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This study was designed to examine the feasibility of recycling cassava effluent, sawdust, and unused paper products to enhance their utilization for beneficial purpose. Waste newspaper paste (WNP), Waste writing – paper paste (WWP), and Waste carton paper paste (WCP) were prepared and then used separately to similarly fabricate composite panels with Sawdust particle (SDP) proportioned at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% by weight. The binder used was cassava starch slurry prepared from the effluent. Bulk density, water absorption, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, nailability, and flexural strength were determined for the developed samples. From the results obtained, the samples were found to be light-weight and their thermal insulation performance improved with increasing proportions of the SDP. Though samples containing the WCP exhibited the best satisfactory performance, it was found that all the studied samples could perform more effectively and efficiently as ceilings compared to some of those reported in the literature. From scientific-economic viewpoint, valorizing the above-mentioned wastes as described in this paper could help to protect the environment and also yield value-added insulation ceilings for enhancement of sustainable building construction especially in tropical areas.

Large quantities of waste newspapers and sugarcane bagasse are prevalently discarded by open burning or indiscriminate dumping, thereby posing severe danger to the environment and public health. This study sought to examine the feasibility of managing the wastes by recycling them into value-added products for building construction. Composite panels were fabricated using waste newspaper paste (WNP) with sugarcane bagasse particles (SBP) varied at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 % by weight of the composite mix. Epoxy resin was thoroughly mixed with its hardener and applied as binder. The samples were developed in triplicates per proportion of the SBP adopted and then dried completely before their thermophysical and strength properties were evaluated. It was observed that variations in mean values of water absorption (28.57 – 39.43 %), thickness swelling (6.21 - 8.33 %), specific heat capacity (1232 - 1312Jkg−1K−1) trended positively with increasing proportions of the SBP. Whereas nailability remained 100.0 % in all the cases, bulk density (689.4 - 640.5 kgm−3), thermal conductivity (0.1186 - 0.1163 Wm−1K−1), thermal diffusivity (1.396 - 1.384 x 10−7 m2s−1), and flexural strength (2.572 - 2.280 N/mm2) correlated inversely with the added fractions of the SBP. Generally, it was found that the samples could perform satisfactorily if applied as ceiling or partition elements in building design. Therefore, recycling of sugarcane bagasse and waste newspapers as described in this study could serve as a promising way of solving their disposal problems and also enhance achievement of low-cost and safe buildings.

The literature is flooded with scientific information on most durability properties except water absorption coefficient of masonry units like sandcrete blocks. Also, while waste papers disposal is a systemic problem due to ineffectiveness of waste management system in developing countries, the price of cement is on the increase. This situation, ultimately, causes a bane in achievement of low-cost housing development considering the fact that sandcrete blocks are predominantly used as walling elements for such undertakings. In this study, solid core sandcrete blocks were produced with waste paper ash (WPA) utilized as partial replacement of cement at 5 % and 10 % volumetric levels. Chemically, the WPA was found to show similarity with cement in terms of SiO2, Al2O3, and CaO contents. Density and water absorption coefficient of the block samples were determined. While density ranged from 1682 to 1872 kg/m3, water absorption coefficient varied from 27.04 to 23.49 kg/m2h0.5. Statistically, no significant difference was revealed at p < 0.05 between experimentally-measured water absorption coefficients and those obtained using the model developed for prediction based on density of the samples. Thus, utilization of WPA as described herein could help to reduce the cost of procuring cement and in turn, enhance low-cost building construction. Also, with the developed model (showing dependence of water absorption coefficient on density), durability of sandcrete blocks exposed to moisture –prone environment could be easily predicted.

Information on regional variation in cell numbers and densities in the CNS provides critical insight into structure, function, and the progression of CNS diseases. However, variability can be real or can be a consequence of methods that do not account for technical biases, including morphologic deformations, errors in the application of cell type labels and boundaries of regions, errors of counting rules and sampling sites. We address these issues of by introducing a workflow that consists of the following steps: 1. Magnetic resonance histology (MRH) to establish the size, shape, and regional morphology of the mouse brain in situ. 2. Light-sheet microscopy (LSM) to selectively label all neurons or other cells in the entire brain without sectioning artifacts. 3. Register LSM volumes to MRH volumes to correct for dissection errors and morphological deformations. 4. Implement novel protocol for automated sampling and counting of cells in 3D LSM volumes. This workflow can analyze the cells density of one brain region in less than 1 min and is highly replicable to cortical and subcortical gray matter regions and structures throughout the brain. We report deformation-corrected neuron (NeuN) counts and neuronal density in 13 representative regions in 5 C57B6/6J and 2 BXD strains. The data represent the variability among cases for the same brain region and across regions within case. Our data are consistent with previous studies. We demonstrate the application of our workflow to a mouse model of aging. This workflow improves the accuracy of neuron counting and the assessment of neuronal density on a region-by-region basis, with broad applications in how genetics, environment, and development across the lifespan impact brain structure.

