Polymeric membrane materials for artificial organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawakami, Hiroyoshi

2008-01-01

Many polymeric materials have already been used in the field of artificial organs. However, the materials used in artificial organs are not necessarily created with the best material selectivity and materials design; therefore, the development of synthesized polymeric membrane materials for artificial organs based on well-defined designs is required. The approaches to the development of biocompatible polymeric materials fall into three categories: (1) control of physicochemical characteristics on material surfaces, (2) modification of material surfaces using biomolecules, and (3) construction of biomimetic membrane surfaces. This review will describe current issues regarding polymeric membrane materials for use in artificial organs.

Organic membrane photonic integrated circuits (OMPICs).

Science.gov (United States)

Amemiya, Tomohiro; Kanazawa, Toru; Hiratani, Takuo; Inoue, Daisuke; Gu, Zhichen; Yamasaki, Satoshi; Urakami, Tatsuhiro; Arai, Shigehisa

2017-08-07

We propose the concept of organic membrane photonic integrated circuits (OMPICs), which incorporate various functions needed for optical signal processing into a flexible organic membrane. We describe the structure of several devices used within the proposed OMPICs (e.g., transmission lines, I/O couplers, phase shifters, photodetectors, modulators), and theoretically investigate their characteristics. We then present a method of fabricating the photonic devices monolithically in an organic membrane and demonstrate the operation of transmission lines and I/O couplers, the most basic elements of OMPICs.

Organic separations with membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funk, E.W.

1993-01-01

This paper presents an overview of present and emerging applications of membrane technology for the separation and purification of organic materials. This technology is highly relevant for programs aimed at minimizing waste in processing and in the treatment of gaseous and liquid effluents. Application of membranes for organic separation is growing rapidly in the petrochemical industry to simplify processing and in the treatment of effluents, and it is expected that this technology will be useful in numerous other industries including the processing of nuclear waste materials

The stapl Skeleton Framework

KAUST Repository

Zandifar, Mani

2015-01-01

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. This paper describes the stapl Skeleton Framework, a highlevel skeletal approach for parallel programming. This framework abstracts the underlying details of data distribution and parallelism from programmers and enables them to express parallel programs as a composition of existing elementary skeletons such as map, map-reduce, scan, zip, butterfly, allreduce, alltoall and user-defined custom skeletons. Skeletons in this framework are defined as parametric data flow graphs, and their compositions are defined in terms of data flow graph compositions. Defining the composition in this manner allows dependencies between skeletons to be defined in terms of point-to-point dependencies, avoiding unnecessary global synchronizations. To show the ease of composability and expressivity, we implemented the NAS Integer Sort (IS) and Embarrassingly Parallel (EP) benchmarks using skeletons and demonstrate comparable performance to the hand-optimized reference implementations. To demonstrate scalable performance, we show a transformation which enables applications written in terms of skeletons to run on more than 100,000 cores.

The stapl Skeleton Framework

KAUST Repository

Zandifar, Mani; Thomas, Nathan; Amato, Nancy M.; Rauchwerger, Lawrence

2015-01-01

from programmers and enables them to express parallel programs as a composition of existing elementary skeletons such as map, map-reduce, scan, zip, butterfly, allreduce, alltoall and user-defined custom skeletons. Skeletons in this framework

Giant plasma membrane vesicles: models for understanding membrane organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Levental, Kandice R; Levental, Ilya

2015-01-01

The organization of eukaryotic membranes into functional domains continues to fascinate and puzzle cell biologists and biophysicists. The lipid raft hypothesis proposes that collective lipid interactions compartmentalize the membrane into coexisting liquid domains that are central to membrane physiology. This hypothesis has proven controversial because such structures cannot be directly visualized in live cells by light microscopy. The recent observations of liquid-liquid phase separation in biological membranes are an important validation of the raft hypothesis and enable application of the experimental toolbox of membrane physics to a biologically complex phase-separated membrane. This review addresses the role of giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs) in refining the raft hypothesis and expands on the application of GPMVs as an experimental model to answer some of key outstanding problems in membrane biology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organic fouling behavior of superhydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membranes functionalized with surface-tailored nanoparticles: Implications for organic fouling in membrane bioreactors

KAUST Repository

Liang, Shuai

2014-08-01

This study systematically investigates the organic fouling behavior of a superhydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membrane functionalized via post-fabrication tethering of surface-tailored silica nanoparticles to poly(methacrylic acid)-grafted PVDF membrane surface. Sodium alginate (SA), Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used as model organic foulants to investigate the antifouling behavior of the superhydrophilic membrane with combined-fouling (mixture of foulants) and individual-fouling (single foulant) tests. A membrane bioreactor (MBR) plant supernatant was also used to verify the organic antifouling property of the superhydrophilic membrane under realistic conditions. Foulant size distributions and foulant-membrane interfacial forces were measured to interpret the observed membrane fouling behavior. Molecular weight cutoff measurements confirmed that membrane functionalization did not adversely affect the intrinsic membrane selectivity. Both filtration tests with the synthetic foulant-mixture solution (containing SA, SRNOM, and BSA) and MBR plant supernatant demonstrated the reliability and durability of the antifouling property of the superhydrophilic membrane. The conspicuous reduction in foulant-membrane interfacial forces for the functionalized membrane further verified the antifouling properties of the superhydrophilic membrane, suggesting great potential for applications in wastewater treatment. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Chapter 6: cubic membranes the missing dimension of cell membrane organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Almsherqi, Zakaria A; Landh, Tomas; Kohlwein, Sepp D; Deng, Yuru

2009-01-01

Biological membranes are among the most fascinating assemblies of biomolecules: a bilayer less than 10 nm thick, composed of rather small lipid molecules that are held together simply by noncovalent forces, defines the cell and discriminates between "inside" and "outside", survival, and death. Intracellular compartmentalization-governed by biomembranes as well-is a characteristic feature of eukaryotic cells, which allows them to fulfill multiple and highly specialized anabolic and catabolic functions in strictly controlled environments. Although cellular membranes are generally visualized as flat sheets or closely folded isolated objects, multiple observations also demonstrate that membranes may fold into "unusual", highly organized structures with 2D or 3D periodicity. The obvious correlation of highly convoluted membrane organizations with pathological cellular states, for example, as a consequence of viral infection, deserves close consideration. However, knowledge about formation and function of these highly organized 3D periodic membrane structures is scarce, primarily due to the lack of appropriate techniques for their analysis in vivo. Currently, the only direct way to characterize cellular membrane architecture is by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, deciphering the spatial architecture solely based on two-dimensionally projected TEM images is a challenging task and prone to artifacts. In this review, we will provide an update on the current progress in identifying and analyzing 3D membrane architectures in biological systems, with a special focus on membranes with cubic symmetry, and their potential role in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Proteomics and lipidomics approaches in defined experimental cell systems may prove instrumental to understand formation and function of 3D membrane morphologies.

The membrane skeleton in Paramecium: Molecular characterization of a novel epiplasmin family and preliminary GFP expression results.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomel, Sébastien; Diogon, Marie; Bouchard, Philippe; Pradel, Lydie; Ravet, Viviane; Coffe, Gérard; Viguès, Bernard

2006-02-01

Previous attempts to identify the membrane skeleton of Paramecium cells have revealed a protein pattern that is both complex and specific. The most prominent structural elements, epiplasmic scales, are centered around ciliary units and are closely apposed to the cytoplasmic side of the inner alveolar membrane. We sought to characterize epiplasmic scale proteins (epiplasmins) at the molecular level. PCR approaches enabled the cloning and sequencing of two closely related genes by amplifications of sequences from a macronuclear genomic library. Using these two genes (EPI-1 and EPI-2), we have contributed to the annotation of the Paramecium tetraurelia macronuclear genome and identified 39 additional (paralogous) sequences. Two orthologous sequences were found in the Tetrahymena thermophila genome. Structural analysis of the 43 sequences indicates that the hallmark of this new multigenic family is a 79 aa domain flanked by two Q-, P- and V-rich stretches of sequence that are much more variable in amino-acid composition. Such features clearly distinguish members of the multigenic family from epiplasmic proteins previously sequenced in other ciliates. The expression of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-tagged epiplasmin showed significant labeling of epiplasmic scales as well as oral structures. We expect that the GFP construct described herein will prove to be a useful tool for comparative subcellular localization of different putative epiplasmins in Paramecium.

Microporous Organic Materials for Membrane-Based Gas Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Xiaoqin; Zhu, Guangshan

2018-01-01

Membrane materials with excellent selectivity and high permeability are crucial to efficient membrane gas separation. Microporous organic materials have evolved as an alternative candidate for fabricating membranes due to their inherent attributes, such as permanent porosity, high surface area, and good processability. Herein, a unique pore-chemistry concept for the designed synthesis of microporous organic membranes, with an emphasis on the relationship between pore structures and membrane performances, is introduced. The latest advances in microporous organic materials for potential membrane application in gas separation of H 2 , CO 2 , O 2 , and other industrially relevant gases are summarized. Representative examples of the recent progress in highly selective and permeable membranes are highlighted with some fundamental analyses from pore characteristics, followed by a brief perspective on future research directions. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Differential Effect of Plant Lipids on Membrane Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Grosjean, Kevin; Mongrand, Sébastien; Beney, Laurent; Simon-Plas, Françoise; Gerbeau-Pissot, Patricia

2015-01-01

The high diversity of the plant lipid mixture raises the question of their respective involvement in the definition of membrane organization. This is particularly the case for plant plasma membrane, which is enriched in specific lipids, such as free and conjugated forms of phytosterols and typical phytosphingolipids, such as glycosylinositolphosphoceramides. This question was here addressed extensively by characterizing the order level of membrane from vesicles prepared using various plant lipid mixtures and labeled with an environment-sensitive probe. Fluorescence spectroscopy experiments showed that among major phytosterols, campesterol exhibits a stronger ability than β-sitosterol and stigmasterol to order model membranes. Multispectral confocal microscopy, allowing spatial analysis of membrane organization, demonstrated accordingly the strong ability of campesterol to promote ordered domain formation and to organize their spatial distribution at the membrane surface. Conjugated sterol forms, alone and in synergy with free sterols, exhibit a striking ability to order membrane. Plant sphingolipids, particularly glycosylinositolphosphoceramides, enhanced the sterol-induced ordering effect, emphasizing the formation and increasing the size of sterol-dependent ordered domains. Altogether, our results support a differential involvement of free and conjugated phytosterols in the formation of ordered domains and suggest that the diversity of plant lipids, allowing various local combinations of lipid species, could be a major contributor to membrane organization in particular through the formation of sphingolipid-sterol interacting domains. PMID:25575593

Use of biomimetic forward osmosis membrane for trace organics removal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Henrik T.; Bajraktari, Niada; Helix Nielsen, Claus

2015-01-01

The use of forward osmosis for the removal of trace organics from water has recently attracted considerable attention as an alternative to traditional pressure driven membrane filtration. However, the existing forward osmosis membranes have been found to be ineffective at rejecting small neutral...... organic pollutants, which limits the applicability of the forward osmosis process. In this study a newly developed biomimetic membrane was tested for the removal of three selected trace organics that can be considered as a bench marking test for a membrane[U+05F3]s ability to reject small neutral organic....... This difference is caused by differences in the transport mechanisms. For the cellulose acetate membrane rejection is controlled by steric hindrance, which results in a size dependent rejection of the trace organics, whereas rejection by the aquaporin membrane is controlled by diffusion of the trace organics...

Lipids as organizers of cell membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kornmann, Benoît; Roux, Aurélien

2012-08-01

The 105th Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds International Titisee Conference 'Lipids as Organizers of Cell Membranes' took place in March 2012, in Germany. Kai Simons and Gisou Van der Goot gathered cell biologists and biophysicists to discuss the interplay between lipids and proteins in biological membranes, with an emphasis on how technological advances could help fill the gap in our understanding of the lipid part of the membrane.

Organic and inorganic osmolytes at lipid membrane interfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Westh, P.; Peters, Günther H.j.

2008-01-01

This chapter discusses the interactions of organic osmolytes and membranous interfaces, and the effects of these interactions on the properties of the membrane. It also includes a treatment of inorganic ions at the membrane interface since osmolyte effects involve a balance between organic...... and inorganic components. Before turning to the physicochemical discussion of interfacial interactions, the chapter outlines some central parts of the biology and biotechnology of organic osmolytes. It reviews the central relationships in preferential interaction theory, which we use in subsequent paragraphs...

Histology of the heterostracan dermal skeleton: Insight into the origin of the vertebrate mineralised skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Keating, Joseph N; Marquart, Chloe L; Donoghue, Philip C J

2015-06-01

Living vertebrates are divided into those that possess a fully formed and fully mineralised skeleton (gnathostomes) versus those that possess only unmineralised cartilaginous rudiments (cyclostomes). As such, extinct phylogenetic intermediates of these living lineages afford unique insights into the evolutionary assembly of the vertebrate mineralised skeleton and its canonical tissue types. Extinct jawless and jawed fishes assigned to the gnathostome stem evidence the piecemeal assembly of skeletal systems, revealing that the dermal skeleton is the earliest manifestation of a homologous mineralised skeleton. Yet the nature of the primitive dermal skeleton, itself, is poorly understood. This is principally because previous histological studies of early vertebrates lacked a phylogenetic framework required to derive evolutionary hypotheses. Nowhere is this more apparent than within Heterostraci, a diverse clade of primitive jawless vertebrates. To this end, we surveyed the dermal skeletal histology of heterostracans, inferred the plesiomorphic heterostracan skeleton and, through histological comparison to other skeletonising vertebrate clades, deduced the ancestral nature of the vertebrate dermal skeleton. Heterostracans primitively possess a four-layered skeleton, comprising a superficial layer of odontodes composed of dentine and enameloid; a compact layer of acellular parallel-fibred bone containing a network of vascular canals that supply the pulp canals (L1); a trabecular layer consisting of intersecting radial walls composed of acellular parallel-fibred bone, showing osteon-like development (L2); and a basal layer of isopedin (L3). A three layered skeleton, equivalent to the superficial layer L2 and L3 and composed of enameloid, dentine and acellular bone, is possessed by the ancestor of heterostracans + jawed vertebrates. We conclude that an osteogenic component is plesiomorphic with respect to the vertebrate dermal skeleton. Consequently, we interpret the

Skeleton-based Hierarchical Shape Segmentation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reniers, Dennie; Telea, Alexandru

2007-01-01

We present an effective framework for segmenting 3D shapes into meaningful components using the curve skeleton. Our algorithm identifies a number of critical points on the curve skeleton, either fully automatically as the junctions of the curve skeleton, or based on user input. We use these points

Mitofilin complexes: conserved organizers of mitochondrial membrane architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Zerbes, Ralf M; van der Klei, Ida J; Veenhuis, Marten; Pfanner, Nikolaus; van der Laan, Martin; Bohnert, Maria

2012-11-01

Mitofilin proteins are crucial organizers of mitochondrial architecture. They are located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and interact with several protein complexes of the outer membrane, thereby generating contact sites between the two membrane systems of mitochondria. Within the inner membrane, mitofilins are part of hetero-oligomeric protein complexes that have been termed the mitochondrial inner membrane organizing system (MINOS). MINOS integrity is required for the maintenance of the characteristic morphology of the inner mitochondrial membrane, with an inner boundary region closely apposed to the outer membrane and cristae membranes, which form large tubular invaginations that protrude into the mitochondrial matrix and harbor the enzyme complexes of the oxidative phosphorylation machinery. MINOS deficiency comes along with a loss of crista junction structures and the detachment of cristae from the inner boundary membrane. MINOS has been conserved in evolution from unicellular eukaryotes to humans, where alterations of MINOS subunits are associated with multiple pathological conditions.

Metal–organic frameworks based membranes for liquid separation

KAUST Repository

Li, Xin

2017-11-07

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a fascinating class of solid crystalline materials which can be self-assembled in a straightforward manner by the coordination of metal ions or clusters with organic ligands. Owing to their intrinsic porous characteristics, unique chemical versatility and abundant functionalities, MOFs have received substantial attention for diverse industrial applications, including membrane separation. Exciting research activities ranging from fabrication strategies to separation applications of MOF-based membranes have appeared. Inspired by the marvelous achievements of MOF-based membranes in gas separations, liquid separations are also being explored for the purpose of constructing continuous MOFs membranes or MOF-based mixed matrix membranes. Although these are in an emerging stage of vigorous development, most efforts are directed towards improving the liquid separation efficiency with well-designed MOF-based membranes. Therefore, as an increasing trend in membrane separation, the field of MOF-based membranes for liquid separation is highlighted in this review. The criteria for judicious selection of MOFs in fabricating MOF-based membranes are given. Special attention is paid to rational design strategies for MOF-based membranes, along with the latest application progress in the area of liquid separations, such as pervaporation, water treatment, and organic solvent nanofiltration. Moreover, some attractive dual-function applications of MOF-based membranes in the removal of micropollutants, degradation, and antibacterial activity are also reviewed. Finally, we define the remaining challenges and future opportunities in this field. This Tutorial Review provides an overview and outlook for MOF-based membranes for liquid separations. Further development of MOF-based membranes for liquid separation must consider the demands of strict separation standards and environmental safety for industrial application.

Metal-organic frameworks based membranes for liquid separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin; Liu, Yuxin; Wang, Jing; Gascon, Jorge; Li, Jiansheng; Van der Bruggen, Bart

2017-11-27

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a fascinating class of solid crystalline materials which can be self-assembled in a straightforward manner by the coordination of metal ions or clusters with organic ligands. Owing to their intrinsic porous characteristics, unique chemical versatility and abundant functionalities, MOFs have received substantial attention for diverse industrial applications, including membrane separation. Exciting research activities ranging from fabrication strategies to separation applications of MOF-based membranes have appeared. Inspired by the marvelous achievements of MOF-based membranes in gas separations, liquid separations are also being explored for the purpose of constructing continuous MOFs membranes or MOF-based mixed matrix membranes. Although these are in an emerging stage of vigorous development, most efforts are directed towards improving the liquid separation efficiency with well-designed MOF-based membranes. Therefore, as an increasing trend in membrane separation, the field of MOF-based membranes for liquid separation is highlighted in this review. The criteria for judicious selection of MOFs in fabricating MOF-based membranes are given. Special attention is paid to rational design strategies for MOF-based membranes, along with the latest application progress in the area of liquid separations, such as pervaporation, water treatment, and organic solvent nanofiltration. Moreover, some attractive dual-function applications of MOF-based membranes in the removal of micropollutants, degradation, and antibacterial activity are also reviewed. Finally, we define the remaining challenges and future opportunities in this field. This Tutorial Review provides an overview and outlook for MOF-based membranes for liquid separations. Further development of MOF-based membranes for liquid separation must consider the demands of strict separation standards and environmental safety for industrial application.

New insights into the organization of plasma membrane and its role in signal transduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Kenichi G N

2015-01-01

Plasma membranes have heterogeneous structures for efficient signal transduction, required to perform cell functions. Recent evidence indicates that the heterogeneous structures are produced by (1) compartmentalization by actin-based membrane skeleton, (2) raft domains, (3) receptor-receptor interactions, and (4) the binding of receptors to cytoskeletal proteins. This chapter provides an overview of recent studies on diffusion, clustering, raft association, actin binding, and signal transduction of membrane receptors, especially glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored receptors. Studies on diffusion of GPI-anchored receptors suggest that rafts may be small and/or short-lived in plasma membranes. In steady state conditions, GPI-anchored receptors form transient homodimers, which may represent the "standby state" for the stable homodimers and oligomers upon ligation. Furthermore, It is proposed that upon ligation, the binding of GPI-anchored receptor clusters to cytoskeletal actin filaments produces a platform for downstream signaling, and that the pulse-like signaling easily maintains the stability of the overall signaling activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Membrane skeletal proteins and their integral membrane protein anchors are targets for tyrosine and threonine kinases in Euglena.

Science.gov (United States)

Fazio, M J; Da Silva, A C; Rosiere, T K; Bouck, G B

1995-01-01

Proteins of the membrane skeleton of Euglena gracilis were extensively phosphorylated in vivo and in vitro after incubation with [32P]-orthophosphate or gamma-[32P] ATP. Endogenous protein threonine/serine activity phosphorylated the major membrane skeletal proteins (articulins) and the putative integral membrane protein (IP39) anchor for articulins. The latter was also the major target for endogenous protein tyrosine kinase activity. A cytoplasmic domain of IP39 was specifically phosphorylated, and removal of this domain with papain eliminated the radiolabeled phosphoamino acids and eliminated or radically shifted the PI of the multiple isoforms of IP39. In gel kinase assays IP39 autophosphorylated and a 25 kDa protein which does not autophosphorylate was identified as a threonine/serine (casein) kinase. Plasma membranes from the membrane skeletal protein complex contained threonine/serine (casein) kinase activity, and cross-linking experiments suggested that IP39 was the likely source for this membrane activity. pH optima, cation requirements and heparin sensitivity of the detergent solubilized membrane activity were determined. Together these results suggest that protein kinases may be important modulators of protein assembly and function of the membrane skeleton of these protistan cells.

Evolution and accumulation of organic foulants on hydrophobic and hydrophilic membrane surfaces in a submerged membrane bioreactor

KAUST Repository

Matar, Gerald

2015-09-07

Membrane surface modification is attracting more attention to mitigate biofouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Five membranes differing in chemistry and hydrophobic/hydrophilic potential were run in parallel in a lab-scale MBR under the same conditions. Membranes were sampled after 1, 10, 20 and 30 days of MBR operation with synthetic wastewater. Subsequently, accumulated organic foulants were characterised using several chemical analytical tools. Results showed similar development of organic foulants with time, illustrating that membrane surface chemistry did not affect the selection of specific organic foulants. Multivariate analysis showed that biofilm samples clustered according to the day of sampling. The composition of organic foulants shifted from protein-like substances towards humics and polysaccharides-like substances. We propose that to control biofouling in MBRs, one should focus less on the membrane surface chemistry.

Rejection of Organic Micropollutants by Clean and Fouled Nanofiltration Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lifang Zhu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The rejection of organic micropollutants, including three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs and three phthalic acid esters (PAEs, by clean and fouled nanofiltration membranes was investigated in the present study. The rejection of organic micropollutants by clean NF90 membranes varied from 87.9 to more than 99.9%, while that of NF270 membranes ranged from 32.1 to 92.3%. Clear time-dependence was observed for the rejection of hydrophobic micropollutants, which was attributed to the adsorption of micropollutants on the membrane. Fouling with humic acid had a negligible influence on the rejection of organic micropollutants by NF90 membranes, while considerable effects were observed with NF270 membranes, which are significantly looser than NF90 membranes. The observed enhancement in the rejection of organic micropollutants by fouled NF270 membranes was attributed to pore blocking, which was a dominating fouling mechanism for loose NF membranes. Changes in the ionic strength (from 10 to 20 mM reduced micropollutant rejection by both fouled NF membranes, especially for the rejection of dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate by NF270 membranes (from 65.8 to 25.0% for dimethyl phthalate and 75.6 to 33.3% for diethyl phthalate.

Metal–Organic Framework-Functionalized Alumina Membranes for Vacuum Membrane Distillation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Zuo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Nature-mimetic hydrophobic membranes with high wetting resistance have been designed for seawater desalination via vacuum membrane distillation (VMD in this study. This is achieved through molecular engineering of metal–organic framework (MOF-functionalized alumina surfaces. A two-step synthetic strategy was invented to design the hydrophobic membranes: (1 to intergrow MOF crystals on the alumina tube substrate and (2 to introduce perfluoro molecules onto the MOF functionalized membrane surface. With the first step, the surface morphology, especially the hierarchical roughness, can be controlled by tuning the MOF crystal structure. After the second step, the perfluoro molecules function as an ultrathin layer of hydrophobic floss, which lowers the surface energy. Therefore, the resultant membranes do not only possess the intrinsic advantages of alumina supports such as high stability and high water permeability, but also have a hydrophobic surface formed by MOF functionalization. The membrane prepared under an optimum condition achieved a good VMD flux of 32.3 L/m2-h at 60 °C. This study may open up a totally new approach for design of next-generation high performance membrane distillation membranes for seawater desalination.

Mitofilin complexes : conserved organizers of mitochondrial membrane architecture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zerbes, Ralf M.; van der Klei, Ida J.; Veenhuis, Marten; Pfanner, Nikolaus; van der Laan, Martin; Bohnert, Maria

2012-01-01

Mitofilin proteins are crucial organizers of mitochondrial architecture. They are located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and interact with several protein complexes of the outer membrane, thereby generating contact sites between the two membrane systems of mitochondria. Within the inner

Lipids and membrane lateral organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandro eSonnino

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Shortly after the elucidation of the very basic structure and properties of cellular membranes, it became evident that cellular membranes are highly organized structures with multiple and multi-dimensional levels of order. Very early observations suggested that the lipid components of biological membranes might be active players in the creations of these levels of order. In the late 80’s, several different and diverse experimental pieces of evidence coalesced together giving rise to the lipid raft hypothesis. Lipid rafts became enormously (and, in the opinion of these authors, sometimes acritically popular, surprisingly not just within the lipidologist community (who is supposed to be naturally sensitive to the fascination of lipid rafts. Today, a PubMed search using the key word lipid rafts returned a list of 3767 papers, including 690 reviews (as a term of comparison, searching over the same time span for a very hot lipid-related key word, ceramide returned 6187 hits with 799 reviews, and a tremendous number of different cellular functions have been described as lipid raft-dependent. However, a clear consensus definition of lipid raft has been proposed only in recent times, and the basic properties, the ruling forces, and even the existence of lipid rafts in living cells have been recently matter of intense debate. The scenario that is gradually emerging from the controversies elicited by the lipid raft hypothesis emphasize multiple roles for membrane lipids in determining membrane order, that encompasses their tendency to phase separation but are clearly not limited to this. In this review, we would like to re-focus the attention of the readers on the importance of lipids in organizing the fine structure of cellular membranes.

Isotopic composition of skeleton-bound organic nitrogen in reef-building symbiotic corals: A new method and proxy evaluation at Bermuda

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X. T.; Sigman, D. M.; Cohen, A. L.; Sinclair, D. J.; Sherrell, R. M.; Weigand, M. A.; Erler, D. V.; Ren, H.

2015-01-01

The skeleton-bound organic nitrogen in reef-building symbiotic corals may be a high-resolution archive of ocean nitrogen cycle dynamics and a tool for understanding coral biogeochemistry and physiological processes. However, the existing methods for measuring the isotopic composition of coral skeleton-bound organic nitrogen (hereafter, CS-δ15N) either require too much skeleton material or have low precision, limiting the applications of this relatively new proxy. In addition, the controlling factors on CS-δ15N remain poorly understood: the δ15N of source nitrogen and the internal nitrogen cycle of the coral/zooxanthellae symbiosis may both be important. Here, we describe a new ("persulfate/denitrifier"-based) method for measuring CS-δ15N, requiring only 5 mg of skeleton material and yielding a long-term precision better than 0.2‰ (1σ). Using this new method, we investigate CS-δ15N at Bermuda. Ten modern Diploria labyrinthiformis coral cores/colonies from 4 sampling sites were measured for CS-δ15N. Nitrogen concentrations (nitrate + nitrite, ammonium, and dissolved organic nitrogen) and δ15N of plankton were also measured at these coral sites. Among the 4 sampling sites, CS-δ15N shows an increase with proximity to the island, from ∼3.8‰ to ∼6.8‰ vs. atmospheric N2, with the northern offshore site having a CS-δ15N 1-2‰ higher than the δ15N of thermocline nitrate in the surrounding Sargasso Sea. Two annually resolved CS-δ15N time series suggest that the offshore-inshore CS-δ15N gradient has persisted since at least the 1970s. Plankton δ15N among these 4 sites also has an inshore increase, but of only ∼1‰. Coral physiological change must explain the remaining (∼2‰) inshore increase in CS-δ15N, and previous work points to the coral/zooxanthellae N cycle as a control on host tissue (and thus carbonate skeletal) δ15N. The CS-δ15N gradient is hypothesized to result mainly from varying efficiency in the internal nitrogen recycling of the

Weighted straight skeletons in the plane.

Science.gov (United States)

Biedl, Therese; Held, Martin; Huber, Stefan; Kaaser, Dominik; Palfrader, Peter

2015-02-01

We investigate weighted straight skeletons from a geometric, graph-theoretical, and combinatorial point of view. We start with a thorough definition and shed light on some ambiguity issues in the procedural definition. We investigate the geometry, combinatorics, and topology of faces and the roof model, and we discuss in which cases a weighted straight skeleton is connected. Finally, we show that the weighted straight skeleton of even a simple polygon may be non-planar and may contain cycles, and we discuss under which restrictions on the weights and/or the input polygon the weighted straight skeleton still behaves similar to its unweighted counterpart. In particular, we obtain a non-procedural description and a linear-time construction algorithm for the straight skeleton of strictly convex polygons with arbitrary weights.

Spatially variant morphological restoration and skeleton representation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouaynaya, Nidhal; Charif-Chefchaouni, Mohammed; Schonfeld, Dan

2006-11-01

The theory of spatially variant (SV) mathematical morphology is used to extend and analyze two important image processing applications: morphological image restoration and skeleton representation of binary images. For morphological image restoration, we propose the SV alternating sequential filters and SV median filters. We establish the relation of SV median filters to the basic SV morphological operators (i.e., SV erosions and SV dilations). For skeleton representation, we present a general framework for the SV morphological skeleton representation of binary images. We study the properties of the SV morphological skeleton representation and derive conditions for its invertibility. We also develop an algorithm for the implementation of the SV morphological skeleton representation of binary images. The latter algorithm is based on the optimal construction of the SV structuring element mapping designed to minimize the cardinality of the SV morphological skeleton representation. Experimental results show the dramatic improvement in the performance of the SV morphological restoration and SV morphological skeleton representation algorithms in comparison to their translation-invariant counterparts.

Membrane contactor/separator for an advanced ozone membrane reactor for treatment of recalcitrant organic pollutants in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, Wai Kit; Jouët, Justine; Heng, Samuel; Yeung, King Lun; Schrotter, Jean-Christophe

2012-01-01

An advanced ozone membrane reactor that synergistically combines membrane distributor for ozone gas, membrane contactor for pollutant adsorption and reaction, and membrane separator for clean water production is described. The membrane reactor represents an order of magnitude improvement over traditional semibatch reactor design and is capable of complete conversion of recalcitrant endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in water at less than three minutes residence time. Coating the membrane contactor with alumina and hydrotalcite (Mg/Al=3) adsorbs and traps the organics in the reaction zone resulting in 30% increase of total organic carbon (TOC) removal. Large surface area coating that diffuses surface charges from adsorbed polar organic molecules is preferred as it reduces membrane polarization that is detrimental to separation. - Graphical abstract: Advanced ozone membrane reactor synergistically combines membrane distributor for ozone, membrane contactor for sorption and reaction and membrane separator for clean water production to achieve an order of magnitude enhancement in treatment performance compared to traditional ozone reactor. Highlights: ► Novel reactor using membranes for ozone distributor, reaction contactor and water separator. ► Designed to achieve an order of magnitude enhancement over traditional reactor. ► Al 2 O 3 and hydrotalcite coatings capture and trap pollutants giving additional 30% TOC removal. ► High surface area coating prevents polarization and improves membrane separation and life.

NOVEL POLYMERIC MEMBRANE FOR DEHYDRATION OF ORGANIC SOLVENTS

Science.gov (United States)

Pervaporation has emerged as an economically viable alternative technology for dehydration of organic solvents, removal of organic compounds and organic/organic separations. Development of a membrane system with suitable flux and selectivity characteristics plays a critical role...

The actin homologue MreB organizes the bacterial cell membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Strahl, Henrik; Bürmann, Frank; Hamoen, Leendert W

2014-03-07

The eukaryotic cortical actin cytoskeleton creates specific lipid domains, including lipid rafts, which determine the distribution of many membrane proteins. Here we show that the bacterial actin homologue MreB displays a comparable activity. MreB forms membrane-associated filaments that coordinate bacterial cell wall synthesis. We noticed that the MreB cytoskeleton influences fluorescent staining of the cytoplasmic membrane. Detailed analyses combining an array of mutants, using specific lipid staining techniques and spectroscopic methods, revealed that MreB filaments create specific membrane regions with increased fluidity (RIFs). Interference with these fluid lipid domains (RIFs) perturbs overall lipid homeostasis and affects membrane protein localization. The influence of MreB on membrane organization and fluidity may explain why the active movement of MreB stimulates membrane protein diffusion. These novel MreB activities add additional complexity to bacterial cell membrane organization and have implications for many membrane-associated processes.

Metal–organic framework membranes: from synthesis to separation application

KAUST Repository

Qiu, Shilun

2014-06-26

Metal-organic framework (MOF) materials, which are constructed from metal ions or metal ion clusters and bridging organic linkers, exhibit regular crystalline lattices with relatively well-defined pore structures and interesting properties. As a new class of porous solid materials, MOFs are attractive for a variety of industrial applications including separation membranes-a rapidly developing research area. Many reports have discussed the synthesis and applications of MOFs and MOF thin films, but relatively few have addressed MOF membranes. This critical review provides an overview of the diverse MOF membranes that have been prepared, beginning with a brief introduction to the current techniques for the fabrication of MOF membranes. Gas and liquid separation applications with different MOF membranes are also included (175 references). This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.

Complex diagnostic approaches in metastases of tumors in skeleton. VII

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bek, V.; Stepan, J.; Hausner, P.; Vosecky, M.; Konopasek, B.; Novy, F.

1987-01-01

In addition to the current methods of imaging the skeleton and of histomorphological and cytomorphological examinations of the bone marrow and the bone tissue, an ever growing attention is devoted to humoral factors affecting the metabolism of the skeleton. Prostaglandins, or in a broader sense, eicosanoids are in the forefront of the attention. Their relations is studied to immune and endocrine mechanisms and to growth factors (TGF (transforming growth factor), EDF (epidermal growth factor), PDGF (platelet derived growth factor)). Specific monoclonal antibodies to the membrane and cytoplasma structures of malignant cells represent an important shift towards improved detection of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow. Computerized tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance contribute to improved definition in bone diagnosis. The condition of bone metabolism can be assessed by whole-body retention using technetium-labelled phosphate complexes. The methods offering information on the state of blood supply for the skeleton are also important. Common tests of bone marrow metastasis detection combine with the determination of the presence of tumor markers (CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), TPA (tissue polypeptide antigen), plasminogen activator, polyamine, etc.). Upon heterogeneity of cell populations in the tumor, an urgent need arises for the clinician to penetrate down to the cellular and the subcellular levels of the malignant growth with the aim of identifying biological potency of the individual cell clones, including their capability of produce and proliferate metastases. We are approaching this desirable target through the flow cytometry method. (author). 30 refs

Organic-inorganic membranes for filtration of corn distillery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myronchuk Valeriy G.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Organic-inorganic membranes were obtained by modification of polymer microfiltration membrane with inorganic ion-exchangers, which form secondary porosity inside macroporous substrate (zirconium hydrophosphate or simultaneously in the macroporous substrate and active layer, depending of the particle size (from ≈50 nm up to several microns. Precipitation of the inorganic constituent is considered from the point of view of Ostwald-Freundlich equation. Such processes as pressing test in deionized water and filtration of corn distillery at 1-6 bar were investigated. Theoretical model allowing to establish fouling mechanism, was applied. It was found that the particles both in the substrate and active layer prevent fouling of the membrane with organics and provide rejection of colloidal particles.

Thin porphyrin composite membranes with enhanced organic solvent transport

KAUST Repository

Phuoc, Duong; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2018-01-01

Extending the stability of polymeric membranes in organic solvents is important for applications in chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Thin-film composite membranes with enhanced solvent permeance are proposed, using porphyrin as a building block

Sea urchin skeleton: Structure, composition, and application as a template for biomimetic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Shapkin, Nikolay P.; Khalchenko, Irina G.; Panasenko, Alexander E.; Drozdov, Anatoly L.

2017-07-01

SEM and optical microscopy, chemical and EDX analysis, XRD, and FT-IR spectroscopy of three sea urchins skeletons (tests) show that the test is a spongy stereom, consisting of calcite with high content of magnesium. The tests are composed of mineral-organic composite of calcite-magnesite crystals, coated with organic film, containing silicon in form of polyphenylsiloxane. In the test of sea urchin pore spaces are linked into united system of regular structure with structure motive period about 20 um. This developed three-dimensional structure was used as a template for polymer material based on polyferrofenilsiloxane [OSiC6H5OH]x[OSiC6H5O]y[OFeO]z, which is chemically similar to the native film, coating sea urchins skeleton.

Morin-based nanofiltration membranes for organic solvent separation processes

KAUST Repository

Perez Manriquez, Liliana

2018-02-26

In this work we demonstrate the successful optimization of the interfacial polymerization reaction for the manufacture of organic solvent nanofiltration membranes by replacing the toxic amines commonly used for this method with the natural occurring bio-polyphenol morin. For the manufacture of this type of OSN membrane a crosslinked PAN support was coated by interfacial polymerization using morin as the monomer of the aqueous phase and terephtaloyl chloride as the monomer of the organic phase. These membranes showed an exceptional performance and resistance to NMP by having a a permeance of 0.3L/m2 h bar in NMP with a rejection of 96% of Brilliant Blue dye which has a molecular weight of 825.97g/mol, making these membranes attractive for harsh industrial separation processes due to their ease of manufacture, low cost, and excellent performance.

Program Transformation to Identify List-Based Parallel Skeletons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venkatesh Kannan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Algorithmic skeletons are used as building-blocks to ease the task of parallel programming by abstracting the details of parallel implementation from the developer. Most existing libraries provide implementations of skeletons that are defined over flat data types such as lists or arrays. However, skeleton-based parallel programming is still very challenging as it requires intricate analysis of the underlying algorithm and often uses inefficient intermediate data structures. Further, the algorithmic structure of a given program may not match those of list-based skeletons. In this paper, we present a method to automatically transform any given program to one that is defined over a list and is more likely to contain instances of list-based skeletons. This facilitates the parallel execution of a transformed program using existing implementations of list-based parallel skeletons. Further, by using an existing transformation called distillation in conjunction with our method, we produce transformed programs that contain fewer inefficient intermediate data structures.

Importance of the hexagonal lipid phase in biological membrane organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Jouhet, Juliette

2013-01-01

Domains are present in every natural membrane. They are characterized by a distinctive protein and/or lipid composition. Their size is highly variable from the nano- to the micrometer scale. The domains confer specific properties to the membrane leading to original structure and function. The determinants leading to domain organization are therefore important but remain obscure. This review presents how the ability of lipids to organize into hexagonal II or lamellar phases can promote particular local structures within membranes. Since biological membranes are composed of a mixture of lipids, each with distinctive biophysical properties, lateral and transversal sorting of lipids can promote creation of domains inside the membrane through local modulation of the lipid phase. Lipid biophysical properties have been characterized for long based on in vitro analyses using non-natural lipid molecules; their re-examinations using natural lipids might open interesting perspectives on membrane architecture occurring in vivo in various cellular and physiological contexts.

New Insights into the Carbon Isotope Variations in Coral Skeletons (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Swart, P. K.

2010-12-01

The origin of the carbon isotopic composition of coral skeletons has been a subject of speculation and controversy since the first stable C and O isotopic measurements were made on corals in the 1960s and the first models of fractionation were proposed by Weber and coworkers. Early models focused on the interactions between the zooxanthellae and the coral organism and the relationship with insolation. Models were proposed that linked higher levels of photosynthesis to both 13C enriched and 13C depleted skeletal material. While the model which showed elevated 13C values related to enhanced photosynthesis generally has found favor and fits the majority of the data from experimental and field studies, more recent work has also shown the importance of the natural variability of the δ13C of the dissolved inorganic carbon on interannual and longer time scales. This variability can overwhelm photosynthetic induced variability. For example, changes over the time period of 100s of years, caused by the addition of fossil fuel CO2 to the atmosphere, has resulted in a general decline in the δ13C of coral skeletons since ~1800. These changes are even larger in instances in which local variations in δ13C are related to land use changes and the openness of the environment. Recently there has been concern regarding the decrease in the pH of the oceans related to increases in oceanic pCO2. This also has potential to changes the δ13C of the coral skeleton. Finally there are seasonal variations in the types of organic compounds being oxidized by the coral. This may be related to the types of materials being translocated between the zooxanthellae and the coral. All these factors make changes in the δ13C of coral skeletons much more than a reflection of the influence of insolation.

Sphingolipid Organization in the Plasma Membrane and the Mechanisms That Influence It.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, Mary L

2016-01-01

Sphingolipids are structural components in the plasma membranes of eukaryotic cells. Their metabolism produces bioactive signaling molecules that modulate fundamental cellular processes. The segregation of sphingolipids into distinct membrane domains is likely essential for cellular function. This review presents the early studies of sphingolipid distribution in the plasma membranes of mammalian cells that shaped the most popular current model of plasma membrane organization. The results of traditional imaging studies of sphingolipid distribution in stimulated and resting cells are described. These data are compared with recent results obtained with advanced imaging techniques, including super-resolution fluorescence detection and high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Emphasis is placed on the new insight into the sphingolipid organization within the plasma membrane that has resulted from the direct imaging of stable isotope-labeled lipids in actual cell membranes with high-resolution SIMS. Super-resolution fluorescence techniques have recently revealed the biophysical behaviors of sphingolipids and the unhindered diffusion of cholesterol analogs in the membranes of living cells are ultimately in contrast to the prevailing hypothetical model of plasma membrane organization. High-resolution SIMS studies also conflicted with the prevailing hypothesis, showing sphingolipids are concentrated in micrometer-scale membrane domains, but cholesterol is evenly distributed within the plasma membrane. Reductions in cellular cholesterol decreased the number of sphingolipid domains in the plasma membrane, whereas disruption of the cytoskeleton eliminated them. In addition, hemagglutinin, a transmembrane protein that is thought to be a putative raft marker, did not cluster within sphingolipid-enriched regions in the plasma membrane. Thus, sphingolipid distribution in the plasma membrane is dependent on the cytoskeleton, but not on favorable interactions with

Plasma membrane organization and dynamics is probe and cell line dependent.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shuangru; Lim, Shi Ying; Gupta, Anjali; Bag, Nirmalya; Wohland, Thorsten

2017-09-01

The action and interaction of membrane receptor proteins take place within the plasma membrane. The plasma membrane, however, is not a passive matrix. It rather takes an active role and regulates receptor distribution and function by its composition and the interaction of its lipid components with embedded and surrounding proteins. Furthermore, it is not a homogenous fluid but contains lipid and protein domains of various sizes and characteristic lifetimes which are important in regulating receptor function and signaling. The precise lateral organization of the plasma membrane, the differences between the inner and outer leaflet, and the influence of the cytoskeleton are still debated. Furthermore, there is a lack of comparisons of the organization and dynamics of the plasma membrane of different cell types. Therefore, we used four different specific membrane markers to test the lateral organization, the differences between the inner and outer membrane leaflet, and the influence of the cytoskeleton of up to five different cell lines, including Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1), Human cervical carcinoma (HeLa), neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y), fibroblast (WI-38) and rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells by Imaging Total Internal Reflection (ITIR)-Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS). We measure diffusion in the temperature range of 298-310K to measure the Arrhenius activation energy (E Arr ) of diffusion and apply the FCS diffusion law to obtain information on the spatial organization of the probe molecules on the various cell membranes. Our results show clear differences of the FCS diffusion law and E Arr for the different probes in dependence of their localization. These differences are similar in the outer and inner leaflet of the membrane. However, these values can differ significantly between different cell lines raising the question how molecular plasma membrane events measured in different cell lines can be compared. This article is part of a Special Issue

Interactive Shape Modeling using a Skeleton-Mesh Co-Representation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bærentzen, Jacob Andreas; Abdrashitov, Rinat; Singh, Karan

2014-01-01

We introduce the Polar-Annular Mesh representation (PAM). A PAM is a mesh-skeleton co-representation designed for the modeling of 3D organic, articulated shapes. A PAM represents a manifold mesh as a partition of polar (triangle fans) and annular (rings of quads) regions. The skeletal topology of...... a PAM to a quad-only mesh. We further present a PAM-based multi-touch sculpting application in order to demonstrate its utility as a shape representation for the interactive modeling of organic, articulated figures as well as for editing and posing of pre-existing models....

Caveolae as plasma membrane sensors, protectors and organizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Parton, Robert G; del Pozo, Miguel A

2013-02-01

Caveolae are submicroscopic, plasma membrane pits that are abundant in many mammalian cell types. The past few years have seen a quantum leap in our understanding of the formation, dynamics and functions of these enigmatic structures. Caveolae have now emerged as vital plasma membrane sensors that can respond to plasma membrane stresses and remodel the extracellular environment. Caveolae at the plasma membrane can be removed by endocytosis to regulate their surface density or can be disassembled and their structural components degraded. Coat proteins, called cavins, work together with caveolins to regulate the formation of caveolae but also have the potential to dynamically transmit signals that originate in caveolae to various cellular destinations. The importance of caveolae as protective elements in the plasma membrane, and as membrane organizers and sensors, is highlighted by links between caveolae dysfunction and human diseases, including muscular dystrophies and cancer.

CHEMICAL CLEANING OF NANOFILTRATION MEMBRANES FOULED BY ORGANIC MATTERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CHARLENE C. H. KOO

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Membrane fouling is a term to describe non-integral substance on membrane surface which results in rapid decline of permeation flux and deteriorate the performance of membrane. Chemical cleaning agents especially like alkaline cleaners are most widely employed to restore the membrane performance. This research mainly investigated the potential use of sodium hydroxide (NaOH and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl as the chemical cleaning agents to restore the permeate flux of organically fouled nanofiltration (NF membranes under varying applied pressure and flow condition. The performances of the cleaning protocols were quantified using flux recovery and resistance removal. The results demonstrated that NaOCl is more effective than NaOH. This observation is also in line with FTIR analysis in which the transmittance intensity showed by FTIR spectra of NaOCl is higher than that of NaOH. The results also reported that higher flux recovery and resistance removal were achieved when the fouled NF membranes were cleaned with higher concentration of chemical agents and applied pressure. However, the improvements of flux recovery and resistance removal by increasing the applied pressure were found insignificant at higher applied pressure range (16 to 18 bar than the lower applied pressure range (i.e. 12 to 14 bar. This research plays an important role by identifying the key parameters that could restore the flux of organically fouled NF membranes significantly.

Fate and wetting potential of bio-refractory organics in membrane distillation for coke wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Jing; Li, Jianfeng; Chen, Zuliang; Cheng, Fangqin

2018-06-02

Membrane distillation (MD) has been hindered in industrial applications due to the potential wetting or fouling caused by complicated organic compositions. This study investigated the correlations between the fate and wetting potential of bio-refractory organics in the MD process, where three coke wastewater samples pre-treated with bio-degradation and coagulation served as feed solutions. Results showed that although most of the bio-refractory organics in coke wastewater were rejected by the hydrophobic membrane, some volatile aromatic organics including benzenes, phenols, quinolines and naphthalenes passed through the membrane during the MD process. Interestingly, membrane wetting occurred coincidently with the penetration of phenolic and heterocyclic organics. The wetting rate was obviously correlated with the feed composition and membrane surface properties. Ultimately, novel insights into the anti-wetting strategy of MD with bio-refractory organics was proposed, illustrating that the polyaluminum chloride/polyacrylamide coagulation not only removed contaminants which could accelerate membrane wetting, but also retarded membrane wetting by the complexation with organics. The deposition of these complexes on the membrane surface introduced a secondary hydrophilic layer on the hydrophobic substrate, which established a composite membrane structure with superior wetting resistance. These new findings would be beneficial to wetting control in membrane distillation for wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research and development of lithium isotope separation using an ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoshino, Tsuyoshi

2013-01-01

The tritium needed as a fuel for fusion reactors is produced by the neutron capture reaction of lithium-6 ( 6 Li) in tritium breeding materials. However, natural Li contains only about 7.6 at.% 6 Li. In Japan, new lithium isotope separation technique using ionic-liquid impregnated organic membranes have been developed. The improvement in the durability of the ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane is one of the main issues for stable, long-term operation of electrodialysis cells while maintaining good performance. Therefore, we developed highly-durable ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane. Both ends of the ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane were covered by a nafion 324 overcoat to prevent the outflow of the ionic liquid. The transmission of Lithium aqueous solution after 10 hours under the highly-durable ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane is almost 13%. So this highly-durable ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane for long operating of electrodialysis cells has been developed through successful prevention of ion liquid dissolution. (J.P.N.)

New Polymeric Membranes for Organic Solvent Nanofiltration

KAUST Repository

Aburabie, Jamaliah

2017-05-01

The focus of this dissertation was the development, synthesis and modification of polymers for the preparation of membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration. High chemical stability in a wide range of solvents was a key requirement. Membranes prepared from synthesized polymers as well as from commercial polymers were designed and chemically modified to reach OSN requirements. A solvent stable thin-film composite (TFC) membrane is reported, which is fabricated on crosslinked polythiosemicarbazide (PTSC) as substrate. The membranes exhibited high fluxes towards solvents like THF, DMF and DMSO ranging around 20 L/m2 h at 5 bar with a MWCO of around 1000 g/mol. Ultrafiltration PTSC membranes were prepared by non-solvent induced phase separation and crosslinked with GPTMS. The crosslinking reaction was responsible for the formation of an inorganic-type-network that tuned the membrane pore size. The crosslinked membranes acquired high solvent stability in DMSO, DMF and THF with a MWCO above 1300 g/mol. Reaction Induced Phase Separation (RIPS) was introduced as a new method for the preparation of skinned asymmetric membranes. These membranes have two distinctive layers with different morphologies both from the same polymer. The top dense layer is composed of chemically crosslinked polymer chains while the bottom layer is a porous structure formed by non-crosslinked polymer chains. Such membranes were tested for vitamin B12 in solvents after either crosslinking the support or dissolving the support and fixing the freestanding membrane on alumina. Pebax® 1657 was utilized for the preparation of composite membranes by simple coating. Porous PAN membranes were coated with Pebax® 1657 which was then crosslinked using TDI. Crosslinked Pebax® membranes show high stability towards ethanol, propanol and acetone. The membranes were also stable in DMF once crosslinked PAN supports were used. Sodium alginate polymer was investigated for the preparation of thin film composite

Organizing membrane-curving proteins: the emerging dynamical picture.

Science.gov (United States)

Simunovic, Mijo; Bassereau, Patricia; Voth, Gregory A

2018-03-30

Lipid membranes play key roles in cells, such as in trafficking, division, infection, remodeling of organelles, among others. The key step in all these processes is creating membrane curvature, typically under the control of many anchored, adhered or included proteins. However, it has become clear that the membrane itself can mediate the interactions among proteins to produce highly ordered assemblies. Computer simulations are ideally suited to investigate protein organization and the dynamics of membrane remodeling at near-micron scales, something that is extremely challenging to tackle experimentally. We review recent computational efforts in modeling protein-caused membrane deformation mechanisms, specifically focusing on coarse-grained simulations. We highlight work that exposed the membrane-mediated ordering of proteins into lines, meshwork, spirals and other assemblies, in what seems to be a very generic mechanism driven by a combination of short and long-ranged forces. Modulating the mechanical properties of membranes is an underexplored signaling mechanism in various processes deserving of more attention in the near future. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MicroCT-based phenomics in the zebrafish skeleton reveals virtues of deep phenotyping in a distributed organ system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hur, Matthew; Gistelinck, Charlotte A; Huber, Philippe; Lee, Jane; Thompson, Marjorie H; Monstad-Rios, Adrian T; Watson, Claire J; McMenamin, Sarah K; Willaert, Andy; Parichy, David M; Coucke, Paul; Kwon, Ronald Y

2017-09-08

Phenomics, which ideally involves in-depth phenotyping at the whole-organism scale, may enhance our functional understanding of genetic variation. Here, we demonstrate methods to profile hundreds of phenotypic measures comprised of morphological and densitometric traits at a large number of sites within the axial skeleton of adult zebrafish. We show the potential for vertebral patterns to confer heightened sensitivity, with similar specificity, in discriminating mutant populations compared to analyzing individual vertebrae in isolation. We identify phenotypes associated with human brittle bone disease and thyroid stimulating hormone receptor hyperactivity. Finally, we develop allometric models and show their potential to aid in the discrimination of mutant phenotypes masked by alterations in growth. Our studies demonstrate virtues of deep phenotyping in a spatially distributed organ system. Analyzing phenotypic patterns may increase productivity in genetic screens, and facilitate the study of genetic variants associated with smaller effect sizes, such as those that underlie complex diseases.

