsh:Science ,Plant Proteins ,Fungal protein ,Multidisciplinary ,Organic Compounds ,Cerato-platanin ,Biological activity ,Plants ,Recombinant Proteins ,Elicitor ,Laboratory Equipment ,Chemistry ,Experimental Organism Systems ,Plant Physiology ,Host-Pathogen Interactions ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Research Article ,Arabidopsis Thaliana ,Equipment ,Brassica ,Mycology ,Biology ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Fungal Proteins ,03 medical and health sciences ,Expansin ,Model Organisms ,Plant and Algal Models ,Phytoalexins ,medicine ,Escherichia coli ,Plant Defenses ,Cellulose ,lcsh:R ,Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules ,Organic Chemistry ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,Fungi ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Proteins ,Plant Disease Resistance ,Plant Pathology ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Amino Acid Substitution ,cerato-platanin ,defence elicitor, E. coli SHuffle, expansin-like protein, PAMP, ROS ,lcsh:Q ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Cerato-platanin (CP) is a non-catalytic, cysteine-rich protein, the first member of the cerato-platanin family. It is a single-domain protein with a double Ψ/β barrel domain resembling the D1 domain of plant and bacterial expansins. Similarly to expansins, CP shows a cell wall-loosening activity on cellulose and can be defined as an expanisin-like protein, in spite of the missing D2 domain, normally present in plant expansins. The weakening activity shown on cellulose may facilitate the CP-host interaction, corroborating the role of CP in eliciting plant defence response. Indeed, CP is an elicitor of primary defences acting as a Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMP). So far, structure-function relationship study has been mainly performed on the bacterial BsEXLX1 expansin, probably due to difficulties in expressing plant expansins in heterologous systems. Here, we report a subcloning and purification method of CP in the engineered E. coli SHuffle cells, which proved to be suitable to obtain the properly folded and biologically active protein. The method also enabled the production of the mutant D77A, rationally designed to be inactive. The wild-type and the mutated CP were characterized for cellulose weakening activity and for PAMP activity (i.e. induction of Reactive Oxygen Species synthesis and phytoalexins production). Our analysis reveals that the carboxyl group of D77 is crucial for expansin-like and PAMP activities, thus permitting to establish a correlation between the ability to weaken cellulose and the capacity to induce defence responses in plants. Our results enable the structural and functional characterization of a mono-domain eukaryotic expansin and identify the essential role of a specific aspartic residue in cellulose weakening.
- Published
- 2016
89. Inoculum composition determines microbial community and function in an anaerobic sequential batch reactor
- Author
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Rajkumari Kumaraswamy, Eric J. Alm, Juan R. Bastidas-Oyanedel, Allison Perrotta, Jorge Rodríguez, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Perrotta, Allison, and Alm, Eric J
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Metabolic Processes ,lcsh:Medicine ,Marine and Aquatic Sciences ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Sludge ,Biochemistry ,Bioreactors ,Camels ,RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Anaerobiosis ,lcsh:Science ,Mammals ,Multidisciplinary ,Ecology ,Organic Compounds ,Monosaccharides ,Community structure ,Biodiversity ,Pulp and paper industry ,6. Clean water ,Bacterial Pathogens ,Chemistry ,Wastewater ,Medical Microbiology ,Physical Sciences ,Vertebrates ,Composition (visual arts) ,Pathogens ,Ecosystem Functioning ,Research Article ,Materials by Structure ,Mangrove Swamps ,030106 microbiology ,Batch reactor ,Microbial Consortia ,Materials Science ,Carbohydrates ,Biology ,Microbiology ,Ecosystems ,03 medical and health sciences ,Bioreactor ,Animals ,Microbial Pathogens ,Clostridium ,Bacteria ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Gut Bacteria ,Organic Chemistry ,Organisms ,Chemical Compounds ,Aquatic Environments ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Fatty Acids, Volatile ,Marine Environments ,Biotechnology ,Coasts ,030104 developmental biology ,Glucose ,Metabolism ,Microbial population biology ,13. Climate action ,Amniotes ,Fermentation ,Earth Sciences ,lcsh:Q ,business ,Function (biology) - Abstract