Coconut husk is generated yearly as waste in large quantities but majorly under-utilized. Also, as a result of high embodied carbon, cement production is one of the largest contributors to construction sector carbon footprint. Since accumulation of unmanaged agro-waste like coconut husk has an increased environmental concern due to its pollution effect, recycling it into sustainable construction materials is a viable solution for future generation. In this study, experiments were performed to investigate the influence of coconut husk ash nanomaterial (CHAN) inclusion on electrical characteristics of plain cement paste (BCP) and mortar (CSM) samples at curing ages of 7 and 28 days. The results showed increase in electrical resistivity, thermal constant, and activation energy with curing duration for heating and cooling cycles of BCP and CSM. With inclusion of CHAN, the developed cement paste (CAP) and mortar (CASM) possessed lower values in all cases compared to their counterparts. Also, during heating at 28 days, both the CAP and CASM exhibited decrease in thermal constant. Though electrical resistance of all the samples varied inversely with temperature, CAP and CASM were found to possess greater potentials to make building structures intrinsically smart. Hence, in addition to solving disposal problems, utilization of coconut husks as described herein could enhance development of safe, inexpensive, and sustainable buildings that have large temperature sensing volume.

There are materials that could serve useful purpose(s) in many fields, but they are left unutilized due to lack of both the knowledge on their useful properties and availability of values as per such properties. Notably, the knowledge of dielectric properties of some materials of plant origin is lacking whereas such is necessary for industrial, agricultural, electrical, electronics, biophysical and medical applications as well as other uses of a material. In this research, Raphia Vinifera is a material of choice. The experimental determination and computation of some dielectric properties of Raphia fiber from epidemis of young leaflets of Raphia Vinifera is explored. The properties considered for determination were dielectric permittivity, loss angle and dissipation factor. A Schering Bridge arrangement was employed, with a fixed thickness and varying areas of sample at various select frequencies. The values of the investigated properties recorded for our research sample trended towards being dependent of frequency. At frequency values above 1 kHz, the values of the properties determined decreased with increase in frequency. The values compared favorably with those of the already known and commonly used dielectric materials. The preliminary investigation showed that Raphia Vinifera would have usefulness in the electrical and electronic industries as raw material for the production of capacitor among other uses.

Supernova (SN) explosions have been sought for decades as a possible source of dust in the Universe, providing the seeds of galaxies, stars, and planetary systems. SN 1987A offers one of the most promising examples of significant SN dust formation, but until the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), instruments have traditionally lacked the sensitivity at both late times (>1 yr post-explosion) and longer wavelengths (i.e., >10 um) to detect analogous dust reservoirs. Here we present JWST/MIRI observations of two historic Type IIP SNe, 2004et and SN 2017eaw, at nearly 18 and 5 yr post-explosion, respectively. We fit the spectral energy distributions as functions of dust mass and temperature, from which we are able to constrain the dust geometry, origin, and heating mechanism. We place a 90% confidence lower limit on the dust masses for SNe 2004et and 2017eaw of >0.014 and >4e-4 M_sun, respectively. More dust may exist at even colder temperatures or may be obscured by high optical depths. We conclude dust formation in the ejecta to be the most plausible and consistent scenario. The observed dust is radiatively heated to ~100-150 K by ongoing shock interaction with the circumstellar medium. Regardless of the best fit or heating mechanism adopted, the inferred dust mass for SN 2004et is the second highest (next to SN 1987A) inferred dust mass in extragalactic SNe thus far, promoting the prospect of SNe as potential significant sources of dust in the Universe., 12 pages, 7 figures, submitting to MNRAS

