Comparative evaluation of the mesophilic and thermophilic biohydrogen production at optimized conditions using tequila vinasses as substrate

The objective of this work was to comparatively evaluate the production of biohydrogen (bio-H₂) from tequila vinasses at optimized mesophilic and thermophilic conditions and to elucidate the main metabolic routes involved. Optimal temperatures of 35 °C and 55 °C, and pH of 5.5 maximized the bio-H₂ production rates, 25.5 ± 0.01 NmL h⁻¹ and 169.9 ± 8.9 NmL h⁻¹ in the mesophilic and thermophilic regimens, respectively. During the operation of anaerobic sequencing batch reactors, the thermophilic process allowed a volumetric bio-H₂ production rate of 519 ± 13 NmL-H₂ L⁻¹ d⁻¹ equivalent to 750 ± 19 NmL-H₂ L_vinasse⁻¹, while the mesophilic one 448 ± 23 NmL-H₂ L⁻¹ d⁻¹ and 647 ± 33 NmL-H₂ L_vinasse⁻¹, respectively. Furthermore, the gas produced under thermophilic conditions showed high hydrogen content (86.5%). Finally, formate degradation and glucose fermentation to acetic and butyric acids were the main metabolic routes involved in bio-H₂ production under thermophilic conditions, while at mesophilic conditions, the lactate and formate degradation pathways governed.     

Entropy generation and thermodynamic optimization of fully developed laminar convection in a helical coil

The present paper analyses the entropy generation of the fully developed laminar convection in a helical coil with constant wall heat flux and presents the optimal design based on the minimum entropy generation principal. The important design parameters, including Reynolds number (Re), coil-to-tube radius ratio (δ) and nondimensional coil pitch (λ) are varied to investigate their influences on the entropy generation. The results presented in this paper cover Re range of 100–10,000, δ and λ range from 0.01 to 0.3. Compared with Re and δ, the coil pitch λ is found to have minor influence on the entropy generation. For a demonstrated case, the minimum entropy generation occurs in the range bounded by Re from 2271 to 4277 and δ from 0.17 to 0.3, within which the irreversibility of the system is lowest and the system performance would be optimum. The details show that there is an optimal Re for a helical coil with a fixed δ; meanwhile for a helical coil flow with a specified Re, the smaller δ should be selected when the Re is larger than 5000, and the larger δ should be selected when the Re is less than 5000. These results provide worthwhile information for heat exchanger designers to find the optimal helical coil design from the viewpoint of the thermodynamic second law.     

Specific,semi-quantitative detection of the soybean allergen Gly m Bd 30K DNA by PCR

A semi-quantitative PCR-based system has been developed for detection of DNA sequences for the soybean allergen Gly m Bd 30K. The selected primers were highly specific for soybean and did not show amplification from a panel of legume relatives. Repeatability was assessed in a spiking experiment of soybean in wheat flour (0.0001–100% soybean), using known standards for comparison of the amount of output DNA from different PCR reactions. The frequency of PCR reactions with successful amplification of the soybean allergen sequence was highly dependent on initial target DNA concentration, and showed a rapid sigmoidal decrease, when target concentration approached the detection limit (0.01%). For samples with successful amplification there was a good correlation between the initial amount of soybean in the mixture and the output from PCR, when suitable block designs were used to control experimental errors. The simple approach used for quantification in this study proved efficient for assessment of homogeneity of self-prepared soybean bars used for provocation tests of food allergic patients in clinical practice. In addition the method was efficient in detecting soybean allergen sequences in a number of processed foods.     

Auxin and Root Gravitropism: Addressing Basic Cellular Processes by Exploiting a Defined Growth Response

Root architecture and growth are decisive for crop performance and yield, and thus a highly topical research field in plant sciences. The root system of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is the ideal system to obtain insights into fundamental key parameters and molecular players involved in underlying regulatory circuits of root growth, particularly in responses to environmental stimuli. Root gravitropism, directional growth along the gravity, in particular represents a highly sensitive readout, suitable to study adjustments in polar auxin transport and to identify molecular determinants involved. This review strives to summarize and give an overview into the function of PIN-FORMED auxin transport proteins, emphasizing on their sorting and polarity control. As there already is an abundance of information, the focus lies in integrating this wealth of information on mechanisms and pathways. This overview of a highly dynamic and complex field highlights recent developments in understanding the role of auxin in higher plants. Specifically, it exemplifies, how analysis of a single, defined growth response contributes to our understanding of basic cellular processes in general.     