The sustainable recovery of resources from wastewater streams can provide many social and environmental benefits. A common strategy to recover valuable resources from wastewater is to harness the products of fermentation by complex microbial communities. In these fermentation bioreactors high microbial community diversity within the inoculum source is commonly assumed as sufficient for the selection of a functional microbial community. However, variability of the product profile obtained from these bioreactors is a persistent challenge in this field. In an attempt to address this variability, the impact of inoculum on the microbial community structure and function within the bioreactor was evaluated using controlled laboratory experiments. In the course of this work, sequential batch reactors were inoculated with three complex microbial inocula and the chemical and microbial compositions were monitored by HPLC and 16S rRNA amplicon analysis, respectively. Microbial community dynamics and chemical profiles were found to be distinct to initial inoculate and highly reproducible. Additionally we found that the generation of a complex volatile fatty acid profile was not specific to the diversity of the initial microbial inoculum. Our results suggest that the composition of the original inoculum predictably contributes to bioreactor community structure and function., United States. National Institutes of Health (P30-ES002109)
- Published
- 2016
90. Cellulose-binding activity of a 21-kDa endo-ß-1,4-glucanase lacking cellulose-binding domain and its synergy with other cellulases in the digestive fluid of Aplysia kurodai
- Author
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Chikako Asada, Keizo Yuasa, and Akihiko Tsuji
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0301 basic medicine ,Cellobiose ,Physiology ,Oligosaccharides ,lcsh:Medicine ,Biochemistry ,Starches ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Filter Paper ,Catalytic Domain ,Aplysia ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Cellulases ,lcsh:Science ,Mammals ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Organic Compounds ,Hydrolysis ,Chemical Reactions ,Eukaryota ,Enzymes ,Laboratory Equipment ,Chemistry ,Cellulose fiber ,Physical Sciences ,Vertebrates ,Leporids ,Engineering and Technology ,Digestion ,Tetroses ,Research Article ,Protein Binding ,Cell Binding ,Cell Physiology ,Carbohydrates ,Equipment ,Cellulase ,03 medical and health sciences ,Protein Domains ,Hydrolase ,Animals ,Cellulose ,Organic Chemistry ,lcsh:R ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Proteins ,Cell Biology ,Glucanase ,Hares ,Cellulose binding ,Kinetics ,Glucose ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Amniotes ,Enzymology ,biology.protein ,lcsh:Q ,Physiological Processes - Abstract
Endo-s-1,4-glucanase AkEG21 belonging to glycosyl hydrolase family 45 (GHF45) is the most abundant cellulase in the digestive fluid of sea hare (Aplysia kurodai). The specific activity of this 21-kDa enzyme is considerably lower than those of other endo s-1,4-glucanases in the digestive fluid of A. kurodai, therefore its role in whole cellulose hydrolysis by sea hare is still uncertain. Although AkEG21 has a catalytic domain without a cellulose binding domain, it demonstrated stable binding to cellulose fibers, similar to that of fungal cellobiohydrolase (CBH) 1 and CBH 2, which is strongly inhibited by cellohexaose, suggesting the involvement of the catalytic site in cellulose binding. Cellulose-bound AkEG21 hydrolyzed cellulose to cellobiose, cellotriose and cellotetraose, but could not digest an external substrate, azo-carboxymethyl cellulose. Cellulose hydrolysis was considerably stimulated by the synergistic action of cellulose-bound AkEG21 and AkEG45, another s-1,4-endoglucanase present in the digestive fluid of sea hare; however no synergy in carboxymethylcellulose hydrolysis was observed. When AkEG21 was removed from the digestive fluid by immunoprecipitation, the cellulose hydrolyzing activity of the fluid was significantly reduced, indicating a critical role of AkEG21 in cellulose hydrolysis by A. kurodai. These findings suggest that AkEG21 is a processive endoglucanase functionally equivalent to the CBH, which provides a CBH-independent mechanism for the mollusk to digest seaweed cellulose to glucose.