It has been observed that clay soil cannot be used for building design, unless it is modified by firing or with cement. Either method of stabilization can adversely affect the environment and public health just like indiscriminate dumping or open burning adopted in developing countries as the prevalent disposal technique for waste papers. This paper sought to examine the feasibility of using assorted waste papers to derive an alternative stabilizer to Portland Limestone Cement for modification of clay soil into composite materials suitable for building design. Specifically, clay-based composites were fabricated at 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20% replacement levels by weight with cement, and then hydrothermally-calcined waste paper ash nanomaterial (HCWPAN). Water absorption, sorptivity, bulk density, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, flaking concentration, flexural strength, and compressive strength were investigated for each of the fabricated samples. Irrespective of the stabilizing agent utilized, 10% loading level was found to be the optimum for possession of maximum mechanical strength by the samples. Only samples with the HCWPAN content were found to be capable of reducing building dead loads and improving thermal insulation efficiency over un-stabilized clay material, if applied as walling elements in buildings. Generally, it was revealed that the cement and HCWPAN have comparable influences on the properties of clay soil, thus indicating that HCWPAN could be utilized as an alternative stabilizer to cement. In addition, the preparation of HCWPAN was found to be more energy-saving than that of the cement.

In the midst of challenges facing affordable, safe and sustainable housing development, there is a continuous increase in the vast amounts of carton papers, melon seed husks, and groundnut shells discarded as waste materials. This is of great concern, especially, as such residues are under-utilised and their improper disposal creates grave problems. Thus, this work was designed to assess the feasibility of solving the emerging problems by valorising the said wastes into value-added products that can be used for building construction. Samples containing varying weight proportions of waste carton paste (WCP) and melon seed husk (MSH) were developed using Topbond as binding agent. Other samples were similarly fabricated but with groundnut shell (GNS) as a component. From the results of tests performed to investigate strength and heat transfer behaviour of each developed sample, it was observed that nailability remained 100% irrespective of the composite formulations adopted. In other cases, the test results varied according to WCP loadings. Though samples containing MSH appeared to be more efficient than their counterparts with GNS content for thermal insulation, the observed differences in the results were statistically insignificant. Aside being sustainable and inexpensive, it was found generally that the afore-mentioned wastes are promising alternative raw materials for production of medium-density panels that are environmentally-friendly and also suitable for use as either ceiling or interior partition boards for effective thermal insulation in buildings. Such undertakings have the potential to minimise the adverse effects that could be caused by the wastes in question.

Due to the problems militating against solid-waste management in developing countries, the disposal of sugarcane leaves is majorly done by burning in an open space. Such practice usually results in environmental pollution due to generation and emission of carbon dioxide. There is need to look into a scientific way of reducing the waste in question and enhance its use in the production of environmentally-friendly, inexpensive, and value-added material. In this work, thermal conductivity (k), bulk density ( $$\rho$$ ), specific heat capacity (C), thermal diffusivity (λ), thermal absorptivity (⍺), thermal inertia (e), water absorption (W.A), flexural strength ( $$\sigma$$ ), and compressive strength (CS) were investigated for compressed boards made of sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum) leaves. The mean with standard error values obtained for k, $$\rho$$ , C, λ, ⍺, e, W.A, $$\sigma$$ , and CS were (0.0481 ± 0.0004) Wm−1 K−1, (253.558 ± 2.459) kg.m−3, (2140.930 ± 1.356) Jkg−1 K−1, (8.867 ± 0.024) × 10−8m2 s−1, (20.252 ± 0.004) m−1, (161.633 ± 1.421) Jm−2 K−1 s−½, (90.123 ± 0.164) %, (0.263 ± 0.004) Nmm−2, and (0.152 ± 0.006) Nmm−2, respectively. Observably, these values compare favourably with those of already-known conventional ceiling panels. Thus, sugarcane leaf is a potential eco-friendly raw material for the production of thermal insulation boards that are suitable for use as a ceiling for naturally cooled building design, especially, in tropical regions. Doing so can help to minimise the adverse effect resulting from the practice of its disposal by open burning method.

Dielectric constant, loss angle and dissipation factors were determined for eggshell membrane of some select bird species. The results revealed that eggshell membrane of Hen (local free-range fowl), Layer (agricultural farm fowl), Duck, Turkey and Quail has dielectric constant values of 6.016, 5.556, 6.809, 6.145 and 2.632, respectively, at frequency of 1 kHz. The dielectric constant values in each case were found to decrease with increase in frequency towards 3 GHz. Loss angle and dissipation factor also exhibited similar trend with frequency. The values of the eggshell membrane were observed to fall within the range of reported values of some known dielectric materials commonly put to use for production of capacitor. It has sustainability and is cheap to obtain. Hence, it is a good and recommended raw material for electrical and electronic industry for capacitor production.