Volatile organic carbon/air separation test using gas membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, C.V.; Kaschemekat, J.

1993-08-01

An estimated 900 metric tons of carbon tetrachloride were discharged to soil columns during the Plutonium Finishing Plant Operations at the Hanford Site. The largest percentage of this volatile organic compound was found in the vadose region of the 200 West Area. Using a Vacuum Extraction System, the volatile organic compound was drawn from the soil in an air mixture at a concentration of about 1,000 parts per million. The volatile organic compounds were absorbed from the air stream using granulated activated carbon canisters. A gas membrane separation system, developed by Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., was tested at the Vacuum Extraction System site to determine if the volatile organic compound load on the granulated activated carbon could be reduced. The Vacuum Extraction System condensed most of the volatile organic compound into liquid carbon tetrachloride and vented the residual gas stream into the granulated activated carbon. This system reduced the cost of operation about $5/kilogram of volatile organic compound removed

X-ray - skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003381.htm X-ray - skeleton To use the sharing features on this ... Degenerative bone conditions Osteomyelitis Risks There is low radiation exposure. X-rays machines are set to provide the smallest ...

Importance of the hexagonal lipid phase in biological membrane organization

OpenAIRE

Jouhet, Juliette

2013-01-01

Domains are present in every natural membrane. They are characterized by a distinctive protein and/or lipid composition. Their size is highly variable from the nano- to the micrometer scale. The domains confer specific properties to the membrane leading to original structure and function. The determinants leading to domain organization are therefore important but remain obscure. This review presents how the ability of lipids to organize into hexagonal II or lamellar phases can promote particu...

There Is No Simple Model of the Plasma Membrane Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardino de la Serna, Jorge; Schütz, Gerhard J.; Eggeling, Christian; Cebecauer, Marek

2016-01-01

Ever since technologies enabled the characterization of eukaryotic plasma membranes, heterogeneities in the distributions of its constituents were observed. Over the years this led to the proposal of various models describing the plasma membrane organization such as lipid shells, picket-and-fences, lipid rafts, or protein islands, as addressed in numerous publications and reviews. Instead of emphasizing on one model we in this review give a brief overview over current models and highlight how current experimental work in one or the other way do not support the existence of a single overarching model. Instead, we highlight the vast variety of membrane properties and components, their influences and impacts. We believe that highlighting such controversial discoveries will stimulate unbiased research on plasma membrane organization and functionality, leading to a better understanding of this essential cellular structure. PMID:27747212

There Is No Simple Model of the Plasma Membrane Organization

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

de la serna, J. B.; Schütz, G.; Eggeling, Ch.; Cebecauer, Marek

2016-01-01

Roč. 4, SEP 2016 (2016), 106 ISSN 2296-634X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-06989S Institutional support: RVO:61388955 Keywords : plasma membrane * membrane organization models * heterogeneous distribution Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry

Fouling Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter in Papermaking Process Water on Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenpeng Su

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In the papermaking industry, closure of process water (whitewater circuits has been used to reduce fresh water consumption. Membrane separation technology has potential for use in treating process water for recirculation. The purpose of this study was to reveal the fouling characteristics of a polyethersulfone (PES ultrafiltration membrane caused by dissolved organic matter (DOM in process water. Ultrafiltration membranes (UF and DAX ion exchange resins were applied to characterize the molecular weight (MW and hydrophilicity distribution of DOM. The interactions between various fractions of DOM and a PES ultrafiltration membrane were investigated. The membrane fouling characteristics were elucidated by examining the filtration resistances and linearized Herman’s blocking models. The results demonstrated that the membrane was fouled significantly by much of the MW distribution. The membrane was fouled more significantly by the low MW fraction rather than the high MW fraction. The filtration resistances and the fitted equation of Hermia’s laws indicated that hydrophilic organics were the main foulants. The hydrophilic organics partially block the membrane pores and form intermediate blocking, reducing the effective filtration area, while the hydrophobic organics form a gel layer or cake on the surface of the membrane.

Differential natural organic matter fouling of ceramic versus polymeric ultrafiltration membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung-Jin; Kim, Jae-Hong

2014-01-01

Ceramic ultrafiltration membranes has drawn increasing attention in drinking water treatment sectors as an alternative to traditional polymeric counterparts, yet only limited information has been made available about the characteristics of ceramic membrane fouling by natural organic matter. The effects of solution chemistry including ionic strength, divalent ion concentration and pH on the flux behavior were comparatively evaluated for ceramic and polymeric ultrafiltration of synthetic water containing model natural organic matter. Filtration characteristics were further probed via resistance-in-series model analysis, fouling visualization using quantum dots, batch adsorption test, contact angle measurement, solute-membrane surface adhesion force measurement, and quantitative comparison of fouling characteristics between ceramic and polymeric membranes. The results collectively suggested that the effects of solution chemistry on fouling behavior of ceramic membranes were generally similar to polymeric counterparts in terms of trends, while the extent varied significantly depending on water quality parameters. Lower fouling tendency and enhanced cleaning efficiency were observed with the ceramic membrane, further promoting the potential for ceramic membrane application to surface water treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A clock synchronization skeleton based on RTAI

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huang, Y.; Visser, P.M.; Broenink, Johannes F.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a clock synchronization skeleton based on RTAI (Real Time Application Interface). The skeleton is a thin layer that provides unified but extendible interfaces to the underlying operating system, the synchronization algorithms and the upper level applications in need of clock

Hybrid inorganic-organic membranes: Tuning pore properties by sequential grafting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sripathi, V.G.P.

2014-01-01

In this thesis, the synthesis of inorganic - polymeric hybrid membranes by sequential grafting is discussed, for application in gas separation. At high pressures and temperatures, organic (olymer) membranes may suffer from swelling and plasticization. Generally, this causes a reduced molecular

A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Siu-Wing

2014-09-01

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (logn)logr) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomized, and runs in expected O(n√h+1log2n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (logn) logr + r 4/3 + ε ) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (logn) logr + r 17/11 + ε ).

A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Mencel, Liam A.

2014-05-06

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (log n) log r) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomised, and runs in expected O(n √(h+1) log² n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (log n) log r + r^(4/3 + ε)) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (log n) log r + r^(17/11 + ε))

A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Siu-Wing; Mencel, Liam A.; Vigneron, Antoine E.

2014-01-01

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (logn)logr) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomized, and runs in expected O(n√h+1log2n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (logn) logr + r 4/3 + ε ) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (logn) logr + r 17/11 + ε ).

Skeleton extraction based on the topology and Snakes model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuanxue Cai

Full Text Available A new skeleton line extraction method based on topology and flux is proposed by analyzing the distribution characteristics of the gradient vector field in the Snakes model. The distribution characteristics of the skeleton line are accurately obtained by calculating the eigenvalues of the critical points and the flux of the gradient vector field. Then the skeleton lines can be effectively extracted. The results also show that there is no need for the pretreatment or binarization of the target image. The skeleton lines of complex gray images such as optical interference patterns can be effectively extracted by using this method. Compared to traditional methods, this method has many advantages, such as high extraction accuracy and fast processing speed. Keywords: Skeleton, Snakes model, Topology, Photoelasticity image

Plasma-deposited hybrid silica membranes with a controlled retention of organic bridges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ngamou, P.H.T.; Creatore, M. [Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Overbeek, J.P.; Kreiter, R.; Van Veen, H.M.; Vente, J.F. [ECN, Energy research Centre of the Netherlands, Petten (Netherlands); Wienk, I.M.; Cuperus, P.F. [SolSep BV, Apeldoorn (Netherlands)

2013-03-05

Hybrid organically bridged silica membranes are suitable for energy-efficient molecular separations under harsh industrial conditions. Such membranes can be useful in organic solvent nanofiltration if they can be deposited on flexible, porous and large area supports. Here, we report the proof of concept for applying an expanding thermal plasma to the synthesis of perm-selective hybrid silica films from an organically bridged monomer, 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane. This membrane is the first in its class to be produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. By tuning the plasma and process parameters, the organic bridging groups could be retained in the separating layer. This way, a defect free film could be made with pervaporation performances of an n-butanol-water mixture comparable with those of conventional ceramic supported membranes made by sol-gel technology (i.e. a water flux of [similar]1.8 kg m'-{sup 2} h{sup -1}, a water concentration in the permeate higher than 98% and a separation factor of >1100). The obtained results show the suitability of expanding thermal plasma as a technology for the deposition of hybrid silica membranes for molecular separations.

The value of scintigraphy in skeleton diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wickenhauser, J.

1976-01-01

The complex topic of diagnostics of the numerous skeleton diseases was enriched by nuclear medicine, for it is now possible to complete the static picture of morphologic changes resulting from radiologic examinations by its functional component, shown in scintigraphy. This shows that maximal information can only be obtained if the results of skeleton scintigraphy are, according to their importance, integrated into the total picture of the diagnostical decision procedure the centre of which is taken by radiology as was always the case. Because of the different results they lead to, none of the methods can be replaced by another, but they can only complete one another. For the reasons mentioned, the isolated use of skeleton scintigraphy, as it is usual in many places, does not seem not purposeful. Using 8 cases, the author tried to show the problems of skeleton scintigraphy and its position in the diagnostical decision procedure in osteology. (orig.) [de

X-ray microscopy study of track membranes and biological objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artioukov, I.A.; Levashov, V.E.; Struk, I.I.; Vinogradov, A.V.; Asadchikov, V.E.; Mchedlishvili, B.V.; Postnov, A.A.; Vilensky, A.I.; Zagorsky, D.L.; Gulimova, V.I.; Saveliev, S.V.; Kurohtin, A.N.; Popov, A.V.

2000-01-01

The development of two types of X-ray microscopy applying to the organic objects investigation (biological samples and polymer matrix) is reported. Polymer track membranes were investigated using Schwarzchild X-ray microscope with 20 nm wavelength. Pore diameters down to 0.2 μm were clearly imaged. Contact X-ray microscopy at 0.229 nm wavelength was used to obtain clear images of inner structure of native biological samples. High contrast together with the high resolution (about 2-3 μm) allowed us to use this method for quantitative analysis of demineralization process taking place in the skeleton of amphibious after several weeks of weightlessness on biosputnik board

Diagenesis of echinoderm skeletons: Constraints on paleoseawater Mg/Ca reconstructions

Science.gov (United States)

Gorzelak, Przemysław; Krzykawski, Tomasz; Stolarski, Jarosław

2016-09-01

One of the most profound environmental changes thought to be reflected in chemical composition of numerous geological archives is Mg/Ca ratio of the seawater, which has varied dramatically throughout the Phanerozoic. Echinoderms that today typically form high magnesium calcite skeletons are increasingly being utilized as a proxy for interpreting secular changes in seawater chemistry. However, accurate characterization of the diagenetic changes of their metastable high magnesium calcite skeletons is a prerequisite for assessing their original, major-element geochemical composition. Here we expand the existing models of diagenesis of echinoderm skeleton by integration of various analytical methods that up to now rarely have been used to assess the diagenetic changes of fossil echinoderms. We validated the preservation of a suite of differently preserved echinoderm ossicles, mostly crinoids, ranging in age from the Cambrian through Recent. In 13 of 99 fossil echinoderm ossicles we found well-preserved porous microstructure (stereom), non-luminescent behaviour or blotchy dark color in cathodoluminescence, and distinct nanostructural features (layered and nanocomposite structure). Moreover, in representatives of such preserved samples, distribution of sulphates associated with organic matter is identical to those in Recent echinoderms. Only such ossicles, despite of local micrometer-scale diagenetic changes, were herein considered well-preserved, retaining their original major-element skeletal composition. By contrast, majority of samples show transformation to the stable low magnesium calcite that leads to obliteration of the primary geochemical and micro/nanostructural features and is accompanied with increase in cathodoluminescence emission intensity. Using only well-preserved fossil echinoderm samples, we found purely random variation in Mg/Ca in echinoderm skeletons through the observed time series; any periodicities in echinoderm skeletal Mg/Ca ratio which might

Organization and Dynamics of Receptor Proteins in a Plasma Membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Koldsø, Heidi; Sansom, Mark S P

2015-11-25

The interactions of membrane proteins are influenced by their lipid environment, with key lipid species able to regulate membrane protein function. Advances in high-resolution microscopy can reveal the organization and dynamics of proteins and lipids within living cells at resolutions membranes of in vivo-like complexity. We explore the dynamics of proteins and lipids in crowded and complex plasma membrane models, thereby closing the gap in length and complexity between computations and experiments. Our simulations provide insights into the mutual interplay between lipids and proteins in determining mesoscale (20-100 nm) fluctuations of the bilayer, and in enabling oligomerization and clustering of membrane proteins.

Hydrothermally stable molecular separation membranes from organically linked silica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castricum, H.L.; Sah, A; Blank, D.H.A.; Ten Elshof, J.E. [Inorganic Materials Science, MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Kreiter, R.; Vente, J.F. [ECN Energy Efficiency in the Industry, Petten (Netherlands)

2008-06-15

A highly hydrothermally stable microporous network material has been developed that can be applied in energy-efficient molecular sieving. The material was synthesized by employing organically bridged monomers in acid-catalysed sol-gel hydrolysis and condensation, and is composed of covalently bonded organic and inorganic moieties. Due to its hybrid nature, it withstands higher temperatures than organic polymers and exhibits high solvolytical and acid stability. A thin film membrane that was prepared with the hybrid material was found to be stable in the dehydration of n-butanol at 150C for almost two years. This membrane is the first that combines a high resistance against water at elevated temperatures with a high separation factor and permeance. It therefore has high potential for energy-efficient molecular separation under industrial conditions, including the dehydration of organic solvents. The organically bridged monomers induce increased toughness in the thin film layer. This suppresses hydrolysis of Si-O-Si network bonds and results in a high resistance towards stress-induced cracking. The large non-hydrolysable units thus remain well incorporated in the surrounding matrix such that the material combines high (pore) structural and mechanical stability. The sol mean particle size was found to be a viable parameter to tune the thickness of the membrane layer and thus optimize the separation performance. We anticipate that other hybrid organosilicas can be made in a similar fashion, to yield a whole new class of materials with superior molecular sieving properties and high hydrothermal stability.

Crosslinked copolyazoles with a zwitterionic structure for organic solvent resistant membranes

KAUST Repository

Chisca, Stefan

2015-01-01

The preparation of crosslinked membranes with a zwitterionic structure based on a facile reaction between a newly synthesized copolyazole with free OH groups and (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) is reported. The new OH-functionalized copolyazole is soluble in common organic solvents, such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), N,N′-dimethylformamide (DMF) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and can be easily processed by phase inversion. After crosslinking with GPTMS, the membranes acquire high solvent resistance. We show the membrane performance and the influence of the crosslinking reaction conditions on the thermal stability, surface polarity, pore morphology, and solvent resistance. By using UV-spectroscopy we monitored the solvent resistance of the membranes in four aggressive solvents (THF, DMSO, DMF and NMP) for 30 days. After this time, only minor changes (less than 2%) were detected for membranes subjected to a crosslinking reaction for 6 hours or longer. Our data suggest that the novel crosslinked membranes can be used for industrial applications in wide harsh environments in the presence of organic solvents.

Preparation and characterization of self-crosslinked organic/inorganic proton exchange membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Shuangling; Cui, Xuejun; Dou, Sen; Liu, Wencong

A series of silicon-containing sulfonated polystyrene/acrylate (Si-sPS/A) nanoparticles are successfully synthesized via simple emulsion polymerization method. The Si-sPS/A latexes show good film-forming capability and the self-crosslinked organic/inorganic proton exchange membranes are prepared by pouring the Si-sPS/A nanoparticle latexes into glass plates and drying at 60 °C for 10 h and 120 °C for 2 h. The potential of the membranes in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) is characterized preliminarily by studying their thermal stability, ion-exchange capacity, water uptake, methanol diffusion coefficient, proton conductivity and selectivity (proton conductivity/methanol diffusion coefficient). The results indicate that these membranes possess excellent thermal stability and methanol barrier due to the existence of self-crosslinked silica network. In addition, the proton conductivity of the membranes is in the range of 10 -3-10 -2 S cm -1 and all the membranes show much higher selectivity in comparison with Nafion ® 117. These results suggest that the self-crosslinked organic/inorganic proton exchange membranes are particularly promising in DMFC applications.

Cell cycle dependent changes in the plasma membrane organization of mammalian cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Denz, Manuela; Chiantia, Salvatore; Herrmann, Andreas; Mueller, Peter; Korte, Thomas; Schwarzer, Roland

2017-03-01

Lipid membranes are major structural elements of all eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. Although many aspects of their biology have been studied extensively, their dynamics and lateral heterogeneity are still not fully understood. Recently, we observed a cell-to-cell variability in the plasma membrane organization of CHO-K1 cells (Schwarzer et al., 2014). We surmised that cell cycle dependent changes of the individual cells from our unsynchronized cell population account for this phenomenon. In the present study, this hypothesis was tested. To this aim, CHO-K1 cells were arrested in different cell cycle phases by chemical treatments, and the order of their plasma membranes was determined by various fluorescent lipid analogues using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. Our experiments exhibit significant differences in the membrane order of cells arrested in the G2/M or S phase compared to control cells. Our single-cell analysis also enabled the specific selection of mitotic cells, which displayed a significant increase of the membrane order compared to the control. In addition, the lipid raft marker GPImYFP was used to study the lateral organization of cell cycle arrested cells as well as mitotic cells and freely cycling samples. Again, significant differences were found between control and arrested cells and even more pronounced between control and mitotic cells. Our data demonstrate a direct correlation between cell cycle progression and plasma membrane organization, underlining that cell-to-cell heterogeneities of membrane properties have to be taken into account in cellular studies especially at the single-cell level. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An anaerobic membrane bioreactor - membrane distillation hybrid system for energy recovery and water reuse: Removal performance of organic carbon, nutrients, and trace organic contaminants.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xiaoye; Luo, Wenhai; McDonald, James; Khan, Stuart J; Hai, Faisal I; Price, William E; Nghiem, Long D

2018-07-01

In this study, a direct contact membrane distillation (MD) unit was integrated with an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) to simultaneously recover energy and produce high quality water for reuse from wastewater. Results show that AnMBR could produce 0.3-0.5L/g COD added biogas with a stable methane content of approximately 65%. By integrating MD with AnMBR, bulk organic matter and phosphate were almost completely removed. The removal of the 26 selected trace organic contaminants by AnMBR was compound specific, but the MD process could complement AnMBR removal, leading to an overall efficiency from 76% to complete removal by the integrated system. The results also show that, due to complete retention, organic matter (such as humic-like and protein-like substances) and inorganic salts accumulated in the MD feed solution and therefore resulted in significant fouling of the MD unit. As a result, the water flux of the MD process decreased continuously. Nevertheless, membrane pore wetting was not observed throughout the operation. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Permeability of uncharged organic molecules in reverse osmosis desalination membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dražević, Emil; Košutić, Krešimir; Svalina, Marin; Catalano, Jacopo

2017-06-01

Reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are primarily designed for removal of salts i.e. for desalination of brackish and seawater, but they have also found applications in removal of organic molecules. While it is clear that steric exclusion is the dominant removal mechanism, the fundamental explanation for how and why the separation occurs remains elusive. Until recently there was no strong microscopic evidences elucidating the structure of the active polyamide layers of RO membranes, and thus they have been conceived as "black boxes"; or as an array of straight capillaries with a distribution of radii; or as polymers with a small amount of polymer free domains. The knowledge of diffusion and sorption coefficients is a prerequisite for understanding the intrinsic permeability of any organic solute in any polymer. At the same time, it is technically challenging to accurately measure these two fundamental parameters in very thin (20-300 nm) water-swollen active layers. In this work we have measured partition and diffusion coefficients and RO permeabilities of ten organic solutes in water-swollen active layers of two types of RO membranes, low (SWC4+) and high flux (XLE). We deduced from our results and recent microscopic studies that the solute flux of organic molecules in polyamide layer of RO membranes occurs in two domains, dense polymer (the key barrier layer) and the water filled domains. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic fouling behavior of superhydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membranes functionalized with surface-tailored nanoparticles: Implications for organic fouling in membrane bioreactors

KAUST Repository

Liang, Shuai; Qi, Genggeng; Xiao, Kang; Sun, Jianyu; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Huang, Xia; Elimelech, Menachem

2014-01-01

This study systematically investigates the organic fouling behavior of a superhydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membrane functionalized via post-fabrication tethering of surface-tailored silica nanoparticles to poly

A NOVEL HYDROPHILIC POLYMER MEMBRANE FOR THE DEHYDRATION OF ORGANIC SOLVENTS

Science.gov (United States)

Novel hydrophilic polymer membranes based on polyallylamine ydrochloride- polyvinylalcohol are developed. The high selectivity and flux characteristics of these membranes for the dehydration of organic solvents are evaluated using pervaporation technology and are found to be ver...

Radiation Analysis for Skeleton of Spent Nuclear Fuel Assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chang Je; Na, Sang Ho; Yang, Jae Hwan; Kang, Kweon Ho

2010-11-01

ORIGEN-S code was used in order to analyze the radioactive characteristics of skeleton of the spent nuclear fuel assembly. From the results, radioactivity, decay heat for various compositions in skeleton were obtained with a variation of cooling period and axial distribution of radioactivity was calculated, too. These data will be utilized later to process and dispose the skeleton of spent nuclear fuel assembly

Modeling The Skeleton Weight of an Adult Caucasian Man.

Science.gov (United States)

Avtandilashvili, Maia; Tolmachev, Sergei Y

2018-05-17

The reference value for the skeleton weight of an adult male (10.5 kg) recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in Publication 70 is based on weights of dissected skeletons from 44 individuals, including two U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries whole-body donors. The International Commission on Radiological Protection analysis of anatomical data from 31 individuals with known values of body height demonstrated significant correlation between skeleton weight and body height. The corresponding regression equation, Wskel (kg) = -10.7 + 0.119 × H (cm), published in International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 70 is typically used to estimate the skeleton weight from body height. Currently, the U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries holds data on individual bone weights from a total of 40 male whole-body donors, which has provided a unique opportunity to update the International Commission on Radiological Protection skeleton weight vs. body height equation. The original International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 70 and the new U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries data were combined in a set of 69 data points representing a group of 33- to 95-y-old individuals with body heights and skeleton weights ranging from 155 to 188 cm and 6.5 to 13.4 kg, respectively. Data were fitted with a linear least-squares regression. A significant correlation between the two parameters was observed (r = 0.28), and an updated skeleton weight vs. body height equation was derived: Wskel (kg) = -6.5 + 0.093 × H (cm). In addition, a correlation of skeleton weight with multiple variables including body height, body weight, and age was evaluated using multiple regression analysis, and a corresponding fit equation was derived: Wskel (kg) = -0.25 + 0.046 × H (cm) + 0.036 × Wbody (kg) - 0.012 × A (y). These equations will be used to estimate skeleton weights and, ultimately, total skeletal actinide activities for

Effects of dissolved organic matters (DOMs) on membrane fouling in anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactors (AnCMBRs) treating domestic wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Xiaodi; Koh, Yoong Keat Kelvin; Ng, How Yong

2015-12-01

Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) have been regarded as a potential solution to achieve energy neutrality in the future wastewater treatment plants. Coupling ceramic membranes into AnMBRs offers great potential as ceramic membranes are resistant to corrosive chemicals such as cleaning reagents and harsh environmental conditions such as high temperature. In this study, ceramic membranes with pore sizes of 80, 200 and 300 nm were individually mounted in three anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactors (AnCMBRs) treating real domestic wastewater to examine the treatment efficiencies and to elucidate the effects of dissolved organic matters (DOMs) on fouling behaviours. The average overall chemical oxygen demands (COD) removal efficiencies could reach around 86-88%. Although CH4 productions were around 0.3 L/g CODutilised, about 67% of CH4 generated was dissolved in the liquid phase and lost in the permeate. When filtering mixed liquor of similar properties, smaller pore-sized membranes fouled slower in long-term operations due to lower occurrence of pore blockages. However, total organic removal efficiencies could not explain the fouling behaviours. Liquid chromatography-organic carbon detection, fluorescence spectrophotometer and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence and ultra-violet detectors were used to analyse the DOMs in detail. The major foulants were identified to be biopolymers that were produced in microbial activities. One of the main components of biopolymers--proteins--led to different fouling behaviours. It is postulated that the proteins could pass through porous cake layers to create pore blockages in membranes. Hence, concentrations of the DOMs in the soluble fraction of mixed liquor (SML) could not predict membrane fouling because different components in the DOMs might have different interactions with membranes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution and accumulation of organic foulants on hydrophobic and hydrophilic membrane surfaces in a submerged membrane bioreactor

KAUST Repository

Matar, Gerald; Gonzalez-Gil, G.; Maab, H.; Nunes, Suzana Pereira; Vrouwenvelder, J.S.; Saikaly, Pascal

2015-01-01

foulants with time, illustrating that membrane surface chemistry did not affect the selection of specific organic foulants. Multivariate analysis showed that biofilm samples clustered according to the day of sampling. The composition of organic foulants

Skeletonized wave-equation Qs tomography using surface waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data

Organic-inorganic hybrid membranes in separation processes: a 10-year review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. C. Souza

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In relation to some inorganic membranes, polymeric membranes have relatively low separation performance. However, the processing flexibility and low cost of polymers still make them highly attractive for many industrial separation applications. Polymer-inorganic hybrid membranes constitute an emerging research field and have been recently developed to improve the separation properties of polymer membranes because they possess properties of both organic and inorganic membranes such as good hydrophilicity, selectivity, permeability, mechanical strength, and thermal and chemical stability. The structures and processing of polymer-inorganic nanocomposite hybrid membranes, as well as their use in the fields of ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, pervaporation, gas separation and separation mechanism are reviewed.

Behaviour of polycrystalline fluoride-selective membrane electrode in aqueous-organic media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manakova, L.I.; Bausova, N.V.; Moiseev, V.E.; Bamburov, V.G.; Sivoplyas, A.P.

1978-01-01

The behaviour of polycrystalline fluoride membrane electrode (RFME) in aqueous-organic media has been studied when the content of the organic component (methanol, ethanol, acetone, dioxane) has been changed from 20 to 80 mass%. Since LaF 3 is the base of the membrane, its solubility has been studied depending on the organic component content in the solution. It has been established that LaF 3 solubility decreases with increasing content of of the organic component. This explains the effect of the composition of an aqueous-organic solvent on the electrode sensitivity. The electrode sensitivity rises with increasing content of the organic component in an aqueous-organic solvent. A greater decrease of LaF 3 solubility in aqueous-organic solvents as compared with that of LaCl 3 , La(NO 3 ) 3 , and La 2 (SO 4 ) 3 causes a higher selectivity of RFME with respect to the anions under study

Voxel-based models representing the male and female ICRP reference adult - the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zankl, M.; Eckerman, K.F.; Bolch, W.E.

2007-01-01

For the forthcoming update of organ dose conversion coefficients, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) will use voxel-based computational phantoms due to their improved anatomical realism compared with the class of mathematical or stylized phantoms used previously. According to the ICRP philosophy, these phantoms should be representative of the male and female reference adults with respect to their external dimensions, their organ topology and their organ masses. To meet these requirements, reference models of an adult male and adult female have been constructed at the GSF, based on existing voxel models segmented from tomographic images of two individuals whose body height and weight closely resemble the ICRP Publication 89 reference values. The skeleton is a highly complex structure of the body, composed of cortical bone, trabecular bone, red and yellow bone marrow and endosteum ('bone surfaces' in their older terminology). The skeleton of the reference phantoms consists of 19 individually segmented bones and bone groups. Sub-division of these bones into the above-mentioned constituents would be necessary in order to allow a direct calculation of dose to red bone marrow and endosteum. However, the dimensions of the trabeculae, the cavities containing bone marrow and the endosteum layer lining these cavities are clearly smaller than the resolution of a normal CT scan and, thus, these volumes could not be segmented in the tomographic images. As an attempt to represent the gross spatial distribution of these regions as realistically as possible at the given voxel resolution, 48 individual organ identification numbers were assigned to various parts of the skeleton: every segmented bone was subdivided into an outer shell of cortical bone and a spongious core; in the shafts of the long bones, a medullary cavity was additionally segmented. Using the data from ICRP Publication 89 on elemental tissue composition, from ICRU Report 46 on material

Rolling Up the Sheet: Constructing Metal–Organic Lamellae and Nanotubes from a [{Mn 3 (propanediolato) 2 }(dicyanamide) 2 ] n Honeycomb Skeleton

KAUST Repository

Wu, Gang

2013-12-11

Target synthesis of metal-organic nanotubes (MONTs) through a classic "rolling-up" mechanism remains a big challenge for coordination chemists. In this work, we report three 2D lamellar compounds and one (4,0) zigzag MONT based on a common honeycomb coordination skeleton. Our synthetic strategy toward sheet/tube superstructure transformation is to asymmetrically modify the inter-layer interactions by gradually increasing the size of the amine templates. Eventually, to relieve the surface tension of individual layers and to enhance surface areas and optimize host-guest interactions to accommodate bigger guests, spontaneous rolling up to form a tubular structure was achieved. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

New methods for the geometrical analysis of tubular organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Grélard, Florent; Baldacci, Fabien; Vialard, Anne; Domenger, Jean-Philippe

2017-12-01

This paper presents new methods to study the shape of tubular organs. Determining precise cross-sections is of major importance to perform geometrical measurements, such as diameter, wall-thickness estimation or area measurement. Our first contribution is a robust method to estimate orthogonal planes based on the Voronoi Covariance Measure. Our method is not relying on a curve-skeleton computation beforehand. This means our orthogonal plane estimator can be used either on the skeleton or on the volume. Another important step towards tubular organ characterization is achieved through curve-skeletonization, as skeletons allow to compare two tubular organs, and to perform virtual endoscopy. Our second contribution is dedicated to correcting common defects of the skeleton by new pruning and recentering methods. Finally, we propose a new method for curve-skeleton extraction. Various results are shown on different types of segmented tubular organs, such as neurons, airway-tree and blood vessels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A skeleton for distributed work pools in Eden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dieterle, Mischa; Berthold, Jost; Loogen, Rita

2010-01-01

We present a flexible skeleton for implementing distributed work pools in our parallel functional language Eden. The skeleton manages a pool of tasks (work pool) in a distributed manner using a demand-driven work stealing approach for load balancing. All coordination is done locally within...

Actinide distribution in the human skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kathren, R.L.; McInroy, J.F.; Swint, M.J.

1985-05-01

Radiochemical analysis of two half skeletons donated to the United States Transuranium Registry, one from an individual with an occupationally incurred deposition of 241 Am and the other with a deposition of 239 Pu, revealed an inverse linear relationship between the concentration of actinide in the bone ash and the fraction of ash. Two distinct relationships were noted, one for the cranium and the other for the remainder of the skeleton. The results suggest that the actinide content of the skeleton as a whole, Q, can be obtained with an uncertainty of +-50% from analysis of a single sample of any bone (except the cranium) by Q = [(830 C/sub sample/)/(0.61 - f/sub sample/)], in which C/sub sample/ refers to the actinide content per g of ash and f/sub sample/ the fraction of ash (i.e., ratio of dry to wet weight) in the sample. 5 figs., 3 tabs

Emulsion Liquid Membrane Technology in Organic Acid Purification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norela Jusoh; Norasikin Othman; Nur Alina Nasruddin

2016-01-01

Emulsion Liquid Membrane (ELM) process have shown a great potential in wide application of industrial separations such as in removal of many chemicals, organic compounds, metal ions, pollutants and biomolecules. This system promote many advantages including simple operation, high selectivity, low energy requirement, and single stage extraction and stripping process. One potential application of ELM is in the purification of succinic acid from fermentation broth. This study outline steps for developing emulsion liquid membrane process in purification of succinic acid. The steps include liquid membrane formulation, ELM stability and ELM extraction of succinic acid. Several carrier, diluent and stripping agent was screened to find appropriate membrane formulation. After that, ELM stability was investigated to enhance the recovery of succinic acid. Finally, the performance of ELM was evaluated in the extraction process. Results show that formulated liquid membrane using Amberlite LA2 as carrier, palm oil as diluent and sodium carbonate, Na_2CO_3 as stripping agent provide good performance in purification. On the other hand, the prepared emulsion was observed to be stable up to 1 hour and sufficient for extraction process. In conclusion, ELM has high potential to purify succinic acid from fermentation broth. (author)

Medical applications of membranes: Drug delivery, artificial organs and tissue engineering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stamatialis, Dimitrios; Papenburg, B.J.; Girones nogue, Miriam; Saiful, S.; Bettahalli Narasimha, M.S.; Schmitmeier, Stephanie; Wessling, Matthias

2008-01-01

This paper covers the main medical applications of artificial membranes. Specific attention is given to drug delivery systems, artificial organs and tissue engineering which seem to dominate the interest of the membrane community this period. In all cases, the materials, methods and the current

ISTP CDF Skeleton Editor

Science.gov (United States)

Chimiak, Reine; Harris, Bernard; Williams, Phillip

2013-01-01

Basic Common Data Format (CDF) tools (e.g., cdfedit) provide no specific support for creating International Solar-Terrestrial Physics/Space Physics Data Facility (ISTP/SPDF) standard files. While it is possible for someone who is familiar with the ISTP/SPDF metadata guidelines to create compliant files using just the basic tools, the process is error-prone and unreasonable for someone without ISTP/SPDF expertise. The key problem is the lack of a tool with specific support for creating files that comply with the ISTP/SPDF guidelines. There are basic CDF tools such as cdfedit and skeletoncdf for creating CDF files, but these have no specific support for creating ISTP/ SPDF compliant files. The SPDF ISTP CDF skeleton editor is a cross-platform, Java-based GUI editor program that allows someone with only a basic understanding of the ISTP/SPDF guidelines to easily create compliant files. The editor is a simple graphical user interface (GUI) application for creating and editing ISTP/SPDF guideline-compliant skeleton CDF files. The SPDF ISTP CDF skeleton editor consists of the following components: A swing-based Java GUI program, JavaHelp-based manual/ tutorial, Image/Icon files, and HTML Web page for distribution. The editor is available as a traditional Java desktop application as well as a Java Network Launching Protocol (JNLP) application. Once started, it functions like a typical Java GUI file editor application for creating/editing application-unique files.

Fabrication of highly co2 selective metal organic framework membrane using liquid phase epitaxy approach

KAUST Repository

Eddaoudi, Mohamed

2016-01-28

Embodiments include a method of making a metal organic framework membrane comprising contacting a substrate with a solution including a metal ion and contacting the substrate with a solution including an organic ligand, sufficient to form one or more layers of a metal organic framework on a substrate. Embodiments further include a defect-free metal organic framework membrane comprising MSiF6(pyz)2, wherein M is a metal, wherein the thickness of the membrane is less than 1,000 µm, and wherein the metal organic has a growth orientation along the [110] plane relative to a substrate.

Chemical cleaning/disinfection and ageing of organic UF membranes: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Regula, C; Carretier, E; Wyart, Y; Gésan-Guiziou, G; Vincent, A; Boudot, D; Moulin, P

2014-06-01

Membrane separation processes have become a basic unit operation for process design and product development. These processes are used in a variety of separation and concentration steps, but in all cases, the membranes must be cleaned regularly to remove both organic and inorganic material deposited on the surface and/or into the membrane bulk. Cleaning/disinfection is a vital step in maintaining the permeability and selectivity of the membrane in order to get the plant to its original capacity, to minimize risks of bacteriological contamination, and to make acceptable products. For this purpose, a large number of chemical cleaning/disinfection agents are commercially available. In general, these cleaning/disinfection agents have to improve the membrane flux to a certain extent. However, they can also cause irreversible damages in membrane properties and performances over the long term. Until now, there is considerably less literature dedicated to membrane ageing than to cleaning/disinfection. The knowledge in cleaning/disinfection efficiency has recently been improved. But in order to develop optimized cleaning/disinfection protocols there still remains a challenge to better understand membrane ageing. In order to compensate for the lack of correlated cleaning/disinfection and ageing data from the literature, this paper investigates cleaning/disinfection efficiencies and ageing damages of organic ultrafiltration membranes. The final aim is to provide less detrimental cleaning/disinfection procedures and to propose some guidelines which should have been taken into consideration in term of membrane ageing studies. To carry out this study, this article will detail the background of cleaning/disinfection and aging membrane topics in a first introductive part. In a second part, key factors and endpoints of cleaning/disinfection and aging membranes will be discussed deeply: the membrane role and the cleaning parameters roles, such as water quality, storing conditions

Qualitative Comparison of Contraction-Based Curve Skeletonization Methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sobiecki, André; Yasan, Haluk C.; Jalba, Andrei C.; Telea, Alexandru C.

2013-01-01

In recent years, many new methods have been proposed for extracting curve skeletons of 3D shapes, using a mesh-contraction principle. However, it is still unclear how these methods perform with respect to each other, and with respect to earlier voxel-based skeletonization methods, from the viewpoint

Mining Key Skeleton Poses with Latent SVM for Action Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoqiang Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Human action recognition based on 3D skeleton has become an active research field in recent years with the recently developed commodity depth sensors. Most published methods analyze an entire 3D depth data, construct mid-level part representations, or use trajectory descriptor of spatial-temporal interest point for recognizing human activities. Unlike previous work, a novel and simple action representation is proposed in this paper which models the action as a sequence of inconsecutive and discriminative skeleton poses, named as key skeleton poses. The pairwise relative positions of skeleton joints are used as feature of the skeleton poses which are mined with the aid of the latent support vector machine (latent SVM. The advantage of our method is resisting against intraclass variation such as noise and large nonlinear temporal deformation of human action. We evaluate the proposed approach on three benchmark action datasets captured by Kinect devices: MSR Action 3D dataset, UTKinect Action dataset, and Florence 3D Action dataset. The detailed experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves superior performance to the state-of-the-art skeleton-based action recognition methods.

Hybrid biofilm-membrane bioreactor (Bf-MBR) for minimization of bulk liquid-phase organic substances and its positive effect on membrane permeability.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, F Y; Li, P; Li, J; Li, H J; Ou, Q M; Sun, T T; Dong, Z J

2015-12-01

Four biofilm membrane bioreactors (Bf-MBRs) with various fixed carrier volumes (C:M) were operated in parallel to investigate the effect of attached-growth mode biomass involvement to the change of liquid-phase organics characteristics and membrane permeability, by comparing with conventional MBR. The experiments displayed that C:M and co-existence of biofilm with suspended solids in Bf-MBRs resulted in slight difference in pollutants removal effectiveness, and in rather distinct biomass properties and bacterial activities. The membrane permeability and specific resistance of bulk suspension of Bf-MBRs related closely with the liquid-phase organic substance, including soluble microbial products (SMP) and biopolymer cluster (BPC). Compared with conventional MBR, Bf-MBR with proper C:M had a low total biomass content and food-chain, where biofilm formation and its dominance affected liquid-phase organics, especially through reducing their content and minimizing strongly and weakly hydrophobic components with small molecular weight, and thus to mitigate membrane fouling significantly. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and properties of imidazole-grafted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Siwen; Zhou Zhen; Liu Meilin; Li Wen; Ukai, Junzo; Hase, Kohei; Nakanishi, Masatsugu

2006-01-01

Imidazole rings were grafted on alkoxysilane with a simple nucleophilic substitute reaction to form hybrid inorganic-organic polymers with imidazole rings. Proton exchange membranes (PEM) based on these hybrid inorganic-organic polymers and H 3 PO 4 exhibit high proton conductivity and high thermal stability in an atmosphere of low relative humidity. The grafted imidazole rings improved the proton conductivity of the membranes in the high temperature range. It is found that the proton conductivities increase with H 3 PO 4 content and temperature, reaching 3.2 x 10 -3 S/cm at 110 deg. C in a dry atmosphere for a membrane with 1 mole of imidazole ring and 7 moles of H 3 PO 4 . The proton conductivity increases with relative humidity (RH) as well, reaching 4.3 x 10 -2 S/cm at 110 deg. C when the RH is increased to about 20%. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates that these membranes are thermally stable up to 250 deg. C in dry air, implying that they have a good potential to be used as the membranes for high-temperature PEM fuel cells

Synthesis of Thin Film Composite Metal-Organic Frameworks Membranes on Polymer Supports

KAUST Repository

Barankova, Eva

2017-01-01

Since the discovery of size-selective metal-organic frameworks (MOF) researchers have tried to manufacture them into gas separation membranes. ZIF-8 became the most studied MOF for membrane applications mainly because of its simple synthesis, good

Exploring the Spatiotemporal Organization of Membrane Proteins in Living Plant Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li; Xue, Yiqun; Xing, Jingjing; Song, Kai; Lin, Jinxing

2018-04-29

Plasma membrane proteins have important roles in transport and signal transduction. Deciphering the spatiotemporal organization of these proteins provides crucial information for elucidating the links between the behaviors of different molecules. However, monitoring membrane proteins without disrupting their membrane environment remains difficult. Over the past decade, many studies have developed single-molecule techniques, opening avenues for probing the stoichiometry and interactions of membrane proteins in their native environment by providing nanometer-scale spatial information and nanosecond-scale temporal information. In this review, we assess recent progress in the development of labeling and imaging technology for membrane protein analysis. We focus in particular on several single-molecule techniques for quantifying the dynamics and assembly of membrane proteins. Finally, we provide examples of how these new techniques are advancing our understanding of the complex biological functions of membrane proteins.

Stringy and Membranic Theory of Swimming of Micro-organisms

OpenAIRE

Kawamura, Masako; Nojiri, Shin'ichi; Sugamoto, Akio

1996-01-01

When the swimming of micro-organisms is viewed from the string and membrane theories coupled to the velocity field of the fluid, a number of interesting results are derived; 1) importance of the area (or volume) preserving algebra, 2) usefulness of the $N$-point Reggeon (membranic) amplitudes, and of the gas to liquid transition in case of the red tide issues, 3) close relation between the red tide issue and the generation of Einstein gravity, and 4) possible understanding of the three differ...

Microstructural Engineering and Architectural Design of Metal-Organic Framework Membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yi; Ban, Yujie; Yang, Weishen

2017-08-01

In the past decade, a huge development in rational design, synthesis, and application of molecular sieve membranes, which typically included zeolites, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and graphene oxides, has been witnessed. Owing to high flexibility in both pore apertures and functionality, MOFs in the form of membranes have offered unprecedented opportunities for energy-efficient gas separations. Reports on the fabrication of well-intergrown MOF membranes first appeared in 2009. Since then there has been tremendous growth in this area along with an exponential increase of MOF-membrane-related publications. In order to compete with other separation and purification technologies, like cryogenic distillation, pressure swing adsorption, and chemical absorption, separation performance (including permeability, selectivity, and long-term stability) of molecular sieve membranes must be further improved in an attempt to reach an economically attractive region. Therefore, microstructural engineering and architectural design of MOF membranes at mesoscopic and microscopic levels become indispensable. This review summarizes some intriguing research that may potentially contribute to large-scale applications of MOF membranes in the future. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Morin-based nanofiltration membranes for organic solvent separation processes

KAUST Repository

Perez Manriquez, Liliana; Neelakanda, Pradeep; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

2018-01-01

In this work we demonstrate the successful optimization of the interfacial polymerization reaction for the manufacture of organic solvent nanofiltration membranes by replacing the toxic amines commonly used for this method with the natural occurring

Bacterial cellulose membrane as flexible substrate for organic light emitting devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legnani, C.; Vilani, C.; Calil, V.L.; Barud, H.S.; Quirino, W.G.; Achete, C.A.; Ribeiro, S.J.L.; Cremona, M.

2008-01-01

Bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes produced by gram-negative, acetic acid bacteria (Gluconacetobacter xylinus), were used as flexible substrates for the fabrication of Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED). In order to achieve the necessary conductive properties indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited onto the membrane at room temperature using radio frequency (r.f.) magnetron sputtering with an r.f. power of 30 W, at pressure of 8 mPa in Ar atmosphere without any subsequent thermal treatment. Visible light transmittance of about 40% was observed. Resistivity, mobility and carrier concentration of deposited ITO films were 4.90 x 10 -4 Ohm cm, 8.08 cm 2 /V-s and - 1.5 x 10 21 cm -3 , respectively, comparable with commercial ITO substrates. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of devices based on BC membranes three OLEDs with different substrates were produced: a reference one with commercial ITO on glass, a second one with a SiO 2 thin film interlayer between the BC membrane and the ITO layer and a third one just with ITO deposited directly on the BC membrane. The observed OLED luminance ratio was: 1; 0.5; 0.25 respectively, with 2400 cd/m 2 as the value for the reference OLED. These preliminary results show clearly that the functionalized biopolymer, biodegradable, biocompatible bacterial cellulose membranes can be successfully used as substrate in flexible organic optoelectronic devices

Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Nicholas A; Miller, Craig T

2016-05-07

The posterior pharyngeal segments of the vertebrate head give rise to the branchial skeleton, the primary site of food processing in fish. The morphology of the fish branchial skeleton is matched to a species' diet. Threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) have emerged as a model system to study the genetic and developmental basis of evolved differences in a variety of traits. Marine populations of sticklebacks have repeatedly colonized countless new freshwater lakes and creeks. Adaptation to the new diet in these freshwater environments likely underlies a series of craniofacial changes that have evolved repeatedly in independently derived freshwater populations. These include three major patterning changes to the branchial skeleton: reductions in the number and length of gill raker bones, increases in pharyngeal tooth number, and increased branchial bone lengths. Here we describe a detailed protocol to dissect and flat-mount the internal branchial skeleton in threespine stickleback fish. Dissection of the entire three-dimensional branchial skeleton and mounting it flat into a largely two-dimensional prep allows for the easy visualization and quantification of branchial skeleton morphology. This dissection method is inexpensive, fast, relatively easy, and applicable to a wide variety of fish species. In sticklebacks, this efficient method allows the quantification of skeletal morphology in genetic crosses to map genomic regions controlling craniofacial patterning.

The organization of LH2 complexes in membranes from Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, John D; Tucker, Jaimey D; Timney, John A; Qian, Pu; Vassilev, Cvetelin; Hunter, C Neil

2008-11-07

The mapping of the photosynthetic membrane of Rhodobacter sphaeroides by atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed a unique organization of arrays of dimeric reaction center-light harvesting I-PufX (RC-LH1-PufX) core complexes surrounded and interconnected by light-harvesting LH2 complexes (Bahatyrova, S., Frese, R. N., Siebert, C. A., Olsen, J. D., van der Werf, K. O., van Grondelle, R., Niederman, R. A., Bullough, P. A., Otto, C., and Hunter, C. N. (2004) Nature 430, 1058-1062). However, membrane regions consisting solely of LH2 complexes were under-represented in these images because these small, highly curved areas of membrane rendered them difficult to image even using gentle tapping mode AFM and impossible with contact mode AFM. We report AFM imaging of membranes prepared from a mutant of R. sphaeroides, DPF2G, that synthesizes only the LH2 complexes, which assembles spherical intracytoplasmic membrane vesicles of approximately 53 nm diameter in vivo. By opening these vesicles and adsorbing them onto mica to form small, LH2-only membranes for the first time. The transition from highly curved vesicle to the planar sheet is accompanied by a change in the packing of the LH2 complexes such that approximately half of the complexes are raised off the mica surface by approximately 1 nm relative to the rest. This vertical displacement produces a very regular corrugated appearance of the planar membrane sheets. Analysis of the topographs was used to measure the distances and angles between the complexes. These data are used to model the organization of LH2 complexes in the original, curved membrane. The implications of this architecture for the light harvesting function and diffusion of quinones in native membranes of R. sphaeroides are discussed.

Microbial population analysis of nutrient removal-related organisms in membrane bioreactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Silva, A.F.; Carvalho, G.; Oehmen, A.; Lousada-Ferreira, M.; Van Nieuwenhuijzen, A.; Reis, M.A.M.; Crespo, M.T.B.

2012-01-01

Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are an important and increasingly implemented wastewater treatment technology, which are operated at low food to microorganism ratios (F/M) and retain slow-growing organisms. Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR)-related organisms grow slower than ordinary

Natural organic matter interactions with polyamide and polysulfone membranes: Formation of conditioning film

KAUST Repository

Gutierrez, Leonardo; Aubry, Cyril; Valladares Linares, Rodrigo; Croue, Jean-Philippe

2015-01-01

A conditioning film changes the physicochemical properties of the membrane surface and strongly affects subsequent fouling behavior. Results from this Atomic Force Microscopy study indicate that Natural Organic Matter (NOM) characteristics, membrane

Spatio-temporal Remodeling of Functional Membrane Microdomains Organizes the Signaling Networks of a Bacterium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schneider, Johannes; Klein, Teresa; Mielich-Süss, Benjamin; Koch, Gudrun; Franke, Christian; Kuipers, Oscar P; Kovács, Ákos T; Sauer, Markus; Lopez, Daniel

Lipid rafts are membrane microdomains specialized in the regulation of numerous cellular processes related to membrane organization, as diverse as signal transduction, protein sorting, membrane trafficking or pathogen invasion. It has been proposed that this functional diversity would require a

Amorphous calcium carbonate particles form coral skeletons

Science.gov (United States)

Mass, Tali; Giuffre, Anthony J.; Sun, Chang-Yu; Stifler, Cayla A.; Frazier, Matthew J.; Neder, Maayan; Tamura, Nobumichi; Stan, Camelia V.; Marcus, Matthew A.; Gilbert, Pupa U. P. A.

2017-09-01

Do corals form their skeletons by precipitation from solution or by attachment of amorphous precursor particles as observed in other minerals and biominerals? The classical model assumes precipitation in contrast with observed “vital effects,” that is, deviations from elemental and isotopic compositions at thermodynamic equilibrium. Here, we show direct spectromicroscopy evidence in Stylophora pistillata corals that two amorphous precursors exist, one hydrated and one anhydrous amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC); that these are formed in the tissue as 400-nm particles; and that they attach to the surface of coral skeletons, remain amorphous for hours, and finally, crystallize into aragonite (CaCO3). We show in both coral and synthetic aragonite spherulites that crystal growth by attachment of ACC particles is more than 100 times faster than ion-by-ion growth from solution. Fast growth provides a distinct physiological advantage to corals in the rigors of the reef, a crowded and fiercely competitive ecosystem. Corals are affected by warming-induced bleaching and postmortem dissolution, but the finding here that ACC particles are formed inside tissue may make coral skeleton formation less susceptible to ocean acidification than previously assumed. If this is how other corals form their skeletons, perhaps this is how a few corals survived past CO2 increases, such as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum that occurred 56 Mya.

