Synthesis and Characterization of Poly (ether imide)s Containing Phthalazinone and Isopropyl Moieties

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2001-01-01

A novel poly(ether imide)s containing phthalazinone and isopropyl moieties derived from 2-(4-aminophenyl)-4-[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]-phthalazin-l-one and bisphenol-A diphthalic anhydride was synthesized by one-step solution condensation polymerization in m-cresol. The polymer was characterized by FTIR, NMR, molecular weights, glass transition temperature,thermal degradation temperature and WAXD.

Observation on the biodegradation and bioremediation potential of methyl t-butyl ether

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salanitro, J.; Wisniewski, H.; McAllister, P.

1995-01-01

There have been few reports documenting evidence for the biodegradation of the fuel oxygenate alkyl ether, methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) in groundwater, soils, and biosludges. Partial (or complete) microbial breakdown of MTBE has been observed in an anaerobic subsoil, a river sediment under methanogenic conditions, a cyclohexane-degrading bacterial consortium and a pure culture of the methylotroph, Methylisnus trichosporium OB3b. An aerobic bacterial enrichment (BC-1) isolated from an industrial transient (non-accumulating) metabolic intermediate. The studies suggest that MTBE is cleaved by BC-1 to TBA which is then metabolized via isopropanol and acetone. There is little information on the occurrence of indigenous MTBE-degraders in groundwater, soils and activated sludges. Preliminary evidence has been obtained, however, from a marketing terminal groundwater site that naturally-occurring MTBE-degraders are present in some monitoring wells. Microcosm experiments with groundwater from this aquifer show that MTBE is aerobically degraded (no TBA formed) with a first-order decay rate (0.31/day) similar to BTEX. Also, MTBE did not inhibit the intrinsic biodegradation potential of BTEX in groundwater microcosms. In summary, the data presented indicate that MTBE biodegradation has been observed in some environmental media. Further work is needed to assess the feasibility of using indigenous or derived aerobic and anaerobic MTBE-degrading cultures for treating fuel ethers in groundwaters or wastewater with in-situ or ex-situ bioremediation technologies

Sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) degradation by nitrate-reducing bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulo, Ana M S; Aydin, Rozelin; Dimitrov, Mauricio R; Vreeling, Harm; Cavaleiro, Ana J; García-Encina, Pedro A; Stams, Alfons J M; Plugge, Caroline M

2017-06-01

The surfactant sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) is widely used in the composition of detergents and frequently ends up in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). While aerobic SLES degradation is well studied, little is known about the fate of this compound in anoxic environments, such as denitrification tanks of WWTPs, nor about the bacteria involved in the anoxic biodegradation. Here, we used SLES as sole carbon and energy source, at concentrations ranging from 50 to 1000 mg L -1 , to enrich and isolate nitrate-reducing bacteria from activated sludge of a WWTP with the anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A 2 /O) concept. In the 50 mg L -1 enrichment, Comamonas (50%), Pseudomonas (24%), and Alicycliphilus (12%) were present at higher relative abundance, while Pseudomonas (53%) became dominant in the 1000 mg L -1 enrichment. Aeromonas hydrophila strain S7, Pseudomonas stutzeri strain S8, and Pseudomonas nitroreducens strain S11 were isolated from the enriched cultures. Under denitrifying conditions, strains S8 and S11 degraded 500 mg L -1 SLES in less than 1 day, while strain S7 required more than 6 days. Strains S8 and S11 also showed a remarkable resistance to SLES, being able to grow and reduce nitrate with SLES concentrations up to 40 g L -1 . Strain S11 turned out to be the best anoxic SLES degrader, degrading up to 41% of 500 mg L -1 . The comparison between SLES anoxic and oxic degradation by strain S11 revealed differences in SLES cleavage, degradation, and sulfate accumulation; both ester and ether cleavage were probably employed in SLES anoxic degradation by strain S11.

Promoting environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jinhui; Zhao, Nana; Liu, Xue; Wu, Xiaoyang

2014-06-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers with persistent organic pollutant properties are required to be controlled by the Stockholm Convention. Recently, polybrominated diphenyl ether contamination has become widespread in Asia, mainly because of the disposal and recycling processes of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing wastes. The management status, production, usage, import/export, treatment, and disposal, as well as implementation deficiencies for the environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials in ten Asian countries were investigated and assessed in this study. This information could help the participating countries implement the Stockholm Convention and could promote the regional environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing articles and products. The results obtained were as follows. (1) Most of the countries studied lacked environmental policies and regulations, or even standards of polybrominated diphenyl ether pollution management and emission control actions. Accurate data on the consumption and importation of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials, however, were not available for all the participating countries. In addition, there were no special treatment or disposal systems for polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials, or emission-cutting measures for the treatment of waste in these countries, owing to the lack of sufficient funding or technologies. (2) The improper dismantling of e-waste is a major source of polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions in these countries. (3) Proper e-waste management could result in a breakthrough in the environmentally sound management of this major polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing material flow, and could significantly reduce polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions. Finally, based on the study results, this article puts forward some recommendations for improving the environmentally

Thermal and Optical Properties of New Poly(amide-imide)/Nanocomposite Reinforced by Layer Silicate Containing Diphenyl Ether Moieties

Science.gov (United States)

Faghihi, Khalil; Faramarzi, Ellahe; Shabanian, Meisam

2011-04-01

New poly(amide-imide)-montmorillonite reinforced nanocomposites containing Bis(4-N-trimellitylimido) diphenyl ether moiety in the main chain were synthesized by a convenient solution intercalation technique. Poly(amide-imide) (PAI) 4 was synthesized by the direct polycondensation reaction of Bis(4-N-trimellitylimido) diphenyl ether 3 with 4,4'-diamino diphenyl ether 2 in the presence of triphenyl phosphite (TPP), CaCl2, pyridine and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Morphology and structure of the resulting PAI-nanocomposite films 4a and 4b with 10 and 20 mass% silicate particles respectively, were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The properties of nanocomposites films were investigated by using Uv-vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and water uptake measurements.

Direct cloning from enrichment cultures, a reliable strategy for isolation of complete operons and genes from microbial consortia.

Science.gov (United States)

Entcheva, P; Liebl, W; Johann, A; Hartsch, T; Streit, W R

2001-01-01

Enrichment cultures of microbial consortia enable the diverse metabolic and catabolic activities of these populations to be studied on a molecular level and to be explored as potential sources for biotechnology processes. We have used a combined approach of enrichment culture and direct cloning to construct cosmid libraries with large (>30-kb) inserts from microbial consortia. Enrichment cultures were inoculated with samples from five environments, and high amounts of avidin were added to the cultures to favor growth of biotin-producing microbes. DNA was extracted from three of these enrichment cultures and used to construct cosmid libraries; each library consisted of between 6,000 and 35,000 clones, with an average insert size of 30 to 40 kb. The inserts contained a diverse population of genomic DNA fragments isolated from the consortia organisms. These three libraries were used to complement the Escherichia coli biotin auxotrophic strain ATCC 33767 Delta(bio-uvrB). Initial screens resulted in the isolation of seven different complementing cosmid clones, carrying biotin biosynthesis operons. Biotin biosynthesis capabilities and growth under defined conditions of four of these clones were studied. Biotin measured in the different culture supernatants ranged from 42 to 3,800 pg/ml/optical density unit. Sequencing the identified biotin synthesis genes revealed high similarities to bio operons from gram-negative bacteria. In addition, random sequencing identified other interesting open reading frames, as well as two operons, the histidine utilization operon (hut), and the cluster of genes involved in biosynthesis of molybdopterin cofactors in bacteria (moaABCDE).

Atrazine and its metabolites degradation in mineral salts medium and soil using an enrichment culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Anup; Singh, Neera

2016-03-01

An atrazine-degrading enrichment culture was used to study degradation of atrazine metabolites viz. hydroxyatrazine, deethylatrazine, and deisopropylatrazine in mineral salts medium. Results suggested that the enrichment culture was able to degrade only hydroxyatrazine, and it was used as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Hydroxyatrazine degradation slowed down when sucrose and/or ammonium hydrogen phosphate were supplemented as the additional sources of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. The enrichment culture could degrade high concentrations of atrazine (up to 110 μg/mL) in mineral salts medium, and neutral pH was optimum for atrazine degradation. Further, except in an acidic soil, enrichment culture was able to degrade atrazine in three soil types having different physico-chemical properties. Raising the pH of acidic soil to neutral or alkaline enabled the enrichment culture to degrade atrazine suggesting that acidic pH inhibited atrazine-degrading ability. The study suggested that the enrichment culture can be successfully utilized to achieve complete degradation of atrazine and its persistent metabolite hydroxyatrazine in the contaminated soil and water.

Biosynthesis of ether-phospholipids including plasmalogens, peroxisomes and human disease: new insights into an old problem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wanders, Ronald J. A.; Brites, Pedro

2010-01-01

Ether-phospholipids represent an important subclass of phospholipids in animal cell membranes characterized by the presence of an ether bond at the sn-I position and the enrichment of PUFAs at the sn-2 position. Of the different ether-phospholipids, plasmalogens are the most abundant form and their

Feasibility study of an alkaline-based chemical treatment for the purification of polyhydroxybutyrate produced by a mixed enriched culture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jiang, Y.; Mikova, G.; Kleerebezem, R.; Van der Wielen, L.A.M.; Cuellar Soares, M.C.

2015-01-01

This study focused on investigating the feasibility of purifying polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from mixed culture biomass by alkaline-based chemical treatment. The PHB-containing biomass was enriched on acetate under non-sterile conditions. Alkaline treatment (0.2 M NaOH) together with surfactant SDS

Titanium dioxide enrichment of sialic acid-containing glycopeptides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Palmisano, Giuseppe; Lendal, Sara E; Larsen, Martin Røssel

2011-01-01

the glycosylation site of N-linked sialylated glycoproteins. The method relies on the specificity of titanium dioxide affinity chromatography to isolate sialic acid-containing glycopeptides. After enzymatic release of the glycans, the enriched sialylated glycopeptides are analyzed by mass spectrometry...

A stem cell medium containing neural stimulating factor induces a pancreatic cancer stem-like cell-enriched population

Science.gov (United States)

WATANABE, YUSAKU; YOSHIMURA, KIYOSHI; YOSHIKAWA, KOICHI; TSUNEDOMI, RYOICHI; SHINDO, YOSHITARO; MATSUKUMA, SOU; MAEDA, NORIKO; KANEKIYO, SHINSUKE; SUZUKI, NOBUAKI; KURAMASU, ATSUO; SONODA, KOUHEI; TAMADA, KOJI; KOBAYASHI, SEI; SAYA, HIDEYUKI; HAZAMA, SHOICHI; OKA, MASAAKI

2014-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been studied for their self-renewal capacity and pluripotency, as well as their resistance to anticancer therapy and their ability to metastasize to distant organs. CSCs are difficult to study because their population is quite low in tumor specimens. To overcome this problem, we established a culture method to induce a pancreatic cancer stem-like cell (P-CSLC)-enriched population from human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines established at our department were cultured in CSC-inducing media containing epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), neural cell survivor factor-1 (NSF-1), and N-acetylcysteine. Sphere cells were obtained and then transferred to a laminin-coated dish and cultured for approximately two months. The surface markers, gene expression, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, cell cycle, and tumorigenicity of these induced cells were examined for their stem cell-like characteristics. The population of these induced cells expanded within a few months. The ratio of CD24high, CD44high, epithelial specific antigen (ESA) high, and CD44variant (CD44v) high cells in the induced cells was greatly enriched. The induced cells stayed in the G0/G1 phase and demonstrated mesenchymal and stemness properties. The induced cells had high tumorigenic potential. Thus, we established a culture method to induce a P-CSLCenriched population from human pancreatic cancer cell lines. The CSLC population was enriched approximately 100-fold with this method. Our culture method may contribute to the precise analysis of CSCs and thus support the establishment of CSC-targeting therapy. PMID:25118635

Feasibility study of an alkaline-based chemical treatment for the purification of polyhydroxybutyrate produced by a mixed enriched culture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jiang, Y.; Mikova, G.; Kleerebezem, R.; van der Wielen, L.A.M.; Cuellar, M.C.

2015-01-01

This study focused on investigating the feasibility of purifying polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from mixed culture biomass by alkaline-based chemical treatment. The PHB-containing biomass was enriched on acetate under non-sterile conditions. Alkaline treatment (0.2 M NaOH) together with surfactant SDS

Salmonella testing of pooled pre-enrichment broth cultures for screening multiple food samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, W R; Olsen, R A; Hunter, J E

1972-04-01

A method has been described for testing multiple food samples for Salmonella without loss in sensitivity. The method pools multiple pre-enrichment broth cultures into single enrichment broths. The subsequent stages of the Salmonella analysis are not altered. The method was found applicable to several dry food materials including nonfat dry milk, dried egg albumin, cocoa, cottonseed flour, wheat flour, and shredded coconut. As many as 25 pre-enrichment broth cultures were pooled without apparent loss in the sensitivity of Salmonella detection as compared to individual sample analysis. The procedure offers a simple, yet effective, way to increase sample capacity in the Salmonella testing of foods, particularly where a large proportion of samples ordinarily is negative. It also permits small portions of pre-enrichment broth cultures to be retained for subsequent individual analysis if positive tests are found. Salmonella testing of pooled pre-enrichment broths provides increased consumer protection for a given amount of analytical effort as compared to individual sample analysis.

Synthesis of some fenchyl-substituted alkenes and enol-ethers containing 3-oxyphenyl substituents by the Barton-Kellogg reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciscato, Luiz Francisco M.L.; Bartoloni, Fernando H.; Baader, Wilhelm Josef; Bastos, Erick L.; Guenther, Wolfgang; Weiss, Dieter; Beckert, Rainer

2010-01-01

The synthesis of one fenchyl-substituted alkene and two enol-ethers, containing 3-oxyphenyl substituents by the Barton-Kellogg reaction is described. The tri-substituted aromatic fenchylalkene 1a was prepared in 53% yield from thiofenchone and a diazoanisole; whereas enol-ethers 1b and 1c were obtained (95 and 75% yield, respectively) using an inverse approach based on diazofenchone and aromatic thionoesters. A mixture of Z and E isomers was obtained in all cases; isomer attribution and quantification has been carried out by analysis of NMR spectroscopic data assisted by theoretical calculations (E/Z ratio: 1a = 0.72, 1b = 2.2, 1c = 1.8). Reaction proceeds with low stereoselectivity leading to the preferential formation of diastereoisomeric olefins and enol-ethers where the aromatic substituent resides at the side of the two fenchyl methyl groups. (author)

Synthesis of some fenchyl-substituted alkenes and enol-ethers containing 3-oxyphenyl substituents by the Barton-Kellogg reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ciscato, Luiz Francisco M.L.; Bartoloni, Fernando H.; Baader, Wilhelm Josef, E-mail: wjbaader@iq.usp.b [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica. Dept. de Quimica Fundamental; Bastos, Erick L. [Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Santo Andre, SP (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias Naturais e Humanas; Guenther, Wolfgang; Weiss, Dieter; Beckert, Rainer [Friedrich-Schiller Universitaet Jena (Germany). Institut fuer Organische Chemie und Makromolekulare Chemie

2010-07-01

The synthesis of one fenchyl-substituted alkene and two enol-ethers, containing 3-oxyphenyl substituents by the Barton-Kellogg reaction is described. The tri-substituted aromatic fenchylalkene 1a was prepared in 53% yield from thiofenchone and a diazoanisole; whereas enol-ethers 1b and 1c were obtained (95 and 75% yield, respectively) using an inverse approach based on diazofenchone and aromatic thionoesters. A mixture of Z and E isomers was obtained in all cases; isomer attribution and quantification has been carried out by analysis of NMR spectroscopic data assisted by theoretical calculations (E/Z ratio: 1a = 0.72, 1b = 2.2, 1c = 1.8). Reaction proceeds with low stereoselectivity leading to the preferential formation of diastereoisomeric olefins and enol-ethers where the aromatic substituent resides at the side of the two fenchyl methyl groups. (author)

Use of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane as a terminal electron acceptor by an anaerobic enrichment culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elango, Vijai; Kurtz, Harry D.; Anderson, Christina; Freedman, David L.

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► Use of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane as a terminal electron acceptor was demonstrated. ► H 2 served as the electron donor for an enrichment culture that dechlorinated γ-HCH. ► H 2 consumption for acetogenesis and methanogenesis stopped in HEPES media. ► Addition of vancomycin significantly slowed the rate of γ-HCH dechlorination. ► Previously identified chlororespiring microbes were not detected in the enrichment. - Abstract: The use of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) as a terminal electron acceptor via organohalide respiration was demonstrated for the first time with an enrichment culture grown in a sulfate-free HEPES-buffered anaerobic mineral salts medium. The enrichment culture was initially developed with soil and groundwater from an industrial site contaminated with HCH isomers, chlorinated benzenes, and chlorinated ethenes. When hydrogen served as the electron donor, 79–90% of the electron equivalents from hydrogen were used by the enrichment culture for reductive dechlorination of the γ-HCH, which was provided at a saturation concentration of approximately 10 mg/L. Benzene and chlorobenzene were the only volatile transformation products detected, accounting for 25% and 75% of the γ-HCH consumed (on a molar basis), respectively. The enrichment culture remained active with only hydrogen as the electron donor and γ-HCH as the electron acceptor through several transfers to fresh mineral salts medium for more than one year. Addition of vancomycin to the culture significantly slowed the rate of γ-HCH dechlorination, suggesting that a Gram-positive organism is responsible for the reduction of γ-HCH. Analysis of the γ-HCH dechlorinating enrichment culture did not detect any known chlororespiring genera, including Dehalobacter. In bicarbonate-buffered medium, reductive dechlorination of γ-HCH was accompanied by significant levels of acetogenesis as well as methanogenesis.

Composting-Like Conditions Are More Efficient for Enrichment and Diversity of Organisms Containing Cellulase-Encoding Genes than Submerged Cultures.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Senta Heiss-Blanquet

Full Text Available Cost-effective biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass depends on efficient degradation of the plant cell wall. One of the major obstacles for the development of a cost-efficient process is the lack of resistance of currently used fungal enzymes to harsh conditions such as high temperature. Adapted, thermophilic microbial communities provide a huge reservoir of potentially interesting lignocellulose-degrading enzymes for improvement of the cellulose hydrolysis step. In order to identify such enzymes, a leaf and wood chip compost was enriched on a mixture of thermo-chemically pretreated wheat straw, poplar and Miscanthus under thermophile conditions, but in two different set-ups. Unexpectedly, metagenome sequencing revealed that incubation of the lignocellulosic substrate with compost as inoculum in a suspension culture resulted in an impoverishment of putative cellulase- and hemicellulase-encoding genes. However, mimicking composting conditions without liquid phase yielded a high number and diversity of glycoside hydrolase genes and an enrichment of genes encoding cellulose binding domains. These identified genes were most closely related to species from Actinobacteria, which seem to constitute important players of lignocellulose degradation under the applied conditions. The study highlights that subtle changes in an enrichment set-up can have an important impact on composition and functions of the microcosm. Composting-like conditions were found to be the most successful method for enrichment in species with high biomass degrading capacity.

Multiplexed Single Intact Cell Droplet Digital PCR (MuSIC ddPCR) Method for Specific Detection of Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in Food Enrichment Cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Tanis C; Blais, Burton W; Wong, Alex; Carrillo, Catherine D

2017-01-01

Foodborne illness attributed to enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), a highly pathogenic subset of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), is increasingly recognized as a significant public health issue. Current microbiological methods for identification of EHEC in foods often use PCR-based approaches to screen enrichment broth cultures for characteristic gene markers [i.e., Shiga toxin ( stx ) and intimin ( eae )]. However, false positives arise when complex food matrices, such as beef, contain mixtures of eae -negative STEC and eae -positive E. coli , but no EHEC with both markers in a single cell. To reduce false-positive detection of EHEC in food enrichment samples, a Multiplexed, Single Intact Cell droplet digital PCR (MuSIC ddPCR) assay capable of detecting the co-occurrence of the stx and eae genes in a single bacterial cell was developed. This method requires: (1) dispersal of intact bacteria into droplets; (2) release of genomic DNA (gDNA) by heat lysis; and (3) amplification and detection of genetic targets ( stx and eae ) using standard TaqMan chemistries with ddPCR. Performance of the method was tested with panels of EHEC and non-target E. coli . By determining the linkage (i.e., the proportion of droplets in which stx and eae targets were both amplified), samples containing EHEC (typically greater than 20% linkage) could be distinguished from samples containing mixtures of eae -negative STEC and eae -positive E. coli (0-2% linkage). The use of intact cells was necessary as this linkage was not observed with gDNA extracts. EHEC could be accurately identified in enrichment broth cultures containing excess amounts of background E. coli and in enrichment cultures derived from ground beef/pork and leafy-green produce samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of dual-target detection in single bacterial cells using ddPCR. The application of MuSIC ddPCR to enrichment-culture screening would reduce false-positives, thereby improving the cost, speed, and

Synthesis of Novel Bibrachial Lariat Ethers (BiBLEs) Containing [1,2 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

NICO

A practical and regioselective method for the synthesis of cis-diastereomers of bibrachial lariat ethers (BiBLEs) bearing ester and amide groups is reported. The novel bibrachial lariat ethers (BiBLEs) 3a–d with neutral side chains were prepared by reaction of the corresponding aza-crown macrocycles 1a–b with ethyl ...

Enhanced production and isotope enrichment of recombinant glycoproteins produced in cultured mammalian cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skelton, David; Goodyear, Abbey [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States); Ni, DaQun; Walton, Wendy J.; Rolle, Myron; Hare, Joan T. [Florida State University, Institute of Molecular Biophysics (United States); Logan, Timothy M., E-mail: tlogan@fsu.ed [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States)

2010-10-15

NMR studies of post-translationally modified proteins are complicated by the lack of an efficient method to produce isotope enriched recombinant proteins in cultured mammalian cells. We show that reducing the glucose concentration and substituting glutamate for glutamine in serum-free medium increased cell viability while simultaneously increasing recombinant protein yield and the enrichment of non-essential amino acids compared to culture in unmodified, serum-free medium. Adding dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor, further improves cell viability, recombinant protein yield, and isotope enrichment. We demonstrate the method by producing partially enriched recombinant Thy1 glycoprotein from Lec1 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using U-{sup 13}C-glucose and {sup 15}N-glutamate as labeled precursors. This study suggests that uniformly {sup 15}N,{sup 13}C-labeled recombinant proteins may be produced in cultured mammalian cells starting from a mixture of labeled essential amino acids, glucose, and glutamate.

Enhanced production and isotope enrichment of recombinant glycoproteins produced in cultured mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skelton, David; Goodyear, Abbey; Ni, DaQun; Walton, Wendy J.; Rolle, Myron; Hare, Joan T.; Logan, Timothy M.

2010-01-01

NMR studies of post-translationally modified proteins are complicated by the lack of an efficient method to produce isotope enriched recombinant proteins in cultured mammalian cells. We show that reducing the glucose concentration and substituting glutamate for glutamine in serum-free medium increased cell viability while simultaneously increasing recombinant protein yield and the enrichment of non-essential amino acids compared to culture in unmodified, serum-free medium. Adding dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor, further improves cell viability, recombinant protein yield, and isotope enrichment. We demonstrate the method by producing partially enriched recombinant Thy1 glycoprotein from Lec1 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using U- 13 C-glucose and 15 N-glutamate as labeled precursors. This study suggests that uniformly 15 N, 13 C-labeled recombinant proteins may be produced in cultured mammalian cells starting from a mixture of labeled essential amino acids, glucose, and glutamate.

Methanogenic degradation of acetone by an enrichment culture

OpenAIRE

Platen, Harald; Schink, Bernhard

1987-01-01

An anaerobic enrichment culture degraded 1 mol of acetone to 2 tool of methane and 1 tool of carbon dioxide. Two microorganisms were involved in this process, a filament-forming rod similar to Methanothrix sp. and an unknown rod with round to slightly pointed ends. Both organisms formed aggregates up to 300 gm in diameter. No fluorescing bacteria were observed indicating that hydrogen or formate-utilizing methanogens are not involved in this process. Acetate was utilized in this culture by th...

A strict anaerobic extreme thermophilic hydrogen-producing culture enriched from digested household waste

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karakashev, Dimitar Borisov; Kotay, Shireen Meher; Trably, Eric

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to enrich, characterize and identify strict anaerobic extreme thermophilic hydrogen (H-2) producers from digested household solid wastes. A strict anaerobic extreme thermophilic H-2 producing bacterial culture was enriched from a lab-scale digester treating household...... wastes at 70 degrees C. The enriched mixed culture consisted of two rod-shaped bacterial members growing at an optimal temperature of 80 degrees C and an optimal pH 8.1. The culture was able to utilize glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, arabinose, maltose, sucrose, pyruvate and glycerol as carbon...... sources. Growth on glucose produced acetate, H-2 and carbon dioxide. Maximal H-2 production rate on glucose was 1.1 mmol l(-1) h(-1) with a maximum H-2 yield of 1.9 mole H-2 per mole glucose. 16S ribosomal DNA clone library analyses showed that the culture members were phylogenetically affiliated...

Microbial dynamics in anaerobic enrichment cultures degrading di-n-butyl phthalic acid ester

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trably, Eric; Batstone, Damien J.; Christensen, Nina

2008-01-01

losses were observed in the sterile controls (20-22%), substantial DBP biodegradation was found in the enrichment cultures (90-99%). In addition, significant population changes were observed. The dominant bacterial species in the DBP-degrading cultures was affiliated to Soehngenia saccharolytica...... in enrichment cultures degrading phthalic acid esters under methanogenic conditions. A selection pressure was applied by adding DBP at 10 and 200 mg L(-1) in semi-continuous anaerobic reactors. The microbial dynamics were monitored using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP). While only limited abiotic...

Poly (ether ether ketone) membranes for fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marrero, Jacqueline C.; Gomes, Ailton de S.; Filho, Jose C.D.; Hui, Wang S.; Oliveira, Vivianna S. de

2015-01-01

Polymeric membranes were developed using a SPEEK polymer matrix (sulphonated poly (ether ether ketone)), containing hygroscopic particles of zirconia (Zr) (incorporated by sol-gel method), for use as electrolyte membranes in fuel cells. SPEEK with different sulfonation degrees were used: 63 and 86%. The thermal analysis (TGA and DSC) was carried out to characterize the membranes and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was carried out to evaluating the proton conductivity of the membranes. Additional analysis were underway in order to characterize these membranes, which include: X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in order to evaluate the influence of zirconia and sulfonation degree on the properties of the membranes. (author)

Characteristics of enriched cultures for bio-huff-`n`-puff tests at Jilin oil field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiu-Yuan Wang; Gang Dai; Yan-Fen Xue; Shu-Hua Xie [Institute of Microbiology, Beijing (China)] [and others

1995-12-31

Three enriched cultures (48, 15a, and 26a), selected from more than 80 soil and water samples, could grow anaerobically in the presence of crude oil at 30{degrees}C and could ferment molasses to gases and organic acids. Oil recovery by culture 48 in the laboratory model experiment was enhanced by 25.2% over the original reserves and by 53.7% over the residual reserves. Enriched culture 48 was composed of at least 4 species belonging to the genera Eubacterium, Fusobacterium, and Bacteroides. This enriched culture was used as inoculum for MEOR field trials at Jilin oil field with satisfactory results. The importance of the role of these isolates in EOR was confirmed by their presence and behavior in the fluids produced from the microbiologically treated reservoir.

Nickel container of highly-enriched uranium bodies and sodium

Science.gov (United States)

Zinn, Walter H.

1976-01-01

A fuel element comprises highly a enriched uranium bodies coated with a nonfissionable, corrosion resistant material. A plurality of these bodies are disposed in layers, with sodium filling the interstices therebetween. The entire assembly is enclosed in a fluid-tight container of nickel.

Nickel container of highly-enriched uranium bodies and sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zinn, W.H.

1976-01-01

A fuel element comprises highly enriched uranium bodies coated with a nonfissionable, corrosion resistant material. A plurality of these bodies are disposed in layers, with sodium filling the interstices therebetween. The entire assembly is enclosed in a fluid-tight container of nickel

Enrichment of high ammonia tolerant methanogenic culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fotidis, Ioannis; Karakashev, Dimitar Borisov; Proietti, Nicolas

Ammonia is the major toxicant in full scale anaerobic digesters of animal wastes which are rich in proteins and/or urea, such as pig or poultry wastes. Ammonia inhibition decreases methane production rates, increases volatile fatty acids concentration and leads to economic losses for the biogas...... was derived from a full scale biogas reactor (Hashøj, Denmark), fed with 75% animal manure and 25% food industries organic waste. Basal anaerobic medium was used for the enrichment along with sodium acetate (1 g HAc L-1) as a carbon source. Fluorescence insitu hybridization (FISH) was used to determine...... exclusively to strict aceticlastic methanogens. Results obtained in this study, demonstrated for the first time that strictly aceticlastic methanogens, derived from an enriched culture, can efficiently produce methane under high ammonia levels....

Enriched ammonia-tolerant methanogenic cultures as bioaugmentation inocula in continuous biomethanation processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fotidis, Ioannis; Treu, Laura; Angelidaki, Irini

2017-01-01

reactor (CSTR), resulted in up to 90% recovery of the methane production compared to the uninhibited production. However, cultivation of pure strains has practical difficulties due to the need of special growth media and sterile conditions. In contrast, acclimatized enriched cultures have minor sterility...... requirements. In the current study, an enriched ammonia-tolerant methanogenic culture was bioaugmented in a CSTR reactor operating under ammonia-induced, inhibited-steady-state. The results demonstrated that bioaugmentation, completely counteracted the ammonia toxicity effect. This indicates that a commercial...

Thermally reversible cross-linked poly(ether-urethanes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Gaina

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Cross-linked poly(ether-urethanes were prepared by Diels-Alder (DA reaction of the furan-containing poly(ether-urethane to bismaleimides and showed thermal reversibility evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry and attenuated total reflectance in conjunction with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR. The furan-containing poly(ether-urethanes were synthesized by the polyaddition reaction of 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI or 4,4'- dibenzyl diisocyanate (DBDI to poly(tetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG having Mn = 250, 650, 1000, 1500 and 2000 and 2-[N,N-bis(2-methyl-2-hydroxyethylamino]furfuryl as chain extender by the solution prepolymer method. The molar ratio of isocyanate: PTMEG:chain extender varied from 2:1:1 to 4:1:3, which produces a molar concentration of furyl group ranging between 3.65•10–4 and 1.25•10–3 mol/g.

Synthesis and characterization of novel polyamide-ethers based on bis-imidazole containing bulky aryl pendant groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyed Mahdi Saadati

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A series of novel polyamide-ethers (PAEs based on bis-imidazole containing bulky aryl pendant groups was prepared by direct polycondensation of a diamine, 4-(1-(4-(4-(2-(4-aminophenyl-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-1-ylphenoxyphenyl-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-ylbenzenamine (DABI, and various dicarboxylic acids. All the resulting polyamide-ethers were amorphous with inherent viscosities ranged from 0.52 to 0.61 dL/g and were readily soluble in many organic solvents which could be solution-cast into transparent and tough films. The glass transition temperatures (Tg of these polymers were affected considerably by their chemical structure and ranged from 230 to 310 ºC. They had useful levels of thermal stability associated with relatively high temperatures of 10% weight loss (T10 in the range of 329-399 ºC in air atmosphere.

Microbial diversity of western Canadian subsurface coal beds and methanogenic coal enrichment cultures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penner, Tara J.; Foght, Julia M. [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); Budwill, Karen [Carbon and Energy Management, Alberta Innovates-Technology Futures, 250 Karl Clark Road, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)

2010-05-01

Coalbed methane is an unconventional fuel source associated with certain coal seams. Biogenic methane can comprise a significant portion of the gas found in coal seams, yet the role of microbes in methanogenesis in situ is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to detect and identify major bacterial and archaeal species associated with coal sampled from sub-bituminous methane-producing coal beds in western Canada, and to examine the potential for methane biogenesis from coal. Enrichment cultures of coal samples were established to determine how nutrient amendment influenced the microbial community and methane production in the laboratory. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were constructed using DNA extracted and amplified from uncultured coal samples and from methanogenic coal enrichment cultures. Libraries were screened using restriction fragment length polymorphism, and representative clones were sequenced. Most (> 50%) of the bacterial sequences amplified from uncultured coal samples were affiliated with Proteobacteria that exhibit nitrate reduction, nitrogen fixation and/or hydrogen utilization activities, including Pseudomonas, Thauera and Acidovorax spp., whereas enrichment cultures were dominated by Bacteroidetes, Clostridia and/or Lactobacillales. Archaeal 16S rRNA genes could not be amplified from uncultured coal, suggesting that methanogens are present in coal below the detection levels of our methods. However, enrichment cultures established with coal inocula produced significant volumes of methane and the archaeal clone libraries were dominated by sequences closely affiliated with Methanosarcina spp. Enrichment cultures incubated with coal plus organic nutrients produced more methane than either nutrient or coal supplements alone, implying that competent methanogenic consortia exist in coal beds but that nutrient limitations restrict their activity in situ. This report adds to the scant literature on coal bed microbiology and suggests how microbes may be

Isolation of Methylophaga spp. from Marine Dimethylsulfide-Degrading Enrichment Cultures and Identification of Polypeptides Induced during Growth on Dimethylsulfide▿

OpenAIRE

Schäfer, Hendrik

2007-01-01

Dimethylsulfide (DMS)-degrading enrichment cultures were established from samples of coastal seawater, nonaxenic Emiliania huxleyi cultures, and mixed marine methyl halide-degrading enrichment cultures. Bacterial populations from a broad phylogenetic range were identified in the mixed DMS-degrading enrichment cultures by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Sequences of dominant DGGE bands were similar to those of members of the genera Methylophaga and Alcanivorax. Several closely ...

Differential Gene Expression Profiling of Enriched Human Spermatogonia after Short- and Long-Term Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine Conrad

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to provide a molecular signature for enriched adult human stem/progenitor spermatogonia during short-term (<2 weeks and long-term culture (up to more than 14 months in comparison to human testicular fibroblasts and human embryonic stem cells. Human spermatogonia were isolated by CD49f magnetic activated cell sorting and collagen−/laminin+ matrix binding from primary testis cultures obtained from ten adult men. For transcriptomic analysis, single spermatogonia-like cells were collected based on their morphology and dimensions using a micromanipulation system from the enriched germ cell cultures. Immunocytochemical, RT-PCR and microarray analyses revealed that the analyzed populations of cells were distinct at the molecular level. The germ- and pluripotency-associated genes and genes of differentiation/spermatogenesis pathway were highly expressed in enriched short-term cultured spermatogonia. After long-term culture, a proportion of cells retained and aggravated the “spermatogonial” gene expression profile with the expression of germ and pluripotency-associated genes, while in the majority of long-term cultured cells this molecular profile, typical for the differentiation pathway, was reduced and more genes related to the extracellular matrix production and attachment were expressed. The approach we provide here to study the molecular status of in vitro cultured spermatogonia may be important to optimize the culture conditions and to evaluate the germ cell plasticity in the future.

Synthesis and Preliminary Properties of Novel Poly(aryl ethers Containing β-Naphthalene Pendant Group

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Two novel poly(aryl ethers containing β-naphthalene pendant group were synthesized and the structures of these polymers were confirmed by 1HNMR spectroscopy. The polymers exhibited good thermal stabilities with high Tg of 256°C and 274°C, respectively. The polymers are soluble in common organic solvents, such as DMAc, DMSO, CH2Cl2, and CHCl3, and can be electrospun into microfiber (1–5 µm with lots of nanopores (<100 nm from CHCl3 solution. These fibers showed high hydrophobicity, and the contact angle of fibers is above 120°.

Enrichment of skin-derived neural precursor cells from dermal cell populations by altering culture conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayati, Vahid; Gazor, Rohoullah; Nejatbakhsh, Reza; Negad Dehbashi, Fereshteh

2016-01-01

As stem cells play a critical role in tissue repair, their manipulation for being applied in regenerative medicine is of great importance. Skin-derived precursors (SKPs) may be good candidates for use in cell-based therapy as the only neural stem cells which can be isolated from an accessible tissue, skin. Herein, we presented a simple protocol to enrich neural SKPs by monolayer adherent cultivation to prove the efficacy of this method. To enrich neural SKPs from dermal cell populations, we have found that a monolayer adherent cultivation helps to increase the numbers of neural precursor cells. Indeed, we have cultured dermal cells as monolayer under serum-supplemented (control) and serum-supplemented culture, followed by serum free cultivation (test) and compared. Finally, protein markers of SKPs were assessed and compared in both experimental groups and differentiation potential was evaluated in enriched culture. The cells of enriched culture concurrently expressed fibronectin, vimentin and nestin, an intermediate filament protein expressed in neural and skeletal muscle precursors as compared to control culture. In addition, they possessed a multipotential capacity to differentiate into neurogenic, glial, adipogenic, osteogenic and skeletal myogenic cell lineages. It was concluded that serum-free adherent culture reinforced by growth factors have been shown to be effective on proliferation of skin-derived neural precursor cells (skin-NPCs) and drive their selective and rapid expansion.

Application of simplified PC-SAFT to glycol ethers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Avlund, Ane Søgaard; Kontogeorgis, Georgios; Michelsen, Michael Locht

2012-01-01

The simplified PC-SAFT (sPC-SAFT) equation of state is applied for binary glycol ether-containing mixtures, and it is investigated how the results are influenced by inclusion of intramolecular association in the association theory. Three different glycol ethers are examined: 2-methoxyethanol, 2...

Cultivation and irradiation of human fibroblasts in a medium enriched with platelet lysate for obtaining feeder layer in epidermal cell culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshito, Daniele

2011-01-01

For over 30 years, the use of culture medium, enriched with bovine serum, and murines fibroblasts, with the rate of proliferation controlled by irradiation or by share anticarcinogenic drugs, has been playing successfully its role in assisting in the development of keratinocytes in culture, for clinical purposes. However, currently there is a growing concern about the possibility of transmitting prions and animals viruses to transplanted patients. Taking into account this concern, the present work aims to cultivate human fibroblasts in a medium enriched with human platelets lysate and determine the irradiation dose of these cells, for obtaining feeder layer in epidermal cell culture. For carrying out the proposed objective, platelets lysis has standardized, this lysate was used for human fibroblasts cultivation and the irradiation dose enough to inhibit its duplication was evaluated. Human keratinocytes were cultivated in these feeder layers, in culture medium enriched with the lysate. With these results we conclude that the 10% platelets lysate promoted a better adhesion and proliferation of human fibroblasts and in all dose levels tested (60 to 300 Gy), these had their mitotic activity inactivated by ionizing irradiation, being that the feeder layers obtained with doses from 70 to 150 Gy were those that provided the best development of keratinocytes in medium containing 2.5% of human platelet lysate. Therefore, it was possible to standardize both the cultivation of human fibroblasts as its inactivation for use as feeder layer in culture of keratinocytes, so as to eliminate xenobiotics components. (author)

Synthesis of carboxylic acids, esters, alcohols and ethers containing a tetrahydropyran ring derived from 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanzawa, Yohko; Hashimoto, Kahoko; Kasashima, Yoshio; Takahashi, Yoshiko; Mino, Takashi; Sakamoto, Masami; Fujita, Tsutomu

2012-01-01

3-hydroxy acids, 3-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloct-6-enoic acid (1) and 3-hydroxy-2,2,3,7-tetramethyloct-6-enoic acid (2), were prepared from 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, and they were subsequently used to prepare (2,6,6-trimethyltetrahydropyran-2-yl)acetic acid (3) and 2-methyl-2-(2,6,6-trimethyltetrahydropyran-2-yl)propanoic acid (4), respectively, via cyclization with an acidic catalyst such as boron trifluoride diethyl etherate or iodine. The reaction of carboxylic acids 3 and 4 with alcohols, including methanol, ethanol, and 1-propanol, produced the corresponding methyl, ethyl, and propyl esters, which all contained a tetrahydropyran ring. Reduction of carboxylic acids 3 and 4 afforded the corresponding alcohols. Subsequent reactions of these alcohols with several acyl chlorides produced novel esters. The alcohols also reacted with methyl iodide and sodium hydride to provide novel ethers. A one-pot cyclization-esterification of 1 to produce esters containing a tetrahydropyran ring, using iodine as a catalyst, was also investigated.

Breast Cancer Stem Cell Culture and Enrichment Using Poly(ε-Caprolactone Scaffolds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sònia Palomeras

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The cancer stem cell (CSC population displays self-renewal capabilities, resistance to conventional therapies, and a tendency to post-treatment recurrence. Increasing knowledge about CSCs’ phenotype and functions is needed to investigate new therapeutic strategies against the CSC population. Here, poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL, a biocompatible polymer free of toxic dye, has been used to fabricate scaffolds, solid structures suitable for 3D cancer cell culture. It has been reported that scaffold cell culture enhances the CSCs population. A RepRap BCN3D+ printer and 3 mm PCL wire were used to fabricate circular scaffolds. PCL design and fabrication parameters were first determined and then optimized considering several measurable variables of the resulting scaffolds. MCF7 breast carcinoma cell line was used to assess scaffolds adequacy for 3D cell culture. To evaluate CSC enrichment, the Mammosphere Forming Index (MFI was performed in 2D and 3D MCF7 cultures. Results showed that the 60° scaffolds were more suitable for 3D culture than the 45° and 90° ones. Moreover, 3D culture experiments, in adherent and non-adherent conditions, showed a significant increase in MFI compared to 2D cultures (control. Thus, 3D cell culture with PCL scaffolds could be useful to improve cancer cell culture and enrich the CSCs population.

Bridging Culture On-Line: Strategies for Teaching Cultural Sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wendler, M. Cecilia; Struthers, Roxanne

2002-01-01

An online cross-cultural health course for nurses sought to provide access to cultural experiences by culturally congruent use of a minority visiting scholar and required participation in cultural enrichment activities. Course and faculty evaluations were designed to be appropriate for the asynchronous environment. (Contains 25 references.) (SK)

Effects of carbon sources on the enrichment of halophilic polyhydroxyalkanoate-storing mixed microbial culture in an aerobic dynamic feeding process

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, You-Wei; Zhang, Hong-Yu; Lu, Peng-Fei; Peng, Yong-Zhen

2016-08-01

Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production serves as a substitute for petroleum-based plastics. Enriching mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) with the capacity to store PHA is a key precursor for low-cost PHA production. This study investigated the impact of carbon types on enrichment outcomes. Three MMCs were separately fed by acetate sodium, glucose, and starch as an enriching carbon source, and were exposed to long-term aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) periods. The PHA production capacity, kinetics and stoichiometry of the enrichments, the PHA composition, and the microbial diversity and community composition were explored to determine carbon and enrichment correlations. After 350-cycle enriching periods under feast-famine (F-F) regimes, the MMCs enriched by acetate sodium and glucose contained a maximum PHA content of 64.7% and 60.5% cell dry weight (CDW). The starch-enriched MMC only had 27.3% CDW of PHA. High-throughput sequencing revealed that non-PHA bacteria survived alongside PHA storing bacteria, even under severe F-F selective pressure. Genus of Pseudomonas and Stappia were the possible PHA accumulating bacteria in acetate-enriched MMC. Genus of Oceanicella, Piscicoccus and Vibrio were found as PHA accumulating bacteria in glucose-enriched MMC. Vibrio genus was the only PHA accumulating bacteria in starch-enriched MMC. The community diversity and composition were regulated by the substrate types.

Study of selenocompounds from selenium-enriched culture of edible sprouts.

Science.gov (United States)

Funes-Collado, Virginia; Morell-Garcia, Albert; Rubio, Roser; López-Sánchez, José Fermín

2013-12-15

Selenium is recognised as an essential micronutrient for humans and animals. One of the main sources of selenocompounds in the human diet is vegetables. Therefore, this study deals with the Se species present in different edible sprouts grown in Se-enriched media. We grew alfalfa, lentil and soy in a hydroponic system amended with soluble salts, containing the same proportion of Se, in the form of Se(VI) and Se(IV). Total Se in the sprouts was determined by acidic digestion in a microwave system and by ICP/MS. Se speciation was carried out by enzymatic extraction (Protease XIV) and measured by LC-ICP/MS. The study shows that the Se content of plants depends on the content in the growth culture, and that part of the inorganic Se was biotransformed mainly into SeMet. These results contribute to our understanding of the uptake of inorganic Se and its biotransformation by edible plants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial Diversity in Sulfate-Reducing Marine Sediment Enrichment Cultures Associated with Anaerobic Biotransformation of Coastal Stockpiled Phosphogypsum (Sfax, Tunisia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hana Zouch

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Anaerobic biotechnology using sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB is a promising alternative for reducing long-term stockpiling of phosphogypsum (PG, an acidic (pH ~3 by-product of the phosphate fertilizer industries containing high amounts of sulfate. The main objective of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the diversity and ability of anaerobic marine microorganisms to convert sulfate from PG into sulfide, in order to look for marine SRB of biotechnological interest. A series of sulfate-reducing enrichment cultures were performed using different electron donors (i.e., acetate, formate, or lactate and sulfate sources (i.e., sodium sulfate or PG as electron acceptors. Significant sulfide production was observed from enrichment cultures inoculated with marine sediments, collected near the effluent discharge point of a Tunisian fertilizer industry (Sfax, Tunisia. Sulfate sources impacted sulfide production rates from marine sediments as well as the diversity of SRB species belonging to Deltaproteobacteria. When PG was used as sulfate source, Desulfovibrio species dominated microbial communities of marine sediments, while Desulfobacter species were mainly detected using sodium sulfate. Sulfide production was also affected depending on the electron donor used, with the highest production obtained using formate. In contrast, low sulfide production (acetate-containing cultures was associated with an increase in the population of Firmicutes. These results suggested that marine Desulfovibrio species, to be further isolated, are potential candidates for bioremediation of PG by immobilizing metals and metalloids thanks to sulfide production by these SRB.

Enrichments of methanotrophic-heterotrophic cultures with high poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacities.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tingting; Wang, Xiaowei; Zhou, Jiti; Zhang, Yu

2018-03-01

Methanotrophic-heterotrophic communities were selectively enriched from sewage sludge to obtain a mixed culture with high levels of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacity from methane. Methane was used as the carbon source, N 2 as sole nitrogen source, and oxygen and Cu content were varied. Copper proved essential for PHB synthesis. All cultures enriched with Cu could accumulate high content of PHB (43.2%-45.9%), while only small amounts of PHB were accumulated by cultures enriched without Cu (11.9%-17.5%). Batch assays revealed that communities grown with Cu and a higher O 2 content synthesized more PHB, which had a wider optimal CH 4 :O 2 range and produced a high PHB content (48.7%) even though in the presence of N 2 . In all methanotrophic-heterotrophic communities, both methanotrophic and heterotrophic populations showed the ability to accumulate PHB. Although methane was added as the sole carbon source, heterotrophs dominated with abundances between 77.2% and 85.6%. All methanotrophs detected belonged to type II genera, which formed stable communities with heterotrophs of different PHB production capacities. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sulfonated poly(ether sulfone)s containing pyridine moiety for PEMFC.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Hohyoun; Islam, Md Monirul; Lim, Youngdon; Hossain, Md Awlad; Cho, Younggil; Joo, Hyunho; Kim, Whangi; Jeon, Heung-Seok

2014-10-01

Sulfonated poly(ether sulfone)s with varied degree of sulfonation (DS) were prepared via post-sulfonation of synthesized pyridine based poly(ether sulfone) (PPES) using concentrated sulfuric acid as sulfonating agent. The DS was varied with different mole ratio of 4,4'-(2,2-diphenylethenylidene)diphenol, DHTPE in the polymer unit. PPES copolymers were synthesized by direct polycondensation of pyridine unit with bis-(4-fluorophenyl)-sulfone, 4, 4'-sulfonyldiphenol and DHTPE. The structure of the resulting PPES copolymer membranes with different sulfonated units were studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Sorption experiments were conducted to observe the interaction of sulfonated polymer with water. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) and proton conductivity were evaluated according to the increase of DS. The water uptake (WU) of the resulting membranes was in the range of 17-58%, compared to that of Nafion 211 28%. The membranes provided proton conductivities of 65-95 mS/cm in contrast to 103 mS/cm of Nafion 211.

Biosynthesis of chlorine-containing compounds in Menispermum Dauricum root cultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babiker, Hind Ahmed Ali

2002-03-01

Effects of chloride ion on production of acutumine and dechloroactumine, by Menispermum dauricum root culture, were studied. The chloride ion contents in the medium play a key role in production of both alkaloids. A medium with low chloride contents promoted production of dechloroactumine and suppressed that of acutumine. Production of the two alkaloids during the 60 days culture period was closely associated with root biomass. Both alkaloids accumulated in the roots and a relatively small proportion was exuded into the medium. The intact plant produced very little amounts of both alkaloids. On the average roots contained 22 and 75-fold more acutumine and dechloroactumine, respectively, than the intact plants. The biosythetic relationship between acutumine and dechloroactumine was studied using 13 C -labeled tyrosine and 3H-labeled dechloroactumine as tracers. 13 C -NMR spectra of 13 C -labeled acutumine and dechloroactumine showed that the alkaloids, each composed of two molecules of tyrosine, are derived from the same biosythetic pathway. Feeding Menispermum dauricum roots, cultured in a chloride-enriched medium, with 3 H -labeled dechloroactumine demonstrated that actumine is the only alkaloid metabolite of dechloroactumine. Conversion (5%) of the exogenously applied dechloroactumine, taken up by the roots, into acutumine showed that dechloroactumine is the precursor of acutumine. Incomplete conversion of dechloroactumine into acutumine suggests accumulation of the exogenously applied dechloroactumine in cell organelles and/or compartmentation of the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of acutumine. In addition to acutumine, acutumidine and two new chlorine-containing alkaloids, named 1-epiacutumine, and 1-piacutumine, were isolated from M. Dauricum root cultures and the intact plants. Their structures were determined based on MS and 1H and 13C NMR spectra. Accumulations of these alkaloids were found to be low in the intact plant compared with the cultured

Dimethylamine biodegradation by mixed culture enriched from drinking water biofilter.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Xiaobin; Chen, Chao; Zhang, Jingxu; Dai, Yu; Zhang, Xiaojian; Xie, Shuguang

2015-01-01

Dimethylamine (DMA) is one of the important precursors of drinking water disinfection by-product N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Reduction of DMA to minimize the formation of carcinogenic NDMA in drinking water is of practical importance. Biodegradation plays a major role in elimination of DMA pollution in the environment, yet information on DMA removal by drinking water biofilter is still lacking. In this study, microcosms with different treatments were constructed to investigate the potential of DMA removal by a mixed culture enriched from a drinking water biofilter and the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources. DMA could be quickly mineralized by the enrichment culture. Amendment of a carbon source, instead of a nitrogen source, had a profound impact on DMA removal. A shift in bacterial community structure was observed with DMA biodegradation, affected by carbon and nitrogen sources. Proteobacteria was the predominant phylum group in DMA-degrading microcosms. Microorganisms from a variety of bacterial genera might be responsible for the rapid DMA mineralization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biodecolorization of the azo dye Reactive Red 2 by a halotolerant enrichment culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Beydilli, M Inan; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

2007-11-01

The decolorization of the azo dye Reactive Red 2 (RR2) under anoxic conditions was investigated using a mesophilic (35 degrees C) halotolerant enrichment culture capable of growth at 100 g/L sodium chloride (NaCl). Batch decolorization assays were conducted with the unacclimated halotolerant culture, and dye decolorization kinetics were determined as a function of the initial dye, biomass, carbon source, and an externally added oxidation-reduction mediator (anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonic acid) concentrations. The maximum biomass-normalized RR2 decolorization rate by the halotolerant enrichment culture under batch, anoxic incubation conditions was 26.8 mg dye/mg VSSxd. Although RR2 decolorization was inhibited at RR2 concentrations equal to and higher than 300 mg/L, the halotolerant culture achieved a 156-fold higher RR2 decolorization rate compared with a previously reported, biomass-normalized RR2 decolorization rate by a mixed mesophilic (35 degrees C) methanogenic culture in the absence of NaCl. Decolorization kinetics at inhibitory RR2 levels were described based on the Haldane model (Haldane, 1965). Five repetitive dyeing/decolorization cycles performed using the halotolerant culture and the same RR2 dyebath solution demonstrated the feasibility of biological renovation and reuse of commercial-strength spent reactive azo dyebaths.

Stereospecific nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of alkyl ethers: enantioselective synthesis of diarylethanes.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Buck L H; Swift, Elizabeth C; Waetzig, Joshua D; Jarvo, Elizabeth R

2011-01-26

Secondary benzylic ethers undergo stereospecific substitution reactions with Grignard reagents in the presence of nickel catalysts. Reactions proceed with inversion of configuration and high stereochemical fidelity. This reaction allows for facile enantioselective synthesis of biologically active diarylethanes from readily available optically enriched carbinols.

Actinide/crown ether chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benning, M.M.

1988-01-01

A structural survey of actinide/crown ether compounds was conducted in order to investigate the solid state chemistry of these complexes. Several parameters - the metal size, crown type, counterion, solvent systems and reaction and crystallization conditions - were varied to correlate their importance in complexation. Under atmospheric conditions, two types of complexes were isolated, those containing only hydrogen-bonded crown interactions and instances where the crown interacts directly with the metal center. In both cases, water seems to play a very important role. When coordinated to the metal, water molecules exhibit the necessary donor properties required for the formation of hydrogen-bonded contacts. The water molecules also provide fierce competition with the crown ethers for metal-binding sites and in most cases prohibit the formation of complexes in which direct metal-ligand association exists. The results of this study indicate that direct interaction between the metal atoms and the crown ethers, in the presence of water, can only occur with polyether conformations which limit the steric replusions within the metal coordination sphere

Radiation-induced transformations of cellulose ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nud'ga, L.A.; Petropavlovskii, G.S.; Plisko, E.A.; Isakova, O.V.; Ershov, B.G.

1988-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to study the transformation which take place under the action of γ-radiation in a number of cellulose ethers containing both saturated (carboxymethyl, hydroxyethyl) and unsaturated (allyl, methacryloyl) groups. Irradiation was carried out on a 60 Co unit in air at 77 and 300 K; the dose rate was 37 and 50 kGy/h respectively. The EPR spectra of γ-irradiated hydroxyethyl- and allylhydroxyethylcelluloses are identical. Under the action of γ-radiation extensive changes took place in cellulose ethers which are exhibited in degradation or the formation of three-dimensional structures and are accompanied by a change in the functional composition. The efficiency in the formation of radicals and their localization are determined by the nature and number of substituents in the cellulose ethers

High Efficient Enrichment and Activated Dissolution of Refractory Low Grade Rh-containing Material

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WU Xiaofeng; DONG Haigang; TONG Weifeng; ZHAO Jiachun; ZENG Rui

2012-01-01

Aiming to the low-grade rhodium-containing waste materials,a new process was proposed to enrich and activate rhodium by smelting using iron oxide as a trapping agent and activator.A rhodium concentrate was obtained by the separation of base metals and precious metals.The concentrate was reacted with dilute aqua regia to obtain rhodium solution.The factors influencing the enrichment and activation effects were discussed in this paper.The results showed that the dissolution rate is greater than 99％ under the optimum conditions.In this process,the activation of rhodium was finished in the enrichment process.The iron oxide is both a trapping agent and activator,which simplifies the process and reduce the cost.

Yersinia enterocolitica in slaughter pig tonsils: enumeration and detection by enrichment versus direct plating culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Damme, Inge; Habib, Ihab; De Zutter, Lieven

2010-02-01

Tonsil samples from 139 slaughter pigs were examined for the presence of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica by enrichment procedures based on the standard method ISO 10273:2003. In addition, samples were tested by direct plating method to evaluate its efficiency compared to the enrichment culture methods and to quantify the level of contamination in porcine tonsils. In total, 52 samples (37.4%) were positive for pathogenic Y. enterocolitica, all belonging to bioserotype 4/O:3. Fifty out of the 52 positive samples (96.2%) were detected by direct plating. Enumeration showed an average concentration of 4.5 log(10) CFU g(-1) and 4.4 log(10) CFU g(-1) tonsil on Salmonella-Shigella-desoxycholate-calcium chloride (SSDC) and cefsulodin-irgasan-novobiocin (CIN) agar plates, respectively. The enrichment procedures recommended by the ISO 10273:2003 method were not optimal for the isolation of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from pig tonsils: two days enrichment in irgasan-ticarcillin-potassium chlorate (ITC) broth resulted in an isolation rate of 84.6%, while 5 days enrichment in peptone-sorbitol-bile (PSB) broth recovered only 59.6% of positive samples. Reducing the enrichment time in PSB from 5 to 2 days resulted in a significantly higher recovery rate (94.2%) and might serve as an appropriate enrichment protocol for the isolation of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from pig tonsils. Compared to enrichment culture methods, results based on direct plating can be obtained in a shorter time course and provide quantitative data that might be needed for further risk assessment studies.

Comparison of Properties among Dendritic and Hyperbranched Poly(ether ether ketones and Linear Poly(ether ketones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atsushi Morikawa

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Poly(ether ether ketone dendrimers and hyperbranched polymers were prepared from 3,5-dimethoxy-4′-(4-fluorobenzoyldiphenyl ether and 3,5-dihydroxy-4′-(4-fluorobenzoyldiphenyl ether through aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions. 1-(tert-Butyldimethylsiloxy-3,5-bis(4-fluorobenzoylbenzene was polycondensed with bisphenols, followed by cleavage of the protective group to form linear poly(ether ketones having the same hydroxyl groups in the side chains as the chain ends of the dendrimer and hyperbranched polymers. Their properties, such as solubilities, reduced viscosities, and thermal properties, were compared with one another. Similar comparisons were also carried out among the corresponding methoxy group polymers, and the size of the molecules was shown to affect the properties.

Microbial degradation of 4-monobrominated diphenyl ether with anaerobic sludge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shih, Yang-hsin; Chou, Hsi-Ling; Peng, Yu-Huei

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► BDE-3 was degraded with two anaerobes in different rates. ► Glucose addition augment the debromination efficiencies. ► Hydrogen gas was detected and relative microbes were identified. ► Extra-carbon source enhanced degradation partial due to H 2 -generation bacteria. - Abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used flame retardant additives for many plastic and electronic products. Owing to their ubiquitous distribution in the environment, multiple toxicity to humans, and increasing accumulation in the environment, the fate of PBDEs is of serious concern for public safety. In this study, the degradation of 4-monobrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-3) in anaerobic sludge and the effect of carbon source addition were investigated. BDE-3 can be degraded by two different anaerobic sludge samples. The by-products, diphenyl ether (DE) and bromide ions, were monitored, indicating the reaction of debromination within these anaerobic samples. Co-metabolism with glucose facilitated BDE-3 biodegradation in terms of kinetics and efficiency in the Jhongsing sludge. Through the pattern of amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments in denatured gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), the composition of the microbial community was analyzed. Most of the predominant microbes were novel species. The fragments enriched in BDE-3-degrading anaerobic sludge samples are presumably Clostridium sp. This enrichment coincides with the H 2 gas generation and the facilitation of debromination during the degradation process. Findings of this study provide better understanding of the biodegradation of brominated DEs and can facilitate the prediction of the fate of PBDEs in the environment.