Enhanced anti-biofilm activity of facile synthesized silver oxide nanoparticles against K. pneumoniae

Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials - The silver oxide nanoparticle was successfully synthesized using floral waste by simple one pot, cost effective method. The complete...     

补骨脂素和异补骨脂素的分离纯化研究

应用高速逆流色谱技术分离和纯化补骨脂中香豆素类成分补骨脂素和异补骨脂素．以补骨脂干燥成熟果实为原料,经乙醇回流制备补骨脂粗提物,经高速逆流色谱分离,所得样品由高效液相色谱检测纯度,并由对照品确定成分．采用正己烷．乙酸乙酯-甲醇-水（7：3：5：5）作为两相溶剂体系,从补骨脂粗提物中分离得到补骨脂素和异补骨脂素,二者纯度分别达到99．4％,99．1％．该法可以成功用于补骨脂粗提物中补骨脂素和异补骨脂素的分离,并且具有制备量大和分离效率高的优点．     

Crop residue,manure and fertilizer in dryland maize under reduced tillage in northern China: I grain yields and nutrient use efficiencies

The rapidly increasing population and associated quest for food and feed in China has led to increased soil cultivation and nitrogen (N) fertilizer use, and as a consequence to increased wind erosion and unbalanced crop nutrition. In the study presented here, we explored the long-term effects of various combinations of maize stover, cattle manure and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer applications on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and nutrient and water use efficiencies under reduced tillage practices. In a companion paper, we present the effects on nutrient balances and soil fertility characteristics. The ongoing factorial field trial was conducted at Shouyang Dryland Farming Experimental Station in northern China from 1993 onwards. The incomplete, determinant-optimal design comprised 12 treatments, including a control treatment, in duplicate. Grain yields and N, P, and potassium (K) uptakes and N, P and K use efficiencies were greatly influenced by the amount of rain during the growing season (GSR), and by soil water at sowing (SWS). There were highly significant interactions between GSR and added stover and manure, expressed in complex annual variations in grain yield and N, P and K use efficiencies. Annual mean grain yields ranged from 3,000 kg ha⁻¹ to 10,000 kg ha⁻¹ and treatment mean yields from 4,500 kg ha⁻¹ to 7,000 kg ha⁻¹. Balanced combination of stover (3,000–6,000 kg), manure (1,500–6,000 kg) and N fertilizer (105 kg) gave the highest yield. Stover and manure were important for supplying K, but the effects differed greatly between years. Overall mean N recovery efficiency (NRE) ranged from 28% to 54%, depending on N source. NRE in wet years ranged from 50% to 90%. In conclusion, balanced combinations of stover, manure and NP fertilizer gave the highest yield and NRE. Reduced tillage with adding stover and manure in autumn prior to ploughing is effective in minimizing labor requirement and wind erosion. The potentials of split applications of N fertilizer, targeted to the need of the growing crop (response farming), should be explored to further increase the N use efficiency.     

复合絮凝剂与活性砂滤池协同深度处理印染废水研究及应用

采用复合絮凝剂和活性砂滤池协同处理印染废水,研究了复合絮凝剂对浊度、COD（化学需氧量）和TP（总磷）的去除性能,在实际运行系统中考察了复合絮凝剂和活性砂滤池协同处理后的出水水质情况.结果表明：活性砂滤池在平均处理水量为3500m3/h情况下,当复合絮凝剂投加量为ρ（PAC） =50 mg/L,ρ（FeCl3） =10.0 mg/L,ρ（APAM）=1.0 mg/L时,出水水质指标浊度、COD和TP的平均去除率分别达到了56.6％,45.3％,59.4％,出水水质各项指标均达到《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》（GB 18918-2002）一级A标准.     

A detection problem: Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of a land surface temperature approach to detecting dynamics of water use by groundwater-dependent vegetation

Sustainable management of groundwater-dependent vegetation (GDV) requires the accurate identification of GDVs, characterisation of their water use dynamics and an understanding of associated errors. This paper presents sensitivity and uncertainty analyses of one GDV mapping method which uses temperature differences between time-series of modelled and observed land surface temperature (LST) to detect groundwater use by vegetation in a subtropical woodland. Uncertainty in modelled LST was quantified using the Jacobian method with error variances obtained from literature. Groundwater use was inferred where modelled and observed LST were significantly different using a Student's t-test. Modelled LST was most sensitive to low-range wind speeds (<1.5 m s⁻¹), low-range vegetation height (<=0.5 m), and low-range leaf area index (<=0.5 m² m⁻²), limiting the detectability of groundwater use by vegetation under such conditions. The model-data approach was well-suited to detection of GDV because model-data errors were lowest for climatic conditions conducive to groundwater use.