Semipermeable membrane devices in monitoring of organic pollutants in the aquatic environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabaliunas, D

1999-03-01

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) are passive samplers capable of concentrating hydrophobic chemicals from water, sediments, soil and air. They consist of layflat polymeric membrane such as polyethylene containing a thin film of synthetic lipid such as triolein. The transport of hydrophobic chemicals through the membrane into the lipid is governed by the process of passive diffusion. Therefore, SPMDs sample chemicals in a way similar to organisms. This thesis deals with the application of SPMDs in the monitoring of concentrations and effects of organic pollutants in the aquatic environment. SPMDs were exposed to various pesticides (organochlorines, synthetic pyrethroids, dinitroanilines, amides) in laboratory flow-through experiments to study the uptake kinetics of organic chemicals from water. To compare the uptake of model compounds by SPMDs and aquatic organisms, the membrane samplers were exposed to chemicals side-by-side with bivalves. Mixtures of chemicals accumulated by SPMDs and mussels were tested in standard toxicity and genotoxicity assays (Microtox, Mutatox, invertebrate toxicity tests, the Ames test, sister chromatid exchange test). These studies showed that the uptake pattern of organic compounds by SPMDs and aquatic organisms was similar, and the passive samplers accumulated levels of chemicals sufficient for standard bioassays. To further validate the method, SPMDs were deployed in a number of polluted water sources in Lithuania. Bioassay-directed fractionation and chemical analytical methods were used to identify pollutants sampled (PAHs, PCBs, organochlorines) and their effects were evaluated in bioassays. SPMDs proved to be useful tools in monitoring of organic pollutants under the field conditions. Criteria for bioassays to be integrated with the SPMD technique were defined based on the results of these studies. Some important factors in the integration of SPMDs and bioassays (toxicity of SPMD-inherent oleic and sediment

Sphingolipid topology and the dynamic organization and function of membrane proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

van Meer, Gerrit; Hoetzl, Sandra

2010-05-03

When acquiring internal membranes and vesicular transport, eukaryotic cells started to synthesize sphingolipids and sterols. The physical differences between these and the glycerophospholipids must have enabled the cells to segregate lipids in the membrane plane. Localizing this event to the Golgi then allowed them to create membranes of different lipid composition, notably a thin, flexible ER membrane, consisting of glycerolipids, and a sturdy plasma membrane containing at least 50% sphingolipids and sterols. Besides sorting membrane proteins, in the course of evolution the simple sphingolipids obtained key positions in cellular physiology by developing specific interactions with (membrane) proteins involved in the execution and control of signaling. The few signaling sphingolipids in mammals must provide basic transmission principles that evolution has built upon for organizing the specific regulatory pathways tuned to the needs of the different cell types in the body. Copyright 2009 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of two domestic taxa: the horse and donkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanot, Pauline; Herrel, Anthony; Guintard, Claude; Cornette, Raphaël

2017-10-11

Organisms are organized into suites of anatomical structures that typically covary when developmentally or functionally related, and this morphological integration plays a determinant role in evolutionary processes. Artificial selection on domestic species causes strong morphological changes over short time spans, frequently resulting in a wide and exaggerated phenotypic diversity. This raises the question of whether integration constrains the morphological diversification of domestic species and how natural and artificial selection may impact integration patterns. Here, we study the morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of domestic horses and donkeys, using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics on 75 skeletons. Our results indicate that a strong integration is inherited from developmental mechanisms which interact with functional factors. This strong integration reveals a specialization in the locomotion of domestic equids, partly for running abilities. We show that the integration is stronger in horses than in donkeys, probably because of a greater degree of specialization and predictability of their locomotion. Thus, the constraints imposed by integration are weak enough to allow important morphological changes and the phenotypic diversification of domestic species. © 2017 The Author(s).

Biology of bone and how it orchestrates the form and function of the skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Sommerfeldt, D. W.; Rubin, C. T.

2001-01-01

The principal role of the skeleton is to provide structural support for the body. While the skeleton also serves as the body's mineral reservoir, the mineralized structure is the very basis of posture, opposes muscular contraction resulting in motion, withstands functional load bearing, and protects internal organs. Although the mass and morphology of the skeleton is defined, to some extent, by genetic determinants, it is the tissue's ability to remodel--the local resorption and formation of bone--which is responsible for achieving this intricate balance between competing responsibilities. The aim of this review is to address bone's form-function relationship, beginning with extensive research in the musculoskeletal disciplines, and focusing on several recent cellular and molecular discoveries which help understand the complex interdependence of bone cells, growth factors, physical stimuli, metabolic demands, and structural responsibilities. With a clinical and spine-oriented audience in mind, the principles of bone cell and molecular biology and physiology are presented, and an attempt has been made to incorporate epidemiologic data and therapeutic implications. Bone research remains interdisciplinary by nature, and a deeper understanding of bone biology will ultimately lead to advances in the treatment of diseases and injuries to bone itself.

Spatio-temporal remodeling of functional membrane microdomains organizes the signaling networks of a bacterium.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Schneider

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Lipid rafts are membrane microdomains specialized in the regulation of numerous cellular processes related to membrane organization, as diverse as signal transduction, protein sorting, membrane trafficking or pathogen invasion. It has been proposed that this functional diversity would require a heterogeneous population of raft domains with varying compositions. However, a mechanism for such diversification is not known. We recently discovered that bacterial membranes organize their signal transduction pathways in functional membrane microdomains (FMMs that are structurally and functionally similar to the eukaryotic lipid rafts. In this report, we took advantage of the tractability of the prokaryotic model Bacillus subtilis to provide evidence for the coexistence of two distinct families of FMMs in bacterial membranes, displaying a distinctive distribution of proteins specialized in different biological processes. One family of microdomains harbors the scaffolding flotillin protein FloA that selectively tethers proteins specialized in regulating cell envelope turnover and primary metabolism. A second population of microdomains containing the two scaffolding flotillins, FloA and FloT, arises exclusively at later stages of cell growth and specializes in adaptation of cells to stationary phase. Importantly, the diversification of membrane microdomains does not occur arbitrarily. We discovered that bacterial cells control the spatio-temporal remodeling of microdomains by restricting the activation of FloT expression to stationary phase. This regulation ensures a sequential assembly of functionally specialized membrane microdomains to strategically organize signaling networks at the right time during the lifespan of a bacterium.

Plasma membrane organization promotes virulence of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans.

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Lois M; Konopka, James B

2016-03-01

Candida albicans is a human fungal pathogen capable of causing lethal systemic infections. The plasma membrane plays key roles in virulence because it not only functions as a protective barrier, it also mediates dynamic functions including secretion of virulence factors, cell wall synthesis, invasive hyphal morphogenesis, endocytosis, and nutrient uptake. Consistent with this functional complexity, the plasma membrane is composed of a wide array of lipids and proteins. These components are organized into distinct domains that will be the topic of this review. Some of the plasma membrane domains that will be described are known to act as scaffolds or barriers to diffusion, such as MCC/eisosomes, septins, and sites of contact with the endoplasmic reticulum. Other zones mediate dynamic processes, including secretion, endocytosis, and a special region at hyphal tips that facilitates rapid growth. The highly organized architecture of the plasma membrane facilitates the coordination of diverse functions and promotes the pathogenesis of C. albicans.

Plasma membrane organization promotes virulence of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Lois M.; Konopka, James. B.

2017-01-01

Candida albicans is a human fungal pathogen capable of causing lethal systemic infections. The plasma membrane plays key roles in virulence because it not only functions as a protective barrier, it also mediates dynamic functions including secretion of virulence factors, cell wall synthesis, invasive hyphal morphogenesis, endocytosis, and nutrient uptake. Consistent with this functional complexity, the plasma membrane is composed of a wide array of lipids and proteins. These components are organized into distinct domains that will be the topic of this review. Some of the plasma membrane domains that will be described are known to act as scaffolds or barriers to diffusion, such as MCC/eisosomes, septins, and sites of contact with the endoplasmic reticulum. Other zones mediate dynamic processes, including secretion, endocytosis, and a special region at hyphal tips that facilitates rapid growth. The highly organized architecture of the plasma membrane facilitates the coordination of diverse functions and promotes the pathogenesis of C. albicans. PMID:26920878

The long-range organization of a native photosynthetic membrane

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frese, Raoul N.; Siebert, C. Alistair; Niederman, Robert A.; Hunter, C. Neil; Otto, Cees; van Grondelle, Rienk

2004-01-01

Photosynthesis relies on the delicate interplay between a specific set of membrane-bound pigment–protein complexes that harvest and transport solar energy, execute charge separation, and conserve the energy. We have investigated the organization of the light-harvesting (LH) and reaction-center (RC)

The long-range organization of a native photosynthetic membrane

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frese, R.N.; Siebert, C.A.; Niederman, R.A.; Hunter, C.N.; Otto, C.; van Grondelle, R.

2004-01-01

Photosynthesis relies on the delicate interplay between a specific set of membrane-bound pigment-protein complexes that harvest and transport solar energy, execute charge separation, and conserve the energy. We have investigated the organization of the light-harvesting (LH) and reaction-center (RC)

Banach spaces with projectional skeletons

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kubiś, Wieslaw

2009-01-01

Roč. 350, č. 2 (2009), s. 758-776 ISSN 0022-247X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10190503 Keywords : projection * projectional skeleton * norming set Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.225, year: 2009

Surface modification of polyamide reverse osmosis membrane with organic-inorganic hybrid material for antifouling

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yang; Wan, Ying; Pan, Guoyuan; Yan, Hao; Yao, Xuerong; Shi, Hongwei; Tang, Yujing; Wei, Xiangrong; Liu, Yiqun

2018-03-01

A series of thin-film composite reverse osmosis membranes based on polyamide have been modified by coating the polyvinyl alcohol and 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane aqueous solution prepared by a sol-gel process on the membrane surface, followed by thermal crosslinking treatment. In order to improve the hydrophilicity of the modified TFC membranes, the membranes were then immersed into H2O2 aqueous solution to convert -SH into -SO3H. The resulting TFC membranes were characterized by SEM, AFM, ATR-FTIR, streaming potential, XPS as well as static contact angle. After surface modification with the organic-inorganic hybrid material, the TFC membranes show increased NaCl rejection and decreased water flux with increasing 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane content in coating solution. The optimal modification membrane (PA-SMPTES-0.8) exhibits a NaCl rejection of 99.29%, higher than that (97.20%) of the virgin PA membrane, and a comparable water flux to virgin PA membrane (41.7 L/m2 h vs 47.9 L/m2 h). More importantly, PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane shows much more improved fouling resistance to BSA than virgin PA and PVA modified PA (PA-PVA-1.0) membranes. PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane loses about 13% of the initial flux after BSA fouling for 12 h, which is lower than that of virgin PA and PA-PVA-1.0 membranes (42% and 18%). Furthermore, the flux recovery of PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane reaches 94% after cleaning. Thus the TFC membranes modified by this organic-inorganic hybrid technology show potential applications as antifouling RO membrane for desalination and purification.

Parallel FFT using Eden Skeletons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berthold, Jost; Dieterle, Mischa; Lobachev, Oleg

2009-01-01

The paper investigates and compares skeleton-based Eden implementations of different FFT-algorithms on workstation clusters with distributed memory. Our experiments show that the basic divide-and-conquer versions suffer from an inherent input distribution and result collection problem. Advanced...

Emerging insights into the roles of membrane tethers from analysis of whole organisms: The tip of an iceberg?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Hong eToh

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Membrane tethers have been identified throughout different compartments of the endomembrane system. It is now well established that a number of membrane tethers mediate docking of membrane carriers in anterograde and retrograde transport and in regulating the organization of membrane compartments. Much of our information on membrane tethers have been obtained from the analysis of individual membrane tethers in cultured cells. In the future it will be important to better appreciate the network of interactions mediated by tethers and the potential co-ordination of their collective functions in vivo. There are now a number of studies which have analyzed membrane tethers in tissues and organisms which are providing new insights into the role of this class of membrane protein at the physiological level. Here we review recent advances in the understanding of the function of membrane tethers from knock outs (or knock downs in whole organisms and from mutations in tethers associated with disease.

Role of erythrocyte tropomodulin in the biomechanics and topology of the erythrocyte membrane skeletal network

OpenAIRE

Green, Terrell Ann

2010-01-01

The erythrocyte membrane skeleton is a multi-protein complex providing mechanical properties and stability to erythrocytes. Defects in the skeleton can manifest in dysfunction and disease such as hemolytic anemia. Erythrocyte tropomodulin (E-Tmod) is a slow-growing end actin-capping protein and has been proposed that together with tropomyosin 5 or 5b they form a "molecular ruler" which dictates protofilament length of 37 nm in the network. In this study, the role for E-Tmod in the network org...

Simultaneous nitrogen and organics removal using membrane aeration and effluent ultrafiltration in an anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactor

KAUST Repository

Ye, Yaoli; Saikaly, Pascal; Logan, B.E.

2017-01-01

Dissolved methane and a lack of nutrient removal are two concerns for treatment of wastewater using anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactors (AFMBRs). Membrane aerators were integrated into an AFMBR to form an Aeration membrane fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (AeMFMBR) capable of simultaneous removal of organic matter and ammonia without production of dissolved methane. Good effluent quality was obtained with no detectable suspended solids, 93±5% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal to 14±11 mg/L, and 74±8% of total ammonia (TA) removal to 12±3 mg-N/L for domestic wastewater (COD of 193±23 mg/L and TA of 49±5 mg-N/L) treatment. Nitrate and nitrite concentrations were always low (< 1 mg-N/L) during continuous flow treatment. Membrane fouling was well controlled by fluidization of the granular activated carbon (GAC) particles (transmembrane pressures maintained <3 kPa). Analysis of the microbial communities suggested that nitrogen removal was due to nitrification and denitrification based on the presence of microorganisms associated with these processes.

Simultaneous nitrogen and organics removal using membrane aeration and effluent ultrafiltration in an anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactor

KAUST Repository

Ye, Yaoli

2017-08-03

Dissolved methane and a lack of nutrient removal are two concerns for treatment of wastewater using anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactors (AFMBRs). Membrane aerators were integrated into an AFMBR to form an Aeration membrane fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (AeMFMBR) capable of simultaneous removal of organic matter and ammonia without production of dissolved methane. Good effluent quality was obtained with no detectable suspended solids, 93±5% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal to 14±11 mg/L, and 74±8% of total ammonia (TA) removal to 12±3 mg-N/L for domestic wastewater (COD of 193±23 mg/L and TA of 49±5 mg-N/L) treatment. Nitrate and nitrite concentrations were always low (< 1 mg-N/L) during continuous flow treatment. Membrane fouling was well controlled by fluidization of the granular activated carbon (GAC) particles (transmembrane pressures maintained <3 kPa). Analysis of the microbial communities suggested that nitrogen removal was due to nitrification and denitrification based on the presence of microorganisms associated with these processes.

Nanoscale cell membrane organization : a near-field optical view

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koopman, Marjolein

2006-01-01

The cell plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells is a lipid bi-layer that separates the cell cytosol from the extracellular environment. The composition and organization of proteins and lipids within this bi-layer have a direct impact on many cellular processes, since they form the senses of the cell.

Models of plasma membrane organization can be applied to mitochondrial membranes to target human health and disease with polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Raza Shaikh, Saame; Brown, David A

2013-01-01

Bioactive n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), abundant in fish oil, have potential for treating symptoms associated with inflammatory and metabolic disorders; therefore, it is essential to determine their fundamental molecular mechanisms. Recently, several labs have demonstrated the n-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) exerts anti-inflammatory effects by targeting the molecular organization of plasma membrane microdomains. Here we briefly review the evidence that DHA reorganizes the spatial distribution of microdomains in several model systems. We then emphasize how models on DHA and plasma membrane microdomains can be applied to mitochondrial membranes. We discuss the role of DHA acyl chains in regulating mitochondrial lipid-protein clustering, and how these changes alter several aspects of mitochondrial function. In particular, we summarize effects of DHA on mitochondrial respiration, electron leak, permeability transition, and mitochondrial calcium handling. Finally, we conclude by postulating future experiments that will augment our understanding of DHA-dependent membrane organization in health and disease. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How NASA KSC Controls Interfaces with the use of Motion Skeletons and Product Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Corey

2013-01-01

This presentation will show how NASA KSC controls interfaces for Modular Product Architecture (MPA) using Locator Skeletons, Interface Skeletons, and Product Structure, to be combined together within a Motion Skeleton. The user will learn how to utilize skeleton models to communicate interface data, as successfully done at NASA KSC in their use of Motion Skeletons to control interfaces for multi-launch systems. There will be discussion of the methodology used to control design requirements through WTParts, and how to utilize product structure for non-CAD documents.

[Progress in Application of Measuring Skeleton by CT in Forensic Anthropology Research].

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, C Y; Xu, L; Wang, N; Zhang, M; Li, Y S; Lü, J X

2017-02-01

Individual identification by measuring the human skeleton is an important research in the field of forensic anthropology. Computed tomography （CT） technology can provide high-resolution image of skeleton. Skeleton image can be reformed by software in the post-processing workstation. Different skeleton measurement indexes of anthropology, such as diameter, angle, area and volume, can be measured on section and reformative images. Measurement process is barely affected by human factors. This paper reviews the literatures at home and abroad about the application of measuring skeleton by CT in forensic anthropology research for individual identification in four aspects, including sex determination, height infer, facial soft tissue thickness measurement and age estimation. The major technology and the application of CT in forensic anthropology research are compared and discussed, respectively. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

Quality criteria in diagnostic radiology of the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freyschmidt, J.

1985-01-01

Conventional diagnostic radiology continues to represent the basic technique in skeleton diagnostics and results in decisive diagnoses in more than 80% of all cases. Compared with other examination methods, it is cheap and relatively easy to perform; however, it makes high demands on the physician's clinical and technical expertise. Compared with computerized tomography, conventional radiography has the advantage of decades of experience and of being cheaper by far. The author thinks the following quality criteria to be important in diagnostic radiology of the skeleton: roentgenological examination of one or several skeleton regions in keeping with the clinical issue concerned, accurate visualization of the object in a typical and reproducible projection, radiation quality matched to the dimension of the object, matched mean optical density, visualization of soft tissue near to bones and joints, and radiation dose in keeping with the clinical issue concerned. (orig./MG) [de

Organic/inorganic composite membranes based on polybenzimidazole and nano-SiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pu Hongting; Liu Lu; Chang Zhihong; Yuan Junjie

2009-01-01

Organic/inorganic composite membranes based on polybenzimidazole (PBI) and nano-SiO 2 were prepared in this work. However, the preparation of PBI/SiO 2 composite membrane is not easy since PBI is insoluble in water, while nano-SiO 2 is hydrophilic due to the hydrophilicity of nano-SiO 2 and water-insolubility of PBI. Thus, a solvent-exchange method was employed to prepare the composite membrane. The morphology of the composite membranes was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was revealed that inorganic particles were dispersed homogenously in the PBI matrix. The thermal stability of the composite membrane is higher than that of pure PBI, both for doped and undoped membranes. PBI/SiO 2 composite membranes with up to 15 wt% SiO 2 exhibited improved mechanical properties compared with PBI membranes. The proton conductivity of the composite membranes containing phosphoric acid was studied. The nano-SiO 2 in the composite membranes enhanced the ability to trap phosphoric acid, which improved the proton conductivity of the composite membranes. The membrane with 15 wt% of inorganic material is oxidatively stable and has a proton conductivity of 3.9 x 10 -3 S/cm at 180 deg. C.

Reversed thermo-switchable molecular sieving membranes composed of two-dimensional metal-organic nanosheets for gas separation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuerui; Chi, Chenglong; Zhang, Kang; Qian, Yuhong; Gupta, Krishna M.; Kang, Zixi; Jiang, Jianwen; Zhao, Dan

2017-02-01

It is highly desirable to reduce the membrane thickness in order to maximize the throughput and break the trade-off limitation for membrane-based gas separation. Two-dimensional membranes composed of atomic-thick graphene or graphene oxide nanosheets have gas transport pathways that are at least three orders of magnitude higher than the membrane thickness, leading to reduced gas permeation flux and impaired separation throughput. Here we present nm-thick molecular sieving membranes composed of porous two-dimensional metal-organic nanosheets. These membranes possess pore openings parallel to gas concentration gradient allowing high gas permeation flux and high selectivity, which are proven by both experiment and molecular dynamics simulation. Furthermore, the gas transport pathways of these membranes exhibit a reversed thermo-switchable feature, which is attributed to the molecular flexibility of the building metal-organic nanosheets.

Multilayer gyroid cubic membrane organization in green alga Zygnema.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Ting; Lv, Wenhua; Deng, Yuru

2017-09-01

Biological cubic membranes (CM), which are fluid membranes draped onto the 3D periodic parallel surface geometries with cubic symmetry, have been observed within subcellular organelles, including mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and thylakoids. CM transition tends to occur under various stress conditions; however, multilayer CM organizations often appear associated with light stress conditions. This report is about the characterization of a projected gyroid CM in a transmission electron microscopy study of the chloroplast membranes within green alga Zygnema (LB923) whose lamellar form of thylakoid membrane started to fold into multilayer gyroid CM in the culture at the end of log phase of cell growth. Using the techniques of computer simulation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a direct template matching method, we show that these CM are based on the gyroid parallel surfaces. The single, double, and multilayer gyroid CM morphologies are observed in which space is continuously divided into two, three, and more subvolumes by either one, two, or several parallel membranes. The gyroid CM are continuous with varying amount of pseudo-grana with lamellar-like morphology. The relative amount and order of these two membrane morphologies seem to vary with the age of cell culture and are insensitive to ambient light condition. In addition, thylakoid gyroid CM continuously interpenetrates the pyrenoid body through stalk, bundle-like, morphologies. Inside the pyrenoid body, the membranes re-folded into gyroid CM. The appearance of these CM rearrangements due to the consequence of Zygnema cell response to various types of environmental stresses will be discussed. These stresses include nutrient limitation, temperature fluctuation, and ultraviolet (UV) exposure.

A Practical Introduction to Skeletons for the Plant Sciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Bucksch

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Before the availability of digital photography resulting from the invention of charged couple devices in 1969, the measurement of plant architecture was a manual process either on the plant itself or on traditional photographs. The introduction of cheap digital imaging devices for the consumer market enabled the wide use of digital images to capture the shape of plant networks such as roots, tree crowns, or leaf venation. Plant networks contain geometric traits that can establish links to genetic or physiological characteristics, support plant breeding efforts, drive evolutionary studies, or serve as input to plant growth simulations. Typically, traits are encoded in shape descriptors that are computed from imaging data. Skeletons are one class of shape descriptors that are used to describe the hierarchies and extent of branching and looping plant networks. While the mathematical understanding of skeletons is well developed, their application within the plant sciences remains challenging because the quality of the measurement depends partly on the interpretation of the skeleton. This article is meant to bridge the skeletonization literature in the plant sciences and related technical fields by discussing best practices for deriving diameters and approximating branching hierarchies in a plant network.

Development of membrane mechanical function during terminal stages of primitive erythropoiesis in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Waugh, Richard E; Huang, Yu-Shan; Arif, Binish J; Bauserman, Richard; Palis, James

2013-04-01

During murine embryogenesis, primitive erythroblasts enter the circulation as immature nucleated cells and progressively mature as a semisynchronous cohort, enucleating between E12.5 and E16.5. In this report, we examine the mechanical properties of these cells to determine how their mechanical development differs from that of definitive erythroid cells, which mature extravascularly in protected marrow microenvironments. Primitive erythroid cells acquire normal membrane deformability by E12.5 (i.e., as late stage erythroblasts) and maintain the same level of surface stiffness through E17.5. During this same period, the strength of association between the membrane bilayer and the underlying skeleton increases, as indicated by an approximate doubling of the energy required to separate bilayer from skeleton. At the same time, these cells undergo dramatic changes in surface area and volume, losing 35% of their surface area and 50% of their volume from E14.5 to E17.5. Interestingly, membrane remodeling proceeded regardless of whether the cells completed enucleation. These data suggest that in primitive erythroid cells, unlike their definitive counterparts, the critical maturational processes of membrane remodeling and enucleation are uncoupled. Copyright © 2013 ISEH - Society for Hematology and Stem Cells. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets for Membrane-Based Gas Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yuan; Li, Yanshuo; Ban, Yujie; Yang, Weishen

2017-08-07

Metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets could serve as ideal building blocks of molecular sieve membranes owing to their structural diversity and minimized mass-transfer barrier. To date, discovery of appropriate MOF nanosheets and facile fabrication of high performance MOF nanosheet-based membranes remain as great challenges. A modified soft-physical exfoliation method was used to disintegrate a lamellar amphiprotic MOF into nanosheets with a high aspect ratio. Consequently sub-10 nm-thick ultrathin membranes were successfully prepared, and these demonstrated a remarkable H 2 /CO 2 separation performance, with a separation factor of up to 166 and H 2 permeance of up to 8×10 -7  mol m -2  s -1  Pa -1 at elevated testing temperatures owing to a well-defined size-exclusion effect. This nanosheet-based membrane holds great promise as the next generation of ultrapermeable gas separation membrane. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Radiation injuries to the skeleton and their orthopedic treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franz, R.; Rahnfeld, R.

1978-01-01

70 patients subjected to orthopedic treatment and radiotherapy for skeletal tumors have been examined. It was found that serious radiation injuries frequently occurred. Above all there were contractures, disordered healing of wounds, ulcerations, and scolioses and kyphoses of the growing skeleton. Therefore, in the case of diseases of the skeleton, it is recommended to restrain radiotherapy. It has to be rejected in child's age

Organic fluid permeation through fluoropolymer membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Nemser, Stuart M.; Kosaraju, Praveen; Bowser, John

2015-07-14

Separation of the components of liquid mixtures is achieved by contacting a liquid mixture with a nonporous membrane having a fluoropolymer selectively permeable layer and imposing a pressure gradient across the membrane from feed side to permeate side. Unusually high transmembrane flux is obtained when the membrane is subjected to one or more process conditions prior to separation. These include (a) leaving some residual amount of membrane casting solvent in the membrane, and (b) contacting the membrane with a component of the mixture to be separated for a duration effective to saturate the membrane with the component.

A palmitoylation switch mechanism regulates Rac1 function and membrane organization

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro-Lérida, Inmaculada; Sánchez-Perales, Sara; Calvo, María; Rentero, Carles; Zheng, Yi; Enrich, Carlos; Del Pozo, Miguel A

2012-01-01

The small GTPase Rac1 plays important roles in many processes, including cytoskeletal reorganization, cell migration, cell-cycle progression and gene expression. The initiation of Rac1 signalling requires at least two mechanisms: GTP loading via the guanosine triphosphate (GTP)/guanosine diphosphate (GDP) cycle, and targeting to cholesterol-rich liquid-ordered plasma membrane microdomains. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms governing this specific compartmentalization. We show that Rac1 can incorporate palmitate at cysteine 178 and that this post-translational modification targets Rac1 for stabilization at actin cytoskeleton-linked ordered membrane regions. Palmitoylation of Rac1 requires its prior prenylation and the intact C-terminal polybasic region and is regulated by the triproline-rich motif. Non-palmitoylated Rac1 shows decreased GTP loading and lower association with detergent-resistant (liquid-ordered) membranes (DRMs). Cells expressing no Rac1 or a palmitoylation-deficient mutant have an increased content of disordered membrane domains, and markers of ordered membranes isolated from Rac1-deficient cells do not correctly partition in DRMs. Importantly, cells lacking Rac1 palmitoylation show spreading and migration defects. These data identify palmitoylation as a mechanism for Rac1 function in actin cytoskeleton remodelling by controlling its membrane partitioning, which in turn regulates membrane organization. PMID:22157745

Effects of acidified seawater on coral calcification and variations of U/Ca ratio in their skeletons

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, M.; Ozaki, S.; Iguchi, A.; Sakai, K.; Suzuki, A.; Kawahata, H.

2011-12-01

The rising CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is changing the carbonate chemistry of the ocean. Elevated partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) has caused significant decrease in surface seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration. Therefore, ocean acidification has a negative effect on calcification of marine calcifying organisms. Especially, hermatypic corals are dominant organisms in coral reef ecosystems, so their calcificication is a key to determine the health of reef ecosystems. On the other hand, recent study has suggested that there is a negative correlation between U/Ca ratio in coral skeleton and seawater pH, based on the culture experiment using primary polyps of Acropora digitifera. In this study, primary polyps and adult colonies of A. digitifera and adult colonies of Porites australiensis, which are the dominant species around the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, were reared in seawater with different pCO2 (300, 400, 600, 800, 1000ppm) and pH (7.4, 7.6, 8.0) settings controlled by CO2 bubbling. Calcification rate of adult coral was estimated by buoyant method, while skeletal growth of polyps was evaluated by measuring the dry weight of each skeleton after the experiments. In order to evaluate the relationship between U/Ca ratios in coral skeletons and seawater pH, U/Ca ratios in reared corals were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results of A. digitifera showed that the growth rate of adult corals had no significant correlation against pCO2, but dry weight of polyp skeletons decreased with increase in pCO2. Growth rate of P. australiensis typically showed a positive correlation with pH. However, growth rates were different among colonies, suggesting that their responses to acidification may vary among the colonies. Regarding the variations of U/Ca ratios, there were positive correlations between U/Ca ratios in adults of A. digitifera and P. australiensis and seawater pCO2 (pH), while no relation was observed in polyp corals.

Interaction of Plasmodium falciparum knob-associated histidine-rich protein (KAHRP) with erythrocyte ankyrin R is required for its attachment to the erythrocyte membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Haibo; Guo, Xinhua; Papoin, Julien; Wang, Jie; Coppel, Ross; Mohandas, Narla; An, Xiuli

2014-01-01

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum exports a large number of proteins into the erythrocyte cytoplasm during the asexual intraerythrocytic stage of its life cycle. A subset of these proteins interacts with erythrocyte membrane skeletal proteins and grossly alters the structure and function of the membrane. Several of the exported proteins, such as PfEMP1, PfEMP3, RESA and KAHRP, interact with the preponderant erythrocyte skeleton protein, spectrin. Here we have searched for possible interaction of these four malaria proteins with another major erythrocyte skeleton protein, ankyrin R. We have shown that KAHRP, but none of the other three, binds to ankyrin R. We have mapped the binding site for ankyrin R to a 79-residue segment of the KAHRP sequence, and the reciprocal binding site for KAHRP in ankyrin R to a subdomain (D3) of the 89kDa ankyrin R membrane-binding domain. Interaction of intact ankyrin R with KAHRP was inhibited by the free D3 subdomain. When, moreover, red cells loaded with the soluble D3 subdomain were infected with P. falciparum, KAHRP secreted by the intraerythrocytic parasite no longer migrated to the host cell membrane, but remained diffusely distributed throughout the cytosol. Our findings suggest a potentially important role for interaction of KAHRP with red cell membrane skeleton in promoting the adhesion of malaria-infected red cells to endothelial surfaces, a central element in the pathophysiology of malaria. © 2013.

Natural Organic Matter Removal and Fouling in a Low Pressure Hybrid Membrane Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vedat Uyak

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate powdered activated carbon (PAC contribution to natural organic matter (NOM removal by a submerged MF and UF hybrid systems. It was found that filtration of surface waters by a bare MF and UF membranes removed negligible TOC; by contrast, significant amounts of TOC were removed when daily added PAC particles were predeposited on the membrane surfaces. These results support the assumption that the membranes surface properties and PAC layer structure might have considerably influential factor on NOM removal. Moreover, it was concluded that the dominant removal mechanism of hybrid membrane system is adsorption of NOM within PAC layer rather than size exclusion of NOM by both of membrane pores. Transmembrane pressure (TMP increases with PAC membrane systems support the view that PAC adsorption pretreatment will not prevent the development of membrane pressure; on the contrary, PAC particles themselves caused membrane fouling by blocking the entrance of pores of MF and UF membranes. Although all three source waters have similar HPI content, it appears that the PAC interaction with the entrance of membrane pores was responsible for offsetting the NOM fractional effects on membrane fouling for these source waters.

Obscurin Depletion Impairs Organization of Skeletal Muscle in Developing Zebrafish Embryos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maide Ö. Raeker

2011-01-01

Full Text Available During development, skeletal myoblasts differentiate into myocytes and skeletal myotubes with mature contractile structures that are precisely oriented with respect to surrounding cells and tissues. Establishment of this highly ordered structure requires reciprocal interactions between the differentiating myocytes and the surrounding extracellular matrix to form correctly positioned and well-organized attachments from the skeletal muscle to the bony skeleton. Using the developing zebrafish embryo as a model, we examined the relationship between new myofibril assembly and the organization of the membrane domains involved in cell-extracellular matrix interactions. We determined that depletion of obscurin, a giant muscle protein, resulted in irregular cell morphology and disturbed extracellular matrix organization during skeletal muscle development. The resulting impairment of myocyte organization was associated with disturbance of the internal architecture of the myocyte suggesting that obscurin participates in organizing the internal structure of the myocyte and translating those structural cues to surrounding cells and tissues.

Obscurin Depletion Impairs Organization of Skeletal Muscle in Developing Zebrafish Embryos

Science.gov (United States)

Raeker, Maide Ö.; Russell, Mark W.

2011-01-01

During development, skeletal myoblasts differentiate into myocytes and skeletal myotubes with mature contractile structures that are precisely oriented with respect to surrounding cells and tissues. Establishment of this highly ordered structure requires reciprocal interactions between the differentiating myocytes and the surrounding extracellular matrix to form correctly positioned and well-organized attachments from the skeletal muscle to the bony skeleton. Using the developing zebrafish embryo as a model, we examined the relationship between new myofibril assembly and the organization of the membrane domains involved in cell-extracellular matrix interactions. We determined that depletion of obscurin, a giant muscle protein, resulted in irregular cell morphology and disturbed extracellular matrix organization during skeletal muscle development. The resulting impairment of myocyte organization was associated with disturbance of the internal architecture of the myocyte suggesting that obscurin participates in organizing the internal structure of the myocyte and translating those structural cues to surrounding cells and tissues. PMID:22190853

Simulation of mould filling process for composite skeleton castings

OpenAIRE

M. Dziuba; M. Cholewa

2008-01-01

In this work authors showed selected results of simulation and experimental studies on temperature distribution during solidification of skeleton casting and mould filling process. The aim of conducted simulations was the choice of thermal and geometrical parameters for the needs of designed calculations of the skeleton castings and the estimation of the guidelines for the technology of manufacturing. The subject of numerical simulation was the analysis of ability of filling the channels of c...

Structure and organization of nanosized-inclusion-containing bilayer membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Chun-Lai; Ma, Yu-Qiang

2009-07-01

Based on a considerable amount of experimental evidence for lateral organization of lipid membranes which share astonishingly similar features in the presence of different inclusions, we use a hybrid self-consistent field theory (SCFT)/density-functional theory (DFT) approach to deal with bilayer membranes embedded by nanosized inclusions and explain experimental findings. Here, the hydrophobic inclusions are simple models of hydrophobic drugs or other nanoparticles for biomedical applications. It is found that lipid/inclusion-rich domains are formed at moderate inclusion concentrations and disappear with the increase in the concentration of inclusions. At high inclusion content, chaining of inclusions occurs due to the effective depletion attraction between inclusions mediated by lipids. Meanwhile, the increase in the concentration of inclusions can also cause thickening of the membrane and the distribution of inclusions undergoes a layering transition from one-layer structure located in the bilayer midplane to two-layer structure arranged into the two leaflets of a bilayer. Our theoretical predictions address the complex interactions between membranes and inclusions suggesting a unifying mechanism which reflects the competition between the conformational entropy of lipids favoring the formation of lipid- and inclusion-rich domains in lipids and the steric repulsion of inclusions leading to the uniform dispersion.

Natural organic matter interactions with polyamide and polysulfone membranes: Formation of conditioning film

KAUST Repository

Gutierrez, Leonardo

2015-03-31

A conditioning film changes the physicochemical properties of the membrane surface and strongly affects subsequent fouling behavior. Results from this Atomic Force Microscopy study indicate that Natural Organic Matter (NOM) characteristics, membrane surface properties, and solution chemistry are fundamental during conditioning film formation. Repulsive forces were observed between HUM (humic-NOM) and Polyamide (PA) or Polysulfone (PS) membranes during approach in Na+ and Ca2+ solutions. However, repulsive and attractive forces were randomly recorded during BIOP (biopolymer-NOM) approach to both membranes, possibly caused by low electrostatic repulsion, hydrogen bonding, and presence of chemically/physically heterogeneous regions on membrane surfaces. During retracting, Ca2+ ions increased HUM adhesion to PA and PS membrane, indicating cation bridging/complexation as dominant interacting mechanism for this isolate. BIOP adsorption on PS and PA membrane was stronger than HUM under similar solution conditions, where hydrogen bonding would play an important role. Additionally, irrespective of solution conditions, higher adhesion energy was recorded on PS than on PA membrane for both NOM isolates, indicating membrane hydrophobicity as an important interacting factor. Results from this research will advance our understanding of conditioning film formation for NOM isolates and membranes of different physicochemical characteristics.

Removal of H2S and volatile organic sulfur compounds by silicone membrane extraction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manconi, I.; Lens, P.N.L.

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: This study explores an alternative process for the abatement and/or desulfurization of H2S and volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSC) containing waste streams, which employs a silicone-based membrane to simultaneously remove H2S and VOSC. An extractive membrane reactor allows the

Specific oriented metal-organic framework membranes and their facet-tuned separation performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Yiyin; Su, Binbin; Cao, Wei; Li, Junwei; Ying, Yulong; Ying, Wen; Hou, Yajun; Sun, Luwei; Peng, Xinsheng

2014-09-24

Modulating the crystal morphology, or the exposed crystal facets, of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) expands their potential applications in catalysis, adsorption, and separation. In this article, by immobilizing the citrate modulators on Au nanoparticles and subsequently being fixed on solid copper hydroxide nanostrands, a well-intergrown and oriented HKUST-1 cube crystal membrane was formed at room temperature. In contrast, in the absence of Au nanoparticles, well-intergrown and oriented cuboctahedron and octahedron membranes were formed in water/ethanol and ethanol, respectively. The gas separation performances of these HKUST-1 membranes were tuned via their exposed facets with defined pore sizes. The HKUST-1 cube membrane with exposed {001} facets demonstrated the highest permeance but lowest gas binary separation factors, while the octahedron membrane with exposed {111} facets presented the highest separation factors but lowest permeance, since the window size of {111} facets is 0.46 nm which is smaller than 0.9 nm of {001} facets. Separation of 0.38 nm CO2 from 0.55 nm SF6 was realized by the HKUST-1 octahedron membrane. As a proof of concept, this will open a new way to design MOF-related separation membranes by facet controlling.

Tutorial for Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized Data

KAUST Repository

Lu, Kai

2017-04-25

Full waveform inversion of seismic data is often plagued by cycle skipping problems so that an iterative optimization method often gets stuck in a local minimum. To avoid this problem we simplify the objective function so that the iterative solution can quickly converge to a solution in the vicinity of the global minimum. The objective function is simplified by only using parsimonious and important portions of the data, which are defined as skeletonized data. We now present a mostly non-mathematical tutorial that explains the theory of skeletonized inversion. We also show its effectiveness with examples.

Ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membrane fouling by natural organic matter: Mechanisms and mitigation by pre-ozonation and pH.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Wenzheng; Liu, Teng; Crawshaw, John; Liu, Ting; Graham, Nigel

2018-08-01

The fouling of ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes during the treatment of surface waters continues to be of concern and the particular role of natural organic matter (NOM) requires further investigation. In this study the effect of pH and surface charge on membrane fouling during the treatment of samples of a representative surface water (Hyde Park recreational lake) were evaluated, together with the impact of pre-ozonation. While biopolymers in the surface water could be removed by the UF membrane, smaller molecular weight (MW) fractions of NOM were poorly removed, confirming the importance of membrane pore size. For NF membranes the removal of smaller MW fractions (800 Da-10 kDa) was less than expected from their pore size; however, nearly all of the hydrophobic, humic-type substances could be removed by the hydrophilic NF membranes for all MW distributions (greater than 90%). The results indicated the importance of the charge and hydrophilic nature of the NOM. Thus, the hydrophilic NF membrane could remove the hydrophobic organic matter, but not the hydrophilic substances. Increasing charge effects (more negative zeta potentials) with increasing solution pH were found to enhance organics removal and reduce fouling (flux decline), most likely through greater membrane surface repulsion. Pre-ozonation of the surface water increased the hydrophilic fraction and anionic charge of NOM and altered their size distributions. This resulted in a decreased fouling (less flux decline) for the UF and smaller pore NF, but a slight increase in fouling for the larger pore NF. The differences in the NF behavior are believed to relate to the relative sizes of ozonated organic fractions and the NF pores; a similar size of ozonated organic fractions and the NF pores causes significant membrane fouling. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Skeletonization and Partitioning of Digital Images Using Discrete Morse Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado-Friedrichs, Olaf; Robins, Vanessa; Sheppard, Adrian

2015-03-01

We show how discrete Morse theory provides a rigorous and unifying foundation for defining skeletons and partitions of grayscale digital images. We model a grayscale image as a cubical complex with a real-valued function defined on its vertices (the voxel values). This function is extended to a discrete gradient vector field using the algorithm presented in Robins, Wood, Sheppard TPAMI 33:1646 (2011). In the current paper we define basins (the building blocks of a partition) and segments of the skeleton using the stable and unstable sets associated with critical cells. The natural connection between Morse theory and homology allows us to prove the topological validity of these constructions; for example, that the skeleton is homotopic to the initial object. We simplify the basins and skeletons via Morse-theoretic cancellation of critical cells in the discrete gradient vector field using a strategy informed by persistent homology. Simple working Python code for our algorithms for efficient vector field traversal is included. Example data are taken from micro-CT images of porous materials, an application area where accurate topological models of pore connectivity are vital for fluid-flow modelling.

Skeletonized Least Squares Wave Equation Migration

KAUST Repository

Zhan, Ge; Schuster, Gerard T.

2010-01-01

of the wave equation. Only the early‐arrivals of these Green's functions are saved and skeletonized to form the migration Green's function (MGF) by convolution. Then the migration image is obtained by a dot product between the recorded shot gathers and the MGF

Body mass estimation from the skeleton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lacoste Jeanson, Alizé; Santos, Frédéric; Villa, Chiara

2017-01-01

Estimating an individual body mass (BM) from the skeleton is a challenge for forensic anthropology. However, identifying someone's BMI (Body Mass Index) category, i.e. underweight, normal, overweight or obese, could contribute to identification. Individual BM is also known to influence the age...

Metal-organic frameworks in mixed-matrix membranes for gas separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanh Jeazet, Harold B; Staudt, Claudia; Janiak, Christoph

2012-12-14

Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as additives (fillers) exhibit enhanced gas permeabilities and possibly also selectivities when compared to the pure polymer. Polyimides (Matrimid®) and polysulfones are popular polymer matrices for MOF fillers. Presently investigated MOFs for MMMs include [Cu(SiF(6))(4,4'-BIPY)(2)], [Cu(3)(BTC)(2)(H(2)O)(3)] (HKUST-1, Cu-BTC), [Cu(BDC)(DMF)], [Zn(4)O(BDC)(3)] (MOF-5), [Zn(2-methylimidazolate)(2)] (ZIF-8), [Zn(purinate)(2)] (ZIF-20), [Zn(2-carboxyaldehyde imidazolate)(2)] (ZIF-90), Mn(HCOO)(2), [Al(BDC)(μ-OH)] (MIL-53(Al)), [Al(NH(2)-BDC)(μ-OH)] (NH(2)-MIL-53(Al)) and [Cr(3)O(BDC)(3)(F,OH)(H(2)O)(2)] (MIL-101) (4,4'-BIPY = 4,4'-bipyridine, BTC = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate, BDC = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate, terephthalate). MOF particle adhesion to polyimide and polysulfone organic polymers does not represent a problem. MOF-polymer MMMs are investigated for the permeability of the single gases H(2), N(2), O(2), CH(4), CO(2) and of the gas mixtures O(2)/N(2), H(2)/CH(4), CO(2)/CH(4), H(2)/CO(2), CH(4)/N(2) and CO(2)/N(2) (preferentially permeating gas named first). Permeability increases can be traced to the MOF porosity. Since the porosity of MOFs can be tuned very precisely, which is not possible with polymeric material, MMMs offer the opportunity of significantly increasing the selectivity compared to the pure polymeric matrix. Additionally in most of the cases the permeability is increased for MMM membranes compared to the pure polymer. Addition of MOFs to polymers in MMMs easily yields performances similar to the best polymer membranes and gives higher selectivities than those reported to date for any pure MOF membrane for the same gas separation. MOF-polymer MMMs allow for easier synthesis and handability compared to pure MOF membranes.

Monitoring of full scale tensegrity skeletons under temperature change

OpenAIRE

KAWAGUCHI, Ken'ichi; OHYA, Shunji

2009-01-01

p. 224-231 Strain change in the members of full-scale tensegrity skeletons has been monitored for eight years. The one-day data of one of the tensegrity frame on the hottest and the coldest day in the record are reported and discussed. Kawaguchi, K.; Ohya, S. (2009). Monitoring of full scale tensegrity skeletons under temperature change. Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10...

Superhydrophilic Thin-Film Composite Forward Osmosis Membranes for Organic Fouling Control: Fouling Behavior and Antifouling Mechanisms

KAUST Repository

Tiraferri, Alberto

2012-10-16

This study investigates the fouling behavior and fouling resistance of superhydrophilic thin-film composite forward osmosis membranes functionalized with surface-tailored nanoparticles. Fouling experiments in both forward osmosis and reverse osmosis modes are performed with three model organic foulants: alginate, bovine serum albumin, and Suwannee river natural organic matter. A solution comprising monovalent and divalent salts is employed to simulate the solution chemistry of typical wastewater effluents. Reduced fouling is consistently observed for the superhydrophilic membranes compared to control thin-film composite polyamide membranes, in both reverse and forward osmosis modes. The fouling resistance and cleaning efficiency of the functionalized membranes is particularly outstanding in forward osmosis mode where the driving force for water flux is an osmotic pressure difference. To understand the mechanism of fouling, the intermolecular interactions between the foulants and the membrane surface are analyzed by direct force measurement using atomic force microscopy. Lower adhesion forces are observed for the superhydrophilic membranes compared to the control thin-film composite polyamide membranes. The magnitude and distribution of adhesion forces for the different membrane surfaces suggest that the antifouling properties of the superhydrophilic membranes originate from the barrier provided by the tightly bound hydration layer at their surface, as well as from the neutralization of the native carboxyl groups of thin-film composite polyamide membranes. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Superhydrophilic thin-film composite forward osmosis membranes for organic fouling control: fouling behavior and antifouling mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiraferri, Alberto; Kang, Yan; Giannelis, Emmanuel P; Elimelech, Menachem

2012-10-16

This study investigates the fouling behavior and fouling resistance of superhydrophilic thin-film composite forward osmosis membranes functionalized with surface-tailored nanoparticles. Fouling experiments in both forward osmosis and reverse osmosis modes are performed with three model organic foulants: alginate, bovine serum albumin, and Suwannee river natural organic matter. A solution comprising monovalent and divalent salts is employed to simulate the solution chemistry of typical wastewater effluents. Reduced fouling is consistently observed for the superhydrophilic membranes compared to control thin-film composite polyamide membranes, in both reverse and forward osmosis modes. The fouling resistance and cleaning efficiency of the functionalized membranes is particularly outstanding in forward osmosis mode where the driving force for water flux is an osmotic pressure difference. To understand the mechanism of fouling, the intermolecular interactions between the foulants and the membrane surface are analyzed by direct force measurement using atomic force microscopy. Lower adhesion forces are observed for the superhydrophilic membranes compared to the control thin-film composite polyamide membranes. The magnitude and distribution of adhesion forces for the different membrane surfaces suggest that the antifouling properties of the superhydrophilic membranes originate from the barrier provided by the tightly bound hydration layer at their surface, as well as from the neutralization of the native carboxyl groups of thin-film composite polyamide membranes.

An Interactive Exhibition about Animal Skeletons: Did the Visitors Learn Any Zoology?

Science.gov (United States)

Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale; Laterveer-de Beer, Manon

2002-01-01

Explores museum visitors' understanding of skeleton exhibits and whether such exhibits increase their understanding of the zoology displayed. The exhibition under study focused on the diversity of vertebrae skeletons which were arranged according to the mode of locomotion. (DDR)

Constraining calcium isotope fractionation (δ44/40Ca) in modern and fossil scleractinian coral skeleton

OpenAIRE

Pretet, Chloé; Samankassou, Elias; Felis, Thomas; Reynaud, Stéphanie; Böhm, Florian; Eisenhauer, Anton; Ferrier-Pagès, Christine; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre; Camoin, Gilbert

2013-01-01

The present study investigates the influence of environmental (temperature, salinity) and biological (growth rate, inter-generic variations) parameters on calcium isotope fractionation (δ44/40Ca) in scleractinian coral skeleton to better constrain this record. Previous studies focused on the δ44/40Ca record in different marine organisms to reconstruct seawater composition or temperature, but only few studies investigated corals. This study presents measurements performed on modern corals f...

Structural basis for plant plasma membrane protein dynamics and organization into functional nanodomains.

Science.gov (United States)

Gronnier, Julien; Crowet, Jean-Marc; Habenstein, Birgit; Nasir, Mehmet Nail; Bayle, Vincent; Hosy, Eric; Platre, Matthieu Pierre; Gouguet, Paul; Raffaele, Sylvain; Martinez, Denis; Grelard, Axelle; Loquet, Antoine; Simon-Plas, Françoise; Gerbeau-Pissot, Patricia; Der, Christophe; Bayer, Emmanuelle M; Jaillais, Yvon; Deleu, Magali; Germain, Véronique; Lins, Laurence; Mongrand, Sébastien

2017-07-31

Plasma Membrane is the primary structure for adjusting to ever changing conditions. PM sub-compartmentalization in domains is thought to orchestrate signaling. Yet, mechanisms governing membrane organization are mostly uncharacterized. The plant-specific REMORINs are proteins regulating hormonal crosstalk and host invasion. REMs are the best-characterized nanodomain markers via an uncharacterized moiety called REMORIN C-terminal Anchor. By coupling biophysical methods, super-resolution microscopy and physiology, we decipher an original mechanism regulating the dynamic and organization of nanodomains. We showed that targeting of REMORIN is independent of the COP-II-dependent secretory pathway and mediated by PI4P and sterol. REM-CA is an unconventional lipid-binding motif that confers nanodomain organization. Analyses of REM-CA mutants by single particle tracking demonstrate that mobility and supramolecular organization are critical for immunity. This study provides a unique mechanistic insight into how the tight control of spatial segregation is critical in the definition of PM domain necessary to support biological function.

Can ancestry be consistently determined from the skeleton?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sierp Ingrid

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Although the concept of race has been thoroughly criticised in biological anthropology, forensic anthropology still uses a number of methods to determine the ‘race’ of a skeleton. The methods must be evaluated to see how effective they are given large individual variation. This study used 20 cases of skeletons of varied provenance to test whether the nine published methods of ‘race’ determination, using a range of various approaches, were able to consistently identify the ethnic origin. No one individual was identified as belonging to just one ‘major racial class’, e.g. European, meaning that complete consistency across all nine methods was not observed. In 14 cases (70%, various methods identified the same individual as belonging to all three racial classes. This suggests that the existing methods for the determination of ‘race’ are compromised. The very concept of ‘race’ is inapplicable to variation that occurs between populations only in small ways and the methods are limited by the geographic population from which their discriminant functions or observations of morphological traits were derived. Methods of multivariate linear discriminant analysis, e.g. CRANID, are supposed to allocate an individual skull to a specific population rather than a ‘major race’. In our analysis CRANID did not produce convincing allocations of individual skeletons to specific populations. The findings of this study show that great caution must be taken when attempting to ascertain the ‘race’ of a skeleton, as the outcome is not only dependent on which skeletal sites are available for assessment, but also the degree to which the unknown skeleton’s population of origin has been investigated.

Tuberculous arthritis of the appendicular skeleton: MR imaging appearances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parmar, Hemant; Shah, Jeshil; Patkar, Deepak; Singrakhia, Manoj; Patankar, Tufail; Hutchinson, Charles

2004-01-01

Tuberculosis [TB] of the appendicular skeleton is an uncommon infection caused by the tuberculous bacilli and constitutes only 1-3% of all tuberculosis infections. MR imaging features of tuberculous arthritis include bone marrow oedema, cortical erosions, synovitis, joint effusion, tenosynovitis, soft tissue collections, and myositis. These imaging features are at times non-specific, but in the correct clinical context help in diagnosis of tuberculosis. We present the various pathological manifestations of TB arthritis involving the different joints of appendicular skeleton and discuss their MR imaging appearances

Tuberculous arthritis of the appendicular skeleton: MR imaging appearances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parmar, Hemant E-mail: parurad@hotmail.com; Shah, Jeshil; Patkar, Deepak; Singrakhia, Manoj; Patankar, Tufail; Hutchinson, Charles

2004-12-01

Tuberculosis [TB] of the appendicular skeleton is an uncommon infection caused by the tuberculous bacilli and constitutes only 1-3% of all tuberculosis infections. MR imaging features of tuberculous arthritis include bone marrow oedema, cortical erosions, synovitis, joint effusion, tenosynovitis, soft tissue collections, and myositis. These imaging features are at times non-specific, but in the correct clinical context help in diagnosis of tuberculosis. We present the various pathological manifestations of TB arthritis involving the different joints of appendicular skeleton and discuss their MR imaging appearances.