Disc-shaped compacts were fabricated from two mix proportions of calcined eggshell nanopowder and dry cassava starch and then used as test samples. The electrical resistance (R), thermal sensitivity index (β) and electronic activation energy (Ea) of the samples measured over a temperature range from 35 to 75oC were found to decrease non-linearly in values with increasing temperature. It was also observed that the results obtained (R = 3.691E6 Ω – 6.210E7 Ω, β = 3812K – 5316K and Ea = 0.33 eV – 0.46 eV) fulfill market requirements by comparing very well with the established values for NTC thermistors. Hence, from manufacturing viewpoint, recycling of chicken eggshell wastes and cassava effluents can avail electronic industry with promising and alternative materials for fabrication of temperature sensing / monitoring / control devices suitable for engineering applications. This will also help to reduce environmental pollution.

Three bands of cement with different trade names, Dangote, UNICEM, and Eagle cement were separately molded into cement-sand blocks at different proportions of cement sand ratio of 2:3, 3:7 and 1:4 by weight for each of the cement brand were prepared and allowed to cure. We exposed the blocks to gamma radiation for the determination of attenuation coefficient, half thickness, and mass absorption coefficient. We also determined density values for the blocks. The results for the cement samples show that the higher the cement content in the cement sand block, the higher the density value and the gamma attenuation coefficient, suggesting that cement sand block with a high proportion of cement content makes for a good shielding in gamma radiation exposed environment, Gamma radiation attenuation the method can equally be a useful technique for cement sand block quality control in building construction industry.

Supplemental Material for The Second Sex in the Second District: The Policy Effects of Electing Women to County Governmentl by Markie McBrayer and Robert Lucas Williams in Political Research Quarterly

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides a high throughput, quantitative and unbiased framework for scientists in many research fields to identify and characterize cell types within heterogeneous cell populations from various tissues. However, scRNA-seq based identification of discrete cell-types is still labor intensive and depends on prior molecular knowledge. Artificial intelligence has provided faster, more accurate, and user-friendly approaches for cell-type identification. In this review, we discuss recent advances in cell-type identification methods using artificial intelligence techniques based on single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing data in vision science.

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We present the magnetic properties of a new family of S = 1 molecule-based magnets, NiF2(3,5-lut)4·2H2O and NiX2(3,5-lut)4, where X = HF2, Cl, Br, or I (lut = lutidine C7H9N). Upon creation of isolated Ni–X···X–Ni and Ni–F–H–F···F–H–F–Ni chains separated by bulky and nonbridging lutidine ligands, the effect that halogen substitution has on the magnetic properties of transition-metal-ion complexes can be investigated directly and in isolation from competing processes such as Jahn–Teller distortions. We find that substitution of the larger halide ions turns on increasingly strong antiferromagnetic interactions between adjacent Ni2+ ions via a novel through-space two-halide exchange. In this process, the X···X bond lengths in the Br and I materials are more than double the van der Waals radius of X yet can still mediate significant magnetic interactions. We also find that a simple model based on elongation/compression of the Ni2+ octahedra cannot explain the observed single-ion anisotropy in mixed-ligand compounds. We offer an alternative that takes into account the difference in the electronegativity of axial and equatorial ligands.\ud \ud

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Rattus norvegicus (the Norway rat; Chordata; Mammalia; Rodentia; Muridae). The genome sequence is 2.44 gigabases in span. The majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 20 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with both X and Y sex chromosomes assembled. This genome assembly, mRatBN7.2, represents the new reference genome for R. norvegicus and has been adopted by the Genome Reference Consortium.