- Published
- 2018
91. Comparison of stool collection and storage on Whatman FTA Elute cards versus frozen stool for enteropathogen detection using the TaqMan Array Card PCR assay
- Author
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Jamie Fraser, Cliff Philip, Mark P. Simons, Elizabeth Odundo, Indrani Mitra, Brett E. Swierczewski, Tahaniyat Lalani, E J Hutley, Faviola Reyes, Jie Liu, David R. Tribble, Mark S. Riddle, Patrick Connor, Michele D. Tisdale, and Eric R. Houpt
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Diarrhea ,Paper ,0301 basic medicine ,Pathogen detection ,030106 microbiology ,Pcr assay ,lcsh:Medicine ,Field tests ,urologic and male genital diseases ,medicine.disease_cause ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,Specimen Handling ,Feces ,03 medical and health sciences ,fluids and secretions ,Freezing ,Escherichia coli ,TaqMan ,Humans ,Medicine ,lcsh:Science ,Reference standards ,Escherichia coli Infections ,Travel ,Multidisciplinary ,Chromatography ,business.industry ,Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli ,lcsh:R ,bacterial infections and mycoses ,female genital diseases and pregnancy complications ,Military Personnel ,Norovirus ,lcsh:Q ,Detection rate ,business ,Sequence Analysis - Abstract
The use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assays for pathogen detection in travelers' diarrhea (TD) field studies is limited by the on-site processing and storage requirements for fecal specimens. The objectives of this investigation were to i) characterize the pathogen distribution in deployed military personnel with TD using the TaqMan® Array Card PCR (TAC) on frozen stool and diarrheal smears on Whatman FTA Elute cards (FTA cards), and to ii) compare TAC detection of enteropathogen targets using smeared FTA cards and frozen stool, using TAC on frozen stool as the 'reference standard'. Stool samples, obtained from active duty personnel with acute TD enrolled in a field trial, were smeared onto FTA cards and stored at room temperature. A corresponding aliquot of stool was frozen in a cryovial. FTA cards and frozen stool samples were tested at a central lab, using a customized TAC for detection of TD pathogens. 187 paired frozen stool samples and smeared FTA cards were stored for a median of 712 days (IQR 396-750) before testing. Overall detection rates were 78.6% for frozen stool and 73.2% for FTA cards. Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli were the most common bacteria identified. Using the TAC results on frozen stool as the reference, the overall sensitivity and specificity of TAC on FTA cards was 72.9% and 98.0% respectively. TAC on FTA cards demonstrated a decrease in sensitivity with increasing frozen stool quantification cycle (Cq) (90.0% in FTA cards with a corresponding frozen stool Cq < 30, and 72.9% in samples with a corresponding frozen stool Cq < 35). Our findings support the use and further development of FTA cards in combination with a quantitative PCR assay for enteropathogen detection in TD field studies.
- Published
- 2018
92. Correction: Fate of artificial sweeteners through wastewater treatment plants and water treatment processes
- Author
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Yingying Fu, Hongqiang Ren, Gang Wu, Xingsheng Gao, Ren Yuhang, Shaoli Li, Jinju Geng, and Cong Jiang
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Sanitization ,Applied Microbiology ,Marine and Aquatic Sciences ,lcsh:Medicine ,02 engineering and technology ,Wastewater ,Physical Chemistry ,Contaminants ,Limnology ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Public and Occupational Health ,lcsh:Science ,Asses ,Mammals ,Multidisciplinary ,Chemical Reactions ,Eukaryota ,Pulp and paper industry ,Pollution ,Chemistry ,Infectious Diseases ,Vertebrates ,Physical Sciences ,Biodegradation ,Sorption ,Engineering and Technology ,Sewage treatment ,Water treatment ,Research Article ,Biotechnology ,Environmental Engineering ,Infectious Disease Control ,020209 energy ,Equines ,Materials Science ,Microbiology ,Water Purification ,Environmental Biotechnology ,Oxidation ,Animals ,Materials by Attribute ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Water Pollution ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Correction ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Artificial Sweetener ,Health Care ,Disinfection ,Effluent ,Sweetening Agents ,Amniotes ,Earth Sciences ,Environmental science ,lcsh:Q ,Adsorption ,Preventive Medicine - Abstract
Five full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in China using typical biodegradation processes (SBR, oxidation ditch, A2/O) were selected to assess the removal of four popular artificial sweeteners (ASs). All four ASs (acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), cyclamate (CYC) and saccharin (SAC)) were detected, ranging from 0.43 to 27.34μg/L in the influent. Higher concentrations of ASs were measured in winter. ACE could be partly removed by 7.11–50.76% through biodegradation and especially through the denitrifying process. The A2/O process was the most efficient at biodegrading ASs. Adsorption (by granular activated carbon (GAC) and magnetic resin) and ultraviolet radiation-based advanced oxidation processes (UV/AOPs) were evaluated to remove ASs in laboratory-scale tests. The amounts of resin adsorbed were 3.33–18.51 times more than those of GAC except for SUC. The adsorption ability of resin decreased in the order of SAC > ACE > CYC > SUC in accordance with the pKa. Degradation of ASs followed pseudo-first-order kinetics in UV/H2O2 and UV/PDS. When applied to the secondary effluent, ASs could be degraded from 30.87 to 99.93% using UV/PDS in 30 minutes and UV/PDS was more efficient and economic.