Relationship between push phase and final race time in skeleton performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Zanoletti, Costanza; La Torre, Antonio; Merati, Giampiero; Rampinini, Ermanno; Impellizzeri, Franco M

2006-08-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between push-time and final race time in skeleton participants during a series of major international competitions to determine the importance of the push phase in skeleton performance. Correlations were computed from the first and second heat split data measured during 24 men and 24 women skeleton competitions. Body mass, height, age, and years of experience of the first 30 men and women athletes of the skeleton, bobsleigh and luge 2003-2004 World Cup ranking were used for the comparison between sliding sports. Moderate but significant correlations (p push-time and final race time in men (r(mean) = 0.48) and women (r(mean) = 0.63). No correlations were found between changes in the individual push-time between the first and second heat with the corresponding changes in final race time. The bobsleigh sliders are heavier than the athletes of the other sliding disciplines. Luge athletes have more experience and are younger than bobsleigh and skeleton sliders. The results of this study suggest that a fast push phase is a prerequisite to success in competition and confirms that the selection of skeleton athletes based on the ability to accelerate to a maximum speed quickly could be valid. However, a good or improved push-time does not ensure a placement in the top finishing positions. On the basis of these results, we suggest that strength and power training is necessary to maintain a short push-time but additional physical training aimed to enhance the push phase might not reflect performance improvements. The recruitment of younger athletes and an increase of youthful competitive activity may be another effective way to reach international competitive results.

Crosslinked poly(ether block amide) composite membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration applications

KAUST Repository

Aburabie, Jamaliah; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor.

2016-01-01

Poly(ether block amide) – Pebax® – based membranes are well described for gas separation applications. But only a few publications exist for their application in pressure driven liquid applications like ultrafiltration and nanofiltration. Here we use the commercially available Pebax® 1657 for the preparation of membranes for the filtration of organic solvents. Porous polyacrylonitrile membranes were coated with Pebax® 1657 which was then crosslinked. Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) was used as a crosslinker agent for the coating. Reaction time and crosslinker concentration were optimized for the aimed application. The Pebax® coating and the impact of the TDI on the resulting crosslinked membranes were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). SEM analysis shows a uniform thin coating of the PEBAX that covers the pores of the PAN membranes. FTIR and DSC analysis confirm the crosslinking reaction. Crosslinked Pebax® membranes show high stability toward ethanol propanol, acetone and even dimethylformamide (DMF). In the case of DMF applications, the standard PAN was replaced by crosslinked PAN developed in our laboratory. In order to increase the membranes permeances, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were incorporated in the Pebax® coating. These GO containing membranes showed strongly increased permeances for selected solvents. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Crosslinked poly(ether block amide) composite membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration applications

KAUST Repository

Aburabie, Jamaliah

2016-10-01

Poly(ether block amide) – Pebax® – based membranes are well described for gas separation applications. But only a few publications exist for their application in pressure driven liquid applications like ultrafiltration and nanofiltration. Here we use the commercially available Pebax® 1657 for the preparation of membranes for the filtration of organic solvents. Porous polyacrylonitrile membranes were coated with Pebax® 1657 which was then crosslinked. Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) was used as a crosslinker agent for the coating. Reaction time and crosslinker concentration were optimized for the aimed application. The Pebax® coating and the impact of the TDI on the resulting crosslinked membranes were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). SEM analysis shows a uniform thin coating of the PEBAX that covers the pores of the PAN membranes. FTIR and DSC analysis confirm the crosslinking reaction. Crosslinked Pebax® membranes show high stability toward ethanol propanol, acetone and even dimethylformamide (DMF). In the case of DMF applications, the standard PAN was replaced by crosslinked PAN developed in our laboratory. In order to increase the membranes permeances, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were incorporated in the Pebax® coating. These GO containing membranes showed strongly increased permeances for selected solvents. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Skeletonized Least Squares Wave Equation Migration

KAUST Repository

Zhan, Ge

2010-10-17

The theory for skeletonized least squares wave equation migration (LSM) is presented. The key idea is, for an assumed velocity model, the source‐side Green\\'s function and the geophone‐side Green\\'s function are computed by a numerical solution of the wave equation. Only the early‐arrivals of these Green\\'s functions are saved and skeletonized to form the migration Green\\'s function (MGF) by convolution. Then the migration image is obtained by a dot product between the recorded shot gathers and the MGF for every trial image point. The key to an efficient implementation of iterative LSM is that at each conjugate gradient iteration, the MGF is reused and no new finitedifference (FD) simulations are needed to get the updated migration image. It is believed that this procedure combined with phase‐encoded multi‐source technology will allow for the efficient computation of wave equation LSM images in less time than that of conventional reverse time migration (RTM).

Apatite mineralization in elasmobranch skeletons via a polyphosphate intermediate

Science.gov (United States)

Omelon, Sidney; Lacroix, Nicolas; Lildhar, Levannia; Variola, Fabio; Dean, Mason

2014-05-01

All vertebrate skeletons are stiffened with apatite, a calcium phosphate mineral. Control of apatite mineralization is essential to the growth and repair of the biology of these skeletons, ensuring that apatite is deposited in the correct tissue location at the desired time. The mechanism of this biochemical control remains debated, but must involve increasing the localized apatite saturation state. It was theorized in 1923 that alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity provides this control mechanism by increasing the inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentration via dephosphorylation of phosphorylated molecules. The ALP substrate for biological apatite is not known. We propose that polyphosphates (polyPs) produced by mitochondria may be the substrate for biological apatite formation by ALP activity. PolyPs (PO3-)n, also known as condensed phosphates, represent a concentrated, bioavailable Pi-storage strategy. Mitochondria import Pi and synthesize phosphate polymers through an unknown biochemical mechanism. When chelated with calcium and/or other cations, the effective P-concentration of these neutrally charged, amorphous, polyP species can be very high (~ 0.5 M), without inducing phosphate mineral crystallization. This P-concentration in the low Pi-concentration biological environment offers a method of concentrating P well above an apatite supersaturation required for nucleation. Bone is the most studied mineralized skeletal tissue. However, locating and analyzing active mineralizing areas is challenging. We studied calcified cartilage skeletons of elasmobranch fishes (sharks, stingrays and relatives) to analyse the phosphate chemistry in this continually mineralizing skeleton. Although the majority of the elasmobranch skeleton is unmineralized cartilage, it is wrapped in an outer layer of mineralized tissue comprised of small tiles called tesserae. These calcified tesserae continually grow through the formation of new mineral on their borders. Co-localization of ALP and

Morphology of the axial skeleton of seven bat genera (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PABLO J. GAUDIOSO

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Here we present detailed descriptions and comparisons of the axial skeleton of seven species of bats belonging to five subfamilies of Phyllostomidae of different trophic guilds. The material examined consisted of 34 complete skeletons of seven species. For five of the studied species, previous descriptions have not been conducted, and for the vampires only limited information is available, so that descriptions for these species are here completed. The axial skeleton has characters that allow grouping of the species phylogenetically of the same subfamily and by feeding habits. At the same time, there are characters that associate species from different subfamilies with different types of diet or ways to obtain food.

Bifunctionalized organic-inorganic charged nanocomposite membrane for pervaporation dehydration of ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Bijay P; Kumar, Mahendra; Saxena, Arunima; Shahi, Vinod K

2010-06-01

Chitosan was modified into N-p-carboxy benzyl chitosan (NCBC) by introducing an aromatic ring grafted with acidic -COOH group and highly stable and cross-linked nanostructured NCBC-silica composite membranes were prepared for pervaporation dehydration of water-ethanol mixture. These membranes were tailored to comprise three regions namely: hydrophobic region, highly charged region and selective region, in which weak acidic group (-COOH) was grafted at organic segment while strong acidic group (-SO(3)H) was grafted at inorganic segment to achieve high stability and less swelling in water-ethanol mixture. Cross-linking density and NCBC-silica content in membrane matrix has been systematically optimized to control the nanostructure of the developed polymer matrix for studying the effects of molecular structure on the swelling, and PV performance. Among prepared membranes, nanocomposite membrane with 3h cross-linking time and 90% (w/w) of NCBC-silica content (PCS-3-3) exhibited 1.66×10(-4)cm(3)(STP) cm/cm(2) s cmHg water permeability (P(W)), while 1.35×10(-7) cm(3)(STP) cm/cm(2) s cmHg ethanol permeability (P(EtOH)) of developed membrane and 1231 PV selectivity factor at 30 °C for separating water from 90% (w/w) ethanol mixture. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A novel triterpenoid carbon skeleton in immature sulphur-rich sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schouten, S.; Sinninghe Damste, J.S.; De Leeuw, J.W. [Netherlands Inst. for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel (Netherlands)

1995-03-01

A novel S compound, 1,4-bis(2{sup {prime}}, 5{sup {prime}}, 5{sup {prime}}, 8a{sup {prime}}-tetramethylhexahydrothiochroman)-butane has been detected in several immature S-rich sediments, of which the desulphurized counterpart was unambiguously identified by synthesis of an authentic standard and coinjection experiments. This C skeleton of the S compound, 1, 10-bis(2{sup {prime}}, 2{sup {prime}}, 6{sup {prime}}-trimethylcyclohexyl)-3,8-dimethyldodecane(I), has not been reported yet in any sediment or organism. We suggest that it may be biosynthesized through an enzymatic cyclization reaction of squalene (II), which shows similarities with the biosynthesis of {Beta}, {Beta}-carotene (III) from lycopene (IV). 24 refs., 4 figs.

Molecular genetic analyses of 300-year old skeletons from Auersperg tomb

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irena Zupanič Pajnič

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: In 2009 the archaeologists excavated five skeletons from a 17th-century archaeological site in Ljubljana. They were found in the side chapel of the church in the Franciscans monastery, which was the Auerspergs’ tomb. Beside the skeletons, the finds revealed a bronze bowl with the heart , and the name of Ferdinand II and the years of birth and death (1655–1706 engraved. In 2011, we were asked to identify those five skeletons. The skeletons were poorly preserved and bones degraded to small pieces. Fragments of femurs and teeth were preserved only in two skeletons, therefore for the remaining three the fragments of cranium were used for molecular genetic analyses.Methods: We cleaned the bones and teeth, removed surface contamination, and ground them into powder. Prior to DNA isolation, bone or tooth powder was decalcified. DNA was purified in the Biorobot EZ1 device (Qiagen. Nuclear DNA of the samples was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Short tandem repeat (STR typing of autosomal DNA was performed using Investigator ESSplex Kit (Qiagen, the NGM Kit (Applied Biosystems and the MiniFiler Kit (Applied Biosystems. Typing of the Y-STRs was performed using the YFiler Kit (Applied Biosystems. The two hypervariable regions HVI and HVII of the mtDNA were sequenced.Results: We were able to extract up to 10.7 ng DNA/g of tooth powder from Auersperg chapel archaeological site skeletal remains. We managed to obtain nuclear DNA for successful STR typing from skeletal remains that were over 300 years old. From one skeleton we obtained a complete male genetic profile of autosomal DNA, almost complete Y-STR haplotype, which enabled us to track the paternal line and mtDNA haplotype for HVI and HVII regions, which enabled us to track the maternal line. After comparing the profiles with elimination database, no match was found, and thus the authenticity of genetic profiles was confirmed.Conclusions: Now we are waiting for

Genetic analysis and ethnic affinities from two Scytho-Siberian skeletons.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricaut, François-Xavier; Keyser-Tracqui, Christine; Cammaert, Laurence; Crubézy, Eric; Ludes, Bertrand

2004-04-01

We extracted DNA from two skeletons belonging to the Sytho-Siberian population, which were excavated from the Sebÿstei site (dating back 2,500 years) in the Altai Republic (Central Asia). Ancient DNA was analyzed by autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) and by the sequencing of the hypervariable region 1 (HV1) of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. The results showed that these two skeletons were not close relatives. Moreover, their haplogroups were characteristic of Asian populations. Comparison with the haplogroup of 3,523 Asian and American individuals linked one skeleton with a putative ancestral paleo-Asiatic population and the other with Chinese populations. It appears that the genetic study of ancient populations of Central Asia brings important elements to the understanding of human population movements in Asia. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

High-efficiency technology for lithium isotope separation using an ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoshino, Tsuyoshi; Terai, Takayuki

2011-01-01

The tritium needed as a fuel for fusion reactors is produced by the neutron capture reaction of lithium-6 ( 6 Li) in tritium breeding materials. New lithium isotope separation technique using ionic-liquid impregnated organic membranes (Ionic-Liquid-i-OMs) have been developed. Lithium ions are able to move by electrodialysis through certain Ionic-Liquid-i-OMs between the cathode and the anode in lithium solutions. In this report, the effects of protection cover and membrane thickness on the durability of membrane and the efficiency of isotope separation were evaluated. In order to improve the durability of the Ionic-Liquid-i-OM, we developed highly-durable Ionic-Liquid-i-OM. Both surfaces of the Ionic-Liquid-i-OM were covered by a nafion 324 overcoat or a cation exchange membrane (SELEMION TM CMD) to prevent the outflow of the ionic liquid. It was observed that the durability of the Ionic-Liquid-i-OM was improved by a nafion 324 overcoat. On the other hand, the organic membrane selected was 1, 2 or 3 mm highly-porous Teflon film, in order to efficiently impregnate the ionic liquid. The 6 Li isotope separation factor by electrodialysis using highly-porous Teflon film of 3 mm thickness was larger than using that of 1 or 2 mm thickness.

ORGANIC PERMSELECTIVE PERVAPORATION CHARACTERISTICS OF POLY(SILYLPROPYNE) AND COPOLYMER DENSE MEMBRANES

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Xinwei; SHI Yanqiao; CHEN Guanwen

1997-01-01

An investigation into the organic permselective separation through poly [1-trimethylsilyl1-propyne] (PTMSP) and (1-trimethylsily1)-1-(1-penta-methyl-disilyl)-l-propyne copolymer (TMSP-PMDSP) dense membranes was made to gain an insight into the effect of the chemical structure of membrane materials on pervaporation (PV) characteristics. The results show that the copolymer has a higher separation factor αorg/water but with a relatively Lower value of flux Jt(g/m2·h)than pure PTMSP.This phenomenon may be attributed to the introduction of side chain with large bulk volume in copolymer, which brought about a decrease of excess free volume and the improvement of diffusion selectivity to some extent. With the same molar concentration of organic liquids in feed, THF/water solutions have the highest value of αorg/water as well as Jt in comparison with ethanol/water,iso-propanol/water and THF/water mixtures.

Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized SurfaceWaves

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhendong; Liu, Yike; Schuster, Gerard T.

2015-01-01

We present a surface-wave inversion method that inverts for the S-wave velocity from the Rayleigh dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode. We call this wave equation inversion of skeletonized surface waves because the dispersion curve

Molecular organization in bacterial cell membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larraga, V.; Munoz, E.

1975-01-01

The paper reports about an investigation into the question of the specific labelling and topological distribution of glycoproteins and proteins in Streptomyces albus membranes. The method of sample preparation is described: Tritium labelling of glycoproteins in protoplasts and membranes, iodination of proteins, trypsin treatment and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The findings suggest an asymmetrical distribution of the glycoproteins in membranes and a weak accessibility to iodine label. A structural model of the plasma membranes of Streptomyces albus is proposed similar to the general 'fluid mosaic' model of Singer and Nicholson. (BSC) [de

Caustic Skeleton & Cosmic Web

Science.gov (United States)

Feldbrugge, Job; van de Weygaert, Rien; Hidding, Johan; Feldbrugge, Joost

2018-05-01

We present a general formalism for identifying the caustic structure of a dynamically evolving mass distribution, in an arbitrary dimensional space. The identification of caustics in fluids with Hamiltonian dynamics, viewed in Lagrangian space, corresponds to the classification of singularities in Lagrangian catastrophe theory. On the basis of this formalism we develop a theoretical framework for the dynamics of the formation of the cosmic web, and specifically those aspects that characterize its unique nature: its complex topological connectivity and multiscale spinal structure of sheetlike membranes, elongated filaments and compact cluster nodes. Given the collisionless nature of the gravitationally dominant dark matter component in the universe, the presented formalism entails an accurate description of the spatial organization of matter resulting from the gravitationally driven formation of cosmic structure. The present work represents a significant extension of the work by Arnol'd et al. [1], who classified the caustics that develop in one- and two-dimensional systems that evolve according to the Zel'dovich approximation. His seminal work established the defining role of emerging singularities in the formation of nonlinear structures in the universe. At the transition from the linear to nonlinear structure evolution, the first complex features emerge at locations where different fluid elements cross to establish multistream regions. Involving a complex folding of the 6-D sheetlike phase-space distribution, it manifests itself in the appearance of infinite density caustic features. The classification and characterization of these mass element foldings can be encapsulated in caustic conditions on the eigenvalue and eigenvector fields of the deformation tensor field. In this study we introduce an alternative and transparent proof for Lagrangian catastrophe theory. This facilitates the derivation of the caustic conditions for general Lagrangian fluids, with

Direct Cytoskeleton Forces Cause Membrane Softening in Red Blood Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-García, Ruddi; López-Montero, Iván; Mell, Michael; Egea, Gustavo; Gov, Nir S.; Monroy, Francisco

2015-01-01

Erythrocytes are flexible cells specialized in the systemic transport of oxygen in vertebrates. This physiological function is connected to their outstanding ability to deform in passing through narrow capillaries. In recent years, there has been an influx of experimental evidence of enhanced cell-shape fluctuations related to metabolically driven activity of the erythroid membrane skeleton. However, no direct observation of the active cytoskeleton forces has yet been reported to our knowledge. Here, we show experimental evidence of the presence of temporally correlated forces superposed over the thermal fluctuations of the erythrocyte membrane. These forces are ATP-dependent and drive enhanced flickering motions in human erythrocytes. Theoretical analyses provide support for a direct force exerted on the membrane by the cytoskeleton nodes as pulses of well-defined average duration. In addition, such metabolically regulated active forces cause global membrane softening, a mechanical attribute related to the functional erythroid deformability. PMID:26083919

Visualization of structural organization of ventral membranes of sheared-open resorbing osteoclasts attached to apatite pellets.

Science.gov (United States)

Akisaka, Toshitaka; Yoshida, Atsushi

2015-05-01

Osteoclasts are highly polarized cells from both morphological and functional points of view. Using quick-freeze, rotary-replication methods combined with cell-shearing, we clarified the variability of cytoplasmic surface of the polarized membranes of osteoclasts seeded on apatite. As to the organization of actin filaments and clathrin sheets, we confirmed almost the same ventral membrane specializations of osteoclasts on apatite as seen on glass plates. The organized actin filaments and membrane-associated particles supported the ruffled border membranes. Inside the actin sealing zone, membrane specializations were not always occupied with the ruffled border but also with other types of membranes. Some osteoclasts formed an actin ring but lacked the ruffled border projections. We report a unique and distinctive membrane modification of apatite-attached osteoclasts, i.e., the presence of dense aggregates of membrane-associated particles and related structures not found in the osteoclasts seeded on glass plates. Actin filament polarity in the podosomes was determined by decoration with myosin S1. The actin filament polarity within podosome appears to be oriented predominantly with its barbed ends toward the core, whereas the interconnecting F-actin appears to be mixed oriented. Two different types of clathrin plaques displayed different distributions: clathrin-dependent endocytosis was observed in the ruffled border regions, whereas flat clathrin sheets were found in the leading edge of lamellipodia and near podosomes. The clathrin sheets adhered to the apatite surface tightly on the ventral membranes overlaying the resorption lacunae. All these membrane specializations as mentioned above may indicate the functional variability of osteoclasts seeded on apatite.

Mesoscale organization of domains in the plasma membrane - beyond the lipid raft.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Stella M; Fairn, Gregory D

2018-04-01

The plasma membrane is compartmentalized into several distinct regions or domains, which show a broad diversity in both size and lifetime. The segregation of lipids and membrane proteins is thought to be driven by the lipid composition itself, lipid-protein interactions and diffusional barriers. With regards to the lipid composition, the immiscibility of certain classes of lipids underlies the "lipid raft" concept of plasmalemmal compartmentalization. Historically, lipid rafts have been described as cholesterol and (glyco)sphingolipid-rich regions of the plasma membrane that exist as a liquid-ordered phase that are resistant to extraction with non-ionic detergents. Over the years the interest in lipid rafts grew as did the challenges with studying these nanodomains. The term lipid raft has fallen out of favor with many scientists and instead the terms "membrane raft" or "membrane nanodomain" are preferred as they connote the heterogeneity and dynamic nature of the lipid-protein assemblies. In this article, we will discuss the classical lipid raft hypothesis and its limitations. This review will also discuss alternative models of lipid-protein interactions, annular lipid shells, and larger membrane clusters. We will also discuss the mesoscale organization of plasmalemmal domains including visible structures such as clathrin-coated pits and caveolae.

A simple algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons☆

Science.gov (United States)

Biedl, Therese; Held, Martin; Huber, Stefan; Kaaser, Dominik; Palfrader, Peter

2015-01-01

We study the characteristics of straight skeletons of monotone polygonal chains and use them to devise an algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons. Our algorithm runs in O(nlog⁡n) time and O(n) space, where n denotes the number of vertices of the polygon. PMID:25648376

A simple algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons.

Science.gov (United States)

Biedl, Therese; Held, Martin; Huber, Stefan; Kaaser, Dominik; Palfrader, Peter

2015-02-01

We study the characteristics of straight skeletons of monotone polygonal chains and use them to devise an algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons. Our algorithm runs in [Formula: see text] time and [Formula: see text] space, where n denotes the number of vertices of the polygon.

Ceramic membrane ozonator for soluble organics removal from produced water

Science.gov (United States)

Siagian, U. W. R.; Dwipramana, A. S.; Perwira, S. B.; Khoiruddin; Wenten, I. G.

2018-01-01

In this work, the performance of ozonation for degradation of soluble organic compounds in produced water was investigated. Tubular ceramic membrane diffuser (with and without a static mixer in the lumen side) was used to facilitate contact between ozone and produced water. The ozonation was conducted at ozone flow rate of 8 L.min-1, ozone concentration of 0.4 ppm, original pH of the solution, and pressure of 1.2 bar, while the flow rates of the produced water were varied (192, 378 and 830 mL.min-1). It was found that the reduction of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene were 85%, 99%, 85%, and 95%, respectively. A lower liquid flow rate in a laminar state showed a better component reduction due to the longer contacting time between the liquid and the gas phase. The introduction of the static mixer in the lumen side of the membrane as a turbulence promoter provided a positive effect on the performance of the membrane diffuser. The twisted static mixer exhibited the better removal rate than the spiral static mixer.

Validation Studies of Temperature Distribution and Mould Filling Process for Composite Skeleton Castings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Cholewa

2007-07-01

Full Text Available In this work authors showed selected results of simulation and experimental studies on temperature distribution during solidification of composite skeleton casting and mould filling process (Fig. 4, 5, 6. The basic subject of the computer simulation was the analysis of ability of metal to fill the channels creating the skeleton shape and prepared in form of a core. Analysis of filling for each consecutive levels of the skeleton casting was conducted for simulation results and real casting. The skeleton casting was manufactured according to proposed technology (Fig. 5. Number of fully filled nodes in simulation was higher than obtained in experimental studies. It was observed in the experiment, that metal during pouring did not flow through the whole channel section, what enabled possibilities of reducing the channel section and pointed out the necessity of local pressure increase.

[WHAT SKELETONS TELL US].

Science.gov (United States)

Catalano, Paola

2015-01-01

The recent excavations carried out by the Superintendence for the Colosseum, the Roman National Museum and the Archaeological Area of Rome allowed to uncover a large number of burial grounds of Imperial Age. In this work we present the data for 11 cemeteries scattered throughout the Suburbiumn, dating between 1st and 3rd centuries AD. A whole sample of 6061 tombs has been investigated and 5280 skeletons were anthropologically analyzed. All the field data have been scored in appropriate standardized charts in order to make easy their storage and processing in a dedicated database.

Free-standing hierarchical α-MnO2@CuO membrane for catalytic filtration degradation of organic pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Xinsheng; Liang, Heng; Qu, Fangshu; Ding, An; Cheng, Xiaoxiang; Tang, Chuyang Y; Li, Guibai

2018-06-01

Catalytic membrane, due to its compact reactor assembling, high catalytic performance as well as low energy consumption, has proved to be more attractive for wastewater treatment. In this work, a free-standing α-MnO 2 @CuO membrane with hierarchical nanostructures was prepared and evaluated as the catalytic membrane to generate radicals from peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the oxidative degradation of organic dyes in aqueous solution. Benefiting from the high mass transport efficiency and the hierarchical nanostructures, a superior catalytic activity of the membrane was observed for organic dyes degradation. As a typical organic dye, more than 99% of methylene blue (MB) was degraded within 0.23 s using dead-end filtration cell. The effects of flow rate, PMS concentration and buffer solution on MB degradation were further investigated. Besides MB, the catalytic membrane also showed excellent performance for the removal of other dyes, such as congo red, methyl orange, rhodamine B, acid chrome blue K and malachite green. Moreover, the mechanism study indicated that OH and SO 4 - generated from the interaction between PMS and Mn/Cu species with different oxidation states mainly accounted for the dyes degradation. The catalytic filtration process using α-MnO 2 @CuO catalytic membrane could provide a novel method for wastewater purification with high efficiency and low energy consumption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual embryonic origin and patterning of the pharyngeal skeleton in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

Science.gov (United States)

Sefton, Elizabeth M; Piekarski, Nadine; Hanken, James

2015-01-01

The impressive morphological diversification of vertebrates was achieved in part by innovation and modification of the pharyngeal skeleton. Extensive fate mapping in amniote models has revealed a primarily cranial neural crest derivation of the pharyngeal skeleton. Although comparable fate maps of amphibians produced over several decades have failed to document a neural crest derivation of ventromedial elements in these vertebrates, a recent report provides evidence of a mesodermal origin of one of these elements, basibranchial 2, in the axolotl. We used a transgenic labeling protocol and grafts of labeled cells between GFP+ and white embryos to derive a fate map that describes contributions of both cranial neural crest and mesoderm to the axolotl pharyngeal skeleton, and we conducted additional experiments that probe the mechanisms that underlie mesodermal patterning. Our fate map confirms a dual embryonic origin of the pharyngeal skeleton in urodeles, including derivation of basibranchial 2 from mesoderm closely associated with the second heart field. Additionally, heterotopic transplantation experiments reveal lineage restriction of mesodermal cells that contribute to pharyngeal cartilage. The mesoderm-derived component of the pharyngeal skeleton appears to be particularly sensitive to retinoic acid (RA): administration of exogenous RA leads to loss of the second basibranchial, but not the first. Neural crest was undoubtedly critical in the evolution of the vertebrate pharyngeal skeleton, but mesoderm may have played a central role in forming ventromedial elements, in particular. When and how many times during vertebrate phylogeny a mesodermal contribution to the pharyngeal skeleton evolved remain to be resolved. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Progress on Zeolite-membrane-aided Organic Acid Esterification

Science.gov (United States)

Makertiharta, I. G. B. N.; Dharmawijaya, P. T.

2017-07-01

Esterification is a common route to produce carboxylic acid esters as important intermediates in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. However, the reaction is equilibrium limited and needs to be driven forward by selective removal one of the products. There have been some efforts to selectively remove water from reaction mixture via several separation processes (such as pervaporation and reactive distillation). Integrated pervaporation and esterification has gained increasing attention towards. Inorganic zeolite is the most popular material for pervaporation due to its high chemical resistant and separation performance towards water. Zeolite also has proven to be an effective material in removing water from organic compound. Zeolite can act not only as selective layer but also simultaneously act as a catalyst on promoting the reaction. Hence, there are many configurations in integrating zeolite membrane for esterification reaction. As a selective layer to remove water from reaction mixture, high Si/Al zeolite is preferred to enhance its hydrophilicity. However, low Si/Al zeolite is unstable in acid condition due to dealumination thus eliminate its advantages. As a catalyst, acid zeolites (e.g. H-ZSM-5) provide protons for autoprotolysis of the carboxylic acid similar to other catalyst for esterification (e.g. inorganic acid, and ion exchange resins). There are many studies related to zeolite membrane aided esterification. This paper will give brief information related to zeolite membrane role in esterification and also research trend towards it.

Skeleton-Based Abnormal Gait Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trong-Nguyen Nguyen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Human gait analysis plays an important role in musculoskeletal disorder diagnosis. Detecting anomalies in human walking, such as shuffling gait, stiff leg or unsteady gait, can be difficult if the prior knowledge of such a gait pattern is not available. We propose an approach for detecting abnormal human gait based on a normal gait model. Instead of employing the color image, silhouette, or spatio-temporal volume, our model is created based on human joint positions (skeleton in time series. We decompose each sequence of normal gait images into gait cycles. Each human instant posture is represented by a feature vector which describes relationships between pairs of bone joints located in the lower body. Such vectors are then converted into codewords using a clustering technique. The normal human gait model is created based on multiple sequences of codewords corresponding to different gait cycles. In the detection stage, a gait cycle with normality likelihood below a threshold, which is determined automatically in the training step, is assumed as an anomaly. The experimental results on both marker-based mocap data and Kinect skeleton show that our method is very promising in distinguishing normal and abnormal gaits with an overall accuracy of 90.12%.

Fabrication of highly co2 selective metal organic framework membrane using liquid phase epitaxy approach

KAUST Repository

Eddaoudi, Mohamed; Shekhah, Osama; Belmabkhout, Youssef

2016-01-01

Embodiments include a method of making a metal organic framework membrane comprising contacting a substrate with a solution including a metal ion and contacting the substrate with a solution including an organic ligand, sufficient to form one

Ceramic membrane as a pretreatment for reverse osmosis: Interaction between marine organic matter and metal oxides

KAUST Repository

Dramas, Laure

2013-02-01

Scaling and (bio)fouling phenomena can severely alter the performance of the reverse osmosis process during desalination of seawater. Pretreatments must be applied to efficiently remove particles, colloids, and also precursors of the organic fouling and biofouling. Ceramic membranes offer a lot of advantages for micro and ultrafiltration pretreatments because their initial properties can be recovered using more severe cleaning procedure. The study focuses on the interaction between metal oxides and marine organic matter. Experiments were performed at laboratory scale. The first series of experiments focus on the filtration of different fractions of natural organic matter and model compounds solutions on flat disk ceramic membranes (47 mm of diameter) characterized with different pore size and composition. Direct filtration experiments were conducted at 0.7 bar or 2 bars and at room temperature (20 ± 0.5 °C). The efficiency of backflush and alkaline cleaning were eval, and titanium oxides. Each metal oxide corresponds to a specific pore size for the disk ceramic membranes: 80, 60, and 30 nm. Different sizes of metal oxide particles are used to measure the impact of the surface area on the adsorption of the organic matter. Seawaters from the Arabian Gulf and from the Red Sea were collected during algal blooms. Cultures of algae were also performed in the laboratory and in cooperation with woods hole oceanographic institute. Solutions of algal exudates were obtained after a couple of weeks of cultivation followed by sonication. Solutions were successively filtered through GFF (0.7 lm) and 0.45 lm membrane filters before use. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration of final solution was between 1 and 4 mg/L and showed strong hydrophilic character. These various solutions were prepared with the objective to mimic the dissolved organic matter composition of seawater subjected to algal bloom. Characterization of the solutions of filtration experiments (feed

Basic technology for {sup 6}Li enrichment using an ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoshino, Tsuyoshi, E-mail: hoshino.tsuyoshi@jaea.go.jp [Blanket Irradiation and Analysis Group, Fusion Research and Development Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002, Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Higashi Ibaraki-gun, Ibaraki 311-1393 (Japan); Terai, Takayuki [The Institute of Engineering Innovation and Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan)

2011-10-01

The tritium needed as a fuel for fusion reactors is produced by the neutron capture reaction of lithium-6 ({sup 6}Li) in tritium breeding materials. However, natural Li contains only about 7.6 at.% {sup 6}Li. In this paper, a new lithium isotope separation technique using an ionic-liquid impregnated organic membrane is proposed. In order to separate and concentrate lithium isotopes, only lithium ions are able to move through the membrane by electrodialysis between the cathode and the anode in lithium solutions. Preliminary experiments of lithium isotope separation were conducted using this phenomenon. Organic membranes impregnated with TMPA-TFSI and PP13-TFSI as ionic liquids were prepared, and the relationship between the {sup 6}Li separation coefficient and the applied electrodialytic conditions was evaluated using them. The results showed that the {sup 6}Li isotope separation coefficient in this method (about 1.1-1.4) was larger than that in the mercury amalgam method (about 1.06).

Assessing the removal of organic micro-pollutants from anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent by fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis

KAUST Repository

Kim, Youngjin; Li, Sheng; Chekli, Laura; Woo, Yun Chul; Wei, Chunhai; Phuntsho, Sherub; Ghaffour, NorEddine; Leiknes, TorOve; Shon, Ho Kyong

2017-01-01

In this study, the behavior of organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) transport including membrane fouling was assessed in fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis (FDFO) during treatment of the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) effluent. The flux decline

Cell-free system for synthesizing membrane proteins cell free method for synthesizing membrane proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Laible, Philip D; Hanson, Deborah K

2013-06-04

The invention provides an in vitro method for producing proteins, membrane proteins, membrane-associated proteins, and soluble proteins that interact with membrane-associated proteins for assembly into an oligomeric complex or that require association with a membrane for proper folding. The method comprises, supplying intracytoplasmic membranes from organisms; modifying protein composition of intracytoplasmic membranes from organism by modifying DNA to delete genes encoding functions of the organism not associated with the formation of the intracytoplasmic membranes; generating appropriate DNA or RNA templates that encode the target protein; and mixing the intracytoplasmic membranes with the template and a transcription/translation-competent cellular extract to cause simultaneous production of the membrane proteins and encapsulation of the membrane proteins within the intracytoplasmic membranes.

An Effective Design of Electrically Conducting Thin-Film Composite (TFC) Membranes for Bio and Organic Fouling Control in Forward Osmosis (FO).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qing; Qiu, Guanglei; Zhou, Zhengzhong; Li, Jingguo; Amy, Gary Lee; Xie, Jianping; Lee, Jim Yang

2016-10-04

The organic foulants and bacteria in secondary wastewater treatment can seriously impair the membrane performance in a water treatment plant. The embedded electrode approach using an externally applied potential to repel organic foulants and inhibit bacterial adhesion can effectively reduce the frequency of membrane replacement. Electrode embedment in membranes is often carried out by dispensing a conductor (e.g., carbon nanotubes, or CNTs) in the membrane substrate, which gives rise to two problems: the leaching-out of the conductor and a percolation-limited membrane conductivity that results in an added energy cost. This study presents a facile method for the embedment of a continuous electrode in thin-film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membranes. Specifically, a conducting porous carbon paper is used as the understructure for the formation of a membrane substrate by the classical phase inversion process. The carbon paper and the membrane substrate polymer form an interpenetrating structure with good stability and low electrical resistance (only about 1Ω/□). The membrane-electrode assembly was deployed as the cathode of an electrochemical cell, and showed good resistance to organic and microbial fouling with the imposition of a 2.0 V DC voltage. The carbon paper-based FO TFC membranes also possess good mechanical stability for practical use.

A novel anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor (AnEMBR) with conductive hollow-fiber membrane for treatment of low-organic strength solutions

KAUST Repository

Katuri, Krishna; Werner, Craig M.; Jimenez Sandoval, Rodrigo J.; Chen, Wei; Jeon, Sungil; Logan, Bruce E.; Lai, Zhiping; Amy, Gary L.; Saikaly, Pascal

2014-01-01

A new anaerobic treatment system that combined a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) with membrane filtration using electrically conductive, porous, nickel-based hollow-fiber membranes (Ni-HFMs) was developed to treat low organic strength solution and recover energy in the form of biogas. This new system is called an anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor (AnEMBR). The Ni-HFM served the dual function as the cathode for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the membrane for filtration of the effluent. The AnEMBR system was operated for 70 days with synthetic acetate solution having a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 320 mg/L. Removal of COD was >95% at all applied voltages tested. Up to 71% of the substrate energy was recovered at an applied voltage of 0.7 V as methane rich biogas (83% CH4; < 1% H2) due to biological conversion of the hydrogen evolved at the cathode to methane. A combination of factors (hydrogen bubble formation, low cathode potential and localized high pH at the cathode surface) contributed to reduced membrane fouling in the AnEMBR compared to the control reactor (open circuit voltage). The net energy required to operate the AnEMBR system at an applied voltage of 0.7 V was significantly less (0.27 kWh/m3) than that typically needed for wastewater treatment using aerobic membrane bioreactors (1-2 kWh/m3).

A novel anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor (AnEMBR) with conductive hollow-fiber membrane for treatment of low-organic strength solutions

KAUST Repository

Katuri, Krishna

2014-11-04

A new anaerobic treatment system that combined a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) with membrane filtration using electrically conductive, porous, nickel-based hollow-fiber membranes (Ni-HFMs) was developed to treat low organic strength solution and recover energy in the form of biogas. This new system is called an anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor (AnEMBR). The Ni-HFM served the dual function as the cathode for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the membrane for filtration of the effluent. The AnEMBR system was operated for 70 days with synthetic acetate solution having a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 320 mg/L. Removal of COD was >95% at all applied voltages tested. Up to 71% of the substrate energy was recovered at an applied voltage of 0.7 V as methane rich biogas (83% CH4; < 1% H2) due to biological conversion of the hydrogen evolved at the cathode to methane. A combination of factors (hydrogen bubble formation, low cathode potential and localized high pH at the cathode surface) contributed to reduced membrane fouling in the AnEMBR compared to the control reactor (open circuit voltage). The net energy required to operate the AnEMBR system at an applied voltage of 0.7 V was significantly less (0.27 kWh/m3) than that typically needed for wastewater treatment using aerobic membrane bioreactors (1-2 kWh/m3).

Functionalization of a Hydrophilic Commercial Membrane Using Inorganic-Organic Polymers Coatings for Membrane Distillation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lies Eykens

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Membrane distillation is a thermal separation technique using a microporous hydrophobic membrane. One of the concerns with respect to the industrialization of the technique is the development of novel membranes. In this paper, a commercially available hydrophilic polyethersulfone membrane with a suitable structure for membrane distillation was modified using available hydrophobic coatings using ORMOCER® technology to obtain a hydrophobic membrane that can be applied in membrane distillation. The surface modification was performed using a selection of different components, concentrations, and application methods. The resulting membranes can have two hydrophobic surfaces or a hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface depending on the application method. An extensive characterization procedure confirmed the suitability of the coating technique and the obtained membranes for membrane distillation. The surface contact angle of water could be increased from 27° up to 110°, and fluxes comparable to membranes commonly used for membrane distillation were achieved under similar process conditions. A 100 h test demonstrated the stability of the coating and the importance of using sufficiently stable base membranes.

Membrane dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bendix, Pól Martin

2015-01-01

Current topics include membrane-protein interactions with regard to membrane deformation or curvature sensing by BAR domains. Also, we study the dynamics of membrane tubes of both cells and simple model membrane tubes. Finally, we study membrane phase behavior which has important implications...... for the lateral organization of membranes as wells as for physical properties like bending, permeability and elasticity...

Pretreatment and Membrane Hydrophilic Modification to Reduce Membrane Fouling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huaqiang Chu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The application of low pressure membranes (microfiltration/ultrafiltration has undergone accelerated development for drinking water production. However, the major obstacle encountered in its popularization is membrane fouling caused by natural organic matter (NOM. This paper firstly summarizes the two factors causing the organic membrane fouling, including molecular weight (MW and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of NOM, and then presents a brief introduction of the methods which can prevent membrane fouling such as pretreatment of the feed water (e.g., coagulation, adsorption, and pre-oxidation and membrane hydrophilic modification (e.g., plasma modification, irradiation grafting modification, surface coating modification, blend modification, etc.. Perspectives of further research are also discussed.

Mapping the local organization of cell membranes using excitation-polarization-resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kress, Alla; Wang, Xiao; Ranchon, Hubert; Savatier, Julien; Rigneault, Hervé; Ferrand, Patrick; Brasselet, Sophie

2013-07-02

Fluorescence anisotropy and linear dichroism imaging have been widely used for imaging biomolecular orientational distributions in protein aggregates, fibrillar structures of cells, and cell membranes. However, these techniques do not give access to complete orientational order information in a whole image, because their use is limited to parts of the sample where the average orientation of molecules is known a priori. Fluorescence anisotropy is also highly sensitive to depolarization mechanisms such as those induced by fluorescence energy transfer. A fully excitation-polarization-resolved fluorescence microscopy imaging that relies on the use of a tunable incident polarization and a nonpolarized detection is able to circumvent these limitations. We have developed such a technique in confocal epifluorescence microscopy, giving access to new regions of study in the complex and heterogeneous molecular organization of cell membranes. Using this technique, we demonstrate morphological changes at the subdiffraction scale in labeled COS-7 cell membranes whose cytoskeleton is perturbed. Molecular orientational order is also seen to be affected by cholesterol depletion, reflecting the strong interplay between lipid-packing regions and their nearby cytoskeleton. This noninvasive optical technique can reveal local organization in cell membranes when used as a complement to existing methods such as generalized polarization. Copyright © 2013 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase in the regulation of organic acid exudation under aluminum toxicity and phosphorus deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Wenqian; Kan, Qi; Zhang, Jiarong; Zeng, Bingjie; Chen, Qi

2016-01-01

Aluminum (Al) toxicity and phosphorus (P) deficiency are 2 major limiting factors for plant growth and crop production in acidic soils. Organic acids exuded from roots have been generally regarded as a major resistance mechanism to Al toxicity and P deficiency. The exudation of organic acids is mediated by membrane-localized OA transporters, such as ALMT (Al-activated malate transporter) and MATE (multidrug and toxic compound extrusion). Beside on up-regulation expression of organic acids transporter gene, transcriptional, translational and post-translational regulation of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase are also involved in organic acid release process under Al toxicity and P deficiency. This mini-review summarizes the current knowledge about this field of study on the role of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase in organic acid exudation under Al toxicity and P deficiency conditions.

Thin porphyrin composite membranes with enhanced organic solvent transport

KAUST Repository

Phuoc, Duong

2018-05-01

Extending the stability of polymeric membranes in organic solvents is important for applications in chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Thin-film composite membranes with enhanced solvent permeance are proposed, using porphyrin as a building block. Hybrid polyamide films are formed by interfacial polymerization of 5,10,15,20-(tetra-4-aminophenyl)porphyrin/m-phenylene diamine (MPD) mixtures with trimesoyl chloride. Porphyrin is a non-planar molecule, containing a heterocyclic tetrapyrrole unit. Its incorporation into a polyamide film leads to higher free volume than that of a standard polyamide film. Polyamide films derived from porphyrin and MPD amines with a fixed total amine concentration of 1wt% and various porphyrin/MPD ratios were fabricated and characterized. The porphyrin/MPD polyamide film was complexed with Cu(II), due to the binding capacity of porphyrin to metal ions. By coupling scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), Cu mapping was obtained, revealing the distribution of porphyrin in the interfacial polymerized layer. By using porphyrin as amine-functionalized monomer a membrane with thin selective skin and enhanced solvent transport is obtained, with good dye selectivity in the nanofiltration range. For instance, an ultra-fast hexane permeance, 40-fold increased, was confirmed when using 0.5/0.5 porphyrin/MPD mixtures, instead of only MPD as amine monomer. A rejection of 94.2% Brilliant Blue R (826g/mol) in methanol was measured.

Effects of ocean acidification on the dissolution rates of reef-coral skeletons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert van Woesik

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Ocean acidification threatens the foundation of tropical coral reefs. This study investigated three aspects of ocean acidification: (i the rates at which perforate and imperforate coral-colony skeletons passively dissolve when pH is 7.8, which is predicted to occur globally by 2100, (ii the rates of passive dissolution of corals with respect to coral-colony surface areas, and (iii the comparative rates of a vertical reef-growth model, incorporating passive dissolution rates, and predicted sea-level rise. By 2100, when the ocean pH is expected to be 7.8, perforate Montipora coral skeletons will lose on average 15 kg CaCO3 m−2 y−1, which is approximately −10.5 mm of vertical reduction of reef framework per year. This rate of passive dissolution is higher than the average rate of reef growth over the last several millennia and suggests that reefs composed of perforate Montipora coral skeletons will have trouble keeping up with sea-level rise under ocean acidification. Reefs composed of primarily imperforate coral skeletons will not likely dissolve as rapidly, but our model shows they will also have trouble keeping up with sea-level rise by 2050.

Skeleton-Based Human Action Recognition With Global Context-Aware Attention LSTM Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Wang, Gang; Duan, Ling-Yu; Abdiyeva, Kamila; Kot, Alex C.

2018-04-01

Human action recognition in 3D skeleton sequences has attracted a lot of research attention. Recently, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks have shown promising performance in this task due to their strengths in modeling the dependencies and dynamics in sequential data. As not all skeletal joints are informative for action recognition, and the irrelevant joints often bring noise which can degrade the performance, we need to pay more attention to the informative ones. However, the original LSTM network does not have explicit attention ability. In this paper, we propose a new class of LSTM network, Global Context-Aware Attention LSTM (GCA-LSTM), for skeleton based action recognition. This network is capable of selectively focusing on the informative joints in each frame of each skeleton sequence by using a global context memory cell. To further improve the attention capability of our network, we also introduce a recurrent attention mechanism, with which the attention performance of the network can be enhanced progressively. Moreover, we propose a stepwise training scheme in order to train our network effectively. Our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on five challenging benchmark datasets for skeleton based action recognition.

MEMBRANE SYSTEM FOR RECOVERY OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM REMEDIATION OFF-GASES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wijmans, J.G.

2003-01-01

In situ vacuum extraction, air or steam sparging, and vitrification are widely used to remediate soil contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). All of these processes produce a VOC-laden air stream from which the VOC must be removed before the air can be discharged or recycled to the generating process. Treatment of these off-gases is often a major portion of the cost of the remediation project. Currently, carbon adsorption and catalytic incineration are the most common methods of treating these gas streams. Membrane Technology and Research, Inc. (MTR) proposed an alternative treatment technology based on selective membranes that separate the organic components from the gas stream, producing a VOC-free air stream. This technology can be applied to off-gases produced by various remediation activities and the systems can be skid-mounted and automated for easy transportation and unattended operation. The target performance for the membrane systems is to produce clean air (less than 10 ppmv VOC) for discharge or recycle, dischargeable water (less than 1 ppmw VOC), and a concentrated liquid VOC phase. This report contains the results obtained during Phase II of a two-phase project. In Phase I, laboratory experiments were carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach. In the subsequent Phase II project, a demonstration system was built and operated at the McClellan Air Force Base near Sacramento, California. The membrane system was fed with off-gas from a Soil Vacuum Extraction (SVE) system. The work performed in Phase II demonstrated that the membrane system can reduce the VOC concentration in remediation off-gas to 10 ppmv, while producing a concentrated VOC phase and dischargeable water containing less than 1 ppmw VOC. However, the tests showed that the presence of 1 to 3% carbon dioxide in the SVE off-gas reduced the treatment capacity of the system by a factor of three to four. In an economic analysis, treatment costs of the membrane

Transport of Liquid Phase Organic Solutes in Liquid Crystalline Membranes

OpenAIRE

Han, Sangil

2010-01-01

Porous cellulose nitrate membranes were impregnated with 8CB and PCH5 LCs (liquid crystals) and separations of solutes dissolved in aqueous phases were performed while monitoring solute concentration via UV-VIS spectrometry. The diffusing organic solutes, which consist of one aromatic ring and various functional groups, were selected to exclude molecular size effects on the diffusion and sorption. We studied the effects on solute transport of solute intra-molecular hydrogen bonding and so...

13C-NMR of diterpenes with pimarane skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcez, W.S.; Pereira, A.L.; Silva Queiroz, P.P. da; Silva, R.S. da; Valente, L.M.M.; Peixoto, E.M.; Cunha Pinto, A. da

1981-01-01

The effect of substituent groups on the chemical shift of carbons using nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of carbon 13 ( 13 C-NMR) is discussed. Diterpenes having pimarane skeleton, isolated from plants of Velloziaceae family are analysed. (ARHC) [pt

The use of radionuclide skeleton visualization method in hygienic studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Likutova, I.V.; Bobkova, T.E.; Belova, E.A.; Bogomazov, M.Ya.

1984-01-01

Inhalation, intragastric and combined effect of two cadmium compounds on rats is studied. Investigations are performed by biochemical methods and the method of radionuclide visualization of the skeleton which was performed delta hours after RPP introduction in gamma-chamber with computer tape recording for the following mathematical treatment of the image. Using the method of radionuclide skeleton visualization pronounced quantitative characteristics of changes in the bone tissue are obtained, it is found that dose dependence of these changes is especially important when estimating the complex effect. Biochemical methods, are used to find alterations, however they have not been assessed quantitatively

Radiological changes in the skeleton due to anticonvulsant therapy in childhood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fritsch, R.; Heyer, R.; Freyschmidt, J.

1981-01-01

Anticonvulsant therapy can lead to severe rachitic changes in the skeleton which closely resemble renal osteopathy. In addition to apparent widening of the epiphyseal plate, there are changes in the cortex of the long bones. Within four to six weeks of the commencement of vitamin D therapy, recalcification of the poorly mineralised osteoid can be recognised. Since the changes are best seen in the hand, further examinations of the skeleton are only indicated if there are positive findings in the hand.

Value of the joint- and bone-scintigraphy in benign skeleton diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfannenstiel, P.

1976-01-01

Although skeleton scintigraphy is a relatively 'young' method when compared with other scintigraphic techniques, it is of great value in the diagnosis of benign skeleton diseases. For a full exploitation of the diagnostic possibilities of nuclear medicine, however, close cooperation between clinical rheumatologists, orthopaedic surgeons, radiologists and experts in nuclear medicine. If the right method is used at the right time, the number of X-rays and thus the technical and financial expenditure may be reduced to a considerable degree. (GSE) [de

Radiological changes in the skeleton due to anticonvulsant therapy in childhood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsch, R.; Heyer, R.; Freyschmidt, J.

1981-01-01

Anticonvulsant therapy can lead to severe rachitic changes in the skeleton which closely resemble renal osteopathy. In addition to apparent widening of the epiphyseal plate, there are changes in the cortex of the long bones. Within four to six weeks of the commencement of vitamin D therapy, recalcification of the poorly mineralised osteoid can be recognised. Since the changes are best seen in the hand, further examinations of the skeleton are only indicated if there are positive findings in the hand. (orig.) [de

Effect of microbial community structure on organic removal and biofouling in membrane adsorption bioreactor used in seawater pretreatment

KAUST Repository

Jeong, Sanghyun; Cho, Kyungjin; Bae, Hyokwan; Keshvardoust, Pejhman; Rice, Scott A.; Vigneswaran, Saravanamuthu; Lee, Seockheon; Leiknes, TorOve

2016-01-01

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) were operated on-site for 56 d with different powdered activated carbon (PAC) dosages of 0, 1.5 and 5.0 g/L to pretreat seawater for reverse osmosis desalination. It was hypothesized that PAC would stimulate adsorption and biological degradation of organic compounds. The microbial communities responsible for biofouling on microfiltration (MF) membranes and biological organic removal in MBR were assessed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting and 454-pyrosequencing. The PAC addition improved assimilable organic carbon removal (53-59%), and resulted in reduced biofouling development on MF (> 50%) with only a marginal development in trans-membrane pressure. Interestingly, the bacterial community composition was significantly differentiated by the PAC addition. Cyanobacterium, Pelagibaca and Maricoccus were dominant in the PAC-free conditions, while Thiothrix and Sphingomonas were presumably responsible for the better reactor performances in PAC-added conditions. In contrast, the archaeal communities were consistent with predominance of Candidatus Nitrosopumilus. These data therefore show that the addition of PAC can improve MBR performance by developing different bacterial species, controlling AOC and associated biofouling on the membranes.