Erythrocyte enrichment in hematopoietic progenitor cell cultures based on magnetic susceptibility of the hemoglobin.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxia Jin

Full Text Available Using novel media formulations, it has been demonstrated that human placenta and umbilical cord blood-derived CD34+ cells can be expanded and differentiated into erythroid cells with high efficiency. However, obtaining mature and functional erythrocytes from the immature cell cultures with high purity and in an efficient manner remains a significant challenge. A distinguishing feature of a reticulocyte and maturing erythrocyte is the increasing concentration of hemoglobin and decreasing cell volume that results in increased cell magnetophoretic mobility (MM when exposed to high magnetic fields and gradients, under anoxic conditions. Taking advantage of these initial observations, we studied a noninvasive (label-free magnetic separation and analysis process to enrich and identify cultured functional erythrocytes. In addition to the magnetic cell separation and cell motion analysis in the magnetic field, the cell cultures were characterized for cell sedimentation rate, cell volume distributions using differential interference microscopy, immunophenotyping (glycophorin A, hemoglobin concentration and shear-induced deformability (elongation index, EI, by ektacytometry to test for mature erythrocyte attributes. A commercial, packed column high-gradient magnetic separator (HGMS was used for magnetic separation. The magnetically enriched fraction comprised 80% of the maturing cells (predominantly reticulocytes that showed near 70% overlap of EI with the reference cord blood-derived RBC and over 50% overlap with the adult donor RBCs. The results demonstrate feasibility of label-free magnetic enrichment of erythrocyte fraction of CD34+ progenitor-derived cultures based on the presence of paramagnetic hemoglobin in the maturing erythrocytes.

Chronic Carcinogenicity Study of Gasoline Vapor Condensate (GVC) and GVC Containing Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether in F344 Rats

OpenAIRE

Benson, Janet M.; Gigliotti, Andrew P.; March, Thomas H.; Barr, Edward B.; Tibbetts, Brad M.; Skipper, Betty J.; Clark, Charles R.; Twerdok, Lorraine

2011-01-01

Chronic inhalation studies were conducted to compare the toxicity and potential carcinogenicity of evaporative emissions from unleaded gasoline (GVC) and gasoline containing the oxygenate methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE; GMVC). The test materials were manufactured to mimic vapors people would be exposed to during refueling at gas stations. Fifty F344 rats per gender per exposure level per test article were exposed 6 h/d, 5 d/wk for 104 wk in whole body chambers. Target total vapor concentra...

Numerical analysis of spray characteristics of dimethyl ether and diethyl ether fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohan, Balaji; Yang, Wenming; Yu, Wenbin; Tay, Kun Lin

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Thermo-physical properties of liquid DME and DEE are reported. • Ether fuels tend to cavitate higher compared to that of diesel fuel. • Spray tip penetration and SMD are found to be lesser for ether fuels. • Ether fuels shows excellent atomization behavior. - Abstract: In this work, the spray characteristics of ether fuels such as dimethyl ether (DME) and diethyl ether (DEE) have been numerically investigated using KIVA-4 CFD code. A new hybrid spray model developed by coupling the standard KHRT model to cavitation sub model was used. The detailed thermo-physical properties of ether fuels have been predicted and validated with experimental results available from literature. The cavitation inception inside the injector nozzle hole has been studied for ether fuels in comparison with diesel fuel. It was found that ether fuels cavitates higher compared to that of conventional diesel fuel because of its low viscosity. The spray tip penetration of diesel fuel was longer than that of ether fuels due to high viscosity and density of diesel fuel. Ether fuels characterized by low Ohnesorge number and high Reynolds number showed better atomization behavior compared to that of the diesel fuel.

Modular enrichment measurement system for in-situ enrichment assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, J.P.

1976-01-01

A modular enrichment measurement system has been designed and is in operation within General Electric's Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Facility for the in-situ enrichment assay of uranium-bearing materials in process containers. This enrichment assay system, which is based on the ''enrichment meter'' concept, is an integral part of the site's enrichment control program and is used in the in-situ assay of the enrichment of uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) powder in process containers (five gallon pails). The assay system utilizes a commercially available modular counting system and a collimnator designed for compatability with process container transport lines and ease of operator access. The system has been upgraded to include a microprocessor-based controller to perform system operation functions and to provide data acquisition and processing functions. Standards have been fabricated and qualified for the enrichment assay of several types of uranium-bearing materials, including UO 2 powders. The assay system has performed in excess of 20,000 enrichment verification measurements annually and has significantly contributed to the facility's enrichment control program

Engaging High School Girls in Native American Culturally Responsive STEAM Enrichment Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Kant, Joanita M.; Burckhard, Suzette R.; Meyers, Richard T.

2018-01-01

Providing science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) culturally responsive enrichment activities is one way of promoting more interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies and careers among indigenous students. The purpose of the study was to explore the impact, if any, of STEAM culturally…

The effects of co-contaminants and native wetland sediments on the activity and dominant transformation mechanisms of a 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA)-degrading enrichment culture

Science.gov (United States)

Lorah, Michelle M.; Schiffmacher, Emily N.; Becker, Jennifer G.; Voytek, Mary A.

2016-01-01

Bioremediation strategies, including bioaugmentation with chlorinated ethene-degrading enrichment cultures, have been successfully applied in the cleanup of subsurface environments contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE) and/or trichloroethene (TCE). However, these compounds are frequently found in the environment as components of mixtures that may also contain chlorinated ethanes and methanes. Under these conditions, the implementation of bioremediation may be complicated by inhibition effects, particularly when multiple dehalorespirers are present. We investigated the ability of the 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA)-dechlorinating culture WBC-2 to biotransform TeCA alone, or a mixture of TeCA plus PCE and carbon tetrachloride (CT), in microcosms. The microcosms contained electron donors provided to biostimulate the added culture and sediment collected from a wetland where numerous “hotspots” of contamination with chlorinated solvent mixtures exist. The dominant TeCA biodegradation mechanism mediated by the WBC-2 culture in the microcosms was different in the presence of these wetland sediments than in the sediment-free enrichment culture or in previous WBC-2 bioaugmented microcosms and column tests conducted with wetland sediment collected at nearby sites. The co-contaminants and their daughter products also inhibited TeCA biodegradation by WBC-2. These results highlight the need to conduct biodegradability assays at new sites, particularly when multiple contaminants and dehalorespiring populations are present.

Biodegradation of Various Aromatic Compounds by Enriched Bacterial Cultures: Part A-Monocyclic and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberoi, Akashdeep Singh; Philip, Ligy; Bhallamudi, S Murty

2015-08-01

Present study focused on the screening of bacterial consortium for biodegradation of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (MAH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Target compounds in the present study were naphthalene, acenaphthene, phenanthrene (PAHs), and benzene (MAH). Microbial consortia enriched with the above target compounds were used in screening experiments. Naphthalene-enriched consortium was found to be the most efficient consortium, based on its substrate degradation rate and its ability to degrade other aromatic pollutants with significantly high efficiency. Substrate degradation rate with naphthalene-enriched culture followed the order benzene > naphthalene > acenaphthene > phenanthrene. Chryseobacterium and Rhodobacter were discerned as the predominant species in naphthalene-enriched culture. They are closely associated to the type strain Chryseobacterium arthrosphaerae and Rhodobacter maris, respectively. Single substrate biodegradation studies with naphthalene (PAH) and benzene (MAH) were carried out using naphthalene-enriched microbial consortium (NAPH). Phenol and 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde were identified as the predominant intermediates during benzene and naphthalene degradation, respectively. Biodegradation of toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene, phenol, and indole by NAPH was also investigated. Monod inhibition model was able to simulate biodegradation kinetics for benzene, whereas multiple substrate biodegradation model was able to simulate biodegradation kinetics for naphthalene.

Poly-ethers from Winogradskyella poriferorum: Antifouling potential, time-course study of production and natural abundance

KAUST Repository

Dash, Swagatika

2011-08-01

A sponge-associated bacterium, Winogradskyella poriferorum strain UST030701-295T was cultured up to 100l for extraction of antifouling bioactive compounds. Five poly-ethers were isolated and partially characterized based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS); two of them showed inhibitory effects on biofilm formation of marine bacteria and larval settlement of macro-foulers but did not produce any adverse effects on the phenotypes of zebra fish embryos at a concentration of 5μgml -1. The effect of culture duration on the production of the poly-ethers and the bioactivity of the relevant extracts was monitored over a period of 12days. The total crude poly-ether production increased from day 2 to day 5 and the highest bioactivity was observed on day 3. The poly-ethers were found to be localized in the cellular fraction of the extracts, implying their natural occurrence. The potent bioactivity of these poly-ethers together with their high natural abundance in bacteria makes them promising candidates as ingredients in antifouling applications. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Diversity of reductive dehalogenase genes from environmental samples and enrichment cultures identified with degenerate primer PCR screens.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Audrey Hug

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Reductive dehalogenases are the critical enzymes for anaerobic organohalide respiration, a microbial metabolic process that has been harnessed for bioremediation efforts to resolve chlorinated solvent contamination in groundwater and is implicated in the global halogen cycle. Reductive dehalogenase sequence diversity is informative for the dechlorination potential of the site or enrichment culture. A suite of degenerate PCR primers targeting a comprehensive curated set of reductive dehalogenase genes was designed and applied to twelve DNA samples extracted from contaminated and pristine sites, as well as six enrichment cultures capable of reducing chlorinated compounds to non-toxic end-products. The amplified gene products from four environmental sites and two enrichment cultures were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq, and the reductive dehalogenase complement of each sample determined. The results indicate that the diversity of the reductive dehalogenase gene family is much deeper than is currently accounted for: one-third of the translated proteins have less than 70% pairwise amino acid identity to database sequences. Approximately 60% of the sequenced reductive dehalogenase genes were broadly distributed, being identified in four or more samples, and often in previously sequenced genomes as well. In contrast, 17% of the sequenced reductive dehalogenases were unique, present in only a single sample and bearing less than 90% pairwise amino acid identity to any previously identified proteins. Many of the broadly distributed reductive dehalogenases are uncharacterized in terms of their substrate specificity, making these intriguing targets for further biochemical experimentation. Finally, comparison of samples from a contaminated site and an enrichment culture derived from the same site eight years prior allowed examination of the effect of the enrichment process.

Etched poly(ether ether ketone) jacket stir bar with detachable dumbbell-shaped structure for stir bar sorptive extraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wei; Wang, Chenlu; Wang, Xuemei; Chen, Zilin

2018-06-08

Development of stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) device with high stability and extraction efficiency is critical and challenging by date. In this work, etched poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) tube with high mechanical strength and large specific surface area was used as jacket for SBSE device. By etching with concentrated sulfuric acid, the smooth outer surface of PEEK become porous with plenty of micro holes, which was beneficial for coating of sorbents and significantly improved the extraction performance. After functionalized by bio-polydopamine method, strong hydrophobic p-naphtholbenzein molecular was immobilized onto the chemical resistant PEEK surface (PNB@E-PEEK) as stationary phase. We also firstly developed a simple detachable dumbbell-shaped structure for improving the workability of PEEK jacket stir bar. The dumbbell-shaped construction can eliminate the friction between stir bar and container, and the design of detachable structure make elution can be accomplished easier with small amount of organic solvent. It was interesting that the developed detachable dumbbell-shaped PNB@E-PEEK stir bar showed exceptional stability and extraction efficiency for SBSE enrichment of multiple analytes including several Sudan dyes, triazines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkaloids and flavonoid. By coupling with high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV), PNB@E-PEEK stir bar based SBSE-HPLC-UV method was applied for the analysis of common Sudan dye pollutants. The method showed low limits of detection (0.02-0.03 ng/mL), good linearity (R 2  ≥ 0.9979) and good reproducibility (relative standard deviation ≤ 7.96%). It has been successfully applied to determine three dye pollutants in tap and lake water. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cosmic Ether

CERN Document Server

Tomaschitz, R

1998-01-01

A prerelativistic approach to particle dynamics is explored in an expanding Robertson-Walker cosmology. The receding galactic background provides a distinguished frame of reference and a unique cosmic time. In this context the relativistic, purely geometric space-time concept is criticized. Physical space is regarded as a permeable medium, the cosmic ether, which effects the world-lines of particles and rays. We study in detail a Robertson-Walker universe with linear expansion factor and negatively curved, open three-space; we choose the permeability tensor of the ether in such a way that the semiclassical approximation is exact. Galactic red-shifts depend on the refractive index of the ether. In the local Minkowskian limit the ether causes a time variation of mass, which scales inversely proportional to cosmic time. In the globally geodesic rest frames of galactic observers the ether manifests itself in an unbounded speed of signal transfer, in bifurcations of world-lines, and in time inversion effects.

Establishment and Characterization of an Anaerobic Thermophilic (55 degrees C) Enrichment Culture Degrading Long-Chain Fatty Acids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Angelidaki, Irini; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

1995-01-01

A thermophilic, long-chain fatty acid-oxidizing culture was enriched. Stearate was used as the substrate, and methane and carbon dioxide were the sole end products. Cultivation was possible only when a fed-batch system was used or with addition of activated carbon or bentonite. The enrichment...

A novel, environmentally friendly sodium lauryl ether sulfate-, cocamidopropyl betaine-, cocamide monoethanolamine-containing buffer for MEKC on microfluidic devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoeman, Kurt W; Culbertson, Christopher T

2008-12-01

A new buffer has been developed for fast, high-efficiency separations of amino acids by MEKC. This buffer was more environmentally friendly than the most commonly used surfactant-containing buffers for MEKC separations. It used a commercially available dishwashing soap by Seventh Generation (Burlington, VT, USA), which contained three micelle-forming agents. The mixed micelles were composed of sodium lauryl ether sulfate (anionic), cocamidopropyl betaine (zwitterionic), and cocamide monoethanolamine (non-ionic). The optimized buffer contained 5.0% w/w Seventh Generation Free & Clear dishwashing soap, 10 mM sodium borate, and was completely void of organics. The lack of organics and the biodegradability of the surfactant molecules made this buffer more environmentally friendly than typical SDS-containing buffers. This new buffer also had a different selectivity and provided faster separations with higher separation efficiencies than SDS-based buffers. Fast separations of BODIPY FL labeled amino acids yielded peaks with separation efficiencies greater than 100,000 in less than 20 s.

Innovative Approaches Using Lichen Enriched Media to Improve Isolation and Culturability of Lichen Associated Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Biosca, Elena G.; Flores, Raquel; Santander, Ricardo D.; Díez-Gil, José Luis; Barreno, Eva

2016-01-01

Lichens, self-supporting mutualistic associations between a fungal partner and one or more photosynthetic partners, also harbor non-photosynthetic bacteria. The diversity and contribution of these bacteria to the functioning of lichen symbiosis have recently begun to be studied, often by culture-independent techniques due to difficulties in their isolation and culture. However, culturing as yet unculturable lichenic bacteria is critical to unravel their potential functional roles in lichen symbiogenesis, to explore and exploit their biotechnological potential and for the description of new taxa. Our objective was to improve the recovery of lichen associated bacteria by developing novel isolation and culture approaches, initially using the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea. We evaluated the effect of newly developed media enriched with novel lichen extracts, as well as the influence of thalli washing time and different disinfection and processing protocols of thalli. The developed methodology included: i) the use of lichen enriched media to mimic lichen nutrients, supplemented with the fungicide natamycin; ii) an extended washing of thalli to increase the recovery of ectolichenic bacteria, thus allowing the disinfection of thalli to be discarded, hence enhancing endolichenic bacteria recovery; and iii) the use of an antioxidant buffer to prevent or reduce oxidative stress during thalli disruption. The optimized methodology allowed significant increases in the number and diversity of culturable bacteria associated with P. furfuracea, and it was also successfully applied to the lichens Ramalina farinacea and Parmotrema pseudotinctorum. Furthermore, we provide, for the first time, data on the abundance of culturable ecto- and endolichenic bacteria that naturally colonize P. furfuracea, R. farinacea and P. pseudotinctorum, some of which were only able to grow on lichen enriched media. This innovative methodology is also applicable to other microorganisms inhabiting these

Innovative Approaches Using Lichen Enriched Media to Improve Isolation and Culturability of Lichen Associated Bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Biosca, Elena G; Flores, Raquel; Santander, Ricardo D; Díez-Gil, José Luis; Barreno, Eva

2016-01-01

Lichens, self-supporting mutualistic associations between a fungal partner and one or more photosynthetic partners, also harbor non-photosynthetic bacteria. The diversity and contribution of these bacteria to the functioning of lichen symbiosis have recently begun to be studied, often by culture-independent techniques due to difficulties in their isolation and culture. However, culturing as yet unculturable lichenic bacteria is critical to unravel their potential functional roles in lichen symbiogenesis, to explore and exploit their biotechnological potential and for the description of new taxa. Our objective was to improve the recovery of lichen associated bacteria by developing novel isolation and culture approaches, initially using the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea. We evaluated the effect of newly developed media enriched with novel lichen extracts, as well as the influence of thalli washing time and different disinfection and processing protocols of thalli. The developed methodology included: i) the use of lichen enriched media to mimic lichen nutrients, supplemented with the fungicide natamycin; ii) an extended washing of thalli to increase the recovery of ectolichenic bacteria, thus allowing the disinfection of thalli to be discarded, hence enhancing endolichenic bacteria recovery; and iii) the use of an antioxidant buffer to prevent or reduce oxidative stress during thalli disruption. The optimized methodology allowed significant increases in the number and diversity of culturable bacteria associated with P. furfuracea, and it was also successfully applied to the lichens Ramalina farinacea and Parmotrema pseudotinctorum. Furthermore, we provide, for the first time, data on the abundance of culturable ecto- and endolichenic bacteria that naturally colonize P. furfuracea, R. farinacea and P. pseudotinctorum, some of which were only able to grow on lichen enriched media. This innovative methodology is also applicable to other microorganisms inhabiting these

On the predictive capabilities of CPA for applications in the chemical industry: Mulficomponent mixtures containing methyl-methacrylate, dimethyl-ether or acetic acid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsivintzelis, Ioannis; Kontogeorgis, Georgios

2014-01-01

mixtures exhibiting vapor-liquid (VLE) and/or liquid-liquid (LLE) equilibrium. The first two cases include mixtures of methyl-methacrylate with acetone or methanol and dimethyl-ether with ethanol, respectively. In these two cases, the classical form of CPA is used. The third case involves aqueous mixtures...... for the acetic acid-water system for which different parameter sets at different temperatures can be recommended. Even with the use of CPA-HV mixing rules, modeling of the acetic acid-water system with few interaction parameters remains a challenging task. Excellent simultaneous VLE and LLE correlation...... is obtained for complex systems such as aqueous mixtures with ethers and esters. The multicomponent results are, with a few exceptions, very satisfactory, especially for the vapor-liquid equilibrium cases. For the demanding aqueous acetic acid-water containing systems, one parameter set is recommended...

Williamson alkylation approach to the synthesis of poly(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markova, D.; Christova, D.; Velichkova, R.

2008-01-01

A method for synthesis of poly(alkyl vinyl ether-co-vinyl alcohol) copolymers was developed based on the Williamson's alkylation of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) with alkyl iodides. The influence of the alkylating agent and the reaction conditions on the efficiency of the modification reaction was investigated. The copolymers obtained were characterized by means of 1 H NMR and GPC. It was proved that by applying the proposed method copolymers of different composition and properties containing methyl vinyl ether, ethyl vinyl ether as well as n-butyl vinyl ether units could be prepared. Poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-vinyl alcohol)s of high degree of methylation exhibit sharp temperature response at 38-39 deg C in aqueous solution typical of the so-called smart polymers. (authors)

Growth and accumulation of flavan-3-ol in Camellia sinensis through callus culture and suspension culture method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sutini Sutini

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This study was aimed to assess flavan-3-ol biomass in C. sinensis through callus cultures and suspension cultures derived from leaf explants. Callus initiation of both cultures were using Murashige and Skoog medium were enriched with plant growth regulators Naphtha-lene Acetic Acid 3.0 mg/L and kinetin 2.0 mg/L. The procedures in this study were: (1 callus initiation by cutting the leaves of C. sinen-sis shoots then planted on Murashige and Skoog medium that were enriched with plant growth regulators, (2 sub callus culture on fresh medium that enriched with the same growth regulators, (3 suspension culture initiation of liquid callus, (4 growth examination of callus and suspension cultures in week 12, (5 examination of qualitative-quantitative content of flavan-3-olin suspension cultures at week 4. The results show that suspension cultures contain biomass flavan-3-ol that increase in the same manner of the increase of callus age and weight

Fabrication and properties of poly(polyethylene glycol n-alkyl ether vinyl ether)s as polymeric phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pei, Dong-fang; Chen, Sai; Li, Shu-qin; Shi, Hai-feng; Li, Wei; Li, Xuan; Zhang, Xing-xiang

2016-01-01

A series of poly(polyethylene glycol n-alkyl ether vinyl ether)s (PC m E n VEs) with various lengths of alkyl chains and polyethylene glycol spacers as side chain (m = 16,18; n = 1,2) were synthesized via two steps. First, monomers-ethylene glycol hexadecyl ether vinyl ether (C 16 E 1 VE), ethylene glycol octadecyl ether vinyl ether (C 18 E 1 VE), diethylene glycol hexadecyl ether vinyl ether (C 16 E 2 VE) and diethylene glycol octadecyl ether vinyl ether (C 18 E 2 VE) were synthesized by a modified Williamson etherification. Then, four new types of phase change materials were successfully fabricated by a living cationic polymerization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) were employed to characterize their composition, thermal properties and crystallization behavior. The results show that, the side chains of PC 16 E 1 VE, PC 18 E 1 VE, PC 16 E 2 VE and PC 18 E 2 VE are in a hexagonal lattice, and the onset temperatures for melting of PC 16 E 1 VE, PC 18 E 1 VE, PC 16 E 2 VE and PC 18 E 2 VE are 39.8 °C, 37.4 °C, 51.0 °C and 48.9 °C, the onset temperatures for crystallization are 36.7 °C, 35.2 °C, 47.4 °C and 46.3 °C, respectively. The enthalpy changes of PC 18 E 1 VE, PC 16 E 2 VE and PC 18 E 2 VE are higher than 100 J/g; on the contrary, it is 96 J/g for PC 16 E 1 VE. The enthalpy decrease is no more than 11% after 10 heating and cooling cycles. The 5 wt% mass loss temperatures of PC 18 E 1 VE, PC 16 E 2 VE and PC 18 E 2 VE are higher than 300 °C; on the contrary, it’s 283 °C for PC 16 E 1 VE. Using a weak polarity, flexible alkyl ether chain (-OCH 2 CH 2 O-) as a spacer to link the main chain and side chain is conducive to the crystallization of the alkyl side chain. These new phase change materials can be applied in heat storage, energy conservation, and environmental protection.

Proteomic characterization of golgi membranes enriched from Arabidopsis suspension cell cultures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Sara Fasmer; Ebert, Berit; Rautengarten, Carsten

2016-01-01

The plant Golgi apparatus has a central role in the secretory pathway and is the principal site within the cell for the assembly and processing of macromolecules. The stacked membrane structure of the Golgi apparatus along with its interactions with the cytoskeleton and endoplasmic reticulum has...... historically made the isolation and purification of this organelle difficult. Density centrifugation has typically been used to enrich Golgi membranes from plant microsomal preparations, and aside from minor adaptations, the approach is still widely employed. Here we outline the enrichment of Golgi membranes...... from an Arabidopsis cell suspension culture that can be used to investigate the proteome of this organelle. We also provide a useful workflow for the examination of proteomic data as the result of multiple analyses. Finally, we highlight a simple technique to validate the subcellular localization...

Occurrence, bioaccumulation and potential sources of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in typical freshwater cultured fish ponds of South China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Baozhong; Ni Honggang; Guan Yufeng; Zeng, Eddy Y.

2010-01-01

To determine the potential input sources of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) to fish farming environments in South China, samples of seven various environmental matrices were collected from October 2006-September 2007. Tri- to deca-BDEs were detected in all samples analyzed, with mean concentrations (±standard deviations) at 5.7 ± 3.6 ng/L in pond water, 15 ± 11 ng/g dry wt. in pond sediment, 12 ± 3.8 ng/g dry wt. in bank soil, 21 ± 20 ng/g lipid wt. in fish, and 93 ± 62 ng/g lipid wt. in fish feeds. In addition, BDE-209 was the major constituent in all samples except fish and BDE-47 was predominant in fish samples. Relatively high abundances of BDE-49 were detected in all the samples compared to those in the penta-BDE technical products. Several bioaccumulation factors were evaluated. Finally, statistical analyses suggested that fish feed, as well as pond water at a lesser degree, may have been the major source of PBDEs in freshwater farmed fish. - Occurrence and sources of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in typical freshwater cultured fish ponds of the Pearl River Delta, South China are examined.

Misconceptions about the ether

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duffy, M.C.

1980-01-01

Several misconceptions concerning the ether concept and ether models are reviewed and clarified so that the relationship between modern ether theory and orthodox relativity may be better understood. The question of the ether's supposed superfluidity as a concept, and its status in modern physics remains to be answered. (author)

Using Enrichment Clusters to Address the Needs of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Jennifer K.; Robbins, Margaret A.; Payne, Yolanda Denise; Brown, Katherine Backes

2016-01-01

Using data from teacher interviews, classroom observations, and a professional development workshop, this article explains how one component of the schoolwide enrichment model (SEM) has been implemented at a culturally diverse elementary school serving primarily Latina/o and African American students. Based on a broadened conception of giftedness,…

Multiplexed Single Intact Cell Droplet Digital PCR (MuSIC ddPCR) Method for Specific Detection of Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in Food Enrichment Cultures

OpenAIRE

McMahon, Tanis C.; Blais, Burton W.; Wong, Alex; Carrillo, Catherine D.

2017-01-01

Foodborne illness attributed to enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), a highly pathogenic subset of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), is increasingly recognized as a significant public health issue. Current microbiological methods for identification of EHEC in foods often use PCR-based approaches to screen enrichment broth cultures for characteristic gene markers [i.e., Shiga toxin (stx) and intimin (eae)]. However, false positives arise when complex food matrices, such as beef, contain mixtu...

Direct transformation of silyl enol ethers into functionalized allenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Langer, P; Döring, M; Seyferth, D; Görls, H

2001-02-02

The first elimination reactions of silyl enol ethers to lithiated allenes are reported. These reactions allow a direct transformation of readily available silyl enol ethers into functionalized allenes. The action of three to four equivalents of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) on silyl enol ethers results in the formation of lithiated allenes by initial allylic lithiation, subsequent elimination of a lithium silanolate, and finally, lithiation of the allene thus formed. Starting with amide-derived silyl imino ethers, lithiated ketenimines are obtained. A variety of reactions of the lithiated allenes with electrophiles (chlorosilanes, trimethylchlorostannane, dimethyl sulfate and ethanol) were carried out. Elimination of silanolate is observed only for substrates that contain the hindered SiMe2tBu or Si(iPr)3 moiety, but not for the SiMe3 group. The reaction of 1,1-dilithio-3,3-diphenylallene with ketones provides a convenient access to novel 1,1-di(hydroxymethyl)allenes which undergo a domino Nazarov-Friedel-Crafts reaction upon treatment with p-toluenesulfonic acid.

Enzymatic network for production of ether amines from alcohols

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Palacio, Cyntia M.; Crismaru, Ciprian G.; Bartsch, Sebastian

2016-01-01

We constructed an enzymatic network composed of three different enzymes for the synthesis of valuable ether amines. The enzymatic reactions are interconnected to catalyze the oxidation and subsequent transamination of the substrate and to provide cofactor recycling. This allows production...... of the desired ether amines from the corresponding ether alcohols with inorganic ammonium as the only additional substrate. To examine conversion, individual and overall reaction equilibria were established. Using these data, it was found that the experimentally observed conversions of up to 60% observed...... for reactions containing 10mM alcohol and up to 280mM ammonia corresponded well to predicted conversions. The results indicate that efficient amination can be driven by high concentrations of ammonia and may require improving enzyme robustness for scale-up....

Thermodynamic modeling of ternary and quaternary (liquid + liquid) systems containing water, FeCl3, HCl and diisopropyl ether

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Milosevic, M.; Hendriks, I.; Smits, R.E.R.; Schuur, B.; Haan, de A.B.

2013-01-01

Liquid–liquid extraction using ethers as solvents is a potentially energy saving alternative for the concentration of aqueous ferric chloride solutions. Adequate thermodynamic models that describe the behavior of the resulting quaternary systems (FeCl3, ether, acid and water) are not available in

Isoflurane is a suitable alternative to ether for anesthetizing rats prior to euthanasia for gene expression analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakatsu, Noriyuki; Igarashi, Yoshinobu; Aoshi, Taiki; Hamaguchi, Isao; Saito, Masumichi; Mizukami, Takuo; Momose, Haruka; Ishii, Ken J; Yamada, Hiroshi

2017-01-01

Diethyl ether (ether) had been widely used in Japan for anesthesia, despite its explosive properties and toxicity to both humans and animals. We also had used ether as an anesthetic for euthanizing rats for research in the Toxicogenomics Project (TGP). Because the use of ether for these purposes will likely cease, it is required to select an alternative anesthetic which is validated for consistency with existing TGP data acquired under ether anesthesia. We therefore compared two alternative anesthetic candidates, isoflurane and pentobarbital, with ether in terms of hematological findings, serum biochemical parameters, and gene expressions. As a result, few differences among the three agents were observed. In hematological and serum biochemistry analysis, no significant changes were found. In gene expression analysis, four known genes were extracted as differentially expressed genes in the liver of rats anesthetized with ether, isoflurane, or pentobarbital. However, no significant relationships were detected using gene ontology, pathway, or gene enrichment analyses by DAVID and TargetMine. Surprisingly, although it was expected that the lung would be affected by administration via inhalation, only one differentially expressed gene was extracted in the lung. Taken together, our data indicate that there are no significant differences among ether, isoflurane, and pentobarbital with respect to effects on hematological parameters, serum biochemistry parameters, and gene expression. Based on its smallest affect to existing data and its safety profile for humans and animals, we suggest isoflurane as a suitable alternative anesthetic for use in rat euthanasia in toxicogenomics analysis.

Nitrogen source effects on the denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation culture and anaerobic ammonium oxidation bacteria enrichment process.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Liang; Ding, Jing; Lu, Yong-Ze; Ding, Zhao-Wei; Zeng, Raymond J

2017-05-01

The co-culture system of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) has a potential application in wastewater treatment plant. This study explored the effects of permutation and combination of nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium on the culture enrichment from freshwater sediments. The co-existence of NO 3 - , NO 2 - , and NH 4 + shortened the enrichment time from 75 to 30 days and achieved a total nitrogen removal rate of 106.5 mg/L/day on day 132. Even though ammonium addition led to Anammox bacteria increase and a higher nitrogen removal rate, DAMO bacteria still dominated in different reactors with the highest proportion of 64.7% and the maximum abundance was 3.07 ± 0.25 × 10 8 copies/L (increased by five orders of magnitude) in the nitrite reactor. DAMO bacteria showed greater diversity in the nitrate reactor, and one was similar to M. oxyfera; DAMO bacteria in the nitrite reactor were relatively unified and similar to M. sinica. Interestingly, no DAMO archaea were found in the nitrate reactor. This study will improve the understanding of the impact of nitrogen source on DAMO and Anammox co-culture enrichment.

Successful enrichment of the ubiquitous freshwater acI Actinobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Sarahi L; McMahon, Katherine D; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Warnecke, Falk

2014-02-01

Actinobacteria of the acI lineage are often the numerically dominant bacterial phylum in surface freshwaters, where they can account for > 50% of total bacteria. Despite their abundance, there are no described isolates. In an effort to obtain enrichment of these ubiquitous freshwater Actinobacteria, diluted freshwater samples from Lake Grosse Fuchskuhle, Germany, were incubated in 96-well culture plates. With this method, a successful enrichment containing high abundances of a member of the lineage acI was established. Phylogenetic classification showed that the acI Actinobacteria of the enrichment belonged to the acI-B2 tribe, which seems to prefer acidic lakes. This enrichment grows to low cell densities and thus the oligotrophic nature of acI-B2 was confirmed. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Reproductive toxicity of the glycol ethers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardin, B D

1983-06-01

The glycol ethers are an important and widely used class of solvents. Recent studies have demonstrated that ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME), ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (EGdiME), ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGEE), and ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate (EGEEA) are teratogenic. Other studies have demonstrated that testicular atrophy or infertility follow treatment of males with EGME, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (EGMEA), EGEE, EGEEA, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (diEGdiME), and diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (diEGEE). Experimental data are reviewed and structure-activity relationships are speculated upon.

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by microbial consortia enriched from three soils using two different culture media.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Manli; Chen, Liming; Tian, Yongqiang; Ding, Yi; Dick, Warren A

2013-07-01

A consortium composed of many different bacterial species is required to efficiently degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in oil-contaminated soil. We obtained six PAH-degrading microbial consortia from three oil-contaminated soils using two different isolation culture media. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequence analyses of amplified 16s rRNA genes confirmed the bacterial community was greatly affected by both the culture medium and the soil from which the consortia were enriched. Three bacterial consortia enriched using malt yeast extract (MYE) medium showed higher degradation rates of PAHs than consortia enriched using Luria broth (LB) medium. Consortia obtained from a soil and then added back to that same soil was more effective in degrading PAHs than adding, to the same soil, consortia isolated from other, unrelated soils. This suggests that inoculum used for bioremediation should be from the same, or very similar nearby soils, as the soil that is actually being bioremediated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in environmental standard reference materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stapleton, Heather M.; Schantz, Michele M.; Wise, Stephen A. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Analytical Chemistry Division, Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Keller, Jennifer M.; Kucklick, John R. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Analytical Chemistry Division, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC (United States); Leigh, Stefan D. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Statistical Engineering Division, Gaithersburg, MD (United States)

2007-04-15

Standard reference materials (SRMs) are valuable tools in developing and validating analytical methods to improve quality assurance standards. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a long history of providing environmental SRMs with certified concentrations of organic and inorganic contaminants. Here we report on new certified and reference concentrations for 27 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in seven different SRMs: cod-liver oil, whale blubber, fish tissue (two materials), mussel tissue and sediment (two materials). PBDEs were measured in these SRMs, with the lowest concentrations measured in mussel tissue (SRM 1974b) and the highest in sediment collected from the New York/New Jersey Waterway (SRM 1944). Comparing the relative PBDE congener concentrations within the samples, we found the biota SRMs contained primarily tetrabrominated and pentabrominated diphenyl ethers, whereas the sediment SRMs contained primarily decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209). The cod-liver oil (SRM 1588b) and whale blubber (SRM 1945) materials were also found to contain measurable concentrations of two methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-BDEs). Certified and reference concentrations are reported for 12 PBDE congeners measured in the biota SRMs and reference values are available for two MeO-BDEs. Results from a sediment interlaboratory comparison PBDE exercise are available for the two sediment SRMs (1941b and 1944). (orig.)

Radiation-induced glycoside bond breaking in cellulose methyl ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petryaev, E.P.; Boltromeyuk, V.V.; Kovalenko, N.I.; Shadyro, O.I.

1988-01-01

Radiation-induced destruction of cellulose methyl ethers of different degree of esterification in aqueous solutions with and without acceptors: (N 2 O, O 2 , H 2 O + , Co(2), Cu(2)) is investigated. It is established that OH radicals make main contribution into radiolytic transformations of cellulose ethers in aqueous solutions. Reactions of radicals with free valency on carbon atoms containing secondary nonsubstituted hydroxyl groups lead also to glycoside bond breaking besides the reaction of β-fragmentation and hydrolysis of radicals with an unpaired electron localized near C 1 , C 4 , C 5 aroms

Bacterial community analysis in chlorpyrifos enrichment cultures via DGGE and use of bacterial consortium for CP biodegradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Akbar, Shamsa; Sultan, Sikander; Kertesz, Michael

2014-10-01

The organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos (CP) has been used extensively since the 1960s for insect control. However, its toxic effects on mammals and persistence in environment necessitate its removal from contaminated sites, biodegradation studies of CP-degrading microbes are therefore of immense importance. Samples from a Pakistani agricultural soil with an extensive history of CP application were used to prepare enrichment cultures using CP as sole carbon source for bacterial community analysis and isolation of CP metabolizing bacteria. Bacterial community analysis (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) revealed that the dominant genera enriched under these conditions were Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Stenotrophomonas, along with lower numbers of Sphingomonas, Agrobacterium and Burkholderia. Furthermore, it revealed that members of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, α- and γ-Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were present at initial steps of enrichment whereas β-Proteobacteria appeared in later steps and only Proteobacteria were selected by enrichment culturing. However, when CP-degrading strains were isolated from this enrichment culture, the most active organisms were strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Pseudomonas mendocina and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These strains degraded 6-7.4 mg L(-1) day(-1) of CP when cultivated in mineral medium, while the consortium of all four strains degraded 9.2 mg L(-1) day(-1) of CP (100 mg L(-1)). Addition of glucose as an additional C source increased the degradation capacity by 8-14 %. After inoculation of contaminated soil with CP (200 mg kg(-1)) disappearance rates were 3.83-4.30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for individual strains and 4.76 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for the consortium. These results indicate that these organisms are involved in the degradation of CP in soil and represent valuable candidates for in situ bioremediation of contaminated soils and waters.

Anaerobic oxidation of acetylene by estuarine sediments and enrichment cultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Culbertson, C.W.; Zehnder, A.J.B.; Oremland, R.S.

1981-01-01

Acetylene disappeared from the gas phase of anaerobically incubated estuarine sediment slurries, and loss was accompanied by increased levels of carbon dioxide. Acetylene loss was inhibited by chloroamphenicol, air, and autoclaving. Addition of 14 C 2 H 2 to slurries resulted in the formation of 14 CO 2 and the transient appearance of 14 C-soluble intermediates, of which acetate was a major component. Acetylene oxidation stimulated sulfate reduction; however, sulfate reduction was not required for the loss of C 2 H 2 to occur. Enrichment cultures were obtained which grew anaerobically at the expense of C 2 H 2

Characterization of Microsolvated Crown Ethers from Broadband Rotational Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Cristobal; Schnell, Melanie; Blanco, Susana; Lopez, Juan Carlos

2016-06-01

Since they were first synthetized, crown ethers have been extensively used in organometallic chemistry due to their unparalleled binding selectivity with alkali metal cations. From a structural point of view, crown ethers are heterocycles containing oxygen and/or other heteroatoms, although the most common ones are formed from ethylene oxide unit. Crown ethers are conventionally seen as being hydrophilic inside and hydrophobic outside when the structures found for the metal cation complexes are considered. However, crown ethers are extremely flexible and in isolation may present a variety of stable conformations so that their structure may be easily adapted in presence of a strong ligand as an alkali metal cation minimize the energy of the resulting complex. Water can be considered a soft ligand which interacts with crown ethers through moderate hydrogen bonds. It is thus interesting to investigate which conformers are selected by water to form complexes, the preferred interaction sites and the possible conformational changes due to the presence of one or more water molecules. Previous studies identified microsolvated crown ethers but in all cases with a chromophore group attached to the structure. Here we present a broadband rotational spectroscopy study of microsolvated crown ethers produced in a pulsed molecular jet expansion. Several 1:1 and 1:2 crown ether:water aggregates are presented for 12-crown-4, 15-crown-5 and 18-crown-6. Unambiguous identification of the structures has been achieved using isotopic substitution within the water unit. The subtle changes induced in the structures of the crown ether monomer upon complexation and the hydrogen-bonding network that hold them together will be also discussed. F. Gámez, B. Martínez-Haya, S. Blanco,J. C. López and J. L. Alonso, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2014, 14 12912-12918 V. A. Shubert, C.W. Müller and T. Zwier, J. Phys. Chem. A 2009, 113 8067-8079

Poly (ether ether ketone) membranes for fuel cells; Membranas de poli (eter eter cetona) sulfonado para celulas a combustivel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marrero, Jacqueline C.; Gomes, Ailton de S.; Filho, Jose C.D., E-mail: jacquecosta@gmail.com [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Hui, Wang S. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Oliveira, Vivianna S. de [Escola Tecnica Rezende-Rammel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Polymeric membranes were developed using a SPEEK polymer matrix (sulphonated poly (ether ether ketone)), containing hygroscopic particles of zirconia (Zr) (incorporated by sol-gel method), for use as electrolyte membranes in fuel cells. SPEEK with different sulfonation degrees were used: 63 and 86%. The thermal analysis (TGA and DSC) was carried out to characterize the membranes and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was carried out to evaluating the proton conductivity of the membranes. Additional analysis were underway in order to characterize these membranes, which include: X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in order to evaluate the influence of zirconia and sulfonation degree on the properties of the membranes. (author)

Selective enrichment of sialic acid-containing glycopeptides using titanium dioxide chromatography with analysis by HILIC and mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Palmisano, Giuseppe; Lendal, Sara Eun; Engholm-Keller, Kasper

2010-01-01

-containing glycopeptides is achieved by using a low-pH buffer that contains a substituted acid such as glycolic acid to improve the binding efficiency and selectivity of SA-containing glycopeptides to the TiO(2) resin. By combining TiO(2) enrichment of sialylated glycopeptides with HILIC separation of deglycosylated...... of glycosylation sites and the characterization of glycan structures. In this paper, we describe a protocol for the selective enrichment of SA-containing glycopeptides using a combination of titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). The selectivity of TiO(2) toward SA...... peptides, a more comprehensive analysis of formerly sialylated glycopeptides by MS can be achieved. Here we illustrate the efficiency of the method by the identification of 1,632 unique formerly sialylated glycopeptides from 817 sialylated glycoproteins. The TiO(2)/HILIC protocol requires 2 d...

Glycerol tertiary butyl ethers via etherification of glycerol with isobutene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Behr, A. [Dortmund Univ. (Germany). Chair of Chemical Process Development/Technical Chemistry A

2007-07-01

Glycerol and isobutene can react to a mixture of glycerol tertiary butyl ethers (GTBE) which can be used as additives for gasoline, diesel or biodiesel. This reaction was investigated in lab scale yielding a proposal for a process flow diagram containing reaction, extraction, flash and rectification units. This process has the advantages that only the suitable higher ethers are formed and that both glycerol and isobutene are fully converted. The homogeneous acid catalyst is low-priced and can be completely recycled. (orig.)

Metabolism of nitrodiphenyl ether herbicides by dioxin-degrading bacterium Sphingomonas wittichii RW1.

Science.gov (United States)

Keum, Young Soo; Lee, Young Ju; Kim, Jeong-Han

2008-10-08

Nitrodiphenyl ether herbicides, including chlomethoxyfen, nitrofen, and oxyfluorfen are potent herbicides. Some metabolites and parent compounds are considered as possible mutagens and endocrine disruptors. Both properties pose serious hygienic and environmental risks. Sphingomonas wittichii RW1 is a well-known degrader of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and diphenyl ethers. However, no detailed research of its metabolic activity has been performed against pesticides with a diphenyl ether scaffold. In this study, we report S. wittichii RW1 as a very potent diphenyl ether herbicide-metabolizing bacterium with broad substrate specificity. The structures of metabolites were determined by instrumental analysis and synthetic standards. Most pesticides were rapidly removed from the culture medium in the order of nitrofen > oxyfluorfen > chlomethoxyfen. In general, herbicides were degraded through the initial reduction and N-acetylation of nitro groups, followed by ether bond cleavage. Relatively low concentrations of phenolic and catecholic metabolites throughout the study suggested that these metabolites were rapidly metabolized and incorporated into primary metabolism. These results indicate that strain RW1 has very versatile metabolic activities over a wide range of environmental contaminants.

Criticality experiments with low enriched UO2 fuel rods in water containing dissolved gadolinium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bierman, S.R.; Murphy, E.S.; Clayton, E.D.; Keay, R.T.

1984-02-01

The results obtained in a criticality experiments program performed for British Nuclear Fuels, Ltd. (BNFL) under contract with the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) are presented in this report along with a complete description of the experiments. The experiments involved low enriched UO 2 and PuO 2 -UO 2 fuel rods in water containing dissolved gadolinium, and are in direct support of BNFL plans to use soluble compounds of the neutron poison gadolinium as a primary criticality safeguard in the reprocessing of low enriched nuclear fuels. The experiments were designed primarily to provide data for validating a calculation method being developed for BNFL design and safety assessments, and to obtain data for the use of gadolinium as a neutron poison in nuclear chemical plant operations - particularly fuel dissolution. The experiments program covers a wide range of neutron moderation (near optimum to very under-moderated) and a wide range of gadolinium concentration (zero to about 2.5 g Gd/l). The measurements provide critical and subcritical k/sub eff/ data (1 greater than or equal to k/sub eff/ greater than or equal to 0.87) on fuel-water assemblies of UO 2 rods at two enrichments (2.35 wt % and 4.31 wt % 235 U) and on mixed fuel-water assemblies of UO 2 and PuO 2 -UO 2 rods containing 4.31 wt % 235 U and 2 wt % PuO 2 in natural UO 2 respectively. Critical size of the lattices was determined with water containing no gadolinium and with water containing dissolved gadolinium nitrate. Pulsed neutron source measurements were performed to determine subcritical k/sub eff/ values as additional amounts of gadolinium were successively dissolved in the water of each critical assembly. Fission rate measurements in 235 U using solid state track recorders were made in each of the three unpoisoned critical assemblies, and in the near-optimum moderated and the close-packed poisoned assemblies of this fuel

Enrichment and Characterization of PCB-Degrading Bacteria as Potential Seed Cultures for Bioremediation of Contaminated Soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dubravka Hršak

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of our study was to obtain seed cultures for enhancing the transformation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs in contaminated soil of the transformer station in Zadar, Croatia, damaged during warfare activities in 1991. For enrichment, six soil samples were collected from different polluted areas and microcosm approach, stimulating the growth of biphenyl-degrading bacteria, was employed. Enrichment experiments resulted in the selection of two fast growing mixed cultures TSZ7 and AIR1, originating from the soil of the transformer station and the airport area, respectively. Both cultures showed significant PCB-degrading activity (56 to 60 % of PCB50 mixture was reduced after a two-week cultivation. Furthermore, the cultures displayed similar PCB-degrading competence and reduced di-to tetrachlorobiphenyls more effectively than penta- to hepta-chlorobiphenyls. Strain Z6, identified as Rhodococcus erythropolis, was found to be the only culture member showing PCB-transformation potential similar to that of the mixed culture TSZ7, from which it was isolated. Based on the metabolites identified in the assay with the single congener 2,4,4’-chlorobiphenyl, we proposed that the strain Z6 was able to use both the 2,3-and 3,4-dioxygenase pathways. Furthermore, the identified metabolites suggested that beside these pathways another unidentified pathway might also be active in strain Z6. Based on the obtained results, the culture TSZ7 and the strain Z6 were designated as potential seed cultures for bioremediation of the contaminated soil.

Impact of estuarine gradients on reductive dechlorination of 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in river sediment enrichment cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Dam, Hang T; Häggblom, Max M

2017-02-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) are among the most persistent organic pollutants. Although the total input of PCDDs into the environment has decreased substantially over the past four decades, their input via non-point sources is still increasing, especially in estuarine metropolitan areas. Here we report on the microbially mediated reductive dechlorination of PCDDs in anaerobic enrichment cultures established from sediments collected from five locations along the Hackensack River, NJ and investigate the impacts of sediment physicochemical characteristics on dechlorination activity. Dechlorination of 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (1,2,3,4-TeCDD) and abundance of Dehalococcoides spp. negatively correlated with salinity and sulfate concentration in sediments used to establish the cultures. 1,2,3,4-TeCDD was dechlorinated to a lesser extent in cultures established from sediments from the tidally influenced estuarine mouth of the river. In cultures established from low salinity sediments, 1,2,3,4-TeCDD was reductively dechlorinated with the accumulation of 2-monochlorodibenzo-p-dioxin as the major product. Sulfate concentrations above 2 mM inhibited 1,2,3,4-TecDD dechlorination activity. Consecutive lateral- and peri- dechlorination took place in enrichment cultures with a minimal accumulation of 2,3-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in active cultures. A Dehalococcoides spp. community was enriched and accounted for up to 64% of Chloroflexi detected in these sediment cultures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Criticality safety evaluation of a type B enriched uranium shipping container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopper, C.M.

1978-01-01

The Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant Model DT-14 container was developed to replace and extend the enriched uranium shipping capabilities of the USA/5765/BF Vermiculite shipping container. This work was accomplished to comply with the DOE Immediate Action Directive Number 0529-02 for ''Phasing out the use of loose or bagged Vermiculite packaging material as a thermal shield and shock absorber in radioactive material packages''. The Model DT-14 is fabricated from a Specification 17H 30-gallon drum, cane fiberboard insulation, and a steel inner containment vessel (159 mm dia by 390 mm height). The single-package and array analyses are based upon results of the multigroup Monte Carlo criticality program, KENO, utilizing 16-energy-group Hansen-Roach, and Knight modified 238 U cross sections. The program and cross sections are considered well established on the basis of their success in calculating a large variety of critical experiments. Validation results show that a calculated neutron multiplication factor plus two standard deviations equal to 0.970 or greater must be considered critical, and all lower values may be considered safe

Development of Technology for Enrichment of Silver Containing Ores

Science.gov (United States)

Shekiladze, Asmati; Kavtelashvili, Otari; Bagnashvili, Mamuka

2016-10-01

The progress of Georgian economics is substantially associated with a development of new deposits of mineral resources. Among them is the David-Gareji deposit where at present the intensive searching geological works are performed. The work goal involves the elaboration of the technology for processing of silver-containing quartz-barite ores. Without its development the mining of more valuable gold-polymetallic ores is impossible. Because of ore complexity silver and barite are considered in a common technological aspect. The investigations were carried out on the representative samples of quartz-barite ores containing 78-88 g/ton of silver and 27-29 % of silver is a nugget in the form of the simple sulphides and chlorides. The ore is characterized by fine coalescence of barite and ore-generating minerals. Non-ferrous metals haven't any industrial value because of their very low content. Therefore, for the processing of the ores under study the direct selective scheme of flotation enrichment was chosen and the formula of optimal reagent regime was elaborated. Potassium xanthogenate is used as a collector for flotation of silver minerals and pine oil- as a foaming agent. The effect of the pulp - pH and medium temperature on silver flotation was studied. It was established that the silver is actively floats in neutral medium. For barite flotation the various collectors were tested: sulfidezid cotton oil-soap stock, soaps of fatty acids and alkyl sulphates of C12 - C16 row, among the “Baritol” is the most efficient one. Depression of the barren rock was carried out by liquid glass in alkaline medium. The effect of pulp pH on barite flotation has been investigated. The best results were obtained at pH=8.5. The increase of the pulp alkalinity has no essential effect on the indexes of the barite enrichment. Conditional concentrate of the barite is obtained by two fold purification of the main flotation concentrate by the addition of the liquid glass to the re

On-line liquid chromatography-gas chromatography: A novel approach for the analysis of phytosterol oxidation products in enriched foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholz, Birgit; Wocheslander, Stefan; Lander, Vera; Engel, Karl-Heinz

2015-05-29

A novel methodology for the automated qualitative and quantitative determination of phytosterol oxidation products in enriched foods via on-line liquid chromatography-gas chromatography (LC-GC) was established. The approach is based on the LC pre-separation of acetylated phytosterols and their corresponding oxides using silica as stationary phase and a mixture of n-hexane/methyl tert-butyl ether/isopropanol as eluent. Two LC-fractions containing (i) 5,6-epoxy- and 7-hydroxyphytosterols, and (ii) 7-ketophytosterols are transferred on-line to the GC for the analysis of their individual compositions on a medium polar trifluoropropylmethyl polysiloxane capillary column. Thus, conventionally employed laborious off-line purification and enrichment steps can be avoided. Validation data, including recovery, repeatability, and reproducibility of the method, were elaborated using an enriched margarine as example. The margarine was subjected to a heating procedure in order to exemplarily monitor the formation of phytosterol oxidation products. Quantification was performed using on-line LC-GC-FID, identification of the analytes was based on on-line LC-GC-MS. The developed approach offers a new possibility for the reliable and fast analysis of phytosterol oxidation products in enriched foods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exogenous ether lipids predominantly target mitochondria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lars Kuerschner

Full Text Available Ether lipids are ubiquitous constituents of cellular membranes with no discrete cell biological function assigned yet. Using fluorescent polyene-ether lipids we analyzed their intracellular distribution in living cells by microscopy. Mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum accumulated high amounts of ether-phosphatidylcholine and ether-phosphatidylethanolamine. Both lipids were specifically labeled using the corresponding lyso-ether lipids, which we established as supreme precursors for lipid tagging. Polyfosine, a fluorescent analogue of the anti-neoplastic ether lipid edelfosine, accumulated to mitochondria and induced morphological changes and cellular apoptosis. These data indicate that edelfosine could exert its pro-apoptotic power by targeting and damaging mitochondria and thereby inducing cellular apoptosis. In general, this study implies an important role of mitochondria in ether lipid metabolism and intracellular ether lipid trafficking.

Ether formulations of relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duffy, M.C.

1980-01-01

Contemporary ether theories are surveyed and criticised, especially those formally identical to orthodox Relativity. The historical development of Relativity, Special and General, in terms of an ether, is briefly indicated. Classical interpretations of Generalized Relativity using ether are compared to Euclidean formulations using a background space. The history of a sub-group of theories, formulating a 'new' Relativity involving modified transforms, is outlined. According to the theory with which they agree, recent supposed detections of drift are classified and criticised. Cosmological evidence suggesting an ether is mentioned. Only ether theories formally identical to Relativity have been published in depth. They stand criticised as being contrary to the positivist spirit. The history of mechanical analogues is traced, from Hartley's representing gravitating matter as spherical standing waves, to recent suggestions that vortex-sponge might model electromagnetic, quantum, uncertainty and faster-than-light phenomena. Contemporary theories are particular physical theories, themselves 'second interpretations' of a primary mathematical model. Mechanical analogues are auxiliary, not necessary, to other theory, disclosing relationships between classical and non-classical descriptions of assemblies charging state. The ether-relativity polemic, part of a broader dispute about relativity, is founded on mistaken conceptions of the roles of mathematical and physical models, mechanical analogues; and a distored view of history, which indicates that ether theories have become relativistic. (author)

Method for enriching and separating heavy hydrogen isotopes from substance streams containing such isotopes by means of isotope exchange

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knochel, A.; Eggers, I.; Klatte, B.; Wilken, R. D.

1985-01-01

A process for enriching and separating heavy hydrogen isotopes having a heavy hydrogen cation (deuterium and/or tritium) from substance streams containing them, wherein the respectively present hydrogen isotopes are exchanged in chemical equilibria. A protic, acid solution containing deuterium and/or tritium is brought into contact with a value material from the group of open-chained polyethers or aminopolyethers, macro-monocyclic or macro-polycyclic polyethers, macro-monocyclic or macro-polycyclic amino polyethers, and mixtures of these values, in their free or proton salt form to form a reaction product of the heavy hydrogen cation with the value or value salt and bring about enrichment of deuterium and/or tritium in the reaction product. The reaction product containing the value or value salt is separated from the solution. The separated reaction product is treated to release the hydrogen isotope(s) to be enriched in the form of deuterium oxide (HDO) and/or tritium oxide (HTO) by regenerating the value or its salt, respectively. The regenerated value is returned for reuse

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by microbial consortia enriched from three soils using two different culture media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Manli; Chen, Liming; Tian, Yongqiang; Ding, Yi; Dick, Warren A.

2013-01-01

A consortium composed of many different bacterial species is required to efficiently degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in oil-contaminated soil. We obtained six PAH-degrading microbial consortia from three oil-contaminated soils using two different isolation culture media. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequence analyses of amplified 16s rRNA genes confirmed the bacterial community was greatly affected by both the culture medium and the soil from which the consortia were enriched. Three bacterial consortia enriched using malt yeast extract (MYE) medium showed higher degradation rates of PAHs than consortia enriched using Luria broth (LB) medium. Consortia obtained from a soil and then added back to that same soil was more effective in degrading PAHs than adding, to the same soil, consortia isolated from other, unrelated soils. This suggests that inoculum used for bioremediation should be from the same, or very similar nearby soils, as the soil that is actually being bioremediated. -- Highlights: •Six PAH-degrading microbial consortia were isolated from three oil-contaminated soils. •The bacterial community by 16s rRNA genes was affected by culture media and source soil. •Inoculum should be from the same or similar soil as the soil being bioremediated. -- Bioremediation of oil-contaminated soils was most effective when using inoculum of microbial consortia from the same or similar soil as the soil being bioremediated

Substance Flow Analysis of Wastes Containing Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vyzinkarova, Dana; Brunner, Paul H.

2013-01-01

materials. Therefore, end-of-life (EOL) plastic materials used for construction must be separated and properly treated, for example, in a state-of-the-art municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerator. In the case of cOctaBDE, the main flows are waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and, possibly......The present article examines flows and stocks of Stockholm Convention regulated pollutants, commercial penta- and octabrominated diphenyl ether (cPentaBDE, cOctaBDE), on a city level. The goals are to (1) identify sources, pathways, and sinks of these compounds in the city of Vienna, (2) determine...... the fractions that reach final sinks, and (3) develop recommendations for waste management to ensure their minimum recycling and maximum transfer to appropriate final sinks. By means of substance flow analysis (SFA) and scenario analysis, it was found that the key flows of cPentaBDE stem from construction...

A new cytotoxic sterol methoxymethyl ether from a deep water marine sponge Scleritoderma sp. cf. paccardi.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunasekera, S P; Kelly-Borges, M; Longley, R E

1996-02-01

24(R)-Methyl-5 alpha-cholest-7-enyl 3 beta-methoxymethyl ether (1), a new sterol ether, has been isolated from a deep-water marine sponge Scleritoderma sp. cf. paccardi. Compound 1 exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against the cultured murine P-388 tumor cell line with an IC50 of 2.3 micrograms/mL. The isolation and structure elucidation of 1 by NMR spectroscopy is described.

Immunological evaluation of polystyrene and poly(ether imide) cell culture inserts with different roughness.

Science.gov (United States)

Roch, Toralf; Krüger, Anne; Kratz, Karl; Ma, Nan; Jung, Friedrich; Lendlein, Andreas

2012-01-01

For the successful clinical and biological application of polymers, their interaction with cells, tissues, and body fluids has to be well characterized. In order to investigate how the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of candidate biomaterials influence cell behaviours, the testing sample is usually placed in commercially available cell culture plates. Thus, not only the testing sample itself but also the culture dish material might influence the cell behaviour. Therefore, an insert system was created to exclude this influence and allow investigations of the testing material solely. In this study micropatterned inserts prepared from polystyrene (PS) as well as from poly(ether imide) (PEI) with three different roughness levels of i) Rq = 0.29 μm (PS) and 0.23 μm (PEI); ii) Rq = 3.47 μm (PS) and 3.92 μm (PEI); and iii) Rq = 22.16 μm [corrected] (PS) and 22.65 μm (PEI) were explored with regard of their immuno-compatibility including the determination of potential contaminations with endotoxins or other microbial products. The endotoxin levels of the inserts were determined to be less than 0.07 EU/mL, which is well below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration limit of 0.5 EU/mL and the survival of murine macrophages cultured in the inserts was not impaired. Activation of early immune mechanisms such as complement activation and the generation of reactive oxygen species could not be observed. All tested materials had no influence on the cytokine secretion from cells of whole human blood. The investigated inserts were immuno-compatible and apparently free of contaminations with microbial products. The roughness of the inserts had no stimulatory or inhibitory effect on early immune mechanisms. Conclusively, the 24-well plate insert systems introduced in this study allow investigating the interactions of tailored surface properties such as roughness with many other cell types, without the disadvantage of the standard commercially available culture

[Culturable psychrotolerant methanotrophic bacteria in landfill cover soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Kallistova, A Iu; Montonen, L; Jurgens, G; Munster, U; Kevbrina, M V; Nozhevnikova, A N

2014-01-01

Methanotrophs closely related to psychrotolerant members of the genera Methylobacter and Methylocella were identified in cultures enriched at 10@C from landfill cover soil samples collected in the period from April to November. Mesophilic methanotrophs of the genera Methylobacter and Methylosinus were found in cultures enriched at 20 degrees C from the same cover soil samples. A thermotolerant methanotroph related to Methylocaldum gracile was identified in the culture enriched at 40 degrees C from a sample collected in May (the temperature of the cover soil was 11.5-12.5 degrees C). In addition to methanotrophs, methylobacteria of the genera Methylotenera and Methylovorus and members of the genera Verrucomicrobium, Pseudomonas, Pseudoxanthomonas, Dokdonella, Candidatus Protochlamydia, and Thiorhodospira were also identified in the enrichment cultures. A methanotroph closely related to the psychrotolerant species Methylobacter tundripaludum (98% sequence identity of 16S r-RNA genes with the type strain SV96(T)) was isolated in pure culture. The introduction of a mixture of the methanotrophic enrichments, grown at 15 degrees C, into the landfill cover soil resulted in a decrease in methane emission from the landfill surface in autumn (October, November). The inoculum used was demonstrated to contain methanotrophs closely related to Methylobacter tundripaludum SV96.