- Published
- 2018
93. A comparative study for the organic byproducts from hydrothermal carbonizations of sugarcane bagasse and its bio-refined components cellulose and lignin
- Author
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Li Yanming, Ri-Bo Huang, Qing-Yan Wang, Jun Dai, Long Siyu, Neng-Zhong Xie, Tang Peiduo, Qi-Shi Du, and Du Fangli
- Subjects
Ecological Metrics ,020209 energy ,Biomass (Ecology) ,Organosolv ,lcsh:Medicine ,02 engineering and technology ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Lignin ,Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ,Mass Spectrometry ,Analytical Chemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Hydrothermal carbonization ,Spectrum Analysis Techniques ,Phenols ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Hemicellulose ,Biomass ,Cellulose ,lcsh:Science ,Multidisciplinary ,Ecology ,Organic Compounds ,Organic Chemistry ,Chromatographic Techniques ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,lcsh:R ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Esters ,Ketones ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Pulp and paper industry ,Environmentally friendly ,Saccharum ,Chemistry ,chemistry ,Biofuel ,Alcohols ,Physical Sciences ,lcsh:Q ,0210 nano-technology ,Bagasse ,Acids ,Research Article - Abstract
Sugarcane bagasse was refined into cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin using an ethanol-based organosolv technique. The hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) reactions were applied for bagasse and its two components cellulose and lignin. Based on GC-MS analysis, 32 (13+19) organic byproducts were derived from cellulose and lignin, more than the 22 byproducts from bagasse. Particularly, more valuable catechol products were obtained from lignin with 56.8% share in the total GC-MS integral area, much higher than the 2.263% share in the GC-MS integral areas of bagasse. The organic byproducts from lignin make up more than half of the total mass of lignin, indicating that lignin is a chemical treasure storage. In general, bio-refinery and HTC are two effective techniques for the valorization of bagasse and other biomass materials from agriculture and forest industry. HTC could convert the inferior biomass to superior biofuel with higher energy quantity of combustion, at the same time many valuable organic byproducts are produced. Bio-refinery could promote the HTC reaction of biomass more effective. With the help of bio-refinery and HTC, bagasse and other biomass materials are not only the sustainable energy resource, but also the renewable and environment friendly chemical materials, the best alternatives for petroleum, coal and natural gas.
- Published
- 2018
94. A constructed alkaline consortium and its dynamics in treating alkaline black liquor with very high pollution load
- Author
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Xia Wang, Ping Xu, Liping Zhao, Xiaojun Zhang, Guangchun Cao, Chunyu Yang, Hongyan Ren, Jinhui Feng, and Yang Li
- Subjects
Pulp mill ,China ,lcsh:Medicine ,Industrial Waste ,Bacillus ,Biotechnology/Environmental Microbiology ,engineering.material ,Environment ,Lignin ,Waste Disposal, Fluid ,Microbiology ,Water Supply ,RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ,Biotechnology/Applied Microbiology ,lcsh:Science ,Cellulose ,Environmental Restoration and Remediation ,Phylogeny ,Halomonas ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,business.industry ,Chemistry ,Pulp (paper) ,lcsh:R ,Chemical oxygen demand ,food and beverages ,Straw ,Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ,biology.organism_classification ,Pulp and paper industry ,Biotechnology ,Oxygen ,Wastewater ,Benzaldehydes ,engineering ,lcsh:Q ,business ,Black liquor ,Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis ,Water Pollutants, Chemical ,Research Article - Abstract
Background Paper pulp wastewater resulting from alkaline extraction of wheat straw, known as black liquor, is very difficult to be treated and causes serious environmental problems due to its high pH value and chemical oxygen demand (COD) pollution load. Lignin, semicellulose and cellulose are the main contributors to the high COD values in black liquor. Very few microorganisms can survive in such harsh environments of the alkaline wheat straw black liquor. A naturally developed microbial community was found accidentally in a black liquor storing pool in a paper pulp mill of China. The community was effective in pH decreasing, color and COD removing from the high alkaline and high COD black liquor. Findings Thirty-eight strains of bacteria were isolated from the black liquor storing pool, and were grouped as eleven operational taxonomy units (OTUs) using random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR profiles (RAPD). Eleven representative strains of each OTU, which were identified as genera of Halomonas and Bacillus, were used to construct a consortium to treat black liquor with a high pH value of 11.0 and very high COD pollution load of 142,600 mg l−1. After treatment by the constructed consortium, about 35.4% of color and 39,000 mg l−1 (27.3%) CODcr were removed and the pH decreased to 7.8. 16S rRNA gene polymerase chain reaction denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis suggested a two-stage treatment mechanism to elucidate the interspecies collaboration: Halomonas isolates were important in the first stage to produce organic acids that contributed to the pH decline, while Bacillus isolates were involved in the degradation of lignin derivatives in the second stage under lower pH conditions. Conclusions/Significance Tolerance to the high alkaline environment and good controllability of the simple consortium suggested that the constructed consortium has good potential for black liquor treatment. Facilitating the treatment process by the constructed consortium would provide a promising opportunity to reduce the pollution, as well as to save forest resources and add value to a waste product.