Effect of microbial community structure on organic removal and biofouling in membrane adsorption bioreactor used in seawater pretreatment

KAUST Repository

Jeong, Sanghyun

2016-03-03

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) were operated on-site for 56 d with different powdered activated carbon (PAC) dosages of 0, 1.5 and 5.0 g/L to pretreat seawater for reverse osmosis desalination. It was hypothesized that PAC would stimulate adsorption and biological degradation of organic compounds. The microbial communities responsible for biofouling on microfiltration (MF) membranes and biological organic removal in MBR were assessed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting and 454-pyrosequencing. The PAC addition improved assimilable organic carbon removal (53-59%), and resulted in reduced biofouling development on MF (> 50%) with only a marginal development in trans-membrane pressure. Interestingly, the bacterial community composition was significantly differentiated by the PAC addition. Cyanobacterium, Pelagibaca and Maricoccus were dominant in the PAC-free conditions, while Thiothrix and Sphingomonas were presumably responsible for the better reactor performances in PAC-added conditions. In contrast, the archaeal communities were consistent with predominance of Candidatus Nitrosopumilus. These data therefore show that the addition of PAC can improve MBR performance by developing different bacterial species, controlling AOC and associated biofouling on the membranes.

Impact of organic nutrient load on biomass accumulation, feed channel pressure drop increase and permeate flux decline in membrane systems

KAUST Repository

Bucs, Szilard

2014-12-01

The influence of organic nutrient load on biomass accumulation (biofouling) and pressure drop development in membrane filtration systems was investigated. Nutrient load is the product of nutrient concentration and linear flow velocity. Biofouling - excessive growth of microbial biomass in membrane systems - hampers membrane performance. The influence of biodegradable organic nutrient load on biofouling was investigated at varying (i) crossflow velocity, (ii) nutrient concentration, (iii) shear, and (iv) feed spacer thickness. Experimental studies were performed with membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) containing a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane and a 31 mil thick feed spacer, commonly applied in practice in RO and nanofiltration (NF) spiral-wound membrane modules. Numerical modeling studies were done with identical feed spacer geometry differing in thickness (28, 31 and 34 mil). Additionally, experiments were done applying a forward osmosis (FO) membrane with varying spacer thickness (28, 31 and 34 mil), addressing the permeate flux decline and biofilm development. Assessed were the development of feed channel pressure drop (MFS studies), permeate flux (FO studies) and accumulated biomass amount measured by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and total organic carbon (TOC).Our studies showed that the organic nutrient load determined the accumulated amount of biomass. The same amount of accumulated biomass was found at constant nutrient load irrespective of linear flow velocity, shear, and/or feed spacer thickness. The impact of the same amount of accumulated biomass on feed channel pressure drop and permeate flux was influenced by membrane process design and operational conditions. Reducing the nutrient load by pretreatment slowed-down the biofilm formation. The impact of accumulated biomass on membrane performance was reduced by applying a lower crossflow velocity and/or a thicker and/or a modified geometry feed spacer. The results indicate that cleanings can be delayed

Role of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase in the regulation of organic acid exudation under aluminum toxicity and phosphorus deficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Wenqian; Kan, Qi; Zhang, Jiarong; Zeng, Bingjie; Chen, Qi

2016-01-01

Aluminum (Al) toxicity and phosphorus (P) deficiency are 2 major limiting factors for plant growth and crop production in acidic soils. Organic acids exuded from roots have been generally regarded as a major resistance mechanism to Al toxicity and P deficiency. The exudation of organic acids is mediated by membrane-localized OA transporters, such as ALMT (Al-activated malate transporter) and MATE (multidrug and toxic compound extrusion). Beside on up-regulation expression of organic acids transporter gene, transcriptional, translational and post-translational regulation of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase are also involved in organic acid release process under Al toxicity and P deficiency. This mini-review summarizes the current knowledge about this field of study on the role of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase in organic acid exudation under Al toxicity and P deficiency conditions. PMID:26713714

Osteoarthritis. Radiological aspects in the appendicular skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Restrepo Suarez, Jose Felix; Iglesias Gamarra, Antonio; Pena Cortes, Mario; Rondon Herrera, Federico; Calvo Paramo, Enrique

2001-01-01

The osteoarthritis is a degenerative and inflammatory disease that affects all articular structures, especially cartilage and intervertebral disc, which conduce to progressive impairment of the joint. In this paper it Is showed the most significative cardiology findings of osteoarthritis in the appendicular skeleton that are fundamental for the diagnosis of this frequent pathology

Tracking a Subset of Skeleton Joints: An Effective Approach towards Complex Human Activity Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Latif Anjum

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We present a robust algorithm for complex human activity recognition for natural human-robot interaction. The algorithm is based on tracking the position of selected joints in human skeleton. For any given activity, only a few skeleton joints are involved in performing the activity, so a subset of joints contributing the most towards the activity is selected. Our approach of tracking a subset of skeleton joints (instead of tracking the whole skeleton is computationally efficient and provides better recognition accuracy. We have developed both manual and automatic approaches for the selection of these joints. The position of the selected joints is tracked for the duration of the activity and is used to construct feature vectors for each activity. Once the feature vectors have been constructed, we use a Support Vector Machines (SVM multiclass classifier for training and testing the algorithm. The algorithm has been tested on a purposely built dataset of depth videos recorded using Kinect camera. The dataset consists of 250 videos of 10 different activities being performed by different users. Experimental results show classification accuracy of 83% when tracking all skeleton joints, 95% when using manual selection of subset joints, and 89% when using automatic selection of subset joints.

Skeletonized Wave Equation Inversion in VTI Media without too much Math

KAUST Repository

Feng, Shihang

2017-05-17

We present a tutorial for skeletonized inversion of pseudo-acoustic anisotropic VTI data. We first invert for the anisotropic models using wave equation traveltime inversion. Here, the skeletonized data are the traveltimes of transmitted and/or reflected arrivals that lead to simpler misfit functions and more robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion. This provides a good starting model for waveform inversion. The effectiveness of this procedure is illustrated with synthetic data examples and a marine data set recorded in the Gulf of Mexico.

Skeletonized Wave Equation Inversion in VTI Media without too much Math

KAUST Repository

Feng, Shihang; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a tutorial for skeletonized inversion of pseudo-acoustic anisotropic VTI data. We first invert for the anisotropic models using wave equation traveltime inversion. Here, the skeletonized data are the traveltimes of transmitted and/or reflected arrivals that lead to simpler misfit functions and more robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion. This provides a good starting model for waveform inversion. The effectiveness of this procedure is illustrated with synthetic data examples and a marine data set recorded in the Gulf of Mexico.

Skeletal metastasis: The effect on immature skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogden, J.A.; Ogden, D.A.

1982-01-01

The unique opportunity to study the entire appendicular skeleton of a child who died from metastatic angiosarcoma allowed detailed assessment of radiographically evident involvement. Virtually every portion of the appendicular skeleton had evidence of metastatic disease. However, the extent of involvement was extremely variable, especially when contralateral regions were assessed. The most likely region of metastasis, the metaphysis, is normally a fenestrated cortex of woven bone in the young child, rather than a well demarcated cortex formed by osteon (lamellar) bone, as it is in the adult. The pattern of destruction is such that less extensive areas may be involved before becoming radiographically evident, and trabecular bone involvement may be evident even without cortical damage. The metaphyseal metastatic spread supports the concept of arterial hematogeneous dissemination, comparable to osteomyelitis in the child. Pathologic metaphyseal fractures involved both proximal humeri; the fracture also extended along a portion of the methaphyseal-physeal interface in one humerus. In one distal femur the physis readily separated from the metaphysis; this was a nondisplaced type 1 growth mechanism injury. (orig.)

Generalized Distance Transforms and Skeletons in Graphics Hardware

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strzodka, R.; Telea, A.

2004-01-01

We present a framework for computing generalized distance transforms and skeletons of two-dimensional objects using graphics hardware. Our method is based on the concept of footprint splatting. Combining different splats produces weighted distance transforms for different metrics, as well as the

Supramolecular organization of the sperm plasma membrane during maturation and capacitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Roy; James, Peter S; Howes, Liz; Bruckbauer, Andreas; Klenerman, David

2007-07-01

In the present study, a variety of high resolution microscopy techniques were used to visualize the organization and motion of lipids and proteins in the sperm's plasma membrane. We have addressed questions such as the presence of diffusion barriers, confinement of molecules to specific surface domains, polarized diffusion and the role of cholesterol in regulating lipid rafts and signal transduction during capacitation. Atomic force microscopy identified a novel region (EqSS) within the equatorial segment of bovine, porcine and ovine spermatozoa that was enriched in constitutively phosphorylated proteins. The EqSS was assembled during epididymal maturation. Fluorescence imaging techniques were then used to follow molecular diffusion on the sperm head. Single lipid molecules were freely exchangeable throughout the plasma membrane and showed no evidence for confinement within domains. Large lipid aggregates, however, did not cross over the boundary between the post-acrosome and equatorial segment suggesting the presence of a molecular filter between these two domains. A small reduction in membrane cholesterol enlarges or increases lipid rafts concomitant with phosphorylation of intracellular proteins. Excessive removal of cholesterol, however, disorganizes rafts with a cessation of phosphorylation. These techniques are forcing a revision of long-held views on how lipids and proteins in sperm membranes are assembled into larger complexes that mediate recognition and fusion with the egg.

Improvement of the skeleton tables for calculation of the critical heat load

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gotovskij, M.A.; Kvetnyj, M.A.

2002-01-01

Paper presents analysis of drawbacks of the skeleton tables of the critical heat flows applied in calculated heat and hydraulic codes. Paper demonstrates the necessity to take account of specific nature of mechanisms of dryout crisis, of boiling crisis at slow mass rates and the range of small underheatings up to temperature of saturation. Attention is drawn to necessity of detailed account of the natural limitations of the application field of the skeleton tables [ru

Development of organic membrane and biosensor. ; Artificial membrane chemical sensor on the model of olfactory cells. Seitaimaku to bio sensor no hatten. ; Kyusaibo wo model to shita jinkomaku kagaku sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enomoto, S; Kashiwayanagi, M; Kurihara, K [Hokkaido University, Sapporo (Japan). Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science

1991-05-05

The olfactory cell is the most prominent chemical sensor to detect various kinds of external chemical substances with high sensibility. Consequently, on the model of such an organic chemical sensor mechanism, an artificial membrane with functions to detect and distinguish various chemical substances has been developed. In this study, a test using a lipid bimolecular membrane was carried out. As a result, it was found that the lipid bimolecular membrane showed membrane potential changes responding to various odorants. The mambrane with proper lipid composition presented almost the same sensibility to odorants as an olfactory organ. Response characteristic against various odors changed greatly due to the lipid composition and the addition of protein. It was also found that various odors can be discriminated by analyzing response information obtained from a lot of mambranes with different compositions Such ideas can be applied to the odor discrimination of the artificial membrane sensor. 14 refs., 13 figs.

Performance and Fouling Study of Asymmetric PVDF Membrane Applied in the Concentration of Organic Fertilizer by Direct Contact Membrane Distillation (DCMD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanfei Liu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This study proposes using membrane distillation (MD as an alternative to the conventional multi-stage flushing (MSF process to concentrate a semi-product of organic fertilizer. By applying a unique asymmetric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF membrane, which was specifically designed for MD applications using a nonsolvent thermally induced phase separation (NTIPS method, the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD performance was investigated in terms of its sustainability in permeation flux, fouling resistance, and anti-wetting properties. It was found that the permeation flux increased with increasing flow rate, while the top-surface facing feed mode was the preferred orientation to achieve 25% higher flux than the bottom-surface facing feed mode. Compared to the commercial polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE membrane, the asymmetric PVDF membrane exhibited excellent anti-fouling and sustainable flux, with less than 8% flux decline in a 15 h continuous operation, i.e., flux decreased slightly and was maintained as high as 74 kg·m−2·h−1 at 70 °C. Meanwhile, the lost flux was easily recovered by clean water rinsing. Overall 2.6 times concentration factor was achieved in 15 h MD operation, with 63.4% water being removed from the fertilizer sample. Further concentration could be achieved to reach the desired industrial standard of 5x concentration factor.

Modeling of RO/NF membrane rejections of PhACs and organic compounds: a statistical analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Amy

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Rejections of pharmaceutical compounds (Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Clofibric acid, Naproxen, Primidone, Phenacetin and organic compounds (Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Bromoform, Trichloroethene, Perchloroethene, Carbontetrachloride, Carbontetrabromide by NF (Filmtec, Saehan and RO (Filmtec, Saehan, Toray, Koch membranes were studied. Chloroform presented the lowest rejection due to small molar volume, equivalent width and length. Diclofenac and Primidone showed high rejections related to high molar volume and length. Dichloroacetic acid and Trichloroacetic acid presented good rejections caused by charge exclusion instead of steric hindrance mechanism influencing rejection. Bromoform and Trichloroethene showed low rejections due to small length and equivalent width. Carbontetrabromide, Perchloroethene and Carbontetrachloride with higher equivalent width than BF and TCE presented better rejections. A qualitative analysis of variables using Principal Component Analysis was successfully implemented for reduction of physical-chemical compound properties that influence membrane rejection of PhACs and organic compounds. Properties such as dipole moment, molar volume, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, molecular length and equivalent width were found to be important descriptors for simulation of membrane rejection. For membranes used in the experiments, we may conclude that charge repulsion was an important mechanism of rejection for ionic compounds. After analysis with Multiple Linear Regression, we also may conclude that membrane rejection of neutral compounds was well predicted by molar volume, length, equivalent width, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity and dipole moment. Molecular weight was a poor descriptor variable for rejection modelling. We were able to provide acceptable statistical significance for important results.

Quicker yet safe: skeletonization of 1640 internal mammary arteries with harmonic technology in 965 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kieser, Teresa M; Rose, M Sarah; Aluthman, Uthman; Narine, Kishan

2014-05-01

Skeletonization of the internal mammary artery (IMA) facilitates arterial grafting and has been shown to reduce deep sternal infection but is more time-consuming and tedious than pedicle harvest. We wished to determine if use of harmonic technology (HT) facilitates skeletonization of the IMA and is as safe as the conventional technique of skeletonization. In a consecutive series of 1057 patients with isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery from 2003 to 2013, adverse events and recorded harvest times were compared between harmonic (965 patients) and non-harmonic patients (86 patients). HT was used to harvest 1640 IMAs in 965 (91%) of 1057 consecutive CABG patients and skeletonization with the traditional technique (use of an electrocautery tip as a dissector) was used to harvest 147 IMAs in 86 patients. Six patients had no IMA harvested with this surgery (4 patients had an IMA used from a previous CABG, 1 had no disease of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 1 patient was in cardiogenic shock precluding IMA use). Excluding patients with single-vessel disease, 730/987 (74%) of patients received bilateral IMAs. Demographics of patients with and without harmonic skeletonization, respectively, were the following: mean age: 64.7 vs 67.7 years; diabetes: 33 vs 34%; women: 21 vs 26% and median European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation: 2.9 vs 3.2. The mean harvest time for 77 non-harmonic skeletonized mammary arteries (49 surgeries) was 32.2 min (95% confidence interval (CI): 30.1, 34.3), for harmonic skeletonized arteries after 450 surgeries was 28.4 min, (95% CI: 27.8, 29.1) and in the last 100 IMAs harvested for the isolated harmonic device use/mammary was 15.4 min (95% CI: 14.0, 16.7). Major adverse events for patients with and without harmonic skeletonization, respectively, were: reoperation for bleeding: 2.7 vs 3.5% (difference = 0.8%, 95% CI: -3.2, 4.8); damaged mammaries: 0.4 vs 0.7% (difference = 0.3%, 95% CI: -1.0, 1.7); deep

The skeleton of the staghorn coral Acropora millepora: molecular and structural characterization.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula Ramos-Silva

Full Text Available The scleractinian coral Acropora millepora is one of the most studied species from the Great Barrier Reef. This species has been used to understand evolutionary, immune and developmental processes in cnidarians. It has also been subject of several ecological studies in order to elucidate reef responses to environmental changes such as temperature rise and ocean acidification (OA. In these contexts, several nucleic acid resources were made available. When combined to a recent proteomic analysis of the coral skeletal organic matrix (SOM, they enabled the identification of several skeletal matrix proteins, making A. millepora into an emerging model for biomineralization studies. Here we describe the skeletal microstructure of A. millepora skeleton, together with a functional and biochemical characterization of its occluded SOM that focuses on the protein and saccharidic moieties. The skeletal matrix proteins show a large range of isoelectric points, compositional patterns and signatures. Besides secreted proteins, there are a significant number of proteins with membrane attachment sites such as transmembrane domains and GPI anchors as well as proteins with integrin binding sites. These features show that the skeletal proteins must have strong adhesion properties in order to function in the calcifying space. Moreover this data suggest a molecular connection between the calcifying epithelium and the skeletal tissue during biocalcification. In terms of sugar moieties, the enrichment of the SOM in arabinose is striking, and the monosaccharide composition exhibits the same signature as that of mucus of acroporid corals. Finally, we observe that the interaction of the acetic acid soluble SOM on the morphology of in vitro grown CaCO3 crystals is very pronounced when compared with the calcifying matrices of some mollusks. In light of these results, we wish to commend Acropora millepora as a model for biocalcification studies in scleractinians, from

Effects of Concentration of Organically Modified Nanoclay on Properties of Sulfonated Poly(vinyl alcohol Nanocomposite Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Apiradee Sanglimsuwan

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Electrolyte nanocomposite membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells were prepared by carrying out a sulfonation of poly(vinyl alcohol with sulfosuccinic acid and adding a type of organically modified montmorillonite (layered silicate nanoclay commercially known as Cloisite 93A. The effects of the different concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 wt. % of the organoclay in the membranes on water uptake, ion exchange capacity (IEC, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability were measured, respectively, via gravimetry, titration, impedance analysis, and gas chromatography techniques. The IEC values remained constant for all concentrations. Water uptakes and proton conductivities of the nanocomposite membranes changed with the clay content in a nonlinear fashion. While all the nanocomposite membranes had lower methanol permeability than Nafion115, the 6% concentration of Cloisite 93A in sulfonated poly(vinyl alcohol membrane displayed the greatest proton conductivity to methanol permeability ratio.

Ion Transport in Organic Electrolyte Solution through the Pore Channels of Anodic Nanoporous Alumina Membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukutsuka, Tomokazu; Koyamada, Kohei; Maruyama, Shohei; Miyazaki, Kohei; Abe, Takeshi

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Ion transport in organic electrolyte solution in macro- and meso-pores was focused. • Anodic nanoporous alumina membrane was used as a porous material. • The specific ion conductivities drastically decreased in macro- and meso-pores. - Abstract: For the development of high energy density lithium-ion batteries with the high rate performance, the enhancement of the ion transport in the electrolyte solutions impregnated in the porous electrodes is a key. To study the ion transport in porous electrodes, anodic nanoporous alumina (APA) self-standing membranes with macro- or meso-pores were used as model porous materials. These membranes had nearly spherical pore channels of discrete 20–68 nm in diameters. By using the geometric shape of the pores, we attempted to evaluate the specific ion conductivities of the organic electrolyte solution dissolving lithium salt simply. AC impedance spectroscopy measurement of a four-electrode cell with membranes showed one depressed semi-circle in the Nyquist plots and this semi-circle can be assigned as the ion transport resistance in the pores. The specific ion conductivities evaluated from the ion transport resistances and the geometric parameters showed very small values, even in the macro-pores, as compared with that of the bulk electrolyte solution.

Composite proton exchange membrane based on sulfonated organic nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Pitia, Emmanuel Sokiri

As the world sets its sight into the future, energy remains a great challenge. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is part of the solution to the energy challenge because of its high efficiency and diverse application. The purpose of the PEM is to provide a path for proton transport and to prevent direct mixing of hydrogen and oxygen at the anode and the cathode, respectively. Hence, PEMs must have good proton conductivity, excellent chemical stability, and mechanical durability. The current state-of-the-art PEM is a perfluorosulfonate ionomer, Nafion®. Although Nafion® has many desirable properties, it has high methanol crossover and it is expensive. The objective of this research was to develop a cost effective two-phase, composite PEM wherein a dispersed conductive organic phase preferentially aligned in the transport direction controls proton transport, and a continuous hydrophobic phase provides mechanical durability to the PEM. The hypothesis that was driving this research was that one might expect better dispersion, higher surface to volume ratio and improved proton conductivity of a composite membrane if the dispersed particles were nanometer in size and had high ion exchange capacity (IEC, = [mmol sulfonic acid]/gram of polymer). In view of this, considerable efforts were employed in the synthesis of high IEC organic nanoparticles and fabrication of a composite membrane with controlled microstructure. High IEC, ~ 4.5 meq/g (in acid form, theoretical limit is 5.4 meq/g) nanoparticles were achieved by emulsion copolymerization of a quaternary alkyl ammonium (QAA) neutralized-sulfonated styrene (QAA-SS), styrene, and divinylbenzene (DVB). The effects of varying the counterion of the sulfonated styrene (SS) monomer (alkali metal and QAA cations), SS concentration, and the addition of a crosslinking agent (DVB) on the ability to stabilize the nanoparticles to higher IECs were assessed. The nanoparticles were ion exchanged to acid form. The extent of ion

The skeleton in the closet: should historians of science care about the history of mathematics?

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Amir

2011-09-01

Up until the 1950s, the history of mathematics was an integral part of the history of science. To George Sarton and his contemporaries, mathematics was the rational skeleton that organized science and held it together, and its history was a fundamental component of the broader history of science. But when historians began focusing on the cultural roots of science rather than its rational structure, the study of mathematics was marginalized and ultimately excluded from the history of science. The alienation between the two fields is detrimental to both, and in recent years there has been a sustained effort to reestablish meaningful communication between the two. This time, however, mathematics is seen not as the static skeleton of science but, instead, as a dynamic and historically evolving field in its own right-just like science itself. The new approach allows for a culturally sensitive study of mathematics, as well as a new and fruitful relationship between the history of science and the history of mathematics. The essays in this Focus section offer a sampling of the new approaches, opening the way to a rapprochement between fields that have gone their separate ways but should by rights be closely interconnected.

Contribution of different effluent organic matter fractions to membrane fouling in ultrafiltration of treated domestic wastewater

KAUST Repository

Zheng, Xing; Croue, Jean-Philippe

2012-01-01

In the present work, effluent organic matter (EfOM) in treated domestic wastewater was separated into hydrophobic neutrals, colloids, hydrophobic acids, transphilic acids and neutrals and hydrophilic compounds. Their contribution to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was identified. Further characterization was conducted with respect to molecular size and hydrophobicity. Each isolated fraction was dosed into salt solution to identify its fouling potential in ultrafiltration (UF) using a hydrophilized polyethersulfone membrane. The results show that each kind of EfOM leads to irreversible fouling. At similar delivered DOC load to the membrane, colloids present the highest fouling effect in terms of both reversible and irreversible fouling. The hydrophobic organics show much lower reversibility than the biopolymers present. However, as they are of much smaller size than the membrane pore opening, they cannot lead to such severe fouling as biopolymers do. In all of the isolated fractions, hydrophilics show the lowest fouling potential. For either colloids or hydrophobic substances, increasing their content in feedwater leads to worse fouling. The co-effect between biopolymers and other EfOM fractions has also been identified as one of the mechanisms contributing to UF fouling in filtering EfOM-containing waters. © IWA Publishing 2012.

Contribution of different effluent organic matter fractions to membrane fouling in ultrafiltration of treated domestic wastewater

KAUST Repository

Zheng, Xing

2012-12-01

In the present work, effluent organic matter (EfOM) in treated domestic wastewater was separated into hydrophobic neutrals, colloids, hydrophobic acids, transphilic acids and neutrals and hydrophilic compounds. Their contribution to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was identified. Further characterization was conducted with respect to molecular size and hydrophobicity. Each isolated fraction was dosed into salt solution to identify its fouling potential in ultrafiltration (UF) using a hydrophilized polyethersulfone membrane. The results show that each kind of EfOM leads to irreversible fouling. At similar delivered DOC load to the membrane, colloids present the highest fouling effect in terms of both reversible and irreversible fouling. The hydrophobic organics show much lower reversibility than the biopolymers present. However, as they are of much smaller size than the membrane pore opening, they cannot lead to such severe fouling as biopolymers do. In all of the isolated fractions, hydrophilics show the lowest fouling potential. For either colloids or hydrophobic substances, increasing their content in feedwater leads to worse fouling. The co-effect between biopolymers and other EfOM fractions has also been identified as one of the mechanisms contributing to UF fouling in filtering EfOM-containing waters. © IWA Publishing 2012.

Diverse mechanisms of plant resistance to cauliflower mosaic virus revealed by leaf skeleton hybridization.

Science.gov (United States)

Melcher, U; Brannan, C M; Gardner, C O; Essenberg, R C

1992-01-01

Plants not hosts for cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) may prevent systemic CaMV infection by interfering with dissemination of infection through the plant or by preventing viral replication and maturation. Leaf skeleton hybridization allows distinction between these two barriers. The technique assesses the spatial distribution of CaMV in an inoculated leaf by hybridization of a skeleton of the leaf with a CaMV DNA probe. Leaves or leaflets of soybean, cucumber, peanut, tomato, lettuce, spinach, pepper, onion, wheat, maize and barley, inoculated with CaMV DNA or CaMV virions were processed for leaf skeleton hybridization either immediately after inoculation or two weeks thereafter. Autoradiographic images of soybean and cucumber skeletons had many dark spots suggesting that CaMV DNA replication and local spread had occurred. Images of onion leaf skeletons prepared two weeks after inoculation with CaMV DNA had fewer spots. To test whether these spots resulted from CaMV replication, DNA was extracted from inoculated onion leaves and analyzed by electrophoresis, blotting and hybridization. Molecules recovered two weeks after inoculation resembled those inoculated, indicating absence of replication. For the other species, we found no evidence of local spread of CaMV infections. Thus, many plant species resist systemic CaMV infection by preventing replication or local spread of CaMV, while others solely prevent systemic movement of infection.

Differences in the initial deposition of Pu and Ra in the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atherton, D.R.; Bruenger, F.W.; Stevens, W.

1978-01-01

The ratio (still unknown) relating the experimentally determined effects of Pu and Ra in some animal species to observed effects of various isotopes of Ra in man presently provides the most reasonable basis for an assessment of the risk resulting to man from Pu. Extensive studies with the beagle have shown that an evaluation of this ratio on the basis of average skeletal radiation dose is complicated by several factors, one of which is the difference in the initial (gross) distribution of Pu and Ra between the various skeletal parts. Studies on the initial deposition of Pu and Ra in the whole skeleton and in individual parts of the skeleton after injection of the two nuclides as citrates demonstrated that significant differences in the distribution within the various skeletal parts exist, although the total deposition of the two nuclides in the whole skeleton is practically the same

Removal of trace organic chemical contaminants by a membrane bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Trinh, T; van den Akker, B; Stuetz, R M; Coleman, H M; Le-Clech, P; Khan, S J

2012-01-01

Emerging wastewater treatment processes such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have attracted a significant amount of interest internationally due to their ability to produce high quality effluent suitable for water recycling. It is therefore important that their efficiency in removing hazardous trace organic contaminants be assessed. Accordingly, this study investigated the removal of trace organic chemical contaminants through a full-scale, package MBR in New South Wales, Australia. This study was unique in the context of MBR research because it characterised the removal of 48 trace organic chemical contaminants, which included steroidal hormones, xenoestrogens, pesticides, caffeine, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Results showed that the removal of most trace organic chemical contaminants through the MBR was high (above 90%). However, amitriptyline, carbamazepine, diazepam, diclofenac, fluoxetine, gemfibrozil, omeprazole, sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim were only partially removed through the MBR with the removal efficiencies of 24-68%. These are potential indicators for assessing MBR performance as these chemicals are usually sensitive to changes in the treatment systems. The trace organic chemical contaminants detected in the MBR permeate were 1 to 6 orders of magnitude lower than guideline values reported in the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling. The outcomes of this study enhanced our understanding of the levels and removal of trace organic contaminants by MBRs.

Impact of polymeric membrane filtration of oil sands process water on organic compounds quantification.

Science.gov (United States)

Moustafa, Ahmed M A; Kim, Eun-Sik; Alpatova, Alla; Sun, Nian; Smith, Scott; Kang, Seoktae; Gamal El-Din, Mohamed

2014-01-01

The interaction between organic fractions in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) and three polymeric membranes with varying hydrophilicity (nylon, polyvinylidene fluoride and polytetrafluoroethylene) at different pHs was studied to evaluate the impact of filtration on the quantification of acid-extractable fraction (AEF) and naphthenic acids (NAs). Four functional groups predominated in OSPW (amine, phosphoryl, carboxyl and hydroxyl) as indicated by the linear programming method. The nylon membranes were the most hydrophilic and exhibited the lowest AEF removal at pH of 8.7. However, the adsorption of AEF on the membranes increased as the pH of OSPW decreased due to hydrophobic interactions between the membrane surfaces and the protonated molecules. The use of ultra pressure liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC/HRMS) showed insignificant adsorption of NAs on the tested membranes at pH 8.7. However, 26±2.4% adsorption of NAs was observed at pH 5.3 following the protonation of NAs species. For the nylon membrane, excessive carboxylic acids in the commercial NAs caused the formation of negatively charged assisted hydrogen bonds, resulting in increased adsorption at pH 8.2 (25%) as compared to OSPW (0%). The use of membranes for filtration of soluble compounds from complex oily wastewaters before quantification analysis of AEF and NAs should be examined prior to application.

Low-temperature bonding process for the fabrication of hybrid glass-membrane organ-on-a-chip devices

Science.gov (United States)

Pocock, Kyall J.; Gao, Xiaofang; Wang, Chenxi; Priest, Craig; Prestidge, Clive A.; Mawatari, Kazuma; Kitamori, Takehiko; Thierry, Benjamin

2016-10-01

The integration of microfluidics with living biological systems has paved the way to the exciting concept of "organs-on-a-chip," which aims at the development of advanced in vitro models that replicate the key features of human organs. Glass-based devices have long been utilized in the field of microfluidics but the integration of alternative functional elements within multilayered glass microdevices, such as polymeric membranes, remains a challenge. To this end, we have extended a previously reported approach for the low-temperature bonding of glass devices that enables the integration of a functional polycarbonate porous membrane. The process was initially developed and optimized on specialty low-temperature bonding equipment (μTAS2001, Bondtech, Japan) and subsequently adapted to more widely accessible hot embosser units (EVG520HE Hot Embosser, EVG, Austria). The key aspect of this method is the use of low temperatures compatible with polymeric membranes. Compared to borosilicate glass bonding (650°C) and quartz/fused silica bonding (1050°C) processes, this method maintains the integrity and functionality of the membrane (Tg 150°C for polycarbonate). Leak tests performed showed no damage or loss of integrity of the membrane for up to 150 h, indicating sufficient bond strength for long-term cell culture. A feasibility study confirmed the growth of dense and functional monolayers of Caco-2 cells within 5 days.

Dehydration of an ethanol/water azeotrope by novel organic-inorganic hybrid membranes based on quaternized chitosan and tetraethoxysilane.

Science.gov (United States)

Uragami, Tadashi; Katayama, Takuya; Miyata, Takashi; Tamura, Hiroshi; Shiraiwa, Tadashi; Higuchi, Akon

2004-01-01

To control swelling of quaternized chitosan (q-Chito) membranes, mixtures of q-Chito as an organic component and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as an inorganic component were prepared using the sol-gel reaction, and novel q-Chito/TEOS hybrid membranes were formed. In the separation of an ethanol/water azeotrope by pervaporation, the effect of TEOS content on the water/ethanol selectivity of q-Chito/TEOS hybrid membranes was investigated. Hybrid membranes containing up to 45 mol % TEOS exhibited higher water/ethanol selectivity than the q-Chito membrane. This resulted from depressed swelling of the membranes by formation of a cross-linked structure. However, introduction of excess TEOS led to greater swelling of the hybrid membranes. Therefore, the water/ethanol selectivity of the hybrid membranes containing more than 45 mol % TEOS was lower than that of the q-Chito membrane. The relationship between the structure of q-Chito/TEOS hybrid membranes and their permeation and separation characteristics during pervaporation of an ethanol/water azeotrope is discussed in detail.

Influence of membrane phospholipid composition and structural organization on spontaneous lipid transfer between membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pankov, R; Markovska, T; Antonov, P; Ivanova, L; Momchilova, A

2006-09-01

Investigations were carried out on the influence of phospholipid composition of model membranes on the processes of spontaneous lipid transfer between membranes. Acceptor vesicles were prepared from phospholipids extracted from plasma membranes of control and ras-transformed fibroblasts. Acceptor model membranes with manipulated levels of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin and phosphatidic acid were also used in the studies. Donor vesicles were prepared of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and contained two fluorescent lipid analogues, NBD-PC and N-Rh-PE, at a self-quenching concentration. Lipid transfer rate was assessed by measuring the increase of fluorescence in acceptor membranes due to transfer of fluorescent lipid analogues from quenched donor to unquenched acceptor vesicles. The results showed that spontaneous NBD-PC transfer increased upon fluidization of acceptor vesicles. In addition, elevation of PE concentration in model membranes was also accompanied by an increase of lipid transfer to all series of acceptor vesicles. The results are discussed with respect to the role of lipid composition and structural order of cellular plasma membranes in the processes of spontaneous lipid exchange between membrane bilayers.

Membrane-Organized Chemical Photoredox Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hurst, James K.

2014-09-18

This project has three interrelated goals relevant to solar water photolysis, which are to develop: (1) vesicle-organized assemblies for H2 photoproduction that utilize pyrylium and structurally related compounds as combined photosensitizers and cyclic electroneutral transmembrane electron carriers; (2) transmembrane redox systems whose reaction rates can be modulated by light; and (3) homogeneous catalysts for water oxidation. . In area (1), initial efforts to photogenerate H2 from vectorially-organized vesicles containing occluded colloidal Pt and commonly available pyrylium ions as transmembrane redox mediators were unsuccessful. New pyrylium compounds with significantly lower reduction potentials have been synthesized to address this problem, their apparent redox potentials in functioning systems have been now evaluated by using a series of occluded viologens, and H2 photoproduction has been demonstrated in continuous illumination experiments. In area (2), spirooxazine-quinone dyads have been synthesized and their capacity to function as redox mediators across bilayer membranes has been evaluated through continuous photolysis and transient spectrophotometric measurements. Photoisomerization of the spiro moiety to the ring-open mero form caused net quantum yields to decrease significantly, providing a basis for photoregulation of transmembrane redox. Research on water oxidation (area 3) has been directed at understanding mechanisms of catalysis by cis,cis-[(bpy)2Ru(OH2)]2O4+ and related polyimine complexes. Using a variety of physical techniques, we have: (i) identified the redox state of the complex ion that is catalytically active; (ii) shown using 18O isotopic labeling that there are two reaction pathways, both of which involve participation of solvent H2O; and (iii) detected and characterized by EPR and resonance Raman spectroscopies new species which may be key intermediates in the catalytic cycle.

A skeleton from the Lapita site at Kone, Foue Peninsula, New Caledonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pietrusewsky, M.; Galipaud, J.-C.; Leach, B.F.

1998-01-01

A relatively complete and reasonably well preserved skeleton, including a partially reconstructed cranium and mandible, of an approximately 35-45 year old female, found at the Lapita site, WKO-013B, near Kone, Foue Peninsula, New Caledonia, is described. Although not without problems, radioacarbon dating of the skeleton and other archaeological considerations place the burial around the middle of the first millenium BC (c.500 BC). Chemical analysis of the bone gives no clear picture about diet, although direct or indirect consumption of C4 plants is hypothesised. Nitrogen isotope values imply average contribution from both land and marine environments. The reconstructed skull is long and resembles crania from eastern island Melanesia. The teeth are small and the incisors exhibit moderate shovelling. A single dental caries, an apical abscess, moderate dental attrition, enamel hypoplasias, and evidence of periodontal disease were observed in the teeth. The stature is estimated to be 161.4 cm, or 5 feet 3.5 inches. There is osteological evidence that this individual experienced childbirth. The cranial vault bones are thickened. There is little or no osteoarthritis in these remains. Limited comparisons of certain crania, dental and skeletal morphological features of this new skeleton suggest affinities with other Lapita-associated skeletons and skeletal series from eastern island Melanesia. (author). 66 refs., 24 tabs., 11 figs

Remarkably enhanced gas separation by partial self-conversion of a laminated membrane to metal-organic frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yi; Pan, Jia Hong; Wang, Nanyi; Steinbach, Frank; Liu, Xinlei; Caro, Jürgen

2015-03-02

Separation methods based on 2D interlayer galleries are currently gaining widespread attention. The potential of such galleries as high-performance gas-separation membranes is however still rarely explored. Besides, it is well recognized that gas permeance and separation factor are often inversely correlated in membrane-based gas separation. Therefore, breaking this trade-off becomes highly desirable. Here, the gas-separation performance of a 2D laminated membrane was improved by its partial self-conversion to metal-organic frameworks. A ZIF-8-ZnAl-NO3 layered double hydroxide (LDH) composite membrane was thus successfully prepared in one step by partial conversion of the ZnAl-NO3 LDH membrane, ultimately leading to a remarkably enhanced H2 /CH4 separation factor and H2 permeance. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Concept of Compound Retention Time for Organic Micro Pollutants in Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor with Nanofiltration

KAUST Repository

Pan, Jiangjiang

2011-12-01

Organic micropollutants (OMPs) have received more and more attention in recent years due to their potential harmful effects on public health and aquatic ecosystems, and eliminating OMPs in wastewater treatment systems is an important solution to control OMPs wastage. An innovative hybrid process, anaerobic membrane bioreactor with nanofiltration (AnMBR-NF), in which enhanced OMPs removal is possible based on the concept of compound retention time (CRT) through coupling anaerobic biodegradation and NF rejection, is proposed and examined in terms of preliminary feasibility in this study. First, NF membrane screening through sludge water dead-end filtration tests demonstrated that KOCH NF200 (molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) 200 Da, acid/base stable) performed best in organic matter rejection. Then, selected OMPs (ketobrofen and naproxen) in MQ water and a biologically treated wastewater matrix were filtered through NF200 under constant-pressure dead-end mode, with and without stirring, and several methods (contact angle, scanning electronic microscopy, Zeta potential, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy) were used to characterize membranes. Results show selected OMPs in MQ could be rejected (about 40%) by a clean NF200 membrane. The main rejection mechanism was initial absorption by the membrane followed by size exclusion (electric charge interaction plays a less important role). The wastewater matrix could enhance the rejection significantly (up to 90%) because effluent organic matter (EfOM) enhanced size exclusion and electric charge interaction through blocking membrane pores and forming a gel layer as well as binding some OMPs through partitioning followed by retention by NF. Third, an anaerobic bioreactor was set up to evaluate the anaerobic biodegradability of selected OMPs. Results showed selected OMPs could be absorbed by sludge and reached equilibrium within one day, and then were consumed by anaerobic microorganism with a half life 9.4 days for

Skeletonization of Left Internal Mammary Artery in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhri, M.S.; Shah, M.U.A.; Asghar, M.I.; Janjua, A.M.; Iqbal, A.; Siddiqi, R.

2016-01-01

Objective: To compare mean per-operative flow capacity between skeletonized and pedicled left internal mammary artery (LIMA) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases (AFIC-NIHD), Rawalpindi, Pakistan from February to August, 2013. Methodology: Patients undergoing CABG for coronary artery disease, under 80 years, excluded by the exclusion criteria; and fulfilling the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to two groups of 70 each. One group underwent skeletonized and the other underwent pedicled technique of LIMA harvesting. Free flow was checked just before anastamosis of each LIMA to the LAD, manually in blood flow in ml per minute during cardiopulmonary bypass by allowing it to bleed into a 100 ml container over 20 seconds. A specialized proforma was used to record the age, gender, weight, disease, type of IMA used, and free flow of the IMA. Data was analyzed using SPSS 18. Result: The mean age of the patients was 57.16 years in 40 patients, ranging from 36 to 75 years. Disease pattern analysis showed 5 percent, 10.7 percent and 84.3 percent single, double and triple vessel coronary artery disease, respectively. There was significantly higher free flow in the skeletonized group than the pedicled group (p=0.04). Conclusion: Skeletonized IMA had superior flow to pedicled IMA in addition to its traditional proven advantages, which justifies its further use as a conduit for myocardial revascularization. (author)

Complete primate skeleton from the Middle Eocene of Messel in Germany: morphology and paleobiology.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jens L Franzen

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The best European locality for complete Eocene mammal skeletons is Grube Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany. Although the site was surrounded by a para-tropical rain forest in the Eocene, primates are remarkably rare there, and only eight fragmentary specimens were known until now. Messel has now yielded a full primate skeleton. The specimen has an unusual history: it was privately collected and sold in two parts, with only the lesser part previously known. The second part, which has just come to light, shows the skeleton to be the most complete primate known in the fossil record.We describe the morphology and investigate the paleobiology of the skeleton. The specimen is described as Darwinius masillae n.gen. n.sp. belonging to the Cercamoniinae. Because the skeleton is lightly crushed and bones cannot be handled individually, imaging studies are of particular importance. Skull radiography shows a host of teeth developing within the juvenile face. Investigation of growth and proportion suggest that the individual was a weaned and independent-feeding female that died in her first year of life, and might have attained a body weight of 650-900 g had she lived to adulthood. She was an agile, nail-bearing, generalized arboreal quadruped living above the floor of the Messel rain forest.Darwinius masillae represents the most complete fossil primate ever found, including both skeleton, soft body outline and contents of the digestive tract. Study of all these features allows a fairly complete reconstruction of life history, locomotion, and diet. Any future study of Eocene-Oligocene primates should benefit from information preserved in the Darwinius holotype. Of particular importance to phylogenetic studies, the absence of a toilet claw and a toothcomb demonstrates that Darwinius masillae is not simply a fossil lemur, but part of a larger group of primates, Adapoidea, representative of the early haplorhine diversification.

Complete primate skeleton from the Middle Eocene of Messel in Germany: morphology and paleobiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Franzen, Jens L; Gingerich, Philip D; Habersetzer, Jörg; Hurum, Jørn H; von Koenigswald, Wighart; Smith, B Holly

2009-05-19

The best European locality for complete Eocene mammal skeletons is Grube Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany. Although the site was surrounded by a para-tropical rain forest in the Eocene, primates are remarkably rare there, and only eight fragmentary specimens were known until now. Messel has now yielded a full primate skeleton. The specimen has an unusual history: it was privately collected and sold in two parts, with only the lesser part previously known. The second part, which has just come to light, shows the skeleton to be the most complete primate known in the fossil record. We describe the morphology and investigate the paleobiology of the skeleton. The specimen is described as Darwinius masillae n.gen. n.sp. belonging to the Cercamoniinae. Because the skeleton is lightly crushed and bones cannot be handled individually, imaging studies are of particular importance. Skull radiography shows a host of teeth developing within the juvenile face. Investigation of growth and proportion suggest that the individual was a weaned and independent-feeding female that died in her first year of life, and might have attained a body weight of 650-900 g had she lived to adulthood. She was an agile, nail-bearing, generalized arboreal quadruped living above the floor of the Messel rain forest. Darwinius masillae represents the most complete fossil primate ever found, including both skeleton, soft body outline and contents of the digestive tract. Study of all these features allows a fairly complete reconstruction of life history, locomotion, and diet. Any future study of Eocene-Oligocene primates should benefit from information preserved in the Darwinius holotype. Of particular importance to phylogenetic studies, the absence of a toilet claw and a toothcomb demonstrates that Darwinius masillae is not simply a fossil lemur, but part of a larger group of primates, Adapoidea, representative of the early haplorhine diversification.

Novel skeleton sesquiterpenoids isolated from guava leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouyang, Wen; Zhu, Xiao-ai; Wang, Wei; Chen, Xue-Xiang; Chen, Yun-Jiao; Cao, Yong

2016-01-01

A chemical investigation of the plant Psidium guajava L., collected in Guangdong province, afforded two novel skeleton sesquiterpenoids 1 and 2. Compound 2 also known as isocaryolan-9-one was a new natural product. The structure of the novel compound 1 was determined as guavacid A by various spectroscopic methods. A possible biosynthetic pathway for 1 and 2 was proposed.

Membrane tension and cytoskeleton organization in cell motility.

Science.gov (United States)

Sens, Pierre; Plastino, Julie

2015-07-15

Cell membrane shape changes are important for many aspects of normal biological function, such as tissue development, wound healing and cell division and motility. Various disease states are associated with deregulation of how cells move and change shape, including notably tumor initiation and cancer cell metastasis. Cell motility is powered, in large part, by the controlled assembly and disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton. Much of this dynamic happens in close proximity to the plasma membrane due to the fact that actin assembly factors are membrane-bound, and thus actin filaments are generally oriented such that their growth occurs against or near the membrane. For a long time, the membrane was viewed as a relatively passive scaffold for signaling. However, results from the last five years show that this is not the whole picture, and that the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton are intimately linked to the mechanics of the cell membrane. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the role of plasma membrane mechanics in cell cytoskeleton dynamics and architecture, showing that the cell membrane is not just an envelope or a barrier for actin assembly, but is a master regulator controlling cytoskeleton dynamics and cell polarity.

Focus on Membrane Differentiation and Membrane Domains in the Prokaryotic Cell

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boekema, Egbert J.; Scheffers, Dirk-Jan; van Bezouwen, Laura S.; Bolhuis, Henk; Folea, I. Mihaela

2013-01-01

A summary is presented of membrane differentiation in the prokaryotic cell, with an emphasis on the organization of proteins in the plasma/cell membrane. Many species belonging to the Eubacteria and Archaea have special membrane domains and/or membrane proliferation, which are vital for different

Membrane homeoviscous adaptation in the piezo-hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus barophilus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anaïs eCario

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The archaeon Thermococcus barophilus, one of the most extreme members of hyperthermophilic piezophiles known thus far, is able to grow at temperatures up to 103°C and pressures up to 80MPa. We analyzed the membrane lipids of T. barophilus by HPLC-MS as a function of pressure and temperature. In contrast to previous reports, we show that under optimal growth conditions (40 MPa, 85°C the membrane spanning tetraether lipid GDGT-0 (sometimes called caldarchaeol is a major membrane lipid of T. barophilus together with archaeol. Increasing pressure and decreasing temperature lead to an increase of the proportion of archaeol and, reversely, a higher proportion of GDGT-0 is observed under low pressure and high temperature conditions. Noticeably, pressure and temperature fluctuations also impact the level of unsaturation of non-polar lipids with an irregular polyisoprenoid carbon skeleton (polyunsaturated lycopane derivatives, suggesting a structural role for these neutral lipids in the membrane of T. barophilus. Whether these apolar lipids insert in the membrane or not remains to be addressed. However, our results raise questions about the structure of the membrane in this archaeon and other archaeon harboring a mixture of di- and tetraether lipids.

SEPARATION OF HAZARDOUS ORGANICS BY LOW PRESSURE REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANES - PHASE II FINAL REPORT

Science.gov (United States)

Extensive experimental studies showed that thin-film, composite membranes can be used effectively for the separation of selected hazardous organic compounds. This waste treatment technique offers definite advantages in terms of high solute separations at low pressures (<2MPa) and...

Numerical calculation on a two-step subdiffusion behavior of lateral protein movement in plasma membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Sumi, Tomonari; Okumoto, Atsushi; Goto, Hitoshi; Sekino, Hideo

2017-10-01

A two-step subdiffusion behavior of lateral movement of transmembrane proteins in plasma membranes has been observed by using single-molecule experiments. A nested double-compartment model where large compartments are divided into several smaller ones has been proposed in order to explain this observation. These compartments are considered to be delimited by membrane-skeleton "fences" and membrane-protein "pickets" bound to the fences. We perform numerical simulations of a master equation using a simple two-dimensional lattice model to investigate the heterogeneous diffusion dynamics behavior of transmembrane proteins within plasma membranes. We show that the experimentally observed two-step subdiffusion process can be described using fence and picket models combined with decreased local diffusivity of transmembrane proteins in the vicinity of the pickets. This allows us to explain the two-step subdiffusion behavior without explicitly introducing nested double compartments.

Identification of effluent organic matter fractions responsible for low-pressure membrane fouling

KAUST Repository

Filloux, Emmanuelle

2012-11-01

Anion exchange resin (AER), powder activated carbon (PAC) adsorption and ozonation treatments were applied on biologically treated wastewater effluent with the objective to modify the effluent organic matter (EfOM) matrix. Both AER and PAC led to significant total organic carbon (TOC) removal, while the TOC remained nearly constant after ozonation. Liquid Chromatography-Organic Carbon Detection (LC-OCD) analysis showed that the AER treatment preferentially removed high and intermediate molecular weight (MW) humic-like structures while PAC removed low MW compounds. Only a small reduction of the high MW colloids (i.e. biopolymers) was observed for AER and PAC treatments. Ozonation induced a large reduction of the biopolymers and an important increase of the low MW humic substances (i.e. building blocks).Single-cycle microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) tests were conducted using commercially available hollow fibres at a constant flux. After reconcentration to their original organic carbon content, the EfOM matrix modified by AER and PAC treatments exhibited higher UF membrane fouling compared to untreated effluent; result that correlated with the higher concentration of biopolymers. On the contrary, ozonation which induced a significant degradation of the biopolymers led to a minor flux reduction for both UF and MF filtration tests. Based on a single filtration, results indicate that biopolymers play a major role in low pressure membrane fouling and that intermediate and low MW compounds have minor impact. Thus, this approach has shown to be a valid methodology to identify the foulant fractions of EfOM. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

The Effect of Locomotion on the Mobilization of Minerals from the Maternal Skeleton

OpenAIRE

Hood, Wendy R.; Hobensack, Michael

2015-01-01

Bone is a dynamic tissue from which minerals are deposited or withdrawn according to the body's demand. During late pregnancy and lactation, female mammals mobilize mineral from bone to support the ossification of offspring skeleton(s). Conversely, in response to mechanical loading, minerals are deposited in bone enabling it to develop a stronger architecture. Despite their central importance to reproductive performance and skeletal integrity, the interactions between these potentially opposi...

Membrane Raft Organization Is More Sensitive to Disruption by (n-3) PUFA Than Nonraft Organization in EL4 and B Cells123

OpenAIRE

Rockett, Benjamin Drew; Franklin, Andrew; Harris, Mitchel; Teague, Heather; Rockett, Alexis; Shaikh, Saame Raza

2011-01-01

Model membrane and cellular detergent extraction studies show (n-3) PUFA predominately incorporate into nonrafts; thus, we hypothesized (n-3) PUFA could disrupt nonraft organization. The first objective of this study was to determine whether (n-3) PUFA disrupted nonrafts of EL4 cells, an extension of our previous work in which we discovered an (n-3) PUFA diminished raft clustering. EPA or DHA treatment of EL4 cells increased plasma membrane accumulation of the nonraft probe 1,1′-dilinoleyl-3,...