This Net Zero America study aims to inform and ground political, business, and societal conversations regarding what it would take for the U.S. to achieve an economy-wide target of net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. Achieving this goal, i.e. building an economy that emits no more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than are permanently removed and stored each year, is essential to halt the buildup of climate-warming gases in the atmosphere and avert costly damages from climate change. A growing number of pledges are being made by major corporations, municipalities, states, and national governments to reach net- zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. This study provides granular guidance on what getting to net-zero really requires and on the actions needed to translate these pledges into tangible progress. The work outlines five distinct technological pathways, each of which achieves the 2050 goal and involves spending on energy in line with historical spending as a share of economic activity, or between 4-6% of gross domestic product. The authors are neutral as to which pathway is ���best���, and the final path the nation takes will no doubt differ from all of these. A goal of this study is to provide confidence that the U.S. now has multiple genuine paths to net-zero by 2050 and to provide a blueprint for priority actions for the next decade. These priorities include accelerating deployment at scale of technologies and solutions that are mature and affordable today and will return value regardless of what path the nation takes, as well as a set of actions to build key enabling infrastructure and improve a set of less mature technologies that will help complete the transition to a net-zero America. With multiple plausible and affordable pathways available, the societal conversation can now turn from ���if��� to ���how��� and focus on the choices the nation and its myriad stakeholders wish to make to shape the transition to net-zero. These conversations will need to be sensitive to the different values and priorities of diverse communities. That requires insight on how the nation will be reshaped by different paths to net-zero, and the benefits, costs, and challenges for specific locations, industries, professions, and communities. Supporting these decisions requires analysis at a visceral, human scale. The original and distinguishing feature of this Net Zero America study is thus the comprehensive cataloging across all major sectors at high geospatial and temporal resolution of the energy infrastructure deployments and related capital expenditures required for a net-zero transition. This granularity allows assessing the implications for land use, employment, air pollution, capital mobilization, and incumbent fossil fuel industries at state and local levels. The high resolution analysis is aimed at helping inform federal and state policy choices and private-sector decision making in support of a transition to net-zero by 2050. During the 2+ year research effort, the authors had many informative discussions with individuals in environmental research and advocacy organizations, oil and gas companies, renewable energy companies, national labs, industry trade organizations, universities, and elsewhere. The authors thank those individuals for their time and interest. The authors also thank the hundreds of stakeholders who have attended briefings where preliminary study results were presented. The feedback received as a result of those briefings have helped shape the contents of this report. Of course, any errors or omissions in this study are the responsibility of the authors alone, as are any views or recommendations expressed herein. For funding support, the authors thank the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, BP and the Carbon Mitigation Initiative within Princeton���s High Meadows Environmental Institute, ExxonMobil, and the University of Queensland. The full report, appendices, and detailed data portal are all available at http://netzeroamerica.princeton.edu, Download data and other resources at https://netzeroamerica.princeton.edu

Assorted potential thermal insulators are fabricated nowadays for possible applications in various fields. Unfortunately, drawbacks like selective suitability, unavailability, and expensiveness hinder the progress in the usage of several devices that are efficient and suitable for probing the thermal conductivity values of such materials. Though the observed challenges can be overcome by using the traditional Lee–Charlton’s Disc (TLD) apparatus, a long-time duration is usually required for the set-up to attain steady state. In this work, a modified Lee–Charlton’s Disc (MLD) apparatus set-up has been designed and put to use. The results showed decrements by 65.66% to 71.87% in the steady-state duration when using the MLD apparatus. By employing the MLD apparatus, thermal conductivity values were determined for thermal insulators with thickness of up to about 9.0 mm. The repeatability and reproducibility of the MLD apparatus satisfied the conditions for unconditional acceptability of a test device/method.

In this work, a modified water displacement method (MWDM) was designed and used alongside geometry method (GEM), overflow method (OFM) and water displacement method (WDM) for determination of bulk volume of a porous solid. Their results were analyzed graphically and statistically. On testing against the data obtained by Suspension/Buoyancy Method (SBM) used as gold standard, it was found that only those generated by the modified water displacement method (MWDM) were of very high accuracy and precision. Apart from its reproducibility being within the recommended range for acceptability of a test method, the technique is cost-effective and easy to apply even with an ungraduated glass cylindrical tube. This can go a long way in enhancing thorough physical characterization of porous solids without the use of high cost, sophisticated and complex equipment.