- Published
- 2008
95. Molecular Detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae on Dried Blood Spots from Febrile Nigerian Children Compared to Culture
- Author
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Stephen K. Obaro, Nelmary Hernandez-Alvarado, Chuma Onuchukwu, Fatimah Hassan-Hanga, Dominic Umoru, Mark R. Schleiss, and Pui Ying Iroh Tam
- Subjects
Male ,0301 basic medicine ,Physiology ,lcsh:Medicine ,Artificial Gene Amplification and Extension ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,medicine.disease_cause ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,law.invention ,Families ,Filter Paper ,law ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,lcsh:Science ,DNA extraction ,Children ,Polymerase chain reaction ,Multidisciplinary ,Spots ,Hematology ,Pneumococcus ,Body Fluids ,Bacterial Pathogens ,Laboratory Equipment ,Pneumococcal infections ,Streptococcus pneumoniae ,Blood ,Real-time polymerase chain reaction ,Medical Microbiology ,Child, Preschool ,Engineering and Technology ,Female ,Anatomy ,Pathogens ,Research Article ,030106 microbiology ,Nigeria ,Equipment ,Biology ,Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,Microbiology ,Pneumococcal Infections ,03 medical and health sciences ,Extraction techniques ,medicine ,Humans ,Molecular Biology Techniques ,Molecular Biology ,Microbial Pathogens ,Dried Blood Spot Testing ,Bacteriological Techniques ,Bacteria ,lcsh:R ,Infant, Newborn ,Organisms ,Infant ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Streptococcus ,Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Gold standard (test) ,medicine.disease ,Virology ,Age Groups ,People and Places ,lcsh:Q ,Population Groupings - Abstract
Background Nigeria has one of the highest burdens of pneumococcal disease in the world, but accurate surveillance is lacking. Molecular detection of infectious pathogens in dried blood spots (DBS) is an ideal method for surveillance of infections in resource-limited settings because of its low cost, minimal blood volumes involved, and ease of storage at ambient temperature. Our study aim was to evaluate a Streptococcus pneumoniae real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) assay on DBS from febrile Nigerian children on Whatman 903 and FTA filter papers, compared to the gold standard of culture. Methods Between September 2011 to May 2015, blood was collected from children 5 years of age or under who presented to six hospital study sites throughout northern and central Nigeria with febrile illness, and inoculated into blood culture bottles or spotted onto Whatman 903 or FTA filter paper. Culture and rt-PCR were performed on all samples. Results A total of 537 DBS specimens from 535 children were included in the study, of which 15 were culture-positive for S. pneumoniae. The rt-PCR assay detected S. pneumoniae in 12 DBS specimens (2.2%). One positive rt-PCR result was identified in a culture-negative specimen from a high-risk subject, and two positive rt-PCR results were negative on repeat testing. Six culture-confirmed cases of S. pneumoniae bacteremia were missed. Compared to culture, the overall sensitivities of Whatman 903 and FTA DBS for detection of S. pneumoniae were 57.1% (95% CI 18.4–90.1%) and 62.5% (95% CI 24.5–91.5%), respectively. Nonspecific amplification was noted in an additional 22 DBS (4.1%). Among these, six were positive for a non-S. pneumoniae pathogen on culture. Conclusions Rt-PCR was able to detect S. pneumoniae from clinical DBS specimens, including from a culture-negative specimen. Our findings show promise of this approach as a surveillance diagnostic, but also raise important cautionary questions. Several DBS specimens were detected as S. pneumoniae by rt-PCR despite growth of a non-S. pneumoniae pathogen on culture. A precise definition of what constitutes a positive result is required to avoid falsely over-identifying specimens.