Fouling in Membrane Distillation, Osmotic Distillation and Osmotic Membrane Distillation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mourad Laqbaqbi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Various membrane separation processes are being used for seawater desalination and treatment of wastewaters in order to deal with the worldwide water shortage problem. Different types of membranes of distinct morphologies, structures and physico-chemical characteristics are employed. Among the considered membrane technologies, membrane distillation (MD, osmotic distillation (OD and osmotic membrane distillation (OMD use porous and hydrophobic membranes for production of distilled water and/or concentration of wastewaters for recovery and recycling of valuable compounds. However, the efficiency of these technologies is hampered by fouling phenomena. This refers to the accumulation of organic/inorganic deposits including biological matter on the membrane surface and/or in the membrane pores. Fouling in MD, OD and OMD differs from that observed in electric and pressure-driven membrane processes such electrodialysis (ED, membrane capacitive deionization (MCD, reverse osmosis (RO, nanofiltration (NF, ultrafiltration (UF, microfiltration (MF, etc. Other than pore blockage, fouling in MD, OD and OMD increases the risk of membrane pores wetting and reduces therefore the quantity and quality of the produced water or the concentration efficiency of the process. This review deals with the observed fouling phenomena in MD, OD and OMD. It highlights different detected fouling types (organic fouling, inorganic fouling and biofouling, fouling characterization techniques as well as various methods of fouling reduction including pretreatment, membrane modification, membrane cleaning and antiscalants application.

Membrane tension and cytoskeleton organization in cell motility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sens, Pierre; Plastino, Julie

2015-01-01

Cell membrane shape changes are important for many aspects of normal biological function, such as tissue development, wound healing and cell division and motility. Various disease states are associated with deregulation of how cells move and change shape, including notably tumor initiation and cancer cell metastasis. Cell motility is powered, in large part, by the controlled assembly and disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton. Much of this dynamic happens in close proximity to the plasma membrane due to the fact that actin assembly factors are membrane-bound, and thus actin filaments are generally oriented such that their growth occurs against or near the membrane. For a long time, the membrane was viewed as a relatively passive scaffold for signaling. However, results from the last five years show that this is not the whole picture, and that the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton are intimately linked to the mechanics of the cell membrane. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the role of plasma membrane mechanics in cell cytoskeleton dynamics and architecture, showing that the cell membrane is not just an envelope or a barrier for actin assembly, but is a master regulator controlling cytoskeleton dynamics and cell polarity. (topical review)

Chronology of lead pollution contained in banded coral skeletons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dodge, R E; Gilbert, T R

1984-08-01

The possibility of the annual skeletal growth bands of reef-building corals containing a record of lead additions to the marine environment was investigated using coral skeletons from St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Concentrations of lead within a coral from a polluted reef averaged 395 ng/g, five fold higher than within a coral from a pristine site, 87 ng/g. The lead chronologies of both corals showed a significant increase in concentration towards the present during the past 26 yr. The increase in lead concentration in the coral from the pristine site is suggested to represent the increase in lead availability from global pollution. Coral skeletons offer the probability of development into tools for long term chemical recorders of levels of lead and possibly other metals or compounds in seawater. 50 references, 3 figures, 1 table.

Calibrating amino acid δ13C and δ15N offsets between polyp and protein skeleton to develop proteinaceous deep-sea corals as paleoceanographic archives

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Kelton W.; Williams, Branwen; Guilderson, Thomas P.; Glynn, Danielle S.; McCarthy, Matthew D.

2018-01-01

Compound-specific stable isotopes of amino acids (CSI-AA) from proteinaceous deep-sea coral skeletons have the potential to improve paleoreconstructions of plankton community composition, and our understanding of the trophic dynamics and biogeochemical cycling of sinking organic matter in the Ocean. However, the assumption that the molecular isotopic values preserved in protein skeletal material reflect those of the living coral polyps has never been directly investigated in proteinaceous deep-sea corals. We examined CSI-AA from three genera of proteinaceous deep-sea corals from three oceanographically distinct regions of the North Pacific: Primnoa from the Gulf of Alaska, Isidella from the Central California Margin, and Kulamanamana from the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. We found minimal offsets in the δ13C values of both essential and non-essential AAs, and in the δ15N values of source AAs, between paired samples of polyp tissue and protein skeleton. Using an essential AA δ13C fingerprinting approach, we show that estimates of the relative contribution of eukaryotic microalgae and prokaryotic cyanobacteria to the sinking organic matter supporting deep-sea corals are the same when calculated from polyp tissue or recently deposited skeletal tissue. The δ15N values of trophic AAs in skeletal tissue, on the other hand, were consistently 3-4‰ lower than polyp tissue for all three genera. We hypothesize that this offset reflects a partitioning of nitrogen flux through isotopic branch points in the synthesis of polyp (fast turnover tissue) and skeleton (slow, unidirectional incorporation). This offset indicates an underestimation, albeit correctable, of approximately half a trophic position from gorgonin protein-based deep-sea coral skeleton. Together, our observations open the door for applying many of the rapidly evolving CSI-AA based tools developed for metabolically active tissues in modern systems to archival coral tissues in a paleoceanographic context.

Metal–organic frameworks based membranes for liquid separation

KAUST Repository

Li, Xin; Liu, Yuxin; Wang, Jing; Gascon, Jorge; Li, Jiansheng; Van der Bruggen, Bart

2017-01-01

, the field of MOF-based membranes for liquid separation is highlighted in this review. The criteria for judicious selection of MOFs in fabricating MOF-based membranes are given. Special attention is paid to rational design strategies for MOF-based membranes

A POLYMER-CERAMIC COMPOSITE MEMBRANE FOR RECOVERING VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM WASTEWATERS BY PERVAPORATION

Science.gov (United States)

A composite membrane was constructed on a porous ceramic support from a block copolymer of styrene and butadiene (SBS). It was tested in a laboratory pervaporation apparatus for recovering volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such a 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) and trichloroethylene ...

Assembly and structural organization of pigment-protein complexes in membranes of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, C.N.; Pennoyer, J.D.; Niederman, R.A.

1982-01-01

The B875 and B800-850 light-harvesting pigment-protein complexes of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides are characterized further by lithium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at 4 degrees C. Bacteriochlorophyll a was shown in reconstruction studies to remain complexed with its respective binding proteins during this procedure. From distributions in these gels, a quantitative description for the arrangement of the complexes is proposed. Assembly of the complexes was examined in delta-aminolevulinate-requiring mutant H-5 after a shift from high- to low-light intensity. After 10 h of delta-[ 3 H]aminolevulinate labeling, the specific radioactivity of bacteriochlorophyll in a fraction containing putative membrane invaginations reached the maximal level, while that of the mature photosynthetic membrane was at only one-third this level. This suggests that membrane invaginations are sites of preferential bacteriochlorophyll synthesis in which completed pigment-proteins exist transiently. Analysis of the 3 H distribution after electrophoretic separation further suggests that photosynthetic membranes grow mainly by addition of B800-850 to preformed membrane consisting largely of B875 and photochemical reaction centers. These results corroborate the above model for the structural organization of the light-harvesting system and indicate that the structurally and functionally discrete B800-850 pool is not completely assembled until all B875 sites for B800-850 interactions are occupied

MICOS and phospholipid transfer by Ups2-Mdm35 organize membrane lipid synthesis in mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Aaltonen, Mari J; Friedman, Jonathan R; Osman, Christof; Salin, Bénédicte; di Rago, Jean-Paul; Nunnari, Jodi; Langer, Thomas; Tatsuta, Takashi

2016-06-06

Mitochondria exert critical functions in cellular lipid metabolism and promote the synthesis of major constituents of cellular membranes, such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine. Here, we demonstrate that the phosphatidylserine decarboxylase Psd1, located in the inner mitochondrial membrane, promotes mitochondrial PE synthesis via two pathways. First, Ups2-Mdm35 complexes (SLMO2-TRIAP1 in humans) serve as phosphatidylserine (PS)-specific lipid transfer proteins in the mitochondrial intermembrane space, allowing formation of PE by Psd1 in the inner membrane. Second, Psd1 decarboxylates PS in the outer membrane in trans, independently of PS transfer by Ups2-Mdm35. This latter pathway requires close apposition between both mitochondrial membranes and the mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS). In MICOS-deficient cells, limiting PS transfer by Ups2-Mdm35 and reducing mitochondrial PE accumulation preserves mitochondrial respiration and cristae formation. These results link mitochondrial PE metabolism to MICOS, combining functions in protein and lipid homeostasis to preserve mitochondrial structure and function. © 2016 Aaltonen et al.

The fabrication and characterization of organic light-emitting diodes using transparent single-crystal Si membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Su-Hwan; Kim, Dal-Ho; Kim, Ji-Heon; Lee, Gon-Sub; Park, Jea-Gun; Takeo, Katoh

2009-01-01

For applications such as solar cells and displays, transparent single-crystal Si membranes were fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. The SOI wafer included a buried layer of SiO 2 and Si 3 N 4 as an etch-stop layer. The etch-stop layer enabled fabrication of transparent single-crystal Si membranes with various thicknesses, and the thinning technology is described. For membranes with thicknesses of 18, 72 and 5000 nm, the respective optical transparent were 96.9%, 93.7% and 9% for R (red, λ = 660 nm), 96.9%, 91.4% and 1% for G (green, λ = 525 nm), and 97.0%, 93.2% and 0% for B (blue, λ = 470 nm). Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) were then fabricated on transparent single-crystal Si membranes with various top Si thicknesses. OLEDs fabricated on 18, 72 and 5000 nm thick membranes and operated at 6 V demonstrated a luminance of 1350, 443 and 27 cd m -2 at the current densities of 148, 131 and 1.5 mA cm -2 , respectively.

Preliminary studies of using preheated carrier gas for on-line membrane extraction of semivolatile organic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xinyu; Pawliszyn, Janusz

2007-04-01

In this paper, we present results for the on-line determination of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in air using membrane extraction with a sorbent interface-ion mobility spectrometry (MESI-IMS) system with a preheated carrier (stripping) gas. The mechanism of the mass transfer of SVOCs across a membrane was initially studied. In comparison with the extraction of volatile analytes, the mass transfer resistance that originated from the slow desorption from the internal membrane surface during the SVOC extraction processes should be taken into account. A preheated carrier gas system was therefore built to facilitate desorption of analytes from the internal membrane surface. With the benefit of a temperature gradient existing between the internal and external membrane surfaces, an increase in the desorption rate of a specific analyte at the internal surface and the diffusion coefficient within the membrane could be achieved while avoiding a decrease of the distribution constant on the external membrane interface. This technique improved both the extraction rate and response times of the MESI-IMS system for the analysis of SVOCs. Finally, the MESI-IMS system was shown to be capable of on-site measurement by monitoring selected polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from cigarette smoke.

Organic solvent-induced changes in membrane geometry in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells - a common narcotic effect?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meulenberg, C.J.W.; de Groot, A.; Westerink, R.H.S.; Vijverberg, H.P.M.

2016-01-01

Exposure to organic solvents may cause narcotic effects. At the cellular level, these narcotic effects have been associated with a reduction in neuronal excitability caused by changes in membrane structure and function. In order to critically test whether changes in membrane geometry contribute to

Geochemical study of coral skeletons from the Puerto Morelos Reef, southeastern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Kasper-Zubillaga, Juan J.; Armstrong-Altrin, John S.; Rosales-Hoz, Leticia

2014-12-01

Geochemical analyses in coral skeletons have been used as a proxy of marine environmental conditions and to understand the mechanisms of adsorption of chemical elements into the coral skeletons and growth forms. However, little attention has been given to show the possible differences in the growth rates of corals based upon major, trace, rare earth element and microprobe analyses to examine the physical-chemical conditions influencing those differences. Our goal is to show how branch and fan corals incorporate elements into their skeletons comparing them with their coral growth rates. We determine the development of the skeletons of two branching (Acropora palmata, Acropora cervicornis) and one fan shaped (Gorgonia ventalina) colonies in the Puerto Morelos Reef, southeastern Mexico based upon geochemical data and the influence of terrigenous input into the species. Mg and Sr concentrations were the most statistically significant elements among the species studied suggesting that Mg concentration in Gorgonia ventalina is probably not linked to its growth rate. Mn content in the sea water is adsorbed by the three corals during past growth rates during high rainfall events. Sr concentration may be associated with the growth rate of Acropora palmata. Little differences in the growth rate in Acropora palmata may be associated with low rates of calcitization, negligible changes in the Sr concentration and little influence of temperature and water depth in its growth. Trace elements like Cr, Co, Ni and V adsorbed by the corals are influenced by natural concentration of these elements in the sea-water. Rare earth elements in the corals studied suggests abundant inorganic ions CO32- with variable pH in modern shallow well-oxygenated sea water. Lack of terrigenous input seawards is supported by geochemical, geomorphological and biological evidences. This study is an example of how geochemical data are useful to observe the differences in environmental conditions related to

The ossification principle of the laryngeal skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glass, W. von.

1981-01-01

In 94 decreased of both sexes aged 15 to 79 who had not has any affections of the larynx itself, the laryngeal skeleton was X-rayed after removing the soft parts, to demonstrate the ossification processes. Furthermore the deformation of the thyroid cartilage caused at the larynx by the laryngopharyngeal muscle in the act of swallowing was experimentally induced and determined with the aid of strain gauges. (orig.) [de

Wave-equation Qs Inversion of Skeletonized Surface Waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2017-02-08

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is the one that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs inversion (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion (FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsurface Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Skeletonized wave-equation Qs tomography using surface waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2017-08-17

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is then found that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs tomography (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to Q full waveform inversion (Q-FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsur-face Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Wave-equation Qs Inversion of Skeletonized Surface Waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is the one that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs inversion (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion (FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsurface Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Can we omit scintiscanning of the skeleton in follow-up aftercare of carcinoma of the breast?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuenemann, H.

1989-01-01

630 women patients of the Bad Trissl clinic were admitted in 1987/88 to a prospective study to find out whether scintiscanning, or radionuclide imaging, of the skeleton can be omitted completely or in part in the after care and follow-up of carcinoma of the breast. The initial criterion was a postoperative carcinoma of the breast without metastasizing in the skeleton at the time the study began or the patient was admitted to the study. Careful pain anamnesis was performed by means of prepared questions, and a detailed clinical examination conducted to detect any pain in the skeleton of the patient concerned. This was followed by whole body scintiscanning of the skeleton and complementary X-ray films, if necessary additional examinations. It was found that clinical findings and imaging methods agreed in 545 patients. In 55 cases a finding that was clinically suspicious of metastases or doubtful, could be refuted by both scintiscan and by X-ray, osseous metastasizing would have been overlooked without skeleton scintiscan in 14 patients only (2.2%), 11 of these 14 patients were high-risk patients (negative hormonal receptor status, axillary lymph node metastases). Hence, it will be sufficient to employ scintiscanning in the aftercare and follow-up of carcinoma of the breast on a risk-adapted basis provided this is preceded by careful pain analysis and clinical examination. Failure to detect metastasizing in the skeleton will then occur in only 3 of 630 patients (0.48%). In this manner 40% of scintiscans can be omitted in future. (orig.) [de

Molecular Grafting of Fluorinated and Nonfluorinated Alkylsiloxanes on Various Ceramic Membrane Surfaces for the Removal of Volatile Organic Compounds Applying Vacuum Membrane Distillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kujawa, Joanna; Al-Gharabli, Samer; Kujawski, Wojciech; Knozowska, Katarzyna

2017-02-22

Four main tasks were presented: (i) ceramic membrane functionalization (TiO 2 5 kDa and 300 kDa), (ii) extended material characterization (physicochemistry and tribology) of pristine and modified ceramic samples, (iii) evaluation of chemical and mechanical stability, and finally (iv) assessment of membrane efficiency in vacuum membrane distillation applied for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) removal from water. Highly efficient molecular grafting with four types of perfluoroalkylsilanes and one nonfluorinated agent was developed. Materials with controllable tribological and physicochemical properties were achieved. The most meaningful finding is associated with the applicability of fluorinated and nonfluorinated grafting agents. The results of contact angle, hysteresis of contact angle, sliding angle, and critical surface tension as well as Young's modulus, nanohardness, and adhesion force for grafting by these two modifiers are comparable. This provides insight into the potential applicability of environmental friendly hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces. The achieved hydrophobic membranes were very effective in the removal of VOCs (butanol, methyl-tert-butyl ether, and ethyl acetate) from binary aqueous solutions in vacuum membrane distillation. The correlation between membrane effectiveness and separated solvent polarity was compared in terms of material properties and resistance to the wetting (kinetics of wetting and in-depth liquid penetration). Material properties were interpreted considering Zisman theory and using Kao diagram. The significant influence of surface chemistry on the membrane performance was noticed (5 kDa, influence of hydrophobic nanolayer and separation controlled by solution-diffusion model; 300 kDa, no impact of surface chemistry and separation controlled by liquid-vapor equilibrium).

Chemically Stable Covalent Organic Framework (COF)-Polybenzimidazole Hybrid Membranes: Enhanced Gas Separation through Pore Modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswal, Bishnu P; Chaudhari, Harshal D; Banerjee, Rahul; Kharul, Ulhas K

2016-03-24

Highly flexible, TpPa-1@PBI-BuI and TpBD@PBI-BuI hybrid membranes based on chemically stable covalent organic frameworks (COFs) could be obtained with the polymer. The loading obtained was substantially higher (50 %) than generally observed with MOFs. These hybrid membranes show an exciting enhancement in permeability (about sevenfold) with appreciable separation factors for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4. Further, we found that with COF pore modulation, the gas permeability can be systematically enhanced. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Assessing the removal of organic micropollutants by a novel baffled osmotic membrane bioreactor-microfiltration hybrid system

KAUST Repository

Pathak, Nirenkumar; Li, Sheng; Kim, Youngjin; Chekli, Laura; Phuntsho, Sherub; Jang, Am; Ghaffour, NorEddine; Leiknes, TorOve; Shon, Ho Kyong

2018-01-01

A novel approach was employed to study removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in a baffled osmotic membrane bioreactor-microfiltration (OMBR-MF) hybrid system under oxic–anoxic conditions. The performance of OMBR-MF system was examined employing three different draw solutes (DS), and three model OMPs. The highest forward osmosis (FO) membrane rejection was attained with atenolol (100 %) due to its higher molar mass and positive charge. With inorganic DS caffeine (94-100 %) revealed highest removal followed by atenolol (89-96 %) and atrazine (16-40 %) respectively. All three OMPs exhibited higher removal with organic DS as compared to inorganic DS. Significant anoxic removal was observed for atrazine under very different redox conditions with extended anoxic cycle time. This can be linked with possible development of different microbial consortia responsible for diverse enzymes secretion. Overall, the OMBR-MF process showed effective removal of total organic carbon (98%) and nutrients (phosphate 97% and total nitrogen 85%), respectively.

Assessing the removal of organic micropollutants by a novel baffled osmotic membrane bioreactor-microfiltration hybrid system

KAUST Repository

Pathak, Nirenkumar

2018-04-14

A novel approach was employed to study removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in a baffled osmotic membrane bioreactor-microfiltration (OMBR-MF) hybrid system under oxic–anoxic conditions. The performance of OMBR-MF system was examined employing three different draw solutes (DS), and three model OMPs. The highest forward osmosis (FO) membrane rejection was attained with atenolol (100 %) due to its higher molar mass and positive charge. With inorganic DS caffeine (94-100 %) revealed highest removal followed by atenolol (89-96 %) and atrazine (16-40 %) respectively. All three OMPs exhibited higher removal with organic DS as compared to inorganic DS. Significant anoxic removal was observed for atrazine under very different redox conditions with extended anoxic cycle time. This can be linked with possible development of different microbial consortia responsible for diverse enzymes secretion. Overall, the OMBR-MF process showed effective removal of total organic carbon (98%) and nutrients (phosphate 97% and total nitrogen 85%), respectively.

Radioactive labelling of alkaloids with morphine skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, Geza; Sirokman, Ferenc

1985-01-01

Results achieved by the sup(14)C, sup(125)I and sup(3)H labelling of alkaloids with morphine skeleton for kinetic, receptor, metabolims and pharmacological investigations are summarized and evaluated. The methods for the preparation of sup(3)H labelled dihydromorphine, dihydroethylmorphine, dihydrocodeine, naloxone and naloxazone are described. The compounds have higher specific molar activity than those referred to in literature which makes them suitable for a number of investigations. (author)

Annexins as organizers of cholesterol- and sphingomyelin-enriched membrane microdomains in Niemann-Pick type C disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Domon, Magdalena; Nasir, Mehmet Nail; Matar, Gladys; Pikula, Slawomir; Besson, Françoise; Bandorowicz-Pikula, Joanna

2012-06-01

Growing evidence suggests that membrane microdomains enriched in cholesterol and sphingomyelin are sites for numerous cellular processes, including signaling, vesicular transport, interaction with pathogens, and viral infection, etc. Recently some members of the annexin family of conserved calcium and membrane-binding proteins have been recognized as cholesterol-interacting molecules and suggested to play a role in the formation, stabilization, and dynamics of membrane microdomains to affect membrane lateral organization and to attract other proteins and signaling molecules onto their territory. Furthermore, annexins were implicated in the interactions between cytosolic and membrane molecules, in the turnover and storage of cholesterol and in various signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms of interaction of annexins with lipid microdomains and the role of annexins in membrane microdomains dynamics including possible participation of the domain-associated forms of annexins in the etiology of human lysosomal storage disease called Niemann-Pick type C disease, related to the abnormal storage of cholesterol in the lysosome-like intracellular compartment. The involvement of annexins and cholesterol/sphingomyelin-enriched membrane microdomains in other pathologies including cardiac dysfunctions, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cancer is likely, but is not supported by substantial experimental observations, and therefore awaits further clarification.

Contribution of assimilable organic carbon to biological fouling in seawater reverse osmosis membrane treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Weinrich, Lauren; LeChevallier, Mark; Haas, Charles N

2016-09-15

Biological fouling occurs on RO membranes when bacteria and nutrients are present in conditions that are conducive to growth and proliferation of the bacteria. Controlling microbial growth on the membranes is typically limited to biocide application (i.e., disinfectants) in seawater RO plants. However, biological growth and subsequent fouling has not been well-managed. Pretreatment has not been focused on nutrient limitation. This project used a biological assay, the assimilable organic carbon (AOC) test to evaluate pretreatment effects on the nutrient supply. The AOC test provided a useful surrogate measurement for the biodegradability or biofouling potential of RO feed water. Biofouling observed in controlled conditions at the bench- and pilot-scale resulted in statistically significant correlations between AOC and the operational effects caused by biofouling. Membrane fouling rates are observed through operational changes over time such as increased differential pressure between the membrane feed and concentrate locations and decreased permeate flux through the membrane. In full scale plants there were strong correlations when AOC was used as a predictor variable for increased differential pressure (0.28-0.55 bar from September-December 2012) and decreased specific flux (1.40 L per hour/(m(2) · bar)). Increased differential pressure was associated with RO membrane biological fouling when the median AOC was 50 μg/L during pilot testing. Conditions were also evaluated at the bench-scale using a flat sheet RO membrane. In a comparison test using 30 and 1000 μg/L AOC, fouling was detected on more portions of the membrane when AOC was higher. Biofilm and bacterial deposits were apparent from scanning electron microscope imaging and biomass measurements using ATP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface modification of PTMSP membranes by plasma treatment: Asymmetry of transport in organic solvent nanofiltration.

Science.gov (United States)

Volkov, A V; Tsarkov, S E; Gilman, A B; Khotimsky, V S; Roldughin, V I; Volkov, V V

2015-08-01

For the first time, the effect of asymmetry of the membrane transport was studied for organic solvents and solutes upon their nanofiltration through the plasma-modified membranes based on poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP). Plasma treatment is shown to provide a marked hydrophilization of the hydrophobic PTMSP surface (the contact angle of water decreases from 88 down to 20°) and leads to the development of a negative charge of -5.2 nC/cm(2). The XPS measurements prove the formation of the oxygen-containing groups (Si-O and C-O) due to the surface modification. The AFM images show that the small-scale surface roughness of the plasma-treated PTMSP sample is reduced but the large-scale surface heterogeneities become more pronounced. The modified membranes retain their hydrophilic surface properties even after the nanofiltration tests and 30-day storage under ambient conditions. The results of the filtration tests show that when the membrane is oriented so that its modified layer contacts the feed solution, the membrane permeability for linear alcohols (methanol-propanol) and acetone decreases nearly two times. When the modified membrane surface faces the permeate, the membrane is seen to regain its transport characteristics: the flux becomes equal to that of the unmodified PTMSP. The well-pronounced effect of the transport asymmetry is observed for the solution of the neutral dye Solvent Blue 35 in methanol, ethanol, and acetone. For example, the initial membrane shows the negative retention for the Solvent Blue 35 dye (-16%) upon its filtration from the ethanol solution whereas, for the modified PTMSP membrane, the retention increases up to 17%. Various effects contributing to the asymmetry of the membrane transport characteristics are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Highly selective sieving of small gas molecules by using an ultra-microporous metal–organic framework membrane

KAUST Repository

Kang, Zixi; Xue, Ming; Fan, Lili; Huang, Lin; Guo, Lijia; Wei, Guoying; Chen, Banglin; Qiu, Shilun

2014-01-01

© 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Two tailor-made microporous metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes were successfully fabricated on nickel screens by secondary growth. The effect of pore structures on gas separation was examined by means of single and binary gas permeation tests. The MOF JUC-150 membrane with its ultra-micropores showed marked preferential permeance to H2 relative to other gas molecules. The selectivity factors of this membrane were 26.3, 17.1 and 38.7 for H2/CH4, H2/N2 and H2/CO2, respectively, at room temperature. To the best of our knowledge, these values represent unprecedentedly high separation selectivity among those for all MOF membranes reported to date. The JUC-150 membrane also shows high thermal stability and outstanding separation performance at a high temperature of 200 °C. The separation performance of these membranes persists even after more than 1 year exposure to air. The superiority of the tailored pore size, high selectivity for H2 over other gases, significant stability and recyclability make these materials potential candidates for industrial H2 recycling applications.

Highly selective sieving of small gas molecules by using an ultra-microporous metal–organic framework membrane

KAUST Repository

Kang, Zixi

2014-09-12

© 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Two tailor-made microporous metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes were successfully fabricated on nickel screens by secondary growth. The effect of pore structures on gas separation was examined by means of single and binary gas permeation tests. The MOF JUC-150 membrane with its ultra-micropores showed marked preferential permeance to H2 relative to other gas molecules. The selectivity factors of this membrane were 26.3, 17.1 and 38.7 for H2/CH4, H2/N2 and H2/CO2, respectively, at room temperature. To the best of our knowledge, these values represent unprecedentedly high separation selectivity among those for all MOF membranes reported to date. The JUC-150 membrane also shows high thermal stability and outstanding separation performance at a high temperature of 200 °C. The separation performance of these membranes persists even after more than 1 year exposure to air. The superiority of the tailored pore size, high selectivity for H2 over other gases, significant stability and recyclability make these materials potential candidates for industrial H2 recycling applications.

RETENTION OF HUMIC ACID FROM WATER BY NANOFILTRATION MEMBRANE AND INFLUENCE OF SOLUTION CHEMISTRY ON MEMBRANE PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Zazouli, S. Nasseri, A. H. Mahvi, M. Gholami, A. R. Mesdaghinia, M. Younesian

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this research were to investigate the rejection efficiency of salt and hydrophobic fraction of natural organic matter, to study the flux decline behavior with a spiral wound nanofiltration membrane, and also to survey the influence of water chemistry on membrane performance. Experiments were conducted using a cross flow pilot-scale membrane unit with a full circulation mode. Humic acid was used as hydrophobic organic matter and NaCl as background electrolyte. Results showed that flux reduction increased with increasing ionic strength and humic acid concentration, and with lower pH. The rejection efficiency of organic and salt decreased with the decrease in pH and increase in ionic strength, because of osmotic pressure increase, leading to permeate flux decline and decrease in salt rejection. In addition, the improved salt rejection was likely due to Donnan exclusion by humic material close to membrane surfaces. The average rejection efficiency of humic acid and salt ranged between 91.2%-95.25% and 63.6%-80%, respectively. Dissolved organic carbon concentration was less than 0.57mg/L in permeate for all experiments. With increasing organic concentration, the charge of the membrane surface has become more negative due to the adsorption of organic foulants on the membrane surface, and thus increased the electrostatic repulsion. However, the increasing surface charge had the potential to result in a larger molecular weight cut-off of a fouled membrane due to membrane swelling which can lead to lower rejection solutes. Therefore, results of this study indicated that membrane fouling may significantly affect the rejection of organic and ion solute.

N-3 fatty acids and membrane microdomains: from model membranes to lymphocyte function.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaikh, Saame Raza; Teague, Heather

2012-12-01

This article summarizes the author's research on fish oil derived n-3 fatty acids, plasma membrane organization and B cell function. We first cover basic model membrane studies that investigated how docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) targeted the organization of sphingolipid-cholesterol enriched lipid microdomains. A key finding here was that DHA had a relatively poor affinity for cholesterol. This work led to a model that predicted DHA acyl chains in cells would manipulate lipid-protein microdomain organization and thereby function. We then review how the predictions of the model were tested with B cells in vitro followed by experiments using mice fed fish oil. These studies reveal a highly complex picture on how n-3 fatty acids target lipid-protein organization and B cell function. Key findings are as follows: (1) n-3 fatty acids target not just the plasma membrane but also endomembrane organization; (2) DHA, but not eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), disrupts microdomain spatial distribution (i.e. clustering), (3) DHA alters protein lateral organization and (4) changes in membrane organization are accompanied by functional effects on both innate and adaptive B cell function. Altogether, the research over the past 10 years has led to an evolution of the original model on how DHA reorganizes membrane microdomains. The work raises the intriguing possibility of testing the model at the human level to target health and disease. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation of results of skeleton gammagraphy with CEA and TPA levels in mammary gland carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makaiova, I.; Kausitz, J.; Hupka, S.; Michalikova, B.; Vivodova, M.; Simko, S.; Urbanova, M.; Bohunicky, L.

1986-01-01

A comparison is submitted of the results obtained with whole-body skeleton gammagraphy using 99m Tc-MDP and levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and tissue polypeptide antigen in 147 patients with breast cancer. In 123 cases (83.7%) the results agreed, i.e., in 72 patients the negative results and in 51 patients the positive results of skeleton gammagraphy with at least one of the above tumor markers. In other 15 cases (10.2%) the positivity of the tumor marker was confirmed by extraosseous tumor manifestations. The reasons are discussed of possible disagreement in the results and a preliminary thought is proposed on the use of assessment of tumor antigen levels in combination with skeleton gammagraphy and other imaging methods, in monitoring patients with breast cancer. (author)

Anabolic effects of IGF-1 signaling on the skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Tahimic, Candice G. T.; Wang, Yongmei; Bikle, Daniel D.

2013-01-01

This review focuses on the anabolic effects of IGF-1 signaling on the skeleton, emphasizing the requirement for IGF-1 signaling in normal bone formation and remodeling. We first discuss the genomic context, splicing variants, and species conservation of the IGF-1 locus. The modulation of IGF-1 action by growth hormone (GH) is then reviewed while also discussing the current model which takes into account the GH-independent actions of IGF-1. Next, the skeletal phenotypes of IGF-1-deficient animals are described in both embryonic and postnatal stages of development, which include severe dwarfism and an undermineralized skeleton. We then highlight two mechanisms by which IGF-1 exerts its anabolic action on the skeleton. Firstly, the role of IGF-1 signaling in the modulation of anabolic effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on bone will be discussed, presenting in vitro and in vivo studies that establish this concept and the proposed underlying molecular mechanisms involving Indian hedgehog (Ihh) and the ephrins. Secondly, the crosstalk of IGF-1 signaling with mechanosensing pathways will be discussed, beginning with the observation that animals subjected to skeletal unloading by hindlimb elevation are unable to mitigate cessation of bone growth despite infusion with IGF-1 and the failure of IGF-1 to activate its receptor in bone marrow stromal cell cultures from unloaded bone. Disrupted crosstalk between IGF-1 signaling and the integrin mechanotransduction pathways is discussed as one of the potential mechanisms for this IGF-1 resistance. Next, emerging paradigms on bone-muscle crosstalk are examined, focusing on the potential role of IGF-1 signaling in modulating such interactions. Finally, we present a future outlook on IGF research. PMID:23382729

Synthesis of Thin Film Composite Metal-Organic Frameworks Membranes on Polymer Supports

KAUST Repository

Barankova, Eva

2017-06-01

Since the discovery of size-selective metal-organic frameworks (MOF) researchers have tried to manufacture them into gas separation membranes. ZIF-8 became the most studied MOF for membrane applications mainly because of its simple synthesis, good chemical and thermal stability, recent commercial availability and attractive pore size. The aim of this work is to develop convenient methods for growing ZIF thin layers on polymer supports to obtain defect-free ZIF membranes with good gas separation properties. We present new approaches for ZIF membranes preparation on polymers. We introduce zinc oxide nanoparticles in the support as a secondary metal source for ZIF-8 growth. Initially the ZnO particles were incorporated into the polymer matrix and later on the surface of the polymer by magnetron sputtering. In both cases, the ZnO facilitated to create more nucleation opportunities and improved the ZIF-8 growth compared to the synthesis without using ZnO. By employing the secondary seeded growth method, we were able to obtain thin (900 nm) ZIF-8 layer with good gas separation performance. Next, we propose a metal-chelating polymer as a suitable support for growing ZIF layers. Defect-free ZIF-8 films with a thickness of 600 nm could be obtained by a contra-diffusion method. ZIF-8 membranes were tested for permeation of hydrogen and hydrocarbons, and one of the highest selectivities reported so far for hydrogen/propane, and propylene/propane was obtained. Another promising method to facilitate the growth of MOFs on polymeric supports is the chemical functionalization of the support surface with functional groups, which can complex metal ions and which can covalently bond the MOF crystals. We functionalized the surface of a common porous polymeric membrane with amine groups, which took part in the reaction to form ZIF-8 nanocrystals. We observed an enhancement in adhesion between the ZIF layer and the support. The effect of parameters of the contra-diffusion experiment

Lipids in the Assembly of Membrane Proteins and Organization of Protein Supercomplexes: Implications for Lipid-Linked Disorders

OpenAIRE

Bogdanov, Mikhail; Mileykovskaya, Eugenia; Dowhan, William

2008-01-01

Lipids play important roles in cellular dysfunction leading to disease. Although a major role for phospholipids is in defining the membrane permeability barrier, phospholipids play a central role in a diverse range of cellular processes and therefore are important factors in cellular dysfunction and disease. This review is focused on the role of phospholipids in normal assembly and organization of the membrane proteins, multimeric protein complexes, and higher order supercomplexes. Since lipi...

Membrane Compartmentalization Reducing the Mobility of Lipids and Proteins within a Model Plasma Membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Koldsø, Heidi; Reddy, Tyler; Fowler, Philip W; Duncan, Anna L; Sansom, Mark S P

2016-09-01

The cytoskeleton underlying cell membranes may influence the dynamic organization of proteins and lipids within the bilayer by immobilizing certain transmembrane (TM) proteins and forming corrals within the membrane. Here, we present coarse-grained resolution simulations of a biologically realistic membrane model of asymmetrically organized lipids and TM proteins. We determine the effects of a model of cytoskeletal immobilization of selected membrane proteins using long time scale coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. By introducing compartments with varying degrees of restraints within the membrane models, we are able to reveal how compartmentalization caused by cytoskeletal immobilization leads to reduced and anomalous diffusional mobility of both proteins and lipids. This in turn results in a reduced rate of protein dimerization within the membrane and of hopping of membrane proteins between compartments. These simulations provide a molecular realization of hierarchical models often invoked to explain single-molecule imaging studies of membrane proteins.

Dehydration of an azeotrope of ethanol/water by sodium carboxymethylcellulose membranes cross-linked with organic or inorganic cross-linker

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2010-11-01

Full Text Available To control the swelling of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMCNa membranes, mixtures of CMCNa and glutaraldehyde (GA and mixtures of CMCNa as an organic component and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS as an inorganic component were prepared, and CMCNa/GA cross-linked membranes and CMCNa/TEOS hybrid membranes were formed. In the separation of an ethanol/water azeotrope by pervaporation (PV, the effects of the GA or TEOS content on the water/ethanol selectivity and permeability of these CMCNa/GA cross-linked and CMCNa/TEOS hybrid membranes were investigated. Cross-linked and hybrid membranes containing up to 10 wt% GA or 10 wt% TEOS exhibited higher water/ethanol selectivity than CMCNa membrane without any cross-linker. This resulted from both increased density and depressed swelling of the membranes by the formation of a cross-linked structure. The relationship between the structure of the CMCNa/GA cross-linked membranes and CMCNa/TEOS hybrid membranes and their permeation and separation characteristics for an ethanol/water azeotrope during PV is discussed in detail.

Microbial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation on Microfiltration Membranes: A Detailed Characterization Using Model Organisms with Increasing Complexity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Vanysacker

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Since many years, membrane biofouling has been described as the Achilles heel of membrane fouling. In the present study, an ecological assay was performed using model systems with increasing complexity: a monospecies assay using Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Escherichia coli separately, a duospecies assay using both microorganisms, and a multispecies assay using activated sludge with or without spiked P. aeruginosa. The microbial adhesion and biofilm formation were evaluated in terms of bacterial cell densities, species richness, and bacterial community composition on polyvinyldifluoride, polyethylene, and polysulfone membranes. The data show that biofouling formation was strongly influenced by the kind of microorganism, the interactions between the organisms, and the changes in environmental conditions whereas the membrane effect was less important. The findings obtained in this study suggest that more knowledge in species composition and microbial interactions is needed in order to understand the complex biofouling process. This is the first report describing the microbial interactions with a membrane during the biofouling development.

Microbial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation on Microfiltration Membranes: A Detailed Characterization Using Model Organisms with Increasing Complexity

Science.gov (United States)

Vanysacker, L.; Denis, C.; Declerck, P.; Piasecka, A.; Vankelecom, I. F. J.

2013-01-01

Since many years, membrane biofouling has been described as the Achilles heel of membrane fouling. In the present study, an ecological assay was performed using model systems with increasing complexity: a monospecies assay using Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Escherichia coli separately, a duospecies assay using both microorganisms, and a multispecies assay using activated sludge with or without spiked P. aeruginosa. The microbial adhesion and biofilm formation were evaluated in terms of bacterial cell densities, species richness, and bacterial community composition on polyvinyldifluoride, polyethylene, and polysulfone membranes. The data show that biofouling formation was strongly influenced by the kind of microorganism, the interactions between the organisms, and the changes in environmental conditions whereas the membrane effect was less important. The findings obtained in this study suggest that more knowledge in species composition and microbial interactions is needed in order to understand the complex biofouling process. This is the first report describing the microbial interactions with a membrane during the biofouling development. PMID:23986906

Surface-seeking radionuclides in the skeleton: current approach and recent developments in biokinetic modelling for humans and beagles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luciani, A.; Polig, E.

2007-01-01

In the last decade, the biokinetics of surface-seeking radionuclides in the skeleton has been the object of several studies. Investigations were carried out to determine the kinetics of plutonium and americium in the skeleton of humans and beagles. As a result of these investigations, in recent years the models presented by ICRP in Publication 67 for humans were partially revised, particularly the skeletal part. The aim of the present work is to present recent developments in the biokinetic modelling of surface-seeking radionuclides (plutonium and americium) in beagles and humans. Various assumptions and physiological interpretations of the different approaches to the biokinetic modelling of the skeleton are discussed. Current ICRP concepts and skeleton modelling of plutonium and americium in humans are compared to the latest developments in biokinetic modelling in beagles. (authors)

Interactions between lipids and proteins are critical for organization of plasma membrane-ordered domains in tobacco BY-2 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Grosjean, Kevin; Der, Christophe; Robert, Franck; Thomas, Dominique; Mongrand, Sébastien; Simon-Plas, Françoise; Gerbeau-Pissot, Patricia

2018-06-27

The laterally heterogeneous plant plasma membrane (PM) is organized into finely controlled specialized areas that include membrane-ordered domains. Recently, the spatial distribution of such domains within the PM has been identified as playing a key role in cell responses to environmental challenges. To examine membrane order at a local level, BY-2 tobacco suspension cell PMs were labelled with an environment-sensitive probe (di-4-ANEPPDHQ). Four experimental models were compared to identify mechanisms and cell components involved in short-term (1 h) maintenance of the ordered domain organization in steady-state cell PMs: modulation of the cytoskeleton or the cell wall integrity of tobacco BY-2 cells; and formation of giant vesicles using either a lipid mixture of tobacco BY-2 cell PMs or the original lipid and protein combinations of the tobacco BY-2 cell PM. Whilst inhibiting phosphorylation or disrupting either the cytoskeleton or the cell wall had no observable effects, we found that lipids and proteins significantly modified both the abundance and spatial distribution of ordered domains. This indicates the involvement of intrinsic membrane components in the local physical state of the plant PM. Our findings support a major role for the 'lipid raft' model, defined as the sterol-dependent ordered assemblies of specific lipids and proteins in plant PM organization.

Regulation of membrane fusion and secretory events in the sea urchin embryo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roe, J.L.

1990-01-01

Membrane fusion and secretory events play a key role in fertilization and early development in the sea urchin embryo. To investigate the mechanism of membrane fusion, the effect of inhibitors of metalloendoprotease activity was studied on two model systems of cell fusion; fertilization and spiculogenesis by primary mesenchyme cells in the embryo. Both the zinc chelator, 1,10-phenanthroline, and peptide metalloprotease substrates were found to inhibit both fertilization and gamete fusion, while peptides that are not substrates of metalloproteases did not affect either process. Primary mesenchyme cells form the larval skeleton in the embryo by deposition of mineral and an organic matrix into a syncytial cavity formed by fusion of filopodia of these cells. Metalloprotease inhibitors were found to inhibit spiculogenesis both in vivo and in cultures of isolated primary mesenchyme cells, and the activity of a metalloprotease of the appropriate specificity was found in the primary mesenchyme cells. These two studies implicate the activity of a metalloprotease in a necessary step in membrane fusion. Following fertilization, exocytosis of the cortical granules results in the formation of the fertilization envelope and the hyaline layer, that surround the developing embryo. The hatching enzyme is secreted by the blastula stage sea urchin embryo, which proteolyzes the fertilization envelope surrounding the embryo, allowing the embryo to hatch. Using an assay that measures 125 I-fertilization envelope degradation, the hatching enzyme was identified as a 33 kDa metalloprotease, and was purified by ion-exchange and affinity chromatography from the hatching media of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus embryos. The hatching enzyme showed a substrate preference for only a minor subset of fertilization envelope proteins

Growth and morphogenesis of embryonic mouse organs on non-coated and extracellular matrix-coated Biopore membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Hardman, P.; Klement, B. J.; Spooner, B. S.

1993-01-01

Embryonic mouse salivary glands, pancreata, and kidneys were isolated from embryos of appropriate gestational age by microdissection, and were cultured on Biopore membrane either non-coated or coated with type I collagen or Matrigel. As expected, use of Biopore membrane allowed high quality photomicroscopy of the living organs. In all organs extensive mesenchymal spreading was observed in the presence of type I collagen or Matrigel. However, differences were noted in the effects of extracellular matrix (ECM) coatings on epithelial growth and morphogenesis: salivary glands were minimally affected, pancreas morphogenesis was adversely affected, and kidney growth and branching apparently was enhanced. It is suggested that these differences in behaviour reflect differences in the strength of interactions between the mesenchymal cells and their surrounding endogenous matrix, compared to the exogenous ECM macromolecules. This method will be useful for culture of these and other embryonic organs. In particular, culture of kidney rudiments on ECM-coated Biopore offers a great improvement over previously used methods which do not allow morphogenesis to be followed in vitro.

HuAc: Human Activity Recognition Using Crowdsourced WiFi Signals and Skeleton Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linlin Guo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The joint of WiFi-based and vision-based human activity recognition has attracted increasing attention in the human-computer interaction, smart home, and security monitoring fields. We propose HuAc, the combination of WiFi-based and Kinect-based activity recognition system, to sense human activity in an indoor environment with occlusion, weak light, and different perspectives. We first construct a WiFi-based activity recognition dataset named WiAR to provide a benchmark for WiFi-based activity recognition. Then, we design a mechanism of subcarrier selection according to the sensitivity of subcarriers to human activities. Moreover, we optimize the spatial relationship of adjacent skeleton joints and draw out a corresponding relationship between CSI and skeleton-based activity recognition. Finally, we explore the fusion information of CSI and crowdsourced skeleton joints to achieve the robustness of human activity recognition. We implemented HuAc using commercial WiFi devices and evaluated it in three kinds of scenarios. Our results show that HuAc achieves an average accuracy of greater than 93% using WiAR dataset.

Who Believes in the Giant Skeleton Myth? An Examination of Individual Difference Correlates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viren Swami

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study examined individual difference correlates of belief in a narrative about the discovery of giant skeletal remains that contravenes mainstream scientific explanations. A total of 364 participants from Central Europe completed a survey that asked them to rate their agreement with a short excerpt describing the giant skeleton myth. Participants also completed measures of the Big Five personality factors, New Age orientation, anti-scientific attitudes, superstitious beliefs, and religiosity. Results showed that women, as compared with men, and respondents with lower educational qualifications were significantly more likely to believe in the giant skeleton myth, although effect sizes were small. Correlational analysis showed that stronger belief in the giant skeleton myth was significantly associated with greater anti-scientific attitudes, stronger New Age orientation, greater religiosity, stronger superstitious beliefs, lower Openness to Experience scores, and higher Neuroticism scores. However, a multiple regression showed that the only significant predictors of belief in myth were Openness, New Age orientation, and anti-scientific attitudes. These results are discussed in relation to the potential negative consequences of belief in myths.

Semi-Automatic Construction of Skeleton Concept Maps from Case Judgments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, A.; Sijtsma, B.; Winkels, R.; Lettieri, N.

2014-01-01

This paper proposes an approach to generating Skeleton Conceptual Maps (SCM) semi automatically from legal case documents provided by the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court. SCM are incomplete knowledge representations for the purpose of scaffolding learning. The proposed system intends to provide

Ether lipids of planktonic archae in the marine water column

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Hoefs, M.J.L.; Schouten, S.; King, L.L.; Wakeham, S.G.; Leeuw, J.W. de

1997-01-01

Acyclic and cyclic biphytanes derived from the membrane ether lipids of archaea were found in water column particulate and sedimentary organic matter from several oxic and anoxic marine environments. Compound-specific isotope analyses of the carbon skeletons suggest that planktonic archaea utilize

Nanoclustering as a dominant feature of plasma membrane organization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Garcia-Parajo, M.F.; Cambi, A.; Torreno-Pina, J.A.; Thompson, N.; Jacobson, K.

2014-01-01

Early studies have revealed that some mammalian plasma membrane proteins exist in small nanoclusters. The advent of super-resolution microscopy has corroborated and extended this picture, and led to the suggestion that many, if not most, membrane proteins are clustered at the plasma membrane at

Anatomical investigation on the appendicular skeleton of the cattle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The pes consists of tibiotarsus, tarsometatarsus and four pedal digits. The tibiotarsus is longer than the femur. The spur is not found in the male bird. Conclusion: The skeleton of the cattle egret has a unique conformation that accommodates its ability to flight as well as being an insectivorous animal. Key words: Anatomy ...

Segmentation and visual analysis of whole-body mouse skeleton microSPECT.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artem Khmelinskii

Full Text Available Whole-body SPECT small animal imaging is used to study cancer, and plays an important role in the development of new drugs. Comparing and exploring whole-body datasets can be a difficult and time-consuming task due to the inherent heterogeneity of the data (high volume/throughput, multi-modality, postural and positioning variability. The goal of this study was to provide a method to align and compare side-by-side multiple whole-body skeleton SPECT datasets in a common reference, thus eliminating acquisition variability that exists between the subjects in cross-sectional and multi-modal studies. Six whole-body SPECT/CT datasets of BALB/c mice injected with bone targeting tracers (99mTc-methylene diphosphonate ((99mTc-MDP and (99mTc-hydroxymethane diphosphonate ((99mTc-HDP were used to evaluate the proposed method. An articulated version of the MOBY whole-body mouse atlas was used as a common reference. Its individual bones were registered one-by-one to the skeleton extracted from the acquired SPECT data following an anatomical hierarchical tree. Sequential registration was used while constraining the local degrees of freedom (DoFs of each bone in accordance to the type of joint and its range of motion. The Articulated Planar Reformation (APR algorithm was applied to the segmented data for side-by-side change visualization and comparison of data. To quantitatively evaluate the proposed algorithm, bone segmentations of extracted skeletons from the correspondent CT datasets were used. Euclidean point to surface distances between each dataset and the MOBY atlas were calculated. The obtained results indicate that after registration, the mean Euclidean distance decreased from 11.5±12.1 to 2.6±2.1 voxels. The proposed approach yielded satisfactory segmentation results with minimal user intervention. It proved to be robust for "incomplete" data (large chunks of skeleton missing and for an intuitive exploration and comparison of multi-modal SPECT

A skeleton model for the MJO with refined vertical structure

Science.gov (United States)

Thual, Sulian; Majda, Andrew J.

2016-05-01

The Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) is the dominant mode of variability in the tropical atmosphere on intraseasonal timescales and planetary spatial scales. The skeleton model is a minimal dynamical model that recovers robustly the most fundamental MJO features of (I) a slow eastward speed of roughly 5 {ms}^{-1}, (II) a peculiar dispersion relation with dω /dk ≈ 0, and (III) a horizontal quadrupole vortex structure. This model depicts the MJO as a neutrally-stable atmospheric wave that involves a simple multiscale interaction between planetary dry dynamics, planetary lower-tropospheric moisture and the planetary envelope of synoptic-scale activity. Here we propose and analyse an extended version of the skeleton model with additional variables accounting for the refined vertical structure of the MJO in nature. The present model reproduces qualitatively the front-to-rear vertical structure of the MJO found in nature, with MJO events marked by a planetary envelope of convective activity transitioning from the congestus to the deep to the stratiform type, in addition to a front-to-rear structure of moisture, winds and temperature. Despite its increased complexity the present model retains several interesting features of the original skeleton model such as a conserved energy and similar linear solutions. We further analyze a model version with a simple stochastic parametrization for the unresolved details of synoptic-scale activity. The stochastic model solutions show intermittent initiation, propagation and shut down of MJO wave trains, as in previous studies, in addition to MJO events with a front-to-rear vertical structure of varying intensity and characteristics from one event to another.

Impact of organic fractions identified by SEC and fluorescence EEM on the hydraulic reversibility of ultrafiltration membrane fouling by secondary effluents

KAUST Repository

Haberkampa, Jens

2011-05-01

Loss of membrane filtration performance due to organic fouling is still a significant drawback for the application of low-pressure membranes in tertiary wastewater treatment. The present study investigates the relevance of different organic fractions present in secondary effluents in terms of hydraulically reversible and irreversible fouling of hollow-fibre ultrafiltration membranes. A good correlation between the hydraulically reversible filtration resistance and the total organic biopolymer concentration according to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) was observed. Qualitatively biopolymers consist mainly of polysaccharides as well as proteins with high molecular weight. Polysaccharides are retained by the membrane pores, but can be removed by simple UF backwashing. On the other hand, fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) analysis indicates that the extent of the hydraulically irreversible fouling correlates with the presence of protein-like substances. Removal of protein-like substances by biological slow sand filtration or chemical coagulation results in the significant reduction of the hydraulically irreversible fouling, which is presumably due to proteins in the molecular range of biopolymers. In contrast to the comparatively low sensitivity of colorimetric methods for the analysis of proteins and polysaccharides, the combined application of size exclusion chromatography and fluorescence EEM analysis is a promising tool for the determination of the organic fouling propensity of secondary effluents. ©2011 Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Impact of organic fractions identified by SEC and fluorescence EEM on the hydraulic reversibility of ultrafiltration membrane fouling by secondary effluents

KAUST Repository

Haberkampa, Jens; Ernst, Mathias; Paar, Hendrik; Pallischeck, Daniela; Amy, Gary L.; Jekel, Martin R.