Effect of nitrogen source on methanol oxidation and genetic diversity of methylotrophic mixed cultures enriched from pulp and paper mill biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Babbitt, Callie W; Lindner, Angela S

2011-04-01

Methanol-oxidizing bacteria may play an important role in the development and use of biological treatment systems for the removal of methanol from industrial effluents. Optimization of methanol degradation potential in such systems is contingent on availability of nutrients, such as nitrogen, in the most favorable form and concentration. To that end, this study examined the variation in growth, methanol degradation, and bacterial diversity of two mixed methylotrophic cultures that were provided nitrogen either as ammonium or nitrate and in three different concentrations. Methanol-degrading cultures were enriched from biofilms sampled at a pulp and paper mill and grown in liquid batch culture with methanol as the only carbon source and either ammonium or nitrate as the only added nitrogen source. Results indicate that growth and methanol removal of the mixed cultures increase directly with increased nitrogen, added in either form. However, methanol removal and bacterial diversity, as observed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) methods, were higher when using nitrate as the nitrogen source for enrichment and growth, rather than ammonium. Based on results described here, nitrate may potentially be a better nitrogen source when enriching or working with mixed methylotrophic cultures, and possibly more effective when used as a nutrient addition to biofilters.

Enzymes that cleave non-glycosidic ether bonds between lignins or derivatives thereof and saccharides

Science.gov (United States)

Kravit, Nancy G.; Schmidt, Katherine A.

2017-10-24

The patent application relates to isolated polypeptides that specifically cleave non-glycosidic ether bonds between lignins or derivatives thereof and saccharides, and to cDNAs encoding the polypeptides. The patent application also relates to nucleic acid constructs, expression vectors and host cells comprising the cDNAs, as well as methods of producing and using the isolated polypeptides for treating pulp and biomass to increase soluble saccharide yield and enrich lignin fractions.

A novel sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) and cross-linked membranes for fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Hongtao; Zhang, Gang; Wu, Jing; Zhao, Chengji; Zhang, Yang; Shao, Ke; Han, Miaomiao; Lin, Haidan; Zhu, Jing; Na, Hui [Alan G MacDiarmid Institute, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Street 2699, Changchun 130012, Jilin (China)

2010-10-01

A novel poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) containing pendant carboxyl groups has been synthesized by a nucleophilic polycondensation reaction. Sulfonated polymers (SPEEKs) with different ion exchange capacity are then obtained by post-sulfonation process. The structures of PEEK and SPEEKs are characterized by both FT-IR and {sup 1}H NMR. The properties of SPEEKs as candidates for proton exchange membranes are studied. The cross-linking reaction is performed at 140 C using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as the cross-linker. In comparison with the non-cross-linked membranes, some properties of the cross-linked membranes are significantly improved, such as water uptake, methanol resistance, mechanical and oxidative stabilities, while the proton conductivity decreases. The effect of PVA content on proton conductivity, water uptake, swelling ratio, and methanol permeability is also investigated. Among all the membranes, SPEEK-C-8 shows the highest selectivity of 50.5 x 10{sup 4} S s cm{sup -3}, which indicates that it is a suitable candidate for applications in direct methanol fuel cells. (author)

Rheological, mechanical and tribological properties of carbon-nanofibre reinforced poly (ether ether ketone composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volker Altstaedt

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Poly(ether ether ketone nanocomposites containing vapour-grown carbon nanofibres (CNF were produced using standard polymer processing techniques. At high shear rates no significant increase in resin viscosity was observed. Nevertheless, the addition of the CNFs results in a higher melt strength at 360°C. Electron microscopy confirmed the homogeneous dispersion and alignment of nanofibres in the polymer matrix. Evaluation of the mechanical composite properties revealed a linear increase in tensile stiffness and strength with nanofibre loading fractions up to 15 wt% whilst matrix ductility was maintained up to 10 wt%. An interpretation of the composite performance by short-fibre theory resulted in rather low intrinsic stiffness properties of the vapour-grown CNF. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to investigate crystallization kinetics and degree of crystallinity. The CNFs were found not to act as nucleating sites. Furthermore, unidirectional sliding tests against two different counterpart materials (100Cr6 martensitic bearing steel, X5CrNi18-10 austenitic stainless steel were performed. The carbon nanofibres were found to reduce the wear rate of PEEK significantly.

Ecotoxicological effects of decabromodiphenyl ether and cadmium contamination on soil microbes and enzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Meng; An, Shuai; Xiong, Bang; Li, Hui; Cui, Changzheng; Lin, Kuangfei

2012-08-01

The ecotoxicological effects of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) and cadmium (Cd) contamination on soil culturable microbial population, enzyme activity and bacterial community structure were investigated. Results of the indoor incubation test runs performed on many series of control and contaminated soil samples have demonstrated some notable toxic effects due to long term exposure to either or both contaminants. The two contaminants produced notable yet different toxic effects on the test microbes; the population of the exposed species generally declined according to certain dose-response relationships. The soil culturable microbial population and enzyme activity data show that the sensitivity to one or both contaminants followed the order of: bacteria>fungi>actinomycete and urease>saccharase, respectively. The interaction between BDE209 and Cd was dependent on both the exposure dose and time and that the joint toxic effects were synergistic, antagonistic or additive. The PCR-DGGE analysis data of species composition and richness suggest the synergistic combined effects on bacterial community structure during the 30d exposure. Pseudomonas tuomuerensis strain CCM 7280 and Pseudomonas alcaliphila strain AL15-21 were enriched, indicating these species might be major functional populations and highly tolerant. Such observations have provided the useful information of potential ecotoxicological effects of BDE209 and Cd contamination in the environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biomedical potentials of crown ethers: prospective antitumor agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kralj, Marijeta; Tusek-Bozić, Ljerka; Frkanec, Leo

2008-10-01

Crown ethers are of enormous interest and importance in chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, catalysis, separation, transport and encapsulated processes, as well as in the design and synthesis of various synthetic systems with specific properties, diverse capabilities, and programmable functions. Classical crown ethers are macrocyclic polyethers that contain 3-20 oxygen atoms separated from each other by two or more carbon atoms. They are exceptionally versatile in selectively binding a range of metal ions and a variety of organic neutral and ionic species. Crown ethers are currently being studied and used in a variety of applications beyond their traditional place in chemistry. This review presents additional applications and the ever-increasing biomedical potentials of these intriguing compounds, with particular emphasis on the prospects of their relevance as anticancer agents. We believe that further research in this direction should be encouraged, as crown compounds could either induce toxicities that are different from those of conventional antitumor drugs, or complement drugs in current use, thereby providing a valuable adjunct to therapy.

New Poly(amide-imide)/Nanocomposites Reinforced Silicate Nanoparticles Based on N-pyromellitimido-L-phenyl Alanine Containing Ether Moieties

Science.gov (United States)

Faghihi, Khalil; Shabanian, Meisam; Dadfar, Ehsan

2012-02-01

A series of Poly(amide-imide)/montmorillonite nanocomposites containing N-pyromellitimido-L-phenyl alanine moiety in the main chain were synthesized by a convenient solution intercalation technique. Poly(amide-imide) (PAI) 5 as a source of polymer matrix was synthesized by the direct polycondensation reaction of N-pyromellitimido-L-phenyl alanine 3 with 4,4'-diamino diphenyl ether 4 in the presence of triphenyl phosphite (TPP), CaCl2, pyridine and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The resulting nanocomposite films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that organo-modified clay was dispersed homogeneously in PAI matrix. TGA indicated an enhancement of thermal stability of new nanocomposites compared with the pure polymer.

Characterization of Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture and isolation of Fe (III)-reducing bacterium Enterobacter sp. L6 from marine sediment.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hongyan; Wang, Hongyu

2016-07-01

To enrich the Fe (III)-reducing bacteria, sludge from marine sediment was inoculated into the medium using Fe (OH)3 as the sole electron acceptor. Efficiency of Fe (III) reduction and composition of Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture were analyzed. The results indicated that the Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture with the dominant bacteria relating to Clostridium and Enterobacter sp. had high Fe (III) reduction of (2.73 ± 0.13) mmol/L-Fe (II). A new Fe (III)-reducing bacterium was isolated from the Fe (III)-reducing enrichment culture and identified as Enterobacter sp. L6 by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The Fe (III)-reducing ability of strain L6 under different culture conditions was investigated. The results indicated that strain L6 had high Fe (III)-reducing activity using glucose and pyruvate as carbon sources. Strain L6 could reduce Fe (III) at the range of NaCl concentrations tested and had the highest Fe (III) reduction of (4.63 ± 0.27) mmol/L Fe (II) at the NaCl concentration of 4 g/L. This strain L6 could reduce Fe (III) with unique properties in adaptability to salt variation, which indicated that it can be used as a model organism to study Fe (III)-reducing activity isolated from marine environment. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Containment and storage of uranium hexafluoride at US Department of Energy uranium enrichment plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barlow, C.R.; Alderson, J.H.; Blue, S.C.; Boelens, R.A.; Conkel, M.E.; Dorning, R.E.; Ecklund, C.D.; Halicks, W.G.; Henson, H.M.; Newman, V.S.; Philpot, H.E.; Taylor, M.S.; Vournazos, J.P.; Pryor, W.A.; Ziehlke, K.T.

1992-07-01

Isotopically depleted UF 6 (uranium hexafluoride) accumulates at a rate five to ten times greater than the enriched product and is stored in steel vessels at the enrichment plant sites. There are approximately 55,000 large cylinders now in storage at Paducah, Kentucky; Portsmouth, Ohio; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Most of them contain a nominal 14 tons of depleted UF 6 . Some of these cylinders have been in the unprotected outdoor storage environment for periods approaching 40 years. Storage experience, supplemented by limited corrosion data, suggests a service life of about 70 years under optimum conditions for the 48-in. diameter, 5/16-in.-wall pressure vessels (100 psi working pressure), using a conservative industry-established 1/4-in.-wall thickness as the service limit. In the past few years, however, factors other than atmospheric corrosion have become apparent that adversely affect the serviceability of small numbers of the storage containers and that indicate the need for a managed program to ensure maintenance ofcontainment integrity for all the cylinders in storage. The program includes periodic visual inspections of cylinders and storage yards with documentation for comparison with other inspections, a group of corrosion test programs to permit cylinder life forecasts, and identification of (and scheduling for remedial action) situations in which defects, due to handling damage or accelerated corrosion, can seriously shorten the storage life or compromise the containment integrity of individual cylinders. The program also includes rupture testing to assess the effects of certain classes of damage on overall cylinder strength, aswell as ongoing reviews of specifications, procedures, practices, and inspection results to effect improvements in handling safety, containment integrity, and storage life

Usage of the word 'ether'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duffy, M.C.

1980-01-01

Confusion has been caused by scientists using the one word 'ether' to classify models differing from each other in important respects. Major roles assigned to the word are examined, and the nature of modern ether theories surveyed. The part played by the several meanings attached to the word, in the ether concept, is outlined. (author)

The failure of poly (ether ether ketone) in high speed contacts

Science.gov (United States)

Briscoe, B. J.; Stuart, B. H.; Sebastian, S.; Tweedale, P. J.

1993-04-01

The paper describes an experimental study, with an associated analysis incorporating supplementary data, of the anti-boundary lubricating action of an alkane-aliphatic carboxylic acid lubricant system in a poly (ether ether ketone)-mild steel contact. The experiments involve progressively increasing the load in a contact formed between a polymer plate and a rotating steel shaft and estimating the frictional work dissipated. Scuffing is identified when a rapid increase in frictional work is noted at a characteristic normal load. It is shown that the additive induces premature scuffing. Subsidiary data is provided using Raman spectroscopy and hardness probes, and confirms that certain additives such as decanoic acid and dodecylamine will induce surface plasticization in poly (ether ether ketone). The trends in the frictional data have been interpreted using the adhesive model of friction in conjunction with temperature-dependent interfacial theology and bulk mechanical property data. It is proposed that the scuffing process is induced prematurely as a consequence of excessive additive-induced subsurface plasticization. Restricted surface plasticization in this system provides an enhanced self-lubricating capacity.

Ether in Kant and akasa in Prasastapada: Philosophy in comparative perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Tola

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The study of Indian and Western systems of Philosophy reveals many points of thematic and methodological coincidences between them. We have collected a good number of these coincidences in our recent books, where we have included many philosophical texts in Sanskrit and in European languages which contain the expression of astonishing similar ideas and theses. In the present article we add a new instance of coincidence between Indian and Western thought in relation to akasa in India (limited to the Indian philosophical system Vaisesika and ether (Aether or Äther in German in the Opus postumum of Kant. The inexistence of both akasa and ether has been established by Modern Science. Akasa and ether in India and the West, respectively, constitute a notorious example of asrayasiddha, the well-known logical defect considered by Indian Logic.

Synthesis of hydroxylated and methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHENG Ke-wen; GAO Li-ping; CAO Jie; YU Hai-wen; ZHANG Zhang

2009-01-01

Hydroxylated/methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH/MeO-PBDEs) are not only detected as natural products, but also regarded as metabolites formed from polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are widely used as flame-retardants in various materials. The aim of the present study was to synthesize authentic OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs, as reference standards for environmental exploration. Twenty OH-PBDEs and their corresponding MeO-PBDEs containing three to six bromine atoms were synthesized via a trial of reactions including coupling, oxidation, bromination, methylation, etc. The products were characterized by GC-MS and 1H-NMR spectroscopy in the work. As results show, all compounds synthesized were up to 99% on purity and be reqarded as authentic standards for detecting the chemical pollutants in the emvironment.

Zirconium-doped magnetic microspheres for the selective enrichment of cis-diol-containing ribonucleosides.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Hua; Chen, Peihong; Wang, Chaozhan; Wei, Yinmao

2016-05-27

Zirconium-doped magnetic microspheres (Zr-Fe3O4) for the selective enrichment of cis-diol-containing biomolecules were easily synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method. Characterization of the microspheres revealed that zirconium was successfully doped into the lattice of Fe3O4 at a doping level of 4.0 at%. Zr-Fe3O4 possessed good magnetic properties and high specificity towards cis-diol molecules, as shown using 28 compounds. For ribonucleosides, the adsorbent not only has favorable anti-interferential abilities but also has a high adsorption capacity up to 159.4μmol/g. As an example of a real application, four ribonucleosides in urine were efficiently enriched and detected via magnetic solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the detection limits were determined to be between 0.005 and 0.017μg/mL, and the linearities ranged from 0.02 to 5.00μg/mL (R≥0.996) for these analytes. The accuracy of the analytical method was examined by studying the relative recoveries of the analytes in real urine samples, with recoveries varying from 77.8% to 119.6% (RSDs<10.6%, n=6). The results indicate that Zr-Fe3O4 is a suitable adsorbent for the analysis of cis-diol-containing biomolecules in practical applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quaternized adamantane-containing poly(aryl ether ketone) anion exchange membranes for vanadium redox flow battery applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bengui; Zhang, Shouhai; Weng, Zhihuan; Wang, Guosheng; Zhang, Enlei; Yu, Ping; Chen, Xiaomeng; Wang, Xinwei

2016-09-01

Quaternized adamantane-containing poly(aryl ether ketone) anion exchange membranes (QADMPEK) are prepared and investigated for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) application. The bulky, rigid and highly hydrophobic adamantane segment incorporated into the backbone of membrane material makes QADMPEK membranes have low water uptake and swelling ratio, and the as-prepared membranes display significantly lower permeability of vanadium ions than that of Nafion117 membrane. As a consequence, the VRFB cell with QADMPEK-3 membrane shows higher coulombic efficiency (99.4%) and energy efficiency (84.0%) than those for Nafion117 membrane (95.2% and 80.5%, respectively) at the current density of 80 mA cm-2. Furthermore, at a much higher current density of 140 mA cm-2, QADMPEK membrane still exhibits better coulombic efficiency and energy efficiency than Nafion117 membrane (coulombic efficiency 99.2% vs 96.5% and energy efficiency 76.0% vs 74.0%). Moreover, QADMPEK membranes show high stability in in-situ VRFB cycle test and ex-situ oxidation stability test. These results indicate that QADMPEK membranes are good candidates for VRFB applications.

Characterization of in vitro chlamydial cultures in low-oxygen atmospheres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juul, Nicolai Stefan; Jensen, Helene; Hvid, Malene

2007-01-01

To mimic in vivo conditions during chlamydial infections, Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D and Chlamydia pneumoniae CWL029 were cultured in low-oxygen atmospheres containing 4% O(2), with parallel controls cultured in atmospheric air. Both were enriched with 5% CO(2). The results showed a dramatic...

Phase equilibrium properties of binary and ternary systems containing di-isopropyl ether + 1-butanol + benzene at 313.15 K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villamanan, Rosa M.; Martin, M. Carmen; Chamorro, Cesar R.; Villamanan, Miguel A.; Segovia, Jose J.

2006-01-01

(Vapour + liquid) equilibria data of (di-isopropyl ether + 1-butanol + benzene) (di-isopropyl ether + 1-butanol) and (1-butanol + benzene) have been measured at T = 313.15 K using an isothermal total pressure cell. Data reduction by Barker's method provides correlations for the excess molar Gibbs energy using the Margules equation for the binary systems and the Wohl expansion for the ternary. The Wilson, NRTL and UNIQUAC models have been applied successfully to both the binary and the ternary systems reported here

Stable acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70ºC) mixed culture fermentation by selective enrichment of hydrogenotrophic methanogens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, F.; Zhang, Y.; Ding, J.; Dai, K.; Van Loosdrecht, M.C.M.; Zeng, R.J.

2014-01-01

The control of metabolite production is difficult in mixed culture fermentation. This is particularly related to hydrogen inhibition. In this work, hydrogenotrophic methanogens were selectively enriched to reduce the hydrogen partial pressure and to realize efficient acetate production in

Microscale Generation of Cardiospheres Promotes Robust Enrichment of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doan C. Nguyen

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Cardiomyocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs are a promising cell source for regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug discovery, all of which require enriched cardiomyocytes, ideally ones with mature phenotypes. However, current methods are typically performed in 2D environments that produce immature cardiomyocytes within heterogeneous populations. Here, we generated 3D aggregates of cardiomyocytes (cardiospheres from 2D differentiation cultures of hPSCs using microscale technology and rotary orbital suspension culture. Nearly 100% of the cardiospheres showed spontaneous contractility and synchronous intracellular calcium transients. Strikingly, from starting heterogeneous populations containing ∼10%–40% cardiomyocytes, the cell population within the generated cardiospheres featured ∼80%–100% cardiomyocytes, corresponding to an enrichment factor of up to 7-fold. Furthermore, cardiomyocytes from cardiospheres exhibited enhanced structural maturation in comparison with those from a parallel 2D culture. Thus, generation of cardiospheres represents a simple and robust method for enrichment of cardiomyocytes in microtissues that have the potential use in regenerative medicine as well as other applications.

Nuclear criticality safety for warehousing of 55-gal drums containing highly enriched uranium metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, R.C.; Dodds, H.L.

1989-01-01

Subcritical data for six separate arrays of 55-gal 17H steel shipping/storage containers is calculated and used to determine safe storage limits for U(97.5)-metal in a warehouse environment at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. Results are presented for three different forms of fissile material: 97.5 wt% 235 U enriched metal (ρ 0 = 18.76 g/cm 3 ) cylinders, metal spheres, and low density (ρ = 0.25 ρ 0 ) metal cylinders

Novel proton exchange membranes based on structure-optimized poly(ether ether ketone ketone)s and nanocrystalline cellulose

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Chuangjiang; Wei, Yingcong; Zhao, Qi; Liu, Baijun; Sun, Zhaoyan; Gu, Yan; Zhang, Mingyao; Hu, Wei

2018-03-01

Two sulfonated fluorenyl-containing poly(ether ether ketone ketone)s (SFPEEKKs) were synthesized as the matrix of composite proton exchange membranes by directly sulfonating copolymer precursors comprising non-sulfonatable fluorinated segments and sulfonatable fluorenyl-containing segments. Surface-modified nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) was produced as the "performance-enhancing" filler by treating the microcrystalline cellulose with acid. Two families of SFPEEKK/NCC nanocomposite membranes with various NCC contents were prepared via a solution-casting procedure. Results revealed that the insertion of NCC at a suitable ratio could greatly enhance the proton conductivity of the pristine membranes. For example, the proton conductivity of SFPEEKK-60/NCC-4 (SFPEEKK with 60% fluorenyl segments in the repeating unit, and inserted with 4% NCC) composite membrane was as high as 0.245 S cm-1 at 90 °C, which was 61.2% higher than that of the corresponding pure SFPEEKK-60 membrane. This effect could be attributed to the formation of hydrogen bond networks and proton conduction paths through the interaction between -SO3H/-OH groups on the surface of NCC particles and -SO3H groups on the SFPEEKK backbones. Furthermore, the chemically modified NCC filler and the optimized chemical structure of the SFPEEKK matrix also provided good dimensional stability and mechanical properties of the obtained nanocomposites. In conclusion, these novel nanocomposites can be promising proton exchange membranes for fuel cells at moderate temperatures.

Poly-ethers from Winogradskyella poriferorum: Antifouling potential, time-course study of production and natural abundance

KAUST Repository

Dash, Swagatika; Nogata, Yasuyuki; Zhou, Xiaojian; Zhang, Yifan; Xü , Ying; Guo, Xian Rong; Zhang, Xixiang; Qian, Peiyuan

2011-01-01

A sponge-associated bacterium, Winogradskyella poriferorum strain UST030701-295T was cultured up to 100l for extraction of antifouling bioactive compounds. Five poly-ethers were isolated and partially characterized based on nuclear magnetic

Sendai virosomal infusion of an adeno-associated virus-derived construct containing neuropeptide Y into primary rat brain cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, P; de Fiebre, C M; Millard, W J; Elmstrom, K; Gao, Y; Meyer, E M

1995-05-05

A novel neuronal gene-delivery system was investigated in primary neuron-enriched cultures with respect to driving the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY). This delivery system consists of an adeno-associated virus-derived (AAV) plasmid, pJDT95npy, encapsulated in reconstituted Sendai virosomes. pJDT95npy contains full length rat NPY cDNA inserted downstream from the P40 promoter in a cap-gene deleted AAV-derived construct. The rep-sequences under control of the P5 and P19 promoters are intact. Virosomally encapsulated pJDT95npy drove the expression of NPY mRNAs, predominantly by P40. Total cellular NPY immunoreactivity and release in the presence of depolarization increased following pJDT95npy-transfection. Neither empty virosomes nor virosomes containing pJDT95 affected NPY mRNA expression or immunoreactivity. This study demonstrates that an AAV-derived plasmid can drive exogenous gene expression in intact neurons after infusion by Sendai virosomes.

Spino ether and its vortices: leptons and hadrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skorski, R [College of Engineering, Univ. of Alabama, Alabama (USA)

1977-03-01

According to the theory advanced by the author, space is occupied by a spino ether lattice. Where no spino lattice exists, there are black holes. The spino is a kind of massive neutrino with a rest mass of about 7.39x10/sup -47/g and a diameter of 4.56x10/sup -34/cm. The distance between spinos in the spino lattice is about 2x10/sup -10/cm. Spino ether is ubiquitous in all matter, pervades atoms and their nuclei and penetrates matter with no resistance. In fact, hadrons and leptons are shown to be vortices of the spino ether. About one km/sup 3/ of space contains spino ether having a mass equal to 10/sup 80/ baryons, equivalent to the total mass of our universe. If the distances between spinos equaled their diameters, 4.56x10/sup -34/cm instead of 2x10/sup -10/cm, then the diameter of the mass equivalent to our universe would be about 2cm. This is in agreement with the size of the premordial universe, before its explosion, as calculated earlier by other theories. It is conjectured that explosions of energy and mass in space are more frequent on a smaller scale than those in the universe, for example novas, or even on a still smaller scale usually associated with the birth of different nuclei. The abundance of iron in the solar corona, on the surface of Mars, and in the Martin sky appears to be due to hadron formation from space itself.

Silane Cross-Linked Sulfonted Poly(Ether Ketone/Ether Benzimidazoles for Fuel Cell Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zilu Yao

2017-11-01

Full Text Available γ-(2,3-epoxypropoxy propyltrimethoxysilane (KH-560 was incorporated in various proportions into side-chain-type sulfonated poly(ether ketone/ether benzimidazole (SPEKEBI as a crosslinker, to make membranes with high ion exchange capacities and excellent performance for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs. Systematical measurements including Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS proved the complete disappearance of epoxy groups in KH-560 and the existence of Si in the membranes. The resulting membranes showed increased mechanical strength and thermal stability compared to the unmodified sulfonated poly(ether ketone/ether benzimidazole membrane in appropriate doping amount. Meanwhile, the methanol permeability has decreased, leading to the increase of relative selectivities of SPEKEBI-x-SiO2 membranes. Furthermore, the H2/O2 cell performance of SPEKEBI-2.5-SiO2 membrane showed a much higher peak power density compared with the pure SPEKEBI memrbrane.

Critical properties of some aliphatic symmetrical ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikitin, Eugene D.; Popov, Alexander P.; Bogatishcheva, Nataliya S.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Critical properties of simple aliphatic ethers were measured. • The ethers decompose at near-critical temperatures. • Pulse-heating method with short residence times was used. -- Abstract: The critical temperatures T c and the critical pressures p c of dihexyl, dioctyl, and didecyl ethers have been measured. According to the measurements, the coordinates of the critical points are T c = (665 ± 7) K, p c = (1.44 ± 0.04) MPa for dihexyl ether, T c = (723 ± 7) K, p c = (1.19 ± 0.04) MPa for dioctyl ether, and T c = (768 ± 8) K, p c = (1.03 ± 0.03) MPa for didecyl ether. All the ethers studied degrade chemically at near-critical temperatures. A pulse-heating method applicable to measuring the critical properties of thermally unstable compounds has been used. The times from the beginning of a heating pulse to the moment of reaching the critical temperature were from 0.06 to 0.46 ms. The short residence times provide little decomposition of the substances in the course of the experiments. The critical properties of the ethers investigated in this work have been discussed together with those of methyl to butyl ethers. The experimental critical constants of the ethers have been compared with those estimated by the group-contribution methods of Wilson and Jasperson and Marrero and Gani. The Wilson/Jasperson method provides a better estimation of the critical temperatures and pressures of simple aliphatic ethers in comparison with the Marrero/Gani method if reliable normal boiling temperatures are used in the method of Wilson and Jasperson

Radiation-induced cationic curing of vinyl ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapin, S.C.

1992-01-01

Recently there has been an increasing interest in nonacrylate radiation-curable coatings. Vinyl ethers are particularly reactive under cationic polymerization reaction conditions. The high efficiency of the photoacid initiators combined with the high reactivity of vinyl ether monomers makes this a potentially very useful system. This chapter discusses the preparation of vinyl ethers, introduces vinyl ether-functional monomers and oligomers, describes radiation-induced cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers, and discusses various coating systems. Throughout the chapter, an emphasis is placed on radiation-curable coating applications. 64 refs., 5 figs., 11 tabs

Enhanced osteoblast responses to poly ether ether ketone surface modified by water plasma immersion ion implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Heying; Lu, Tao; Meng, Fanhao; Zhu, Hongqin; Liu, Xuanyong

2014-05-01

Poly ether ether ketone (PEEK) offers a set of characteristics superior for human implants; however, its application is limited by the bio-inert surface property. In this work, PEEK surface was modified using single step plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) treatment with a gas mixture of water vapor as a plasma resource and argon as an ionization assistant. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to investigate the microstructure and composition of the modified PEEK surface. The water contact angle and zeta-potential of the surfaces were also measured. Osteoblast precursor cells MC3T3-E1 and rat bone mesenchymal stem cells were cultured on the PEEK samples to evaluate their cytocompatibility. The obtained results show that the hydroxyl groups as well as a "ravined structure" are constructed on water PIII modified PEEK. Compared with pristine PEEK, the water PIII treated PEEK is more favorable for osteoblast adhesion, spreading and proliferation, besides, early osteogenic differentiation indicated by the alkaline phosphatase activity is also up-regulated. Our study illustrates enhanced osteoblast responses to the PEEK surface modified by water PIII, which gives positive information in terms of future biomedical applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of surface finishing on friction and wear of Poly-Ether-Ether-Ketone (PEEK under oil lubrication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago Fontoura de Andrade

Full Text Available Abstract The tribological properties of poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK containing 30% of carbon fiber were studied in an oil-lubricated environment and different surface finishing of the metallic counterbody. Four different finishing processes, commonly used in the automotive industry, were chosen for this study: turning, grinding, honing and polishing. The test system used was tri-pin on disc with pins made of PEEK and counterbody made of steel; they were fully immersed in ATF Dexron VI oil. Some test parameters were held constant, such as the apparent pressure of 2 MPa, linear velocity of 2 m/s, oil temperature at 85 °C, and the time - 120 minutes. The lubrication regime for the apparent pressure of 1 MPa to 7 MPa range was also studied at different sliding speeds. A direct correlation was found between the wear rate, friction coefficient and the lubrication regime, wherein wear under hydrodynamic lubrication was, on average, approximately 5 times lower, and the friction coefficient 3 times lower than under boundary lubrication.

A novel ether-linked phytol-containing digalactosylglycerolipid in the marine green alga, Ulva pertusa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishibashi, Yohei; Nagamatsu, Yusuke [Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Miyamoto, Tomofumi [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Matsunaga, Naoyuki; Okino, Nozomu; Yamaguchi, Kuniko [Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Ito, Makoto, E-mail: makotoi@agr.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan)

2014-10-03

Highlights: • Alkaline-resistant galactolipid, AEGL, was found in marine algae. • The sugar moiety of AEGL is identical to that of digalactosyldiacylglycerol. • AEGL is the first identified glycolipid that possesses an ether-linked phytol. • AEGL is ubiquitously distributed in green, red and brown marine algae. - Abstract: Galactosylglycerolipids (GGLs) and chlorophyll are characteristic components of chloroplast in photosynthetic organisms. Although chlorophyll is anchored to the thylakoid membrane by phytol (tetramethylhexadecenol), this isoprenoid alcohol has never been found as a constituent of GGLs. We here described a novel GGL, in which phytol was linked to the glycerol backbone via an ether linkage. This unique GGL was identified as an Alkaline-resistant and Endogalactosylceramidase (EGALC)-sensitive GlycoLipid (AEGL) in the marine green alga, Ulva pertusa. EGALC is an enzyme that is specific to the R-Galα/β1-6Galβ1-structure of galactolipids. The structure of U. pertusa AEGL was determined following its purification to 1-O-phytyl-3-O-Galα1-6Galβ1-sn-glycerol by mass spectrometric and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. AEGLs were ubiquitously distributed in not only green, but also red and brown marine algae; however, they were rarely detected in terrestrial plants, eukaryotic phytoplankton, or cyanobacteria.

A novel ether-linked phytol-containing digalactosylglycerolipid in the marine green alga, Ulva pertusa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishibashi, Yohei; Nagamatsu, Yusuke; Miyamoto, Tomofumi; Matsunaga, Naoyuki; Okino, Nozomu; Yamaguchi, Kuniko; Ito, Makoto

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Alkaline-resistant galactolipid, AEGL, was found in marine algae. • The sugar moiety of AEGL is identical to that of digalactosyldiacylglycerol. • AEGL is the first identified glycolipid that possesses an ether-linked phytol. • AEGL is ubiquitously distributed in green, red and brown marine algae. - Abstract: Galactosylglycerolipids (GGLs) and chlorophyll are characteristic components of chloroplast in photosynthetic organisms. Although chlorophyll is anchored to the thylakoid membrane by phytol (tetramethylhexadecenol), this isoprenoid alcohol has never been found as a constituent of GGLs. We here described a novel GGL, in which phytol was linked to the glycerol backbone via an ether linkage. This unique GGL was identified as an Alkaline-resistant and Endogalactosylceramidase (EGALC)-sensitive GlycoLipid (AEGL) in the marine green alga, Ulva pertusa. EGALC is an enzyme that is specific to the R-Galα/β1-6Galβ1-structure of galactolipids. The structure of U. pertusa AEGL was determined following its purification to 1-O-phytyl-3-O-Galα1-6Galβ1-sn-glycerol by mass spectrometric and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. AEGLs were ubiquitously distributed in not only green, but also red and brown marine algae; however, they were rarely detected in terrestrial plants, eukaryotic phytoplankton, or cyanobacteria

Functionalized mesoporous silicas with crown ether moieties for selective adsorption of lithium ions in artificial sea water.

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Soo Park; Moorthy, Madhappan Santha; Song, Hyun-Jin; Ha, Chang-Sik

2014-11-01

Lithium ion has been increasingly recognized in a wide range of industrial applications. In this work, we studied on the adsorption of Li+ in the artificial seawater with high selectivity using methyl-crown ether (AC-SBA-15) and aza-crown ether (HMC-SBA-15) moieties-functionalized mesoporous silica materials. First, methyl-crown ether and aza-crown ether moieties-functionalized mesoporous silica materials were synthesized via two-step post-synthesis process using a grafting method. The functionalized materials were employed to the metal ion adsorption from aqueous solution (artificial seawater) containing Li+, Co2+, Cr3+ and Hg2+. The prepared hybrid material showed high selectivity for Li+ ion in the artificial seawater at pH 8.0. The absorbed amount of Li+ was 73 times higher than Cr3+ for aza-crown ether containing AC-SBA-15 as an absorbent. The absorbed amount of Co2+ (4.5 x 10(-5) mol/g), Cr3+ (1.5 x 10(-5) mol/g) and Hg2+ (2.25 x 10(-4) mol/g) were remarkably lower than the case of Li+. On the other hand, the absorbed amount of various metal ions of HMC-SBA-15 with amine groups in alky chains and crown ether moieties were 1.1 x 10(-3) mol/g for Li+, 5.0 x 10(-5) mol/g for Co2+, 2.9 x 10(-4) mol/g for Cr3+, 2.8 x 10(-4) mol/g for Hg2+ mol/g, respectively.

All solid supercapacitor based on polyaniline and crosslinked sulfonated poly[ether ether ketone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivaraman, P.; Kushwaha, R.K.; Shashidhara, K.; Hande, V.R.; Thakur, A.P.; Samui, A.B.; Khandpekar, M.M.

2010-01-01

All solid supercapacitor based on polyaniline (PANI) and crosslinked sulfonated poly[ether ether ketone] (XSPEEK,) is reported in this paper. The crosslinker used for sulfonated poly[ether ether ketone] (SPEEK) is 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl) benzene. The XSPEEK is used as both solid electrolyte and separator membrane. Supercapacitors are fabricated using various PANI/XSPEEK weight ratios. These are characterized by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge studies. The supercapacitor with PANI/XSPEEK weight ratio 1:0.5, exhibit a specific capacitance of 480 F g -1 of PANI. To the best of authors' knowledge, the value reported here is the highest for a supercapacitor based on a proton conducting solid polymer electrolyte and PANI. Detailed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis is carried out. The analysis shows that the complex capacitance of the supercapacitor depends on the XSPEEK content. The time constant (t 0 ), derived from the imaginary part of complex capacitance decreases with increase in the XSPEEK content in the supercapacitor. Cycle life characteristics of the supercapacitor show a decrease in specific capacitance during initial cycles and get stabilized during later cycles.

Hydrogen storage by functionalised Poly(ether ether ketone)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pedicini, R.; Giacoppo, G.; Carbone, A.; Passalacqua, E. [CNR-ITAE, Messina (Italy). Inst. for Advanced Energy Technologies

2010-07-01

In this work a functionalised polymer was studied as potential material for hydrogen storage in solid state. A Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) matrix was modified by a manganese oxide in situ formation. Here we report the functionalisation process and the preliminary results on hydrogen storage capability of the synthesised polymer. The polymer was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Gravimetric Hydrogen Adsorption measurements. In the functionalised PEEK, morphological changes occur as a function of oxide precursor concentration and reaction time. Promising results by gravimetric measurements were obtained with a hydrogen sorption of 0.24%wt/wt at 50 C and 60 bar, moreover, reversibility hydrogen adsorption and desorption in a wide range of both temperature and pressure was confirmed. (orig.)

Nanocomposite Based on Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone Membranes: Synthesis and Characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iole Venditti

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Gold nanoparticles, capped by 3-mercapto propane sulfonate (Au-3MPS, were synthesized inside a swollen sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone membrane (sPEEK. The formation of the Au-3MPS nanoparticles in the swollen sPEEK membrane was observed by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The nanocomposite containing the gold nanoparticles grown in the sPEEK membrane, showed the plasmon resonance λmax at about 520 nm, which remained stable over a testing period of three months. The size distribution of the nanoparticles was assessed, and the sPEEK membrane roughness, both before and after the synthesis of nanoparticles, was studied by AFM. The XPS measurements confirm Au-3MPS formation in the sPEEK membrane. Moreover, AFM experiments recorded in fluid allowed the production of images of the Au-3MPS@sPEEK composite in water at different pH levels, achieving a better understanding of the membrane behavior in a water environment; the dynamic hydration process of the Au-3MPS@sPEEK membrane was investigated. These preliminary results suggest that the newly developed nanocomposite membranes could be promising materials for fuel cell applications.

Improved detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei from non-blood clinical specimens using enrichment culture and PCR: narrowing diagnostic gap in resource-constrained settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Tellapragada, Chaitanya; Shaw, Tushar; D'Souza, Annet; Eshwara, Vandana Kalwaje; Mukhopadhyay, Chiranjay

2017-07-01

To evaluate the diagnostic utility of enrichment culture and PCR for improved case detection rates of non-bacteraemic form of melioidosis in limited resource settings. Clinical specimens (n = 525) obtained from patients presenting at a tertiary care hospital of South India with clinical symptoms suggestive of community-acquired pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infections, superficial or internal abscesses, chronic skin ulcers and bone or joint infections were tested for the presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei using conventional culture (CC), enrichment culture (EC) and PCR. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of CC and PCR were initially deduced using EC as the gold standard method. Further, diagnostic accuracies of all the three methods were analysed using Bayesian latent class modelling (BLCM). Detection rates of B. pseudomallei using CC, EC and PCR were 3.8%, 5.3% and 6%, respectively. Diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of CC and PCR were 71.4, 98.4% and 100 and 99.4%, respectively in comparison with EC as the gold standard test. With Bayesian latent class modelling, EC and PCR demonstrated sensitivities of 98.7 and 99.3%, respectively, while CC showed a sensitivity of 70.3% for detection of B. pseudomallei. An increase of 1.6% (95% CI: 1.08-4.32%) in the case detection rate of melioidosis was observed in the study population when EC and/or PCR were used in adjunct to the conventional culture technique. Our study findings underscore the diagnostic superiority of enrichment culture and/or PCR over conventional microbiological culture for improved case detection of melioidosis from non-blood clinical specimens. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparative study with two different enrichments in the culture media used in the disinfectant efficacy assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabagh, Bruna Peres; Souto, Aline da Silva Soares; Reis, Louise Moreira; Silva, Sérgio Alves da; Pereira, Daniella Cristina Rodrigues; Neves, Marta de Campos; Pinheiro, Rodrigo Rollin; Duarte, Rafael Silva; Miyazaki, Neide Hiromi Tokumaru; Bôas, Maria Helena Simões Villas

2012-02-01

Recent changes in Brazilian legislation for commercial disinfectants have been published due to the recent epidemic of nosocomial infections caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) in many states of Brazil over the last 8years. One of these documents requires that all the manufacturers provide evidence of efficacy of sterilizing and disinfectant products, used for semi critical medical devices, against the Mycobacterium bovis BCG Moreau and Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii INCQS 00594 strains by using the Confirmative in vitro Test for Determining Tuberculocidal Activity of Disinfectants recommended by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. These changes have caused additional costs and increased problems for importation of enrichment products at national laboratories where disinfectant efficacy assay service is performed. Middlebrook ADC Enrichment (ADC) is provided by a unique manufacturer and used in the official protocol. The aim of the present study was to evaluate an alternative in house low-cost enrichment composed of fetal bovine serum and glucose (FBSG) with ADC for performance of disinfectant efficacy assay against mycobacteria. After obtaining the growth curves for M. abscessus ATCC 19977, M. abscessus subsp. bolletii INCQS 00594, Mycobacterium chelonae ATCC 35752, and Mycobacterium fortuitum ATCC 6841 by using ADC enrichment and FBSG in Kirchners and 7H9 culture media. Through statistical analysis via the Kruskal-Wallis test on the evaluation of microorganism growth rate, it was observed that there was no inhibition of RGM growth by any of the enrichments used. These results suggest that low-cost enrichment FBSG may be used as a potential substitute of ADC for composition of media for mycobacterial growth, including in disinfectant tests. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of proton exchange poly (ether sulfone)s membranes grafted propane sulfonic acid on pendant phenyl groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Youngdon; Seo, Dongwan; Hossain, Md. Awlad; Lee, Soonho; Lim, Jinseong; Jang, Hohyoun; Hong, Taehoon; Kim,; Kim, Whangi

2014-01-01

Poly(ether sulfone)s containing hexaphenyl (PHP) was prepared by 1,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,4,5,6-tetraphenylbenzene, 4,4-hydroxyphenylsulfone, and 4,4-fluorophenylsulfone, followed bromination on phenyl groups to produce brominated PHP (Br-PHP). Grafted sulfonated poly(ether sulfone)s containing hexaphenyl (GSPHP) were prepared from Br-PHP and 3-bromopropane sulfonic acid with potassium salt and copper powder. The salt form was converted to free acid using 1 M sulfuric acid solution. All these membranes were cast from dimethylacetamide (DMAc). The structural properties of the synthesized polymers were investigated by 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. The membranes were studied with regard to ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake, Fenton test, and proton conductivity. These grafted polymer membranes were compared with normal sulfonated poly(ether sulfone)s and Nafion

Activity relationships for aromatic crown ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, Mark James

1998-01-01

This thesis involves an investigation of aromatic crown ethers and a study of their binding constants for alkali metals. The study was motivated by the current needs of the semiconductor industry to improve the scavenging of mobile ions from fabricated circuits. A number of aromatic crown ethers have been sulphonated in an attempt to improve their water solubility and cation binding activity. These materials have been extensively studied and their binding activity determined. In collaboration with a molecular modelling study, the effect of ionisable sulphonate groups on the macrocycles' behaviour has been investigated. The broader issue of the effect of substituents in aromatic crown ethers has also been studied with the preparation of a wide range of substituted crown ethers. The cation binding activity of these materials has been found to bear a simple relationship to the electron withdrawing nature of the aromatic substituents. This relationship can be accurately monitored using electronic charge densities from molecular modelling and this rational has been applied to the study of proton ionisable and lariating crown ethers. The incorporation of crown ethers into polyamic acid and polyimide frameworks has also been investigated, where the resulting materials have been found to exhibit unusual cation binding and uptake properties. These results imply that the combination of the crown ethers' macrocycle and adjacent carboxylic acid residues, from the polyamic acids, are conducive to effective cationic binding. NMR measurements, in conjunction with molecular modelling, have been used to explore the geometry changes encountered as the crown ether goes from it's uncomplexed to its complexed state. The energy requirement for these geometry changes has subsequently been used to examine the cation selectivity of these materials. The electronic charge changes associated with the complexation have also been investigated and correlated with the theoretical results. (author)

Biaxial deformation behaviour of poly-ether-ether-ketone

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Josh; Menary, Gary; Martin, Peter

2018-05-01

The biaxial tensile properties of thin poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) films are presented. Investigation into the biaxial mechanical behaviour of PEEK films will provide a preliminary insight into the anticipated stress/strain response, and potential suitability, to the possible fabrication of thin walled parts through stretch blow moulding and thermoforming processes - with the multi-axial state of strain imposed onto the heated thermoplastic sheet representative of the expected strain history experienced during these material forming processes. Following identification of the prospective forming temperature window, the biaxial mechanical behaviour of the material is characterized under differing modes of deformation, at a nominal strain rate of 1 s-1. The temperature dependence is outlined within - with an appreciable increase in flow behaviour correlated with specimen temperature exceeding its glass transition temperature (Tg).

Novel crosslinked membranes based on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) for direct methanol fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yuanqin; Zieren, Shelley; Manthiram, Arumugam

2011-07-14

Novel covalently crosslinked membranes based on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) and carboxylated polysulfone exhibit much lower methanol crossover and better performance in direct methanol fuel cells at 65 °C in 1 and 2 M methanol solutions compared to Nafion 115 membranes.

Preparation and Characterization of Sulfonated Poly (ether ether ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

NJD

2007-08-10

Aug 10, 2007 ... Preparation and Characterization of Sulfonated Poly (ether ... Currently perfluori- ... with phosphoric acid solution according to the method described earlier.11,12 ... where A is the membrane area available for diffusion; CA is.

Extraction of metals such as Pu, U and Sr with an organic solvent or a solid phase containing a cis-syn-cis isomer of the crown ether DCH18C6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guy, A.; Foos, J.; Lemaire, M.; Guyon, V.; Chomel, R.; Doutreluigne, P.; Le Roy, H.

1991-01-01

The cis-syn-cis isomer of the crown ether DCH18C6 is used in solution in an organic diluent such as benzonitrile or dichlorethane, or on a solid phase such as silica. The use of this isomer increases the extraction ratio of plutonium and strontium of solution from spent fuel reprocessing or from aqueous effluents containing Sr or Pu [fr

Lithiated and sulphonated poly(ether ether ketone) solid state electrolyte films for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiu, K.-F.; Su, S.-H., E-mail: minimono42@gmail.com

2013-10-01

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) films have been synthesised and used as solid-state electrolytes for supercapacitors. In order to increase their ion conductivity, the PEEK films were sulphonated by sulphuric acid, and various amounts of LiClO{sub 4} were added. The solid-state electrolyte films were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The ionic conductivities of the electrolyte films were analysed by performing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The obtained electrolyte films can be sandwiched or directly coated on activated carbon electrodes to form solid-state supercapacitors. The electrochemical characteristics of these supercapacitors were investigated by performing cyclic voltammetry and charge–discharge tests. Under an optimal content of LiClO{sub 4}, the supercapacitor can provide a capacitance as high as 190 F/g. After 1000 cycles, the supercapacitors show almost no capacitance fading, indicating high stability of the solid-state electrolyte films. - Highlights: • Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) films have been used as solid-state electrolytes. • LiClO4 addition can efficiently improve the ionic conductivity. • Supercapacitors using PEEK electrolyte films deliver high capacitance.

Lithiated and sulphonated poly(ether ether ketone) solid state electrolyte films for supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, K.-F.; Su, S.-H.

2013-01-01

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) films have been synthesised and used as solid-state electrolytes for supercapacitors. In order to increase their ion conductivity, the PEEK films were sulphonated by sulphuric acid, and various amounts of LiClO 4 were added. The solid-state electrolyte films were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The ionic conductivities of the electrolyte films were analysed by performing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The obtained electrolyte films can be sandwiched or directly coated on activated carbon electrodes to form solid-state supercapacitors. The electrochemical characteristics of these supercapacitors were investigated by performing cyclic voltammetry and charge–discharge tests. Under an optimal content of LiClO 4 , the supercapacitor can provide a capacitance as high as 190 F/g. After 1000 cycles, the supercapacitors show almost no capacitance fading, indicating high stability of the solid-state electrolyte films. - Highlights: • Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) films have been used as solid-state electrolytes. • LiClO4 addition can efficiently improve the ionic conductivity. • Supercapacitors using PEEK electrolyte films deliver high capacitance

Hardness and wear properties of boron-implanted poly(ether-ether-ketone) and poly-ether-imide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee Youngchul; Lee, E.H.; Mansur, L.K.

1992-01-01

The effects of boron beam irradiation on the hardness, friction, and wear of polymer surfaces were investigated. Typical high-performance thermoplastics, poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK) and a poly-ether-imide (Ultem) were studied after 200 keV boron ion beam treatment at ambient temperature to doses of 2.3x10 14 , 6.8x10 14 , and 2.2x10 15 ions cm -2 . The hardnesses of pristine and boron-implanted materials were characterized by a conventional Knoop method and a load-depth sensing nanoindentation technique. Both measurements showed a significant increase in hardness with increasing dose. The increase in hardness was also found to depend on the penetration depth of the diamond indenter. Wear and friction properties were characterized by a reciprocating sliding friction tester with an SAE 52100 high-carbon, chrome steel ball at 0.5 and 1 N normal loads. Wear and frictional properties varied in a complex fashion with polymer type and dose, but not much with normal load. A substantial reduction in friction coefficient was observed for PEEK at the highest dose but no reduction was observed for Ultem. The wear damage was substantially reduced at the highest dose for both Ultem and PEEK. For the system studied, the highest dose, 2.2x10 15 ions cm -2 , appears to be optimum in improving wear resistance for both PEEK and Ultem. (orig.)

Optical anisotropy, molecular orientations, and internal stresses in thin sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koziara, B.T.; Nijmeijer, K.; Benes, N.E.

2015-01-01

The thickness, the refractive index, and the optical anisotropy of thin sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) films, prepared by spin-coating or solvent deposition, have been investigated with spectroscopic ellipsometry. For not too high polymer concentrations (≤5 wt%) and not too low spin speeds

Optical anisotropy, molecular orientations, and internal stresses in thin sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koziara, Beata; Nijmeijer, Dorothea C.; Benes, Nieck Edwin

2015-01-01

The thickness, the refractive index, and the optical anisotropy of thin sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) films, prepared by spin-coating or solvent deposition, have been investigated with spectroscopic ellipsometry. For not too high polymer concentrations (B5 wt%) and not too low spin speeds

Poly(vinylbenzyl sulfonic acid)-grafted poly(ether ether ketone) membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Mi-Lim; Choi, Jisun; Woo, Hyun-Su; Kumar, Vinod; Sohn, Joon-Yong; Shin, Junhwa, E-mail: shinj@kaeri.re.kr

2014-02-15

Highlights: • PEEK-g-PVBSA, a polymer electrolyte membrane was prepared by a radiation grafting technique. • Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), an aromatic hydrocarbon polymer was used as a grafting backbone film. • The water uptake, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability of the membranes were evaluated. • PEEK-g-PVBSA membranes show considerably lower methanol permeability compared to a Nafion membrane. -- Abstract: In this study, an aromatic hydrocarbon based polymer electrolyte membrane, poly(vinylbenzyl sulfonic acid)-grafted poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK-g-PVBSA), has been prepared by the simultaneous irradiation grafting of vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC) monomer onto a PEEK film and subsequent sulfonation. Each chemical conversion was monitored by FT-IR and SEM–EDX instruments. The physicochemical properties including IEC, water uptake, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability of the prepared membranes were also investigated and found that the values of these properties increase with the increase of degree of grafting. It was observed that the IEC values of the prepared PEEK-g-PVBSA membranes with 32%, 58%, and 80% DOG values were 0.50, 1.05, and 1.22 meq/g while the water uptakes were 14%, 20%, and 21%, respectively. The proton conductivities (0.0272–0.0721 S/cm at 70 °C) were found to be somewhat lower than Nafion 212 (0.126 S/cm at 70 °C) at a relative humidity of 90%. However, the prepared membranes showed a considerably lower methanol permeability (0.61–1.92 × 10{sup −7} cm{sup 2}/s) compared to a Nafion 212 membrane (5.37 × 10{sup −7} cm{sup 2}/s)

Enriching Metal-Oxidizing Microbes from Marine Sediment on Cathodic Currents

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, A. R.; Nealson, K. H.

2013-12-01

The ability of organisms to transfer electrons to and from substrates outside the cell is reshaping the way we look at microbial respiration. While this process, termed extracellular electron transport (EET), has been described in a number of metal reducing organisms, current evidence suggests that this process is widespread in nature and across physiologies. Additionally, it has been speculated that these previously overlooked electrochemical interactions may play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. Requirements for EET could play a role in why the ';uncultured majority' have so far been resistant to culturing. As such, we are currently developing culturing techniques to target microbes capable of utilizing insoluble electron acceptors utilizing electrochemical techniques. Microbe-electrode interactions are analogous to the reactions that occur between microbes and minerals and may provide an apt way to mimic the environmental conditions (i.e., insoluble electron donor/acceptor at specific redox potentials) required for culturing specialized or EET dependent metabolisms. It has been previously demonstrated that aquatic sediments are capable of utilizing anodes as electron acceptors, thereby generating a current. While, it is known that microbes utilize electrons from a cathode for the reduction of different metals and oxygen in microbial fuel cells, currently there are no reports of environmental enrichments of microbes using cathodes. Replicate microcosms from marine sediments (sampled from Catalina Harbor, California) were incubated with ITO plated glass electrodes. Negative current production at -400mV (vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrodes) potentials was sustained for four weeks. Secondary enrichments were then constructed using the cathode as the primary electron source and a variety of anaerobic terminal electron acceptors--Nitrate, Fe3+, and SO42-. Positive current was maintained in enrichment cultures (compared to abiotic control containing

Thermal stability of sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) films : on the role of Protodesulfonation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koziara, B.T.; Kappert, E.J.; Ogieglo, W.; Nijmeijer, Kitty; Hempenius, M.A.; Benes, N.E.

Thin film and bulk, sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) have been subjected to a thermal treatment at 160–250 °C for up to 15 h. Exposing the films to 160 °C already causes partial desulfonation, and heating to temperatures exceeding 200 °C results in increased conjugation in the material,

PWR fuel of high enrichment with erbia and enriched gadolinia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bejmer, Klaes-Håkan; Malm, Christian

2011-01-01

Today standard PWR fuel is licensed for operation up to 65-70 MWd/kgU, which in most cases corresponds to an enrichment of more than 5 w/o "2"3"5U. Due to criticality safety reason of storage and transportation, only fuel up to 5 w/o "2"3"5U enrichment is so far used. New fuel storage installations and transportation casks are necessary investments before the reactivity level of the fresh fuel can be significantly increased. These investments and corresponding licensing work takes time, and in the meantime a solution that requires burnable poisons in all pellets of the fresh high-enriched fuel might be used. By using very small amounts of burnable absorber in every pellet the initial reactivity can be reduced to today's levels. This study presents core calculations with fuel assemblies enriched to almost 6 w/o "2"3"5U mixed with a small amount of erbia. Some of the assemblies also contain gadolinia. The results are compared to a reference case containing assemblies with 4.95 w/o "2"3"5U without erbia, utilizing only gadolinia as burnable poison. The comparison shows that the number of fresh fuel assemblies can be reduced by 21% (which increases the batch burnup by 24%) by utilizing the erbia fuel concept. However, increased cost of uranium due to higher enrichment is not fully compensated for by the cost gain due to the reduction of the number assemblies. Hence, the fuel cycle cost becomes slightly higher for the high enrichment erbia case than for the reference case. (author)

Polycation–sodium lauryl ether sulfate-type surfactant complexes : influence of ethylene oxide length

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vleugels, L.F.W.; Pollet, J.; Tuinier, R.

2015-01-01

Polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes (PESC) are a class of materials which form spontaneously by self-assembly driven by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. PESC containing sodium lauryl ether sulfates (SLES) have found wide application in hair care products like shampoo. Typically, SLES

Polycation-Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate-Type Surfactant Complexes : Influence of Ethylene Oxide Length

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vleugels, Leo F. W.; Pollet, Jennifer; Tuinier, Remco

2015-01-01

Poiyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes (PESC) are a class of materials which form spontaneously by self-assembly driven by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. PESC containing sodium lauryl ether Sulfates (SLES) have found wide application in hair care products like shampoo. Typically, SLES

Preparation of rat islet B-cell-enriched fractions by light-scatter flow cytometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabinovitch, A.; Russell, T.; Shienvold, F.; Noel, J.; Files, N.; Patel, Y.; Ingram, M.

1982-01-01

Flow cytometry has been examined as a method to separate islet cells into homogeneous subpopulations. Collagenase-isolated rat islets were dissociated into single cells and these were analyzed and sorted according to their low forward angle light scattering properties by using automated flow cytometry. Light scatter histograms showed two peaks of viable cells. Radioimmunoassay of hormone content in cell fractions collected across the the two peaks showed that glucagon-containing cells were concentrated towards the left side of the left peak and somatostatin-containing cells were concentrated towards the right side of the left peak, whereas insulin-containing cells were clearly enriched in the right peak. The B-cell-enriched fraction (90% B cells, 3% A cells, 2% D cells) exhibited significant insulin secretory responses to glucose (16.7 mM), and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (0.1 mM), during a 24-h culture period, and these responses were slightly greater than those observed in the original mixed islet cell preparation (66% B cells, 14% A cells, and 4% D cells). These results indicate that flow cytometry can be applied to sort pancreatic islet cells into populations enriched in specific endocrine cell types for further study of the functions of individual cell types

Characterization of an H2-utilizing enrichment culture that reductively dechlorinates tetrachloroethene to vinyl chloride and ethene in the absence of methanogenesis and acetogenesis.

OpenAIRE

Maymó-Gatell, X; Tandoi, V; Gossett, J M; Zinder, S H

1995-01-01

We have been studying an anaerobic enrichment culture which, by using methanol as an electron donor, dechlorinates tetrachloroethene (PCE) to vinyl chloride and ethene. Our previous results indicated that H2 was the direct electron donor for rductive dechlorination of PCE by the methanol-PCE culture. Most-probable-number counts performed on this culture indicated low numbers ( or equal to 10(6)/ml...

On new physical reality (on ψ-ether)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaev, P.S.

2002-01-01

It is shown that there exists a new physical reality - the ψ-ether. All the achievements of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory are due to the fact that both the theories include the influence of ψ-ether on the physical processes occurring in the Universe. Physics of the XX century was first of all the physics of ψ-ether

L-Arginine modified multi-walled carbon nanotube/sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) nanocomposite films for biomedical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kaya, Hatice; Bulut, Osman; Kamali, Ali Reza; Ege, Duygu

2018-06-01

Favorable implant-tissue interactions are crucial to achieve successful osseointegration of the implants. Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) is an interesting alternative to titanium in orthopedics because of its low cost, high biocompatibility and comparable mechanical properties with cancellous bone. Despite these advantages; however, the untreated surface of PEEK fails to osseointegrate due to its bioinert and hydrophobic behavior. This paper deals with the surface modification of PEEK with a novel method. For this, PEEK was first treated with concentrated sulfuric acid to prepare sulfonated PEEK (SPEEK) films using a solvent casting method. Then, 1 and 2 wt% multi-walled carbon nanotube was incorporated into SPEEK to form nanocomposite films. The samples were characterized with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy. After successful preparation of the nanocomposite films, L-arginine was covalently conjugated on the nanocomposite films to further improve their surface properties. Subsequently, the samples were characterized using X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS), water contact angle measurements and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA). Finally, cell culture studies were carried out by using Alamar Blue assay to evaluate the biocompatibility of the films. The results obtained indicate the successful preparation of L-arginine-conjugated MWCNT/SPEEK nanocomposite films. The modified surface shows potential to improve implants' mechanical and biological performances.