- Published
- 2016
96. Use of Malachite Green-Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification for Detection of Plasmodium spp. Parasites
- Author
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Naomi W. Lucchi, Dragan Ljolje, Venkatachalam Udhayakumar, and Luciana Silva-Flannery
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Plasmodium ,Physiology ,lcsh:Medicine ,Analytic Sample Preparation Methods ,Parasitemia ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,Filter Paper ,Limit of Detection ,Rosaniline Dyes ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Malachite green ,Coloring Agents ,lcsh:Science ,DNA extraction ,Protozoans ,Multidisciplinary ,Malarial Parasites ,Hematology ,Body Fluids ,Laboratory Equipment ,Blood ,Bioassays and Physiological Analysis ,Engineering and Technology ,Anatomy ,Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ,Research Article ,030231 tropical medicine ,Loop-mediated isothermal amplification ,Equipment ,Biology ,Research and Analysis Methods ,03 medical and health sciences ,Extraction techniques ,Parasite Groups ,Parasitic Diseases ,medicine ,Humans ,Colorimetric Assays ,Detection limit ,Chromatography ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Nucleic acid amplification technique ,Tropical Diseases ,medicine.disease ,Parasitic Protozoans ,Malaria ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Parasitology ,lcsh:Q ,Biochemical Analysis ,Apicomplexa - Abstract
Malaria elimination efforts are hampered by the lack of sensitive tools to detect infections with low-level parasitemia, usually below the threshold of standard diagnostic methods, microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays such as the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), are well suited for field use as they do not require thermal cyclers to run the test. However, the use of specialized equipment, as described by many groups, reduces the versatility of the LAMP technique as a simple tool for use in endemic countries. In this study, the use of the malachite green (MG) dye, as a visual endpoint readout, together with a simple mini heat block was evaluated for the detection of malaria parasites. The assay was performed for 1 hour at 63°C and the results scored by 3 independent human readers. The limit of detection of the assay was determined using well-quantified Plasmodium spp. infected reference samples and its utility in testing clinical samples was determined using 190 pre-treatment specimens submitted for reference diagnosis of imported malaria in the United States. Use of a simplified boil and spin methods of DNA extraction from whole blood and filter paper was also investigated. We demonstrate the accurate and sensitive detection of malaria parasites using this assay with a detection limit ranging between 1–8 parasites/μL, supporting its applicability for the detection of infections with low parasite burden. This assay is compatible with the use of a simple boil and spin sample preparation method from both whole blood and filter papers without a loss of sensitivity. The MG-LAMP assay described here has great potential to extend the reach of molecular tools to settings where they are needed.
- Published
- 2016
97. Testing an Alternative Method for Estimating the Length of Fungal Hyphae Using Photomicrography and Image Processing
- Author
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Marta Camps Arbestain, Qinhua Shen, Mike Hedley, and Miko U. F. Kirschbaum
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Photomicrography ,Microscope ,Fungal Structure ,Image Processing ,Statistics as Topic ,lcsh:Medicine ,Plant Roots ,law.invention ,Soil ,Filter Paper ,law ,Mycorrhizae ,Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ,lcsh:Science ,Soil Microbiology ,Alternative methods ,Mammals ,Staining ,Multidisciplinary ,Visual examination ,Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Laboratory Equipment ,Membrane Staining ,Calibration ,Vertebrates ,Engineering and Technology ,Biological system ,Trichosurus ,Research Article ,Hypha ,Imaging Techniques ,Hyphae ,Equipment ,Image processing ,Mycology ,Biology ,Digital Imaging ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Marsupials ,Intersection (Euclidean geometry) ,03 medical and health sciences ,Botany ,Animals ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Opossums ,030104 developmental biology ,Specimen Preparation and Treatment ,Amniotes ,Signal Processing ,040103 agronomy & agriculture ,0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries ,lcsh:Q ,Arbuscular mycorrhizal ,Fungal hyphae ,Hair - Abstract