This study was designed to assess the possibility of tailoring waste papers and wood dust into composite materials with plaster of Paris (P.O.P) and also determine the suitability of using the developed composites as ceiling panels in building construction. Assorted un-used papers collected as waste materials were processed into waste paper ash (WPA) which was then after utilized like untreated wood dust (UWD) and treated wood dust (TWD) as filler materials to separately, but at similar volumetric proportions, fabricate test samples with P.O.P as matrix. Static angle of repose and major chemical constituents of the fillers were determined. The results of the tests performed on the samples revealed that increase in the proportion of each filler material resulted to decrease in bulk density, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and flexural strength but increase in percentage water absorption, specific heat capacity, thermal resistance, heat penetration time, and flaking concentration. Sample developed with 36.7 % of the WPA and the one containing 25.0 % of the TWD exhibited impressive performance ability similar to sample fabricated with 18.3 % of the UWD. Though the most significant improvement in thermal insulating ability over the pure P.O.P sample was observed in the case of samples developed with the UWD, it was found that the proportion of each filler material incorporated into the P.O.P matrix can be adjusted to achieve optimum performance desired of the resulting composite panel during its usage as a ceiling in building. From technical–economic point of view, utilizing waste papers and wood dust as raw materials in the production of new and value-added engineering materials, as in the present study, is a promising possibility of reducing the cost of P.O.P for enhancement of affordable housing, thereby meeting the needs of end-users and also ensure minimization of health hazards associated with paper and wood dust wastes.

Additional file 1.

El presente trabajo, está relacionado para tomar decisiones en función con los objetivos de la empresa, el gerente financiero va utilizar herramientas analíticas. No es solo el control interno, sino también un mejor entendimiento de lo que los usuarios externos e internos buscan en la condición y el desempeño financiero.

Additional file of The genetic organisation of prokaryotic two-component system signalling pathways

Authors’ original file for figure 1

Mitochondria dysfunction occurs in the aging brain as well as in several neurodegenerative disorders and predisposes neuronal cells to enhanced sensitivity to neurotoxins. 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) is a naturally occurring plant and fungal neurotoxin that causes neurodegeneration predominantly in the striatum by irreversibly inhibiting the tricarboxylic acid respiratory chain enzyme, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), the main constituent of the mitochondria respiratory chain complex II. Significantly, although 3-NP-induced inhibition of SDH occurs in all brain regions, neurodegeneration occurs primarily and almost exclusively in the striatum for reasons still not understood. In rodents, 3-NP-induced striatal neurodegeneration depends on the strain background suggesting that genetic differences among genotypes modulate toxicant variability and mechanisms that underlie 3-NP-induced neuronal cell death. Using the large BXD family of recombinant inbred (RI) strains we demonstrate that variants in Ccnd1 - the gene encoding cyclin D1 - of the DBA/2 J parent underlie the resistance to 3-NP-induced striatal neurodegeneration. In contrast, the Ccnd1 variant inherited from the widely used C57BL/6 J parental strain confers sensitivity. Given that cellular stress triggers induction of cyclin D1 expression followed by cell-cycle re-entry and consequent neuronal cell death, we sought to determine if the C57BL/6 J and DBA/2 J Ccnd1 variants are differentially modulated in response to 3-NP. We confirm that 3-NP induces cyclin D1 expression in striatal neuronal cells of C57BL/6 J, but this response is blunted in the DBA/2 J. We further show that striatal-specific alternative processing of a highly conserved 3'UTR negative regulatory region of Ccnd1 co-segregates with the C57BL/6 J parental Ccnd1 allele in BXD strains and that its differential processing accounts for sensitivity or resistance to 3-NP. Our results indicate that naturally occurring Ccnd1 variants may play a role in the variability observed in neurodegenerative disorders involving mitochondria complex II dysfunction and point to cyclin D1 as a possible therapeutic target.

Waste generation is a consequence of human activity and as such, it is certainly inevitable. The huge amount of wastes generated all over the world varies exponentially with population growth. In order to ensure sustainable development, there is need to prevent wastes from downgrading the economy, and also taking a toll on the environment and health of citizens through harmful emissions. This can be achieved by adopting the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) principle to optimize resource utilization. In this work, thermophysical and mechanical properties were investigated for boards produced from coconut leaflet. The results showed the values of thermal conductivity, bulk density, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, heat penetration time, water absorption, flexural strength, and compressive strength to be (0.0643 ± 0.0001) W m−1 K−1, (388.03 ± 0.09) kg m−3, (2705.59 ± 1.65) J kg−1 K−1, (6.12 ± 0.01) × 10−8 m2 s−1, (3.307 ± 0.003) h, (86.33 ± 0.15)%, (0.573 ± 0.001) N/mm2, and (0.480 ± 0.001) N/mm2 respectively. These values are within the range reported in several literatures for heat-insulating materials used as ceilings or for construction of solar oven/cooker. Statistically, one-way analysis of variance performed at 0.05 level of significance revealed an existence of significant difference between the mean temperature values of the exposed surfaces and the data got for the underside surfaces of the boards. Thus, instead of continuing to burn or dump coconut leaflet as waste, putting it into production cycle can result in a material that is environmentally-friendly, cost-effective, and suitable for engineering applications. This, in turn, will help to minimize waste, preserve environment, improve economy and create endless sustainable construction opportunities.