On the use of 31P NMR for the quantification of hydrosoluble phosphorus-containing compounds in coral host tissues and cultured zooxanthellae

Science.gov (United States)

Godinot, Claire; Gaysinski, Marc; Thomas, Olivier P.; Ferrier-Pagès, Christine; Grover, Renaud

2016-02-01

31P Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) was assessed to investigate the phosphorus-containing compounds present in the tissues of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata as well as of cultured zooxanthellae (CZ). Results showed that phosphorus-containing compounds observed in CZ were mainly phosphate and phosphate esters. Phosphate accounted for 19 ± 2% of the total phosphorus compounds observed in CZ maintained under low P-levels (0.02 μM). Adding 5 mM of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (KH2PO4) to the CZ culture medium led to a 3.1-fold increase in intracellular phosphate, while adding 5 mM of dissolved organic phosphorus led to a reduction in the concentration of phosphorus compounds, including a 2.5-fold intracellular phosphate decrease. In sharp contrast to zooxanthellae, the host mainly contained phosphonates, and to a lesser extent, phosphate esters and phosphate. Two-months of host starvation decreased the phosphate content by 2.4 fold, while bleaching of fed corals did not modify this content. Based on 31P NMR analyses, this study highlights the importance of phosphonates in the composition of coral host tissues, and illustrates the impact of phosphorus availability on the phosphorus composition of host tissues and CZ, both through feeding of the host and inorganic phosphorus enrichment of the CZ.

Biosynthesis of highly enriched 13C-lycopene for human metabolic studies using repeated batch tomato cell culturing with 13C-glucose

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Nancy E.; Rogers, Randy B.; Lu, Chi-Hua; Conlon, Lauren E.; Lila, Mary Ann; Clinton, Steven K.; Erdman, John W.

2013-01-01

While putative disease-preventing lycopene metabolites are found in both tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) products and in their consumers, mammalian lycopene metabolism is poorly understood. Advances in tomato cell culturing techniques offer an economical tool for generation of highly-enriched 13C-lycopene for human bioavailability and metabolism studies. To enhance the 13C-enrichment and yields of labeled lycopene from the hp-1 tomato cell line, cultures were first grown in 13C-glucose media for three serial batches and produced increasing proportions of uniformly labeled lycopene (14.3 +/− 1.2 %, 39.6 +/− 0.5 %, and 48.9 +/− 1.5% with consistent yields (from 5.8 to 9 mg/L). An optimized 9-day-long 13C-loading and 18-day-long labeling strategy developed based on glucose utilization and lycopene yields, yielded 13C-lycopene with 93% 13C isotopic purity, and 55% of isotopomers were uniformly labeled. Furthermore, an optimized acetone and hexane extraction led to a four-fold increase in lycopene recovery from cultures compared to a standard extraction. PMID:23561155

Effect of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) treatment on the composition and function of the bacterial community in the sponge Haliclona cymaeformis.

KAUST Repository

Tian, Ren-Mao

2014-01-01

Marine sponges play important roles in benthic environments and are sensitive to environmental stresses. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been widely used as flame retardants since the 1970s and are cytotoxic and genotoxic to organisms. In the present study, we studied the short-period effect of PBDE-47 (2,2\\',4,4\\'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether) treatment on the community structure and functional gene composition of the bacterial community inhabiting the marine sponge Haliclona cymaeformis. Our results showed that the bacterial community shifted from an autotrophic bacteria-dominated community to a heterotrophic bacteria-dominated community in response to PBDE-47 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. A potentially symbiotic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium (SOB) was dominant (>80% in abundance) in the untreated sponge. However, exposure to a high concentration (1 μg/L) of PBDE-47 caused a substantial decrease in the potential symbiont and an enrichment of heterotrophic bacteria like Clostridium. A metagenomic analysis showed a selective effect of the high concentration treatment on the functional gene composition of the enriched heterotrophic bacteria, revealing an enrichment for the functions responsible for DNA repair, multidrug efflux pumping, and bacterial chemotaxis and motility. This study demonstrated that PBDE-47 induced a shift in the composition of the community and functional genes in the sponge-associated bacterial community, revealing the selective effect of PBDE-47 treatment on the functions of the bacterial community in the microenvironment of the sponge.

Effects of Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFFs) on Trichloroethene (TCE) Dechlorination by a Dehalococcoides mccartyi-Containing Microbial Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Harding-Marjanovic, Katie C; Yi, Shan; Weathers, Tess S; Sharp, Jonathan O; Sedlak, David L; Alvarez-Cohen, Lisa

2016-04-05

The application of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) to extinguish chlorinated solvent-fueled fires has led to the co-contamination of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and trichloroethene (TCE) in groundwater and soil. Although reductive dechlorination of TCE by Dehalococcoides mccartyi is a frequently used remediation strategy, the effects of AFFF and PFASs on TCE dechlorination are not well-understood. Various AFFF formulations, PFASs, and ethylene glycols were amended to the growth medium of a D. mccartyi-containing enrichment culture to determine the impact on dechlorination, fermentation, and methanogenesis. The community was capable of fermenting organics (e.g., diethylene glycol butyl ether) in all AFFF formulations to hydrogen and acetate, but the product concentrations varied significantly according to formulation. TCE was dechlorinated in the presence of an AFFF formulation manufactured by 3M but was not dechlorinated in the presence of formulations from two other manufacturers. Experiments amended with AFFF-derived PFASs and perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) indicated that dechlorination could be inhibited by PFASs but that the inhibition depends on surfactant concentration and structure. This study revealed that the fermentable components of AFFF can stimulate TCE dechlorination, while some of the fluorinated compounds in certain AFFF formulations can inhibit dechlorination.

UV irradiation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ices: production of alcohols, quinones, and ethers

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, M. P.; Sandford, S. A.; Allamandola, L. J.; Gillette, J. S.; Clemett, S. J.; Zare, R. N.

1999-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water ice were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation under astrophysical conditions, and the products were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Peripheral carbon atoms were oxidized, producing aromatic alcohols, ketones, and ethers, and reduced, producing partially hydrogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, molecules that account for the interstellar 3.4-micrometer emission feature. These classes of compounds are all present in carbonaceous meteorites. Hydrogen and deuterium atoms exchange readily between the PAHs and the ice, which may explain the deuterium enrichments found in certain meteoritic molecules. This work has important implications for extraterrestrial organics in biogenesis.

Biodegradability of fuel-ethers in environment; Biodegradabilite des ethers-carburants dans l'environnement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fayolle-Guichard, F

2005-04-01

Fuel ethers (methyl tert-butyl ether or MTBE, ethyl tert-butyl ether or ETBE and tert-amyl methyl ether or TAME have been used as gasoline additives since about twenty years in order to meet the requirements for the octane index and to limit the polluting emission in exhaust pipe gas (unburnt hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide). The high water solubility and the poor biodegradability of these compounds make them pollutants frequently encountered in aquifers. The present manuscript summarizes the knowledge concerning the biodegradability of fuel ethers obtained both at IFP and during collaborations with the Pasteur Institute (Paris), the Biotechnology Research Institute (Montreal, Canada) and the Center for Environmental Biotechnology (University of Tennessee, USA). Rhodococcus ruber IFP 2001 and Mycobacterium austroafricanum IFP 2012, two microorganisms isolated at IFP for their ability to grow, respectively, on ETBE and MTBE, were studied in order to determine the intermediates produced during MTBE and ETBE biodegradation and the enzymes required for each biodegradation step, thus allowing us to propose MTBE and ETBE catabolic pathways. A proteomic approach, from the protein induced during the degradation of ETBE or MTBE to the genes encoding these different enzymes, was carried out. The isolation of such genes is required:1) to use them for help in determining the bio-remediation capacities in polluted aquifers (DNA micro-arrays), 2) to monitor the microorganisms isolated for their degradative capacities during bio-remediation processes (fluorescent in situ hybridization or FISH) and 3) to create new tools for the detection and the quantification of ETBE or MTBE in contaminated aquifers (bio-sensor). The manuscript also describes the different ways for the adaptation of microorganisms to the presence of a xenobiotic compound. (author)

Conversion of Crude Oil to Methane by a Microbial Consortium Enriched From Oil Reservoir Production Waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina eBerdugo-Clavijo

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The methanogenic biodegradation of crude oil is an important process occurring in petroleum reservoirs and other oil-containing environments such as contaminated aquifers. In this process, syntrophic bacteria degrade hydrocarbon substrates to products such as acetate, and/or H2 and CO2 that are then used by methanogens to produce methane in a thermodynamically dependent manner. We enriched a methanogenic crude oil-degrading consortium from production waters sampled from a low temperature heavy oil reservoir. Alkylsuccinates indicative of fumarate addition to C5 and C6 n-alkanes were identified in the culture (above levels found in controls, corresponding to the detection of an alkyl succinate synthase gene (assA in the culture. In addition, the enrichment culture was tested for its ability to produce methane from residual oil in a sandstone-packed column system simulating a mature field. Methane production rates of up 5.8 μmol CH4/g of oil/day were measured in the column system. Amounts of produced methane were in relatively good agreement with hydrocarbon loss showing depletion of more than 50% of saturate and aromatic hydrocarbons. Microbial community analysis revealed that the enrichment culture was dominated by members of the genus Smithella, Methanosaeta, and Methanoculleus. However, a shift in microbial community occurred following incubation of the enrichment in the sandstone columns. Here, Methanobacterium sp. were most abundant, as were bacterial members of the genus Pseudomonas and other known biofilm forming organisms. Our findings show that microorganisms enriched from petroleum reservoir waters can bioconvert crude oil components to methane both planktonically and in sandstone-packed columns as test systems. Further, the results suggest that different organisms may contribute to oil biodegradation within different phases (e.g., planktonic versus sessile within a subsurface crude oil reservoir.

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membranes for electric double layer capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Wan Ju; Kim, Dong-Won

2008-01-01

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (S-PEEK) with different degree of sulfonation (DS) has been prepared and evaluated as a proton conducting membrane for electric double layer capacitor (EDLC). The polymer electrolytes prepared with S-PEEK membrane exhibited ionic conductivities about 1.2 x 10 -3 -4.5 x 10 -3 S cm -1 at room temperature, which depended on both soaking solvent and degree of sulfonation. The quasi-solid-state EDLCs consisted of activated carbon electrodes and S-PEEK membrane were assembled, and their electrochemical characteristics were studied by cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge cycle tests. The effect of DS on the electrochemical performances of EDLCs has been investigated

Bio-active nanoemulsions enriched with gold nanoparticle, marigold extracts and lipoic acid: In vitro investigations.

Science.gov (United States)

Guler, Emine; Barlas, F Baris; Yavuz, Murat; Demir, Bilal; Gumus, Z Pinar; Baspinar, Yucel; Coskunol, Hakan; Timur, Suna

2014-09-01

A novel and efficient approach for the preparation of enriched herbal formulations was described and their potential applications including wound healing and antioxidant activity (cell based and cell free) were investigated via in vitro cell culture studies. Nigella sativa oil was enriched with Calendula officinalis extract and lipoic acid capped gold nanoparticles (AuNP-LA) using nanoemulsion systems. The combination of these bio-active compounds was used to design oil in water (O/W) and water in oil (W/O) emulsions. The resulted emulsions were characterized by particle size measurements. The phenolic content of each nanoemulsion was examined by using both colorimetric assay and chromatographic analyses. Two different methods containing cell free chemical assay (1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl method) and cell based antioxidant activity test were used to evaluate the antioxidant capacities. In order to investigate the bio-activities of the herbal formulations, in vitro cell culture experiments, including cytotoxicity, scratch assay, antioxidant activity and cell proliferation were carried out using Vero cell line as a model cell line. Furthermore, to monitor localization of the nanoemulsions after application of the cell culture, the cell images were monitored via fluorescence microscope after FITC labeling. All data confirmed that the enriched N. sativa formulations exhibited better antioxidant and wound healing activity than N. sativa emulsion without any enrichment. In conclusion, the incorporation of AuNP-LA and C. officinalis extract into the N. sativa emulsions significantly increased the bio-activities. The present work may support further studies about using the other bio-active agents for the enrichment of herbal preparations to strengthen their activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method of deuterium isotope separation and enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benson, S.W.

1978-01-01

A method of separating deuterium, i.e., heavy hydrogen, from certain naturally occurring sources using tuned infrared lasers to selectively decompose specified classes of organic molecules (i.e., RX) into enriched molecular products containing deuterium atoms is described. The deuterium containing molecules are easily separated from the starting material by absorption, distillation or other simple chemical separation techniques and methods. After evaporation such deuterium containing molecules can be burned to form water with an enriched deuterium content or pyrolyzed to form hydrogen gas with an enriched deuterium content. The undecomposed molecules and the other reaction products which are depleted of their deuterium containing species can be catalytically treated, preferably using normal water, to restore the natural abundance of deuterium and such restored molecules can then be recycled

High frequency of Thermodesulfovibrio spp. and Anaerolineaceae in association with Methanoculleus spp. in a long-term incubation of n-alkanes-degrading methanogenic enrichment culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Liang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the microbial community and functional gene composition of a long-term active alkane-degrading methanogenic culture was established after two successive enrichment culture transfers and incubated for a total period of 1750 days. Molecular analysis was conducted after the second transfer (incubated for 750 days for both the active alkanes-degrading methanogenic enrichment cultures (T2-AE and the background control (T2-BC. A net increase of methane as the end product was detected in the headspace of the enrichment cultures amended with long-chain n-alkanes and intermediate metabolites, including octadecanoate, hexadecanoate, isocaprylate, butyrate, isobutyrate, propionate, acetate and formate were measured in the liquid cultures. The composition of microbial community shifted through the successive transfers over time of incubation. Sequences of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA and mcrA functional gene indicated that bacterial sequences affiliated to Thermodesulfovibrio spp. and Anaerolineaceae and archaeal sequences falling within the genus Methanoculleus were the most frequently encountered and thus represented the dominant members performing the anaerobic degradation of long-chain n-alkanes and methanogenesis. In addition, the presence of assA functional genes encoding the alkylsuccinate synthase α subunit indicated that fumarate addition mechanism could be considered as a possible initial activation step of n-alkanes in the present study. The succession pattern of microbial communities indicates that Thermodesulfovibrio spp. could be a generalist participating in the metabolism of intermediates, while Anaerolineaceae plays a key role in the initial activation of long-chain n-alkane biodegradation.

Sequential enrichment of microbial population exhibiting enhanced biodegradation of crude oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Harayama, Shigeaki.

1995-01-01

The distribution of oil-degrading bacteria in the coastal waters and sediments of Hokkaido, Japan, was surveyed. It was found that the potential of mixed microbial populations to degrade weathered crude oil was not confined to any ecological components (water or sediment) nor to the sampling stations. One microbial culture that was stable during repeated subculturing degraded 45% of the saturates and 20% of the aromatics present in crude oil in 10 days during the initial screening. The residual hydrocarbons in this culture were extracted by chloroform and dispersed in a fresh seawater-based medium and subsequently inoculated with microorganisms from the first culture. After full growth of the second culture, the residual hydrocarbons were extracted and dispersed in a fresh medium in which microorganisms from the second culture had been inoculated. This sequential process was carried out six times to enrich those microorganisms that grew on the recalcitrant components of crude oil. After repeated exposure of the residual crude oil to the enriched microorganisms, about 80% of the initially added crude oil was degraded. The cultures obtained after each enrichment cycle were kept, and the degradation of fresh crude oil by the enriched microorganisms was monitored. The degrading activity of the enriched cultures increased as the number of enrichment cycles increased. A microbial population that had been selected six times on the residual crude oil could degrade 70% of the saturates and 30% of the aromatics of crude oil, indicating that growth of a microbial population on residual crude oil improved its ability to biodegrade crude oil. 21 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs

Isolation and characterization of a mesophilic heavy-metals-tolerant sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfomicrobium sp. from an enrichment culture using phosphogypsum as a sulfate source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azabou, Samia; Mechichi, Tahar; Patel, Bharat K.C.; Sayadi, Sami

2007-01-01

A sulfate-reducing bacterium, was isolated from a 6 month trained enrichment culture in an anaerobic media containing phosphogypsum as a sulfate source, and, designated strain SA2. Cells of strain SA2 were rod-shaped, did not form spores and stained Gram-negative. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate revealed that it was related to members of the genus Desulfomicrobium (average sequence similarity of 98%) with Desulfomicrobium baculatum being the most closely related (sequence similarity of 99%). Strain SA2 used thiosulfate, sulfate, sulfite and elemental sulfur as electron acceptors and produced sulfide. Strain SA2 reduced sulfate contained in 1-20 g/L phosphogypsum to sulfide with reduction of sulfate contained in 2 g/L phosphogypsum being the optimum concentration. Strain SA2 grew with metalloid, halogenated and non-metal ions present in phosphogypsum and with added high concentrations of heavy metals (125 ppm Zn and 100 ppm Ni, W, Li and Al). The relative order for the inhibitory metal concentrations, based on the IC 50 values, was Cu, Te > Cd > Fe, Co, Mn > F, Se > Ni, Al, Li > Zn

Neonicotinoid Insecticides Alter the Gene Expression Profile of Neuron-Enriched Cultures from Neonatal Rat Cerebellum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junko Kimura-Kuroda

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Neonicotinoids are considered safe because of their low affinities to mammalian nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs relative to insect nAChRs. However, because of importance of nAChRs in mammalian brain development, there remains a need to establish the safety of chronic neonicotinoid exposures with regards to children’s health. Here we examined the effects of longterm (14 days and low dose (1 μM exposure of neuron-enriched cultures from neonatal rat cerebellum to nicotine and two neonicotinoids: acetamiprid and imidacloprid. Immunocytochemistry revealed no differences in the number or morphology of immature neurons or glial cells in any group versus untreated control cultures. However, a slight disturbance in Purkinje cell dendritic arborization was observed in the exposed cultures. Next we performed transcriptome analysis on total RNAs using microarrays, and identified significant differential expression (p < 0.05, q < 0.05, ≥1.5 fold between control cultures versus nicotine-, acetamiprid-, or imidacloprid-exposed cultures in 34, 48, and 67 genes, respectively. Common to all exposed groups were nine genes essential for neurodevelopment, suggesting that chronic neonicotinoid exposure alters the transcriptome of the developing mammalian brain in a similar way to nicotine exposure. Our results highlight the need for further careful investigations into the effects of neonicotinoids in the developing mammalian brain.

Chemoselective Deprotection of Triethylsilyl Ethers

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Tilak; Broderick, William E.; Broderick, Joan B.

2009-01-01

An efficient and selective method was developed for the deprotection of triethylsilyl (TES) ethers using formic acid in methanol (5–10%) or in methylene chloride 2–5%) with excellent yields. TES ethers are selectively deprotected to the corresponding alcohols in high yields using formic acid in methanol under mild reaction conditions. Other hydroxyl protecting groups like t-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) remain unaffected. PMID:20183570

New generation enrichment monitoring technology for gas centrifuge enrichment plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ianakiev, Kiril D.; Alexandrov, Boian S.; Boyer, Brian D.; Hill, Thomas R.; Macarthur, Duncan W.; Marks, Thomas; Moss, Calvin E.; Sheppard, Gregory A.; Swinhoe, Martyn T.

2008-01-01

The continuous enrichment monitor, developed and fielded in the 1990s by the International Atomic Energy Agency, provided a go-no-go capability to distinguish between UF 6 containing low enriched (approximately 4% 235 U) and highly enriched (above 20% 235 U) uranium. This instrument used the 22-keV line from a 109 Cd source as a transmission source to achieve a high sensitivity to the UF 6 gas absorption. The 1.27-yr half-life required that the source be periodically replaced and the instrument recalibrated. The instrument's functionality and accuracy were limited by the fact that measured gas density and gas pressure were treated as confidential facility information. The modern safeguarding of a gas centrifuge enrichment plant producing low-enriched UF 6 product aims toward a more quantitative flow and enrichment monitoring concept that sets new standards for accuracy stability, and confidence. An instrument must be accurate enough to detect the diversion of a significant quantity of material, have virtually zero false alarms, and protect the operator's proprietary process information. We discuss a new concept for advanced gas enrichment assay measurement technology. This design concept eliminates the need for the periodic replacement of a radioactive source as well as the need for maintenance by experts. Some initial experimental results will be presented.

[Early contributions from Erlangen to the theory and practice of ether and chloroform anesthesia. 1. Heyfelder's clinical trial with ether and chloroform].

Science.gov (United States)

Hintzenstern, U v; Schwarz, W

1996-02-01

The era of modern anaesthesia in Germany began on January 24th, 1847. This day, professor in ordinary Johann Ferdinand Heyfelder anaesthetized a patient with sulphuric ether in the clinic of surgery and ophthalmology of the University of Erlangen. By March 17th, 1847, Heyfelder had performed 121 surgical procedures under ether. The operations in majority were teeth-extractions, and a few more complex operations such as the treatment of a harelip or of lip cancer or the resection of the shoulder joint. Heyfelder described in detail 108 of these inhalations in a little book entitled The experiments with sulphuric ether. This monograph published in March, 1847, represents one of the first complete dissertations on sulphuric ether in the German literature. In a special chapter he analyzed the development of various physiological and psychological parameters during etherization. Heyfelder also examined blood and urine of some etherized patients and reported that he did not find any important or specific alterations. In 1847, Heyfelder was probably the first to apply salt-ether in man. After 4 administrations he concluded that salt ether acted more quickly but shorter than sulphuric ether. Advantageous were its application without problems and ease of induction. Disadvantageous were its high volatility, its price and the difficulty of getting it in a pure form. From December, 1847, on Heyfelder started to use chloroform. He was now able to perform more major operations, for example, the total resection of the hip-joint. In his book The experiments with sulphuric ether, salt ether, and chloroform he describes a great number of anaesthetic administrations using these 3 agents. In his summary Heyfelder concluded, that chloroform was undoubtly superior to sulphuric ether mainly because it was a quicker acting and longer lasting agent and leads to deeper narcosis. Moreover its application was much easier for it needed no special apparatus. However, because of its great

Molecular structure impacts on secondary organic aerosol formation from glycol ethers

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lijie; Cocker, David R.

2018-05-01

Glycol ethers, a class of widely used solvents in consumer products, are often considered exempt as volatile organic compounds based on their vapor pressure or boiling points by regulatory agencies. However, recent studies found that glycol ethers volatilize at ambient conditions nearly as rapidly as the traditional high-volatility solvents indicating the potential of glycol ethers to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA). This is the first work on SOA formation from glycol ethers. The impact of molecular structure, specifically -OH, on SOA formation from glycol ethers and related ethers are investigated in the work. Ethers with and without -OH, with methyl group hindrance on -OH and with -OH at different location are studied in the presence of NOX and under "NOX free" conditions. Photooxidation experiments under different oxidation conditions confirm that the processing of ethers is a combination of carbonyl formation, cyclization and fragmentation. Bulk SOA chemical composition analysis and oxidation products identified in both gas and particle phase suggests that the presence and location of -OH in the carbon bond of ethers determine the occurrence of cyclization mechanism during ether oxidation. The cyclization is proposed as a critical SOA formation mechanism to prevent the formation of volatile compounds from fragmentation during the oxidation of ethers. Glycol ethers with -CH2-O-CH2CH2OH structure is found to readily form cyclization products, especially with the presence of NOx, which is more relevant to urban atmospheric conditions than without NOx. Glycol ethers are evaluated as dominating SOA precursors among all ethers studied. It is estimated that the contribution of glycol ethers to anthropogenic SOA is roughly 1% of the current organic aerosol from mobile sources. The contribution of glycol ethers to anthropogenic SOA is roughly 1% of the current organic aerosol from mobile sources and will play a more important role in future anthropogenic SOA

Palladium-Catalyzed Reductive Insertion of Alcohols into Aryl Ether Bonds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Meng [Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; Gutiérrez, Oliver Y. [Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; Camaioni, Donald M. [Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; Lercher, Johannes A. [Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Institute, TU München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4 85748 Garching Germany

2018-03-06

Pd/C catalyzes C-O bond cleavage of aryl ethers (diphenyl ether and cyclohexyl phenyl ether) by methanol in H2. The aromatic C-O bond is cleaved by reductive methanolysis, which is initiated by Pd-catalyzed partial hydrogenation of one phenyl ring to form an enol ether. The enol ether reacts rapidly with methanol to form a ketal, which generates methoxycyclohexene by eliminating phenol or an alkanol. Subsequent hydrogenation leads to methoxycyclohexane.

Highly stable ionic-covalent cross-linked sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) for direct methanol fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Linfeng; Zhu, Xingye; Xu, Jianfeng; Qian, Huidong; Zou, Zhiqing; Yang, Hui

2017-05-01

A novel ionic cross-linked sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) containing equal content of sulfonic acid and pendant tertiary amine groups (TA-SPEEK) has been initially synthesized for the application in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). By adjusting the ratio of p-xylene dibromide to tertiary amine groups of TA-SPEEK, a series of ionic-covalent cross-linked membranes (C-SPEEK-x) with tunable degree of cross-linking are prepared. Compared with the pristine membrane, the ionic and ionic-covalent cross-linked proton exchange membranes (PEMs) exhibit reduced methanol permeability and improved mechanical properties, dimensional and oxidative stability. The proton conductivity and methanol selectivity of protonated TA-SPEEK and C-SPEEK-x at 25 °C is up to 0.109 S cm-1 and 3.88 × 105 S s cm-3, respectively, which are higher than that of Nafion 115. The DMFC incorporating C-SPEEK-25 exhibits a maximum power density as high as 35.3 mW cm-2 with 4 M MeOH at 25 °C (31.8 mW cm-2 for Nafion 115). Due to the highly oxidative stability of the membrane, no obvious performance degradation of the DMFC is observed after more than 400 h operation, indicating such cost-effective ionic-covalent cross-linked membranes have substantial potential as alternative PEMs for DMFC applications.

Perfluorocyclobutane containing aromatic ether polymers as planarization materials for alternative magnetic media substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Perettie, Donald J.; Judy, Jack; Chen, Qixu; Keirstead, Rick

1994-11-01

Perfluorocyclobutane aromatic ether polymers (PFCB) are being researched as planarization materials for alternative magnetic media substrates allowing smoother surfaces for lower head flying recording. The results of current work reported herein have shown that PFCB can be used to affect surfaces on canasite with R(sub A)'s less than 2 nm. In addition, magnetic media can be produced of a quality comparative to that obtained on standard NiP-coated Al as well as that produced on regular canasite with equivalent coercivities at about 1500-1600 Oe and squarenesses of 0.8 or better. In addition to the above magnetic properties the recording performance was excellent with signal-to-noise ratios of planarized media 3.5 dB higher than that on regular canasite.

Method of deuterium isotope separation and enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benson, S.W.

1979-01-01

A method is described for separating and enriching deuterium containing molecules comprising the steps of: providing a source of organic molecules containing a normal abundance of deuterium atoms, the organic molecules having a structural formula RX, in which R is an organic radical selected from ethyl, isopropyl, t-butyl and 3-cyclopentenyl, and in which X is selected from F, Cl, Br and OH, and wherein R represents 3-cyclopentenyl, X may additionally represent H; exposing the molecules to the radiation of at least one pulsed infrared laser source which has been specifically tuned and focussed to selectively decompose RX molecules containing deuterium to form an enriched olefin specie containing deuterium, and HX; and separating the deuterium enriched olefin specie from the undecomposed deuterium depleted RX molecules and HX. (author)

Investigation of the fire at the Uranium Enrichment Laboratory. Analysis of samples and pressurization experiment/analysis of container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akabori, Mitsuo; Minato, Kazuo; Watanabe, Kazuo

1998-05-01

To investigate the cause of the fire at the Uranium Enrichment Laboratory of the Tokai Research Establishment on November 20, 1997, samples of uranium metal waste and scattered residues were analyzed. At the same time the container lid that had been blown off was closely inspected, and the pressurization effects of the container were tested and analyzed. It was found that 1) the uranium metal waste mainly consisted of uranium metal, carbides and oxides, whose relative amounts were dependent on the particle size, 2) the uranium metal waste hydrolyzed to produce combustible gases such as methane and hydrogen, and 3) the lid of the outer container could be blown off by an explosive rise of the inner pressure caused by combustion of inflammable gas mixture. (author)

Improved enrichment culture technique for methane-oxidizing bacteria from marine ecosystems: the effect of adhesion material and gas composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Vekeman, Bram; Dumolin, Charles; De Vos, Paul; Heylen, Kim

2017-02-01

Cultivation of microbial representatives of specific functional guilds from environmental samples depends largely on the suitability of the applied growth conditions. Especially the cultivation of marine methanotrophs has received little attention, resulting in only a limited number of ex situ cultures available. In this study we investigated the effect of adhesion material and headspace composition on the methane oxidation activity in methanotrophic enrichments obtained from marine sediment. Addition of sterilized natural sediment or alternatively the addition of acid-washed silicon dioxide significantly increased methane oxidation. This positive effect was attributed to bacterial adhesion on the particles via extracellular compounds, with a minimum amount of particles required for effect. As a result, the particles were immobilized, thus creating a stratified environment in which a limited diffusive gas gradients could build up and various microniches were formed. Such diffusive gas gradient might necessitate high headspace concentrations of CH 4 and CO 2 for sufficient concentrations to reach the methane-oxidizing bacteria in the enrichment culture technique. Therefore, high concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide, in addition to the addition of adhesion material, were tested and indeed further stimulated methane oxidation. Use of adhesion material in combination with high concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide might thus facilitate the cultivation and subsequent enrichment of environmentally important members of this functional guild. The exact mechanism of the observed positive effects on methane oxidation and the differential effect on methanotrophic diversity still needs to be explored.

Lithium/sulfur batteries with mixed liquid electrolytes based on ethyl 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl ether

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Hai; Zhang, Kai; Yuan, Yan; Qin, Furong; Zhang, Zhian; Lai, Yanqing; Liu, Yexiang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Electrolyte based on fluorinated ether of ETFE is used in Li/S battery. • ETFE improves cycling, rate and self-discharging performances of Li/S battery. • Surface film on Li anode modified by ETFE inhibits the shuttle of polysulfides. - Abstract: Fluorinated ether of ethyl 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl ether (ETFE) was selected as electrolyte solvent for lithium/sulfur battery, and the influence of ETFE in electrolyte on cell properties was first investigated. The enhanced stability of electrolyte/anode interface and improved electrochemical performances (cycling, rate and self-discharging) of the Li/S cell are presented by using ETFE-containing electrolyte, especially for complete replacement of tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME) by ETFE in combine with 1,3-dioxolane (DOL). It is found that ETFE plays a key role in modifying the surface composition and structure of the metallic Li, forming a strengthened protective film on the anode during cycling. Besides, ETFE is considered to decrease the dissolution of polysulfides in the electrolyte. These factors together restrict the contact and reaction between polysulfides and Li anode

Enrichment and molecular characterization of a bacterial culture that degrades methoxy-methyl urea herbicides and their aniline derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Fantroussi, S; Verstraete, W; Top, E M

2000-12-01

Soil treated with linuron for more than 10 years showed high biodegradation activity towards methoxy-methyl urea herbicides. Untreated control soil samples taken from the same location did not express any linuron degradation activity, even after 40 days of incubation. Hence, the occurrence in the field of a microbiota having the capacity to degrade a specific herbicide was related to the long-term treatment of the soil. The enrichment culture isolated from treated soil showed specific degradation activity towards methoxy-methyl urea herbicides, such as linuron and metobromuron, while dimethyl urea herbicides, such as diuron, chlorotoluron, and isoproturon, were not transformed. The putative metabolic intermediates of linuron and metobromuron, the aniline derivatives 3, 4-dichloroaniline and 4-bromoaniline, were also degraded. The temperature of incubation drastically affected degradation of the aniline derivatives. Whereas linuron was transformed at 28 and 37 degrees C, 3,4-dichloroaniline was transformed only at 28 degrees C. Monitoring the enrichment process by reverse transcription-PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed that a mixture of bacterial species under adequate physiological conditions was required to completely transform linuron. This research indicates that for biodegradation of linuron, several years of adaptation have led to selection of a bacterial consortium capable of completely transforming linuron. Moreover, several of the putative species appear to be difficult to culture since they were detectable by DGGE but were not culturable on agar plates.

Current status of uranium enrichment by way of chemical exchange reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Basyouny, A.; Bechthold, H.C.; Knoechel, A.; Vollmer, H.J.

1985-04-01

For this report, conference proceedings, patents and other types of literature have been collected to present an account of the current status of uranium enrichment by way of chemical exchange reactions. The report further presents a new concept along with the relevant process strategy developed by the authors. The principal process of the new concept is a chemical exchange process with crown ethers, complexed or free, playing an important part in the reactions. The authors also describe their experiments carried out for establishing suitable chemical systems. (orig./PW) [de

Microwave sintering of poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) based coatings deposited on metallic substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, G.; Leparoux, S.; Liao, H.; Coddet, C.

2006-01-01

In this paper, the feasibility of microwave (MW) sintering PEEK (poly-ether-ether-ketone) based coatings was investigated. Three coatings were studied: pure PEEK, micron-SiC and nano-SiC particles filled (wt.10%) PEEK coatings. The results indicate that, for the two composite coatings, the SiC particles distributed in the polymer matrix, as a good MW susceptor, could be heated preferentially by MW radiation. Consequently, the polymer matrix was heated by these particles

Biodegradability of fuel-ethers in environment; Biodegradabilite des ethers-carburants dans l'environnement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fayolle-Guichard, F.

2005-04-01

Fuel ethers (methyl tert-butyl ether or MTBE, ethyl tert-butyl ether or ETBE and tert-amyl methyl ether or TAME have been used as gasoline additives since about twenty years in order to meet the requirements for the octane index and to limit the polluting emission in exhaust pipe gas (unburnt hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide). The high water solubility and the poor biodegradability of these compounds make them pollutants frequently encountered in aquifers. The present manuscript summarizes the knowledge concerning the biodegradability of fuel ethers obtained both at IFP and during collaborations with the Pasteur Institute (Paris), the Biotechnology Research Institute (Montreal, Canada) and the Center for Environmental Biotechnology (University of Tennessee, USA). Rhodococcus ruber IFP 2001 and Mycobacterium austroafricanum IFP 2012, two microorganisms isolated at IFP for their ability to grow, respectively, on ETBE and MTBE, were studied in order to determine the intermediates produced during MTBE and ETBE biodegradation and the enzymes required for each biodegradation step, thus allowing us to propose MTBE and ETBE catabolic pathways. A proteomic approach, from the protein induced during the degradation of ETBE or MTBE to the genes encoding these different enzymes, was carried out. The isolation of such genes is required:1) to use them for help in determining the bio-remediation capacities in polluted aquifers (DNA micro-arrays), 2) to monitor the microorganisms isolated for their degradative capacities during bio-remediation processes (fluorescent in situ hybridization or FISH) and 3) to create new tools for the detection and the quantification of ETBE or MTBE in contaminated aquifers (bio-sensor). The manuscript also describes the different ways for the adaptation of microorganisms to the presence of a xenobiotic compound. (author)

Application of ICPMS for performance evaluation of boron enrichment plant at HWP, Manuguru

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murthy, P.K.; Mohapatra, C.; Vithal, G.K.

2011-01-01

10 B enriched compounds are used in neutron control rod in Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR), Neutron Detector, Neutron Capture Therapy, and Neutron Shielding. Heavy Water Board (HWB) is given a mandate to produce enriched elemental boron which is being produced using Ion exchange chromatography and BF 3 - ether complex distillation methods. Ion Exchange Chromatography based Boron Enrichment Plant is operating at HWP, Manuguru. Ion Exchange Chromatography based process depends, besides other process parameters, on column run time and movement of band length. For effective process and quality control, it is necessary to analyze 10 B/ 11 B ratio in feed, process stream, waste and the product. 10 B/ 11 B ratio measurements are possible by Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer (TIMS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS), the former offers better accuracy but takes longer analysis time whereas the later offers quick analysis of isotopic ratios and as well as trace metal impurities in the Boric acid

High performance oligomers: synthesis and photochemical properties of calix(n)arene containing various photoreactive groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishikubo, T.; Kameyama, A.

1999-01-01

Photoreactive calix(n)arenes containing radical polymerizable (meth)acrylate groups, and catatonically polymerizable vinyl ether, propargyl ether, oxirane and oxetane groups were synthesized by certain reactions of calix(n)arenes with the corresponding (meth)acrylic acid derivatives, vinyl ether compound, epibromohydrin and oxetane derivatives, respectively. The photochemical reaction of these calix(n)arene derivatives were also examined

Epidemiology of Salmonella sp. in California cull dairy cattle: prevalence of fecal shedding and diagnostic accuracy of pooled enriched broth culture of fecal samples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omran A. Abu Aboud

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background The primary objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the crude, seasonal and cull-reason stratified prevalence of Salmonella fecal shedding in cull dairy cattle on seven California dairies. A secondary objective was to estimate and compare the relative sensitivity (Se and specificity (Sp for pools of 5 and 10 enriched broth cultures of fecal samples for Salmonella sp. detection. Methods Seven dairy farms located in the San Joaquin Valley of California were identified and enrolled in the study as a convenience sample. Cull cows were identified for fecal sampling once during each season between 2014 and 2015, specifically during spring, summer, fall, and winter, and 10 cows were randomly selected for fecal sampling at the day of their sale. In addition, study personnel completed a survey based on responses of the herd manager to questions related to the previous four month’s herd management. Fecal samples were frozen until testing for Salmonella. After overnight enrichment in liquid broth, pools of enrichment broth (EBP were created for 5 and 10 samples. All individual and pooled broths were cultured on selective media with putative Salmonella colonies confirmed by biochemical testing before being serogrouped and serotyped. Results A total of 249 cull cows were enrolled into the study and their fecal samples tested for Salmonella. The survey-weighted period prevalence of fecal shedding of all Salmonella sp. in the cull cow samples across all study herds and the entire study period was 3.42% (N = 249; SE 1.07. The within herd prevalence of Salmonella shed in feces did not differ over the four study seasons (P = 0.074. The Se of culture of EBP of five samples was 62.5% (SE = 17.12, which was not statistically different from the Se of culture of EBP of 10 (37.5%, SE = 17.12, P = 0.48. The Sp of culture of EBP of five samples was 95.24% (SE = 3.29 and for pools of 10 samples was 100.00% (SE = 0. There was no statistical

Investigation of neutron physical features of WWER-440 assembly containing differently enriched pins and Gd burnable poison

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemes, Imre

2000-01-01

In this paper different pin-distributions of WWER-440 fuel assembly are examined. Assemblies contain 3 Gd-doped pins (Hungarian design), 6 Gd-doped pins near the assembly corners (Russian design) and differently profiled U5-enrichment in different pins. The main neutron physical characteristics of this assemblies - as the function of burnup - are calculated using HELIOS code. The calculated parameters of different assembly designs are analyzed from the standpoint of fuel cycle economy and refueling design practice. (Authors)

Difference of microbial community stressed in artificial pit muds for Luzhou-flavour liquor brewing revealed by multiphase culture-independent technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, L; Zhou, R; Niu, M; Zheng, J; Wu, C

2015-11-01

Artificial pit muds (APMs) is produced by peats, aged pit muds, yellow and black clays etc. and is one of essential factors for Luzhou-flavour liquor production. The microbial community of APMs significantly influence the quality of Luzhou-flavour liquor. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in bacterial, archaeal and fungal community of APMs, starters and materials. Multiphase culture-independent technology were employed in this study, including nested PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (nested PCR-DGGE), phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), phospholipid ether lipids (PLEL) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. Results suggested that the microbial diversity significantly changed under environmental stress and different culture patterns during APMs cultivation. The dominant bacteria in APMs mainly fell into Clostridiales, Lactobacillales, Bacteroidales and Rhizobiales, Archaea affiliated with Methanomicrobiales and Methanosarcinales, and fungi belonged to Saccharomycetales and Eurotiales. Furthermore, the microbial community structures of APMs cultured by ground pile pattern were more similar with that of aged pit muds, meanwhile, the relative bands intensities of microbes, which are the main contributors for liquor brewing, increased with the culture times. Not only the niche selection and biogeochemical properties of APMs, but also the mutual collaboration and constraint between different microbes may result in enriching different liquor-brewing microbes into APMs. APM cultivation technology was necessary to promote enriching functional liquor-brewing microbes into APMs. These results may facilitate understanding the microbial succession during APMs manufacture. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Rearrangements of Cycloalkenyl Aryl Ethers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mercedesz Törincsi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Rearrangement reactions of cycloalkenyl phenol and naphthyl ethers and the acid-catalyzed cyclization of the resulting product were investigated. Claisen rearrangement afforded 2-substituted phenol and naphthol derivatives. Combined Claisen and Cope rearrangement resulted in the formation of 4-substituted phenol and naphthol derivatives. In the case of cycloocthylphenyl ether the consecutive Claisen and Cope rearrangements were followed by an alkyl migration. The mechanism of this novel rearrangement reaction is also discussed.

Ether: Bitcoin's competitor or ally?

OpenAIRE

Bouoiyour, Jamal; Selmi, Refk

2017-01-01

Although Bitcoin has long been dominant in the crypto scene, it is certainly not alone. Ether is another cryptocurrency related project that has attracted an intensive attention because of its additional features. This study seeks to test whether these cryptocurrencies differ in terms of their volatile and speculative behaviors, hedge, safe haven and risk diversification properties. Using different econometric techniques, we show that a) Bitcoin and Ether are volatile and relatively more resp...

Novel Naphthalene Based Lariat-Type Crown Ethers Using Direct Single Electron Transfer Photochemical Strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hea Jung; Sung, Nam Kyung; Kim, Su Rhan; Kim, Su Rhan; Ahn, So Hyun; Yoon, Ung Chan; Cho, Dae Won; Mariano, Patrick S.

2013-01-01

This study explored a direct SET-photochemical strategy to construct a new family of thioene conjugated-naphthalamide fluorophore based lariat-crown ethers which show strong binding properties towards heavy metal ions. Irradiations of designed nitrogen branched (trimethylsilyl)methylthio-terminated polyethylenoxy-tethered naphthalimides in acidic methanol solutions have led to highly efficient photocyclization reactions to generate naphthalamide based lariat type thiadiazacrown ethers directly in chemo- and regio-selective manners which undergo very facile secondary dehydration reactions during separation processes to produce their corresponding amidoenethio ether cyclic products tethered with electron donating diethyleneoxy- and diethyenethio-side arm chains. Fluorescence and metal cation binding properties of the lariat type enamidothio products were examined. The photocyclized amidoenethio products, thioene conjugated naphthalamide fluorophore containing lariat-thiadiazacrowns exhibited strong fluorescence emissions in region of 330-450 nm along with intramolecular exciplex emissions in region of 450-560 nm with their maxima at 508 nm. Divalent cation Hg 2+ and Pb 2+ showed strong binding to sulfur atom(s) in side arm chain and atoms in enethiadiazacrown ether rings which led to significant enhancement of fluorescence from its chromophore singlet excited state and concomitant quenching of exciplex emission. The dual fluorescence emission responses towards divalent cations might provide a new guide for design and development of fluorescence sensors for detecting those metals

Cultivation and irradiation of human fibroblasts in a medium enriched with platelet lysate for obtaining feeder layer in epidermal cell culture; Cultivo e irradiacao de fibroblastos humanos em meio enriquecido com lisado de plaquetas para obtencao de camada de sustentacao em culturas de celulas da epiderme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshito, Daniele

2011-07-01

For over 30 years, the use of culture medium, enriched with bovine serum, and murines fibroblasts, with the rate of proliferation controlled by irradiation or by share anticarcinogenic drugs, has been playing successfully its role in assisting in the development of keratinocytes in culture, for clinical purposes. However, currently there is a growing concern about the possibility of transmitting prions and animals viruses to transplanted patients. Taking into account this concern, the present work aims to cultivate human fibroblasts in a medium enriched with human platelets lysate and determine the irradiation dose of these cells, for obtaining feeder layer in epidermal cell culture. For carrying out the proposed objective, platelets lysis has standardized, this lysate was used for human fibroblasts cultivation and the irradiation dose enough to inhibit its duplication was evaluated. Human keratinocytes were cultivated in these feeder layers, in culture medium enriched with the lysate. With these results we conclude that the 10% platelets lysate promoted a better adhesion and proliferation of human fibroblasts and in all dose levels tested (60 to 300 Gy), these had their mitotic activity inactivated by ionizing irradiation, being that the feeder layers obtained with doses from 70 to 150 Gy were those that provided the best development of keratinocytes in medium containing 2.5% of human platelet lysate. Therefore, it was possible to standardize both the cultivation of human fibroblasts as its inactivation for use as feeder layer in culture of keratinocytes, so as to eliminate xenobiotics components. (author)

Catalytic hydroprocessing of lignin β-O-4 ether bond model compound phenethyl phenyl ether over ruthenium catalysts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gomez-Monedero, B.; Faria, J.; Bimbela, F.; Ruiz, M.P.

2017-01-01

The catalytic hydroprocessing of phenethyl phenyl ether (PPE), a model compound of one of the most significant ether linkages within lignin structure, β-O-4, has been studied. Reactions were carried out using two ruthenium-based catalysts, supported on different materials: 3.8 wt.% Ru/C and 3.9 wt.%

Preparation and characterization of fluorophenylboronic acid-functionalized affinity monolithic columns for the selective enrichment of cis-diol-containing biomolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qianjin; Liu, Zhen

2015-01-01

Boronate affinity monolithic columns have been developed into an important means for the selective recognition and capture of cis-diol-containing biomolecules, such as glycoproteins, nucleosides and saccharides. The ligands of boronic acids are playing an important role in boronate affinity monolithic columns. Although several boronate affinity monoliths with high affinity toward cis-diol-containing biomolecules have been reported, only few publications are focused on their detailed procedures for preparation and characterization. This chapter describes in detail the preparation and characterization of a boronate affinity monolithic column applying 2,4-difluoro-3-formyl-phenylboronic acid (DFFPBA) as a ligand. The DFFPBA-functionalized monolithic column not only exhibited an ultrahigh boronate affinity toward cis-diol-containing biomolecules, but also showed great potential for the selective enrichment of cis-diol-containing biomolecules in real samples.

Radiolabeled cholesteryl ethers: A need to analyze for biological stability before use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denny Joseph Manual Kollareth

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Radiolabeled cholesteryl ethers are widely used as non-metabolizable tracers for lipoproteins and lipid emulsions in a variety of in vitro and in vivo experiments. Since cholesteryl ethers do not leave cells after uptake and are not hydrolyzed by mammalian cellular enzymes, these compounds can act as markers for cumulative cell uptakes of labeled particles. We have employed [3H]cholesteryl oleoyl ether to study the uptake and distribution of triglyceride-rich emulsion particles on animal models. However, questionable unexpected results compelled us to analyze the stability of these ethers. We tested the stability of two commercially available radiolabeled cholesteryl ethers - [3H]cholesteryl oleoyl ether and [3H]cholesteryl hexadecyl ether from different suppliers, employing in vitro, in vivo and chemical model systems. Our results show that, among the two cholesteryl ethers tested, one ether was hydrolyzed to free cholesterol in vitro, in vivo and chemically under alkaline hydrolyzing agent. Free cholesterol, unlike cholesteryl ether, can then re-enter the circulation leading to confounding results. The other ether was not hydrolyzed to free cholesterol and remained as a stable ether. Hence, radiolabeled cholesteryl ethers should be analyzed for biological stability before utilizing them for in vitro or in vivo experiments. Keywords: Cholesteryl ether, J774 A2 macrophages, Soy oil emulsion, Thin layer chromatography, triDHA emulsion

Comparison of direct-plating and broth-enrichment culture methods for detection of potential bacterial pathogens in respiratory secretions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Ravinder; Wischmeyer, Jareth; Morris, Matthew; Pichichero, Michael E

2017-11-01

We compared the recovery of potential respiratory bacterial pathogens and normal flora from nasopharyngeal specimens collected from children during health and at the onset of acute otitis media (AOM) by selective direct-plating and overnight broth-enrichment. Overall, 3442 nasal wash (NW) samples collected from young children were analysed from a 10-year prospective study. NWs were cultured by (1) direct-plating to TSAII/5 % sheep blood agar and chocolate agar plates and (2) overnight broth-enrichment in BacT/ALERT SA-broth followed by plating. Standard microbiology techniques were applied to identify three dominant respiratory bacterial pathogens: Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), Haemophilus influenzae (Hflu) and Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat) as well as two common nasal flora, Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and alpha-haemolytic Streptococci (AHS).Results/Key findings. Direct-plating of NW resulted in isolation of Spn from 37.8 %, Hflu from 13.6 % and Mcat from 33.2 % of samples. In comparison, overnight broth-enrichment isolated fewer Spn (30.1 %), Hflu (6.2 %) and Mcat (16.2 %) (Penrichment resulted in significant increased isolation of SA (6.0 %) and AHS (30.1 %) (Penrichment when samples were collected from healthy children but not during AOM. In middle ear fluids (MEF) at the onset of AOM, broth-enrichment resulted in higher recovery of Spn (+10.4 %, Penrichment significantly reduces the accurate detection of bacterial respiratory pathogens and increases identification of SA and AHS in NW. Broth-enrichment improves detection of bacterial respiratory pathogens in MEF samples.

DNA-based and culture-based characterization of a hydrocarbon-degrading consortium enriched from Arctic soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomassin-Lacroix, E. J. M.; Reimer, K. J. [Royal Military College, Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kingston, On (Canada); Yu, Z.; Mohn, W. W. [British Columbia Univ., Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Eriksson, M. [Royal Inst. of Technology, Dept. of Biotechnology, Stockholm (Sweden)

2001-12-01

Oil spills are fairly common in polar tundra regions, including remote locations, and are a threat to the relatively fragile ecosystem. Remediation must be done economically and with minimum additional damage. Bioremediation is considered to be the appropriate technology, although its application in polar tundra regions is not well documented. Most studies of hydrocarbon remediation in polar regions have concerned marine oil spills, while a few studies have demonstrated on-site polar tundra soil remediation. A few of these demonstrated the presence of psychrotolerant hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in polar tundra soils. Because fuels are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons, microbial consortia rather than pure cultures may be the most effective agents in degrading fuels. Despite their potential advantages for bioaugmentation applications, consortia are difficult to characterize and monitor. Molecular methods based on DNA analysis partially address these difficulties. One such approach is to randomly clone rRNA gene (rDNA) fragments and to sequence as a set of clones. The relative abundance of individual sequences in the clone library is related to the relative abundance of the corresponding organism in the community. In this study a psychrotolerant, fuel-degrading consortium was enriched with Arctic tundra soil. The enrichment substrate for the consortium was Jet A-1 fuel, which is very similar to Arctic diesel fuel, a common contaminant in the region. The objectives of the study were to (1) characterize thr consortium by DNA- and culture-based methods, (2) develop quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays for populations of predominant consortium members, and (3) determine the dynamics of those populations during incubation of the consortium. Result showed that is possible to quantitatively monitor members of a microbial consortium, with potential application for bioremediation of Arctic tundra soil. The relative abundance of consortium members was found to vary

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers enhance the production of proinflammatory cytokines by the placenta.

Science.gov (United States)

Peltier, M R; Klimova, N G; Arita, Y; Gurzenda, E M; Murthy, A; Chawala, K; Lerner, V; Richardson, J; Hanna, N

2012-09-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ether(s) (PBDE) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that bind and cross the placenta but their effects on pregnancy outcome are unclear. It is possible that environmental contaminants increase the risk of inflammation-mediated pregnancy complications such as preterm birth by promoting a proinflammatory environment at the maternal-fetal interface. We hypothesized that PBDE would reduce IL-10 production and enhance the production of proinflammatory cytokines associated with preterm labor/birth by placental explants. Second-trimester placental explants were cultured in either vehicle (control) or 2 μM PBDE mixture of congers 47, 99 and 100 for 72 h. Cultures were then stimulated with 10(6) CFU/ml heat-killed Escherichia coli for a final 24 h incubation and conditioned medium was harvested for quantification of cytokines and PGE(2). COX-2 content and viability of the treated tissues were then quantified by tissue ELISA and MTT reduction activity, respectively. PBDE pre-treatment reduced E. coli-stimulated IL-10 production and significantly increased E. coli-stimulated IL-1β secretion. PBDE exposure also increased basal and bacteria-stimulated COX-2 expression. Basal, but not bacteria-stimulated PGE(2), was also enhanced by PBDE exposure. No effect of PBDE on viability of the explants cultures was detected. In summary, pre-exposure of placental explants to congers 47, 99, and 100 enhanced the placental proinflammatory response to infection. This may increase the risk of infection-mediated preterm birth by lowering the threshold for bacteria to stimulate a proinflammatory response(s). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uranium enrichment. 1980 annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-05-01

This report contains data and related information on the production of enriched uranium at the gaseous diffusion plants and an update on the construction and project control center for the gas centrifuge plant. Power usage at the gaseous diffusion plants is illustrated. The report contains several glossy color pictures of the plants and processes described. In addition to gaseous diffusion and the centrifuge process, three advanced isotope separation process are now being developed. The business operation of the enrichment plants is described; charts on revenue, balance sheets, and income statements are included

Radiolabeled cholesteryl ethers: A need to analyze for biological stability before use.

Science.gov (United States)

Manual Kollareth, Denny Joseph; Chang, Chuchun L; Hansen, Inge H; Deckelbaum, Richard J

2018-03-01

Radiolabeled cholesteryl ethers are widely used as non-metabolizable tracers for lipoproteins and lipid emulsions in a variety of in vitro and in vivo experiments. Since cholesteryl ethers do not leave cells after uptake and are not hydrolyzed by mammalian cellular enzymes, these compounds can act as markers for cumulative cell uptakes of labeled particles. We have employed [ 3 H]cholesteryl oleoyl ether to study the uptake and distribution of triglyceride-rich emulsion particles on animal models. However, questionable unexpected results compelled us to analyze the stability of these ethers. We tested the stability of two commercially available radiolabeled cholesteryl ethers - [ 3 H]cholesteryl oleoyl ether and [ 3 H]cholesteryl hexadecyl ether from different suppliers, employing in vitro , in vivo and chemical model systems. Our results show that, among the two cholesteryl ethers tested, one ether was hydrolyzed to free cholesterol in vitro , in vivo and chemically under alkaline hydrolyzing agent. Free cholesterol, unlike cholesteryl ether, can then re-enter the circulation leading to confounding results. The other ether was not hydrolyzed to free cholesterol and remained as a stable ether. Hence, radiolabeled cholesteryl ethers should be analyzed for biological stability before utilizing them for in vitro or in vivo experiments.

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) effects in rat neuronal cultures: 14C-PBDE accumulation, biological effect, and structure-activity relationships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kodavanti, P.R.; Ward, T. [Neurotoxicology Div., NHEERL/ORD, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Burka, T. [National Insts. of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Ludewig, G.; Robertson, L. [The Univ. of Iowa Coll. of Public Health, Iowa City, IA (United States); Birnbaum, L. [Experimental Toxicology Div., NHEERL/ORD, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

2004-09-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame-retardants in many types of consumer products such as electrical equipment, plastics, and building materials. PBDEs are structurally similar to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PBDEs are now ubiquitous; they can be found in air, water, fish, birds, marine mammals, and humans, and in many cases, they are increasing over time. In spite of their widespread occurrence in the environment, only limited information is available on the toxicology of PBDEs. Recent studies showed that PBDE exposure caused aberrations in spontaneous behavior and reduced learning and memory in mice these effects are similar to those seen after exposure to DDT or PCBs. However, the mode of action for this group of chemicals remains unclear. Previously, we demonstrated that PCBs, which are known to cause neurotoxic effects, affected intracellular signaling pathways including [{sup 3}H]arachidonic acid ([{sup 3}H]AA) release, calcium homeostasis, and translocation of protein kinase C (PKC). Regarding PBDEs, we have reported that PBDEs altered [{sup 3}H]AA release in neuronal cultures like PCBs. These signaling pathways have been associated with learning and memory, and the development of the nervous system. The objectives of the present study were to test: (a) whether biologically relevant PBDE congeners affected PKC translocation in neuronal cultures in a similar way to those of other organohalogens; (b) compare the potency and efficacy of PBDE congeners with their 14C-accumulation; and (c) understand the structure-activity relationships among PBDE congeners.

Numerical investigation on the effect of injection pressure on the internal flow characteristics for diethyl ether, dimethyl ether and diesel fuel injectors using CFD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijayakumar Thulasi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The spray characteristics of the diesel fuel are greatly affected by the cavitation formed inside the injector due to the high pressure differential across the nozzle. Many researchers across the globe are exploring the potential of using diethyl ether and dimethyl ether as an alternate for diesel fuel to meet the strict emission norms. Due to the variation in the fuel properties the internal flow characteristics in injectors for ether fuels are expected to be different from that of the diesel fuel. In this paper computational technique is used to study and compare the internal flow characteristics of diethyl ether, dimethyl ether and diesel fuel. The two phase flow model considering the fuel as a mixture of liquid and vapor is adopted for the simulation study. The injection pressure is varied from 100 to 400 bar and the flow characteristics of all three fuels are simulated and compared. Results indicate that all three fuels have distinct cavitating patterns owing to different property values. The dimethyl ether is found to be more cavitating than diesel and diethyl ether fuels as expected. The mass of fuel injected are found to be decreasing for the ether fuels when compared with diesel fuel at all injection pressures.

Enrichment of degrading microbes and bioremediation of petrochemical contaminants in polluted soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, G.; Huang, W.; Zhang, X.; Lerner, D.N.

2000-01-01

Soil at a site near Zibo City, China, is polluted with hydrocarbons at concentrations up to 200 g kg -1 dry soil. Samples contained 10 7 microbial cells g -1 dry soil, and the concentration of aerobic degradation bacteria is 10 7 cells g -1 dry soil. The most active species were Xanthomonas, Bacillus and Hyphomicrobium. The nitrogen and phosphorus contents of the polluted soil are typically 0.1 %, and are sufficient to sustain natural or enhanced biodegradation. The BAC (Biological Activated Carbon) system was used to enrich indigenous microbes to enhance bioremediation rates in the laboratory. The BAC used the large surface area and sorption characteristics to fix bacteria and media, and effectively culture and enrich the microbes. Effluent from the BAC system contained up to 4 x 10 11 cells ml -1 , and was introduced to the contaminated soil to enhance biodegradation. The results indicated that the natural biodegradation rate of the petroleum hydrocarbons is lower than the BAC enhanced bioremediation rate, 1.7% as opposed to 42% in 32 days. (Author)

AIRBORNE POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS IN A COMPUTER CLASSROOM OF COLLEGE IN TAIWAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. H. Chang ، C. R. Yang ، C. Y. Tsai ، W. C. Lin

2009-04-01

Full Text Available This study characterized the airborne exposure of students to thirty polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners inside and outside a computer classroom in a southern Taiwan college. Arithmetic mean values of total indoor and outdoor polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations were 125.0 pg/m3 (89.8 to 203.9 pg/m3 and 110.3 pg/m3 (83.5 to 157.0 pg/m3, respectively. Total indoor polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations were one order of magnitude lower than those detected in homes in Birmingham, United Kingdom and in Ottawa, Canada but were several times higher than those measured in the ambient air in Ottawa, Canada and from the Bohai Sea to the Arctic. The five highest indoor concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners were decabromodiphenyl ether (23.0 pg/m3, 4,4’-dibromodiphenyl ether (15.9 pg/m3, 2,2’,3,4,4’,5,5’,6-octabromodiphenyl ether (10.6 pg/m3, 2,4-dibromodiphenyl ether (10.3 pg/m3 and 2,2’,3,4,4’,5’,6-heptabromodiphenyl ether (10.0 pg/m3. Although indoor and outdoor total polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations did not significantly differ, the indoor concentrations of 2,4-dibromodiphenyl ether, 2,2’,4-tribromodiphenyl ether, 2,4,4’-tribromodiphenyl ether, 2,2’,4,5’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether and 2,3’,4’,6-tetrabromodiphenyl ether were significantly higher than their outdoor concentrations. This study suggests the following measures: 1 to increase the air exchange rate and open classroom doors and windows for several minutes before classes to reduce indoor PBDE concentrations; 2 to reduce polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions from new devices, it’s better to use computer-related products that meet the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive adopted by the European Union.