This study aimed to develop and test an unbiased and rapid methodology to estimate the length of external arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) hyphae in soil. The traditional visual gridline intersection (VGI) method, which consists in a direct visual examination of the intersections of hyphae with gridlines on a microscope eyepiece after aqueous extraction, membrane-filtration, and staining (e.g., with trypan blue), was refined. For this, (i) images of the stained hyphae were taken by using a digital photomicrography technique to avoid the use of the microscope and the method was referred to as "digital gridline intersection" (DGI) method; and (ii), the images taken in (i) were processed and the hyphal length was measured by using ImageJ software, referred to as the "photomicrography-ImageJ processing" (PIP) method. The DGI and PIP methods were tested using known grade lengths of possum fur. Then they were applied to measure the hyphal lengths in soils with contrasting phosphorus (P) fertility status. Linear regressions were obtained between the known lengths (Lknown) of possum fur and the values determined by using either the DGI (LDGI) (LDGI = 0.37 + 0.97 × Lknown, r2 = 0.86) or PIP (LPIP) methods (LPIP = 0.33 + 1.01 × Lknown, r2 = 0.98). There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences between the LDGI and LPIP values. While both methods provided accurate estimation (slope of regression being 1.0), the PIP method was more precise, as reflected by a higher value of r2 and lower coefficients of variation. The average hyphal lengths (6.5-19.4 m g-1) obtained by the use of these methods were in the range of those typically reported in the literature (3-30 m g-1). Roots growing in P-deficient soil developed 2.5 times as many hyphae as roots growing in P-rich soil (17.4 vs 7.2 m g-1). These tests confirmed that the use of digital photomicrography in conjunction with either the grid-line intersection principle or image processing is a suitable method for the measurement of AMF hyphal lengths in soils for comparative investigations.
- Published
- 2016
98. Drug loss while crushing tablets: Comparison of 24 tablet crushing devices
- Author
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Kathryn J. Steadman, Yady J. Manrique, and Min Yew Thong
- Subjects
Drug Administration ,Materials science ,Materials by Structure ,Drug Compounding ,Materials Science ,Administration, Oral ,lcsh:Medicine ,030226 pharmacology & pharmacy ,Consumer Electronics ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Drug Therapy ,Drug Stability ,Animal Products ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,lcsh:Science ,Nutrition ,Acetaminophen ,Pharmacology ,Drug compounding ,Multidisciplinary ,Pharmaceutics ,Physics ,lcsh:R ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Drugs ,Drug administration ,Agriculture ,Honey ,Acoustics ,Pulp and paper industry ,Crusher ,Diet ,Quiet ,surgical procedures, operative ,Food ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Medical Devices and Equipment ,lcsh:Q ,Powders ,Electronics ,Drug Delivery ,Research Article ,Biotechnology ,Tablets - Abstract
This study investigated 24 tablet crushing devices for drug loss using different methods to recover the crushed tablet. 24 devices were compared: 3 with disposable cups, 6 with disposable bags, 12 without separate vessels and 3 types of mortar and pestle. One paracetamol tablet was crushed and recovered by tapping the powder out. Where appropriate, depending on crusher size and manufacturer instructions, the powder was also recovered by mixing with water or food. Paracetamol recovery (quantity that can be delivered to a patient) and leftover (quantity remaining in the device) were measured using a validated UV method and the entire experiment was replicated 3 times. Drug recovery ranged from 86.7-98.1% when the crushed tablet was tapped out of the crushers (average loss 5.8%). Significant losses were measured for 18 crushers, particularly manually operated hand-twist crushers with a serrated crushing surface, and some devices with disposable bags or cups. Rinsing the crushed powder with water once resulted in an average of 24.2% drug loss, and this was reduced to 4.2% after a second rinse. If crushing is unavoidable, maximizing medication delivery to the patient is essential. Rinsing twice resulted in similar paracetamol recovery to tapping the powder out; however only water rinses have the potential for direct consumption by the patient, minimizing drug loss across the entire crushing and transfer process.