2011-01-01

Loss of membrane filtration performance due to organic fouling is still a significant drawback for the application of low-pressure membranes in tertiary wastewater treatment. The present study investigates the relevance of different organic fractions present in secondary effluents in terms of hydraulically reversible and irreversible fouling of hollow-fibre ultrafiltration membranes. A good correlation between the hydraulically reversible filtration resistance and the total organic biopolymer concentration according to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) was observed. Qualitatively biopolymers consist mainly of polysaccharides as well as proteins with high molecular weight. Polysaccharides are retained by the membrane pores, but can be removed by simple UF backwashing. On the other hand, fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) analysis indicates that the extent of the hydraulically irreversible fouling correlates with the presence of protein-like substances. Removal of protein-like substances by biological slow sand filtration or chemical coagulation results in the significant reduction of the hydraulically irreversible fouling, which is presumably due to proteins in the molecular range of biopolymers. In contrast to the comparatively low sensitivity of colorimetric methods for the analysis of proteins and polysaccharides, the combined application of size exclusion chromatography and fluorescence EEM analysis is a promising tool for the determination of the organic fouling propensity of secondary effluents. ©2011 Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

[CHARACTERISTICS OF OSTEOCYTE CELL LINES FROM BONES FORMED AS A RESULT OF MEMBRANOUS (SKULL BONES) AND CHONDRAL (LONG BONES) OSSIFICATION].

Science.gov (United States)

Avrunin, A S; Doktorov, A A

2016-01-01

The aim of this work was to analyze the literature data and the results of authors' own research, to answer the question--if the osteocytes of bone tissues resulting from membranous and chondral ossification, belong to one or to different cell lines. The differences between the cells of osteocyte lines derived from bones resulting from membranous and chondral ossification were established in: 1) the magnitude of the mechanical signal, initiating the development of the process of mechanotransduction; 2) the nature of the relationship between the magnitude of the mechanical signal that initiates the reorganization of the architecture of bone structures and the resource of their strength; in membranous bones significantly lower mechanical signal caused a substantially greater increment of bone strength resource; 3) the biological activity of bone structures, bone fragments formed from membranous tissue were more optimal for transplantation; 4) the characteristics of expression of functional markers of bone cells at different stages of their differentiation; 5) the nature of the reaction of bone cells to mechanical stress; 6) the sensitivity of bone cells to one of the factors controlling the process of mechanotransduction (PGI2); 7) the functioning of osteocytes during lactation. These differences reflect the functional requirements to the bones of the skeleton--the supporting function in the bones of the limbs and the shaping and protection in the bones of the cranial vault. These data suggest that the results of research conducted on the bones of the skull, should not be transferred to the entire skeleton as a whole.

Assessing the removal of organic micro-pollutants from anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent by fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis

KAUST Repository

Kim, Youngjin

2017-03-23

In this study, the behavior of organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) transport including membrane fouling was assessed in fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis (FDFO) during treatment of the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) effluent. The flux decline was negligible when the FO membrane was oriented with active layer facing feed solution (AL-FS) while severe flux decline was observed with active layer facing draw solution (AL-DS) with di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer as DS due to struvite scaling inside the membrane support layer. DAP DS however exhibited the lowest OMPs forward flux or higher OMPs rejection rate compared to other two fertilizers (i.e., mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP) and KCl). MAP and KCl fertilizer DS had higher water fluxes that induced higher external concentration polarization (ECP) and enhanced OMPs flux through the FO membrane. Under the AL-DS mode of membrane orientation, OMPs transport was further increased with MAP and KCl as DS due to enhanced concentrative internal concentration polarization while with DAP the internal scaling enhanced mass transfer resistance thereby lowering OMPs flux. Physical or hydraulic cleaning could successfully recover water flux for FO membranes operated under the AL-FS mode but only partial flux recovery was observed for membranes operated under AL-DS mode because of internal scaling and fouling in the support layer. Osmotic backwashing could however significantly improve the cleaning efficiency.

Talent identification and deliberate programming in skeleton: ice novice to Winter Olympian in 14 months.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullock, Nicola; Gulbin, Jason P; Martin, David T; Ross, Angus; Holland, Terry; Marino, Frank

2009-02-15

The aims of this study were to talent transfer, rapidly develop, and qualify an Australian female athlete in the skeleton event at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympic Games and quantify the volume of skeleton-specific training and competition that would enable this to be achieved. Initially, 26 athletes were recruited through a talent identification programme based on their 30-m sprint time. After attending a selection camp, 10 athletes were invited to undertake an intensified skeleton training programme. Four of these athletes were then selected to compete for Australia on the World Cup circuit. All completed runs and simulated push starts were documented over a 14-month period. The athlete who eventually represented Australia at the Torino Winter Olympic Games did so following approximately 300 start simulations and about 220 training/competition runs over a period of 14 months. Using a deliberate programming model, these findings provide a guide to the minimum exposure required for a novice skeleton athlete to reach Olympic representative standard following intensified sport-specific training. The findings of this study are discussed in the context of the deliberate practice theory and offer the term "deliberate programming" as an alternative way of incorporating all aspects of expert development.

Modulation of erythrocyte membrane mechanical stability by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in the neonatal poikilocytosis/elliptocytosis syndrome.

OpenAIRE

Mentzer, W C; Iarocci, T A; Mohandas, N; Lane, P A; Smith, B; Lazerson, J; Hays, T

1987-01-01

To explain the transient anemia and poikilocytosis seen during infancy in hereditary elliptocytosis (HE), we resealed erythrocyte (RBC) ghosts from affected children or their elliptocytic parents with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) (0-8 mM), a compound that dissociates membrane skeletons, then measured ghost mechanical stability in the ektacytometer. Without added 2,3-DPG, ghost mechanical stability was subnormal in infantile poikilocytosis (IP) and HE but was even more abnormal in hereditary p...

NMR examinations of the facial skeleton. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grodd, W.; Lenz, M.; Baumann, R.; Schroth, G.

1984-01-01

The resolution of NMR and CT was compared using axial sections of the normal anatomic structures of the facial skeleton. Is was shown that NMR was superior in differentiating muscles, tonsils, mucosa, lymph nodes and blood vessels. The demonstration of bone and its differentiation from air-containing spaces is often difficult. Metallic, non-ferromagnetic dental fillings, which cause serious artefacts on CT, do not after NMR. (orig.) [de

Enhancing start performance in the sport of skeleton

OpenAIRE

Colyer, Steffi

2015-01-01

A fast start is considered to be crucial in skeleton with marginal gains in start performance perceived to make meaningful improvements to overall chances of success. Currently, knowledge surrounding the underlying determinants of start performance is sparse and training practices are based on limited scientific evidence. A series of investigations were conducted to advance this understanding.Initial observations revealed similarities between dry-land push-starts and those on ice tracks. Howe...

Polystyrene Sulfonate Threaded through a Metal-Organic Framework Membrane for Fast and Selective Lithium-Ion Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yi; Ying, Yulong; Mao, Yiyin; Peng, Xinsheng; Chen, Banglin

2016-11-21

Extraction of lithium ions from salt-lake brines is very important to produce lithium compounds. Herein, we report a new approach to construct polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) threaded HKUST-1 metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes through an in situ confinement conversion process. The resulting membrane PSS@HKUST-1-6.7, with unique anchored three-dimensional sulfonate networks, shows a very high Li + conductivity of 5.53×10 -4  S cm -1 at 25 °C, 1.89×10 -3  S cm -1 at 70 °C, and Li + flux of 6.75 mol m -2  h -1 , which are five orders higher than that of the pristine HKUST-1 membrane. Attributed to the different size sieving effects and the affinity differences of the Li + , Na + , K + , and Mg 2+ ions to the sulfonate groups, the PSS@HKUST-1-6.7 membrane exhibits ideal selectivities of 78, 99, and 10296 for Li + /Na + , Li + /K + , Li + /Mg 2+ and real binary ion selectivities of 35, 67, and 1815, respectively, the highest ever reported among ionic conductors and Li + extraction membranes. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Morphological analysis of mouse skeleton following AZD4547 treatment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dosedělová, Hana; Veselá, Iva; Krejčí, P.; Kunová, M.; Buchtová, Marcela

2015-01-01

Roč. 159, Suppl 1 (2015), s. 58-59 ISSN 1213-8118. [Morphology 2015. International Congress of the Czech Anatomical Society /49./. Lojda Symposium on Histochemistry /52./. 06.09.2015-08.09.2015, Olomouc] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-31540S Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : mouse skeleton Subject RIV: EA - Cell Biology

Identification through osteometric data on three radium-burdened skeletons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farnham, J.E.; Forkal, J.W.

1981-01-01

The skeletal remains of four persons of uncertain identity were disinterred from a family grave. The weight and description morphological traits of each bone were recorded, as were the lengths of the long bones. Analyses of these data, combined with information obtained from medical records and disinterment reports, led to the specific identification of each skeleton

Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized SurfaceWaves

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhendong

2015-08-19

We present a surface-wave inversion method that inverts for the S-wave velocity from the Rayleigh dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode. We call this wave equation inversion of skeletonized surface waves because the dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode Rayleigh wave is inverted using finite-difference solutions to the wave equation. The best match between the predicted and observed dispersion curves provides the optimal S-wave velocity model. Results with synthetic and field data illustrate the benefits and limitations of this method.

Membrane order in the plasma membrane and endocytic recycling compartment.

Science.gov (United States)

Iaea, David B; Maxfield, Frederick R

2017-01-01

The cholesterol content of membranes plays an important role in organizing membranes for signal transduction and protein trafficking as well as in modulating the biophysical properties of membranes. While the properties of model or isolated membranes have been extensively studied, there has been little evaluation of internal membranes in living cells. Here, we use a Nile Red based probe, NR12S, and ratiometric live cell imaging, to analyze the membrane order of the plasma membrane and endocytic recycling compartment. We find that after a brief incubation to allow endocytosis, NR12S is distributed between the plasma membrane and the endocytic recycling compartment. The NR12S reports that the endocytic recycling compartment is more highly ordered than the plasma membrane. We also find that the plasma membrane and the endocytic recycling compartment are differentially affected by altering cellular cholesterol levels. The membrane order of the plasma membrane, but not the endocytic recycling compartment, is altered significantly when cellular cholesterol content is increased or decreased by 20%. These results demonstrate that changes in cellular cholesterol differentially alter membrane order within different organelles.

Improvement of skeleton conversion in ICRP reference phantom conversion project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhao Jun; Yeom, Yeon Soo; Thang, Nguyen Tat; Kim, Han Sung; Han, Min Cheol; Kim, Chan Hyeong [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Seong Hoon [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-11-15

In the previous skeleton conversion, most bones were directly converted from the ICRP voxel phantoms by using the 3D rendering method whereas several complex-shape bones (cranium, ribs, spines, feet, and hands) were not able to be directly converted. We alternatively employed the corresponding well-defined polygonal models and attempted to adjust them to match the voxel models. However, this approach was unsatisfactory. The shapes of the alternative models were significantly different from those of the voxel models, making it virtually impossible to exactly match the voxel models as shown in Fig. 3 (left). In order to overcome the difficulty in the complex bone conversion, the present study developed a new conversion method and converted these complex bones voxel models of the ICRP male phantom to polygonal models. The present study developed the new conversion method and successfully improved polygonal models for cranium, ribs, and spines for the ICRP male phantom. The new conversion method will be also applied to the complex bone conversion for the ICRP female phantom as well as other complex organ conversion in the future.

Improvement of skeleton conversion in ICRP reference phantom conversion project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhao Jun; Yeom, Yeon Soo; Thang, Nguyen Tat; Kim, Han Sung; Han, Min Cheol; Kim, Chan Hyeong; Kim, Seong Hoon

2014-01-01

In the previous skeleton conversion, most bones were directly converted from the ICRP voxel phantoms by using the 3D rendering method whereas several complex-shape bones (cranium, ribs, spines, feet, and hands) were not able to be directly converted. We alternatively employed the corresponding well-defined polygonal models and attempted to adjust them to match the voxel models. However, this approach was unsatisfactory. The shapes of the alternative models were significantly different from those of the voxel models, making it virtually impossible to exactly match the voxel models as shown in Fig. 3 (left). In order to overcome the difficulty in the complex bone conversion, the present study developed a new conversion method and converted these complex bones voxel models of the ICRP male phantom to polygonal models. The present study developed the new conversion method and successfully improved polygonal models for cranium, ribs, and spines for the ICRP male phantom. The new conversion method will be also applied to the complex bone conversion for the ICRP female phantom as well as other complex organ conversion in the future

Application of Pre-coated Microfiltration Ceramic Membrane with Powdered Activated Carbon for Natural Organic Matter Removal from Secondary Wastewater Effluent

KAUST Repository

Kurniasari, Novita

2012-12-01

Ceramic membranes offer more advantageous performances than conventional polymeric membranes. However, membrane fouling caused by Natural Organic Matters (NOM) contained in the feed water is still become a major problem for operational efficiency. A new method of ceramic membrane pre-coating with Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC), which allows extremely contact time for adsorbing aquatic contaminants, has been studied as a pre-treatment prior to ceramic microfiltration membrane. This bench scale study evaluated five different types of PAC (SA Super, G 60, KCU 6, KCU 8 and KCU 12,). The results showed that KCU 6 with larger pore size was performed better compared to other PAC when pre-coated on membrane surface. PAC pre-coating on the ceramic membrane with KCU 6 was significantly enhance NOM removal, reduced membrane fouling and improved membrane performance. Increase of total membrane resistance was suppressed to 96%. The removal of NOM components up to 92%, 58% and 56% for biopolymers, humic substances and building blocks, respectively was achieved at pre-coating dose of 30 mg/l. Adsorption was found to be the major removal mechanism of NOM. Results obtained showed that biopolymers removal are potentially correlated with enhanced membrane performance.

An Augmented Fast Marching Method for Computing Skeletons and Centerlines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Telea, Alexandru; Wijk, Jarke J. van

2002-01-01

We present a simple and robust method for computing skeletons for arbitrary planar objects and centerlines for 3D objects. We augment the Fast Marching Method (FMM) widely used in level set applications by computing the paramterized boundary location every pixel came from during the boundary

Membrane architectures for ion-channel switch-based electrochemical biosensors

Science.gov (United States)

Sansinena, Jose-Maria; Redondo, Antonio; Swanson, Basil I.; Yee, Chanel Kitmon; Sapuri/Butti, Annapoorna R.; Parikh, Atul N.; Yang, Calvin

2008-10-28

The present invention is directed to a process of forming a bilayer lipid membrane structure by depositing an organic layer having a defined surface area onto an electrically conductive substrate, removing portions of said organic layer upon said electrically conductive substrate whereby selected portions of said organic layer are removed to form defined voids within said defined surface area of said organic layer and defined islands of organic layer upon said electrically conductive substrate, and, depositing a bilayer lipid membrane over the defined voids and defined islands of organic layer upon said substrate whereby aqueous reservoirs are formed between said electrically conductive substrate and said bilayer lipid membrane, said bilayer lipid membrane characterized as spanning across the defined voids between said defined islands. A lipid membrane structure is also described together with an array of such lipid membrane structure.

Uranium in coral skeletons determined by epithermal neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohde, S.; Hossain, M.M.M.; Ozaki, H.; Masuzawa, T.

2003-01-01

A simple and non-destructive method has been proposed for the routine determination of uranium by epithermal neutron activation analysis in coral skeletons. Using a cadmium capsule, about 0.1-0.2 g samples were irradiated for 6 hours in the Triga Mark II Reactor. Measurements of γ-ray ( 239 Np via 239 U) were performed with each sample and standard after cooling for about three days. Compared with a non-destructive thermal NAA, the present method was found to improve the sensitivity because it reduced the intense Compton background induced by 24 Na. Uranium in coral standards was determined within 2% of analytical precision. The data obtained for the carbonate standards are mostly consistent with reported values. The present method could be usefully applied to determine uranium contents in fossil corals from the Funafuti Atoll in the Pacific. The distribution of uranium between seawater and coral skeletons is also discussed in order to understand the environmental media in which the coral grew. (author)

The effect of natural and synthetic fatty acids on membrane structure, microdomain organization, cellular functions and human health.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibarguren, Maitane; López, David J; Escribá, Pablo V

2014-06-01

This review deals with the effects of synthetic and natural fatty acids on the biophysical properties of membranes, and on their implication on cell function. Natural fatty acids are constituents of more complex lipids, like triacylglycerides or phospholipids, which are used by cells to store and obtain energy, as well as for structural purposes. Accordingly, natural and synthetic fatty acids may modify the structure of the lipid membrane, altering its microdomain organization and other physical properties, and provoking changes in cell signaling. Therefore, by modulating fatty acids it is possible to regulate the structure of the membrane, influencing the cell processes that are reliant on this structure and potentially reverting pathological cell dysfunctions that may provoke cancer, diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The so-called Membrane Lipid Therapy offers a strategy to regulate the membrane composition through drug administration, potentially reverting pathological processes by re-adapting cell membrane structure. Certain fatty acids and their synthetic derivatives are described here that may potentially be used in such therapies, where the cell membrane itself can be considered as a target to combat disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane Structure and Function: Relevance in the Cell's Physiology, Pathology and Therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Skeletonized wave-equation inversion for Q

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav

2016-09-06

A wave-equation gradient optimization method is presented that inverts for the subsurface Q distribution by minimizing a skeletonized misfit function ε. Here, ε is the sum of the squared differences between the observed and the predicted peak/centroid frequency shifts of the early-arrivals. The gradient is computed by migrating the observed traces weighted by the frequency-shift residuals. The background Q model is perturbed until the predicted and the observed traces have the same peak frequencies or the same centroid frequencies. Numerical tests show that an improved accuracy of the inverted Q model by wave-equation Q tomography (WQ) leads to a noticeable improvement in the migration image quality.

Skeletonized wave-equation inversion for Q

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

A wave-equation gradient optimization method is presented that inverts for the subsurface Q distribution by minimizing a skeletonized misfit function ε. Here, ε is the sum of the squared differences between the observed and the predicted peak/centroid frequency shifts of the early-arrivals. The gradient is computed by migrating the observed traces weighted by the frequency-shift residuals. The background Q model is perturbed until the predicted and the observed traces have the same peak frequencies or the same centroid frequencies. Numerical tests show that an improved accuracy of the inverted Q model by wave-equation Q tomography (WQ) leads to a noticeable improvement in the migration image quality.

Comparative Study on Performance and Organic Fouling of ZrO2 Ceramic Membranes in Ultrafiltration of Synthetic Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent

KAUST Repository

Li, Cen

2011-07-01

Adsorption of organic matter on ceramic membrane can lead to hydraulic-irreversible fouling, which decreases the permeate flux and the cost-efficiency of membrane devices. In order to optimize the filtration process, detailed information is necessary about the organic fouling mechanisms on ceramic membranes. In this study, dead-end filtration experiments of both synthetic water and secondary effluent from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were conducted on a ZrO2 ceramic membrane. The experiment results of synthetic water showed that humic acid (HA) was able to be adsorbed by the ZrO2 membrane and cause permeate flux decline; and that HA-tryptophan mixture, at the same DOC level, promoted the filtration flux decline; DOC removal in the case of HA-tryptophan was lower than that of HA alone. It seems that hydrophilic organic matter with low molecular weight have some specific contribution to the organic fouling of the ZrO2 membrane. The results also suggest that tryptophan molecules were preferentially adsorbed on the membrane at the beginning, exposing their hydrophobic sides which might further adsorb HA from the feed water. During the filtration of WWTP effluent, protein-like substances (mainly tryptophan-like) were also preferentially adsorbed on the membrane compared with humic-like ones in the initial few cycles of filtration. More humic-like substances were adsorbed in the following filtration cycles due to the increase of membrane hydrophobicity. A significant rise in hydraulic-irreversible flux decline was obtained by decreasing pH from near pHpzc to below pHpzc of the membrane. It suggests that a positively charged surface is preferred for HA adsorption. Ionic strength increase did not affect the filtration of HA, but it lessened the hydraulic-irreversible flux decline of HA-tryptophan filtration. The adsorption of HA-tryptophan can be attributed to outersphere interaction while HA adsorption is mainly caused by inner-sphere interaction. The results of

Synthesis and Electrospraying of Nanoscale MOF (Metal Organic Framework) for High-Performance CO2 Adsorption Membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Wahiduzzaman; Allmond, Kelsey; Stone, John; Harp, Spencer; Mujibur, Khan

2017-01-01

We report the sonochemical synthesis of MOF (metal organic framework) nanoparticles of 30-200 nm in size and electrospraying of those particles on electrospun nanofibers to process a MOF-attached nanofibrous membrane. This membrane displayed significant selectivity towards CO2 and capacity of adsorbing with 4000-5000 ppm difference from a mixed gas flow of 1% CO2 and 99% N2. Applying ultrasonic waves during the MOF synthesis offered rapid dispersion and formation of crystalline MOF nanoparticles in room temperature. The MOF nanoparticles of 100-200 nm in size displayed higher surface area and adsorption capacity comparing to that of 30-60 nm in size. Nanofibrous membrane was produced by electrospinning of MOF blended PAN solution followed by electrospraying of additional MOF nanoparticles. This yielded uniform MOF deposition on nanofibers, occurred due to electrostatic attraction between highly charged nanoparticles and conductive nanofibers. A test bench for real-time CO2 adsorption at room temperature was built with non-dispersive Infrared (NDIR) CO2 sensors. Comparative tests were performed on the membrane to investigate its enhanced adsorption capacity. Three layers of the as-produced membranes displayed CO2 adsorption for approximately 2 h. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the membrane showed the thermal stability of the MOF and PAN up to 290 and 425 °C, respectively.

Continual reassessment method for dose escalation clinical trials in oncology: a comparison of prior skeleton approaches using AZD3514 data.

Science.gov (United States)

James, Gareth D; Symeonides, Stefan N; Marshall, Jayne; Young, Julia; Clack, Glen

2016-08-31

The continual reassessment method (CRM) requires an underlying model of the dose-toxicity relationship ("prior skeleton") and there is limited guidance of what this should be when little is known about this association. In this manuscript the impact of applying the CRM with different prior skeleton approaches and the 3 + 3 method are compared in terms of ability to determine the true maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and number of patients allocated to sub-optimal and toxic doses. Post-hoc dose-escalation analyses on real-life clinical trial data on an early oncology compound (AZD3514), using the 3 + 3 method and CRM using six different prior skeleton approaches. All methods correctly identified the true MTD. The 3 + 3 method allocated six patients to both sub-optimal and toxic doses. All CRM approaches allocated four patients to sub-optimal doses. No patients were allocated to toxic doses from sigmoidal, two from conservative and five from other approaches. Prior skeletons for the CRM for phase 1 clinical trials are proposed in this manuscript and applied to a real clinical trial dataset. Highly accurate initial skeleton estimates may not be essential to determine the true MTD, and, as expected, all CRM methods out-performed the 3 + 3 method. There were differences in performance between skeletons. The choice of skeleton should depend on whether minimizing the number of patients allocated to suboptimal or toxic doses is more important. NCT01162395 , Trial date of first registration: July 13, 2010.

Distribution of 239Pu and 241Am in the human skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McInroy, J.F.; Swint, M.J.

1984-01-01

The 241 Am and 239 Pu distribution in the skeletons of two former nuclear workers has been measured. The skeletons of both individuals appear to be within normal limits for Caucasian men about 50 y old. Both had lower limb bones that were heavier than the age controls and Case I had upper-body bones that were lighter than the age control group. The distribution of americium in the skeleton of Case I, 25 years post exposure, indicated that a more rapid turnover of initially deposited americium on the bone surfaces of cancellous bone, as compared to that deposited on the bone surfaces of compact bone, had occurred. This resulted in a larger proportion of americium located in the compact bone of the extremities and a lesser quantity in the more cancellous bones of the vertebral column, pelvis and rib cage. A similar shift in the distribution of plutonium occurred in Case II in the 35 y since initial deposition, but at a slower rate than that for americium. The ratio of each actinide in the liver to that in the systemic system (liver content/systemic system content) was 0.065 and 0.436, for americium and plutonium, respectively, suggesting that a much more rapid turnover of americium in the liver, compared to plutonium, provided a much larger fraction of that nuclide for circulatory feedback to the remodeling skeletal system. 8 references, 3 tables

In Situ and Real-Time SFG Measurements Revealing Organization and Transport of Cholesterol Analogue 6-Ketocholestanol in a Cell Membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Sulan; Li, Hongchun; Tian, Kangzhen; Ye, Shuji; Luo, Yi

2014-02-06

Cholesterol organization and transport within a cell membrane are essential for human health and many cellular functions yet remain elusive so far. Using cholesterol analogue 6-ketocholestanol (6-KC) as a model, we have successfully exploited sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG-VS) to track the organization and transport of cholesterol in a membrane by combining achiral-sensitive ssp (ppp) and chiral-sensitive psp polarization measurements. It is found that 6-KC molecules are aligned at the outer leaflet of the DMPC lipid bilayer with a tilt angle of about 10°. 6-KC organizes itself by forming an α-β structure at low 6-KC concentration and most likely a β-β structure at high 6-KC concentration. Among all proposed models, our results favor the so-called umbrella model with formation of a 6-KC cluster. Moreover, we have found that the long anticipated flip-flop motion of 6-KC in the membrane takes time to occur, at least much longer than previously thought. All of these interesting findings indicate that it is critical to explore in situ, real-time, and label-free methodologies to obtain a precise molecular description of cholesterol's behavior in membranes. This study represents the first application of SFG to reveal the cholesterol-lipid interaction mechanism at the molecular level.

Removal of nitrogen and organic matter in a submerged-membrane bioreactor operating in a condition of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izabela Major Barbosa

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the removal of nitrogen and organic matter in a membrane bioreactor system operating in a condition of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification controlled by intermittent aeration. A submerged-membrane system in a bioreactor was used in a pilot scale to treat domestic wastewater. The dissolved oxygen concentration was maintained between 0.5 and 0.8 mg L-1. The concentration of the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS in the system ranged from 1 to 6 g L-1. The system efficiency was evaluated by the removal efficiency of organic matter, quantified by Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5 and Total Organic Carbon (TOC. Nitrogen removal was assessed by quantifying Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN and ammonia nitrogen. During the system start-up, the removal efficiencies of COD and NTK were around 90% and 80%, respectively. After the simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND conditions were established, the removal efficiencies of COD and NTK were 70% and 99%, respectively. These results showed that sewage treatment with the membrane bioreactor (MBR system, operating with simultaneous nitrification and denitrification conditions, was able to remove organic matter and promote nitrification and denitrification in a single reactor, producing a high-quality permeate.

Reversibility of Pt-Skin and Pt-Skeleton Nanostructures in Acidic Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Durst, Julien; Lopez-Haro, Miguel; Dubau, Laetitia; Chatenet, Marian; Soldo-Olivier, Yvonne; Guétaz, Laure; Bayle-Guillemaud, Pascale; Maillard, Frédéric

2014-02-06

Following a well-defined series of acid and heat treatments on a benchmark Pt3Co/C sample, three different nanostructures of interest for the electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction were tailored. These nanostructures could be sorted into the "Pt-skin" structure, made of one pure Pt overlayer, and the "Pt-skeleton" structure, made of 2-3 Pt overlayers surrounding the Pt-Co alloy core. Using a unique combination of high-resolution aberration-corrected STEM-EELS, XRD, EXAFS, and XANES measurements, we provide atomically resolved pictures of these different nanostructures, including measurement of the Pt-shell thickness forming in acidic media and the resulting changes of the bulk and core chemical composition. It is shown that the Pt-skin is reverted toward the Pt-skeleton upon contact with acid electrolyte. This change in structure causes strong variations of the chemical composition.

An Adaptable Spectrin/Ankyrin-Based Mechanism for Long-Range Organization of Plasma Membranes in Vertebrate Tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Vann; Lorenzo, Damaris N

2016-01-01

Ankyrins are membrane-associated proteins that together with their spectrin partners are responsible for micron-scale organization of vertebrate plasma membranes, including those of erythrocytes, excitable membranes of neurons and heart, lateral membrane domains of columnar epithelial cells, and striated muscle. Ankyrins coordinate functionally related membrane transporters and cell adhesion proteins (15 protein families identified so far) within plasma membrane compartments through independently evolved interactions of intrinsically disordered sequences with a highly conserved peptide-binding groove formed by the ANK repeat solenoid. Ankyrins are coupled to spectrins, which are elongated organelle-sized proteins that form mechanically resilient arrays through cross-linking by specialized actin filaments. In addition to protein interactions, cellular targeting and assembly of spectrin/ankyrin domains also critically depend on palmitoylation of ankyrin-G by aspartate-histidine-histidine-cysteine 5/8 palmitoyltransferases, as well as interaction of beta-2 spectrin with phosphoinositide lipids. These lipid-dependent spectrin/ankyrin domains are not static but are locally dynamic and determine membrane identity through opposing endocytosis of bulk lipids as well as specific proteins. A partnership between spectrin, ankyrin, and cell adhesion molecules first emerged in bilaterians over 500 million years ago. Ankyrin and spectrin may have been recruited to plasma membranes from more ancient roles in organelle transport. The basic bilaterian spectrin-ankyrin toolkit markedly expanded in vertebrates through gene duplications combined with variation in unstructured intramolecular regulatory sequences as well as independent evolution of ankyrin-binding activity by ion transporters involved in action potentials and calcium homeostasis. In addition, giant vertebrate ankyrins with specialized roles in axons acquired new coding sequences by exon shuffling. We speculate that

The radioimmunotoxicological and radiogenotoxicological effect induced by 134Cs retention in the whole body and skeleton and germ system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Shoupeng; Xia Fen; Yang Weidong

1993-05-01

A fitted equation to describe the retention of 134 Cs in whole body is obtained by a whole body counter. The equation consists of two half-life components, the fast component is T 1/2 = 0.07 d and the slow component is T 1/2 = 16.14 d. Two fitted equations describing the retention of 134 Cs in skeleton and testes are also introduced. The T 1/2 in skeleton is 5.73 d and in testes is 5.21 d. The results of investigating radioimmunotoxicological effect induced by 134 Cs show that the inhibition of thymus cells is higher than bone marrow cells, the spleen T-lymphocytes is more sensitive to 134 Cs than B-lymphocytes and lymphocytes of peripheral immune organ are more sensitive to radiation than central immune cells and thymus cells. The study of radiogenotoxicological effect induced by 134 Cs shows that the chromosome aberration frequencies and PCE micronucleus formation in bone marrow cells are significantly high, it can induce chromosome aberrations of spermatogonia and increases the abnormality of sperm. The relations between injected dose and abnormalities can be expressed by power functions

MPK-1 ERK controls membrane organization in C. elegans oogenesis via a sex-determination module.

Science.gov (United States)

Arur, Swathi; Ohmachi, Mitsue; Berkseth, Matt; Nayak, Sudhir; Hansen, David; Zarkower, David; Schedl, Tim

2011-05-17

Tissues that generate specialized cell types in a production line must coordinate developmental mechanisms with physiological demand, although how this occurs is largely unknown. In the Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite, the developmental sex-determination cascade specifies gamete sex in the distal germline, while physiological sperm signaling activates MPK-1/ERK in the proximal germline to control plasma membrane biogenesis and organization during oogenesis. We discovered repeated utilization of a self-contained negative regulatory module, consisting of NOS-3 translational repressor, FEM-CUL-2 (E3 ubiquitin ligase), and TRA-1 (Gli transcriptional repressor), which acts both in sex determination and in physiological demand control of oogenesis, coordinating these processes. In the distal germline, where MPK-1 is not activated, TRA-1 represses the male fate as NOS-3 functions in translational repression leading to inactivation of the FEM-CUL-2 ubiquitin ligase. In the proximal germline, sperm-dependent physiological MPK-1 activation results in phosphorylation-based inactivation of NOS-3, FEM-CUL-2-mediated degradation of TRA-1 and the promotion of membrane organization during oogenesis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cell-Culture Reactor Having a Porous Organic Polymer Membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Koontz, Steven L. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A method for making a biocompatible polymer article using a uniform atomic oxygen treatment is disclosed. The substrate may be subsequently optionally grated with a compatibilizing compound. Compatibilizing compounds may include proteins, phosphory1choline groups, platelet adhesion preventing polymers, albumin adhesion promoters, and the like. The compatibilized substrate may also have a living cell layer adhered thereto. The atomic oxygen is preferably produced by a flowing afterglow microwave discharge, wherein the substrate resides in a sidearm out of the plasma. Also, methods for culturing cells for various purposes using the various membranes are disclosed as well. Also disclosed are porous organic polymers having a distributed pore chemistry (DPC) comprising hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions, and a method for making the DPC by exposing the polymer to atomic oxygen wherein the rate of hydrophilization is greater than the rate of mass loss.

Historic timber skeleton structures and the local seismic culture

Science.gov (United States)

Bostenaru, M.

2009-04-01

This presentation deals with the employment of timber skeleton structure and the local seismic culture. After the 1755 earthquake in the reconstruction of Lisbon a type of building with timber skeleton and masonry infill called "gaiola pombalina" was promoted, since this was designed to better resists earthquakes. "Gaiola" means cage, and it was also named after the Marques de Pombal who introduced it in the reconstruction following the earthquake. The „gaiola pombalina" presents a timber skeleton with Saint Andrew crosses in the interior walls with masonry infill and thick masonry load bearing walls loosing in thickness to the upper floors in the exterior walls. The masonry can fall out during earthquakes but the building remains staying given the interior timber skeleton. The type of buildings with timber structure and (masonry) infill behaved well in earthquakes in various parts of the earth, like Nepal (the dhaji dewary type), Pakistan, Turkey (the himiş type after the 1999 earthquake) [both latter types were researched by Langenbach, www.conservationtech.com and www.traditional-is-modern.net] and also in Germany after the 1356 earthquake (the Southern German subtype of Fachwerk). Also in Italy a subtype called "casa baraccata" was promoted in a construction code to a similar time (following the 1783 earthquake in Southern Italy, see Tobriner 1983) as that of the "gaiola pombalina", the time of the Baroque, when town planning acquired another status. Unlike at the "gaiola pombalina" the "casa baraccata" the timber skeleton is at the exterior walls. For this reason this type of buildings is considered to be an expression of the local seismic culture. However, this type of buildings is common also for areas where seismic risk is not an issue, like half-timbered in England and the northern subtype of Fachwerk in Northern Germany, and in some high seismic risk regions with mountains and timber resources like Romania is not spread. Given these premises the author

Recent advances in membrane materials: introductory remarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayral, A.

2007-01-01

A lot of separation operations are currently performed using membranes both for production processes and for environmental applications. The main part of the used membranes are organic membranes but for specific conditions of utilization inorganic or organic-inorganic membranes have been also developed. Among the applications for gas separation, some examples are the removal of hydrogen from ammonia synthesis gas, the removal of carbon dioxide from natural gas and air separation. Environmental considerations like massive scale air and water pollution and also the gradual rarefaction of fossil energy resources gave rise to the concept of sustainable growth and to related strategies like process intensification, the reuse of water and solvents at their point of use, hydrogen as energy vector (requiring H 2 production...)..Membranes will have a key part to play in the new technologies associated with these strategies. Intensive efforts of research and development are now engaged everywhere in the world to develop high performance membranes for those emerging applications. Membrane science is a multidisciplinary scientific and technological domain covering mainly materials science, physical chemistry, chemical engineering, modeling. This issue (Annales de chimie - Science des materiaux, 2007 Vol.32 N.2) provides a wide review of recent advances in membrane materials. It is based on the contributions of experts in different fields of membrane materials (organic, organic-inorganic hybrid, composite, carbon, metallic, ceramic; dense, porous, surface modified materials). (O.M.)

A Skeleton Based Programming Paradigm for Mobile Multi-Agents on Distributed Systems and Its Realization within the MAGDA Mobile Agents Platform

OpenAIRE

R. Aversa; B. Di Martino; N. Mazzocca; S. Venticinque

2008-01-01

Parallel programming effort can be reduced by using high level constructs such as algorithmic skeletons. Within the MAGDA toolset, supporting programming and execution of mobile agent based distributed applications, we provide a skeleton-based parallel programming environment, based on specialization of Algorithmic Skeleton Java interfaces and classes. Their implementation include mobile agent features for execution on heterogeneous systems, such as clusters of WSs and PCs, and support reliab...

Membrane and Adsorption Processes for Removing of Organics and Inorganics from Urban Wastewaters

OpenAIRE

Majlinda Daci-Ajvazi; Bashkim Thaçi; Nexhat Daci; Salih Gash

2016-01-01

Since in Kosovo there are still no water purification plants and untreated wastewaters are discharged in environment, in this paper we’ve studied methods for removing of different organic and inorganic pollutants from Kosovo urban wastewaters. For best results we’ve used two methods, reverse osmosis and adsorption. For reverse osmosis, all samples were pretreated with coagulant (FeSO4) and flocculant (CaO) and then treated with reverse osmosis membranes. For adsorption, we used Kosovo coal as...

Bacillus subtilis MreB orthologs self-organize into filamentous structures underneath the cell membrane in a heterologous cell system.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felix Dempwolff

Full Text Available Actin-like bacterial cytoskeletal element MreB has been shown to be essential for the maintenance of rod cell shape in many bacteria. MreB forms rapidly remodelling helical filaments underneath the cell membrane in Bacillus subtilis and in other bacterial cells, and co-localizes with its two paralogs, Mbl and MreBH. We show that MreB localizes as dynamic bundles of filaments underneath the cell membrane in Drosophila S2 Schneider cells, which become highly stable when the ATPase motif in MreB is modified. In agreement with ATP-dependent filament formation, the depletion of ATP in the cells lead to rapid dissociation of MreB filaments. Extended induction of MreB resulted in the formation of membrane protrusions, showing that like actin, MreB can exert force against the cell membrane. Mbl also formed membrane associated filaments, while MreBH formed filaments within the cytosol. When co-expressed, MreB, Mbl and MreBH built up mixed filaments underneath the cell membrane. Membrane protein RodZ localized to endosomes in S2 cells, but localized to the cell membrane when co-expressed with Mbl, showing that bacterial MreB/Mbl structures can recruit a protein to the cell membrane. Thus, MreB paralogs form a self-organizing and dynamic filamentous scaffold underneath the membrane that is able to recruit other proteins to the cell surface.

Bacillus subtilis MreB orthologs self-organize into filamentous structures underneath the cell membrane in a heterologous cell system.

Science.gov (United States)

Dempwolff, Felix; Reimold, Christian; Reth, Michael; Graumann, Peter L

2011-01-01

Actin-like bacterial cytoskeletal element MreB has been shown to be essential for the maintenance of rod cell shape in many bacteria. MreB forms rapidly remodelling helical filaments underneath the cell membrane in Bacillus subtilis and in other bacterial cells, and co-localizes with its two paralogs, Mbl and MreBH. We show that MreB localizes as dynamic bundles of filaments underneath the cell membrane in Drosophila S2 Schneider cells, which become highly stable when the ATPase motif in MreB is modified. In agreement with ATP-dependent filament formation, the depletion of ATP in the cells lead to rapid dissociation of MreB filaments. Extended induction of MreB resulted in the formation of membrane protrusions, showing that like actin, MreB can exert force against the cell membrane. Mbl also formed membrane associated filaments, while MreBH formed filaments within the cytosol. When co-expressed, MreB, Mbl and MreBH built up mixed filaments underneath the cell membrane. Membrane protein RodZ localized to endosomes in S2 cells, but localized to the cell membrane when co-expressed with Mbl, showing that bacterial MreB/Mbl structures can recruit a protein to the cell membrane. Thus, MreB paralogs form a self-organizing and dynamic filamentous scaffold underneath the membrane that is able to recruit other proteins to the cell surface.

Stature estimation equations for South Asian skeletons based on DXA scans of contemporary adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomeroy, Emma; Mushrif-Tripathy, Veena; Wells, Jonathan C K; Kulkarni, Bharati; Kinra, Sanjay; Stock, Jay T

2018-05-03

Stature estimation from the skeleton is a classic anthropological problem, and recent years have seen the proliferation of population-specific regression equations. Many rely on the anatomical reconstruction of stature from archaeological skeletons to derive regression equations based on long bone lengths, but this requires a collection with very good preservation. In some regions, for example, South Asia, typical environmental conditions preclude the sufficient preservation of skeletal remains. Large-scale epidemiological studies that include medical imaging of the skeleton by techniques such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) offer new potential datasets for developing such equations. We derived estimation equations based on known height and bone lengths measured from DXA scans from the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents Study (Hyderabad, India). Given debates on the most appropriate regression model to use, multiple methods were compared, and the performance of the equations was tested on a published skeletal dataset of individuals with known stature. The equations have standard errors of estimates and prediction errors similar to those derived using anatomical reconstruction or from cadaveric datasets. As measured by the number of significant differences between true and estimated stature, and the prediction errors, the new equations perform as well as, and generally better than, published equations commonly used on South Asian skeletons or based on Indian cadaveric datasets. This study demonstrates the utility of DXA scans as a data source for developing stature estimation equations and offer a new set of equations for use with South Asian datasets. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Entheseal changes and pathological lesions in draught reindeer skeletons - Four case studies from present-day Siberia.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmi, Anna-Kaisa; Niinimäki, Sirpa

2016-09-01

Draught use and being ridden often result in typical pathological patterns in animal skeletons. Moreover, physical activity patterns may be reflected in bone biomechanical properties and entheseal changes at muscle attachment sites. This paper presents the pathologies and entheseal changes observed in four draught and/or racing reindeer skeletons against information on their life histories and discusses the probability of linking the observed changes to their use. The results of this study are a useful point of comparison to researchers working on reindeer and other species of draught animals. However, our results also emphasize that entheseal changes and many pathologies have multifactorial etiologies and that interpretation of skeletal change patterns is not straightforward, even when there is information on the life history of the animal and its complete skeleton can be examined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Membrane raft organization is more sensitive to disruption by (n-3) PUFA than nonraft organization in EL4 and B cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Rockett, Benjamin Drew; Franklin, Andrew; Harris, Mitchel; Teague, Heather; Rockett, Alexis; Shaikh, Saame Raza

2011-06-01

Model membrane and cellular detergent extraction studies show (n-3) PUFA predominately incorporate into nonrafts; thus, we hypothesized (n-3) PUFA could disrupt nonraft organization. The first objective of this study was to determine whether (n-3) PUFA disrupted nonrafts of EL4 cells, an extension of our previous work in which we discovered an (n-3) PUFA diminished raft clustering. EPA or DHA treatment of EL4 cells increased plasma membrane accumulation of the nonraft probe 1,1'-dilinoleyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate by ~50-70% relative to a BSA control. Förster resonance energy transfer imaging showed EPA and DHA also disrupted EL4 nanometer scale nonraft organization by increasing the distance between nonraft molecules by ~25% compared with BSA. However, changes in nonrafts were due to an increase in cell size; under conditions where EPA or DHA did not increase cell size, nonraft organization was unaffected. We next translated findings on EL4 cells by testing if (n-3) PUFA administered to mice disrupted nonrafts and rafts. Imaging of B cells isolated from mice fed low- or high-fat (HF) (n-3) PUFA diets showed no change in nonraft organization compared with a control diet (CD). However, confocal microscopy revealed the HF (n-3) PUFA diet disrupted lipid raft clustering and size by ~40% relative to CD. Taken together, our data from 2 different model systems suggest (n-3) PUFA have limited effects on nonrafts. The ex vivo data, which confirm previous studies with EL4 cells, provide evidence that (n-3) PUFA consumed through the diet disrupt B cell lipid raft clustering.

Skeleton tables of burnout heat flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirillov, P.L.; Bobkov, V.P.; Boltenko, Eh.A.; Vinogradov, V.N.; Katan, I.B.; Smogalev, I.P.

1991-01-01

New methods of generating and arranging new reference data on critical thermal flux density during steam and water mixture flow in vertical round fubes are discussed. The modern requirements to such data include the assessment of data reliability and error, internal agreement, validation by physical and mathematical models, verification using a large amount of experimental results. The available reference data feature a number of drawbacks: they are not accurate enough and are limited by the parameters; other data feature a significant spread in values at the neighbouring values of parameters, discrepancy with the experimental results, not always substantiated extrapolations. A new version of skeleton tables, which are free from a major part of above disadvantages, is proposed

Loss of calcium from axial and appendicular skeleton in patients with chronic renal failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, S.H.; Ellis, K.J.; Caselnova, R.C.; Asad, S.N.; Letteri, J.M.

1974-01-01

The widespread prevalence of bone disease in chronic renal failure both prior to and during hemodialysis is an important aspect of uremia. Loss of bone mineral of the skeleton in renal disease can be measured directly by total-body neutron activation analysis (TBNAA). The absorptiometric technique, using monochromatic photons from 125 I, applied to the appendicular skeleton (radius) also reflects the loss of bone mineral content (BMC) in renal disease. The results of these two techniques were compared in 25 patients with renal insufficiency, 53 with end stage renal failure on dialysis, and 24 normal control subjects. (U.S.)

Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Technology for Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation: Membrane Fouling.

Science.gov (United States)

Iorhemen, Oliver Terna; Hamza, Rania Ahmed; Tay, Joo Hwa

2016-06-15

The membrane bioreactor (MBR) has emerged as an efficient compact technology for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. The major drawback impeding wider application of MBRs is membrane fouling, which significantly reduces membrane performance and lifespan, resulting in a significant increase in maintenance and operating costs. Finding sustainable membrane fouling mitigation strategies in MBRs has been one of the main concerns over the last two decades. This paper provides an overview of membrane fouling and studies conducted to identify mitigating strategies for fouling in MBRs. Classes of foulants, including biofoulants, organic foulants and inorganic foulants, as well as factors influencing membrane fouling are outlined. Recent research attempts on fouling control, including addition of coagulants and adsorbents, combination of aerobic granulation with MBRs, introduction of granular materials with air scouring in the MBR tank, and quorum quenching are presented. The addition of coagulants and adsorbents shows a significant membrane fouling reduction, but further research is needed to establish optimum dosages of the various coagulants/adsorbents. Similarly, the integration of aerobic granulation with MBRs, which targets biofoulants and organic foulants, shows outstanding filtration performance and a significant reduction in fouling rate, as well as excellent nutrients removal. However, further research is needed on the enhancement of long-term granule integrity. Quorum quenching also offers a strong potential for fouling control, but pilot-scale testing is required to explore the feasibility of full-scale application.

Free cholesterol and cholesterol esters in bovine oocytes: Implications in survival and membrane raft organization after cryopreservation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorgelina Buschiazzo

Full Text Available Part of the damage caused by cryopreservation of mammalian oocytes occurs at the plasma membrane. The addition of cholesterol to cell membranes as a strategy to make it more tolerant to cryopreservation has been little addressed in oocytes. In order to increase the survival of bovine oocytes after cryopreservation, we proposed not only to increase cholesterol level of oocyte membranes before vitrification but also to remove the added cholesterol after warming, thus recovering its original level. Results from our study showed that modulation of membrane cholesterol by methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD did not affect the apoptotic status of oocytes and improved viability after vitrification yielding levels of apoptosis closer to those of fresh oocytes. Fluorometric measurements based on an enzyme-coupled reaction that detects both free cholesterol (membrane and cholesteryl esters (stored in lipid droplets, revealed that oocytes and cumulus cells present different levels of cholesterol depending on the seasonal period. Variations at membrane cholesterol level of oocytes were enough to account for the differences found in total cholesterol. Differences found in total cholesterol of cumulus cells were explained by the differences found in both the content of membrane cholesterol and of cholesterol esters. Cholesterol was incorporated into the oocyte plasma membrane as evidenced by comparative labeling of a fluorescent cholesterol. Oocytes and cumulus cells increased membrane cholesterol after incubation with MβCD/cholesterol and recovered their original level after cholesterol removal, regardless of the season. Finally, we evaluated the effect of vitrification on the putative raft molecule GM1. Cholesterol modulation also preserved membrane organization by maintaining ganglioside level at the plasma membrane. Results suggest a distinctive cholesterol metabolic status of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs among seasons and a dynamic organizational structure

Hybrid Compounds Strategy in the Synthesis of Oleanolic Acid Skeleton-NSAID Derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Pawełczyk

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The current study focuses on the synthesis of several hybrid individuals combining a natural oleanolic acid skeleton and synthetic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug moieties (NSAIDs. It studied structural modifications of the oleanolic acid structure by use of the direct reactivity of hydroxyl or hydroxyimino groups at position C-3 of the triterpenoid skeleton with the carboxylic function of anti-inflammatory drugs leading to new perspective compounds with high potential pharmacological activities. Novel ester- and iminoester-type derivatives of oleanolic unit with the different NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, and ketoprofen, were obtained and characterized. Moreover, preliminary research of compounds obtaining structure stability under acidic conditions was examined and the PASS method of prediction of activity spectra for substances was used to estimate the potential biological activity of these compounds.

Oldest skeleton of a plesiadapiform provides additional evidence for an exclusively arboreal radiation of stem primates in the Palaeocene

Science.gov (United States)

Chester, Stephen G. B.; Williamson, Thomas E.; Bloch, Jonathan I.; Silcox, Mary T.; Sargis, Eric J.

2017-05-01

Palaechthonid plesiadapiforms from the Palaeocene of western North America have long been recognized as among the oldest and most primitive euarchontan mammals, a group that includes extant primates, colugos and treeshrews. Despite their relatively sparse fossil record, palaechthonids have played an important role in discussions surrounding adaptive scenarios for primate origins for nearly a half-century. Likewise, palaechthonids have been considered important for understanding relationships among plesiadapiforms, with members of the group proposed as plausible ancestors of Paromomyidae and Microsyopidae. Here, we describe a dentally associated partial skeleton of Torrejonia wilsoni from the early Palaeocene (approx. 62 Ma) of New Mexico, which is the oldest known plesiadapiform skeleton and the first postcranial elements recovered for a palaechthonid. Results from a cladistic analysis that includes new data from this skeleton suggest that palaechthonids are a paraphyletic group of stem primates, and that T. wilsoni is most closely related to paromomyids. New evidence from the appendicular skeleton of T. wilsoni fails to support an influential hypothesis based on inferences from craniodental morphology that palaechthonids were terrestrial. Instead, the postcranium of T. wilsoni indicates that it was similar to that of all other plesiadapiforms for which skeletons have been recovered in having distinct specializations consistent with arboreality.

Membrane flux dynamics in the submerged ultrafiltration hybrid treatment process during particle and natural organic matter removal

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Wei Zhang; Xiaojian Zhang; Yonghong Li; Jun Wang; Chao Chen

2011-01-01

Particles and natural organic matter (NOM) are two major concerns in surface water,which greatly influence the membrane filtration process.The objective of this article is to investigate the effect of particles,NOM and their interaction on the submerged ultrafiltration (UF) membrane flux under conditions of solo UF and coagulation and PAC adsorption as the pretreatment of UF.Particles,NOM and their mixture were spiked in tap water to simulate raw water.Exponential relationship,(JP/JP0 =axexp｛-k[t-(n- 1)T]}),was developed to quantify the normalized membrane flux dynamics during the filtration period and fitted the results well.In this equation,coefficient a was determined by the value of Jp/Jp0 at the beginning of a filtration cycle,reflecting the flux recovery after backwashing,that is,the irreversible fouling.The coefficient k reflected the trend of flux dynamics.Integrated total permeability (ΣJp) in one filtration period could be used as a quantified indicator for comparison of different hybrid membrane processes or under different scenarios.According to the results,there was an additive effect on membrane flux by NOM and particles during solo UF process.This additive fouling could be alleviated by coagulation pretreatment since particles helped the formation of flocs with coagulant,which further delayed the decrease of membrane flux and benefited flux recovery by backwashing.The addition of PAC also increased membrane flux by adsorbing NOM and improved flux recovery through backwashing.

Editorial: Molecular Organization of Membranes: Where Biology Meets Biophysics

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Cebecauer, Marek; Holowka, D.