Thermal Stability of Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) Films: on the Role of Protodesulfonation

OpenAIRE

Koziara, Beata; Kappert, Emiel; Ogieglo, Wojciech; Nijmeijer, Dorothea C.; Hempenius, Mark A.; Benes, Nieck Edwin

2016-01-01

Thin film and bulk, sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) have been subjected to a thermal treatment at 160–250 °C for up to 15 h. Exposing the films to 160 °C already causes partial desulfonation, and heating to temperatures exceeding 200 °C results in increased conjugation in the material, most likely via a slight cross-linking by H-substitution. It is well-known that the sulfonate proton plays a major role in the desulfonation reactions, and exchanging the protons with other cations ...

α-Diazo oxime ethers for N-heterocycle synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Subin; Ha, Sujin; Park, Cheol-Min

2017-06-01

This Feature Article introduces the preparation and synthetic utility of α-diazo oxime ethers. α-Oximino carbenes are useful synthons for N-heterocycles, and can be easily prepared from α-diazo oxime ethers as precursors. We begin with the preparation of α-diazo oxime ethers and their application in [3+2] cycloaddition. It turns out that the nature of metals bound to carbenes plays a crucial role in modulating the reactivity of α-oximino carbenes, in which copper carbenes smoothly react with enamines, whereas the less reactive enol ethers and nitriles require gold carbenes. In Section 3.2, a discussion on N-O and C-H bond activation is presented. Carbenes derived from diazo oxime ethers show unique reactivity towards N-O and C-H bond activation, in which the proximity of the two functionalities, carbene and oxime ether, dictates the preferred reaction pathways toward pyridines, pyrroles, and 2H-azirines. In Section 3.3, the development of tandem reactions based on α-diazo oxime ethers is discussed. The nature of carbenes in which whether free carbenes or metal complexes are involved dissects the pathway and forms different types of 2H-azirines. The 2H-azirine formation turned out to be an excellent platform for the tandem synthesis of N-heterocycles including pyrroles and pyridines. In the last section, we describe the electrophilic activation of 2H-azirines with vinyl carbenes and oximino carbenes. The resulting azirinium species undergo rapid ring expansion rearrangements to form pyridines and pyrazines.

Palladium-Catalyzed Formal Cross-Coupling of Diaryl Ethers with Amines: Slicing the 4-O-5 Linkage in Lignin Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Huiying; Cao, Dawei; Qiu, Zihang; Li, Chao-Jun

2018-03-26

Lignin is the second most abundant organic matter on Earth, and is an underutilized renewable source for valuable aromatic chemicals. For future sustainable production of aromatic compounds, it is highly desirable to convert lignin into value-added platform chemicals instead of using fossil-based resources. Lignins are aromatic polymers linked by three types of ether bonds (α-O-4, β-O-4, and 4-O-5 linkages) and other C-C bonds. Among the ether bonds, the bond dissociation energy of the 4-O-5 linkage is the highest and the most challenging to cleave. To date, 4-O-5 ether linkage model compounds have been cleaved to obtain phenol, cyclohexane, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexanol. The first example of direct formal cross-coupling of diaryl ether 4-O-5 linkage models with amines is reported, in which dual C(Ar)-O bond cleavages form valuable nitrogen-containing derivatives. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Importance of pre-enrichment media for isolation of Salmonella spp. from swine and poultry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoorfar, Jeffrey; Baggesen, Dorte Lau

1998-01-01

The performance of two new (1-day) culture methods, Salmonella Enrichment Broth (SEB) and Revive, and an alternative pre-enrichment broth, designated Universal pre-enrichment broth (UB), was compared to the internationally accepted buffered peptone water (BPW). The study was directed towards......-skin samples (0.16, P = 0.001). The SEE method in the porcine samples resulted in a sensitivity (0.71) comparable to the standard method (P = 0.31). In conclusion, additional pre-enrichment of samples in UB may substantially increase the culture sensitivity. During routine screening of large numbers of samples......, it may be advantageous to use SEE rather than standard culturing. (C) 1998 Federation of European Microbiological Societies....

Phylogenetic and functional diversity within toluene-degrading, sulphate-reducing consortia enriched from a contaminated aquifer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuppardt, Anke; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Vogt, Carsten; Lüders, Tillmann; Harms, Hauke; Chatzinotas, Antonis

2014-08-01

Three toluene-degrading microbial consortia were enriched under sulphate-reducing conditions from different zones of a benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) plume of two connected contaminated aquifers. Two cultures were obtained from a weakly contaminated zone of the lower aquifer, while one culture originated from the highly contaminated upper aquifer. We hypothesised that the different habitat characteristics are reflected by distinct degrader populations. Degradation of toluene with concomitant production of sulphide was demonstrated in laboratory microcosms and the enrichment cultures were phylogenetically characterised. The benzylsuccinate synthase alpha-subunit (bssA) marker gene, encoding the enzyme initiating anaerobic toluene degradation, was targeted to characterise the catabolic diversity within the enrichment cultures. It was shown that the hydrogeochemical parameters in the different zones of the plume determined the microbial composition of the enrichment cultures. Both enrichment cultures from the weakly contaminated zone were of a very similar composition, dominated by Deltaproteobacteria with the Desulfobulbaceae (a Desulfopila-related phylotype) as key players. Two different bssA sequence types were found, which were both affiliated to genes from sulphate-reducing Deltaproteobacteria. In contrast, the enrichment culture from the highly contaminated zone was dominated by Clostridia with a Desulfosporosinus-related phylotype as presumed key player. A distinct bssA sequence type with high similarity to other recently detected sequences from clostridial toluene degraders was dominant in this culture. This work contributes to our understanding of the niche partitioning between degrader populations in distinct compartments of BTEX-contaminated aquifers.

Dimethyl ether as a drift-chamber gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bari, G.; Basile, M.; Bonvicini, G.; Cara Romeo, G.; Casaccia, R.; Cifarelli, L.; Cindolo, F.; Contin, A.; D'Ali, G.; Del Papa, C.; Focardi, S.; Iacobucci, G.; Maccarrone, G.; Massam, T.; Motta, F.; Nania, R.; Palmonari, F.; Prisco, G.; Sartorelli, G.; Susinno, G.; Votano, L.; Zichichi, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Bologna; European Organization for Nuclear Research, Geneva; Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Frascati; Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor; Palermo Univ.

1986-01-01

We have continued the testing of dimethyl ether as a drift-chamber gas in order to improve the understanding of its properties. In particular, we report on measurement accuracy, on systematic effects, and some preliminary data on the ageing of a detector filled with dimethyl ether. (orig.)

RATE CONSTANTS FOR THE REACTIONS OF OH RADICALS AND CL ATOMS WITH DI-N-PROPYL ETHER AND DI-N-BUTYL ETHER AND THEIR DEUTERATED ANALOGS. (R825252)

Science.gov (United States)

Using relative rate methods, rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals and Cl atoms with di-n-propyl ether, di-n-propyl ether-d14, di-n-butyl ether and di-n-butyl ether-d18 have been measured at 296 ? 2 K and atmos...

Selective crystallization of cations with crown ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heffels, Dennis Egidius

2014-01-01

The aim of this work was to study the selectivity and preferences of the incorporation of differently sized cations in the cavities of various crown ethers and the characterization of the resulting compounds. The coordination preferences of crown ethers with different cavities have long been known, and the impact of other effects on the structure formation have increasingly become the focus of attention. In this work a comparative overview of the coordination preferences depending on various factors was undertaken. The focus was mainly on the variation of the cavity of the crown ether in the presence of differently sized cations. In addition, the effects of the solvent and differently coordinating anions have been investigated. Within the framework of this work, basic coordination preferences could be detected with rare earth nitrates, which are affected particularly by the choice of the solvent. The formation of different types of structures could be controlled by varying the conditions such that the incorporation of the cation in the cavity of the crown ether was influenced and the formation of a particular type of structure can be influenced partly by the choice of solvent. In this case no direct preferences for the incorporation into the cavity of the crown ether in relation to the cation size were observed for rare earth cations. However, the coordination of the crown ether leads in each case - for lanthanides - to rather high coordination numbers. A total of five new rare earth complexes and two structural variants could be observed with crown ethers. In the study of the selectivity of the incorporation into the cavity, known structures were also reproduced and further structures were characterized but the crystal structures not entirely solved. With the use of monovalent cations such as potassium, lithium or silver a total of nine new compounds could be synthesized, while no clear preferences for the incorporation of certain cations were detected. The

Effect of a Semi-Purified Oligosaccharide-Enriched Fraction from Caprine Milk on Barrier Integrity and Mucin Production of Co-Culture Models of the Small and Large Intestinal Epithelium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia M. Barnett

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Caprine milk contains the highest amount of oligosaccharides among domestic animals, which are structurally similar to human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs. This suggests caprine milk oligosaccharides may offer similar protective and developmental effects to that of HMOs. However, to date, studies using oligosaccharides from caprine milk have been limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the impact of a caprine milk oligosaccharide-enriched fraction (CMOF on barrier function of epithelial cell co-cultures of absorptive enterocytes (Caco-2 cells and mucus-secreting goblet cells (HT29-MTX cells, that more closely simulate the cell proportions found in the small (90:10 and large intestine (75:25. Treatment of epithelial co-cultures with 0.4, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/mL of CMOF was shown to have no effect on metabolic activity but did enhance cell epithelial barrier integrity as measured by trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER, in a dose-dependent manner. The CMOF at the maximum concentration tested (4.0 mg/mL enhanced TEER, mucin gene expression and mucin protein abundance of epithelial co-cultures, all of which are essential components of intestinal barrier function.

Effect of a Semi-Purified Oligosaccharide-Enriched Fraction from Caprine Milk on Barrier Integrity and Mucin Production of Co-Culture Models of the Small and Large Intestinal Epithelium.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, Alicia M; Roy, Nicole C; McNabb, Warren C; Cookson, Adrian L

2016-05-06

Caprine milk contains the highest amount of oligosaccharides among domestic animals, which are structurally similar to human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). This suggests caprine milk oligosaccharides may offer similar protective and developmental effects to that of HMOs. However, to date, studies using oligosaccharides from caprine milk have been limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the impact of a caprine milk oligosaccharide-enriched fraction (CMOF) on barrier function of epithelial cell co-cultures of absorptive enterocytes (Caco-2 cells) and mucus-secreting goblet cells (HT29-MTX cells), that more closely simulate the cell proportions found in the small (90:10) and large intestine (75:25). Treatment of epithelial co-cultures with 0.4, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/mL of CMOF was shown to have no effect on metabolic activity but did enhance cell epithelial barrier integrity as measured by trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER), in a dose-dependent manner. The CMOF at the maximum concentration tested (4.0 mg/mL) enhanced TEER, mucin gene expression and mucin protein abundance of epithelial co-cultures, all of which are essential components of intestinal barrier function.

Novel Naphthalene Based Lariat-Type Crown Ethers Using Direct Single Electron Transfer Photochemical Strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hea Jung; Sung, Nam Kyung; Kim, Su Rhan; Kim, Su Rhan; Ahn, So Hyun; Yoon, Ung Chan [Pusan National Univ., Busan (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Dae Won [Yeungnam Univ., Geoungsan (Korea, Republic of); Mariano, Patrick S. [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque (United States)

2013-12-15

This study explored a direct SET-photochemical strategy to construct a new family of thioene conjugated-naphthalamide fluorophore based lariat-crown ethers which show strong binding properties towards heavy metal ions. Irradiations of designed nitrogen branched (trimethylsilyl)methylthio-terminated polyethylenoxy-tethered naphthalimides in acidic methanol solutions have led to highly efficient photocyclization reactions to generate naphthalamide based lariat type thiadiazacrown ethers directly in chemo- and regio-selective manners which undergo very facile secondary dehydration reactions during separation processes to produce their corresponding amidoenethio ether cyclic products tethered with electron donating diethyleneoxy- and diethyenethio-side arm chains. Fluorescence and metal cation binding properties of the lariat type enamidothio products were examined. The photocyclized amidoenethio products, thioene conjugated naphthalamide fluorophore containing lariat-thiadiazacrowns exhibited strong fluorescence emissions in region of 330-450 nm along with intramolecular exciplex emissions in region of 450-560 nm with their maxima at 508 nm. Divalent cation Hg{sup 2+} and Pb{sup 2+} showed strong binding to sulfur atom(s) in side arm chain and atoms in enethiadiazacrown ether rings which led to significant enhancement of fluorescence from its chromophore singlet excited state and concomitant quenching of exciplex emission. The dual fluorescence emission responses towards divalent cations might provide a new guide for design and development of fluorescence sensors for detecting those metals.

Structure of the Copper–Enriched Layer Introduced by Anodic Oxidation of Copper-Containing Aluminium Alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashimoto, T.; Zhou, X.; Skeldon, P.; Thompson, G.E.

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the structure of the copper–enriched layer formed at the alloy/anodic film interface during anodizing of Al–2 wt.% Cu binary alloy using transmission electron microscopy. It was revealed that θ′ phase was formed within the copper–enriched layer. For the copper–enriched layer formed on {1 0 0} aluminum planes, the interface between the aluminum matrix and the θ′ phase within the copper-enriched layer is coherent. For the copper–enriched layer formed on {1 1 0} and {1 1 1} aluminum planes, the interfaces between the aluminum matrix and the θ′ phase within the copper-enriched layer are semi-coherent or incoherent. The interfacial coherency influences the formation of oxygen gas bubbles within the resultant anodic films.

Thermal breeder fuel enrichment zoning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capossela, H.J.; Dwyer, J.R.; Luce, R.G.; McCoy, D.F.; Merriman, F.C.

1992-01-01

A method and apparatus for improving the performance of a thermal breeder reactor having regions of higher than average moderator concentration are disclosed. The fuel modules of the reactor core contain at least two different types of fuel elements, a high enrichment fuel element and a low enrichment fuel element. The two types of fuel elements are arranged in the fuel module with the low enrichment fuel elements located between the high moderator regions and the high enrichment fuel elements. Preferably, shim rods made of a fertile material are provided in selective regions for controlling the reactivity of the reactor by movement of the shim rods into and out of the reactor core. The moderation of neutrons adjacent the high enrichment fuel elements is preferably minimized as by reducing the spacing of the high enrichment fuel elements and/or using a moderator having a reduced moderating effect. 1 figure

Thermodynamics of Hydrogen Production from Dimethyl Ether Steam Reforming and Hydrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

T.A. Semelsberger

2004-10-01

The thermodynamic analyses of producing a hydrogen-rich fuel-cell feed from the process of dimethyl ether (DME) steam reforming were investigated as a function of steam-to-carbon ratio (0-4), temperature (100 C-600 C), pressure (1-5 atm), and product species: acetylene, ethanol, methanol, ethylene, methyl-ethyl ether, formaldehyde, formic acid, acetone, n-propanol, ethane and isopropyl alcohol. Results of the thermodynamic processing of dimethyl ether with steam indicate the complete conversion of dimethyl ether to hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide for temperatures greater than 200 C and steam-to-carbon ratios greater than 1.25 at atmospheric pressure (P = 1 atm). Increasing the operating pressure was observed to shift the equilibrium toward the reactants; increasing the pressure from 1 atm to 5 atm decreased the conversion of dimethyl ether from 99.5% to 76.2%. The order of thermodynamically stable products in decreasing mole fraction was methane, ethane, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, n-propanol, ethylene, ethanol, methyl-ethyl ether and methanol--formaldehyde, formic acid, and acetylene were not observed. The optimal processing conditions for dimethyl ether steam reforming occurred at a steam-to-carbon ratio of 1.5, a pressure of 1 atm, and a temperature of 200 C. Modeling the thermodynamics of dimethyl ether hydrolysis (with methanol as the only product considered), the equilibrium conversion of dimethyl ether is limited. The equilibrium conversion was observed to increase with temperature and steam-to-carbon ratio, resulting in a maximum dimethyl ether conversion of approximately 68% at a steam-to-carbon ratio of 4.5 and a processing temperature of 600 C. Thermodynamically, dimethyl ether processed with steam can produce hydrogen-rich fuel-cell feeds--with hydrogen concentrations exceeding 70%. This substantiates dimethyl ether as a viable source of hydrogen for PEM fuel cells.

TRDistiller: a rapid filter for enrichment of sequence datasets with proteins containing tandem repeats.

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, François D; Kajava, Andrey V

2014-06-01

The dramatic growth of sequencing data evokes an urgent need to improve bioinformatics tools for large-scale proteome analysis. Over the last two decades, the foremost efforts of computer scientists were devoted to proteins with aperiodic sequences having globular 3D structures. However, a large portion of proteins contain periodic sequences representing arrays of repeats that are directly adjacent to each other (so called tandem repeats or TRs). These proteins frequently fold into elongated fibrous structures carrying different fundamental functions. Algorithms specific to the analysis of these regions are urgently required since the conventional approaches developed for globular domains have had limited success when applied to the TR regions. The protein TRs are frequently not perfect, containing a number of mutations, and some of them cannot be easily identified. To detect such "hidden" repeats several algorithms have been developed. However, the most sensitive among them are time-consuming and, therefore, inappropriate for large scale proteome analysis. To speed up the TR detection we developed a rapid filter that is based on the comparison of composition and order of short strings in the adjacent sequence motifs. Tests show that our filter discards up to 22.5% of proteins which are known to be without TRs while keeping almost all (99.2%) TR-containing sequences. Thus, we are able to decrease the size of the initial sequence dataset enriching it with TR-containing proteins which allows a faster subsequent TR detection by other methods. The program is available upon request. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continuous culture enrichments of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria at low ammonium concentrations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bollmann, A.; Laanbroek, H.J.

2001-01-01

Until now enrichments of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria from natural ammonium-limited environments have been performed mainly in the presence of much higher ammonia concentrations than those present in the natural environment and many have resulted in the enrichment and isolation of environmentally less

Continuous culture enrichments of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria at low ammonium concentrations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bollmann, A.; Laanbroek, H.J.

2001-01-01

Until now enrichments of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria from natural ammonium-limited environments have been performed mainly in the presence of much higher ammonia concentrations than those present in the natural environment and many have resulted in the enrichment and isolation of environmentally

IR Laser Ablative Degradation of Poly(phenylene ether sulfone): Deposition of Films Containing Sulfone, Sulfoxide and Sulfide Groups

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Blazevska-Gilev, J.; Bastl, Zdeněk; Šubrt, Jan; Stopka, Pavel; Pola, Josef

2009-01-01

Roč. 94, č. 2 (2009), s. 196-200 ISSN 0141-3910 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400720619 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504; CEZ:AV0Z40400503; CEZ:AV0Z40320502 Keywords : laser ablation * laser-induced degradation * poly(1,4-phenylene ether-sulfone) Subject RIV: CH - Nuclear ; Quantum Chemistry Impact factor: 2.154, year: 2009

Characterization of melt-blended graphene – poly(ether ether ketone) nanocomposite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tewatia, Arya; Hendrix, Justin; Dong, Zhizhong; Taghon, Meredith; Tse, Stephen; Chiu, Gordon; Mayo, William E.; Kear, Bernard; Nosker, Thomas; Lynch, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Using a high shear melt-processing method, graphene-reinforced polymer matrix composites (G-PMCs) were produced with good distribution and particle–matrix interaction of bi/trilayer graphene at 2 wt. % and 5 wt. % in poly ether ether ketone (2Gn-PEEK and 5Gn-PEEK). The morphology, structure, thermal properties, and mechanical properties of PEEK, 2Gn-PEEK and 5 Gn-PEEK were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), flexural mechanical testing, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Addition of graphene to PEEK induces surface crystallization, increased percent crystallinity, offers a composite that is thermally stable until 550 °C and enhances thermomechanical properties. Results show that graphene was successfully melt-blended within PEEK using this method.

Characterization of melt-blended graphene – poly(ether ether ketone) nanocomposite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tewatia, Arya; Hendrix, Justin [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University, 607 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854 (United States); Dong, Zhizhong [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (United States); Taghon, Meredith [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University, 607 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854 (United States); Tse, Stephen [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (United States); Chiu, Gordon; Mayo, William E.; Kear, Bernard; Nosker, Thomas [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University, 607 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854 (United States); Lynch, Jennifer, E-mail: jklynch@rci.rutgers.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University, 607 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854 (United States)

2017-02-15

Using a high shear melt-processing method, graphene-reinforced polymer matrix composites (G-PMCs) were produced with good distribution and particle–matrix interaction of bi/trilayer graphene at 2 wt. % and 5 wt. % in poly ether ether ketone (2Gn-PEEK and 5Gn-PEEK). The morphology, structure, thermal properties, and mechanical properties of PEEK, 2Gn-PEEK and 5 Gn-PEEK were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), flexural mechanical testing, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Addition of graphene to PEEK induces surface crystallization, increased percent crystallinity, offers a composite that is thermally stable until 550 °C and enhances thermomechanical properties. Results show that graphene was successfully melt-blended within PEEK using this method.

Water culture of the rice containing Cs-137

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Yong Ho; Keum, Dong Kwon; Lim, Kwang Muk; Jun, In; Park, Doo Won

2008-10-01

Pot experiments were carried out in a greenhouse in order to produce Cs-137-containing rice seeds as a source material for use in manufacturing reference rice samples of a high Cs-137 activity. Two kinds of soil were used and two pots were prepared for each kind of soil. Rice plants were water-cultured in the pots and Cs-137 was applied to the surface water to induce a Cs-137 contamination of rice seeds via a plant uptake of Cs-137. Mature rice plants were harvested and Cs-137-containing rice seeds were obtained after some treatment of the harvested plants. These produced rice seeds are going to be provided for the KRISS so as to be used in manufacturing reference rice samples for Cs-137

Modeling of Pharmaceutical Biotransformation by Enriched Nitrifying Culture under Different Metabolic Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Yifeng; Chen, Xueming; Yuan, Zhiguo

2018-01-01

Pharmaceutical removal could be significantly enhanced through cometabolism during nitrification processes. To date, pharmaceutical biotransformation models have not considered the formation of transformation products associated with the metabolic type of microorganisms. Here we report a comprehe......Pharmaceutical removal could be significantly enhanced through cometabolism during nitrification processes. To date, pharmaceutical biotransformation models have not considered the formation of transformation products associated with the metabolic type of microorganisms. Here we report...... a comprehensive model to describe and evaluate the biodegradation of pharmaceuticals and the formation of their biotransformation products by enriched nitrifying cultures. The biotransformation of parent compounds was linked to the microbial processes via cometabolism induced by ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB......) growth, metabolism by AOB, cometabolism by heterotrophs (HET) growth, and metabolism by HET in the model framework. The model was calibrated and validated using experimental data from pharmaceutical biodegradation experiments at realistic levels, taking two pharmaceuticals as examples, i.e., atenolol...

On the ether-like Lorentz-breaking actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, A.Yu; Nascimento, J.R.; Gomes, M.; Silva, A. J. da

2011-01-01

We demonstrate the generation of the CPT-even, ether-like Lorentz-breaking actions for the scalar and electro-magnetic fields via their appropriate Lorentz-breaking coupling to spinor fields in three, four and five space-time dimensions. Besides, we show that the ether-like terms for the spinor field also can be generated as a consequence of the same couplings. The key result which will be presented here is the finiteness of the ether-like term for the electromagnetic field not only in three and five space-time dimensions where it is natural due to known effects of the dimensional regularization but also in four space-time dimensions. Moreover, we present the calculation of the last result within different calculational schemes and conclude that the result for the four-dimensional ether-like term for the electromagnetic field essentially depending on the calculation scheme, similarly to the result for the Carroll-Field-Jackiw (CFJ) term which probably signalizes a possibility for arising of a new anomaly. Also we discuss the dispersion relations in the theories with ether-like Lorentz-breaking terms which allows to discuss the consistency of the Lorentz-breaking modified theories for different (space-like or time-like) Lorentz-breaking vectors and find the tree-level effective (Breit) potential for fermion scattering and the one-loop effective potential corresponding to the action of the scalar field. (author)

1,2'-Bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene based designed fluoro-poly(ether-imide)/MMT clay nanocomposites: Synthesis and properties for high performance applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vora, Rohitkumar H.; Vora, Mayur

2006-01-01

In an effort to develop structure-property understanding of fluoro-polymer/inorganic clay nanocomposite (i.e., Ceramer) technology, two series of fluoro-poly(ether amic acid) (6F-PEAA)/organosoluble Montmorillonite (MMT) clay nanocomposite formulations containing varying percentage of diamine modified (ion-exchanged) organosoluble-MMT clay were prepared from the partially fluorinated fluoro poly(ether-amic acid)s (6F-PEAA) synthesized by reacting on 2,2'-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) and di-ether-containing diamines, such as 1,2'-bis(4-aminophenoxy) benzene (o-BAPOB) and 4,4'-bis(4-aminophenoxy) diphenyl sulfone (p-SED), respectively. Self supporting films were cast from these formulations and cured at elevated temperatures. XRD data, indirectly confirmed the exfoliation of organosoluble-MMT clay at molecular level in the nanocomposite. The solubility, chemical resistance, morphology, thermo-oxidative stability, thermal degradation kinetics, mechanical behavior, and moisture absorption of these [(6F-PEI)/MMT clay] nanocomposite films were systematically studied

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/poly(vinyl alcohol) sensitizing system for solution photogeneration of small Ag, Au, and Cu crystallites.

Science.gov (United States)

Korchev, A S; Shulyak, T S; Slaten, B L; Gale, W F; Mills, G

2005-04-28

Illumination of air-free aqueous solutions containing sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) and poly(vinyl alcohol) with 350 nm light results in benzophenone ketyl radicals of the polyketone. The polymer radicals form with a quantum yield 0.02 and decay with a second-order rate constant 6 orders of magnitude lower than that of typical alpha-hydroxy radicals. Evidence is presented that the polymeric benzophenone ketyl radicals reduce Ag+, Cu2+, and AuCl4- to metal particles of nanometer dimensions. Decreases in the reduction rates with increasing Ag(I), Cu(II), and Au(III) concentrations are explained using a kinetic model in which the metal ions quench the excited state of the polymeric benzophenone groups, which forms the macromolecular radicals. Quenching is fastest for Ag+, whereas Cu2+ and AuCl4- exhibit similar rate constants. Particle formation becomes more complex as the number of equivalents needed to reduce the metal ions increases; the Au(III) system is an extreme case where the radical reactions operate in parallel with secondary light-initiated and thermal reduction channels. For each metal ion, the polymer-initiated photoreactions produce crystallites possessing distinct properties, such as a very strong plasmon in the Ag case or the narrow size distribution exhibited by Au particles.

Chemical bonding and the equilibrium composition of Grignard reagents in ethereal solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Henriques, André M; Barbosa, André G H

2011-11-10

A thorough analysis of the electronic structure and thermodynamic aspects of Grignard reagents and its associated equilibrium composition in ethereal solutions is performed. Considering methylmagnesium halides containing fluorine, chlorine, and bromine, we studied the neutral, charged, and radical species associated with their chemical equilibrium in solution. The ethereal solvents considered, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and ethyl ether (Et(2)O), were modeled using the polarizable continuum model (PCM) and also by explicit coordination to the Mg atoms in a cluster. The chemical bonding of the species that constitute the Grignard reagent is analyzed in detail with generalized valence bond (GVB) wave functions. Equilibrium constants were calculated with the DFT/M06 functional and GVB wave functions, yielding similar results. According to our calculations and existing kinetic and electrochemical evidence, the species R(•), R(-), (•)MgX, and RMgX(2)(-) must be present in low concentration in the equilibrium. We conclude that depending on the halogen, a different route must be followed to produce the relevant equilibrium species in each case. Chloride and bromide must preferably follow a "radical-based" pathway, and fluoride must follow a "carbanionic-based" pathway. These different mechanisms are contrasted against the available experimental results and are proven to be consistent with the existing thermodynamic data on the Grignard reagent equilibria.

Centrifuge enrichment plants. (Latest citations from the NTIS bibliographic database). Published Search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-09-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning the design, control, monitoring, and safety of centrifuge enrichment plants. Power supplies, enrichment plant safeguards, facility design, cascade heater test loops to monitor the enrichment process, inspection strategies, and the socioeconomic effects of centrifuge enrichment plants are examined. Radioactive waste disposal problems are considered. (Contains a minimum of 171 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

miRNA Enriched in Human Neuroblast Nuclei Bind the MAZ Transcription Factor and Their Precursors Contain the MAZ Consensus Motif.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldie, Belinda J; Fitzsimmons, Chantel; Weidenhofer, Judith; Atkins, Joshua R; Wang, Dan O; Cairns, Murray J

2017-01-01

While the cytoplasmic function of microRNA (miRNA) as post-transcriptional regulators of mRNA has been the subject of significant research effort, their activity in the nucleus is less well characterized. Here we use a human neuronal cell model to show that some mature miRNA are preferentially enriched in the nucleus. These molecules were predominantly primate-specific and contained a sequence motif with homology to the consensus MAZ transcription factor binding element. Precursor miRNA containing this motif were shown to have affinity for MAZ protein in nuclear extract. We then used Ago1/2 RIP-Seq to explore nuclear miRNA-associated mRNA targets. Interestingly, the genes for Ago2-associated transcripts were also significantly enriched with MAZ binding sites and neural function, whereas Ago1-transcripts were associated with general metabolic processes and localized with SC35 spliceosomes. These findings suggest the MAZ transcription factor is associated with miRNA in the nucleus and may influence the regulation of neuronal development through Ago2-associated miRNA induced silencing complexes. The MAZ transcription factor may therefore be important for organizing higher order integration of transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes in primate neurons.

Thermogravimetric analysis of the polymer acrylate-vinyl ether mixture cured by radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danu, Sugiarto

1998-01-01

An experiment on thermal stability of the polymer acrylate-vinyl ether mixture cured by radiation have been done using thermogravimetric analysis. Three kinds of acrylic oligomers i.e., epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, and polypropylene glycol diacrylate, and vinyl ether monomers i.e., triethylene glycol divinyl ether (DVE-3), 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol divinyl ether (CHVE), and butanediol monovinyl ether (HBVE) were used in the experiment. Reaction was taken via radical and cationic polymerisation. In case of cationic polymerisation, diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate fotoinisiator was used in the formulation. Thermogravimetric analysis was conducted in a nitrogen atmosphere at a flow rate of 40 ml/minute with a constant heating rate 10 o C and evaluation range were done from 25 to 500 o C. The results of thermogravimetric analysis showed that acrylate and DVE-3 mixture produced the polymer films with higher thermal stability than the mixture of acrylate with CHVE or HBVE. The composition of acrylate-vinyl ether mixture and degree of unsaturation of vinyl ether monomers influenced the thermal stability of polymer. The mixture of epoxy acrylate-vinyl ether and polypropylene glycol diacrylate-vinyl ether have 1 initial decomposition temperature whereas the urethane acrylate-vinyl ether mixture has 2 initial decomposition temperatures. (authors)

Fast Enrichment Screening for Safeguards Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, A.; McElhaney, S.

2010-01-01

Methods for rapid non-destructive uranium enrichment classification of large containers are of importance to safeguards and counter-terrorism agencies. There is a need to quickly categorize and segregate suspect items as 'depleted' or 'enriched' on a 'Go/No Go' basis. Recent improvements in gamma spectroscopy technologies have provided the capability to perform rapid field analysis using portable and hand-held devices such as battery-operated medium and high resolution detectors (including lanthanum halide and high purity germanium). Furthermore a new generation of portal monitors are currently under development with advanced spectroscopic capabilities. Instruments and technologies that were previously the domain of complex lab systems are now widely available as touch-screen 'off-the-shelf' units. Despite such advances, the task of enrichment analysis remains a complex exercise. This is particularly so when surveying large items such as drums and crates containing debris of unknown density and composition contaminated with uranium. The challenge is equally applicable to safeguards inspectors evaluating large items and for interdiction of illicit special nuclear materials in mass transport e.g. shipping containers at ports and borders. The variable shielding, container size, lack of matrix knowledge, wall thickness and self-shielding compound this problem. Performing an accurate assessment within the short count time window demanded of the field operative, leads to the need for a reliable method that can adapt to such conditions and is robust to a wide dynamic range of counting statistics. Several methods are evaluated with reference to the performance metrics defined in applicable standards. The primary issue is to minimize the bias that can result from attenuation effects, particularly as the gamma emissions from U235 are low energy and therefore highly susceptible to absorption in large containers with metal scrap. Use of other radiometric signatures such as

Exogenous ether lipids predominantly target mitochondria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kuerschner, Lars; Richter, Doris; Hannibal-Bach, Hans Kristian

2012-01-01

Ether lipids are ubiquitous constituents of cellular membranes with no discrete cell biological function assigned yet. Using fluorescent polyene-ether lipids we analyzed their intracellular distribution in living cells by microscopy. Mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum accumulated high......, accumulated to mitochondria and induced morphological changes and cellular apoptosis. These data indicate that edelfosine could exert its pro-apoptotic power by targeting and damaging mitochondria and thereby inducing cellular apoptosis. In general, this study implies an important role of mitochondria...

Mass transport of direct methanol fuel cell species in sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, V.S.; Ruffmann, B.; Vetter, S.; Boaventura, M.; Mendes, A.M.; Madeira, L.M.; Nunes, S.P.

2006-01-01

Homogeneous membranes based on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (sPEEK) with different sulfonation degrees (SD) were prepared and characterized. In order to perform a critical analysis of the SD effect on the polymer barrier and mass transport properties towards direct methanol fuel cell species, proton conductivity, water/methanol pervaporation and nitrogen/oxygen/carbon dioxide pressure rise method experiments are proposed. This procedure allows the evaluation of the individual permeability coefficients in hydrated sPEEK membranes with different sulfonation degrees. Nafion[reg] 112 was used as reference material. DMFC tests were also performed at 50 deg. C. It was observed that the proton conductivity and the permeability towards water, methanol, oxygen and carbon dioxide increase with the sPEEK sulfonation degree. In contrast, the SD seems to not affect the nitrogen permeability coefficient. In terms of selectivity, it was observed that the carbon dioxide/oxygen selectivity increases with the sPEEK SD. In contrast, the nitrogen/oxygen selectivity decreases. In terms of barrier properties for preventing the DMFC reactants loss, the polymer electrolyte membrane based on the sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) with SD lower or equal to 71%, although having slightly lower proton conductivity, presented much better characteristics for fuel cell applications compared with the well known Nafion[reg] 112. In terms of the DMFC tests of the studied membranes at low temperature, the sPEEK membrane with SD = 71% showed to have similar performance, or even better, as that of Nafion[reg] 112. However, the highest DMFC overall efficiency was achieved using sPEEK membrane with SD = 52%

Enrichment of Thermophilic Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea from an Alkaline Hot Spring in the Great Basin, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, C.; Huang, Z.; Jiang, H.; Wiegel, J.; Li, W.; Dong, H.

2010-12-01

One of the major advances in the nitrogen cycle is the recent discovery of ammonia oxidation by archaea. While culture-independent studies have revealed occurrence of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in nearly every surface niche on earth, most of these microorganisms have resisted isolation and so far only a few species have been identified. The Great Basin contains numerous hot springs, which are characterized by moderately high temperature (40-65 degree C) and circumneutral or alkaline pH. Unique thermophilic archaea have been identified based on molecular DNA and lipid biomarkers; some of which may be ammonia oxidizers. This study aims to isolate some of these archaea from a California hot spring that has pH around 9.0 and temperature around 42 degree C. Mat material was collected from the spring and transported on ice to the laboratory. A synthetic medium (SCM-5) was inoculated with the mat material and the culture was incubated under varying temperature (35-65 degree C) and pH (7.0-10.0) conditions using antibiotics to suppress bacterial growth. Growth of the culture was monitored by microscopy, decrease in ammonium and increase in nitrite, and increases in Crenarchaeota and AOA abundances over time. Clone libraries were constructed to compare archaeal community structures before and after the enrichment experiment. Temperature and pH profiles indicated that the culture grew optimally at pH 9.0 and temperature 45 degree C, which are consistent with the geochemical conditions of the natural environment. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the final OTU was distantly related to all known hyperthermophilic archaea. Analysis of the amoA genes showed two OTUs in the final culture; one of them was closely related to Candidatus Nitrososphaera gargensis. However, the enrichment culture always contained bacteria and attempts to separate them from archaea have failed. This highlights the difficulty in bringing AOA into pure culture and suggests that some of the AOA may

Sulfonated poly(tetramethydiphenyl ether ether ketone) membranes for vanadium redox flow battery application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mai, Zhensheng; Bi, Cheng; Dai, Hua [PEMFC Key Materials and Technology Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023 (China); Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Zhang, Huamin; Li, Xianfeng [PEMFC Key Materials and Technology Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023 (China)

2011-01-01

Sulfonated poly(tetramethydiphenyl ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) with various degree of sulfonation is prepared and first used as ion exchange membrane for vanadium redox flow battery (VRB) application. The vanadium ion permeability of SPEEK40 membrane is one order of magnitude lower than that of Nafion 115 membrane. The low cost SPEEK membranes exhibit a better performance than Nafion at the same operating condition. VRB single cells with SPEEK membranes show very high energy efficiency (>84%), comparable to that of the Nafion, but at much higher columbic efficiency (>97%). In the self-discharge test, the duration of the cell with the SPEEK membrane is two times longer than that with Nafion 115. The membrane keeps a stable performance after 80-cycles charge-discharge test. (author)

Analysis of electron-irradiated poly-ether ether ketone by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oyabu, Matashige; Kobayashi, Yoshinori; Seguchi, Tadao; Sasuga, Tsuneo; Kudoh, Hisaaki.

1995-01-01

Organic polymers used in atomic power plants or space are damaged by ionizing irradiation. Radicals produced by irradiation cause oxidation, chain scission and crosslinking, all of which lead to degradation of the material. In this paper, the surface of electron-irradiated poly-ether ether ketone (PEEK) was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The irradiation in air was found to oxidize the PEEK surface producing carboxyl groups, the content of which dependant on the dose. Carboxyl groups were not produced in helium gas. Quantitative spectral analysis indicated that the aromatic structure might be decomposed. Some comparison was made between the semicrystalline and amorphous samples. The oxygen content resulting from irradiation, of semicrystalline PEEK increased more than that of amorphous PEEK. (author)

Biodegradation of softwood lignin and guaiacylglycerol-beta-guiacyl ether by extracellular enzyme in shiitake Lentinus edodes (Berk) Sing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oki, T.; Senba, Y.; Ishikawa, H.

1982-01-01

In order to explain the biodegradation of softwood lignin by shiitake (Lentinus edodes Berk. Sing.), akamatsu (Pinus densiflora Sekb. and Zucc.) dioxane lignin (NDL) and guaicylglycerol-beta-guaiacyl ether (I) were degraded by extracellular enzyme from the NDL-contained potato and malt extracts cultures of shiitake TMI-563 and 655 at 25 degrees C for a prolonged period. The main results on the basis of a functional group analysis and gel-filtration of NDL before and after the enzymatic degradation showed that the degraded DL had a higher content of phenolic OH groups than sound lignin, whereas the methoxyl or aromatic aldehyde-yielding group content was lower in the degraded lignin. The main degradation products formed from I in a crude enzyme solution were guaiacol, guaiacylglycerol, guaiacylglycol-beta-guaiacyl ether (II), and guaiacoxyacetoguaiacone (III), although the polymer was formed at pH 4.0, which is the optimum pH of peroxidase and laccase. It also was clarified that the oxidative polymerization of NDL and I occurred preferably in a crude enzyme solution at pH 4.0, and that these compounds were degraded to lower molecular fragments at pH 6.8 under the same conditions. From the above results, it is suggested that softwood lignin is more effectively degraded by the other enzyme than polyphenoloxidase, such as laccase and peroxidase, in a crude enzyme solution of L. edodes. (Refs. 9).

Analytical characterization of a loading resin containing chlorophosphonazo I and its application to the enrichment of trace uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Fulong; Mao Xueqin

1986-01-01

A loading resin containing chlorophosphonazo I was prepared. The analytical properties of this resin for uranium were studied by the batch and column methods. In case EDTA is used as a masking agent, this method can be successfully applied to the separation and enrichment of trace uranium in wastewater from mining. The uranium adsorbed can be eluted with 1.5N HCl, and determined using the arsenazo III at pH 2 by spectrophotometry. The result obtained agrees well with that of the conventional method

Origin of mechanical modifications in poly (ether ether ketone)/carbon nanotube composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavlenko, Ekaterina; Puech, Pascal; Bacsa, Wolfgang; Boyer, François; Olivier, Philippe; Sapelkin, Andrei; King, Stephen; Heenan, Richard; Pons, François; Gauthier, Bénédicte; Cadaux, Pierre-Henri

2014-01-01

Variations in the hardness of a poly (ether ether ketone) beam electrically modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT, 0.5%-3%) are investigated. It is shown that both rupture and hardness variations correlate with the changes in carbon nanotube concentration when using micro indentation and extended Raman imaging. Statistical analysis of the relative spectral intensities in the Raman image is used to estimate local tube concentration and polymer crystallinity. We show that the histogram of the Raman D band across the image provides information about the amount of MWCNTs and the dispersion of MWCNTs in the composite. We speculate that we have observed a local modification of the ordering between pure and modified polymer. This is partially supported by small angle neutron scattering measurements, which indicate that the agglomeration state of the MWCNTs is the same at the concentrations studied.

Origin of mechanical modifications in poly (ether ether ketone)/carbon nanotube composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlenko, Ekaterina; Puech, Pascal; Bacsa, Wolfgang, E-mail: wolfgang.bacsa@cemes.fr [CEMES-CNRS and University of Toulouse, 29 Jeanne Marvig, 31055 Toulouse (France); Boyer, François; Olivier, Philippe [Université de Toulouse, Institut Clément Ader, I.U.T. Université Paul Sabatier - 133C Avenue de Rangueil - B.P. 67701, 31077 Toulouse CEDEX 4 (France); Sapelkin, Andrei [School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NS London (United Kingdom); King, Stephen; Heenan, Richard [ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, OX11 0QX Didcot (United Kingdom); Pons, François; Gauthier, Bénédicte; Cadaux, Pierre-Henri [AIRBUS FRANCE (B.E. M and P Toulouse), 316 Route de Bayonne, 31060 Toulouse (France)

2014-06-21

Variations in the hardness of a poly (ether ether ketone) beam electrically modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT, 0.5%-3%) are investigated. It is shown that both rupture and hardness variations correlate with the changes in carbon nanotube concentration when using micro indentation and extended Raman imaging. Statistical analysis of the relative spectral intensities in the Raman image is used to estimate local tube concentration and polymer crystallinity. We show that the histogram of the Raman D band across the image provides information about the amount of MWCNTs and the dispersion of MWCNTs in the composite. We speculate that we have observed a local modification of the ordering between pure and modified polymer. This is partially supported by small angle neutron scattering measurements, which indicate that the agglomeration state of the MWCNTs is the same at the concentrations studied.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in articles: a review of its applications and legislation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jinhui, Li; Yuan, Chen; Wenjing, Xiao

2017-02-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), especially commercial decabrominated diphenyl ethers (c-decaBDE), have been widely produced and applied to numerous materials because of their highly effective flame-retardant capabilities. The production of commercial pentaBDE (c-pentaBDE) and commercial octaBDE (c-octaBDE) ended in 2004 because they are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to both humans and the environment, but decaBDE production and use continue. Furthermore, many congeners of PBDEs are still prevalent in consumer products and articles that they pose enormous threat to both the environment and human health. PBDEs have been detected in the casing of electrical and electronic equipment, textile materials, automotive interiors, polyurethane foam (PUF) in seat cushions, children's toys, kitchenware, and other products. With increasing evidence about PBDE pollution and the adoption of international conventions, many developed countries have drawn more public attention to PBDEs and developed sound strategies for their management. This review summaries the utilization and management of PBDEs in a number of countries and reaches the conclusion that PBDEs are still prevalent in consumer articles, while specific regulations or policies for articles containing PBDEs are rare. Public awareness should be raised on the importance of sound management of articles containing PBDEs.

Application of X-ray luminescence separation to preliminary enrichment of lean scheelite-containing ores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhaboev, M.N.; Semochkin, G.A.; Blinov, Yu.I.; Dzhambaev, F.M.; Novikov, V.V.; Tereshchenko, S.V.

1987-01-01

Investigations of preliminary enrichment of lean ores of amphibole hornfels by the method of X-ray luminescence separation was conducted. Pile and enriched products with different WO 3 content were obtained from these ores; WO 3 content in pile products was 2-2.5 times lower as compared to factory tailing products. WO 3 content in separator concentrate corresponds in all cases to the requirements for the ore designated for flotation enrichment. Carbonate modulus decreases 2.5-4 times in separation concentrate, simplifying the conditions of flotation

Radiation chemistry of alternative fuel oxygenates - substituted ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mezyk, S. P.; Cooper, W. J.; Bartels, D. M.; Tobien, T.; O'Shea, K. E.

1999-01-01

The electron beam process, an advanced oxidation and reduction technology, is based in the field of radiation chemistry. Fundamental to the development of treatment processes is an understanding of the underlying chemistry. The authors have previously evaluated the bimolecular rate constants for the reactions of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and with this study have extended their studies to include ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), di-isopropyl ether (DIPE) and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) with the hydroxyl radical, hydrogen atom and solvated electron using pulse radiolysis. For all of the oxygenates the reaction with the hydroxyl radical appears to be of primary interest in the destruction of the compounds in water. The rates with the solvated electron are limiting values as the rates appear to be relatively low. The hydrogen atom rate constants are relatively low, coupled with the low yield in radiolysis, they concluded that these are of little significance in the destruction of the alternative fuel oxygenates (and MTBE)

Diethyl Ether Production as a Substitute for Gasoline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alviany Riza

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Diethyl ether is one of alternative fuel that could be used as a significant component of a blend or as a complete replacement for transportation fuel. The aim of this research is to produce diethyl ether through dehydration reaction of ethanol with fixed bed reactor using nanocrystalline γ-Al2O3 catalyst. Nanocrystalline γ-Al2O3 catalyst was synthesized by precipitation method using Al(NO33.9H2O as precursors and NH4OH as the precipitating agent. Dehydration reaction was performed at temperature range of 125 to 225°C. The result shows that synthesized γ-Al2O3 catalyst gave higher ethanol conversion and diethyl ether yield than that of commercial Al2O3 catalyst. The use of synthesized γ-Al2O3 catalyst could reach ethanol conversion as high as 94.71% and diethyl ether yield as high as 11,29%.

Sensitivity of Direct Culture, Enrichment and PCR for Detection of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli in Broiler Flocks at Slaughter.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodgers, J D; Simpkin, E; Lee, R; Clifton-Hadley, F A; Vidal, A B

2017-06-01

Broiler chicken flocks are a significant source of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli that result in the major public health problem of campylobacteriosis. Accurate estimates of the prevalence of both C. coli and C. jejuni in flocks would enhance epidemiological understanding, risk assessment and control options. This study combined results from a panel of 10 detection tests (direct culture, enrichment and PCR) on caecal samples from flocks at slaughter. A parallel interpretation approach was used to determine the presence of Campylobacter spp. and for C. jejuni and C. coli individually. The sample was considered positive if at least one method detected the target and this interpretation was taken to represent a 'proxy gold standard' for detection in the absence of a gold standard reference test. The sensitivity of each individual method to detect Campylobacter spp., C. jejuni and C. coli was then estimated relative to the proxy gold standard. Enrichment in adapted Exeter broth (deficient in polymyxin B) with a resuscitation step was 100% sensitive, whilst direct culture on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) was highly sensitive (97.9%). Enrichment methods using Preston broth and Bolton broth were significantly less sensitive. Enrichment in Exeter broth promoted the recovery of C. jejuni, whilst enrichment in Bolton broth favoured C. coli. A RT-PCR detection test could identify 80% of flocks that were co-colonised with both species. This study found that 76.3% (n = 127) of flocks were colonised with Campylobacter spp. The majority (95.9%) of Campylobacter-positive flocks were colonised with C. jejuni; however, approximately one-third of positive flocks were simultaneously colonised with both C. jejuni and C. coli. The findings highlight the impact of different detection methodologies on the accuracy of the estimated incidence of both C. jejuni and C. coli entering the abattoir within broiler flocks and the associated

Liquid crystalline polymers IX Main chain thermotropic poly (azomethine – ethers containing thiazole moiety linked with polymethylene spacers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2007-04-01

Full Text Available A new homologous series of thermally stable thermotropic liquid crystalline poly(azomethine-ethers based on thiazole moiety were synthesized by solution polycondensation of 4,4`-diformyl-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes, I–IV or 4,4`-diformyl-2,2`-dimethoxy-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes V–VIII with the new bis(2-aminothiazole monomer X. A model compound XI was synthesized from X with benzaldehyde and characterized by elemental and spectral analyses. The inherent viscosities of the resulting polymers were in the range 0.43–1.34 dI/g. All the poly(azomethine-ethers were insoluble in common organic solvents but dissolved completely in concentrated H2SO4 and formic acid. The mesomorphic properties of these polymers were studied as a function of the diphenoxyalkane space length. Their thermotropic liquid crystalline properties were examined by DSC and optical polarizing microscopy and demonstrated that the resulting polymers form nematic mesophases over wide temperature ranges. The thermogravimetric analyses of those polymers were evaluated by TGA and DSC measurements and correlated to their structural units. X-ray analysis showed that polymers having some degree of crystallinity in the region 2θ = 5–60°. In addition, the morphological properties of selected examples were tested by scanning electron microscopy.

Thermodynamic modeling of ternary and quaternary (liquid + liquid) systems containing water, FeCl3, HCl and diisopropyl ether

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milosevic, Miran; Hendriks, Ilse; Smits, Ralph E.R.; Schuur, Boelo; Haan, André B. de

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Literature data from various sources was validated experimentally. • Ternary and quaternary (liquid + liquid) systems were successfully described with the NRTL model. • Some deflection at higher HCl concentrations between model and data. • Additional data verification proved correctness of the literature data. -- Abstract: Liquid–liquid extraction using ethers as solvents is a potentially energy saving alternative for the concentration of aqueous ferric chloride solutions. Adequate thermodynamic models that describe the behavior of the resulting quaternary systems (FeCl 3 , ether, acid and water) are not available in the literature. In this paper, the development of an equilibrium description applying the NRTL-model is presented, including experimental validation and fitting of the NRTL-parameters on the validated data. Equilibrium experiments were performed for the ternary systems (water + HCl + DiPE) and (water + FeCl 3 + DiPE) and the obtained data is in good agreement with the results from Maljkovic et al.[37] and Cambell et al.[39]. Experimental data of the quaternary system is taken from Maljkovic et al.[37]. The obtained binary interaction parameters to describe the (liquid + liquid) quaternary system (water + FeCl 3 + HCl + DiPE) and the constituting ternaries by the NRTL model are presented. Model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental data

A highly sensitive and selective dimethyl ether sensor based on cataluminescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Runkun; Cao, Xiaoan; Liu, Yonghui; Peng, Yan

2010-07-15

A sensor for detecting dimethyl ether was designed based on the cataluminescence phenomenon when dimethyl ether vapors were passing through the surface of the ceramic heater. The proposed sensor showed high sensitivity and selectivity to dimethyl ether at an optimal temperature of 279 degrees C. Quantitative analysis were performed at a wavelength of 425 nm, the flow rate of carrier air is around 300 mL/min. The linear range of the cataluminescence intensity versus concentration of dimethyl ether is 100-6.0x10(3) ppm with a detection limit of 80 ppm. The sensor response time is 2.5 s. Under the optimized conditions, none or only very low levels of interference were observed while the foreign substances such as benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, methanol, ethanol, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acrolein, isopropyl ether, ethyl acetate, glycol ether and 2-methoxyethanol were passing through the sensor. Since the sensor does not need to prepare and fix up the granular catalyst, the simple technology reduces cost, improves stability and extends life span. The method can be applied to facilitate detection of dimethyl ether in the air. The possible mechanism of cataluminescence from the oxidation of dimethyl ether on the surface of ceramic heater was discussed based on the reaction products. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Excess molar enthalpies of binary mixtures containing 2-decanone or dipentyl ether with long-chain n-alkanes at T = 298.15 K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Wei-Chen; Lin, Ho-mu; Lee, Ming-Jer

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → An isothermal titration calorimeter was used for enthalpy data measurment. → The investigated systems are 2-decanone or dipentyl ether with long-chain n-alkanes. → The excess enthalpies are all positive over entire composition range. → The Patel-Teja equation of state with two parameters gives the best representation. - Abstract: Excess molar enthalpies (H E ) of binary mixtures of 2-decanone or dipentyl ether with n-alkanes, including n-dodecane, n-tetradecane, and n-hexadecane, were measured with an isothermal titration calorimeter (ITC) at T = 298.15 K under atmospheric pressure. All the measured H E values are positive over the entire range of composition, indicating that all these mixing processes are endothermic. The H E values varying with composition are found to be nearly symmetric for each binary system. It was also shown that the H E values follow the order of n-hexadecane > n-tetradecane > n-dodecane at a given composition in either the 2-decanone or dipentyl ether binary systems. An empirical Redlich-Kister equation correlated quantitatively these new H E data. The Peng-Robinson and the Patel-Teja equations of state, and the NRTL model were also applied to fit the H E results. Among these tested correlative models, the Patel-Teja equation of state with two adjustable binary interaction parameters generally yielded the best representation.

Unitary information ether and its possible applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horodecki, R.

1991-01-01

The idea of information ether as the unitary information field is developed. It rests on the assumption that the notion of information is a fundamental category in the description of reality and that it can be defined independently from the notion of probability itself. It is shown that the information ether provides a deterministic background for the nonlinear wave hypothesis and quantum cybernetics. (orig.)

The Ether Wind and the Global Positioning System.

Science.gov (United States)

Muller, Rainer

2000-01-01

Explains how students can perform a refutation of the ether theory using information from the Global Positioning System (GPS). Discusses the functioning of the GPS, qualitatively describes how position determination would be affected by an ether wind, and illustrates the pertinent ideas with a simple quantitative model. (WRM)

Synthesis of Poly(vinyl ether) Thermoplastic Elastomers Having Functional Soft Segments

OpenAIRE

今枝, 嗣人; 漆崎, 美智遠; 阪口, 壽一; 橋本, 保; Tsuguto, IMAEDA; Michio, URUSHISAKI; Toshikazu, SAKAGUCHI; Tamotsu, HASHIMOTO

2013-01-01

The ABA-type triblock copolymers consisting of poly(2-adarnantyl vinyl ether) [poly(2-AdVE) as outer hard segments and poly(6-acetoxyhexyl vinyl ether) [poly(AcHVE)] poly(6-hydroxyhexyl vinyl ether) [poly(H HVE)], or poly(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl vinyl ether [poly(MOEOVE)] as inner soft segments were synthesized by sequential living cationic polymerization. Despite the presence of polar functional groups such as ester, hydroxy, and oxyethylene units in their soft segments, the two polymer seg...

The breakdown of vinyl ethers as a two-center synchronous reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Pokidova, T. S.; Shestakov, A. F.

2009-11-01

The experimental data on the molecular decomposition of vinyl ethers of various structures to alkanes and the corresponding aldehydes or ketones in the gas phase were analyzed using the method of intersecting parabolas. The enthalpies and kinetic parameters of decomposition were calculated for 17 reactions. The breakdown of ethers is a two-center concerted reaction characterized by a very high classical potential barrier to the thermally neutral reaction (180-190 kJ/mol). The kinetic parameters (activation energies and rate constants) of back reactions of the formation of vinyl ethers in the addition of aldehydes or ketones to alkanes were calculated using the method of intersecting parabolas. The factors that influenced the activation energy of the decomposition and formation of ethers were discussed. Quantum-chemical calculations of several vinyl ether decomposition reactions were performed. Ether formation reactions were compared with the formation of unsaturated alcohols as competitive reactions, which can occur in the interaction of carbonyl compounds with alkenes.

Enrichment and identification of polycyclic aromatic compound-degrading bacteria enriched from sediment samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Rachel M; Lappin-Scott, Hilary M; Stevens, Jamie R

2009-07-01

The degradation of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) has been widely studied. Knowledge of the degradation of PACs by microbial populations can be utilized in the remediation of contaminated sites. To isolate and identify PAC-degrading bacteria for potential use in future bioremediation programmes, we established a series of PAC enrichments under the same experimental conditions from a single sediment sample taken from a highly polluted estuarine site. Enrichment cultures were established using the pollutants: anthracene, phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene as a sole carbon source. The shift in microbial community structure on each of these carbon sources was monitored by analysis of a time series of samples from each culture using 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). Significantly, our findings demonstrate that shifts in the constituent species within each degradative community are directly attributable to enrichment with different PACs. Subsequently, we characterized the microorganisms comprising the degradative communities within each enrichment using 16S rRNA sequence data. Our findings demonstrate that the ability to degrade PACs is present in five divisions of the Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. By determining the precise identity of the PAC-degrading bacterial species isolated from a single sediment sample, and by comparing our findings with previously published research, we demonstrate how bacteria with similar PAC degrading capabilities and 16S rRNA signatures are found in similarly polluted environments in geographically very distant locations, e.g., China, Italy, Japan and Hawaii. Such a finding suggests that geographical barriers do not limit the distribution of key PAC-degrading bacteria; this finding is in accordance with the Baas-Becking hypothesis "everything is everywhere; the environment selects" and may have significant consequences for the global distribution of PAC-degrading bacteria and

Using Culture beyond Its Borders: The Use of Content-Enriched Instruction and the Effects of Input Enhancement on Learning in High School French Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Grim, Frédérique

2014-01-01

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Standards emphasizes the integration of Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities within teaching. "Content-enriched instruction" aims at teaching linguistic forms within content and eases the implementation of the five Cs. The focus is at beginning levels…

miRNA Enriched in Human Neuroblast Nuclei Bind the MAZ Transcription Factor and Their Precursors Contain the MAZ Consensus Motif

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Belinda J. Goldie

2017-08-01

Full Text Available While the cytoplasmic function of microRNA (miRNA as post-transcriptional regulators of mRNA has been the subject of significant research effort, their activity in the nucleus is less well characterized. Here we use a human neuronal cell model to show that some mature miRNA are preferentially enriched in the nucleus. These molecules were predominantly primate-specific and contained a sequence motif with homology to the consensus MAZ transcription factor binding element. Precursor miRNA containing this motif were shown to have affinity for MAZ protein in nuclear extract. We then used Ago1/2 RIP-Seq to explore nuclear miRNA-associated mRNA targets. Interestingly, the genes for Ago2-associated transcripts were also significantly enriched with MAZ binding sites and neural function, whereas Ago1-transcripts were associated with general metabolic processes and localized with SC35 spliceosomes. These findings suggest the MAZ transcription factor is associated with miRNA in the nucleus and may influence the regulation of neuronal development through Ago2-associated miRNA induced silencing complexes. The MAZ transcription factor may therefore be important for organizing higher order integration of transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes in primate neurons.

Fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of bisphenol A-diglycidyl ether, bisphenol F-diglycidyl ether and their derivatives in canned food and beverages.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallart-Ayala, H; Moyano, E; Galceran, M T

2011-03-25

In this work a fast liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using a C18 Fused Core™ column, was developed for the simultaneous analysis of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), bisphenol A (2,3-dihydroxypropyl) glycidyl ether (BADGE·H(2)O), bisphenol A bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl) ether (BADGE·2H(2)O), bisphenol A (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) glycidyl ether (BADGE·HCl), bisphenol A bis(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) ether (BADGE·2HCl) and bisphenol A (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl)(2,3-dihydroxypropyl ether) (BADGE·HCl·H(2)O) and bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE), bisphenol F bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl) ether (BFDGE·2H(2)O), bisphenol F bis(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) ether (BFDGE·2HCl). The LC method was coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, using an ESI source in positive mode and using the [M+NH(4)](+) adduct as precursor ion for tandem mass spectrometry experiments. The method developed was applied to the determination of these compounds in canned soft drinks and canned food. OASIS HLB solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges were used for the analysis of soft drinks, while solid canned food was extracted with ethyl acetate. Method limits of quantitation ranged from 0.13 μgL(-1) to 1.6 μgL(-1) in soft drinks and 1.0 μgkg(-1) to 4.0 μgkg(-1) in food samples. BADGE·2H(2)O was detected in all the analyzed samples, while other BADGEs such as BADGE·H(2)O, BADGE·HCl·H(2)O, BADGE·HCl and BADGE·2HCl were also detected in canned foods. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heteroaryl ethers by oxidative palladium catalysis of pyridotriazol-1-yloxy pyrimidines with arylboronic acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Bardhan, Sujata; Wacharasindhu, Sumrit; Wan, Zhao-Kui; Mansour, Tarek S

2009-06-18

The oxidative palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of pyrimidines containing pyridotriazol-1-yloxy (OPt) as either a urea or an amide functional group with arylboronic acids in the presence of Cs(2)CO(3) in DME containing 0.6-1.0% H(2)O is described for the preparation of heteroaryl ethers. The bromo substitution in the case of 3-(5-bromo-pyrimidin-2-yloxy)-3H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-b]pyridine 1 could serve as a handle for further elaborations such as Suzuki coupling for attaching varied aryl groups.

Effects of commercial enrichment products on fatty acid components ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was undertaken to test the effects of enrichment products. Red pepper paste (ZA), AlgaMac 3050 (ZB) and Spresso (ZC) on fatty acid compositions in rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) which were intensively cultured on a mixture of ω3 algae and ω3 yeast. Enriched rotifers were seen to have higher level of ...

Effect of p-amino-diphenyl ethers on hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Huidi; Xuan, Guida

2003-09-01

The present paper aims to investigate whether p-amino-2',4'-dichlorodiphenyl ether and p-amino-4'-methyldiphenyl ether are inhibitors as well as inducers of P450. Mice were given daily intraperitoneal (ip) injections of p-amino-2',4'-dichlorodiphenyl ether (0.25 mmol/kg) or p-amino-4'-methyldiphenyl ether (0.25 mmol/kg) for 4 days and tested at 24 h and 48 h after the last dose injection. The results showed the mice pentobarbital sleeping time was shorter and the P450 content of hepatic microsome increased significantly in the group pretreated with p-amino-4'-methyldiphenyl ether when compared with the control group, while in mice pretreated with p-amino-2',4'-dichlorodiphenyl ether the hepatic microsome P450 content increased but the pentobarbital sleeping time was extended in clear contrast to the control group. The sleeping time of the phenobarbital group (80 mg/kg daily ip injection for 4 days) was shortened at 24 h after the last injection with increased P450 content of hepatic microsome, but it showed no difference at 48 h. The zoxazolamine-paralysis times of mice treated with p-amino-2',4'-dichlorodiphenyl ether were longer than those of the control mice, while the same dose of zoxazolamine did not lead to paralysis in mice pretreated with BNF. p-Amino-2',4'-dichlorodiphenyl ether and p-amino-4'-methyldiphenyl ether inhibited the activity of 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase from rat hepatic microsome induced by BNF in vitro by 70.0% and 50.1% respectively. These results suggest that p-amino-2',4'-dichlorodiphenyl ether and p-amino-4'-methyldiphenyl ether are inhibitors as well as inducers of P450.

New Lipids From Cultured Archaea and Environmental Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Summons, R. E.; Meyer-Dombard, D. R.; Bradley, A. S.; Hebting, Y.; Jahnke, L. L.; Embaye, T.; Orphan, V. J.

2006-12-01

The intact polar lipids of Archaea comprise cores with isoprenoid hydrocarbon chains with 20, 25 or 40 carbon atoms linked through ether bonds to glycerol. These cores can take the form of diethers or membrane- spanning tetraethers. Together with their wide array of polar head groups, these compounds are structurally diverse and potentially very useful as taxonomic markers for making assessments of microbial diversity independently of genomic approaches. Furthermore, the recalcitrant hydrocarbon chains of these lipids are the only really effective means to identify the presence of Archaea in ancient sedimentary environments. The advent of new LC-MS methods has enabled ready identification and quantification of intact polar lipids in cultures and environmental samples based on comparisons with appropriate standard compounds [1, 2]. However, these LC-MS analyses of intact lipids have also revealed the presence of additional compounds and it is likely that many of these represent chemical structures that are new to science. Elucidating these structures is a major analytical challenge because, generally, only minute amounts of material available for chemical characterization. In order to study these potentially new structures, one layer of information can be obtained by chemical degradation to remove and identify the polar head groups [2]. Cleavage of the ether bonds releases the hydrocarbon chains for their further characterization. One class of core lipids, the 3-hydroxyarchaeols, escaped detection for many years because strong acid treatments in the analysis protocols had destroyed hydroxyl-containing isoprenoid chains. We have now re-examined the lipids of a thermophilic methanogen, M. thermolithotrophicus, using mild procedures and avoiding strong acids. As well as the known compounds archaeol, sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol and sn-3-hydroxyarchaeol, we encountered dihydroxyarchaeol. Moreover, the hydroxylated archaeols were found to exist as a very complex mixture of

Enrichment of Microbial Cultures for Hydrolysis of EA2192

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rastogi, Vipin

1998-01-01

.... The enrichment was initiated using consortium adapted to biodegrade hydrolyzed vx (courtesy Dr. DeFrank). Based on NMR analysis, the concentration of EA2192 reduced from 120 ppm to 50 ppm in 48 hr of growth...

An investigation of 2,5-di-tertbutyl-1,4-bis(methoxyethoxy)benzene in ether-based electrolytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, Liang; Ferrandon, Magali; Barton, John L.; de la Rosa, Noel Upia; Vaughey, John T.; Brushett, Fikile R.

2017-08-01

The identification and development of conductive electrolytes with high concentrations of redox active species is key to realizing energy-dense nonaqueous flow batteries. Herein, we explore the use of ether solvents (1,3-dioxolane (DOL), 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DEGDME), and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME)) as the basis for redox electrolytes containing a lithium ion supporting salt (LiBF4 or LiTFSI) and 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzene (DBBB) as an active material. An automated high-throughput platform is employed to screen various electrolyte compositions by measuring solution conductivity and solute solubility as a function of solvent and salt type, component concentration, and temperature. Subsequently, the electrochemical and transport properties of select redox electrolytes are characterized by cyclic voltammetry using glassy carbon disk electrodes and by linear sweep voltammetry using carbon fiber ultramicroelectrodes. In general, improvements in electrolyte conductivity and solute solubility are observed with ether-based formulations as compared to previously reported propylene carbonate (PC)-based formulations. In particular, the addition of DOL to a DME-based electrolyte increases the conductivity and decreases the temperature for solubilization at high LiTFSI and DBBB concentrations. The redox behavior of DBBB remains consistent across the range of concentrations tested while the diffusion coefficient scales with changes in solution viscosity.

Books to Expand and Enrich Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Winfield, Evelyn T.

1983-01-01

Books are briefly described that parents can read and discuss with their children to enrich travel and cultural activities. Books on the nation's capital city, the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, architecture, zoos, dinosaurs, and other subjects are included. (PP)

Effect of different enrichment strategies on microbial community structure in petroleum-contaminated marine sediment in Dalian, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chao; Liu, Qiu; Liu, Changjian; Yu, Jicheng

2017-04-15

An oil spill occurred at Xingang Port, Dalian, China in 2010. Four years after this spill, oil contamination was still detected in samples collected nearby. In this study, the strains that evolved in the sediment were screened by high-throughput sequencing technology. Most of these strains were genera reported to have functions associated with crude oil biodegradation. The diversities and numbers of microbes were monitored through enrichment culturing; the dominant strains propagated at first, but the enrichment could not be continued, which indicated that the prolonged culture was not effective in the enrichment of the micro-consortium. Oxygen was also observed to affect the propagation of the dominant microbes. The results showed the role of culture strategies and oxygen in the enrichment of the petroleum-degrading microbes. Therefore, dominant strains could be screened by optimizing both the enrichment time and oxygen concentration used for culturing to facilitate oil biodegradation in the marine ecosystem. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poly(mono/diethylene glycol n-tetradecyl ether vinyl ethers with Various Molecular Weights as Phase Change Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongfang Pei

2018-02-01

Full Text Available At present, research on the relationship of comb-like polymer phase change material structures and their heat storage performance is scarce. Therefore, this relationship from both micro and macro perspectives will be studied in this paper. In order to achieve a high phase change enthalpy, ethylene glycol segments were introduced between the vinyl and the alkyl side chains. A series of poly(mono/diethylene glycol n-tetradecyl ether vinyl ethers (PC14EnVEs (n = 1, 2 with various molecular weights were polymerized by living cationic polymerization. The results of PC14E1VE and PC14E2VE showed that the minimum number of carbon atoms required for side-chain crystallization were 7.7 and 7.2, which were lower than that reported in the literature. The phase change enthalpy 89 J/g (for poly(mono ethylene glycol n-tetradecyl ether vinyl ethers and 86 J/g (for poly(hexadecyl acrylate were approximately equal. With the increase of molecular weight, the melting temperature, the melting enthalpy, and the initial thermal decomposition temperature of PC14E1VE changed from 27.0 to 28.0 °C, from 95 to 89 J/g, and from 264 to 287 °C, respectively. When the number average molar mass of PC14EnVEs exceeded 20,000, the enthalpy values remained basically unchanged. The introduction of the ethylene glycol chain was conducive to the crystallization of alkyl side chains.

Chlorinated Electron Acceptor Abundance Drives Selection of Dehalococcoides mccartyi (D. mccartyi Strains in Dechlorinating Enrichment Cultures and Groundwater Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo Pérez-de-Mora

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Dehalococcoides mccartyi (D. mccartyi strains differ primarily from one another by the number and identity of the reductive dehalogenase homologous catalytic subunit A (rdhA genes within their respective genomes. While multiple rdhA genes have been sequenced, the activity of the corresponding proteins has been identified in only a few cases. Examples include the enzymes whose substrates are groundwater contaminants such as trichloroethene (TCE, cis-dichloroethene (cDCE and vinyl chloride (VC. The associated rdhA genes, namely tceA, bvcA, and vcrA, along with the D. mccartyi 16S rRNA gene are often used as biomarkers of growth in field samples. In this study, we monitored an additional 12 uncharacterized rdhA sequences identified in the metagenome in the mixed D. mccartyi-containing culture KB-1 to monitor population shifts in more detail. Quantitative PCR (qPCR assays were developed for 15 D. mccartyi rdhA genes and used to measure population diversity in 11 different sub-cultures of KB-1, each enriched on different chlorinated ethenes and ethanes. The proportion of rdhA gene copies relative to D. mccartyi 16S rRNA gene copies revealed the presence of multiple distinct D. mccartyi strains in each culture, many more than the two strains inferred from 16S rRNA analysis. The specific electron acceptor amended to each culture had a major influence on the distribution of D. mccartyi strains and their associated rdhA genes. We also surveyed the abundance of rdhA genes in samples from two bioaugmented field sites (Canada and United Kingdom. Growth of the dominant D. mccartyi strain in KB-1 was detected at the United Kingdom site. At both field sites, the measurement of relative rdhA abundances revealed D. mccartyi population shifts over time as dechlorination progressed from TCE through cDCE to VC and ethene. These shifts indicate a selective pressure of the most abundant chlorinated electron acceptor, as was also observed in lab cultures. These

Sulfonated polyphenyl ether by electropolymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou Hongying; Vacandio, Florence; Di Vona, Maria Luisa; Knauth, Philippe

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Sulfonated polyphenyl ether was for the first time electropolymerized. ► This technique allows the economical preparation of ionomeric membranes for electrochemical energy technologies. ► The mechanism of electropolymerization was discussed in detail. - Abstract: Electropolymerization of sulfonated phenol was for the first time achieved and studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry on stainless steel substrates. The obtained sulfonated polyphenyl ether was characterized in terms of impedance spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Dense films of micrometer thickness can be obtained; the proton conductivity is about 3 mS/cm at room temperature.

Diethyl Ether Production Process with Various Catalyst Type

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Widayat Widayat

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Several H-zeolite and HZSM-5 catalysts was preparated and their characters have also been investigated. H-zeolit Catalyst was preparated from Natural Zeolite that obtained from Malang District and Gunung Kidul District. Diethyl ether was produced by Ethanol with concentration of 95%. This research use fixed bed reactor that 1 gram of catalyst as bed catalyst, atmospheric pressure and temperature 140oC as the operating condition. Ethanol vapor from vaporization tank was driven by 200 ml/min Nitrogen stream. The responds in this research is liquid product concentration; diethyl ether, ethanol, methanol and water concentration. The results showed that the largest ethanol conversion was produced by the use of 56.44% HZSM-5 and the largest yield of diethyl ether diethyl was produced by the use of alumina and H-zeolite catalyst. The larger ratio between natural zeolite with HCl solvent will produce the larger surface area of catalyst and ethanol conversion. The largest ethanol conversion was produced at reactan ratio 1:20. [Keywords:  catalyst; ethanol conversion; dehydration process; yield of diethyl ether; natural zeolite].

Selective vs. nonselective media and direct plating vs. enrichment technique in isolation of Vibrio cholerae: recommendations for clinical laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Rennels, M B; Levine, M M; Daya, V; Angle, P; Young, C

1980-09-01

The occurrence of human cholera along the Gulf of Mexico and the isolation of Vibrio cholerae O1 from the Gulf and Chesapeake Bay make it imperative that microbiology laboratories along estuaries develop the capabilities to culture for these pathogens. In attempts to devise a simplified but efficient culture procedure, a selective medium, thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose (TCBS) agar, was compared with a nonselective medium, gelatin agar (GA), and the utility of enrichment was examined. TCBS agar detected 99% of the stools found to be positive by all techniques combined, whereas GA identified only 80%. Of acute diarrheal stools, 96% were positive on direct plating, whereas only 66% of formed stools containing V. cholerae were detected by direct plating. Stools from patients with acute diarrhea can be plated directly into TCBS agar alone; stools from persons shedding low numbers of organisms (such as contacts, carriers, or patients receiving antibiotics) should be incubated first in an enrichment broth and then on TCBS agar.

Preliminary Investigation of Poly-Ether-Ether-Ketone Based on Fused Deposition Modeling for Medical Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Zhao

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK fabricated by fused deposition modeling for medical applications was evaluated in terms of mechanical strength and in vitro cytotoxicity in this study. Orthogonal experiments were firstly designed to investigate the significant factors on tensile strength. Nozzle temperature, platform temperature, and the filament diameter were tightly controlled for improved mechanical strength performance. These sensitive parameters affected the interlayer bonding and solid condition in the samples. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectrometry analysis was secondly conducted to compare the functional groups in PEEK granules, filaments, and printed parts. In vitro cytotoxicity test was carried out at last, and no toxic substances were introduced during the printing process.

Damage of guinea pig heart and arteries by a trioleate-enriched diet and of cultured cardiomyocytes by oleic acid.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Krieglstein

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs like oleic acid have been shown to cause apoptosis of cultured endothelial cells by activating protein phosphatase type 2C alpha and beta (PP2C. The question arises whether damage of endothelial or other cells could be observed in intact animals fed with a trioleate-enriched diet.Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs were fed with a trioleate-enriched diet for 5 months. Advanced atherosclerotic changes of the aorta and the coronary arteries could not be seen but the arteries appeared in a pre-atherosclerotic stage of vascular remodelling. However, the weight and size of the hearts were lower than in controls and the number of apoptotic myocytes increased in the hearts of trioleate-fed animals. To confirm the idea that oleic acid may have caused this apoptosis by activation of PP2C, cultured cardiomyocytes from guinea pigs and mice were treated with various lipids. It was demonstrable that oleic acid dose-dependently caused apoptosis of cardiomyocytes from both species, yet, similar to previous experiments with cultured neurons and endothelial cells, stearic acid, elaidic acid and oleic acid methylester did not. The apoptotic effect caused by oleic acid was diminished when PP2C alpha and beta were downregulated by siRNA showing that PP2C was causally involved in apoptosis caused by oleic acid.The glycerol trioleate diet given to guinea pigs for 5 months did not cause marked atherosclerosis but clearly damaged the hearts by activating PP2C alpha and beta. The diet used with 24% (wt/wt glycerol trioleate is not comparable to human diets. The detrimental role of MUFAs for guinea pig heart tissue in vivo is shown for the first time. Whether it is true for humans remains to be shown.

PEEK (polyether-ether-ketone)-coated nitinol wire: Film stability for biocompatibility applications

Science.gov (United States)

Sheiko, Nataliia; Kékicheff, Patrick; Marie, Pascal; Schmutz, Marc; Jacomine, Leandro; Perrin-Schmitt, Fabienne

2016-12-01

High quality biocompatible poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) coatings were produced on NiTi shape memory alloy wires using dipping deposition from colloidal aqueous PEEK dispersions after substrate surface treatment. The surface morphology and microstructure were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy at every step of the process from the as-received Nitinol substrate to the ultimate PEEK-coated NiTi wire. Nanoscratch tests were carried out to access the adhesive behavior of the polymer coated film to the NiTi. The results indicate that the optimum process conditions in cleaning, chemical etching, and electropolishing the NiTi, were the most important and determining parameters to be achieved. Thus, high quality PEEK coatings were obtained on NiTi wires, straight or curved (even with a U-shape) with a homogeneous microstructure along the wire length and a uniform thickness of 12 μm without any development of cracks or the presence of large voids. The biocompatibility of the PEEK coating film was checked in fibrobast cultured cells. The coating remains stable in biological environment with negligible Ni ion release, no cytotoxicity, and no delamination observed with time.

Densely quaternized poly(arylene ether)s with distinct phase separation for highly anion-conductive membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yuanfang; Wang, Bingxi; Li, Xiao; Chen, Dongyang; Zhang, Weiying

2018-05-01

To develop high performance anion exchange membranes (AEMs), a novel bisphenol monomer bearing eight benzylmethyl groups at the outer edge of the molecule was synthesized, which after condensation polymerization with various amounts of 4,4‧-dihydroxydiphenylsulfone and 4,4‧-difluorobenzophenone yielded novel poly(arylene ether)s with densely located benzylmethyl groups. These benzylmethyl groups were then converted to quaternary ammonium groups by radical-initiated bromination and quaternization in tandem, leading to the emergence of densely quaternized poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (QA-PAEs) with controlled ion exchange capacities (IECs) ranging from 1.61 to 2.32 mmol g-1. Both small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed distinct phase separation in the QA-PAEs. The QA-PAE-40 with an IEC of 2.32 mmol g-1 exhibited a Br- conductivity of 9.2 mS cm-1 and a SO42- conductivity of 14.0 mS cm-1 at room temperature, much higher than those of a control membrane with a similar IEC but without obvious phase separation. Therefore, phase separation of AEMs was validated to be advantageous for the efficient conducting of anions. The experimental results also showed that the QA-PAEs were promising AEM materials, especially for non-alkaline applications.

CD133-enriched Xeno-Free human embryonic-derived neural stem cells expand rapidly in culture and do not form teratomas in immunodeficient mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel L. Haus

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Common methods for the generation of human embryonic-derived neural stem cells (hNSCs result in cells with potentially compromised safety profiles due to maintenance of cells in conditions containing non-human proteins (e.g. in bovine serum or on mouse fibroblast feeders. Additionally, sufficient expansion of resulting hNSCs for scaling out or up in a clinically relevant time frame has proven to be difficult. Here, we report a strategy that produces hNSCs in completely “Xeno-Free” culture conditions. Furthermore, we have enriched the hNSCs for the cell surface marker CD133 via magnetic sorting, which has led to an increase in the expansion rate and neuronal fate specification of the hNSCs in vitro. Critically, we have also confirmed neural lineage specificity upon sorted hNSC transplantation into the immunodeficient NOD-scid mouse brain. The future use or adaptation of these protocols has the potential to better facilitate the advancement of pre-clinical strategies from the bench to the bedside.

40 CFR 721.10017 - Amine terminated bisphenol A diglycidyl ether polymer (generic).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... diglycidyl ether polymer (generic). 721.10017 Section 721.10017 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... ether polymer (generic). (a) Chemical substances and significant new uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substances identified generically as amine terminated bisphenol A diglycidyl ether polymer (PMNs P...

The chemotherapeutic potential of glycol alkyl ethers: structure-activity studies of nine compounds in a Fischer-rat leukemia transplant model.

Science.gov (United States)

Dieter, M P; Jameson, C W; Maronpot, R R; Langenbach, R; Braun, A G

1990-01-01

Structure-activity studies with nine glycol alkyl ethers were conducted with a cellular leukemia transplant model in male Fischer rats. This in vivo assay measures the effects of chemical treatment on neoplastic progression in transplant recipients. Chemicals were given ad libitum in the drinking water simultaneously with the transplants and continued throughout the study. In all, 20 million leukemic cells were injected s.c. into syngeneic rats, which after 60 days resulted in a 10-fold increase in relative spleen weights, a 100-fold increase in white blood cell counts, and a 50% reduction in red blood cell (RBC) indices and platelet counts. At this interval, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (2-ME) given at a dose of 2.5 mg/ml in the drinking water completely eliminated all clinical, morphological, and histopathological evidence of leukemia, whereas the same dose of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (2-EE) reduced these responses by about 50%. Seven of the glycol ethers were ineffective as anti-leukemic agents, including ethylene glycol, the monopropyl, monobutyl, and monophenyl ethylene glycol ethers, diethylene glycol, and the monomethyl and monoethyl diethylene glycol ethers. 2-ME more than doubled the latency period of leukemia expression and extended survival for at least 210 days. A minimal effective dose for a 50% reduction in the leukemic responses was 0.25 mg/ml 2-ME in the drinking water (15 mg/kg body weight), whereas a 10-fold higher dose of 2-EE was required for equivalent antileukemic activity. In addition, the in vitro exposure of a leukemic spleen mononuclear cell culture to 2-ME caused a dose- and time-dependent reduction in the number of leukemia cells after a single exposure to 1-100 microM concentrations, whereas the 2-ME metabolite, 2-methoxyacetic acid, was only half as effective. The two glycol alkyl ethers with demonstrable anti-leukemic activity, 2-ME and 2-EE, also exhibited a favorable efficacy-to-toxicity ratio and should be considered for

Congenital malformations and maternal occupational exposure to glycol ethers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cordier, S; Bergeret, A; Goujard, J; Ha, MC; Ayme, S; Calzolari, E; DeWalle, HEK; KnillJones, R; Candela, S; Dale, [No Value; Dananche, B; deVigan, C; Fevotte, J; Kiel, G; Mandereau, L

Glycol ethers are found in a wide range of domestic and industrial products, many of which are used in women's work environments. Motivated by concern about their potential reproductive toxicity, we have evaluated the risk of congenital malformations related to glycol ether exposure during preg

Evidence for cooperative mineralization of diuron by Arthrobacter sp. BS2 and Achromobacter sp. SP1 isolated from a mixed culture enriched from diuron exposed environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Devers-Lamrani, Marion; Pesce, Stéphane; Rouard, Nadine; Martin-Laurent, Fabrice

2014-12-01

Diuron was found to be mineralized in buffer strip soil (BS) and in the sediments (SED) of the Morcille river in the Beaujolais vineyard repeatedly treated with this herbicide. Enrichment cultures from BS and SED samples led to the isolation of three bacterial strains transforming diuron to 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA) its aniline derivative. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that they belonged to the genus Arthrobacter (99% of similarity to Arthrobacter globiformis strain K01-01) and were designated as Arthrobacter sp. BS1, BS2 and SED1. Diuron-degrading potential characterized by sequencing of the puhA gene, characterizing the diuron-degradaing potential, revealed 99% similarity to A. globiformis strain D47 puhA gene isolated a decade ago in the UK. These isolates were also able to use chlorotoluron for their growth. Although able to degrade linuron and monolinuron to related aniline derivatives they were not growing on them. Enrichment cultures led to the isolation of a strain from the sediments entirely degrading 3,4-DCA. 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that it was affiliated to the genus Achromobacter (99% of similarity to Achromobacter sp. CH1) and was designated as Achromobacter sp. SP1. The dcaQ gene encoding enzyme responsible for the transformation of 3,4-DCA to chlorocatechol was found in SP1 with 99% similarity to that of Comamonas testosteroni WDL7. This isolate also used for its growth a range of anilines (3-chloro-4-methyl-aniline, 4-isopropylaniline, 4-chloroaniline, 3-chloroaniline, 4-bromoaniline). The mixed culture composed of BS2 and SP1 strains entirely mineralizes (14)C-diuron to (14)CO2. Diuron-mineralization observed in the enrichment culture could result from the metabolic cooperation between these two populations. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pyrosequencing reveals high-temperature cellulolytic microbial consortia in Great Boiling Spring after in situ lignocellulose enrichment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph P Peacock

Full Text Available To characterize high-temperature cellulolytic microbial communities, two lignocellulosic substrates, ammonia fiber-explosion-treated corn stover and aspen shavings, were incubated at average temperatures of 77 and 85°C in the sediment and water column of Great Boiling Spring, Nevada. Comparison of 109,941 quality-filtered 16S rRNA gene pyrosequences (pyrotags from eight enrichments to 37,057 quality-filtered pyrotags from corresponding natural samples revealed distinct enriched communities dominated by phylotypes related to cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic Thermotoga and Dictyoglomus, cellulolytic and sugar-fermenting Desulfurococcales, and sugar-fermenting and hydrogenotrophic Archaeoglobales. Minor enriched populations included close relatives of hydrogenotrophic Thermodesulfobacteria, the candidate bacterial phylum OP9, and candidate archaeal groups C2 and DHVE3. Enrichment temperature was the major factor influencing community composition, with a negative correlation between temperature and richness, followed by lignocellulosic substrate composition. This study establishes the importance of these groups in the natural degradation of lignocellulose at high temperatures and suggests that a substantial portion of the diversity of thermophiles contributing to consortial cellulolysis may be contained within lineages that have representatives in pure culture.

Purification and in vitro antioxidant activities of tellurium-containing phycobiliproteins from tellurium-enriched Spirulina platensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Fang; Wong, Ka-Hing; Yang, Yufeng; Li, Xiaoling; Jiang, Jie; Zheng, Wenjie; Wu, Hualian; Chen, Tianfeng

2014-01-01

Tellurium-containing phycocyanin (Te-PC) and allophycocyanin (Te-APC), two organic tellurium (Te) species, were purified from tellurium-enriched Spirulina platensis by a fast protein liquid chromatographic method. It was found that the incorporation of Te into the peptides enhanced the antioxidant activities of both phycobiliproteins. With fractionation by ammonium sulfate precipitation and hydroxylapatite chromatography, Te-PC and Te-APC could be effectively separated with high purity, and Te concentrations were 611.1 and 625.3 μg g(-1) protein in Te-PC and Te-APC, respectively. The subunits in the proteins were identified by using MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometry. Te incorporation enhanced the antioxidant activities of both phycobiliproteins, as examined by 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid assay. Moreover, Te-PC and Te-APC showed dose-dependent protection on erythrocytes against the water-soluble free radical initiator 2,2'-azo(2-asmidinopropane)dihydrochloride-induced hemolysis. In the hepatoprotective model, apoptotic cell death and nuclear condensation induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in HepG2 cells was significantly attenuated by Te-PC and Te-APC. Taken together, these results suggest that Te-PC and Te-APC are promising Te-containing proteins with application potential for treatment of diseases related to oxidative stress.

Lignans from cell suspension cultures of Phyllanthus niruri, an Indonesian medicinal plant

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elfahmi, [No Value; Batterman, S; Koulman, A; Hackl, T; Bos, R; Kayser, O; Woerdenbag, HJ; Quax, WJ

Cell suspension cultures of Phyllanthus niruri were used to study the lignan profiles and biosynthesis. Suspension cultures yielded two lignans: the new cubebin dimethyl ether (1) and urinatetralin (2), a new lignan from P. niruri, but reported earlier from P. urinaria. This is the first report of

(Liquid + liquid), (solid + liquid), and (solid + liquid + liquid) equilibria of systems containing cyclic ether (tetrahydrofuran or 1,3-dioxolane), water, and a biological buffer MOPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altway, Saidah; Taha, Mohamed; Lee, Ming-Jer

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • MOPS buffer induced liquid phase splitting for mixtures of water with THF or 1,3-dioxolane. • Phase boundaries of LLE, SLE, and SLLE were determined experimentally. • Tie-lines at LLE and at SLLE were also measured. • Phase diagrams of MOPS + water + THF or 1,3-dioxolane are prepared. • LLE tie-line data are correlated satisfactorily with the NRTL model. - Abstract: Two liquid phases were formed as the addition of a certain amount of biological buffer 3-(N-morpholino)propane sulfonic acid (MOPS) in the aqueous solutions of tetrahydrofuran (THF) or 1,3-dioxolane. To evaluate the feasibility of recovering the cyclic ethers from their aqueous solutions with the aid of MOPS, we determined experimentally the phase diagrams of the ternary systems of {cyclic ether (THF or 1,3-dioxolane) + water + MOPS} at T = 298.15 K under atmospheric pressure. In this study, the solubility data of MOPS in water and in the mixed solvents of water/cyclic ethers were obtained from the results of a series of density measurements, while the (liquid + liquid) and the (solid + liquid + liquid) phase boundaries were determined by visually inspection. Additionally, the tie-line results for (liquid + liquid) equilibrium (LLE) and for (solid + liquid + liquid) equilibrium (SLLE) were measured using an analytical method. The reliability of the experimental LLE tie-line results data was validated by using the Othmer–Tobias correlation. These LLE tie-line values were correlated well with the NRTL model. The phase diagrams obtained from this study reveal that MOPS is a feasible green auxiliary agent to recover the cyclic ethers from their aqueous solutions, especially for 1,3-dioxolane

Studies on Using Cattle and Sheep Hydatid Cyst Fluid Instead of the Fetal Calf Serum in Leishmania Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Rezvan

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Leishmania is a single cell parasite causing leishmaniasis, which is a common disease between humans and animals. Due to the importance of in-vitro culture of the parasite in leishmania research, developing new methods for in-vitro cultivation of the parasite has always been a goal for leishmania researchers. The main objective of7T 5T7Tthis study was to use sheep and bovine hydatid cyst fluids as alternatives for fetal calf serum (FCS in leishmania in-vitro5T culture5T. Materials and Methods: 7TA total of 5T7T1 million leishmania promastigotes were added to 4 flasks as follow5T7T. A f5T7Tlask containing DMEM medium with 105T7T% 5T7Tfetal bovine serum5T7T, a f5T7Tlask containing DMEM and 10% sheep hydatid cyst fluid5T7T, a f5T7Tlask containing DMEM medium with 105T7T% 5T7Tbovine hydatid cyst fluid and a5T7T f5T7Tlask containing DMEM medium alone. After 2, 45T7T, 5T7T7, 95T7T, 11, 5T7T21 and 24 days, the number of parasites were counted and compared5T7T. Results: The result of this study showed that, DMEM medium enriched with 10% sheep hydatid cyst fluid in 168 hours and medium enriched with 10% bovine hydatid cyst fluid in 96 hours can act as a good alternative for fetal bovine serum in the culture Leishmania major. Conclusion: 5TThe results showed that sheep and bovine hydatid cyst fluid can be used as alternatives to FCS for dense cultivation of leishmania. The results also showed that5T, 5Tthe growth of promastigotes in medium enriched with bovine cyst fluid is more rapid than the medium enriched with sheep5T c5Tyst fluid5T in5T the beginning of cultivation.

Pros and cons of methylation-based enrichment methods for ancient DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Seguin-Orlando, Andaine; Gamba, Cristina; Sarkissian, Clio Der; Ermini, Luca; Louvel, Guillaume; Boulygina, Eugenia; Sokolov, Alexey; Nedoluzhko, Artem; Lorenzen, Eline D.; Lopez, Patricio; McDonald, H. Gregory; Scott, Eric; Tikhonov, Alexei; Stafford,, Thomas W.; Alfarhan, Ahmed H.; Alquraishi, Saleh A.; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A. S.; Shapiro, Beth; Willerslev, Eske; Prokhortchouk, Egor; Orlando, Ludovic

2015-01-01

The recent discovery that DNA methylation survives in fossil material provides an opportunity for novel molecular approaches in palaeogenomics. Here, we apply to ancient DNA extracts the probe-independent Methylated Binding Domains (MBD)-based enrichment method, which targets DNA molecules containing methylated CpGs. Using remains of a Palaeo-Eskimo Saqqaq individual, woolly mammoths, polar bears and two equine species, we confirm that DNA methylation survives in a variety of tissues, environmental contexts and over a large temporal range (4,000 to over 45,000 years before present). MBD enrichment, however, appears principally biased towards the recovery of CpG-rich and long DNA templates and is limited by the fast post-mortem cytosine deamination rates of methylated epialleles. This method, thus, appears only appropriate for the analysis of ancient methylomes from very well preserved samples, where both DNA fragmentation and deamination have been limited. This work represents an essential step toward the characterization of ancient methylation signatures, which will help understanding the role of epigenetic changes in past environmental and cultural transitions. PMID:26134828

Uranium enrichment management review: summary of analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

In May 1980, the Assistant Secretary for Resource Applications within the Department of Energy requested that a group of experienced business executives be assembled to review the operation, financing, and management of the uranium enrichment enterprise as a basis for advising the Secretary of Energy. After extensive investigation, analysis, and discussion, the review group presented its findings and recommendations in a report on December 2, 1980. The following pages contain background material on which that final report was based. This report is arranged in chapters that parallel those of the uranium enrichment management review final report - chapters that contain summaries of the review group's discussion and analyses in six areas: management of operations and construction; long-range planning; marketing of enrichment services; financial management; research and development; and general management. Further information, in-depth analysis, and discussion of suggested alternative management practices are provided in five appendices

Uranium enrichment management review: summary of analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-01-01

In May 1980, the Assistant Secretary for Resource Applications within the Department of Energy requested that a group of experienced business executives be assembled to review the operation, financing, and management of the uranium enrichment enterprise as a basis for advising the Secretary of Energy. After extensive investigation, analysis, and discussion, the review group presented its findings and recommendations in a report on December 2, 1980. The following pages contain background material on which that final report was based. This report is arranged in chapters that parallel those of the uranium enrichment management review final report - chapters that contain summaries of the review group's discussion and analyses in six areas: management of operations and construction; long-range planning; marketing of enrichment services; financial management; research and development; and general management. Further information, in-depth analysis, and discussion of suggested alternative management practices are provided in five appendices.

Method of deuterium isotope separation and enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benson, S.W.

1980-01-01

A method of deuterium isotope separation and enrichment using infrared laser technology in combination with chemical processes for treating and recycling the unreacted and deuterium-depleted starting materials is described. Organic molecules of the formula RX (where R is an ethyl, isopropyl, t-butyl, or cyclopentenyl group and X is F, Cl, Br or OH) containing a normal abundance of hydrogen and deuterium are exposed to intense laser infrared radiation. An olefin containing deuterium (olefin D) will be formed, along with HX. The enriched olefin D can be stripped from the depleted stream of RX and HX, and can be burned to form enriched water or pyrolyzed to produce hydrogen gas with elevated deuterium content. The depleted RX is decomposed to olefins and RX, catalytically exchanged with normal water to restore the deuterium content to natural levels, and recombined to form RX which can be recycled. (LL)

Planck's constant and the three waves (TWs) of Einstein's covariant ether

Science.gov (United States)

Kostro, L.

1985-11-01

The implications of a three-wave model for elementary particles, satisfying the principles of both quantum mechanics and General Relativity (GR), are discussed. In GR, the ether is the fundamental source of all activity, where particles (waves) arise at singularities. Inertia and gravity are field properties of the ether. In flat regions of the space-time geodesic, wave excitations correspond to the presence of particles. A momentum-carrying excitation which occurs in the ether is a superluminal radiation (phase- or B-waves) which transports neither energy nor mass. Superposition of the B-waves produces soliton-like excitations on the ether to form C-waves, i.e., particles. The particle-waves travel through space-time on D-waves, and experience reflection, refraction and interference only where B-waves have interacted with the ether. The original particles, photons-maximons, existed at the Big Bang and had physical properties which are describable in terms of Planck's quantities.

Oil recovery with sulfomethylated poly (lower alkyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norton, C.J.; Falk, D.O.

1973-05-22

Lower alkyl vinyl ether e.g., methyl vinyl ether, propyl vinyl ether, isopropyl vinyl ether, hexyl vinyl ether, is copolymerized conventionally with maleic anhydride, the resulting copolymer is treated with ammonia or ammonium hydroxide to form the partial amide-ammonium salt, and this salt is in turn treated with formaldehyde and thereafter or simultaneously with ammonium or alkali metal salt sulfite (including bisulfites, etc.) to form an at least partially sulfomethylated copolymer. Aqueous solutions of the sulfomethylated copolymer are useful in increasing the viscosity of drive fluids used in the supplemented recovery of petroleum from subterranean formations. In general, enhancing the polyionic character of mobility control agents used in supplemented recovery of petroleum provides enhanced recovery. Achieving this enhancement of polyionic character through use of sulfonate groups provides a mobility control agent with good ability to sustain viscosity in the presence of brine and lime, usually present in the connate waters of petroleum-bearing formations. (7 claims)

Poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate content and dose of the bacterial carrier for Artemia enrichment determine the performance of giant freshwater prawn larvae.

Science.gov (United States)

Thai, Truong Quoc; Wille, Mathieu; Garcia-Gonzalez, Linsey; Sorgeloos, Patrick; Bossier, Peter; De Schryver, Peter

2014-06-01

The beneficial effects of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) for aquaculture animals have been shown in several studies. The strategy of applying PHB contained in a bacterial carrier has, however, hardly been considered. The effect of administering PHB-accumulated Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 containing 10 or 80 % PHB on dry weight, named A10 and A80, respectively, through the live feed Artemia was investigated on the culture performance of larvae of the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). Feeding larvae with Artemia nauplii enriched in a medium containing 100 and 1,000 mg L(-1) A80 significantly increased the survival with about 15 % and the development of the larvae with a larval stage index of about 1 as compared to feeding non-enriched Artemia. The survival of the larvae also significantly increased with about 35 % in case of a challenge with Vibrio harveyi. The efficiency of these treatments was equal to a control treatment of Artemia enriched in an 800 mg L(-1) PHB powder suspension, while Artemia enriched in 10 mg L(-1) A80, 100 mg L(-1) A10, and 1,000 mg L(-1) A10 did not bring similar effects. From our results, it can be concluded that PHB supplemented in a bacterial carrier (i.e., amorphous PHB) can increase the larviculture efficiency of giant freshwater prawn similar to supplementation of PHB in powdered form (i.e., crystalline PHB). When the level of PHB in the bacterial carrier is high, similar beneficial effects can be achieved as crystalline PHB, but at a lower live food enrichment concentration expressed on PHB basis.

Device and method to enrich and process heavy water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammerli, M.M.; Butler, J.P.

1979-01-01

A device to process and enrich heavy water is proposed which is based on a combined electrolysis catalyst exchange system in which a D 2 O enrichment of more than 99.8% is achieved in the end stage. Water partly enriched with D 2 -containing hydrogen gas from an electrolysis cell is brought into contact in a catalyst column. The water is further enriched here with deuterium. It is then fed to the electrolysis cell. Details of the apparatus are closely described. (UWI) [de

An improved synthesis process of calixcrown ethers and synthesis of novel calixcrown ether

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hairong; Zhang Ping; Wang Chunmiao; Wang Jianchen; Chen Jing

2007-01-01

The synthesis method of calixcrown ethers was simplified and improved, and 10 L- scale synthesis was carried out. In the synthesis of the intermediates of the first three steps, the synthesis of 5, 11, 17, 23-tetra-tert-butyl-25, 26, 27, 28-tetrahydroxyl-calix[4] and its dehydroxylation were considered together, the purification procedures of the former, including re-crystallization in toluene and decolorization with activated carbon, were cancelled, and thus these steps were simplified. In the synthesis of oligoethylene glycol ditosylate, the purification method was also improved and the time-consuming column chromatography was left out. In the final step, impurities were removed by repeating stirring-settlement steps, by following recrystallization, the pure product was obtained. With these measures, the whole process could be implemented easily. The industrial scale production of calixcrown ethers could be fulfilled with the improved process. In addition, a new extracant, 25, 27-bis (n-propyloxy)calix[4]-26, 28-crown-6, is prepared and identified. (authors)

Quantitative Study of Ether Group Molecules in Insoluble Organic Matter from Carbonaceous Chondrites by CuO-NaOH Selective Degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Yabuta, H.; Cody, G. D.; Alexander, C. M. O'd.

2006-03-01

CuO-NaOH degradation of the insoluble organic matter (IOM) from the Murchison meteorite was conducted. A variety of carboxylic acids were indentified. Oxalic acid was most abundant. It was estimated that approximately ~30% of the IOM included ether groups containing molecules.

Contemporary 14C radiocarbon levels of oxygenated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (O-PBDEs) isolated in sponge–cyanobacteria associations

Science.gov (United States)

Guitart, Carlos; Slattery, Marc; Ankisetty, Sridevi; Radwan, Mohamed; Ross, Samir J.; Letcher, Robert J.; Reddy, Christopher M.

2016-01-01

Considerable debate surrounds the sources of oxygenated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (O-PBDEs) in wildlife as to whether they are naturally produced or result from anthropogenic industrial activities. Natural radiocarbon (14C) abundance has proven to be a powerful tool to address this problem as recently biosynthesized compounds contain contemporary (i.e. modern) amounts of atmospheric radiocarbon; whereas industrial chemicals, mostly produced from fossil fuels, contain no detectable 14C. However, few compounds isolated from organisms have been analyzed for their radiocarbon content. To provide a baseline, we analyzed the 14C content of four O-PBDEs. These compounds, 6-OH-BDE47, 2′-OHBDE68, 2′,6-diOH-BDE159, and a recently identified compound, 2′-MeO-6-OH-BDE120, were isolated from the tropical marine sponges Dysidea granulosa and Lendenfeldia dendyi. The modern radiocarbon content of their chemical structures (i.e. diphenyl ethers, C12H22O) indicates that they are naturally produced. This adds to a growing baseline on, at least, the sources of these unusual compounds. PMID:21276990

Investigation of ammonium trinitratouranylate complexing with diethyl ether

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khod'ko, N.N.; Kolevich, T.A.; Umrejko, D.S.

1989-01-01

Interaction of ammonium trinitratouranylate (ATNU) with diethyl ether is investigated. It is shown, that adduct of UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 · 2(C 2 H 5 ) 2 O coposition is formed in the indicated solvent due to incongruent solubility of ANTU. Analogous compound is obtained at ether effect on uranyl anhydrous nitrate. The matter is determined and investigated by means of chemical, thermal analyses and oscillating spectroscopy

Aerobic biodegradation of tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) by psychro- and thermo-tolerant cultures derived from granular activated carbon (GAC).

Science.gov (United States)

Reinauer, Kimberly M; Zhang, Yang; Yang, Xiaomin; Finneran, Kevin T

2008-04-01

Tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) is a metabolite of methyl tert-butyl ether and is itself possibly a fuel oxygenate. The goals of this study were to enrich and characterize TBA-degrading micro-organism(s) from a granular activated carbon (GAC) unit currently treating TBA. The results reported herein describe the first aerobic, TBA-degrading cultures derived from GAC. Strains KR1 and YZ1 were enriched from a GAC sample in a bicarbonate-buffered freshwater medium. TBA was degraded to 10% of the initial concentration (2-5 mM) within 5 days after initial inoculation and was continuously degraded within 1 day of each re-amendment. Resting cell suspensions mineralized 70 and 60% of the TBA within 24 h for KR1 and YZ1, respectively. Performance optimization with resting cells was conducted to investigate kinetics and the extent of TBA degradation as influenced by oxygen, pH and temperature. The most favorable temperature was 37 degrees C; however, TBA was degraded from 4 to 60 degrees C, indicating that the culture will sufficiently treat groundwater without heating. This is also the first report of psychrotolerant or thermotolerant TBA biodegradation. The pH range for TBA degradation ran from 5.0 to 9.0. Phylogenetic data using a partial 16S rRNA gene sequence (570 bases) suggest that the primary members of KR1 and YZ1 include uncharacterized organisms within the genera Hydrogenophaga, Caulobacter, and Pannonibacter.

In Vitro Selection of Peanut Somatic Embryos on Medium Containing Culture Filtrate of Sclerotium rolfsii and Plantlet Regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YUSNITA

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Attempts to identify somaclonal variants of peanut with resistance to Sclerotium stem rot disease due to infection of S. rolfsii were conducted. The objectives of this study were to develop in vitro selection method using culture filtrates of S. rolfsii, identify culture filtrate-insensitive somatic embryo (SE of peanut after in vitro selection and regenerate peanut R0 lines originated from culture filtrate-insensitive SE. To achieve these objectives, peanut embryogenic tissues were cultured on selective medium containing various concentrations of S. rolfsii culture filtrates and sublethal concentration of the filtrates. Medium containing sublethal level of S. rolfsii culture filtrates was used to identify culture filtrate-insensitive SE of peanut. Subsequently, the selected SEs were germinated, plantlets were regenerated and preliminary tested against S. rolfsii. Results of the experiments showed that addition of S. rolfsii culture filtrates into medium for inducing peanut somatic embryos drastically reduced their growth and proliferation. S. rolfsii culture filtrates at 10% concentration has significantly reduced the number of proliferated SE per explant. However, sublethal level was achieved at 30% of culture filtrates concentration. Responses of five peanut cultivars against 30% of culture filtrates were similar, indicating they were similar in their susceptibility against S. rolfsii. A number of culture filtrate-insensitive SE were identified after culturing 1500 clumps of embryogenic tissue of peanut cv. Kelinci for three consecutive passages on medium containing 30% of culture filtrates. Germination of selected SE and regeneration of plantlet from culture filtrate-insensitive SE resulted in 50 peanut R0 lines. These lines have been grown in the plastic house and produced normal seeds for further evaluation. Results of S. rolfsii inoculation indicated the existence of chimera for insensitivity against S. rolfsii.

Metal ion separations with proton-ionizable Lariat Ethers and their polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartsch, R.A.

1993-01-01

The preparation of novel and specific organic complexing agents may lead to the development of new separation systems for aqueous metal ions. Thus the introduction of highly lipophilic oximes led to the current utilization of these compounds as commercial extractants for the hydrometallurgy of nonferrous metals. Crown ethers (macrocyclic polyethers) have been employed in the laboratory-scale solvent extraction of alkali-metal, alkaline-earth, and other metal cations into organic phases. Attachment of side arms to crown ethers gives lariat ethers. The presence of one or more potential coordination sites in the side arm of the lariat ether may produce substantial changes in the selectivity and efficiency of metal ion complexation. It has been demonstrated that concomitant transfer of an aqueous phase anion into the organic medium is not required for metal ion extraction. This factor is of immense importance to potential practical applications of these proton-ionizable crown ethers in which the common, hard, aqueous phase anions would be involved. Another advantage of proton-ionizable lariat ethers is the ease with which extracted metal ions may be stripped from the organic phase by shaking with aqueous mineral acid. Thus both metal ion extraction and stripping are facilitated by pendent proton-ionizable groups. Most of the hazardous metal ion species in the Hanford Site tank wastes are members of the alkali-metal, alkaline-earth, lanthanide, and actinide families. These hard metal ion species prefer association with hard donor atoms, such as oxygens. Therefore, crown and lariat ethers are well-suited for complexation with such metal ion species

Enrichment of Pb, Hg and Cr in cultured carp otolith

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJL

2012-01-26

Jan 26, 2012 ... converted to certain organic metal compounds under microbial activity, and ... these years, the chosen aquatic organisms are aquatic algae, zooplankton ..... enriched and accumulated in marine animals. In natural water, the ...

Spontaneous Generation of Chirality in Simple Diaryl Ethers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lennartson, Anders; Hedström, Anna; Håkansson, Mikael

2015-07-01

We studied the spontaneous formation of chiral crystals of four diaryl ethers, 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde, 1; 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenoxybenzene, 2; di(4-aminophenyl) ether, 3; and di(p-tolyl) ether, 4. Compounds 1, 3, and 4 form conformationally chiral molecules in the solid state, while the chirality of 2 arises from the formation of supramolecular helices. Compound 1 is a liquid at ambient temperature, but 2-4 are crystalline, and solid-state CD-spectroscopy showed that they could be obtained as optically active bulk samples. It should be noted that the optical activity arise upon crystallization, and no optically active precursors were used. Indeed, even commercial samples of 3 and 4 were found to be optically active, giving evidence for the ease at which total spontaneous resolution may occur in certain systems. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhanced response of microbial fuel cell using sulfonated poly ether ether ketone membrane as a biochemical oxygen demand sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ayyaru, Sivasankaran; Dharmalingam, Sangeetha, E-mail: sangeetha@annauniv.edu

2014-03-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Sulfonated poly ether ether ketone (SPEEK) membrane in SCMFC used to determine the BOD. • The biosensor produces a good linear relationship with the BOD concentration up to 650 ppm. • This sensing range was 62.5% higher than that of Nafion{sup ®}. • SPEEK exhibited one order lesser oxygen permeability than Nafion{sup ®}. • Nafion{sup ®} shows high anodic internal resistance (67 Ω) than the SPEEK (39 Ω). - Abstract: The present study is focused on the development of single chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC) using sulfonated poly ether ether ketone (SPEEK) membrane to determine the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) matter present in artificial wastewater (AW). The biosensor produces a good linear relationship with the BOD concentration up to 650 ppm when using artificial wastewater. This sensing range was 62.5% higher than that of Nafion{sup ®}. The most serious problem in using MFC as a BOD sensor is the oxygen diffusion into the anode compartment, which consumes electrons in the anode compartment, thereby reducing the coulomb yield and reducing the electrical signal from the MFC. SPEEK exhibited one order lesser oxygen permeability than Nafion{sup ®}, resulting in low internal resistance and substrate loss, thus improving the sensing range of BOD. The system was further improved by making a double membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with an increased electrode surface area which provide high surface area for electrically active bacteria.

Poly (ether ether ketone) derivatives: Synthetic route and characterization of nitrated and sulfonated polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conceicao, T.F.; Bertolino, J.R.; Barra, G.M.O.; Pires, A.T.N.

2009-01-01

Nitrated and sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) [SNPEEK] samples were prepared through sulfonation of nitrated PEEK (NPEEK) at different temperatures resulting in polymers with distinct sulfonation degrees (SD). The sulfonation occurred preferentially in the hydroquinone segment even after 81% of this moiety had been nitrated. Sulfonation in the benzophenone moiety was achieved only in 16% of this segment at the reaction temperature of 80 deg. C. The substitution degree was obtained through the TG curves, and values were in agreement with 1 H NMR data when SD is much higher as ND (nitration degree). The highest SD obtained was 72%. Membranes of the sulfonated and nitrated PEEK (SNPEEK) were prepared by casting and showed good ductility depending on the substitution degree, with proton conductivity in the order of 10 -2 S cm -1 , an important characteristic in some applications, such as in fuel cells

Poly (ether ether ketone) derivatives: Synthetic route and characterization of nitrated and sulfonated polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conceicao, T.F.; Bertolino, J.R. [Grupo de Estudo em Materiais Polimericos-Departamento de Quimica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC (Brazil); Barra, G.M.O. [Departamento de Engenharia Mecanica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC (Brazil); Pires, A.T.N. [Grupo de Estudo em Materiais Polimericos-Departamento de Quimica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC (Brazil)], E-mail: alfredotiburcio@pq.cnpq.br

2009-03-01

Nitrated and sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) [SNPEEK] samples were prepared through sulfonation of nitrated PEEK (NPEEK) at different temperatures resulting in polymers with distinct sulfonation degrees (SD). The sulfonation occurred preferentially in the hydroquinone segment even after 81% of this moiety had been nitrated. Sulfonation in the benzophenone moiety was achieved only in 16% of this segment at the reaction temperature of 80 deg. C. The substitution degree was obtained through the TG curves, and values were in agreement with {sup 1}H NMR data when SD is much higher as ND (nitration degree). The highest SD obtained was 72%. Membranes of the sulfonated and nitrated PEEK (SNPEEK) were prepared by casting and showed good ductility depending on the substitution degree, with proton conductivity in the order of 10{sup -2} S cm{sup -1}, an important characteristic in some applications, such as in fuel cells.

Contamination of U.S. butter with polybrominated diphenyl ethers from wrapping paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Schecter, Arnold; Smith, Sarah; Colacino, Justin; Malik, Noor; Opel, Matthias; Paepke, Olaf; Birnbaum, Linda

2011-02-01

Our aim was to report the first known incidence of U.S. butter contamination with extremely high levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Ten butter samples were individually analyzed for PBDEs. One of the samples and its paper wrapper contained very high levels of higher-brominated PBDEs. Dietary estimates were calculated using the 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture Loss-Adjusted Food Availability data, excluding the elevated sample. The highly contaminated butter sample had a total upper bound PBDE level of 42,252 pg/g wet weight (ww). Levels of brominated diphenyl ether (BDE)-206, -207, and -209 were 2,000, 2,290, and 37,600 pg/g ww, respectively. Its wrapping paper contained a total upper-bound PBDE concentration of 804,751 pg/g ww, with levels of BDE-206, -207, and -209 of 51,000, 11,700, and 614,000 pg/g, respectively. Total PBDE levels in the remaining nine butter samples ranged from 180 to 1,212 pg/g, with geometric mean of 483 and median of 284 pg/g. Excluding the outlier, total PBDE daily intake from all food was 22,764 pg/day, lower than some previous U.S. dietary intake estimates. Higher-brominated PBDE congeners were likely transferred from contaminated wrapping paper to butter. A larger representative survey may help determine how frequently PBDE contamination occurs. Sampling at various stages in food production may identify contamination sources and reduce risk.

Organotypic slice cultures containing the preBötzinger complex generate respiratory-like rhythms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Phillips, Wiktor S; Herly, Mikkel; Del Negro, Christopher A

2016-01-01

containing the preBötzinger complex (preBötC), the core inspiratory rhythm generator of the ventrolateral brainstem. We measured bilateral synchronous network oscillations, using calcium-sensitive fluorescent dyes, in both ventrolateral (presumably the preBötC) and dorsomedial regions of 7-43 days in vitro......Acute brainstem slice preparations in vitro have advanced understanding of the cellular and synaptic mechanisms of respiratory rhythm generation, but their inherent limitations preclude long-term manipulation and recording experiments. Here, we developed an organotypic slice culture preparation...... of the brainstem displayed up to 193% faster burst frequency (22.4 ± 8.3 bursts/min) and higher signal amplitude (340%) compared to acute slices. We conclude that preBötC-containing slice cultures retain inspiratory-like rhythmic function and therefore may facilitate lines of experimentation that involve extended...

Measurement of the enrichment of uranium-hexafluoride gas in product pipes in the centrifuge enrichment plant at Almelo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Packer, T.W.; Lees, E.W.; Aaldijk, J.K.; Harry, R.J.S.

1987-09-01

One of the objectives of safeguarding centrifuge enrichment plants is to apply non-destructive measurements inside the cascade area to confirm that the enrichment level is in the low enriched uranium range. Research in the UK and USA has developed a NDA instrument which can confirm the presence of low enriched uranium on a rapid go/no go basis in cascade header pipework of their centrifuge enrichment plants. The instrument is based on a gamma spectroscopic measurement coupled with an X-ray fluorescence analysis. This report gives the results of measurements carried out at Almelo by the UKAEA Harwell, ECN Petten and KFA Juelich to determine if these techniques could be employed at Almelo and Gronau. The energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis has been applied to determine the total mass of uranium in the gas phase, and the deposit correction technique and the two geometry technique have been applied at Almelo to correct the measured gamma intensities for those emitted by the deposit. After an executive summary the report discusses the principles of the two correction methods. A short description of the equipment precedes the presentation of the results of the measurements and the discussion. After the conclusions the report contains two appendices which contain the derivation of the formulae for the deposit correction technique and a discussion of the systematic errors of this technique. 8 figs.; 11 refs.; 6 tables

Interpolymer complexses of vinyl ether copolymer with polyacrylic and polymethacrylic acids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Shaikhutdinov

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The interactions between macromolecules of copolymers based on vinyl ethers (vinyl ether of monoethanolamine and vinyl buthyl ether and 2-acryloilamido-2-methylpropanesulphonic acid with polyacrylic and polymethacrylic acid and, as well as study the effect of interpolymer interactions in the adsorption of polymers at the aqueous solution-air interface were investigated. The observed synergistic increase in surface activity of macromolecules into polyelectrolyte mixtures explained by the formation of interpolymer complexes polyacid - copolymer.

Absorption of decabromodiphenyl ether and other organohalogen chemicals by grey seals (Halichoerus grypus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, Gareth O.; Moss, Simon E.W.; Asplund, Lillemor; Hall, Ailsa J.

2005-01-01

An input-output balance study was performed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls and some organochlorine pesticides on three captive, juvenile grey seals (Halichoerus grypus). The animals were fed a diet of herring for six months, during the last three months of which this study was performed. A supplement of decabromodiphenyl ether was included in the diet during the second month of the study. Consistently high absorption (>89%) was observed for all of the chemicals studied, whereas work on other animals has generally shown high (>80%) net absorption at log K OW OW , and very low absorption of decabromodiphenyl ether. The half-life of decabromodiphenyl ether in blood was estimated to be between 8.5 and 13 days. Measurable concentrations of decabromodiphenyl ether were detected in seal blubber at the end of the study, indicating that this chemical can be stored in adipose and may bioaccumulate. Current understanding of the mechanism of absorption of organohalogen chemicals and the potential for accumulation of decabromodiphenyl ether will need reassessing in the light of these results. - Decabromodiphenyl ether is absorbed effectively from the diet by grey seals, and can be stored in the blubber even after exposure ceases

Environmental enrichment choices of shelter cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, J J; Stryhn, H; Spears, J; Cockram, M S

2017-08-01

Choices made by cats between different types of environmental enrichment may help shelters to prioritize how to most effectively enrich cat housing, especially when limited by space or funds. This study investigates the environmental enrichment use of cats in a choice test. Twenty-six shelter cats were kept singularly in choice chambers for 10days. Each chamber had a central area and four centrally-linked compartments containing different types of environmental enrichment: 1) an empty control, 2) a prey-simulating toy, 3) a perching opportunity, and 4) a hiding opportunity. Cat movement between compartments was quantitatively recorded using a data-logger. Enriched compartments were visited significantly more frequently during the light period than during the dark period. Cats spent a significantly greater percentage of time in the hiding compartment (median=55%, IQR=46) than in the toy compartment (median=2%, IQR=9), or in the empty control compartment (median=4%, IQR=4). These results provide additional evidence to support the value of a hiding box to cats housed in a novel environment, in that they choose hiding relative to other types of environmental enrichment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and construction of a Type B overpack container for the safe transportation of enriched uranium hexafluoride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gablin, K.A.