- Published
- 2018
99. Exploitation of Trametes versicolor for bioremediation of endocrine disrupting chemicals in bioreactors
- Author
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Francesca Raganati, Antonio Marzocchella, Giovanni Sannia, Alessandra Piscitelli, Cinzia Pezzella, Giuseppe Olivieri, Dietmar Schlosser, Gemma Macellaro, Pezzella, Cinzia, Macellaro, Gemma, Sannia, Giovanni, Raganati, Francesca, Olivieri, Giuseppe, Marzocchella, Antonio, Schlosser, Dietmar, and Piscitelli, Alessandra
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Fungal Structure ,Applied Microbiology ,lcsh:Medicine ,Biomass ,Laccases ,Endocrine Disruptors ,010501 environmental sciences ,Biochemistry ,01 natural sciences ,Bioreactors ,Phthalates ,Trametes ,Contaminants ,lcsh:Science ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Chemistry ,Pulp and paper industry ,Enzymes ,Biodegradation, Environmental ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Phanerochaete ,Bioremediation ,Research Article ,Biotechnology ,Pollutants ,Environmental Engineering ,Materials by Structure ,Materials Science ,Mycology ,Microbiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Environmental Biotechnology ,Bioreactor ,Environmental Chemistry ,Materials by Attribute ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Trametes versicolor ,Laccase ,Mycelium ,lcsh:R ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organisms ,Fungi ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Proteins ,biology.organism_classification ,030104 developmental biology ,Mixtures ,Enzymology ,lcsh:Q ,Pleurotus ostreatus - Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental contaminants causing increasing concerns due to their toxicity, persistence and ubiquity. In the present study, degradative capabilities of Trametes versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus and Phanerochaete chrysosporium to act on five EDCs, which represent different classes of chemicals (phenols, parabens and phthalate) and were first applied as single compounds, were assessed. T. versicolor was selected due to its efficiency against target EDCs and its potentialities were exploited against a mixture of EDCs in a cost-effective bioremediation process. A fed-batch approach as well as a starvation strategy were applied in order to reduce the need for input of 'fresh' biomass, and avoid the requirement for external nutrients. The fungus was successfully operated in two different bioreactors over one week. Semi-batch cultures were carried out by daily adding a mixture of EDCs to the bioreactors in a total of five consecutive degradation cycles. T. versicolor was able to efficiently remove all compounds during each cycle converting up to 21 mg L-1 day-1 of the tested EDCs. The maintained ability of T. versicolor to remove EDCs without any additional nutrients represents the main outcome of this study, which enables to forecast its application in a water treatment process.
- Published
- 2017
100. Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Arabinogalactan and Dihydroquercetin Simultaneously from Larix gmelinii as a Pretreatment for Pulping and Papermaking
- Author
-
Jian Li, Lei Yang, Jinquan Yue, Wei Li, Yuangang Zu, and Chunhui Ma
- Subjects
Paper ,Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ,lcsh:Medicine ,Larix ,Plant Science ,Industrial Processes ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Kappa number ,Galactans ,High-performance liquid chromatography ,Arabinogalactan ,Natural Resources ,Industrial Engineering ,Botany ,Ultrasonics ,lcsh:Science ,Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ,Ethanol precipitation ,Extraction Techniques ,Multidisciplinary ,Chemistry ,lcsh:R ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Extraction (chemistry) ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Chemical Engineering ,Solvent ,Separation Processes ,Technology Development ,Kraft process ,Specimen Preparation and Treatment ,Yield (chemistry) ,Engineering and Technology ,lcsh:Q ,Quercetin ,Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ,Research Article ,Nuclear chemistry - Abstract
An ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method using ethanol was applied for extracting arabinogalactan (AG) and dihydroquercetin (DHQ) simultaneously from larch wood, as a pretreatment for pulping and papermaking. The extraction parameters were optimized by a Box-Behnken experimental design with the yields of AG and DHQ as the response values. Under optimum conditions (three extractions, each using 40% ethanol, for 50 min, 200 W ultrasound power and 1∶18 solid-liquid ratio), the yields of AG and DHQ were 183.4 and 36.76 mg/g, respectively. After UAE pretreated, the wood chips were used for Kraft pulping (KP) and high boiling solvent pulping (HBSP). The pulping yield after pretreatment was higher than that of untreated (the pulping yields of untreated HBSP and KP were 42.37% and 39.60%, and the pulping yields of HBSP and KP after UAE-pretreated were 44.23% and 41.50% respectively), as indicated by a lower kappa number (77.91 and 27.30 for untreated HBSP and KP; 77.01 and 26.83 for UAE-pretreated HBSP and KP). Furthermore, the characteristics of paper produced from pretreated wood chips were superior to those from the untreated chips: the basis weight was lower (85.67 and 82.48 g·cm(-2) for paper from untreated KP and HBSP; 79.94 and 80.25 g·cm(-2) for paper from UAE-pretreated KP and HBSP), and the tensile strengths, tearing strengths, bursting strengths, and folding strengths were higher than these of paper after UAE-pretreated, respectively.
- Published
- 2014
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