Bulk density (ρ), specific heat capacity (c), thermal conductivity (k), thermal resistivity (r), thermal diffusivity (α), water absorption (WA), flexural strength (σ), and compressive strength (CS) were determined for composite boards produced using cassava starch with the graduated percentage of waste newspaper paste and treated coconut husk as well as waste newspaper paste and untreated coconut husk. The results show that ρ, k, α, WA, σ, and CS are higher in value for samples containing waste newspaper paste and treated coconut husk than for those made with waste newspaper paste and untreated coconut husk. Also, c and r of samples containing waste newspaper paste and untreated coconut husk are observed to be higher in value than in the case with samples developed with treated coconut content. The values of the physical parameters determined are within the range specified for good thermal insulators suitable for interior building design.

Fermentation represents a large segment of post-harvest agricultural processing nationwide. Virginia is a leading state in the production of apples and has shown significant growth in the area of hard cider production. Consumer preference drives the hard cider market and new hard ciders are being introduced frequently. In an effort to enhance the quality of hard cider, this project sought to understand the effect of selected light (color and intensity) exposure during fermentation of apple cider on color and sensory characteristics of the resulting hard cider. Apple juice was inoculated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and placed into a vertical glass fermentation vessel. Light of selected colors (red, yellow, green, blue, and ultraviolet) and intensities (low, medium and high) was applied to the apple juice during fermentation. Juices were allowed to ferment for 187 ± 3 h, followed by sensory and color analysis. Hard cider exposed to ultraviolet light during fermentation was most different from the dark control (fermented with no light exposure) and most preferred by sensory panelists on the basis of taste. Ultraviolet light-treated ciders were less yellow in color as compared to the dark control. Modifying the color and intensity of light may yield hard ciders with improved sensory characteristics and provide cider makers with processes to enhance quality of traditionally fermented products. This project was funded by a grant from the Virginia Agricultural Council.

This content was published in the Monash University Law Review, the flagship academic journal of Monash Law School, managed by a team of student editors.

We classify Schubert problems in the Grassmannian of 4-planes in 9-dimensional space by their Galois groups. Of the 31,806 essential Schubert problems in this Grassmannian, there are only 149 whose Galois group does not contain the alternating group. We identify the Galois groups of these 149 -- each is an imprimitive permutation group. These 149 fall into two families according to their geometry. This study suggests a possible classification of Schubert problems whose Galois group is not the full symmetric group, and it begins to establish the inverse Galois problem for Schubert calculus., Comment: 38 pages, Arnold Mathematical Journal, to appear

Two Schubert problems on possibly different Grassmannians may be composed to obtain a Schubert problem on a larger Grassmannian whose number of solutions is the product of the numbers of the original problems. This generalizes a construction discovered while classifying Schubert problems on the Grassmannian of 4-planes in C^9 with imprimitive Galois groups. We give an algebraic proof of the product formula. In a number of cases, we show that the Galois group of the composed Schubert problem is a subgroup of a wreath product of the Galois groups of the original problems, and is therefore imprimitive. We also present evidence for a conjecture that all composed Schubert problems have imprimitive Galois groups., Comment: 24 pages

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Background: The choice of a suitable soil for an intended application depends, basically on one's thorough knowledge of soil properties. Soil color and thermal properties have been found to vary from place to place. However, there is no scientific information on the properties of a soil type formed with different colors in a location and exposed to the same influence for a reasonable interval of time. Consequently, this leaves room for a great deal of speculation and assumption. Aims and Objectives: This work was aimed at examining and comparing some vital properties of two soil samples of the same soil type formed in a place of a particular relief but are observed to be completely distinct in their colors. In addition, a model for prediction of temperature variation with the thickness of each sample was considered. Materials and Methods: Pink clay and yellow clay got from a location were used to prepare six test samples each. The samples were allowed to dry completely under ambient conditions before they were subjected to laboratory- based tests. Results: The results of each test differed for two clay samples. Apart from values of solar radiation absorptivity and flaking concentration, the mean values of sorptivity, bulk density, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity were found to be greater for pink clay soil compared to yellow clay soil. Conclusion: Clay soils of different colors can differ in their other properties even if they exist under same conditions in a particular location. During the time of minimum temperature or the hottest time of the day, pink clay would record a lower temperature than yellow clay.