1976-01-01

The Paducah Tiger is an overpack designed for the international shipment of ten-ton cylinders of uranium hexafluoride in enriched form above the level of low specific acitivity. This container is designed as a Type B Package and has undergone all the tests and analyses required for a U.S. Department of Transportation Permit No. 6553. The Paducah Tiger is currently being used to ship fuel material in the USA on both truck and rail modes of transportation. In many ways, the design resembles the Super Tigersup(R), but incorporates features such as ISO corners, quick opening fasteners, and interior shock isolators that provide a system approach to the high volume of fuel shipment required in the last half of the 20th century. (author)

Ammonia tolerant enriched methanogenic cultures as bioaugmentation inocula to alleviate ammonia inhibition in continuous anaerobic reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fotidis, Ioannis; Wang, Han; Angelidaki, Irini

Ammonia is the most common inhibitor of anaerobic digestion (AD) process, resulting in suboptimal exploitation of the biogas potential of the feedstocks, causing significant economic losses to the biogas plants. Ammonia is mainly inhibiting the aceticlastic methanogens, while the hydrogenotrophic...... methanogens are more robust to ammonia toxicity effect. It has been shown that bioaugmentation of a pure strain of a hydrogenotrophic methanogen (i.e. Methanoculleus bourgensis) in an ammonia inhibited continuous anaerobic reactor can improve methane production more than 30%. Nevertheless, cultivation...... tolerant methanogenic culture as potential bioaugmentation inoculum in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) operating under “inhibited steady-state”, triggered by high ammonia levels (5 g NH4+-N L-1). The results of the current study established for the first time that bioaugmentation of an enriched...

On the some reactions of mixed ethers of phosphorus acid with acrylonitrile and methyl iodide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusev, Yu.K.; Chistokletov, V.N.; Petrov, A.A.

1977-01-01

The bimolecular mechanism has been confirmed of the redgrouping stage of Arbuzov's classical reactions for phosphites containing primary and secondary radicals in reactions of acrylonitrile and methyl iodide with some mixed ethers of phosphoric acid. It is suggested that dealcylation of the intermediate products formed on interaction of olefins activated by electron-acceptor groups with phosphites containing primary radicals occurs according to the Ssub(N)2-mechanism, secondary radicals, according to the mixed Ssub(N)2 and Ssub(N)1-mechanism,and radicals capable of forming stable carbonium ions, according to the Ssub(N)1-mechanism

Process for producing high purity isoolefins and dimers thereof by dissociation of ethers

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, L.A. Jr.; Jones, E.M. Jr.; Hearn, D.

1984-05-08

Alkyl tertiary butyl ether or alkyl tertiary amyl ether is dissociated by vapor phase contact with a cation acidic exchange resin at temperatures in the range of 150 to 250 F at LHSV of 0.1 to 20 to produce a stream consisting of unreacted ether, isobutene or isoamylene and an alcohol corresponding to the alkyl radical. After the alcohol is removed, the ether/isoolefin stream may be fractionated to obtain a high purity isoolefin (99+%) or the ether/isoolefin stream can be contacted in liquid phase with a cation acidic exchange resin to selectively dimerize the isoolefin in a highly exothermic reaction, followed by fractionation of the dimerization product to produce high purity diisoolefin (97+%). In the case where the alkyl is C[sub 3] to C[sub 6] and the corresponding alcohol is produced on dissociation of the ether, combined dissociation-distillation may be carried out such that isoolefin is the overhead product and alcohol the bottom. 2 figs.

Nikola Tesla, the Ether and his Telautomaton

Science.gov (United States)

Milar, Kendall

2014-03-01

In the nineteenth century physicists' understanding of the ether changed dramatically. New developments in thermodynamics, energy physics, and electricity and magnetism dictated new properties of the ether. These have traditionally been examined from the perspective of the scientists re-conceptualizing the ether. However Nikola Tesla, a prolific inventor and writer, presents a different picture of nineteenth century physics. Alongside the displays that showcased his inventions he presented alternative interpretations of physical, physiological and even psychical research. This is particularly evident in his telautomaton, a radio remote controlled boat. This invention and Tesla's descriptions of it showcase some of his novel interpretations of physical theories. He offered a perspective on nineteenth century physics that focused on practical application instead of experiment. Sometimes the understanding of physical theories that Tesla reached was counterproductive to his own inventive work; other times he offered new insights. Tesla's utilitarian interpretation of physical theories suggests a more scientifically curious and invested inventor than previously described and a connection between the scientific and inventive communities.

A mixed ruthenium polypyridyl complex containing a PEG-bipyridine macroligand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marin, Veronica; Holder, Elisabeth; Meier, Michael A.R.; Hoogenboom, Richard; Schubert, Ulrich S. [Laboratory of Macromolecular Chemistry and Nanoscience, Eindhoven University of Technology and Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), P. O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2004-04-06

An amino-functionalized bipyridine ligand was prepared in order to serve as a bridging unit to an activated low-molecular-weight monomethyl ether of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Coordination of a ruthenium(II) phenantroline precursor onto the formed PEG-containing bipyridine ligand yielded a metal-containing polymer which shows interesting properties for solar cell applications. (Abstract Copyright [2004], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Effect of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether and diethylene glycol monomethyl ether on hepatic metabolizing enzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawamoto, T; Matsuno, K; Kayama, F; Hirai, M; Arashidani, K; Yoshikawa, M; Kodama, Y

1990-06-01

Glycol ethers have been extensively used in industry over the past 40-50 years. Numerous studies on the toxicity of glycol ethers have been performed, however, the effects of glycol ethers on the hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes are still unknown. We studied the changes of the putative metabolic enzymes, that is, the hepatic microsomal mixed function oxidase system and cytosolic alcohol dehydrogenase, by the oral administration of diEGME and EGME. Adult male Wistar rats were used. DiEGME was administered orally; 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg for 1, 2, 5 or 20 days and EGME was 100, 300 mg/kg for 1, 2, 5 or 20 days. Decreases in liver weights were produced by highest doses of diEGME (2000 mg/kg body wt/day for 20 days) and EGME (300 mg/kg body wt/day for 20 days). DiEGME increased hepatic microsomal protein contents and induced cytochrome P-450, but not cytochrome b5 or NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. The activity of cytosolic ADH was not affected by diEGME administration. On the other hand, EGME did not change cytochrome P-450, cytochrome b5 or NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. The activity of cytosolic ADH was increased by repeated EGME treatment. Therefore it is suspected that the enzyme which takes part in the metabolism of diEGME is different from that of EGME, although diEGME is a structural homologue of EGME.

Method to separate and enrich molecules containing deuterium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benson, S.W.

1978-01-01

Organic molecules having a normal H and D content and the general formula RX, in which R is chosen from ethyl, isopropyl, tert. butyl or cyclopentenyl groups and X is a functional group such as F, Cl, Br or OH and can even be H in the special case of cyclopentene, are exposed to an infra-red laser radiation. By careful adjustment, bundling and pulsing of an infrared laser, D-contained RX molecules exposed to the laserbeam, can dissociate or decompose. A D-contained olefin and HX is formed under suitable conditions after exposure to laser radiation. The D-contained olefin is drawn off and combusted to obtain D-contained water or D-contained hydrogen. The non-decomposed or non-reacted RX molecules which are deuterium-impoverished can be decomposed to deuterium impoverished olefins and HX in a further process step by heating on a catalyst. The latter products can then be separated off and be catylytically exchanged with normal water in order to reproduce the normal isotopic composition. They may then where necessary be catalytically recombined to form normal RX which can be recycled. (GG) [de

The preparation and intramolecular radical cyclisation reactions of chiral oxyme ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Booth, Susan E.; Jenkins, Paul R.

1998-01-01

Chiral oxime ether 2 and Oxime ester 4 have been prepared by alkylation and esterification of the oxime 1. Racemic hydroxylamine 6 and chiral hydroxylamine 10 have been synthesised from N-hydroxysuccinimide and the corresponding alcohol in the presence of diethyl azo dicarboxylate, the two product were converted into the oxime ethers 7 and 11 respectively. The intramolecular radical cyclisation reactions of these oxime ethers and esters has been studied, successful reaction was observed to produce alkyl hydroxylamines 3,8 and 12. (author)

The Preparation and Intramolecular Radical Cyclisation Reactions of Chiral Oxime Ethers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Booth Susan E.

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Chiral oxime ether 2 and Oxime ester 4 have been prepared by alkylation and esterification of the oxime 1. Racemic hydroxylamine 6 and chiral hydroxylamine 10 have been synthesised from N-hydroxysuccinimide and the corresponding alcohol in the presence of diethylazodicarboxylate, the two products were converted into the oxime ethers 7 and 11 respectively. The intramolecular radical cyclisation reactions of these oxime ethers and esters has been studied, successful reaction was observed to produce alkyl hydroxylamines 3, 8 and 12.

Preparation of Orally Disintegrating Tablets Containing Powdered Tea Leaves with Enriched Levels of Bioactive Compounds by Means of Microwave Irradiation Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Hironori; Iwao, Yasunori; Izumikawa, Masahiro; Sano, Syusuke; Ishida, Hitoshi; Noguchi, Shuji; Itai, Shigeru

2016-01-01

In the present study, a microwave treatment process has been applied to prepare orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) containing powdered tea leaves with enriched levels of the anti-inflammatory compounds such as chafuroside A (CFA) and chafuroside B (CFB). The use of distilled water as the adsorbed and granulation solvents in this preparation process afforded tablets with a long disintegration time (more than 120 s). The CFA and CFB contents of these tablets did not also change after 4 min of microwave irradiation due to the tablet temperature, which only increased to 100°C. In contrast, the tablet temperature increased up to 140°C after 3 min of microwave irradiation when a 1.68 M Na2HPO4 solution instead of distilled water. Notably, the disintegration time of these tablets was considerably improved (less than 20 s) compared with the microwave-untreated tablets, and there were 7- and 11-fold increases in their CFA and CFB contents. In addition, the operational conditions for the preparation of the tablets were optimized by face-centered composite design based on the following criteria: tablet hardness greater than 13 N, disintegration time less than 30 s and friability less than 0.5%. The requirements translated into X1 (the amount of granulation solvent), X2 (tableting pressure) and X3 (content of the powdered tea leaves) values of 45%, 0.43 kN and 32%, respectively, and the ODTs containing powdered tea leaves prepared under these optimized conditions were found to show excellent tablet properties and contain enriched levels of CFA and CFB.

Basic randomness of nature and ether-drift experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Consoli, M.; Pluchino, A.; Rapisarda, A.

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► We re-consider the idea of a basic randomness of nature. ► We adopt Stochastic Electro Dynamics as a heuristic model. ► We represent the vacuum as a form of turbulent ether. ► This picture can be tested with forthcoming ether-drift experiments. - Abstract: We re-consider the idea that quantum fluctuations might reflect the existence of an ‘objective randomness’, i.e. a basic property of the vacuum state which is independent of any experimental accuracy of the observations or limited knowledge of initial conditions. Besides being responsible for the observed quantum behavior, this might introduce a weak, residual form of ‘noise’ which is intrinsic to natural phenomena and could be important for the emergence of complexity at higher physical levels. By adopting Stochastic Electro Dynamics as a heuristic model, we are driven to a picture of the vacuum as a form of highly turbulent ether, which is deep-rooted into the basic foundational aspects of both quantum physics and relativity, and to search for experimental tests of this scenario. An analysis of the most precise ether-drift experiments, operating both at room temperature and in the cryogenic regime, shows that, at present, there is some ambiguity in the interpretation of the data. In fact the average amplitude of the signal has precisely the magnitude expected, in a ‘Lorentzian’ form of relativity, from an underlying stochastic ether and, as such, might not be a spurious instrumental effect. This puzzle, however, should be solved in a next future with the use of new cryogenically cooled optical resonators whose stability should improve by about two orders of magnitude. In these new experimental conditions, the persistence of the present amplitude would represent a clean evidence for the type of random vacuum we are envisaging.

Disruption of type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase activity in cultured human glial cells by polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Simon C; Bianco, Antonio C; Stapleton, Heather M

2015-06-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants are endocrine disruptors and suspected neurodevelopmental toxicants. While the direct mechanisms of neurodevelopmental toxicity have not been fully elucidated, it is conceivable that alterations in thyroid hormone levels in the developing brain may contribute to these effects. Cells within the brain locally convert thyroxine (T4) to the biologically active triiodothyronine (T3) through the action of the selenodeiodinase type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (DIO2). Previous studies have demonstrated that PBDEs can alter hepatic deiodinase activity both in vitro and in vivo; however, the effects of PBDEs on the deiodinase isoforms expressed in the brain are not well understood. Here, we studied the effects of several individual PBDEs and hydroxylated metabolites (OH-BDEs) on DIO2 activity in astrocytes, a specialized glial cell responsible for production of more than 50% of the T3 required by the brain. Primary human astrocytes and H4 glioma cells were exposed to individual PBDEs or OH-BDEs at concentrations up to 5 μM. BDE-99 decreased DIO2 activity by 50% in primary astrocyte cells and by up to 80% in the H4 cells at doses of ≥500 nM. 3-OH-BDE-47, 6-OH-BDE-47, and 5'-OH-BDE-99 also decreased DIO2 activity in cultured H4 glioma cells by 45-80% at doses of approximately 1-5 μM. Multiple mechanisms appear to contribute to the decreased DIO2 activity, including weakened expression of DIO2 mRNA, competitive inhibition of DIO2, and enhanced post-translational degradation of DIO2. We conclude that decreases in DIO2 activity caused by exposure to PBDEs may play a role in the neurodevelopmental deficits caused by these toxicants.

Simultaneous enrichment of cysteine-containing peptides and phosphopeptides using a cysteine-specific phosphonate adaptable tag (CysPAT) in combination with titanium dioxide (TiO2) chromatography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Honggang; Pedersen, Martin Haar; Ibañez-Vea, Maria

2016-01-01

to selectively label cysteine-containing peptides (Cys peptides) followed by their enrichment with titanium dioxide (TiO2) and subsequent mass spectrometric analysis. The CysPAT strategy was developed using a synthetic peptide, a standard protein and subsequently the strategy was applied to protein lysates from...

Effect of bioaugmentation by cellulolytic bacteria enriched from sheep rumen on methane production from wheat straw.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozbayram, E Gozde; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Nikolausz, Marcell; Ince, Bahar; Ince, Orhan

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the potential of bioaugmentation with cellulolytic rumen microbiota to enhance the anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic feedstock. An anaerobic cellulolytic culture was enriched from sheep rumen fluid using wheat straw as substrate under mesophilic conditions. To investigate the effects of bioaugmentation on methane production from straw, the enrichment culture was added to batch reactors in proportions of 2% (Set-1) and 4% (Set-2) of the microbial cell number of the standard inoculum slurry. The methane production in the bioaugmented reactors was higher than in the control reactors. After 30 days of batch incubation, the average methane yield was 154 mL N CH 4 g VS -1 in the control reactors. Addition of 2% enrichment culture did not enhance methane production, whereas in Set-2 the methane yield was increased by 27%. The bacterial communities were examined by 454 amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, while terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) fingerprinting of mcrA genes was applied to analyze the methanogenic communities. The results highlighted that relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae increased during the enrichment. However, Cloacamonaceae, which were abundant in the standard inoculum, dominated the bacterial communities of all batch reactors. T-RFLP profiles revealed that Methanobacteriales were predominant in the rumen fluid, whereas the enrichment culture was dominated by Methanosarcinales. In the batch rectors, the most abundant methanogens were affiliated to Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales. Our results suggest that bioaugmentation with sheep rumen enrichment cultures can enhance the performance of digesters treating lignocellulosic feedstock. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced osteogenic activity of poly ether ether ketone using calcium plasma immersion ion implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Tao; Qian, Shi; Meng, Fanhao; Ning, Congqin; Liu, Xuanyong

2016-06-01

As a promising implantable material, poly ether ether ketone (PEEK) possesses similar elastic modulus to that of cortical bones yet suffers from bio-inertness and poor osteogenic properties, which limits its application as orthopedic implants. In this work, calcium is introduced onto PEEK surface using calcium plasma immersion ion implantation (Ca-PIII). The results obtained from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirm the modified layer with varying contents of calcium are formed on PEEK surfaces. Water contact angle measurements reveal the increasing hydrophobicity of both Ca-PIII treated surfaces. In vitro cell adhesion, viability assay, alkaline phosphatase activity and collagen secretion analyses disclose improved the adhesion, proliferation, and osteo-differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (bMSCs) on Ca-PIII treated surfaces. The obtained results indicate that PEEK surface with enhanced osteogenic activity can be produced by calcium incorporation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of mercury-containing proteins by enriched stable isotopic tracer and size-exclusion chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma-isotope dilution mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi Junwen [Laboratory for Bio-Environmental Health Sciences of Nanoscale Materials and Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)]|[Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Feng Weiyue [Laboratory for Bio-Environmental Health Sciences of Nanoscale Materials and Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)]. E-mail: fengwy@mail.ihep.ac.cn; Wang Meng [Laboratory for Bio-Environmental Health Sciences of Nanoscale Materials and Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)]|[Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang Fang [Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li Bai [Laboratory for Bio-Environmental Health Sciences of Nanoscale Materials and Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang Bing; Zhu Motao [Laboratory for Bio-Environmental Health Sciences of Nanoscale Materials and Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)]|[Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Chai Zhifang [Laboratory for Bio-Environmental Health Sciences of Nanoscale Materials and Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)]|[Institute of Nuclear Technology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060 (China)]|[Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanosafety, Shanghai University, Shanghai (China)

2007-01-30

In order to investigate trace mercury-containing proteins in maternal rat and their offspring, a method of enriched stable isotopic tracer ({sup 196}Hg and {sup 198}Hg) combined with size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to inductively coupled plasma-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ICP-IDMS) was developed. Prior to the analysis, {sup 196}Hg- and {sup 198}Hg-enriched methylmercury was administrated to the pregnant rats. Then the mercury-containing proteins in serum and brain cytosol of the dam and pup rats were separated by size-exclusion columns and the mercury was detected by ICP-MS. The ICP-MS spectrogram of the tracing samples showed significantly elevated {sup 196}Hg and {sup 198}Hg isotopic signals compared with the natural ones, indicating that the detection sensitivity could be increased by the tracer method. The contents of mercury in chromatographic fractions of the dam and pup rat brain cytosol were quantitatively estimated by post-column reverse ID-ICP-MS. The quantitative speciation differences of mercury in brain cytosol between the dam and pup rats were observed, indicating that such studies could be useful for toxicological estimation. Additionally, the isotopic ratio measurement of {sup 198}Hg/{sup 202}Hg in the tracing samples could be used to identify the artifact mercury species caused in the analytical procedure. The study demonstrates that the tracer method combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-ICP-IDMS could provide reliably qualitative and quantitative information on mercury-containing proteins in organisms.

Investigation of mercury-containing proteins by enriched stable isotopic tracer and size-exclusion chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma-isotope dilution mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Junwen; Feng Weiyue; Wang Meng; Zhang Fang; Li Bai; Wang Bing; Zhu Motao; Chai Zhifang

2007-01-01

In order to investigate trace mercury-containing proteins in maternal rat and their offspring, a method of enriched stable isotopic tracer ( 196 Hg and 198 Hg) combined with size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to inductively coupled plasma-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ICP-IDMS) was developed. Prior to the analysis, 196 Hg- and 198 Hg-enriched methylmercury was administrated to the pregnant rats. Then the mercury-containing proteins in serum and brain cytosol of the dam and pup rats were separated by size-exclusion columns and the mercury was detected by ICP-MS. The ICP-MS spectrogram of the tracing samples showed significantly elevated 196 Hg and 198 Hg isotopic signals compared with the natural ones, indicating that the detection sensitivity could be increased by the tracer method. The contents of mercury in chromatographic fractions of the dam and pup rat brain cytosol were quantitatively estimated by post-column reverse ID-ICP-MS. The quantitative speciation differences of mercury in brain cytosol between the dam and pup rats were observed, indicating that such studies could be useful for toxicological estimation. Additionally, the isotopic ratio measurement of 198 Hg/ 202 Hg in the tracing samples could be used to identify the artifact mercury species caused in the analytical procedure. The study demonstrates that the tracer method combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-ICP-IDMS could provide reliably qualitative and quantitative information on mercury-containing proteins in organisms

The low-enrichment fuel development program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stahl, D.

1993-01-01

In the 1950s and 1960s, low-power research reactors were built around the world utilized MTR-type fuel elements containing 20% enriched uranium. However, the demand for higher specific power created a need for greater uranium-235 concentrations. Early difficulties in increasing uranium content led to the substitution of highly enriched uranium in place of the 20% enriched fuel previously utilized. The highly enriched material also yielded other benefits including longer core residence time, higher specific reactivity, and somewhat lower cost. Highly enriched material then became readily available and was used for high-power reactors as well as in low-power reactors where 20% enriched material would have sufficed. The trend toward higher and higher specific power also led to the development of the dispersion-type fuels which utilized highly enriched uranium at a concentration of about 40 wt%. In the 1970's, however, concerns were raised about the proliferation resistance of fuels and fuel cycles. As a consequence, the U.S. Department of State has recently prohibited the foreign shipment of highly enriched material, except where prior contractual obligation or special merit exists. This will impact on the availability and utilization of highly enriched uranium for research and test reactor fuel. It has also stimulated development programs on fuels with higher uranium content which would allow the use of uranium of lower enrichment. The purpose of this report is to briefly describe the overall fuel-development program which is coordinated by Argonne National Laboratory for the Department of Energy, and to indicate the current and potential uranium loadings. Other reports will address the individual fuel-development activities in greater detail

Gold-catalyzed alkylation of silyl enol ethers with ortho-alkynylbenzoic acid esters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshinori Yamamoto

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Unprecedented alkylation of silyl enol ethers has been developed by the use of ortho-alkynylbenzoic acid alkyl esters as alkylating agents in the presence of a gold catalyst. The reaction probably proceeds through the gold-induced in situ construction of leaving groups and subsequent nucleophilic attack on the silyl enol ethers. The generated leaving compound abstracts a proton to regenerate the silyl enol ether structure.

Laser-induced photochemical enrichment of boron isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freund, S.M.; Ritter, J.J.

1976-01-01

A boron trichloride starting material containing both boron-10 isotopes and boron-11 isotopes is selectively enriched in one or the other of these isotopes by a laser-induced photochemical method involving the reaction of laser-excited boron trichloride with either H 2 S or D 2 S. The method is carried out by subjecting a low pressure gaseous mixture of boron trichloride starting material and the sulfide to infrared radiation from a carbon dioxide TE laser. The wave length of the radiation is selected so as to selectively excite one or the other of boron-10 BCl 3 molecules or boron-11 BCl 3 molecules, thereby making them preferentially more reactive with the sulfide. The laser-induced reaction produces both a boron-containing solid phase reaction product and a gaseous phase containing mostly unreacted BCl 3 and small amounts of sulfhydroboranes. Pure boron trichloride selectively enriched in one of the isotopes is recovered as the primary product of the method from the gaseous phase by a multi-step recovery procedure. Pure boron trichloride enriched in the other isotope is recovered as a secondary product of the method by the subsequent chlorination of the solid phase reaction product followed by separation of BCl 3 from the mixture of gaseous products resulting from the chlorination

Status report on the cost and availability of enriched uranium for research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, Hans; Laucht, Juergen

2005-01-01

Availability and price development of enriched uranium contained in fuel elements for research reactors plays an important role with regard to reliability and economic and planning reasons. The leading price factors of LEU (19.75% enriched uranium metal), are the contained natural uranium equivalent in the form of UF6 (feed component), the separative work of the enrichment (SWU), conversion of the enriched uranium into metal form and associated services, such as transportation. World market price of feed material for enrichment was more or less stable in the last decades. After very moderate feed price increases between 2001 and mid-2003, the price gained momentum and almost doubled in the short period between the 2nd half of 2003 and year-end 2004. (author)

Selective enrichment of a methanol-utilizing consortium using pulp & paper mill waste streams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregory R. Mockos; William A. Smith; Frank J. Loge; David N. Thompson

2007-04-01

Efficient utilization of carbon inputs is critical to the economic viability of the current forest products sector. Input carbon losses occur in various locations within a pulp mill, including losses as volatile organics and wastewater . Opportunities exist to capture this carbon in the form of value-added products such as biodegradable polymers. Waste activated sludge from a pulp mill wastewater facility was enriched for 80 days for a methanol-utilizing consortium with the goal of using this consortium to produce biopolymers from methanol-rich pulp mill waste streams. Five enrichment conditions were utilized: three high-methanol streams from the kraft mill foul condensate system, one methanol-amended stream from the mill wastewater plant, and one methanol-only enrichment. Enrichment reactors were operated aerobically in sequencing batch mode at neutral pH and 25°C with a hydraulic residence time and a solids retention time of four days. Non-enriched waste activated sludge did not consume methanol or reduce chemical oxygen demand. With enrichment, however, the chemical oxygen demand reduction over 24 hour feed/decant cycles ranged from 79 to 89 %, and methanol concentrations dropped below method detection limits. Neither the non-enriched waste activated sludge nor any of the enrichment cultures accumulated polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) under conditions of nitrogen sufficiency. Similarly, the non-enriched waste activated sludge did not accumulate PHAs under nitrogen limited conditions. By contrast, enriched cultures accumulated PHAs to nearly 14% on a dry weight basis under nitrogen limited conditions. This indicates that selectively-enriched pulp mill waste activated sludge can serve as an inoculum for PHA production from methanol-rich pulp mill effluents.

Enrichment of glioma stem cell-like cells on 3D porous scaffolds composed of different extracellular matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuanzhi; Dai, Xingliang; Zhang, Xinzhi; Li, Xinda; Xu, Tao; Lan, Qing

2018-04-15

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), being tumor-initiating with self-renewal capacity and heterogeneity, are most likely the cause of tumor resistance, reoccurrence and metastasis. To further investigate the role of CSCs in tumor biology, there is a need to develop an effective culture system to grow, maintain and enrich CSCs. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model has been widely used in tumor research and drug screening. Recently, researchers have begun to utilize 3D models to culture cancer cells for CSCs enrichment. In this study, glioma cell line was cultured with 3D porous chitosan (CS) scaffolds or chitosan-hyaluronic acid (CS-HA) scaffolds to explore the possibility of glioma stem cells (GSCs)-like cells enrichment, to study the morphology, gene expression, and in vivo tumorigenicity of 3D scaffolds cells, and to compare results to 2D controls. Results showed that glioma cells on both CS and CS-HA scaffolds could form tumor cell spheroids and increased the expression of GSCs biomarkers compared to conventional 2D monolayers. Furthermore, cells in CS-HA scaffolds had higher expression levels of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related gene. Specifically, the in vivo tumorigenicity capability of CS-HA scaffold cultured cells was greater than 2D cells or CS scaffold cultured cells. It is indicated that the chemical composition of scaffold plays an important role in the enrichment of CSCs. Our results suggest that CS-HA scaffolds have a better capability to enrich GSCs-like cells and can serve as a simple and effective way to cultivate and enrich CSCs in vitro to support the study of CSCs biology and development of novel anti-cancer therapies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Composite electrolytes composed of Cs-substituted phosphotungstic acid and sulfonated poly(ether-ether ketone) for fuel cell systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Song-Yul, E-mail: ms089203@tutms.tut.ac.jp [Department of Materials Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Yoshida, Toshihiro; Kawamura, Go [Department of Materials Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Muto, Hiroyuki [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kurume National College of Technology, 1-1-1 Komorino, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-8555 (Japan); Sakai, Mototsugu [Department of Materials Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Matsuda, Atsunori, E-mail: matsuda@tutms.tut.ac.jp [Department of Materials Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan)

2010-10-15

Composite electrolytes composed of cesium hydrogen sulfate containing phosphotungstic acids (CsHSO{sub 4}-H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}) and sulfonated poly(ether-ether ketone) (SPEEK) were prepared by casting the corresponding precursor for application in fuel cells. Partially Cs-substituted phosphotungstic acids (Cs{sub x}H{sub 3-x}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}) were formed in the CsHSO{sub 4}-H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} system by mechanochemical treatment. SPEEK was prepared from PEEK by sulfonation using concentrated sulfuric acid. Flexible composite electrolytes were obtained and their electrochemical properties were markedly improved with the addition of Cs{sub x}H{sub 3-x}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}, into the SPEEK matrix. A maximum power density of 213 mW cm{sup -2} was obtained from the single cell test for 50H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}-50CsHSO{sub 4} in SPEEK (1/5 by weight) composite electrolyte at 80 deg. C and at 80 RH%. Electrochemical properties and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results suggest that three-dimensional cluster particles were formed and homogeneously distributed in the SPEEK matrix. The mechanochemically synthesized Cs{sub x}H{sub 3-x}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} incorporated into the SPEEK matrix increased the number of protonate sites in the electrolyte. The composite electrolytes were successfully formed with Cs{sub x}H{sub 3-x}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}, which consist of hydrogen bonding between surface of inorganic solid acids and not only -HSO{sub 4}{sup -} dissociated from CsHSO{sub 4} but also -SO{sub 3}H groups in the SPEEK.

Structuring of poly ether ether ketone by ArF excimer laser radiation in different atmospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Y.; Gottmann, J.; Kreutz, E.W.

2003-01-01

Structuring of poly ether ether ketone (PEEK) by 193 nm ArF excimer laser radiation has been investigated. Experiments were carried out in different atmospheres (air, vacuum, Ar, O 2 ) in order to study its influence on the quality of the structures and the formation of the debris. Repetition rate makes little effect on the ablation rate and roughness of the structure in presence of any kind of atmosphere, indicating for the structuring of PEEK by ArF laser radiation a large window of processing. The roughness at the bottom of the structures and the morphology of the side walls are strongly affected by the properties of the atmosphere. The smallest roughness is achieved at 0.6 J/cm 2 for all kinds of processing gases. Debris around the structures can be diminished by structuring in vacuum. Plasma expansion speed has been measured by using high speed photography

Enrichment of anaerobic syngas-converting bacteria from thermophilic bioreactor sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Joana I; Stams, Alfons J M; Plugge, Caroline M; Alves, M Madalena; Sousa, Diana Z

2013-12-01

Thermophilic (55 °C) anaerobic microbial communities were enriched with a synthetic syngas mixture (composed of CO, H2 , and CO2 ) or with CO alone. Cultures T-Syn and T-CO were incubated and successively transferred with syngas (16 transfers) or CO (9 transfers), respectively, with increasing CO partial pressures from 0.09 to 0.88 bar. Culture T-Syn, after 4 successive transfers with syngas, was also incubated with CO and subsequently transferred (9 transfers) with solely this substrate - cultures T-Syn-CO. Incubation with syngas and CO caused a rapid decrease in the microbial diversity of the anaerobic consortium. T-Syn and T-Syn-CO showed identical microbial composition and were dominated by Desulfotomaculum and Caloribacterium species. Incubation initiated with CO resulted in the enrichment of bacteria from the genera Thermincola and Thermoanaerobacter. Methane was detected in the first two to three transfers of T-Syn, but production ceased afterward. Acetate was the main product formed by T-Syn and T-Syn-CO. Enriched T-CO cultures showed a two-phase conversion, in which H2 was formed first and then converted to acetate. This research provides insight into how thermophilic anaerobic communities develop using syngas/CO as sole energy and carbon source can be steered for specific end products and subsequent microbial synthesis of chemicals. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indices, multispecies and synthesis descriptors in benthic assessments: Intertidal organic enrichment from oyster farming

Science.gov (United States)

Quintino, Victor; Azevedo, Ana; Magalhães, Luísa; Sampaio, Leandro; Freitas, Rosa; Rodrigues, Ana Maria; Elliott, Michael

2012-09-01

Intertidal off-bottom oyster culture is shown to cause organic enrichment of the shore and although there are two stressors of interest (the presence of a structure, the trestles, and also the sediment and organic waste from the oysters), these can be separated and their relative impacts determined using an appropriate nested experimental design and data treatments. Although no artificial food sources are involved, the oysters feeding activity and intensity of culture enhances biodeposition and significantly increases the sediment fines content and total organic matter. This in general impoverished the benthic community in culture areas rather than a species succession with the installation of opportunists or a resulting increase in the abundance and biomass of benthic species; the findings can be a direct consequence of the intertidal situation which is less-amenable recruitment of species more common to the subtidal environment. Thus the most appropriate biological descriptors to diagnose the effects associated with the organic enrichment were the multispecies abundance data as well as the primary biological variables species richness and abundance. The effects were however spatially and statistically significantly confined to the area located directly underneath the culture bags compared to the corridors located between the trestles, which do not show such enrichment effects. Synthesis biotic indices were much less effective to diagnose the benthic alterations associated with this organic enrichment. These results show that special attention must be paid when using indices in areas where the organic enrichment induces an impoverishment of the benthic community but not necessarily a species replacement with the installation of opportunists.

The influence of water mixtures on the dermal absorption of glycol ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Traynor, Matthew J.; Wilkinson, Simon C.; Williams, Faith M.

2007-01-01

Glycol ethers are solvents widely used alone and as mixtures in industrial and household products. Some glycol ethers have been shown to have a range of toxic effects in humans following absorption and metabolism to their aldehyde and acid metabolites. This study assessed the influence of water mixtures on the dermal absorption of butoxyethanol and ethoxyethanol in vitro through human skin. Butoxyethanol penetrated human skin up to sixfold more rapidly from aqueous solution (50%, 450 mg/ml) than from the neat solvent. Similarly penetration of ethoxyethanol was increased threefold in the presence of water (50%, 697 mg/ml). There was a corresponding increase in apparent permeability coefficient as the glycol ether concentration in water decreased. The maximum penetration rate of water also increased in the presence of both glycol ethers. Absorption through a synthetic membrane obeyed Fick's Law and absorption through rat skin showed a similar profile to human skin but with a lesser effect. The mechanisms for this phenomenon involves disruption of the stratum corneum lipid bilayer by desiccation by neat glycol ether micelles, hydration with water mixtures and the physicochemical properties of the glycol ether-water mixtures. Full elucidation of the profile of absorption of glycol ethers from mixtures is required for risk assessment of dermal exposure. This work supports the view that risk assessments for dermal contact scenarios should ideally be based on absorption data obtained for the relevant formulation or mixture and exposure scenario and that absorption derived from permeability coefficients may be inappropriate for water-miscible solvents

[Hydroxylamine conversion by anammox enrichment].

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Anhui; Zheng, Ping; Lu, Huifeng; Ding, Shuang; Wang, Caihua

2010-04-01

Hydroxylamine is an important intermediate product of anammox. This study was focused on the characteristics of hydroxylamine and nitrite conversions by anammox enrichment. The changes of nitrogenous substrates and related products with time were measured using batch tests with anammox enrichment as inoculum. Since hydroxylamine didn't react with nitrite in uninoculated control culture, these two compounds were chemically stable. Both of them decreased with time in anammox enrichment inoculated cultures, in which ammonia as intermediate product would be produced and converted with the maximum concentration being 0.338 mg/L. The total nitrogen concentration decreased from 4.694 mmol/L to 0.812 mmol/L with conversion rate 82.7% in the end. When hydroxylamine and nitrite concentrations were about 2.5 mmol/L respectively, the maximum specific sludge conversion rates of hydroxylamine was 0.535 mmol/(gVSS.h), which was 1.81 times bigger than that of ammonia in ammonia reaction system; the maximum specific sludge rate of total nitrogen was slightly higher than that in ammonia reaction system. When hydroxylamine concentration increased to 5.0 mmol/L, the hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates promoted by 26.7% and 120.7% respectively; and the maximum ammonia accumulated was 1.810 mmol/L. When nitrite concentration increased to 5.0 mmol/L, the hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates promoted by 6.9% and 9.0% respectively; and the maximum ammonia accumulated was 0.795 mmol/L. Anammox enrichment was capable of converting hydroxylamine and nitrite simultaneously and had the higher conversion rate of hydroxylamine than ammonia conversion rate. Hydroxylamine and nitrite conversion rates were less affected by increase in nitrite concentration, but more significantly influenced by increase in hydroxylamine. The maximum ammonia concentration accumulated would rise as the result of increasing both hydroxylamine and nitrite. The result of experiment was consistent with pathway

Characterization of a poly(ether urethane)-based controlled release membrane system for delivery of ketoprofen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macocinschi, Doina; Filip, Daniela; Vlad, Stelian; Oprea, Ana Maria; Gafitanu, Carmen Anatolia

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ketoprofen incorporation in poly(ether urethane) microporous membrane. ► Moisture sorption properties of as-cast membrane. ► Drug release mechanisms in function of pH and composition of membranes. - Abstract: A poly(ether urethane) based on polytetrahydrofuran containing hydroxypropyl cellulose for biomedical applications was tested for its biocompatibility. Ketoprofen was incorporated (3% and 6%) in the polyurethane matrix as an anti-inflammatory drug. Kinetic and drug release mechanisms were studied. The pore size and pore size distribution of the polyurethane membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Surface tension characteristics as well as moisture sorption properties such as diffusion coefficients and equilibrium moisture contents of the membrane material were studied. It was found that kinetics and release mechanisms are in function of medium pH, composition of polymer–drug system, pore morphology and pore size distribution. Prolonged nature of release of ketoprofen is assured by low amount of drug in polyurethane membrane and physiological pH.

A mild and efficient procedure for the synthesis of ethers from various alkyl halides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mosstafa Kazemi

2013-10-01

Full Text Available A simple, mild and practical procedure has been developed for the synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical ethers by using DMSO, TBAI in the presence of K2CO3. We extended the utility of Potassium carbonate as an efficient base for the preparation of ethers. A wide range of alkyl aryl and dialkyl ethers are synthezied from treatment of aliphatic alcohols and phenols with various alkyl halides in the prescence of efficient base Potassium carbonate. Secondary alkyl halides were easily converted to corresponding ethers in releatively good yields . This is a mild, simple and practical procedure for the preparation of ethers in high yields and suitable times under mild condition.

Induced production of halogenated diphenyl ethers from the marine-derived fungus Penicillium chrysogenum.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guohua; Yun, Keumja; Nenkep, Viviane N; Choi, Hong Dae; Kang, Jung Sook; Son, Byeng Wha

2010-11-01

Manipulation of the fermentation of the marine-derived fungus Penicillium chrysogenum by addition of CaBr(2) resulted in induced production of bromodiphenyl ether analogs. Two new free-radical-scavenging polybrominated diphenyl ethers, 1 and 2, and three known diphenyl ethers, 3,3'-dihydroxy-5,5'-dimethyldiphenyl ether (3), and an inseparable mixture of violacerol-I (4) and violacerol-II (5) were isolated. The structures of the two new polybromodiphenyl ethers 1 and 2 were assigned by combined spectroscopic-data analysis, including deuterium-induced isotope effect. Compounds 1-3, and a mixture of 4 and 5 exhibited radical-scavenging activities against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl with IC(50) values of 18, 15, 42, and 6 μM, respectively. With the exception of 3, the compounds were, therefore, more active than the positive control, ascorbic acid (IC(50) 20 μM).

Production of Extra-Cellular Proteases from Marine Bacillus Sp. Cultured in Media Containing Ammonium Sulfate as the Sole Nitrogen Source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seri Intan, M.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Useful bacterial strains can be used to increase mineralize activity of an aquatic system. These bacteria can specifically degrade targeted compound by producing extra-cellular enzymes. Three species of Bacillus i.e. B. subtilis, B. pumilus and B. licheniformis acquired from shrimp ponds were tested for their ability to utilize ammonia and produce extracellular enzymes. These bacteria were grown in artificial seawater (30 ppt salinity and pH 7.6 supplemented with decreasing yeast extract concentration but increasing ammonium sulfate concentration. All three bacteria grew in artificial seawater containing only 0.01% yeast extract and 1% ammonium sulfate. However, only B. pumilus and B. licheniformis were able to grow in the medium containing only 1% ammonium sulfate as a sole energy source. Bacterialgrowth reduced when alkaline proteases activities was maximum from culture filtrates of all three bacterial cultures during 24 hour culturing in artificial seawater containing 0.01% yeast extract and 1% ammonium sulfate at 30 C when assayed at pH 9. Bacterial growth increased when acid proteases activities was maximum from culture filtrates of all three bacterial cultures during 48 hour culturing in artificial seawater containing 0.01% yeast extract and 1% ammoniumsulfate at 30 C when assayed at pH 5.

Improvement of thermal properties and flame retardancy of epoxy-amine thermosets by introducing bisphenol containing azomethine moiety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2007-05-01

Full Text Available A novel bisphenol 1, 4'-bis{4-[(4-hydroxy phenyliminomethylidene] phenoxy} benzene (BHPB, which contains azomethine moiety and flexible aromatic ether linkage, was synthesized and introduced into the curing system composed of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA and diamine. The curing behavior of DGEBA/diamine changed dramatically due to the introduction of BHPB. The resultant epoxy thermosets containing BHPB had high Tgs (127-160 °C, high Td, 5% (>=330°C and high integral procedure decomposition temperature (IPDT values (662-1230°C and good flame retardancy for their high Limited Oxygen Index (LOI values (above 29.5.

Reactions of oxygen containing structures in coal pyrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hodek, W.; Kirschstein, J.; Van Heek, K.-H. (DMT-Gesellschaft fuer Forschung und Pruefung mbH, Essen (Germany, F.R.))

1991-03-01

In coal pyrolysis O-containing structures such as ether bridges and phenolic groups play an important role. Their reactions were studied by non-isothermal pyrolysis of a high volatile bituminous coal and some model polymers with gas chromatographic detection of the gaseous pyrolysis products. The coal was separated into the maceral groups vitrinite, exinite and inertinite, which showed markedly different pyrolysis behaviour. The formation of CO, methane and benzene was measured versus temperature. By comparison with polyphenyleneoxide and phenol-formaldehyde resins, it was found that the main volatilization, during which most of the tar is evolved, is initiated by cleavage of alkyl-aryl-ethers. Rearrangements of the primarily formed radicals lead to the formation of CO and methane at higher temperatures. 5 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

Detection of toxigenic vibrio cholera from environmental water samples by an enrichment broth cultivation-pit-stop semi-nested PCR procedure

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Theron, J

2000-09-01

Full Text Available V. cholerae. The PCR procedure coupled with an enrichment culture detected as few as four V. cholerae organisms in pure culture. Treated sewage, surface, ground and drinking water samples were seeded with V, cholerae and following enrichment, a...

Acidolysis small molecular phenolic ether used as accelerator in photosensitive diazonaphthaquinone systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Haihua; Zou, Yingquan

2006-03-01

The photosensitive compounds in the photosensitive coatings of positive PS plates are the diazonaphthaquinone derivatives. Some acidolysis small molecular phenolic ethers, which were synthesized by some special polyhydroxyl phenols with vinyl ethyl ether, are added in the positive diazonaphthaquinone photosensitive composition to improve its sensitivity, composed with photo-acid-generators. The effects to the photosensitivity, anti-alkali property, anti-isopropyl alcohol property, dot resolution and line resolution of the coatings are studied with different additive percent of the special phenolic ethers. In the conventional photosensitive diazonaphthaquinone systems for positive PS plates, the photosensitivity is improved without negative effects to resolution, anti-alkali and anti-isopropyl alcohol properties when added about 5% of the special acidolysis phenolic ethers, EAAE or DPHE, composed with photo-acid-generators.

The simple ethers of glycerin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimsanov, B.Kh.; Karimov, M.B.

1998-01-01

From glycerin derivatives the considerable interest is present simple ethers because many of them are biological active and found wide practical using as an effect drugs, inters for thin organic synthesis, vehicle for injections, regulators of plants growth, reagents, components for perfumery-cosmetic goods and etc

The PROMETHEE multiple criteria decision making analysis for selecting the best membrane prepared from sulfonated poly(ether ketone)s and poly(ether sulfone)s for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikouei, Mohammad Ali; Oroujzadeh, Maryam; Mehdipour-Ataei, Shahram

2017-01-01

Proton exchange membrane as the heart of fuel cell has been the topic of many research activities in recent years. Finding a suitable alternative for Nafion membranes is one of the most important issues of interest. This study is dedicated to sulfonated poly(ether ketone) and poly(ether sulfone) membranes. For synthesis of these two groups of polymers, two different isomeric biphenols (meta- and para-) were used and each group of membranes with three different degree of sulfonation (25, 35, and 45%) was synthesized. In this way, twelve different membrane samples were obtained and their properties were evaluated. Since each membrane had some strong and some weak points of properties in comparison to the other ones, using a rational analysis for choosing the best membrane between prepared samples was inevitable. For this purpose a PROMETHEE based multiple criteria decision making approach was applied and for evaluation of the weight of each criterion, Shannon entropy method was used. Final results showed that poly(ether ketone) membranes in selected criteria were better than poly(ether sulfone) membranes and as expected, membranes with the highest degree of sulfonation (45%) were placed at the top ranking levels. - Highlights: • Sulfonated poly(ether ketone)s and Poly(ether sulfone)s were synthesized. • Related membranes for PEMFC were prepared. • The properties of membranes were measured. • Multiple criteria decision making approach was used to ranking the membranes. • PROMETHEE based approach selected poly(ether ketone)s as better choices.

Bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediment aged for 2 years to carps (Cyprinus carpio)

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, S. Y.; Li, J. Y.; Jia, X. M.

2017-08-01

In order to understand the risk of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) existing in sediment for years, the accumulation of PBDEs in sediment aged for 2 years to fish was investigated. Simulated aquatic system microcosms were conducted with PBDE contaminated sediment aged for 2 years and carps were cultured in the microcosms for 20 days. PBDE concentrations in carp tissues were analyzed to estimate the bioavailability of aged PBDEs in carps. The main spiked PBDE congeners were detected in sediment even though the contaminated sediment was aged for 2 years. Similarly, the five PBDE (BDE-28, 47, 100, 153 and 154) congeners which probably were bioaccumulated by carp were detected in fish tissues, indicating that PBDEs could be bioaccumulated after aging for 2 years. The PBDEs distribution revealed that the concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in tissues of Cyprinus carpio is in this order of magnitude: gut > liver > gill > fillet. The PBDEs concentrations in fillet were as high as 67.9 ng/g dry wt, in which BDE-47 contributed almost 50% in profile.

Effects of national culture on human failures in container shipping: the moderating role of Confucian dynamism.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Chin-Shan; Lai, Kee-hung; Lun, Y H Venus; Cheng, T C E

2012-11-01

Recent reports on work safety in container shipping operations highlight high frequencies of human failures. In this study, we empirically examine the effects of seafarers' perceptions of national culture on the occurrence of human failures affecting work safety in shipping operations. We develop a model adopting Hofstede's national culture construct, which comprises five dimensions, namely power distance, collectivism/individualism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/femininity, and Confucian dynamism. We then formulate research hypotheses from theory and test the hypotheses using survey data collected from 608 seafarers who work on global container carriers. Using a point scale for evaluating seafarers' perception of the five national culture dimensions, we find that Filipino seafarers score highest on collectivism, whereas Chinese and Taiwanese seafarers score highest on Confucian dynamism, followed by collectivism, masculinity, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance. The results also indicate that Taiwanese seafarers have a propensity for uncertainty avoidance and masculinity, whereas Filipino seafarers lean more towards power distance, masculinity, and collectivism, which are consistent with the findings of Hofstede and Bond (1988). The results suggest that there will be fewer human failures in container shipping operations when power distance is low, and collectivism and uncertainty avoidance are high. Specifically, this study finds that Confucian dynamism plays an important moderating role as it affects the strength of associations between some national culture dimensions and human failures. Finally, we discuss our findings' contribution to the development of national culture theory and their managerial implications for reducing the occurrence of human failures in shipping operations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of poly(ether ether ketone)-based polymer electrolytes for fuel cell membranes using grafting technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Shin; Suzuki, Yasuyuki; Maekawa, Yasunari

2008-01-01

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK)-based polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) was successfully prepared by radiation grafting of a styrene monomer into PEEK films and the consequent selective sulfonation of the grafting chains in the film state. Using milder sulfonation, the sulfonation reactions proceeded at the grafted chains in preference to the phenylene rings of PEEK main chains; as a result, the grafted films could successfully transform to a PEM with conductivity of more than 0.1 S/cm. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) and conductivity of the grafted PEEK electrolyte membranes were controlled to the ranges of 1.2-2.9 mmol/g and 0.03-0.18 S/cm by changing the grafting degree. It should be noted that this is the first example of directly transforming super-engineering plastic films into a PEM using radiation grafting

Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone)/Functionalized Carbon Nanotube Composite Membrane for Vanadium Redox Flow Battery Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, Chuankun; Cheng, Yuanhang; Ling, Xiao; Wei, Guanjie; Liu, Jianguo; Yan, Chuanwei

2015-01-01

A novel sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membrane embedded with the short-carboxylic multi-walled carbon nanotube (we name it as SPEEK/SCCT membrane) for vanadium redox flow battery (VRB) has been prepared with low capacity loss, low cost and high energy efficiency. The mechanical strength, vanadium ions permeability and performance of the membrane in the VRB single cell were characterized. Results showed that the SPEEK/SCCT membrane possessed low permeability of vanadium ions, accompanied by higher mechanical strength than the Nafion 212 membrane. The VRB single cell with SPEEK/SCCT membrane showed 7% higher coulombic efficiency (CE), 6% higher energy efficiency (EE) but lower capacity loss in comparison with the one with Nafion 212. The good cell performance, low capacity loss and high vanadium ions barrier properties of the blend membrane is of significant interest for VRB applications

Detection and Quantification of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether-Degrading Strain PM1 by Real-Time TaqMan PCR

OpenAIRE

Hristova, Krassimira R.; Lutenegger, Christian M.; Scow, Kate M.

2001-01-01

The fuel oxygenate methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a widely distributed groundwater contaminant, shows potential for treatment by in situ bioremediation. The bacterial strain PM1 rapidly mineralizes and grows on MTBE in laboratory cultures and can degrade the contaminant when inoculated into groundwater or soil microcosms. We applied the TaqMan quantitative PCR method to detect and quantify strain PM1 in laboratory and field samples. Specific primers and probes were designed for the 16S ribos...

Influence of structure of crown ethers on their radiation stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grigor'ev, E.I.; Myasoedova, T.G.; Nesterov, S.V.; Trakhtenberg, L.I.

1988-01-01

Primary products of γ-radiolysis of crown ethers with the same size of the macrocyclic ring and different substituents were studied by EPR and mass spectrometry. It was shown that introduction of substituents into the polyether ring increases the radiation stability of crown ethers due to intramolecular transfer of energy from the polyether ring to a substituent

Chronic carcinogenicity study of gasoline vapor condensate (GVC) and GVC containing methyl tertiary-butyl ether in F344 rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Janet M; Gigliotti, Andrew P; March, Thomas H; Barr, Edward B; Tibbetts, Brad M; Skipper, Betty J; Clark, Charles R; Twerdok, Lorraine

2011-01-01

Chronic inhalation studies were conducted to compare the toxicity and potential carcinogenicity of evaporative emissions from unleaded gasoline (GVC) and gasoline containing the oxygenate methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE; GMVC). The test materials were manufactured to mimic vapors people would be exposed to during refueling at gas stations. Fifty F344 rats per gender per exposure level per test article were exposed 6 h/d, 5 d/wk for 104 wk in whole body chambers. Target total vapor concentrations were 0, 2, 10, or 20 g/m³ for the control, low-, mid-, and high-level exposures, respectively. Endpoints included survival, body weights, clinical observations, organs weights, and histopathology. GVC and GMVC exerted no marked effects on survival or clinical observations and few effects on organ weights. Terminal body weights were reduced in all mid- and high-level GVC groups and high-level GMVC groups. The major proliferative lesions attributable to gasoline exposure with or without MTBE were renal tubule adenomas and carcinomas in male rats. GMV exposure led to elevated testicular mesothelioma incidence and an increased trend for thyroid carcinomas in males. GVMC inhalation caused an increased trend for testicular tumors with exposure concentration. Mid- and high-level exposures of GVC and GMVC led to elevated incidences of nasal respiratory epithelial degeneration. Overall, in these chronic studies conducted under identical conditions, the health effects in F344 rats following 2 yr of GVC or GMVC exposure were comparable in the production of renal adenomas and carcinomas in male rats and similar in other endpoints.

Chronic Carcinogenicity Study of Gasoline Vapor Condensate (GVC) and GVC Containing Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether in F344 Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Janet M.; Gigliotti, Andrew P.; March, Thomas H.; Barr, Edward B.; Tibbetts, Brad M.; Skipper, Betty J.; Clark, Charles R.; Twerdok, Lorraine

2011-01-01

Chronic inhalation studies were conducted to compare the toxicity and potential carcinogenicity of evaporative emissions from unleaded gasoline (GVC) and gasoline containing the oxygenate methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE; GMVC). The test materials were manufactured to mimic vapors people would be exposed to during refueling at gas stations. Fifty F344 rats per gender per exposure level per test article were exposed 6 h/d, 5 d/wk for 104 wk in whole body chambers. Target total vapor concentrations were 0, 2, 10, or 20 g/m3 for the control, low-, mid-, and high-level exposures, respectively. Endpoints included survival, body weights, clinical observations, organs weights, and histopathology. GVC and GMVC exerted no marked effects on survival or clinical observations and few effects on organ weights. Terminal body weights were reduced in all mid- and high-level GVC groups and high-level GMVC groups. The major proliferative lesions attributable to gasoline exposure with or without MTBE were renal tubule adenomas and carcinomas in male rats. GMV exposure led to elevated testicular mesothelioma incidence and an increased trend for thyroid carcinomas in males. GVMC inhalation caused an increased trend for testicular tumors with exposure concentration. Mid- and high-level exposures of GVC and GMVC led to elevated incidences of nasal respiratory epithelial degeneration. Overall, in these chronic studies conducted under identical conditions, the health effects in F344 rats following 2 yr of GVC or GMVC exposure were comparable in the production of renal adenomas and carcinomas in male rats and similar in other endpoints. PMID:21432714

Involvement of glycosphingolipid-enriched lipid rafts in inflammatory responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwabuchi, Kazuhisa

2015-01-01

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are membrane components consisting of hydrophobic ceramide and hydrophilic sugar moieties. GSLs cluster with cholesterol in cell membranes to form GSL-enriched lipid rafts. Biochemical analyses have demonstrated that GSL-enriched lipid rafts contain several kinds of transducer molecules, including Src family kinases. Among the GSLs, lactosylceramide (LacCer, CDw17) can bind to various microorganisms, is highly expressed on the plasma membranes of human phagocytes, and forms lipid rafts containing the Src family tyrosine kinase Lyn. LacCer-enriched lipid rafts mediate immunological and inflammatory reactions, including superoxide generation, chemotaxis, and non-opsonic phagocytosis. Therefore, LacCer-enriched membrane microdomains are thought to function as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) expressed on microorganisms. LacCer also serves as a signal transduction molecule for functions mediated by CD11b/CD18-integrin (αM/β2-integrin, CR3, Mac-1), as well as being associated with several key cellular processes. LacCer recruits PCKα/ε and phospholipase A2 to stimulate PECAM-1 expression in human monocytes and their adhesion to endothelial cells, as well as regulating β1-integrin clustering and endocytosis on cell surfaces. This review describes the organizational and inflammation-related functions of LacCer-enriched lipid rafts.

Degradation of Perfluorinated Ether Lubricants on Pure Aluminum Surfaces: Semiempirical Quantum Chemical Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Slaby, Scott M.; Ewing, David W.; Zehe, Michael J.

1997-01-01

The AM1 semiempirical quantum chemical method was used to model the interaction of perfluoroethers with aluminum surfaces. Perfluorodimethoxymethane and perfluorodimethyl ether were studied interacting with aluminum surfaces, which were modeled by a five-atom cluster and a nine-atom cluster. Interactions were studied for edge (high index) sites and top (low index) sites of the clusters. Both dissociative binding and nondissociative binding were found, with dissociative binding being stronger. The two different ethers bound and dissociated on the clusters in different ways: perfluorodimethoxymethane through its oxygen atoms, but perfluorodimethyl ether through its fluorine atoms. The acetal linkage of perfluorodimeth-oxymethane was the key structural feature of this molecule in its binding and dissociation on the aluminum surface models. The high-index sites of the clusters caused the dissociation of both ethers. These results are consistent with the experimental observation that perfluorinated ethers decompose in contact with sputtered aluminum surfaces.

Research on aerodynamic means of isotope enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cattolica, R.J.; Gallagher, R.J.; Talbot, L.; Willis, D.R.; Hurlbut, F.C.; Fiszdon, W.; Anderson, J.B.

1978-03-01

The results of a research program directed toward the understanding of the fundamental gas dynamics involved in aerodynamic isotope enrichment are summarized. The specific aerodynamic isotope enrichment method which was examined in this research is based on a velocity slip phenomenon which occurs in the rarefied hypersonic expansion of a heavy molecular weight gas and a light carrier gas in a nozzle or free jet. This particular aerodynamic method was chosen for study because it contains the fundamental molecular physics of other more complex techniques within the context of a one-dimensional flow without boundary effects. From both an experimental and theoretical modeling perspective this provides an excellent basis for testing the experimental and numerical tools with which to investigate more complex aerodynamic isotope enrichment processes. This report consists of three separate parts. Part I contains a theoretical analysis of the velocity slip effect in free jet expansions of binary and ternary gas mixtures. The analysis, based on a source flow model and using moment equations is derived from the Boltzmann equation using the hypersonic approximation. Part II contains the experimental measurements of velocity slip. The numerical simulation of the slip process was carried out by using a Monte-Carlo numerical technique. In addition, comparisons between the theoretical analysis of Part I and the experiments are presented. Part III describes impact pressure measurements of free jet expansions from slot shaped two dimensional nozzles. At least two methods of aerodynamic isotope enrichment (opposed jet and velocity slip) would depend on the use of this type of two dimensional expansion. Flow surveys of single free jet and the interferene of crossed free jets are presented

18F-fluorination by crown ether-metal fluoride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irie, T.; Fukushi, K.; Ido, T.; Kasida, Y.; Nozaki, T.

1984-01-01

For non-carrier-added 18 F-labeling of organic compounds, details were studied concerning the previously developed KF-crown ether method. In the modified method, a minute amount of KOH instead of carrier KF is added for the preparation of the anhydrous 18 F from aqueous carrier-free 18 F. The following factors were examined in order to determine optimum conditions for the preparation of the anhydrous non-carrier-added 18 F and the labeling synthesis with it: effects of the vessel on the evaporation of the 18 F-KOH solution and the amount of added KOH for the conversion of aqueous 18 F to anhydrous 18 F, the solubilized activity of the 18 F obtained by the evaporation in organic solutions containing 18-Crown-6 and the labeling reaction, as exemplified by the synthesis of 21-fluoroprogesterone. (author)

Stable acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation by selective enrichment of hydrogenotrophic methanogens

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fang; Zhang, Yan; Ding, Jing; Dai, Kun; van Loosdrecht, Mark C. M.; Zeng, Raymond J.

2014-06-01

The control of metabolite production is difficult in mixed culture fermentation. This is particularly related to hydrogen inhibition. In this work, hydrogenotrophic methanogens were selectively enriched to reduce the hydrogen partial pressure and to realize efficient acetate production in extreme-thermophilic (70°C) mixed culture fermentation. The continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was stable operated during 100 days, in which acetate accounted for more than 90% of metabolites in liquid solutions. The yields of acetate, methane and biomass in CSTR were 1.5 +/- 0.06, 1.0 +/- 0.13 and 0.4 +/- 0.05 mol/mol glucose, respectively, close to the theoretical expected values. The CSTR effluent was stable and no further conversion occurred when incubated for 14 days in a batch reactor. In fed-batch experiments, acetate could be produced up to 34.4 g/L, significantly higher than observed in common hydrogen producing fermentations. Acetate also accounted for more than 90% of soluble products formed in these fed-batch fermentations. The microbial community analysis revealed hydrogenotrophic methanogens (mainly Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus and Methanobacterium thermoaggregans) as 98% of Archaea, confirming that high temperature will select hydrogenotrophic methanogens over aceticlastic methanogens effectively. This work demonstrated a potential application to effectively produce acetate as a value chemical and methane as an energy gas together via mixed culture fermentation.