2017-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 113 (2017), s. 1-3 ISSN 2296-634X Institutional support: RVO:61388955 Keywords : nanodomains * membrane properties * cell membrane Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology

Recent Membrane Development for Pervaporation Processes

KAUST Repository

Ong, Yee Kang

2016-03-11

Pervaporation has been regarded as a promising separation technology in separating azeotropic mixtures, solutions with similar boiling points, thermally sensitive compounds, organic–organic mixtures as well as in removing dilute organics from aqueous solutions. As the pervaporation membrane is one of the crucial factors in determining the overall efficiency of the separation process, this article reviews the research and development (R&D) of polymeric pervaporation membranes from the perspective of membrane fabrication procedures and materials.

Recent Membrane Development for Pervaporation Processes

KAUST Repository

Ong, Yee Kang; Shi, Gui Min; Le, Ngoc Lieu; Tang, Yu Pan; Zuo, Jian; Nunes, Suzana Pereira; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

2016-01-01

Pervaporation has been regarded as a promising separation technology in separating azeotropic mixtures, solutions with similar boiling points, thermally sensitive compounds, organic–organic mixtures as well as in removing dilute organics from aqueous solutions. As the pervaporation membrane is one of the crucial factors in determining the overall efficiency of the separation process, this article reviews the research and development (R&D) of polymeric pervaporation membranes from the perspective of membrane fabrication procedures and materials.

Use of trepanofiopsis for determining 90 Sr and Ca in skeleton of horned cattle during its live time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sirotkin, A.N.; Sarapul'tsev, I.A.

1977-01-01

A method for in vivo determination of strontium 90 and calcium in the skeleton of cattle from radiometric and chemical analyses of bone tissue obtained on trepanobiopsy of the ilium was developed. Statistical processing of experimental data showed that in cows which had been receiving strontium 90 and calcium in their ration from the birth to the age of 12 the ratio of strontium 90 and calcium concentrations in the bone tissue of the trapanate and skeleton is independent of the animals' age. It was established that the spongy bone tissue of the ilium crest of different age cattle contains 20 wt.% more strontium 90 and 20 wt.% less calcium than their average concentration in the whole skeleton

Structure of hybrid organic-inorganic sols for the preparation of hydrothermally stable membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castricum, H.L.; Sah, A; Blank, D.H.A.; Ten Elshof, J.E. [Inorganic Materials Science, MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Geenevasen, J.A.J. [Van ' t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kreiter, R.; Vente, J.F. [ECN Energy Efficiency in the Industry, Petten (Netherlands)

2008-06-15

A procedure for the preparation of hybrid sols for the synthesis of organic-inorganic microporous materials and thin film membranes is reported. We describe silane reactivity and sol structure for acid-catalysed colloidal sols from mixtures of either tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES), or bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE) and MTES. Early-stage hydrolysis and condensation rates of the individual silane precursors were followed with 29Si liquid NMR and structural characteristics of more developed sols were studied with Dynamic Light Scattering. Condensation was found to proceed at more or less similar rates for the different precursors. Homogeneously mixed hybrid colloids can therefore be formed from precursor mixtures. The conditions of preparation under which clear sols with low viscosity could be formed from BTESE/MTES were determined. These sols were synthesised at moderate water/silane and acid/silane ratios and could be applied for the coating of defect-free microporous membranes for molecular separations under hydrothermal conditions.

Modified Alizarin Red S-Alcian Blue Staining for Reptilian Skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Ja’far Luthfi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Skeletal staining is an important method in anatomical study. The aim of the research was to develop staining and clearing method of Reptilian skeleton using Alizarin Red S-Alcian Blue. The specimen were eviscerated, fixed, stained, cleared, and keep in glycerine solution. This modified double-staining has successfully stain bone and cartilage of Reptilian.

Electroformation of Giant Unilamellar Vesicles from Native Membranes and Organic Lipid Mixtures for the Study of Lipid Domains under Physiological Ionic-Strength Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Montes, Ruth; Ahyayauch, Hasna; Ibarguren, Maitane

2010-01-01

Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) constitute a cell-sized model membrane system that allows direct visualization of particular membrane-related phenomena, such as domain formation, at the level of single vesicles using fluorescence microscopy-related techniques. Currently available protocols...... for the preparation of GUVs work only at very low salt concentrations, thus precluding experimentation under physiological conditions. In addition, the GUVs thus obtained lack membrane compositional asymmetry. Here we show how to prepare GUVs using a new protocol based on the electroformation method either from...... native membranes or organic lipid mixtures at physiological ionic strength. Additionally, we describe methods to test whether membrane proteins and glycosphingolipids preserve their natural orientation after electroformation of GUVs composed of native membranes...

A single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of the LOXL1 gene and its relationship to pelvic organ prolapse and preterm premature rupture of membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrell, Georgia; Lu, Minyan; Stoddard, Paul; Sammel, Mary D; Romero, Roberto; Strauss, Jerome F; Matthews, Catherine A

2009-05-01

Pelvic organ prolapse and preterm premature rupture of membranes, the 2 conditions which have in common weakening of the tensile strength of tissues, are thought to be caused, in part, by abnormal extracellular matrix synthesis and/or catabolism. We identified a new single nucleotide polymorphism (NT_010194(LOXL1):g.45008784A>C) in the promoter of the LOXL1 gene, which is essential for elastin synthesis. Promoter studies showed that the minor "C'' allele had significantly greater activity than the major "A'' allele. Case-control studies examined the association of the alleles of this single nucleotide polymorphism with pelvic organ prolapse and preterm premature rupture of membranes. When comparing allele frequencies and genotypes in pelvic organ prolapse cases versus controls, no significant associations were found. A case-control study conducted in African American neonates also found no significant associations between the promoter alleles and preterm premature rupture of membranes. We conclude that a functional single nucleotide polymorphism exists in the promoter region of the LOXL1 gene. Association studies suggest that the promoter single nucleotide polymorphism does not contribute significantly to risk of pelvic organ prolapse or preterm premature rupture of membranes.

On the skeleton method and an application to a quantum scissor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cornean, Horia; Duclos, P.; Ricaud, B.

2008-01-01

In the spectral analysis of few one dimensional quantum particles interacting through delta potentials it is well known that one can recast the problem into the spectral analysis of an integral operator (the skeleton) living on the submanifold which supports the delta interactions. We shall prese...

Skeletonized inversion of surface wave: Active source versus controlled noise comparison

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Hanafy, Sherif

2016-01-01

We have developed a skeletonized inversion method that inverts the S-wave velocity distribution from surface-wave dispersion curves. Instead of attempting to fit every wiggle in the surface waves with predicted data, it only inverts the picked dispersion curve, thereby mitigating the problem of getting stuck in a local minimum. We have applied this method to a synthetic model and seismic field data from Qademah fault, located at the western side of Saudi Arabia. For comparison, we have performed dispersion analysis for an active and controlled noise source seismic data that had some receivers in common with the passive array. The active and passive data show good agreement in the dispersive characteristics. Our results demonstrated that skeletonized inversion can obtain reliable 1D and 2D S-wave velocity models for our geologic setting. A limitation is that we need to build layered initial model to calculate the Jacobian matrix, which is time consuming.

Skeletonized inversion of surface wave: Active source versus controlled noise comparison

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2016-07-14

We have developed a skeletonized inversion method that inverts the S-wave velocity distribution from surface-wave dispersion curves. Instead of attempting to fit every wiggle in the surface waves with predicted data, it only inverts the picked dispersion curve, thereby mitigating the problem of getting stuck in a local minimum. We have applied this method to a synthetic model and seismic field data from Qademah fault, located at the western side of Saudi Arabia. For comparison, we have performed dispersion analysis for an active and controlled noise source seismic data that had some receivers in common with the passive array. The active and passive data show good agreement in the dispersive characteristics. Our results demonstrated that skeletonized inversion can obtain reliable 1D and 2D S-wave velocity models for our geologic setting. A limitation is that we need to build layered initial model to calculate the Jacobian matrix, which is time consuming.

Membrane Bioreactor (MBR Technology for Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation: Membrane Fouling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oliver Terna Iorhemen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The membrane bioreactor (MBR has emerged as an efficient compact technology for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. The major drawback impeding wider application of MBRs is membrane fouling, which significantly reduces membrane performance and lifespan, resulting in a significant increase in maintenance and operating costs. Finding sustainable membrane fouling mitigation strategies in MBRs has been one of the main concerns over the last two decades. This paper provides an overview of membrane fouling and studies conducted to identify mitigating strategies for fouling in MBRs. Classes of foulants, including biofoulants, organic foulants and inorganic foulants, as well as factors influencing membrane fouling are outlined. Recent research attempts on fouling control, including addition of coagulants and adsorbents, combination of aerobic granulation with MBRs, introduction of granular materials with air scouring in the MBR tank, and quorum quenching are presented. The addition of coagulants and adsorbents shows a significant membrane fouling reduction, but further research is needed to establish optimum dosages of the various coagulants/adsorbents. Similarly, the integration of aerobic granulation with MBRs, which targets biofoulants and organic foulants, shows outstanding filtration performance and a significant reduction in fouling rate, as well as excellent nutrients removal. However, further research is needed on the enhancement of long-term granule integrity. Quorum quenching also offers a strong potential for fouling control, but pilot-scale testing is required to explore the feasibility of full-scale application.

MRI of the marrow in the paediatric skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, K.; Chapman, S.; Johnson, K.

2004-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has greatly advanced evaluation of marrow diseases of the paediatric skeleton. As with many other aspects of paediatric radiology it is important to recognize the normal variations in the appearance of the marrow that occur in the growing child. These normal variations need to be differentiated from diseases and conditions that affect the marrow. This review describes the normal changes that occur in children with age, and the appearances of the pathological changes seen in infection, infiltration, haematological disorders, transplantation and radiation therapy

ROCK1-directed basement membrane positioning coordinates epithelial tissue polarity.

Science.gov (United States)

Daley, William P; Gervais, Elise M; Centanni, Samuel W; Gulfo, Kathryn M; Nelson, Deirdre A; Larsen, Melinda

2012-01-01

The basement membrane is crucial for epithelial tissue organization and function. However, the mechanisms by which basement membrane is restricted to the basal periphery of epithelial tissues and the basement membrane-mediated signals that regulate coordinated tissue organization are not well defined. Here, we report that Rho kinase (ROCK) controls coordinated tissue organization by restricting basement membrane to the epithelial basal periphery in developing mouse submandibular salivary glands, and that ROCK inhibition results in accumulation of ectopic basement membrane throughout the epithelial compartment. ROCK-regulated restriction of PAR-1b (MARK2) localization in the outer basal epithelial cell layer is required for basement membrane positioning at the tissue periphery. PAR-1b is specifically required for basement membrane deposition, as inhibition of PAR-1b kinase activity prevents basement membrane deposition and disrupts overall tissue organization, and suppression of PAR-1b together with ROCK inhibition prevents interior accumulations of basement membrane. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of wild-type PAR-1b results in ectopic interior basement membrane deposition. Significantly, culture of salivary epithelial cells on exogenous basement membrane rescues epithelial organization in the presence of ROCK1 or PAR-1b inhibition, and this basement membrane-mediated rescue requires functional integrin β1 to maintain epithelial cell-cell adhesions. Taken together, these studies indicate that ROCK1/PAR-1b-dependent regulation of basement membrane placement is required for the coordination of tissue polarity and the elaboration of tissue structure in the developing submandibular salivary gland.

Impact of effluent organic matter on low-pressure membrane fouling in tertiary treatment

KAUST Repository

Ayache, C.; Pidou, Marc; Croue, Jean-Philippe; Labanowski, Jé rô me; Poussade, Yvan; Tazi-Pain, Annie; Keller, Jurg R.; Gernjak, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

This study aims at comparing low-pressure membrane fouling obtained with two different secondary effluents at bench and pilot-scale based on the determination of two fouling indices: the total fouling index (TFI) and the hydraulically irreversible fouling index (HIFI). The main objective was to investigate if simpler and less costly bench-scale experimentation can substitute for pilot-scale trials when assessing the fouling potential of secondary effluent in large scale membrane filtration plants producing recycled water. Absolute values for specific flux and total fouling index for the bench-scale system were higher than those determined from pilot-scale, nevertheless a statistically significant correlation (r2 = 0.63, α = 0.1) was obtained for the total fouling index at both scales. On the contrary no such correlation was found for the hydraulically irreversible fouling index. Advanced water characterization tools such as excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (EEM) and liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD) were used for the characterization of foulants. On the basis of statistical analysis, biopolymers and humic substances were found to be the major contribution to total fouling (r2 = 0.95 and r2 = 0.88, respectively). Adsorption of the low molecular weight neutral compounds to the membrane was attributed to hydraulically irreversible fouling (r2 = 0.67). © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Impact of effluent organic matter on low-pressure membrane fouling in tertiary treatment

KAUST Repository

Ayache, C.

2013-05-01

This study aims at comparing low-pressure membrane fouling obtained with two different secondary effluents at bench and pilot-scale based on the determination of two fouling indices: the total fouling index (TFI) and the hydraulically irreversible fouling index (HIFI). The main objective was to investigate if simpler and less costly bench-scale experimentation can substitute for pilot-scale trials when assessing the fouling potential of secondary effluent in large scale membrane filtration plants producing recycled water. Absolute values for specific flux and total fouling index for the bench-scale system were higher than those determined from pilot-scale, nevertheless a statistically significant correlation (r2 = 0.63, α = 0.1) was obtained for the total fouling index at both scales. On the contrary no such correlation was found for the hydraulically irreversible fouling index. Advanced water characterization tools such as excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (EEM) and liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD) were used for the characterization of foulants. On the basis of statistical analysis, biopolymers and humic substances were found to be the major contribution to total fouling (r2 = 0.95 and r2 = 0.88, respectively). Adsorption of the low molecular weight neutral compounds to the membrane was attributed to hydraulically irreversible fouling (r2 = 0.67). © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Integrated approach to characterize fouling on a flat sheet membrane gravity driven submerged membrane bioreactor

KAUST Repository

Fortunato, Luca

2016-10-07

Fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBR) is acknowledged to be complex and unclear. An integrated characterization methodology was employed in this study to understand the fouling on a gravity-driven submerged MBR (GD-SMBR). It involved the use of different analytical tools, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD), total organic carbon (TOC), flow cytometer (FCM), adenosine triphosphate analysis (ATP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The three-dimensional (3D) biomass morphology was acquired in a real-time through non-destructive and in situ OCT scanning of 75% of the total membrane surface directly in the tank. Results showed that the biomass layer was homogeneously distributed on the membrane surface. The amount of biomass was selectively linked with final destructive autopsy techniques. The LC-OCD analysis indicated the abundance of low molecular weight (LMW) organics in the fouling composition. Three different SEM techniques were applied to investigate the detailed fouling morphology on the membrane. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Integrated approach to characterize fouling on a flat sheet membrane gravity driven submerged membrane bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortunato, Luca; Jeong, Sanghyun; Wang, Yiran; Behzad, Ali R; Leiknes, TorOve

2016-12-01

Fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBR) is acknowledged to be complex and unclear. An integrated characterization methodology was employed in this study to understand the fouling on a gravity-driven submerged MBR (GD-SMBR). It involved the use of different analytical tools, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD), total organic carbon (TOC), flow cytometer (FCM), adenosine triphosphate analysis (ATP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The three-dimensional (3D) biomass morphology was acquired in a real-time through non-destructive and in situ OCT scanning of 75% of the total membrane surface directly in the tank. Results showed that the biomass layer was homogeneously distributed on the membrane surface. The amount of biomass was selectively linked with final destructive autopsy techniques. The LC-OCD analysis indicated the abundance of low molecular weight (LMW) organics in the fouling composition. Three different SEM techniques were applied to investigate the detailed fouling morphology on the membrane. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Membranes for Environmentally Friendly Energy Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuezhong He

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Membrane separation systems require no or very little chemicals compared to standard unit operations. They are also easy to scale up, energy efficient, and already widely used in various gas and liquid separation processes. Different types of membranes such as common polymers, microporous organic polymers, fixed-site-carrier membranes, mixed matrix membranes, carbon membranes as well as inorganic membranes have been investigated for CO2 capture/removal and other energy processes in the last two decades. The aim of this work is to review the membrane systems applied in different energy processes, such as post-combustion, pre-combustion, oxyfuel combustion, natural gas sweetening, biogas upgrading, hydrogen production, volatile organic compounds (VOC recovery and pressure retarded osmosis for power generation. Although different membranes could probably be used in a specific separation process, choosing a suitable membrane material will mainly depend on the membrane permeance and selectivity, process conditions (e.g., operating pressure, temperature and the impurities in a gas stream (such as SO2, NOx, H2S, etc.. Moreover, process design and the challenges relevant to a membrane system are also being discussed to illustrate the membrane process feasibility for a specific application based on process simulation and economic cost estimation.

Membranes for Environmentally Friendly Energy Processes

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xuezhong; Hägg, May-Britt

2012-01-01

Membrane separation systems require no or very little chemicals compared to standard unit operations. They are also easy to scale up, energy efficient, and already widely used in various gas and liquid separation processes. Different types of membranes such as common polymers, microporous organic polymers, fixed-site-carrier membranes, mixed matrix membranes, carbon membranes as well as inorganic membranes have been investigated for CO2 capture/removal and other energy processes in the last two decades. The aim of this work is to review the membrane systems applied in different energy processes, such as post-combustion, pre-combustion, oxyfuel combustion, natural gas sweetening, biogas upgrading, hydrogen production, volatile organic compounds (VOC) recovery and pressure retarded osmosis for power generation. Although different membranes could probably be used in a specific separation process, choosing a suitable membrane material will mainly depend on the membrane permeance and selectivity, process conditions (e.g., operating pressure, temperature) and the impurities in a gas stream (such as SO2, NOx, H2S, etc.). Moreover, process design and the challenges relevant to a membrane system are also being discussed to illustrate the membrane process feasibility for a specific application based on process simulation and economic cost estimation. PMID:24958426

Characterization of natural organic matter treated by iron oxide nanoparticle incorporated ceramic membrane-ozonation process.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hosik; Kim, Yohan; An, Byungryul; Choi, Heechul

2012-11-15

In this study, changes in the physical and structural properties of natural organic matter (NOM) were observed during hybrid ceramic membrane processes that combined ozonation with ultrafiltration ceramic membrane (CM) or with a reactive ceramic membrane (RM), namely, an iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) incorporated-CM. NOM from feed water and NOM from permeate treated with hybrid ceramic membrane processes were analyzed by employing several NOM characterization techniques. Specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA), high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and fractionation analyses showed that the hybrid ceramic membrane process effectively removed and transformed relatively high contents of aromatic, high molecular weight and hydrophobic NOM fractions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and 3-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that this process caused a significant decrease of the aromaticity of humic-like structures and an increase in electron withdrawing groups. The highest removal efficiency (46%) of hydroxyl radical probe compound (i.e., para-Chlorobenzoic acid (pCBA)) in RM-ozonation process compared with that in CM without ozonation process (8%) revealed the hydroxyl radical formation by the surface-catalyzed reaction between ozone and IONs on the surface of RM. In addition, experimental results on flux decline showed that fouling of RM-ozonation process (15%) was reduced compared with that of CM without ozonation process (30%). These results indicated that the RM-ozonation process enhanced the destruction of NOM and reduced the fouling by generating hydroxyl radicals from the catalytic ozonation in the RM-ozonation process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal of trace organic chemicals and performance of a novel hybrid ultrafiltration-osmotic membrane bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Holloway, Ryan W; Regnery, Julia; Nghiem, Long D; Cath, Tzahi Y

2014-09-16

A hybrid ultrafiltration-osmotic membrane bioreactor (UFO-MBR) was investigated for over 35 days for nutrient and trace organic chemical (TOrC) removal from municipal wastewater. The UFO-MBR system uses both ultrafiltration (UF) and forward osmosis (FO) membranes in parallel to simultaneously extract clean water from an activated sludge reactor for nonpotable (or environmental discharge) and potable reuse, respectively. In the FO stream, water is drawn by osmosis from activated sludge through an FO membrane into a draw solution (DS), which becomes diluted during the process. A reverse osmosis (RO) system is then used to reconcentrate the diluted DS and produce clean water suitable for direct potable reuse. The UF membrane extracts water, dissolved salts, and some nutrients from the system to prevent their accumulation in the activated sludge of the osmotic MBR. The UF permeate can be used for nonpotable reuse purposes (e.g., irrigation and toilet flushing). Results from UFO-MBR investigation illustrated that the chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus removals were greater than 99%, 82%, and 99%, respectively. Twenty TOrCs were detected in the municipal wastewater that was used as feed to the UFO-MBR system. Among these 20 TOrCs, 15 were removed by the hybrid UFO-MBR system to below the detection limit. High FO membrane rejection was observed for all ionic and nonionic hydrophilic TOrCs and lower rejection was observed for nonionic hydrophobic TOrCs. With the exceptions of bisphenol A and DEET, all TOrCs that were detected in the DS were well rejected by the RO membrane. Overall, the UFO-MBR can operate sustainably and has the potential to be utilized for direct potable reuse applications.

The Sur7 protein regulates plasma membrane organization and prevents intracellular cell wall growth in Candida albicans.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, Francisco J; Douglas, Lois M; Rosebrock, Adam; Konopka, James B

2008-12-01

The Candida albicans plasma membrane plays important roles in cell growth and as a target for antifungal drugs. Analysis of Ca-Sur7 showed that this four transmembrane domain protein localized to stable punctate patches, similar to the plasma membrane subdomains known as eisosomes or MCC that were discovered in S. cerevisiae. The localization of Ca-Sur7 depended on sphingolipid synthesis. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, a C. albicans sur7Delta mutant displayed defects in endocytosis and morphogenesis. Septins and actin were mislocalized, and cell wall synthesis was very abnormal, including long projections of cell wall into the cytoplasm. Several phenotypes of the sur7Delta mutant are similar to the effects of inhibiting beta-glucan synthase, suggesting that the abnormal cell wall synthesis is related to activation of chitin synthase activity seen under stress conditions. These results expand the roles of eisosomes by demonstrating that Sur7 is needed for proper plasma membrane organization and cell wall synthesis. A conserved Cys motif in the first extracellular loop of fungal Sur7 proteins is similar to a characteristic motif of the claudin proteins that form tight junctions in animal cells, suggesting a common role for these tetraspanning membrane proteins in forming specialized plasma membrane domains.

The Sur7 Protein Regulates Plasma Membrane Organization and Prevents Intracellular Cell Wall Growth in Candida albicans

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, Francisco J.; Douglas, Lois M.; Rosebrock, Adam

2008-01-01

The Candida albicans plasma membrane plays important roles in cell growth and as a target for antifungal drugs. Analysis of Ca-Sur7 showed that this four transmembrane domain protein localized to stable punctate patches, similar to the plasma membrane subdomains known as eisosomes or MCC that were discovered in S. cerevisiae. The localization of Ca-Sur7 depended on sphingolipid synthesis. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, a C. albicans sur7Δ mutant displayed defects in endocytosis and morphogenesis. Septins and actin were mislocalized, and cell wall synthesis was very abnormal, including long projections of cell wall into the cytoplasm. Several phenotypes of the sur7Δ mutant are similar to the effects of inhibiting β-glucan synthase, suggesting that the abnormal cell wall synthesis is related to activation of chitin synthase activity seen under stress conditions. These results expand the roles of eisosomes by demonstrating that Sur7 is needed for proper plasma membrane organization and cell wall synthesis. A conserved Cys motif in the first extracellular loop of fungal Sur7 proteins is similar to a characteristic motif of the claudin proteins that form tight junctions in animal cells, suggesting a common role for these tetraspanning membrane proteins in forming specialized plasma membrane domains. PMID:18799621

Membrane Raft Organization Is More Sensitive to Disruption by (n-3) PUFA Than Nonraft Organization in EL4 and B Cells123

Science.gov (United States)

Rockett, Benjamin Drew; Franklin, Andrew; Harris, Mitchel; Teague, Heather; Rockett, Alexis; Shaikh, Saame Raza

2011-01-01

Model membrane and cellular detergent extraction studies show (n-3) PUFA predominately incorporate into nonrafts; thus, we hypothesized (n-3) PUFA could disrupt nonraft organization. The first objective of this study was to determine whether (n-3) PUFA disrupted nonrafts of EL4 cells, an extension of our previous work in which we discovered an (n-3) PUFA diminished raft clustering. EPA or DHA treatment of EL4 cells increased plasma membrane accumulation of the nonraft probe 1,1′-dilinoleyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate by ~50–70% relative to a BSA control. Förster resonance energy transfer imaging showed EPA and DHA also disrupted EL4 nanometer scale nonraft organization by increasing the distance between nonraft molecules by ~25% compared with BSA. However, changes in nonrafts were due to an increase in cell size; under conditions where EPA or DHA did not increase cell size, nonraft organization was unaffected. We next translated findings on EL4 cells by testing if (n-3) PUFA administered to mice disrupted nonrafts and rafts. Imaging of B cells isolated from mice fed low- or high-fat (HF) (n-3) PUFA diets showed no change in nonraft organization compared with a control diet (CD). However, confocal microscopy revealed the HF (n-3) PUFA diet disrupted lipid raft clustering and size by ~40% relative to CD. Taken together, our data from 2 different model systems suggest (n-3) PUFA have limited effects on nonrafts. The ex vivo data, which confirm previous studies with EL4 cells, provide evidence that (n-3) PUFA consumed through the diet disrupt B cell lipid raft clustering. PMID:21525263

Building Up the Milky Way's Skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-09-01

A team of scientistshas now uncovered half of theentire skeleton of the Milky Way, using an automated method to identify large filaments of gas and dust hiding between stars in the galactic plane.Galactic distribution of 54 newly discovered filaments, plotted along with colored lines indicating six relevant spiral arms in our galaxy. The upper two plots show the consistency of the filaments motion with the spiral arms, while the lower shows their location within the galactic plane. [Wang et al. 2016]The Search for Nessie and FriendsThe Milky Ways interstellar medium is structured hierarchically into filaments. These structures are difficult to observe since they largely lie in the galactic plane, but if we can discover the distribution and properties of these filaments, we can better understand how our galaxy formed, and how the filaments affect star formation in our galaxy today.Some of the largest of the Milky Ways filaments are hundreds of light-years long like the infrared dark cloud nicknamed Nessie, declared in 2013 to be one of the bones of the Milky Way because of its position along the center of the Scutum-Centaurus spiral arm.Follow-up studies since the discovery of Nessie (like this one, or this) have found a number of additional large-scale filaments, but these studies all use different search methods and selection criteria, and the searches all start with visual inspection by humans to identify candidates.What if we could instead automate the detection process and build a homogeneous sample of the large filaments making up the skeleton of the Milky Way?Automated DetectionThis is exactly what a team of astronomers led by Ke Wang (European Southern Observatory) has done. The group used a customization of an algorithm called a minimum spanning tree the technique used to optimize the cost of internet networks, road networks, and electrical grids in our communities to perform an automated search of data from the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey. The search was

Adjunctive Therapies During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation to Enhance Multiple Organ Support in Critically Ill Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marguerite Orsi Canter

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Since the advent of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO over 40 years ago, there has been increasing interest in the use of the extracorporeal circuit as a platform for providing multiple organ support. In this review, we will examine the evidence for the use of continuous renal replacement therapy, therapeutic plasma exchange, leukopheresis, adsorptive therapies, and extracorporeal liver support in conjunction with ECMO.

Some Physical, Chemical, and Biological Parameters of Samples of Scleractinium Coral Aquaculture Skeleton Used for Reconstruction/Engineering of the Bone Tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Popov, A A; Sergeeva, N S; Britaev, T A; Komlev, V S; Sviridova, I K; Kirsanova, V A; Akhmedova, S A; Dgebuadze, P Yu; Teterina, A Yu; Kuvshinova, E A; Schanskii, Ya D

2015-08-01

Physical and chemical (phase and chemical composition, dynamics of resorption, and strength properties), and biological (cytological compatibility and scaffold properties of the surface) properties of samples of scleractinium coral skeletons from aquacultures of three types and corresponding samples of natural coral skeletons (Pocillopora verrucosa, Acropora formosa, and Acropora nobilis) were studied. Samples of scleractinium coral aquaculture skeleton of A. nobilis, A. formosa, and P. verrucosa met the requirements (all study parameters) to materials for osteoplasty and 3D-scaffolds for engineering of bone tissue.

Average geodesic distance of skeleton networks of Sierpinski tetrahedron

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jinjin; Wang, Songjing; Xi, Lifeng; Ye, Yongchao

2018-04-01

The average distance is concerned in the research of complex networks and is related to Wiener sum which is a topological invariant in chemical graph theory. In this paper, we study the skeleton networks of the Sierpinski tetrahedron, an important self-similar fractal, and obtain their asymptotic formula for average distances. To provide the formula, we develop some technique named finite patterns of integral of geodesic distance on self-similar measure for the Sierpinski tetrahedron.

Characterization of Selected Parameters of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Membranes Based on Various Polymers and Nd-Fe-B Fillers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rybak A.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper magnetic organic-inorganic hybrid membranes based on EC, PPO polymer matrices and various magnetic powder microparticles were synthesized and studied. Constant pressure permeation technique and the Time Lag method were used to obtain the gas transport coefficients. The mechanical, rheological and magnetic parameters of magnetic hybrid membranes were examined. It was found that their separation and gas transport properties (D, P, S and α were improved with the decrease in powder particle size and the increase of membrane’s remanence, saturation magnetization and magnetic particle filling. The increase of the magnetic powder addition and a decrease of its granulation improved also mechanical and rheological parameters of the tested membranes. This improvement also had a positive effect on their gas separation properties and their potential usage in the future.

Fatty acid profiles from the plasma membrane and detergent resistant membranes of two plant species.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmona-Salazar, Laura; El Hafidi, Mohammed; Gutiérrez-Nájera, Nora; Noyola-Martínez, Liliana; González-Solís, Ariadna; Gavilanes-Ruíz, Marina

2015-01-01

It is essential to establish the composition of the plant plasma membrane in order to understand its organization and behavior under continually changing environments. Knowledge of the lipid phase, in particular the fatty acid (FA) complex repertoire, is important since FAs determine many of the physical-chemical membrane properties. FAs are constituents of the membrane glycerolipid and sphingolipid backbones and can also be linked to some sterols. In addition, FAs are components of complex lipids that can constitute membrane micro-domains, and the use of detergent-resistant membranes is a common approach to study their composition. The diversity and cellular allocation of the membrane lipids containing FAs are very diverse and the approaches to analyze them provide only general information. In this work, a detailed FA analysis was performed using highly purified plasma membranes from bean leaves and germinating maize embryos and their respective detergent-resistant membrane preparations. The analyses showed the presence of a significant amount of very long chain FAs (containing 28C, 30C and 32C), in both plasma membrane preparations from bean and maize, that have not been previously reported. Herein is demonstrated that a significant enrichment of very long chain saturated FAs and saturated FAs can occur in detergent-resistant membrane preparations, as compared to the plasma membranes from both plant species. Considering that a thorough analysis of FAs is rarely performed in purified plasma membranes and detergent-resistant membranes, this work provides qualitative and quantitative evidence on the contributions of the length and saturation of FAs to the organization of the plant plasma membrane and detergent-resistant membranes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating Membranes: Using Artificial Membranes to Convey Chemistry and Biology Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Zrelak, Yoshi; McCallister, Gary

2009-01-01

While not organic in nature, quick-"growing" artificial membranes can be a profound visual aid when teaching students about cellular processes and the chemical nature of membranes. Students are often intrigued when they see biological and chemical concepts come to life before their eyes. In this article, the authors share their approach to growing…

The origin and diversification of the developmental mechanisms that pattern the vertebrate head skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Square, Tyler; Jandzik, David; Romášek, Marek; Cerny, Robert; Medeiros, Daniel Meulemans

2017-07-15

The apparent evolvability of the vertebrate head skeleton has allowed a diverse array of shapes, sizes, and compositions of the head in order to better adapt species to their environments. This encompasses feeding, breathing, sensing, and communicating: the head skeleton somehow participated in the evolution of all these critical processes for the last 500 million years. Through evolution, present head diversity was made possible via developmental modifications to the first head skeletal genetic program. Understanding the development of the vertebrate common ancestor's head skeleton is thus an important step in identifying how different lineages have respectively achieved their many innovations in the head. To this end, cyclostomes (jawless vertebrates) are extremely useful, having diverged from jawed vertebrates approximately 400 million years ago, at the deepest node within living vertebrates. From this ancestral vantage point (that is, the node connecting cyclostomes and gnathostomes) we can best identify the earliest major differences in development between vertebrate classes, and start to address how these might translate onto morphology. In this review we survey what is currently known about the cell biology and gene expression during head development in modern vertebrates, allowing us to better characterize the developmental genetics driving head skeleton formation in the most recent common ancestor of all living vertebrates. By pairing this vertebrate composite with information from fossil chordates, we can also deduce how gene regulatory modules might have been arranged in the ancestral vertebrate head. Together, we can immediately begin to understand which aspects of head skeletal development are the most conserved, and which are divergent, informing us as to when the first differences appear during development, and thus which pathways or cell types might be involved in generating lineage specific shape and structure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All

Membrane bioreactors for waste gas treatment.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reij, M.W.; Keurentjes, J.T.F.; Hartmans, S.

1998-01-01

This review describes the recent development of membrane reactors for biological treatment of waste gases. In this type of bioreactor gaseous pollutants are transferred through a membrane to the liquid phase, where micro-organisms degrade the pollutants. The membrane bioreactor combines the

Membrane bioreactors for waste gas treatment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reij, M.W.; Keurentjes, J.T.F.; Hartmans, S.

1998-01-01

This review describes the recent development of membrane reactors for biological treatment of waste gases. In this type of bioreactor gaseous pollutants are transferred through a membrane to the liquid phase, where micro-organisms degrade the pollutants. The membrane bioreactor combines the

Thin-film composite crosslinked polythiosemicarbazide membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN)

KAUST Repository

Aburabie, Jamaliah

2015-01-01

In this work we report a new class of solvent stable thin-film composite (TFC) membrane fabricated on crosslinked polythiosemicarbazide (PTSC) as substrate that exhibits superior stability compared with other solvent stable polymeric membranes reported up to now. Integrally skinned asymmetric PTSC membranes were prepared by the phase inversion process and crosslinked with an aromatic bifunctional crosslinker to improve the solvent stability. TFC membranes were obtained via interfacial polymerization using trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and diaminopiperazine (DAP) monomers. The membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle measurement.The membranes exhibited high fluxes toward solvents like tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) ranging around 20L/m2 h at 5bar with a molecular weight cut off (MWCO) of around 1000g/mol. The PTSC-based thin-film composite membranes are very stable toward polar aprotic solvents and they have potential applications in the petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Multi-protein assemblies underlie the mesoscale organization of the plasma membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Saka, Sinem K.; Honigmann, Alf; Eggeling, Christian; Hell, Stefan W.; Lang, Thorsten; Rizzoli, Silvio O.

2014-01-01

Most proteins have uneven distributions in the plasma membrane. Broadly speaking, this may be caused by mechanisms specific to each protein, or may be a consequence of a general pattern that affects the distribution of all membrane proteins. The latter hypothesis has been difficult to test in the past. Here, we introduce several approaches based on click chemistry, through which we study the distribution of membrane proteins in living cells, as well as in membrane sheets. We found that the plasma membrane proteins form multi-protein assemblies that are long lived (minutes), and in which protein diffusion is restricted. The formation of the assemblies is dependent on cholesterol. They are separated and anchored by the actin cytoskeleton. Specific proteins are preferentially located in different regions of the assemblies, from their cores to their edges. We conclude that the assemblies constitute a basic mesoscale feature of the membrane, which affects the patterning of most membrane proteins, and possibly also their activity. PMID:25060237

Human Activity Recognition in Real-Times Environments using Skeleton Joints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajay Kumar

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this research work, we proposed a most effective noble approach for Human activity recognition in real-time environments. We recognize several distinct dynamic human activity actions using kinect. A 3D skeleton data is processed from real-time video gesture to sequence of frames and getter skeleton joints (Energy Joints, orientation, rotations of joint angles from selected setof frames. We are using joint angle and orientations, rotations information from Kinect therefore less computation required. However, after extracting the set of frames we implemented several classification techniques Principal Component Analysis (PCA with several distance based classifiers and Artificial Neural Network (ANN respectively with some variants for classify our all different gesture models. However, we conclude that use very less number of frame (10-15% for train our system efficiently from the entire set of gesture frames. Moreover, after successfully completion of our classification methods we clinch an excellent overall accuracy 94%, 96% and 98% respectively. We finally observe that our proposed system is more useful than comparing to other existing system, therefore our model is best suitable for real-time application such as in video games for player action/gesture recognition.

1-Skeletons of the Spanning Tree Problems with Additional Constraints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Bondarenko

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we study polyhedral properties of two spanning tree problems with additional constraints. In the first problem, it is required to find a tree with a minimum sum of edge weights among all spanning trees with the number of leaves less than or equal to a given value. In the second problem, an additional constraint is the assumption that the degree of all nodes of the spanning tree does not exceed a given value. The recognition versions of both problems are NP-complete. We consider polytopes of these problems and their 1-skeletons. We prove that in both cases it is a NP-complete problem to determine whether the vertices of 1-skeleton are adjacent. Although it is possible to obtain a superpolynomial lower bounds on the clique numbers of these graphs. These values characterize the time complexity in a broad class of algorithms based on linear comparisons. The results indicate a fundamental difference between combinatorial and geometric properties of the considered problems from the classical minimum spanning tree problem.

A novel TFC forward osmosis (FO) membrane supported by polyimide (PI) microporous nanofiber membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Xiang-Yu; Zhang, Ping-Yun; Guo, Xue-Jiao; Xu, Zhen-Liang

2018-01-01

A novel interfacial polymerization (IP) procedure on polyimide (PI) microporous nanofiber membrane support with mean pore size 1.27 μm was reported. Using m-phenylenediamine (MPD) as aqueous phase monomer, trimesoyl chloride (TMC) as organic phase monomer, ethanol as aqueous phase co-solvent, thin-film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membrane was fabricated by two IP procedures. The first IP procedure with the unconventional order (ie, the membrane was immersed in the TMC organic phase first, then in the co-solvent ethanol-water MPD aqueous phase) was used to diminish the pore size of PI microporous nanofiber membrane support for the formation of the polyamide layer. The secondary IP procedure was employed to form the relatively dense polyamide layer with conventional order (ie, the membrane was immersed in the co-solvent ethanol-water MPD aqueous phase first, then in the TMC organic phase). The experimental results showed that higher ethanol concentration led to the relatively higher pure water permeability in RO process and osmotic water flux in FO process, whereas NaCl rejection in RO process decreased and reverse salt flux increased. The specific salt flux (Js/Jv) of TFC FO PI nanofiber membrane (PIN-2-4) could be as low as 0.095 g/L in FO mode. These results could be attributed to influence of the addition of ethanol into aqueous phase on the surface morphology, hydrophilicity and polyamide layer structure.

Companions for ``Nessie'' in the Milky Way's Skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2015-12-01

The recent discovery of a purported bone of the Milky Way, a dark cloud nicknamed Nessie, has provided us with new clues for mapping out the spiral structure of our galaxy. It turns out that Nessie may not be alone: a follow-up study has identified more bones, potentially making up a skeleton of the Milky Way that traces out the densest parts of its spiral arms.Inconvenient Vantage PointHow many spiral arms does the Milky Way have? Where are they located? What does the structure look like between the arms? It may seem surprising that these fundamental questions dont yet have clear answers. But because were stuck in the galaxys disk, were forced to piece together our understanding of the Milky Ways structure based primarily on measurements of position and radial velocity of structures within the galactic plane.The discovery of Nessie presents an intriguing new tool to identify the layout of the galaxy. Nessie is a very long, thin, infrared-dark filament that runs along the modeled position of the Scutum-Centaurus arm and is believed therefore to trace the structure of the arm. In a new study led by Catherine Zucker (University of Virginia, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), the authors have searched for additional bones like Nessie, hoping to use them to map out the skeleton of the Milky Way.New Bones DiscoveredIn this map of radial velocity vs. galactic longitude, the bone candidates are indicated by the numbered points. The colored lines indicate the positions of two of the galactic spiral arms, according to various models. Click for a closer look! [Zucker et al. 2015]Zucker and collaborators began by using World Wide Telescope, a tool that facilitates visualization of multiple layers of data at a variety of scales, to search through Spitzer infrared data for additional structures like Nessie. Searching specifically along the predicted positions of galactic arms, they found 15 initial bone candidates.Next, the team obtained radial-velocity data for the

Case report: Radiologic changes of the skeleton in a dog with lead poisoning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rinck, J.; Šehić, M.; Žubčić, D.; Jesovsek, S.

1994-01-01

The skeleton of a young dog displayed radiological signs of chronic lead intoxication. Osteoclastic changes were demonstrable at the metaphyse of the long bones as well as in all areas with growth activity [de

Recovery of real dye bath wastewater using integrated membrane process: considering water recovery, membrane fouling and reuse potential of membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Balcik-Canbolat, Cigdem; Sengezer, Cisel; Sakar, Hacer; Karagunduz, Ahmet; Keskinler, Bulent

2017-11-01

It has been recognized by the whole world that textile industry which produce large amounts of wastewater with strong color and toxic organic compounds is a major problematical industry requiring effective treatment solutions. In this study, reverse osmosis (RO) membranes were tested on biologically treated real dye bath wastewater with and without pretreatment by nanofiltration (NF) membrane to recovery. Also membrane fouling and reuse potential of membranes were investigated by multiple filtrations. Obtained results showed that only NF is not suitable to produce enough quality to reuse the wastewater in a textile industry as process water while RO provide successfully enough permeate quality. The results recommend that integrated NF/RO membrane process is able to reduce membrane fouling and allow long-term operation for real dye bath wastewater.

Alterations of a bony skeleton histostructure in amphibians inhabiting the Chernobyl AES zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodionova, N.V.; Mazhuga, P.M.; Domashevskaya, E.I.; Gorskij, B.A.; Nakorenok, G.B.

1994-01-01

By using the methods of histology and radiochemistry was investigated the bone skeleton State of amphibians (pond and cake fogs) which were caught in the ChNPP cooling pond and in the village Kopachy. It were submitted the results of content measurements of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 134 Cs in the bone skeleton of the amphibians which were captured in the ChNPP 30-km zone and in the non contaminated territories (Sviyatoshin) during the period of 1991-1993 years. It was studied the hystostructure of the tubular bones. Main emphasis was placed to the state of cells and bone matrix state in metaphyses and also compacts in diaphyses. Some particular features of osteoblastic and resorbtion processes in the bones of amphibious in the ChNPP zone have been discovered

Membrane microdomains, rafts, and detergent-resistant membranes in plants and fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Malinsky, Jan; Opekarová, Miroslava; Grossmann, Guido; Tanner, Widmar

2013-01-01

The existence of specialized microdomains in plasma membranes, postulated for almost 25 years, has been popularized by the concept of lipid or membrane rafts. The idea that detergent-resistant membranes are equivalent to lipid rafts, which was generally abandoned after a decade of vigorous data accumulation, contributed to intense discussions about the validity of the raft concept. The existence of membrane microdomains, meanwhile, has been verified by unequivocal independent evidence. This review summarizes the current state of research in plants and fungi with respect to common aspects of both kingdoms. In these organisms, principally immobile microdomains large enough for microscopic detection have been visualized. These microdomains are found in the context of cell-cell interactions (plant symbionts and pathogens), membrane transport, stress, and polarized growth, and the data corroborate at least three mechanisms of formation. As documented in this review, modern methods of visualization of lateral membrane compartments are also able to uncover the functional relevance of membrane microdomains.

Mechanical characterization tests of a candidate skeleton for X-Gen fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyung Kyu; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Lee, Kang Hee; Kim, Jae Yong; Lee, Young Ho

2007-09-01

Since the KNFC (KEPCO Nuclear Fuel Co.) requested a mechanical characterization tests of a candidate skeleton for X-Gen fuel assembly (some welding locations of a center guide tube are free of welding compared with the PLUS7 case) were requested, transverse vibration and stiffness tests were carried out by using the FAMeCT. The major results are as follows. - Transverse vibration test There was no distinguishable discrepancy in the free vibration characteristics between the skeleton without welding at some locations of a center guide tube and that of original assembly (PLUS7; welded at every spacer grid locations). The natural frequencies were measured as 6.8 - 6.9 for the 1st mode; 17.7 - 18.3 for the 2nd mode; 30.2 - 31.2 for the 3rd mode; 50.4 - 52.1 Hz for the 4th mode. As a result, the difference in the vibration characteristics was extremely small regardless of the number of welding of a center guide tube. - Transverse bending test. The transverse bending test results of the X-Gen no. 2 were similar to those of the PLUS7 skeleton. The relationship between the force and displacement was found linear. 521 N was observed at the deflection of 30 mm, and the stiffness at the 6th grid location (load exerting location) was 17.4, 16.3 N/mm in the two consecutive tests. The displacements at the grid locations lower than the 6th grid were at bit smaller than those upper than that due to a comparatively higher rigidity

The actin homologue MreB organizes the bacterial cell membrane

OpenAIRE

Strahl, Henrik; Bürmann, Frank; Hamoen, Leendert W.

2014-01-01

The eukaryotic cortical actin cytoskeleton creates specific lipid domains, including lipid rafts, which determine the distribution of many membrane proteins. Here we show that the bacterial actin homologue MreB displays a comparable activity. MreB forms membrane-associated filaments that coordinate bacterial cell wall synthesis. We noticed that the MreB cytoskeleton influences fluorescent staining of the cytoplasmic membrane. Detailed analyses combining an array of mutants, using specific lip...

Identification of a Novel Membrane Transporter Mediating Resistance to Organic Arsenic in Campylobacter jejuni

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Zhangqi; Luangtongkum, Taradon; Qiang, Zhiyi; Jeon, Byeonghwa; Wang, Liping

2014-01-01

Although bacterial mechanisms involved in the resistance to inorganic arsenic are well understood, the molecular basis for organic arsenic resistance has not been described. Campylobacter jejuni, a major food-borne pathogen causing gastroenteritis in humans, is highly prevalent in poultry and is reportedly resistant to the arsenic compound roxarsone (4-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzenearsonic acid), which has been used as a feed additive in the poultry industry for growth promotion. In this study, we report the identification of a novel membrane transporter (named ArsP) that contributes to organic arsenic resistance in Campylobacter. ArsP is predicted to be a membrane permease containing eight transmembrane helices, distinct from other known arsenic transporters. Analysis of multiple C. jejuni isolates from various animal species revealed that the presence of an intact arsP gene is associated with elevated resistance to roxarsone. In addition, inactivation of arsP in C. jejuni resulted in 4- and 8-fold reductions in the MICs of roxarsone and nitarsone, respectively, compared to that for the wild-type strain. Furthermore, cloning of arsP into a C. jejuni strain lacking a functional arsP gene led to 16- and 64-fold increases in the MICs of roxarsone and nitarsone, respectively. Neither mutation nor overexpression of arsP affected the MICs of inorganic arsenic, including arsenite and arsenate, in Campylobacter. Moreover, acquisition of arsP in NCTC 11168 led to accumulation of less roxarsone than the wild-type strain lacking arsP. Together, these results indicate that ArsP functions as an efflux transporter specific for extrusion of organic arsenic and contributes to the resistance to these compounds in C. jejuni. PMID:24419344

Gas transport in metal organic framework–polyetherimide mixed matrix membranes: The role of the polyetherimide backbone structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hegde, Maruti; Shahid, S.; Norder, Ben; Dingemans, Theo J.; Nijmeijer, Dorothea C.

2015-01-01

We report on how the morphology of the polymer matrix, i.e. amorphous vs. semi-crystalline, affects the gas transport properties in a series of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) using Cu3(BTC)2 as the metal organic framework (MOF) filler. The aim of our work is to demonstrate how incorporation of

Gas transport in metal organic framework-polyetherimide mixed matrix membranes: The role of the polyetherimide backbone structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hegde, Maruti; Shahid, Salman; Norder, Ben; Dingemans, T.J.; Nijmeijer, Kitty

2015-01-01

We report on how the morphology of the polymer matrix, i.e. amorphous vs. semi-crystalline, affects the gas transport properties in a series of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) using Cu3(BTC)2 as the metal organic framework (MOF) filler. The aim of our work is to demonstrate how incorporation of

Atomic force microscopy reveals multiple patterns of antenna organization in purple bacteria: implications for energy transduction mechanisms and membrane modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sturgis, James N; Niederman, Robert A

2008-01-01

Recent topographs of the intracytoplasmic membrane (ICM) of purple bacteria obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM) have provided the first surface views of the native architecture of a multicomponent biological membrane at submolecular resolution, representing an important landmark in structural biology. A variety of species-dependent, closely packed arrangements of light-harvesting (LH) complexes was revealed: the most highly organized was found in Rhodobacter sphaeroides in which the peripheral LH2 antenna was seen either in large clusters or in fixed rows interspersed among ordered arrays of dimeric LH1-reaction center (RC) core complexes. A more random organization was observed in other species containing both the LH1 and LH2 complexes, as typified by Rhododspirillum photometricum with randomly packed monomeric LH1-RC core complexes intermingled with large, paracrystalline domains of LH2 antenna. Surprisingly, no structures that could be identified as the ATP synthase or cytochrome bc (1) complexes were observed, which may reflect their localization at ICM vesicle poles or in curved membrane areas, out of view from the flat regions imaged by AFM. This possible arrangement of energy transducing complexes has required a reassessment of energy tranduction mechanisms which place the cytochrome bc (1) complex in close association with the RC. Instead, more plausible proposals must account for the movement of quinone redox species over considerable membrane distances on appropriate time scales. AFM, together with atomic resolution structures are also providing the basis for molecular modeling of the ICM that is leading to an improved picture of the supramolecular organization of photosynthetic complexes, as well as the forces that drive their segregation into distinct domains.

Low-temperature bonded glass-membrane microfluidic device for in vitro organ-on-a-chip cell culture models

Science.gov (United States)

Pocock, Kyall J.; Gao, Xiaofang; Wang, Chenxi; Priest, Craig; Prestidge, Clive A.; Mawatari, Kazuma; Kitamori, Takehiko; Thierry, Benjamin

2015-12-01

The integration of microfluidics with living biological systems has paved the way to the exciting concept of "organson- a-chip", which aims at the development of advanced in vitro models that replicate the key features of human organs. Glass based devices have long been utilised in the field of microfluidics but the integration of alternative functional elements within multi-layered glass microdevices, such as polymeric membranes, remains a challenge. To this end, we have extended a previously reported approach for the low-temperature bonding of glass devices that enables the integration of a functional polycarbonate porous membrane. The process was initially developed and optimised on specialty low-temperature bonding equipment (μTAS2001, Bondtech, Japan) and subsequently adapted to more widely accessible hot embosser units (EVG520HE Hot Embosser, EVG, Austria). The key aspect of this method is the use of low temperatures compatible with polymeric membranes. Compared to borosilicate glass bonding (650 °C) and quartz/fused silica bonding (1050 °C) processes, this method maintains the integrity and functionality of the membrane (Tg 150 °C for polycarbonate). Leak tests performed showed no damage or loss of integrity of the membrane for up to 150 hours, indicating sufficient bond strength for long term cell culture. A feasibility study confirmed the growth of dense and functional monolayers of Caco-2 cells within 5 days.

High Cholesterol/Low Cholesterol: Effects in Biological Membranes: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Subczynski, Witold K; Pasenkiewicz-Gierula, Marta; Widomska, Justyna; Mainali, Laxman; Raguz, Marija

2017-12-01

Lipid composition determines membrane properties, and cholesterol plays a major role in this determination as it regulates membrane fluidity and permeability, as well as induces the formation of coexisting phases and domains in the membrane. Biological membranes display a very diverse lipid composition, the lateral organization of which plays a crucial role in regulating a variety of membrane functions. We hypothesize that, during biological evolution, membranes with a particular cholesterol content were selected to perform certain functions in the cells of eukaryotic organisms. In this review, we discuss the major membrane properties induced by cholesterol, and their relationship to certain membrane functions.