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This thesis is not available on this repository until the author agrees to make it public. If you are the author of this thesis and would like to make your work openly available, please contact us: thesis@repository.cam.ac.uk., The Library can supply a digital copy for private research purposes; interested parties should submit the request form here: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/departments/digital-content-unit/ordering-images, Please note that print copies of theses may be available for consultation in the Cambridge University Library's Manuscript reading room. Admission details are at http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/departments/manuscripts-university-archives

Human vision is capable of performing many tasks not optimized for in its long evolution. Reading text and identifying artificial objects such as road signs are both tasks that mammalian brains never encountered in the wild but are very easy for us to perform. However, humans have discovered many very specific tricks that cause us to misjudge color, size, alignment and movement of what we are looking at. A better understanding of these phenomenon could reveal insights into how human perception achieves these feats. In this paper we present a dataset of 6725 illusion images gathered from two websites, and a smaller dataset of 500 hand-picked images. We will discuss the process of collecting this data, models trained on it, and the work that needs to be done to make it of value to computer vision researchers.

Malbrancheamide is a dichlorinated fungal indole alkaloid isolated from both Malbranchea aurantiaca and Malbranchea graminicola that belongs to a family of natural products containing a characteristic bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane core. The introduction of chlorine atoms on the indole ring of malbrancheamide differentiates it from other members of this family and contributes significantly to its biological activity. In this study, we characterized the two flavin-dependent halogenases involved in the late-stage halogenation of malbrancheamide in two different fungal strains. MalA and MalA' catalyze the iterative dichlorination and monobromination of the free substrate premalbrancheamide as the final steps in the malbrancheamide biosynthetic pathway. Two unnatural bromo-chloro-malbrancheamide analogues were generated through MalA-mediated chemoenzymatic synthesis. Structural analysis and computational studies of MalA' in complex with three substrates revealed that the enzyme represents a new class of zinc-binding flavin-dependent halogenases and provides new insights into a potentially unique reaction mechanism.

This Biofuel Tracker: Capacity for Low Carbon Fuel Policies – Assessment through 2018 report follows the discontinued annual Advanced Biofuel Market Report produced by E2. This new report updates information on transportation biofuel production capacity since E2’s final publication in 2015. The report provides information on market plans for near‐term production capacity through 2018. It is neither a prediction nor a forecast of either capacity or actual production levels. Rather, it is one indication of potential North American production of fuel volume that meets the California carbon intensity rating cut‐off in the next couple of years, given favorable market conditions and the current policy environment. For commercially emerging technologies and fuels, production capacity ranges are assessed based on company and media reports, and are filtered through a subjective evaluation of the likelihood of announced capacity coming online in the 2018 time frame. The low end of the production capacity range reflects capacity in which the authors have higher confidence: existing capacity plus companies that have shown signs of plans to move forward on the ground. The high end of the production capacity range includes capacity from companies that is assessed as less likely: from companies that still face some significant hurdle (e.g., financing) to meet targets or have not pinned down target dates due to unfavorable market conditions. Well‐established technologies and fuels like biodiesel are treated separately. In the case of biodiesel, production is determined by policy more than it is constrained by capacity. Therefore, the focus of this report is on describing the policies and other industry trends. The report includes information on private and public financing levels for biofuels, drawing, like the E2 series, on Clean Tech Group’s industry financial data plus government data, through 2015.

The present invention includes compositions and methods for preparing micron-sized or submicron-sized particles by dissolving a water soluble effective ingredient in one or more solvents; spraying or dripping droplets solvent such that the effective ingredient is exposed to a vapor-liquid interface of less than 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 200, 400 or 500 cm−1 area/volume to, e.g., increase protein stability; and contacting the droplet with a freezing surface that has a temperature differential of at least 30° C. between the droplet and the surface, wherein the surface freezes the droplet into a thin film with a thickness of less than 500 micrometers and a surface area to volume between 25 to 500 cm−1.