Containers of DS-2 Decontaminating Solution

Science.gov (United States)

1982-03-01

percent sodium hydroxide, and the remainder is ethylene glycol monomethyl ether. Because of its reactivity, it must be protected from moisture and... carbon dioxide. It has been demonstrated that DS-2 does not corrode terneplate or steel. However, satisfactory terneplate and steel containers are...not produce a pail with a polyethylene insert. However, Mr. Wood told me that Hedwin Corporation (a subsidiary of Solvay ) does produce this kind of

Increasing the thermopower of crown-ether-bridged anthraquinones

Science.gov (United States)

Ismael, Ali K.; Grace, Iain; Lambert, Colin J.

2015-10-01

We investigate strategies for increasing the thermopower of crown-ether-bridged anthraquinones. The novel design feature of these molecules is the presence of either (1) crown-ether or (2) diaza-crown-ether bridges attached to the side of the current-carrying anthraquinone wire. The crown-ether side groups selectively bind alkali-metal cations and when combined with TCNE or TTF dopants, provide a large phase-space for optimising thermoelectric properties. We find that the optimum combination of cations and dopants depends on the temperature range of interest. The thermopowers of both 1 and 2 are negative and at room temperature are optimised by binding with TTF alone, achieving thermpowers of -600 μV K-1 and -285 μV K-1 respectively. At much lower temperatures, which are relevant to cascade coolers, we find that for 1, a combination of TTF and Na+ yields a maximum thermopower of -710 μV K-1 at 70 K, whereas a combination of TTF and Li+ yields a maximum thermopower of -600 μV K-1 at 90 K. For 2, we find that TTF doping yields a maximum thermopower of -800 μV K-1 at 90 K, whereas at 50 K, the largest thermopower (of -600 μV K-1) is obtain by a combination TTF and K+ doping. At room temperature, we obtain power factors of 73 μW m-1 K-2 for 1 (in combination with TTF and Na+) and 90 μW m-1 K-2 for 2 (with TTF). These are higher or comparable with reported power factors of other organic materials.We investigate strategies for increasing the thermopower of crown-ether-bridged anthraquinones. The novel design feature of these molecules is the presence of either (1) crown-ether or (2) diaza-crown-ether bridges attached to the side of the current-carrying anthraquinone wire. The crown-ether side groups selectively bind alkali-metal cations and when combined with TCNE or TTF dopants, provide a large phase-space for optimising thermoelectric properties. We find that the optimum combination of cations and dopants depends on the temperature range of interest. The

Development and characterization of poli composites (ether ether ketone)(PEEK)(Hydroxyapatite(HA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, V.P.; Santos, F.S.F.; Sa, M.D. de; Fook, M.V.L.

2016-01-01

The objective of this work was to develop PEEK / HA composites, combining the biological activity of the ceramic phase with the properties of the polymer phase, the materials used in this research were Poly (ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK) and Hydroxyapatite (HA) (50, 60, 70 and 80% m / v HA), this material was subjected to a load of two tons followed by a thermal treatment at 390 ° for a period of 30 minutes. Then they were characterized by FTIR, DRX and MO. In the physical-chemical characterization of FTIR and XRD, it was not possible to identify significant alterations. In the FTIR spectra of the composites, there is no formation of new identifiable chemical bonds. In the composites XRD diffractograms a profile similar to the ceramic phase was observed, with peaks increasing in intensity and narrowing proportional to the increase of the hydroxyapatite concentration in the composites. In optical microscopy it is possible to observe surfaces with heterogeneous morphology, with signs of roughness and in the cross section we observe a heterogeneous aspect, rich in regions with large agglomerates and lighter particles. Considering the processing aspects, the technique proved to be effective for the development of PEEK /HA composites. (author)

Anaerobic degradation of benzene by enriched consortia with humic acids as terminal electron acceptors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cervantes, Francisco J., E-mail: fjcervantes@ipicyt.edu.mx [Division de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (IPICyT), Camino a la Presa San Jose 2055, Col. Lomas 4a. Seccion, San Luis Potosi, SLP, 78216 Mexico (Mexico); Mancilla, Ana Rosa; Toro, E. Emilia Rios-del [Division de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (IPICyT), Camino a la Presa San Jose 2055, Col. Lomas 4a. Seccion, San Luis Potosi, SLP, 78216 Mexico (Mexico); Alpuche-Solis, Angel G.; Montoya-Lorenzana, Lilia [Division de Biologia Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (IPICyT), Camino a la Presa San Jose 2055, Col. Lomas 4a. Seccion, San Luis Potosi, SLP, 78216 Mexico (Mexico)

2011-11-15

Highlights: {yields} Enriched consortia were able to couple the anaerobic degradation of benzene to the reduction of humic acids. {yields} Electron-equivalents derived from anaerobic benzene oxidation were highly recovered as reduced humic acids. {yields} Several species from classes {beta}-, {delta}- and {gamma}-Proteobacteria were enriched during the anaerobic degradation of benzene. - Abstract: The anaerobic degradation of benzene coupled to the reduction of humic acids (HA) was demonstrated in two enriched consortia. Both inocula were able to oxidize benzene under strict anaerobic conditions when the humic model compound, anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), was supplied as terminal electron acceptor. An enrichment culture originated from a contaminated soil was also able to oxidize benzene linked to the reduction of highly purified soil humic acids (HPSHA). In HPSHA-amended cultures, 9.3 {mu}M of benzene were degraded, which corresponds to 279 {+-} 27 micro-electron equivalents ({mu}Eq) L{sup -1}, linked to the reduction of 619 {+-} 81 {mu}Eq L{sup -1} of HPSHA. Neither anaerobic benzene oxidation nor reduction of HPSHA occurred in sterilized controls. Anaerobic benzene oxidation did not occur in soil incubations lacking HPSHA. Furthermore, negligible reduction of HPSHA occurred in the absence of benzene. The enrichment culture derived from this soil was dominated by two {gamma}-Proteobacteria phylotypes. A benzene-degrading AQDS-reducing enrichment originated from a sediment sample showed the prevalence of different species from classes {beta}-, {delta}- and {gamma}-Proteobacteria. The present study provides clear quantitative demonstration of anaerobic degradation of benzene coupled to the reduction of HA.

Anaerobic degradation of benzene by enriched consortia with humic acids as terminal electron acceptors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cervantes, Francisco J.; Mancilla, Ana Rosa; Toro, E. Emilia Rios-del; Alpuche-Solis, Angel G.; Montoya-Lorenzana, Lilia

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Enriched consortia were able to couple the anaerobic degradation of benzene to the reduction of humic acids. → Electron-equivalents derived from anaerobic benzene oxidation were highly recovered as reduced humic acids. → Several species from classes β-, δ- and γ-Proteobacteria were enriched during the anaerobic degradation of benzene. - Abstract: The anaerobic degradation of benzene coupled to the reduction of humic acids (HA) was demonstrated in two enriched consortia. Both inocula were able to oxidize benzene under strict anaerobic conditions when the humic model compound, anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), was supplied as terminal electron acceptor. An enrichment culture originated from a contaminated soil was also able to oxidize benzene linked to the reduction of highly purified soil humic acids (HPSHA). In HPSHA-amended cultures, 9.3 μM of benzene were degraded, which corresponds to 279 ± 27 micro-electron equivalents (μEq) L -1 , linked to the reduction of 619 ± 81 μEq L -1 of HPSHA. Neither anaerobic benzene oxidation nor reduction of HPSHA occurred in sterilized controls. Anaerobic benzene oxidation did not occur in soil incubations lacking HPSHA. Furthermore, negligible reduction of HPSHA occurred in the absence of benzene. The enrichment culture derived from this soil was dominated by two γ-Proteobacteria phylotypes. A benzene-degrading AQDS-reducing enrichment originated from a sediment sample showed the prevalence of different species from classes β-, δ- and γ-Proteobacteria. The present study provides clear quantitative demonstration of anaerobic degradation of benzene coupled to the reduction of HA.

Ether gas-sensor based on Au nanoparticles-decorated ZnO microstructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto López

Full Text Available An ether gas-sensor was fabricated based on gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs decorated zinc oxide microstructures (ZnO-MS. Scanning electron microscope (SEM and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM measurements were performed to study morphological and structural properties, respectively, of the ZnO-MS. The gas sensing response was evaluated in a relatively low temperature regime, which ranged between 150 and 250 °C. Compared with a sensor fabricated from pure ZnO-MS, the sensor based on Au-NPs decorated ZnO-MS showed much better ether gas response at the highest working temperature. In fact, pure ZnO-MS based sensor only showed a weak sensitivity of about 25%. The improvement of the ether gas response for sensor fabricated with Au-NPs decorated ZnO-MS was attributed to the catalytic activity of the Au-NPs. Keywords: ZnO microstructures, Au nanoparticles, Ether, Gas sensor

Novel poly (arylene-ether-ether-ketone)s containing preformed imide unit and pendant long chain alkyl group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sayyed, Maheboob M.; Maldar, Noormahmad N.

2010-01-01

The studies were carried out to get preformed imide unit containing PEEKs and Co-PEEKs with pendant long chain alkyl group. Thus two new bisphenols; N,N'-bis (4-hydroxy 2-pentadecyl phenyl) pyromellitimide (HPI) (I) and N,N'-bis (4-hydroxy 2-pentadecyl phenyl 3,3',4,4'-benzophenone tetracarboxylic imide (HBI) (II) containing imide unit, pendant C-15 alkyl substituents were synthesized, characterized by spectral data and polycondensed with 4,4'-difluorobenzophenone (DFB) to yield several PEEK and Co-PEEKs. The polymers were characterized by FTIR, inherent viscosity, solubility, and XRD. The polymers were obtained in good yields and had inherent viscosities up to 0.65 dL/g in NMP. Polymerization of mixture of two bisphenols; [(I) and BPA]; and [(II) and BPA] in various mol%, with DFB gave number of the copolymers viz. Co-PEEK-BPAPI and Co-PEEK-BPABI. Many of the Co-PEEKs had good solubility in polar solvents. The solubility of PEEK containing bulky pendant alkyl substituents did not much improve probably due to simultaneous presence of rigid imide structures. XRD analysis indicated that PEEK and Co-PEEKs were partially crystalline or amorphous depending on the nature and % content of imide-bisphenol. These new PEEK materials can be used as high performance films, coatings, gas separation membranes, in aerospace and nuclear industries.

Facile electrochemical polymerization of 2-(thiophen-2-yl)furan and the enhanced capacitance properties of its polymer in acetonitrile electrolyte containing boron trifluoride diethyl etherate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mo, Daize; Zhou, Weiqiang; Ma, Xiumei; Xu, Jingkun

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The low-potential polymerization of 2-(thiophen-2-yl)furan into polymer (PTFu) was reported. • The electrochemical performance of PTFu was studied in three different electrolytes. • The specific capacitance of PTFu electrode reached 392.0 F g −1 at 5 A g −1 and had 67.0% retention after 500 cycles. • The addition of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate into acetonitrile electrolyte benefited to enhance the specific capacitance and stability of PTFu electrode. - ABSTRACT: In this study, a new simple hybrid poly(2-(thiophen-2-yl)furan) (PTFu) was easily electrodeposited by direct anodic oxidation of 2-(thiophen-2-yl)furan in acetonitrile solution containing 0.1 M lithium perchlorate (LiClO 4 ). The oxidation onset potential of 2-(thiophen-2-yl)furan monomer in this medium was measured to be 0.90 V, which was lower than those of thiophene (1.47 V) and furan (1.28 V). The structure and morphology of PTFu were characterized by Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermal analysis. The electrochemical capacitance properties of PTFu electrode in three electrolytes were also investigated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscope techniques. The electrochemical results showed that the specific capacitance of PTFu electrode was enhanced to 392.0 F g −1 from 249.4 F g −1 at 5 A g −1 and the cycling stability was also enhanced to 67.0% retention from 25.5% retention after 500 cycles when the equivalent boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BFEE) was added into the acetonitrile electrolyte. Furthermore, the PTFu electrode in ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmimPF 6 ) showed a lower specific capacitance value (209.4 F g −1 at 5 A g −1 ) and an improved stability (67.6% retention after 600 cycles). These results indicated that the conducting polymers based on furan should be a promising

Diethyl Ether Production Process with Various Catalyst Type

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Widayat

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Several H-zeolite and HZSM-5 catalysts was preparated and their characters have also been investigated. H-zeolit Catalyst was preparated from Natural Zeolite that obtained from Malang District and Gunung Kidul District. Diethyl ether was produced by Ethanol with concentration of 95%. This research use fixed bed reactor that 1 gram of catalyst as bed catalyst, atmospheric pressure and temperature 140oC as the operating condition. Ethanol vapor from vaporization tank was driven by 200 ml/min Nitrogen stream. The responds in this research is liquid product concentration; diethyl ether, ethanol, methanol and water concentration. The results showed that the largest ethanol conversion was produced by the use of 56.44% HZSM-5 and the largest yield of diethyl ether diethyl was produced by the use of alumina and H-zeolite catalyst. The larger ratio between natural zeolite with HCl solvent will produce the larger surface area of catalyst and ethanol conversion. The largest ethanol conversion was produced at reactan ratio 1:20.

Bioaugmentation for treatment of full-scale diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (DGBE) wastewater by Serratia sp. BDG-2.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Maoxia; Fan, Rong; Zou, Wenhui; Zhou, Houzhen; Tan, Zhouliang; Li, Xudong

2016-05-15

A novel bacterial strain BDG-2 was isolated and used to augment the treatment of silicon plate manufacturing wastewater that primarily contains diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (DGBE). BDG-2 was identified as a Serratia sp. Under the optimal conditions of 30 °C, pH 9 and DGBE concentration of 2000 mg L(-1), the bioaugmented system achieved 96.92% COD removal after 39.9h. Laboratory-scale technological matching results indicated that, in a biofilm process with the addition of 100 mg L(-1) ammonia and 5 mg L(-1) total phosphorus (TP), 70.61% COD removal efficiency could be obtained in 46 h. Addition of polyaluminium chloride (PAC) to the reactors during the suspension process enhanced the settleability of the BDG-2 culture. Subsequently, successful start-up and stable operation of a full-scale bioaugmented treatment facilities were accomplished, and the volumetric organic load in the plug-flow aeration tank was 2.17 ± 0.81 kg m(-3) d(-1). The effluent COD of the facilities was stable and always below 100 mg L(-1). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

QSPR models of n-octanol/water partition coefficients and aqueous solubility of halogenated methyl-phenyl ethers by DFT method.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Xiao-Lan; Wang, Hong-Jun; Wang, Yan

2012-02-01

The possible molecular geometries of 134 halogenated methyl-phenyl ethers were optimized at B3LYP/6-31G(*) level with Gaussian 98 program. The calculated structural parameters were taken as theoretical descriptors to establish two new novel QSPR models for predicting aqueous solubility (-lgS(w,l)) and n-octanol/water partition coefficient (lgK(ow)) of halogenated methyl-phenyl ethers. The two models achieved in this work both contain three variables: energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (E(LUMO)), most positive atomic partial charge in molecule (q(+)), and quadrupole moment (Q(yy) or Q(zz)), of which R values are 0.992 and 0.970 respectively, their standard errors of estimate in modeling (SD) are 0.132 and 0.178, respectively. The results of leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation for training set and validation with external test sets both show that the models obtained exhibited optimum stability and good predictive power. We suggests that two QSPR models derived here can be used to predict S(w,l) and K(ow) accurately for non-tested halogenated methyl-phenyl ethers congeners. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protective effects of ether, oxygen and their mixture for radiation in Drosophila melanogaster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Megumi, Tsuneo; Tsujii, Yukio; Gamo, Sumiko

1992-01-01

Protective effects of ether mixed with air or oxygen against ionizing radiation damages were demonstrated in adult flies of Drosophila melanogaster. The protective effects against knock-down on the second day and lethality on the eighth day after irradiation were not affected by the radiation sensitivity and DNA repair capacity of the strains. Ether (4.2%) in oxygen was more effective than ether in air for both endpoints. The protective effects may be due to damages not involving cell division, since no mitotic cells are observed in adult flies except in gonadal glands. A change in the orderliness of the cell membrane by ether is suggested to be the cause of the protective effects. (author). 16 refs.; 3 tabs

Enrichment of Thermophilic Propionate-Oxidizing Bacteria in Syntrophy with Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum or Methanobacterium thermoformicicum

OpenAIRE

Stams, Alfons J. M.; Grolle, Katja C. F.; Frijters, Carla T. M.; Van Lier, Jules B.

1992-01-01

Thermophilic propionate-oxidizing, proton-reducing bacteria were enriched from the granular methanogenic sludge of a bench-scale upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor operated at 55°C with a mixture of volatile fatty acids as feed. Thermophilic hydrogenotrophic methanogens had a high decay rate. Therefore, stable, thermophilic propionate-oxidizing cultures could not be obtained by using the usual enrichment procedures. Stable and reproducible cultivation was possible by enrichment in hydrogen-p...

Radiolytic decomposition of 4-bromodiphenyl ether

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Liang; Xu Gang; Wu Wenjing; Shi Wenyan; Liu Ning; Bai Yulei; Wu Minghong

2010-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) spread widely in the environment are mainly removed by photochemical and anaerobic microbial degradation. In this paper, the decomposition of 4-bromodiphenyl ether (BDE -3), the PBDEs homologues, is investigated by electron beam irradiation of its ethanol/water solution (reduction system) and acetonitrile/water solution (oxidation system). The radiolytic products were determined by GC coupled with electron capture detector, and the reaction rate constant of e sol - in the reduction system was measured at 2.7 x 10 10 L · mol -1 · s -1 by pulsed radiolysis. The results show that the BDE-3 concentration affects strongly the decomposition ratio in the alkali solution, and the reduction system has a higher BDE-3 decomposition rate than the oxidation system. This indicates that the BDE-3 was reduced by effectively capturing e sol - in radiolytic process. (authors)

Dimethylzinc-Initiated Radical Coupling of β-Bromostyrenes with Ethers and Amines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sølvhøj, Amanda Birgitte; Ahlburg, Andreas; Madsen, Robert

2015-01-01

A new coupling reaction has been developed in which β-bromostyrenes react with ethers and tertiary amines to introduce the styryl group in the α-position. The transformation is mediated by Me2Zn/O2 with 10 % MnCl2 and is believed to proceed by a radical addition-elimination mechanism. The ether...... and the amine are employed as solvent and the coupling takes place through the most stable α radical for unsymmetrical substrates. The products are obtained in moderate to good yields as the pure E isomers. The coupling can be achieved with a range of smaller cyclic and acyclic ethers/amines as well as various...

Cage enrichment: rabbit does prefer straw or a compressed wooden block

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rommers, J.M.; Bracke, M.B.M.; Reuvekamp, B.F.J.; Gunnink, H.; Jong, de I.C.

2014-01-01

The effect of different food related materials on the behaviour of commercial meat rabbit does was investigated to provide them enrichment. Five different treatments were tested. Control (pens without additional enrichment, C) was compared with pens containing a pinewood stick (Pine), straw in a

Anaerobic degradation of propane and butane by sulfate-reducing bacteria enriched from marine hydrocarbon cold seeps.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaekel, Ulrike; Musat, Niculina; Adam, Birgit; Kuypers, Marcel; Grundmann, Olav; Musat, Florin

2013-05-01

The short-chain, non-methane hydrocarbons propane and butane can contribute significantly to the carbon and sulfur cycles in marine environments affected by oil or natural gas seepage. In the present study, we enriched and identified novel propane and butane-degrading sulfate reducers from marine oil and gas cold seeps in the Gulf of Mexico and Hydrate Ridge. The enrichment cultures obtained were able to degrade simultaneously propane and butane, but not other gaseous alkanes. They were cold-adapted, showing highest sulfate-reduction rates between 16 and 20 °C. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene libraries, followed by whole-cell hybridizations with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes showed that each enrichment culture was dominated by a unique phylotype affiliated with the Desulfosarcina-Desulfococcus cluster within the Deltaproteobacteria. These phylotypes formed a distinct phylogenetic cluster of propane and butane degraders, including sequences from environments associated with hydrocarbon seeps. Incubations with (13)C-labeled substrates, hybridizations with sequence-specific probes and nanoSIMS analyses showed that cells of the dominant phylotypes were the first to become enriched in (13)C, demonstrating that they were directly involved in hydrocarbon degradation. Furthermore, using the nanoSIMS data, carbon assimilation rates were calculated for the dominant cells in each enrichment culture.

Effects of a diphenyl-ether herbicide, oxyfluorfen, on human BFU-E/CFU-E development and haemoglobin synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rio, B; Parent-Massin, D; Lautraite, S; Hoellinger, H

1997-02-01

The diphenyl-ether herbicides exert their phytotoxic activity by preventing chlorophyll formation in plants as a result of inhibition of protoporphyrinogen oxidase. This enzyme is the last step of the common pathway for chlorophyll and haem biosynthesis. The aim of this work is to determine whether herbicide inhibitors of plant protoporphyrinogen oxidase could act on the human protoporphyrinogen oxidase involved in haemoglobin synthesis and cause heamatologic diseases. Human erythroblastic progenitors (BFU-E/CFU-E: Burst Forming Unit-Erythroid and Colony Forming Unit-Erythroid) were exposed to oxyfluorfen, a diphenyl-ether herbicide in the presence of erythropoietin, and the haematoxicity evaluated in vitro by scoring the development of BFU-E/CFU-E colonies after 7 and 14 days of culture. The toxic effect on differentiation has been evaluated using four criteria: morphology, total protein, total porphyrin, and haemoglobin content. The study of BFU-E/CFU-E proliferation and differentiation showed a cytotoxic effect of oxyfluorfen only at very high concentrations. In contrast, haemoglobin synthesis can be inhibited by concentration of oxyfluorfen (10(-4) M) that have no adverse effect on cellular proliferation.

Radiation polymerisable compositions containing 3-sorboyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, G.E.

1976-01-01

Compounds having at least three 3-sorboyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl groups directly attached to ether oxygen atoms are polymerised by exposure to actinic radiation, preferably in the presence of a sensitizer such as Michler's ketone or benzoin. The compounds may be obtained by the reaction either of sorbic acid with a substance having at least three glycidyl ether groups or of glycidyl sorbate with a substance having at least three phenolic or alcoholic hydroxyl groups: if desired, not all of the glycidyl groups may be consumed, so that, after actinically induced polymerisation, the epoxide-containing polymer may be cross-linked by reaction with a curing agent for epoxide resins. The compounds are useful in making printed circuits or printing plates for offset printing

Column chromatographic separation of Y3+ from Sr2+ by polymeric ionizable crown ether resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, D.J.; Elshani, S.; Wai, C.M.; Bartsch, R.A.; Huntley, M.; Hartenstein, S.

1993-01-01

Condensation polymers containing subunits of crown ether carboxylic acid monomers are effective stationary phases for the chromatographic separation of Y 3+ and Sr 2+ . The pH range and metal loading capacities for the resins have been determined under equilibrium conditions. The resin can be regenerated for repeated use without losing its separation capability. Altering the molecular structure of the monomer (sym-dibenzo-16-crown-5-oxyacetic acid) by an alkyl substitution on the macrocyclic cavity decreases the loading capacity of the resin

IRON(III) NITRATE-CATALYZED FACILE SYNTHESIS OF DIPHENYLMETHYL (DPM) ETHERS FROM ALCOHOLS

Science.gov (United States)

Diphenyl methyl (DPM) ethers constitute important structural portion of some pharmaceutical entities and also as protective group for hydroxyl groups in synthetic chemistry. DPM ethers are normally prepared using concentrated acids or base as catalysts, which may result in the fo...

Reductive dehalogenation of polychlorinated biphenyls by anaerobic microorganisms enriched from Dutch sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

HartkampCommandeur, LCM; Gerritse, J; Govers, HAJ; Parsons, [No Value

The dehalogenation of PCBs by anaerobic microbial cultures enriched from Dutch sediments was investigated. One mixed culture originating from estuarine sediments of the River Rhine (the Chemie Harbour), dehalogenated 2,2',3,3',4,4'- and 2,2,',3,3',6,6'-hexachlorobiphenyls (HCB) to yield penta- and

Thermo-responsive cell culture carriers based on poly(vinyl methyl ether)—the effect of biomolecular ligands to balance cell adhesion and stimulated detachment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teichmann, Juliane; Valtink, Monika; Funk, Richard H W; Engelmann, Katrin; Nitschke, Mirko; Pette, Dagmar; Gramm, Stefan; Werner, Carsten; Härtel, Frauke V; Noll, Thomas

2015-01-01

Two established material systems for thermally stimulated detachment of adherent cells were combined in a cross-linked polymer blend to merge favorable properties. Through this approach poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNiPAAm) with its superior switching characteristic was paired with a poly(vinyl methyl ether)-based composition that allows adjusting physico-chemical and biomolecular properties in a wide range. Beyond pure PNiPAAm, the proposed thermo-responsive coating provides thickness, stiffness and swelling behavior, as well as an apposite density of reactive sites for biomolecular functionalization, as effective tuning parameters to meet specific requirements of a particular cell type regarding initial adhesion and ease of detachment. To illustrate the strength of this approach, the novel cell culture carrier was applied to generate transplantable sheets of human corneal endothelial cells (HCEC). Sheets were grown, detached, and transferred onto planar targets. Cell morphology, viability and functionality were analyzed by immunocytochemistry and determination of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) before and after sheet detachment and transfer. HCEC layers showed regular morphology with appropriate TEER. Cells were positive for function-associated marker proteins ZO-1, Na + /K + -ATPase, and paxillin, and extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin, laminin and collagen type IV before and after transfer. Sheet detachment and transfer did not impair cell viability. Subsequently, a potential application in ophthalmology was demonstrated by transplantation onto de-endothelialized porcine corneas in vitro. The novel thermo-responsive cell culture carrier facilitates the generation and transfer of functional HCEC sheets. This paves the way to generate tissue engineered human corneal endothelium as an alternative transplant source for endothelial keratoplasty. (paper)

Thermo-responsive cell culture carriers based on poly(vinyl methyl ether)—the effect of biomolecular ligands to balance cell adhesion and stimulated detachment

Science.gov (United States)

Teichmann, Juliane; Nitschke, Mirko; Pette, Dagmar; Valtink, Monika; Gramm, Stefan; Härtel, Frauke V; Noll, Thomas; Funk, Richard H W; Engelmann, Katrin; Werner, Carsten

2015-01-01

Two established material systems for thermally stimulated detachment of adherent cells were combined in a cross-linked polymer blend to merge favorable properties. Through this approach poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNiPAAm) with its superior switching characteristic was paired with a poly(vinyl methyl ether)-based composition that allows adjusting physico-chemical and biomolecular properties in a wide range. Beyond pure PNiPAAm, the proposed thermo-responsive coating provides thickness, stiffness and swelling behavior, as well as an apposite density of reactive sites for biomolecular functionalization, as effective tuning parameters to meet specific requirements of a particular cell type regarding initial adhesion and ease of detachment. To illustrate the strength of this approach, the novel cell culture carrier was applied to generate transplantable sheets of human corneal endothelial cells (HCEC). Sheets were grown, detached, and transferred onto planar targets. Cell morphology, viability and functionality were analyzed by immunocytochemistry and determination of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) before and after sheet detachment and transfer. HCEC layers showed regular morphology with appropriate TEER. Cells were positive for function-associated marker proteins ZO-1, Na+/K+-ATPase, and paxillin, and extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin, laminin and collagen type IV before and after transfer. Sheet detachment and transfer did not impair cell viability. Subsequently, a potential application in ophthalmology was demonstrated by transplantation onto de-endothelialized porcine corneas in vitro. The novel thermo-responsive cell culture carrier facilitates the generation and transfer of functional HCEC sheets. This paves the way to generate tissue engineered human corneal endothelium as an alternative transplant source for endothelial keratoplasty. PMID:27877823

Thermal and oxidative degradation studies of formulated C-ethers by gel-permeation chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, W. R., Jr.; Morales, W.

1982-01-01

Gel-permeation chromatography was used to analyze C-ether lubricant formulations from high-temperature bearing tests and from micro-oxidation tests. Three mu-styragel columns (one 500 and two 100 A) and a tetrahydrofuran mobile phase were found to adequately separate the C-ether degradation products. The micro-oxidation tests yielded degradation results qualitatively similar to those observed from the bearing tests. Micro-oxidation tests conducted in air yielded more degradation than did tests in nitrogen. No great differences were observed between the thermal-oxidative stabilities of the two C-ether formulations or between the catalytic degradation activities of silver and M-50 steel. C-ether formulation I did yield more degradation than did formulation II in 111- and 25-hour bearing tests, respectively.

Direct dimethyl ether fueling of a high temperature polymer fuel cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jens Oluf; Vassiliev, Anton; Olsen, M.I.

2012-01-01

Direct dimethyl ether (DME) fuel cells suffer from poor DME–water miscibility and so far peak powers of only 20–40 mW cm−2 have been reported. Based on available literature on solubility of dimethyl ether (DME) in water at ambient pressure it was estimated that the maximum concentration of DME at...

Isothermal (vapor + liquid) equilibria and excess enthalpy data of {1-hexene + methyl butyl ether (MBE)} and {1-hexene + methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)} binary systems at several temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hani, Rachida; Solimando, Roland; Negadi, Latifa; Jose, Jacques; Ait Kaci, Ahmed

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Vapor pressures of (1-hexene + methyl butyl ether) or (1-hexene + methyl tert-butyl ether) are reported between (263 and 363) K. ► The two mixtures exhibit positive G E . ► Additionally, molar excess enthalpies, H E , for the two binary systems have been measured at 303.15. - Abstract: The vapor pressures of {1-hexene + methyl butyl ether (MBE)} and {1-hexene + methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)} binary mixtures and of the three pure components were measured by means of a static device at temperatures between (263 and 333) K. The data were correlated with the Antoine equation. From these data, excess Gibbs functions were calculated for several constant temperatures and fitted to a third-order Redlich–Kister equation using the Barker’s method. Additionally, molar excess enthalpies, H E , for the two binary systems have been measured at 303.15 K using an isothermal flow calorimeter.

Children's exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zuurbier, M.; Leijs, M.; Schoeters, G.; Tusscher, G. Ten; Koppe, J.G.

2006-01-01

Background: Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a class of brominated flame retardants, are frequently used in consumer products. PBDEs levels in environmental and human samples have increased in recent decades. Children are exposed to PBDEs through diet, mainly through fish, meat and milk.

A nuclear criticality safety assessment of the loss of moderation control in 2 1/2 and 10-ton cylinders containing enriched UF6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newvahner, R.L.; Pryor, W.A.

1991-01-01

Moderation control for maintaining nuclear criticality safety in 2-1/2-ton, 10-ton, and 14-ton cylinders containing enriched uranium hexafluoride (UF 6 ) has been used safely within the nuclear industry for over thirty years, and is dependent on cylinder integrity and containment. This assessment evaluates the loss of moderation control by the breaching of containment and entry of water into the cylinders. The first objective of this study was to estimate the required amounts of water entering these large UF 6 cylinders to react with, and to moderate the uranium compounds sufficiently to cause criticality. Hypothetical accident situations were modeled as a uranyl fluoride (UO 2 F 2 ) slab above a UF 6 hemicylinder, and a UO 2 sphere centered within a UF 6 hemicylinder. These situations were investigated by computational analyses utilizing the KENO V.a Monte Carlo Computer Code. The results were used to estimate both the masses of water required for criticality, and the limiting masses of water that could be considered safe. The second objective of the assessment was to calculate the time available for emergency control actions before a criticality would occur, i.e., a ''safetime,'' for various sources of water and different size openings in a breached cylinder. In the situations considered, except the case for a fire hose, the safetime appears adequate for emergency control actions. The assessment shows that current practices for handling moderation controlled cylinders of low enriched UF 6 , along with the continuation of established personnel training programs, ensure nuclear criticality safety for routine and emergency operations. 2 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Enthalpy of phase transition and prediction of phase Equilibria in systems of glycols and glycol ethers

OpenAIRE

Esina, Zoya; Miroshnikov, Aleksandr; Korchuganova, Margarita

2014-01-01

The PCEAS model was used to study the liquid-solid and liquid-vapor phase transitions at constant pressure in systems containing glycols and glycol ethers. This method is based on minimizing the excess Gibbs energy over the solvation parameter, which takes into account the processes of association of molecules in various phases. To compute the diagrams, the data on enthalpy and phase transition temperatures of pure components are required, while the information about the interactions in the b...

Advanced Neutron Source enrichment study. Volume 2: Appendices -- Final report, Revision 12/94

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bari, R.A.; Ludewig, H.; Weeks, J.

1994-01-01

A study has been performed of the impact on performance of using low enriched uranium (20% 235 U) or medium enriched uranium (35% 235 U) as an alternative fuel for the Advanced Neutron Source, which is currently designed to use uranium enriched to 93% 235 U. Higher fuel densities and larger volume cores were evaluated at the lower enrichments in terms of impact on neutron flux, safety, safeguards, technical feasibility, and cost. The feasibility of fabricating uranium silicide fuel at increasing material density was specifically addressed by a panel of international experts on research reactor fuels. The most viable alternative designs for the reactor at lower enrichments were identified and discussed. Several sensitivity analyses were performed to gain an understanding of the performance of the reactor at parametric values of power, fuel density, core volume, and enrichment that were interpolations between the boundary values imposed on the study or extrapolations from known technology. Volume 2 of this report contains 26 appendices containing results, meeting minutes, and fuel panel presentations. There are 26 appendices in this volume

Advances in uranium enrichment processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rae, H.K.; Melvin, J.G.; Slater, J.B.

1986-05-01

Advances in gas centrifuges and development of the atomic vapour laser isotope separation process promise substantial reductions in the cost of enriched uranium. The resulting reduction in LWR fuel costs could seriously erode the economic advantage of CANDU, and in combination with LWR design improvements, shortened construction times and increased operational reliability could allow the LWR to overtake CANDU. CANDU's traditional advantages of neutron economy and high reliability may no longer be sufficient - this is the challenge. The responses include: combining neutron economy and dollar economy by optimizing CANDU for slightly enriched uranium fuel; developing cost-reducing improvements in design, manufacture and construction; and reducing the cost of heavy water. Technology is a renewable resource which must be continually applied to a product for it to remain competitive in the decades to come. Such innovation is a prerequisite to Canada increasing her share of the international market for nuclear power stations. The higher burn-up achievable with enriched fuel in CANDU can reduce the fuel cycle costs by 20 to 40 percent for a likely range of costs for yellowcake and separative work. Alternatively, some of the benefits of a higher fissile content can take the form of a cheaper reactor core containing fewer fuel channels and less heavy water, and needing only a single fuelling machine. An opportunity that is linked to this need to introduce an enriched uranium fuel cycle into CANDU is to build an enrichment business in Canada. This could offer greater value added to our uranium exports, security of supply for enriched CANDUs, technological growth in Canada and new employment opportunities. AECL has a study in progress to define this opportunity

Application of an efficient strategy based on liquid-liquid extraction, high-speed counter-current chromatography, and preparative HPLC for the rapid enrichment, separation, and purification of four anthraquinones from Rheum tanguticum.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tao; Liu, Yongling; Zou, Denglang; Chen, Chen; You, Jinmao; Zhou, Guoying; Sun, Jing; Li, Yulin

2014-01-01

This study presents an efficient strategy based on liquid-liquid extraction, high-speed counter-current chromatography, and preparative HPLC for the rapid enrichment, separation, and purification of four anthraquinones from Rheum tanguticum. A new solvent system composed of petroleum ether/ethyl acetate/water (4:2:1, v/v/v) was developed for the liquid-liquid extraction of the crude extract from R. tanguticum. As a result, emodin, aloe-emodin, physcion, and chrysophanol were greatly enriched in the organic layer. In addition, an efficient method was successfully established to separate and purify the above anthraquinones by high-speed counter-current chromatography and preparative HPLC. This study supplies a new alternative method for the rapid enrichment, separation, and purification of emodin, aloe-emodin, physcione, and chrysophanol. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Three-dimensional growth of human endothelial cells in an automated cell culture experiment container during the SpaceX CRS-8 ISS space mission - The SPHEROIDS project.

Science.gov (United States)

Pietsch, Jessica; Gass, Samuel; Nebuloni, Stefano; Echegoyen, David; Riwaldt, Stefan; Baake, Christin; Bauer, Johann; Corydon, Thomas J; Egli, Marcel; Infanger, Manfred; Grimm, Daniela

2017-04-01

Human endothelial cells (ECs) were sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to determine the impact of microgravity on the formation of three-dimensional structures. For this project, an automatic experiment unit (EU) was designed allowing cell culture in space. In order to enable a safe cell culture, cell nourishment and fixation after a pre-programmed timeframe, the materials used for construction of the EUs were tested in regard to their biocompatibility. These tests revealed a high biocompatibility for all parts of the EUs, which were in contact with the cells or the medium used. Most importantly, we found polyether ether ketones for surrounding the incubation chamber, which kept cellular viability above 80% and allowed the cells to adhere as long as they were exposed to normal gravity. After assembling the EU the ECs were cultured therein, where they showed good cell viability at least for 14 days. In addition, the functionality of the automatic medium exchange, and fixation procedures were confirmed. Two days before launch, the ECs were cultured in the EUs, which were afterwards mounted on the SpaceX CRS-8 rocket. 5 and 12 days after launch the cells were fixed. Subsequent analyses revealed a scaffold-free formation of spheroids in space. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical properties and chemical stability of pivalolactone-based poly(ether ester)s

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tijsma, E.J.; Tijsma, E.J.; van der Does, L.; Bantjes, A.; Bantjes, A.; Vulic, I.

1994-01-01

The processing, mechanical and chemical properties of poly(ether ester)s, prepared from pivalolactone (PVL), 1,4-butanediol (4G) and dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), were studied. The poly(ether ester)s could easily be processed by injection moulding, owing to their favourable rheological and thermal

Maize porridge enriched with a micronutrient powder containing low-dose iron as NaFeEDTA but not Amaranth grain flour reduces anemia and iron deficiency in Kenyan preschool children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Macharia-Mutie, C.W.; Moretti, D.; Briel, van den N.; Omusundi, A.M.; Mwangi, A.M.; Kok, F.J.; Zimmerman, J.B.; Brouwer, I.D.

2012-01-01

Few studies have evaluated the impact of fortification with iron-rich foods such as amaranth grain and multi-micronutrient powder (MNP) containing low doses of highly bioavailable iron to control iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children. We assessed the efficacy of maize porridge enriched with

Lignin-enriched Fermentation Residues from Bioethanol Production of Fast-growing Poplar and Forage Sorghum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José I Santos

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The current challenges in developing a cost-effective bioethanol industry include the production of not only high-volume, low cost biofuels but also high-value products with minimal downstream waste. The up-grading of side-stream lignins from bioethanol production plants to novel high-value products will improve the profitability of the bioethanol industry; to do that, a precise understanding of lignin is required. In the present study, lignin-enriched fermentation residues from bioethanol production (steam explosion pretreatment, saccharification, and fermentation of fast-growing poplar and forage sorghum were characterized. In addition to the purity and composition, lignin structure (syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G ratio, inter-unit linkages was also analyzed with spectroscopy techniques such as Fourier transform infrared and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance. Bioethanol processing and feedstock origins seemed to be the main factors determining the purity, composition, and structure of lignins. Residual lignins from poplar and forage sorghum contained significant amounts of sugar and protein impurities. Poplar lignin showed a very high S/G ratio associated with p-hydroxybenzoate. A lower S/G ratio together with H lignin units and p-hydroxycinnamates (p-coumarate and ferulate was observed for forage sorghum lignin. The main inter-unit linkages present in both lignins were β-O-4´ aryl ether followed by resinols and phenylcoumarans.

Flourimetric and prototropic studies on the inclusion complexation of 2-amino and 4-aminodiphenyl ethers with {beta}-cyclodextrin: Unusual behavior of 4-aminodiphenyl ether

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enoch, Israel V. Muthu Vijayan [Department of Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608 002, Tamil Nadu (India); Swaminathan, Meenakshisundaram [Department of Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608 002, Tamil Nadu (India)], E-mail: chemsam@yahoo.com

2007-12-15

The fluorescence characteristics of diphenyl ether (DPE), 2-aminodiphenyl ether (2ADPE) and 4-aminodiphenyl ether (4ADPE) and prototropic behavior of 2ADPE and 4ADPE on inclusion complexation with {beta}-cyclodextrin have been investigated. DPE forms 1:1 complex whereas 2ADPE and 4ADPE form 1:2 complex with {beta}-CDx. The fluorimetric and prototropic behaviors of 4ADPE in {beta}-CDx are different from those in aqueous solution. The dual fluorescence of 4ADPE in {beta}-CDx is found to be due to twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) character induced by inclusion complexation. The two equilibria viz. monocation{r_reversible}monocation solvent exciplex{r_reversible}neutral reported for 4ADPE in aqueous solution are not observed in presence of {beta}-CDx. The ground and excited state pK{sub a} values for monocation-neutral equilibrium of 2ADPE and 4ADPE have been reported.

Electrically Cooled Germanium System for Measurements of Uranium Enrichments in UF6 Cylinders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dvornyak, P.; Koestlbauer, M.; Lebrun, A.; Murray, M.; Nizhnik, V.; Saidler, C.; Twomey, T.

2010-01-01

Measurements of Uranium enrichment in UF6 cylinders is a significant part of the IAEA Safeguards verification activities at enrichment and conversion plants. Nowadays, one of the main tools for verification of Uranium enrichment in UF6 cylinders used by Safeguards inspectors is the gamma spectroscopy system with HPGe detector cooled with liquid nitrogen. Electrically Cooled Germanium System (ECGS) is a new compact and portable high resolution gamma spectrometric system free from liquid nitrogen cooling, which can be used for the same safeguards applications. It consists of the ORTEC Micro-trans-SPEC HPGe Portable Spectrometer, a special tungsten collimator and UF6 enrichment measurement software. The enrichment of uranium is determined by of quantifying the area of the 185.7 keV peak provided that the measurement is performed with a detector viewing an infinite thickness of material. Prior starting the verification of uranium enrichment at the facility, the ECGS has to be calibrated with a sample of known uranium enrichment, material matrix, container wall thickness and container material. Evaluation of the ECGS capabilities was performed by carrying out a field test on actual enrichment verification of uranium in UF6 cylinder or other forms of uranium under infinite thickness conditions. The results of these evaluations allow to say that the use of ECGS will enhance practicality of the enrichment measurements and support unannounced inspection activities at enrichment and conversion plants. (author)

High Resolution Rotational Spectroscopy of a Flexible Cyclic Ether

Science.gov (United States)

Gámez, F.; Martínez-Haya, B.; Blanco, S.; López, J. C.; Alonso, J. L.

2011-06-01

Crown ethers stand as one cornerstone molecular class inhost-guest Supramolecular Chemistry and constitute building blocks for a broad range of modern materials. We report here the first high resolution rotational study of a crown ether: 1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclopentadecane (15-crown-5 ether,15c5). Molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy has been employed. The liquid sample of 15c5 has been vaporized using heating methods. The considerable size of 15c5 and the broad range of conformations allowed by the flexibility of its backbone pose important challenges to spectroscopy approaches. In fact, the ab-initio computational study for isolated 15c5, yields at least six stable conformers with relative free energies within 2 kJ Mol-1 (167 Cm-1). Nevertheless, in this investigation it has been possible to identify and characterize in detail one stable rotamer of the 15c5 molecule and to challenge different quantum methods for the accurate description of this system. The results pave the ground for an extensive description of the conformational landscape of 15c5 and related cyclic ethers in the near term. J. L. Alonso, F. J. Lorenzo, J. C. López, A. Lesarri, S. Mata and H. Dreizler, Chem. Phys., 218, 267 (1997) S. Blanco, J.C López, J.L. Alonso, P. Ottaviani, W. Caminati, J. Chem. Phys. 119, 880 (2003) S.E. Hill, D. Feller, Int. J. Mass Spectrom. 201, 41 (2000)

Solvent Effects on Cesium Complexation with Crown Ethers from Liquid to Supercritical Fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wai, Chien M.; Rustenholtz, Anne; Wang, Shaofen; Lee, Su-Chen; Herman, Jamie; Porter, Richard A.

2004-01-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques were used to study crown ether-water interactions in solvents of low dielectric constants such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. Water forms a 1:1 complex with a number of crown ethers including 12-crown-4, 15-crown-5, 18-crown-6, dicyclohexano-18=crown-6, dicyclohexano-24-crown 8, and dibenzl-24-crown-8 in chloroform. Among these crown ethers, the 18-crown-6-H2 complex has the largest equilibrium constant (K=545) and 97% of the crown is complexed to water in chloroform. Addition of carbon tetrachloride to chloroform lowers the equilibrium constants of the crown-water complexes. The partition coefficients of crown ethers (D=crown in water/crown in solvent) between water and organic solvent also vary with solvent composition

The SLOWPOKE-2 reactor with low enrichment uranium oxide fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Townes, B.M.; Hilborn, J.W.

1985-06-01

A SLOWPOKE-2 reactor core contains less than 1 kg of highly enriched uranium (HEU) and the proliferation risk is very low. However, to overcome proliferation concerns a new low enrichment uranium (LEU) fuelled reactor core has been designed. This core contains approximately 180 fuel elements based on the Zircaloy-4 clad UOsub(2) CANDU fuel element, but with a smaller outside diameter. The physics characteristics of this new reactor core ensure the inherent safety of the reactor under all conceivable conditions and thus the basic SLOWPOKE safety philosophy which permits unattended operation is not affected

Enrichment of anammox bacteria fro marine environment for the construction of a bioremediation reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakajima, Jun; Sakka, Makiko; Kimura, Tetsuya; Sakka, Kazuo [Mie Univ., Tsu (Japan). Graduate School of Bioresources; Furukawa, Kenji [Kumamoto Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture

2008-01-15

In the global ocean nitrogen cycle, the anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) process is recognized as important. In this study, we established an enrichment culture of marine anammox bacteria (MAB) in a column-type reactor. The reactor, which included a porous polyester non-woven fabric that had been placed at the sea floor in advance for enrichment, was continuously fed with NH{sub 4}Cl and NaNO{sub 2} for more than 1 year. Anammox activity in the MAB reactor was confirmed by {sup 15}N tracer analysis using {sup 15}NH{sub 4}Cl and Na{sup 14}NO{sub 2}. We identified two 16S rRNA genes in the amplified DNA fragments derived from MAB, which were highly homologous with those from Candidatus ''Scalindua wagneri'' and an uncultured planctomycete clone. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using an anammox-specific probe also confirmed that MAB predominated in the reactor. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the establishment of an enrichment culture of anammox bacteria from the marine environment using a continuous culture system. (orig.)

Development of dissolution process for metal foil target containing low enriched uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivasan, B.; Hutter, J.C.; Johnson, G.K.; Vandegrift, G.F.

1994-01-01

About six times more low enriched uranium (LEU) metal is needed to produce the same quantity of 99 Mo as from a high enriched uranium (HEU) oxide target, under similar conditions of neutron irradiation. In view of this, the post-irradiation processing procedures of the LEU target are likely to be different from the Cintichem process procedures now in use for the HEU target. The authors have begun a systematic study to develop modified procedures for LEU target dissolution and 99 Mo separation. The dissolution studies include determination of the dissolution rate, chemical state of uranium in the solution, and the heat evolved in the dissolution reaction. From these results the authors conclude that a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acid is a suitable dissolver solution, albeit at higher concentration of nitric acid than in use for the HEU targets. Also, the dissolver vessel now in use for HEU targets is inadequate for the LEU target, since higher temperature and higher pressure will be encountered in the dissolution of LEU targets. The desire is to keep the modifications to the Cintichem process to a minimum, so that the switch from HEU to LEU can be achieved easily

Metacognitive Enrichment for Community College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Wyre, Steven H.

2012-01-01

Recent research was conducted to explore how introducing metacognitive enrichment into courses containing implicit or explicit critical thinking goals would affect the students' personal epistemological maturity. At the beginning of a fall semester at a moderate sized community college in the southeastern United States, 733 students were divided…

Highly Efficient Differentiation and Enrichment of Spinal Motor Neurons Derived from Human and Monkey Embryonic Stem Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Wada, Tamaki; Honda, Makoto; Minami, Itsunari; Tooi, Norie; Amagai, Yuji; Nakatsuji, Norio; Aiba, Kazuhiro

2009-01-01

Background There are no cures or efficacious treatments for severe motor neuron diseases. It is extremely difficult to obtain naïve spinal motor neurons (sMNs) from human tissues for research due to both technical and ethical reasons. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are alternative sources. Several methods for MN differentiation have been reported. However, efficient production of naïve sMNs and culture cost were not taken into consideration in most of the methods. Methods/Principal Findings We aimed to establish protocols for efficient production and enrichment of sMNs derived from pluripotent stem cells. Nestin+ neural stem cell (NSC) clusters were induced by Noggin or a small molecule inhibitor of BMP signaling. After dissociation of NSC clusters, neurospheres were formed in a floating culture containing FGF2. The number of NSCs in neurospheres could be expanded more than 30-fold via several passages. More than 33% of HB9+ sMN progenitor cells were observed after differentiation of dissociated neurospheres by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and a Shh agonist for another week on monolayer culture. HB9+ sMN progenitor cells were enriched by gradient centrifugation up to 80% purity. These HB9+ cells differentiated into electrophysiologically functional cells and formed synapses with myotubes during a few weeks after ATRA/SAG treatment. Conclusions and Significance The series of procedures we established here, namely neural induction, NSC expansion, sMN differentiation and sMN purification, can provide large quantities of naïve sMNs derived from human and monkey pluripotent stem cells. Using small molecule reagents, reduction of culture cost could be achieved. PMID:19701462

Establishment of a Methanogenic Benzene-Degrading Culture and its Implication in Bioremediation

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, W.; Luo, F.; Bawa, N.; Guo, S.; Ye, S.; Edwards, E.

2017-12-01

Benzene is a known human carcinogen and it is a common pollutant in groundwater, mainly resulting from petrochemical industry. Anaerobic degradation of benzene has significant advantages over aerobic processes for in situ bioremediation. In this study, new methanogenic and sulfate-reducing benzene degrading cultures have been enriched. Microbial community composition was characterized with two other previously established benzene-degrading cultures, and their potential use in bioaugmentation is investigated. In this study, a lab microcosm study was conducted anaerobically with contaminated soil and groundwater from a former chemical plant. Benzene degradation was observed in the presence of co-contaminants and electron donor. Through repetitive amendment of benzene, two enrichment cultures have been developed under sulfate and methanogenic conditions. Results from DNA amplicon sequencing and qPCR analysis revealed that an organism similar to previously described benzene-degrading Deltaproteobacterium has been enriched. The microbial community of this culture was compared with other two methanogenic benzene-degrading enrichment cultures that were derived from an oil refinery and a decommissioned gasoline station, and have been maintained for decades. Deltaproteobacterium ORM2-like microbes were dominate in all enrichment cultures, which brought to light benzene-degrading microbes, ORM2 were enriched under different geological conditions distributed around the world. The relative abundance of methanogens was much lower compared to previously established cultures, although substantial amount of methane was produced. The peripheral organisms also vary. To investigate effectiveness of using ORM2-dominant enrichment cultures in bioremediation, microcosm studies were set up using contaminated materials, and a ORM2-dominating methanogenic benzene-degrading culture was used for bioaugmentation. Results revealed that benzene degradation was speeded up under methanogenic or

A self-contained, programmable microfluidic cell culture system with real-time microscopy access

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skafte-Pedersen, Peder; Hemmingsen, Mette; Sabourin, David

2011-01-01

Utilizing microfluidics is a promising way for increasing the throughput and automation of cell biology research. We present a complete self-contained system for automated cell culture and experiments with real-time optical read-out. The system offers a high degree of user-friendliness, stability...... enables the system to perform parallel, programmable and multiconditional assays on a single chip. A modular approach provides system versatility and allows many different chips to be used dependent upon application. We validate the system's performance by demonstrating on-chip passive switching...... and mixing by peristaltically driven flows. Applicability for biological assays is demonstrated by on-chip cell culture including on-chip transfection and temporally programmable gene expression....

Degradation of β-Aryl Ether Bonds in Transgenic Plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mnich, Ewelina

Lignin is one of the main building blocks of the plant cell wall. It tethers the cell wall by cross-linking with polysaccharides conferring mechanical strength to plants, aiding water transport and providing a mechanical barrier against pathogens. It is generated by the polymerization....... Compared to other plants grass cell walls contain elevated amount of ferulates which play a crucial role in cross-linking of polysaccharides and lignin. In addition ferulates are believed to be nucleation cites for the lignification. The bacterium Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK6 has developed an enzyme...... of the cell wall. The aim of the study was to alter lignin structure by expression in plants of the enzymes from S. paucimobilis involved in ether bond degradation (LigDFG). Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon transgenic lines were generated and characterized with respect to lignin structure...

Oxime Ethers of (E)-11-Isonitrosostrychnine as Highly Potent Glycine Receptor Antagonists

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mohsen, Amal M Y; Mandour, Yasmine M; Sarukhanyan, Edita

2016-01-01

of the crystal structure of the α3 glycine receptor indicated the same orientation of the strychnine core for all analogues. For the most potent oxime ethers, the ether substituent was accommodated in a lipophilic receptor binding pocket. The findings identify the oxime hydroxy group as a suitable attachment...

Real-time pathogen monitoring during enrichment: a novel nanotechnology-based approach to food safety testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Weidemaier, Kristin; Carruthers, Erin; Curry, Adam; Kuroda, Melody; Fallows, Eric; Thomas, Joseph; Sherman, Douglas; Muldoon, Mark

2015-04-02

We describe a new approach for the real-time detection and identification of pathogens in food and environmental samples undergoing culture. Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) nanoparticles are combined with a novel homogeneous immunoassay to allow sensitive detection of pathogens in complex samples such as stomached food without the need for wash steps or extensive sample preparation. SERS-labeled immunoassay reagents are present in the cultural enrichment vessel, and the signal is monitored real-time through the wall of the vessel while culture is ongoing. This continuous monitoring of pathogen load throughout the enrichment process enables rapid, hands-free detection of food pathogens. Furthermore, the integration of the food pathogen immunoassay directly into the enrichment vessel enables fully biocontained food safety testing, thereby significantly reducing the risk of contaminating the surrounding environment with enriched pathogens. Here, we present experimental results showing the detection of E. coli, Salmonella, or Listeria in several matrices (raw ground beef, raw ground poultry, chocolate milk, tuna salad, spinach, brie cheese, hot dogs, deli turkey, orange juice, cola, and swabs and sponges used to sample a stainless steel surface) using the SERS system and demonstrate the accuracy of the approach compared to plating results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of amniotic fluid on the in vitro culture of human corneal endothelial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Feizi, Sepehr; Soheili, Zahra-Soheila; Bagheri, Abouzar; Balagholi, Sahar; Mohammadian, Azam; Rezaei-Kanavi, Mozhgan; Ahmadieh, Hamid; Samiei, Shahram; Negahban, Kambiz

2014-05-01

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of human amniotic fluid (HAF) on the growth of human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) and to establish an in vitro method for expanding HCECs. HCECs were cultured in DMEM-F12 supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Confluent monolayer cultures were trypsinized and passaged using either FBS- or HAF-containing media. Cell proliferation and cell death ELISA assays were performed to determine the effect of HAF on cell growth and viability. The identity of the cells cultured in 20% HAF was determined using immunocytochemistry (ICC) and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques to evaluate the expression of factors that are characteristic of HCECs, including Ki-67, Vimentin, Na+/K+-ATPase and ZO-1. HCEC primary cultures were successfully established using 20% HAF-containing medium, and these cultures demonstrated rapid cell proliferation according to the cell proliferation and death ELISA assay results. The ICC and real time RT-PCR results indicated that there was a higher expression of Na+/K+-ATPase and ZO-1 in the 20% HAF cell cultures compared with the control (20% FBS) (P < 0.05). The 20% HAF-containing medium exhibited a greater stimulatory effect on HCEC growth and could represent a potential enriched supplement for HCEC regeneration studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nickel-catalyzed direct synthesis of dialkoxymethane ethers

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

MURUGAN SUBARAMANIAN

Nickel catalysis; alcohol; paraformaldehyde; ether; solvent-free condition. 1. Introduction ..... oxidation and Dopamine Release with Protective Effects. Against Central ... P, Ghosh A, Saha R and Saha B 2016 A Review on the. Advancement of ...

Reproductive Effects of Two Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers on the Rotifer Brachionus plicatilis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jing; Wang, You; Zhou, Bin; Sun, Kai-Ming; Tang, Xuexi

2016-08-01

The effects of two polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) on the reproduction of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis were investigated. Results showed that sexual maturation was promoted by tetra-brominated diphenyl ether-47 (BDE-47) and deca-brominated diphenyl ether-209 (BDE-209), whereas fecundity was inhibited by BDE-47, but promoted by BDE-209. Additionally, both PBDEs affected the expression of two genes, vasa and nanos mRNA, related to rotifer reproduction. This suggests a possible regulatory molecular mechanism at the transcriptional level. Our research extends the current knowledge of the ecotoxicological mechanism induced by PBDEs and provides further essential information for assessing the risks of PBDE contamination in marine ecosystems.

Amended final report on the safety assessment of PPG-40 butyl ether with an addendum to include PPG-2, -4, -5, -9, -12, -14, -15, -16, -17, -18, -20, -22, -24, -26, -30, -33, -52, and -53 butyl ethers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanigan, R S

2001-01-01

The Polypropylene Glycol (PPG) Butyl Ethers function as skinand hair-conditioning agents in cosmetics. Intestinal absorption of the PPG Butyl Ethers was inversely proportional to the molecular weight. In general, the toxicity of the PPG Butyl Ethers decreased as the molecular weight increased. In acute studies, moderate intraperitoneal (IP) doses of various PPG Butyl Ethers caused convulsive seizures in mice and anesthetized dogs, and large oral doses caused decreased activity, anuria, renal tubular swelling and necrosis, and hepatic swelling and necrosis. PPG-2 Butyl Ether vapors were nontoxic by the inhalation route. PPG-2 Butyl Ether was nontoxic in short-term feeding and dermal exposure studies in rats. In animal irritation studies, PPG-2 Butyl Ether caused minor, transient erythema and desquamation; in addition, erythema, edema, ecchymosis, necrosis, and other changes were observed during an acute percutaneous study. PPG-2 Butyl Ether also caused minor to moderate conjunctival irritation and minor corneal injury. PPG-2 Butyl Ether when dermally applied was nontoxic to pregnant rats and was nonteratogenic at doses up to 1.0 ml/kg/day. PPG BE800 at concentrations of 0.001% to 0.26% in feed was noncarcinogenic to rats after 2 years of treatment. In clinical studies, PPG BE800 was nonirritating and nonsensitizing to the skin when tested using 200 subjects. PPG-40 Butyl Ether was neither an irritant nor a sensitizer in a repeat-insult patch test using 112 subjects. Although clinical testing did not indicate significant skin irritation is produced by these ingredients, the animal test data did indicate the potential that these ingredients can be irritating. Therefore, it was concluded that the PPG Butyl Ethers can be used safely in cosmetic products if they are formulated to avoid irritation. Data on the component ingredients, Propylene Glycol, PPG, and n-Butyl Alcohol, from previous cosmetic ingredient safety assessments were also considered and found to support

Ether-Directed ortho-C–H Olefination with a PdII/MPAA Catalyst**

Science.gov (United States)