High-pressure resistance variation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains and Salmonella serovars in tryptic soy broth, distilled water, and fruit juice

The effect of high pressure on the log reduction of six strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and five serovars of Salmonella enterica was investigated in tryptic soy broth, sterile distilled water, and commercially sterile orange juice (for Salmonella) and apple cider (for E. coli). Samples were subjected to high-pressure processing treatment at 300 and 550 MPa for 2 min at 6 degrees C. Samples were plated onto tryptic soy agar directly after pressurization and after being held for 24 h at 4 degrees C. At 300 MPa, little effect was seen on E. coli O157:H7 strains, while Salmonella serovars varied in resistance, showing reductions between 0.26 and 3.95 log CFU/ml. At 550 MPa, E. coli O157:H7 strains exhibited a range of reductions (0.28 to 4.39 log CFU/ml), while most Salmonella populations decreased beyond the detection limit (> 5-log CFU/ml reduction). The most resistant strains tested were E. coli E009 and Salmonella Agona. Generally, bacterial populations in fruit juices showed larger decreases than did populations in tryptic soy broth and distilled water. E. coli O157:H7 cultures held for 24 h at 4 degrees C after treatment at 550 MPa showed a significant log decrease as compared with cultures directly after treatment (P < or = 0.05), while Salmonella serovars did not show this significant decrease (P > 0.05). All Salmonella serovars tested in orange juice treated at 550 MPa for 2 min at 6 degrees C and held for 24 h showed a > 5-log decrease, while E. coli O157:H7 strains require a higher pressure, higher temperature, longer pressurization, or a chemical additive to achieve a 5-log decrease.     

复杂环境下砖砌烟囱的爆破拆除

本文介绍了采用定向爆破拆除一座砖砌烟囱的施工设计方法,包括爆破方案选择、爆破切口设计和爆破安全验算等内容,对类似工程有一定的参考意义。     

Effect of microstructure on friability in the system Al2O3-ZrO2

This paper summarizes results on the use of quantitative microscopy in relating microstructural features to the friability of a model abrasive material, Al₂O₃-ZrO₂. Quantitative stereology was used to characterize the geometric aspects of the microstructure of fused Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ abrasives and to relate these to friability. The microstructure was controlled by varying processing parameters. The quench rate of the material from the melt was found to exhibit the most control over the microstructure. The friability was measured using three methods: the ball mill test, a DeBeers Friatester and a microfriability test developed for this study. Friability was found to be controlled by the geometric aspects of microstructure. The microstructural parameter which appeared to exert the largest influence over friability was the scale factor $\text{}\text{?}$gl^α. A fracture mechanics approach was employed to explain the observed increase in strength and toughness in Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ materials.     

Experimental Validation of a Fundamental Model for PCR Efficiency

Recently a theoretical analysis of PCR efficiency has been published by Booth et al. (2010). The PCR yield is the product of three efficiencies: (i) the annealing efficiency is the fraction of templates that form binary complexes with primers during annealing, (ii) the polymerase binding efficiency is the fraction of binary complexes that bind to polymerase to form ternary complexes and (iii) the elongation efficiency is the fraction of ternary complexes that extend fully. Yield is controlled by the smallest of the three efficiencies and control could shift from one type of efficiency to another over the course of a PCR experiment. Experiments have been designed that are specifically controlled by each one of the efficiencies and the results are consistent with the mathematical model. The experimental data has also been used to quantify six key parameters of the theoretical model. An important application of the fully characterized model is to calculate initial template concentration from real-time PCR data. Given the PCR protocol, the midpoint cycle number (where the template concentration is half that of the final concentration) can be theoretically determined and graphed for a variety of initial DNA concentrations. Real-time results can be used to calculate the midpoint cycle number and consequently the initial DNA concentration, using this graph. The application becomes particularly simple if a conservative PCR protocol is followed where only the annealing efficiency is controlling.     

Diporphyrin tweezer for multichannel spectroscopic analysis of enantiomeric excess

Chiral 1,1’-binaphthyl-linked diporphyrin ‘tweezers’ (R)-1/(S)-1 and the corresponding zinc(II) complexes (R)-2/(S)-2 were prepared as chiral host molecules, and their utility for chiral analyses (especially enantiomeric excess (ee) determinations) were evaluated. Tris(1-n-dodecyl)porphyrins were used for the first time as the interacting units. Host capabilities of the diporphyrin tweezers were investigated by titrations with (R,R)- and (S,S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (CHDA). The host molecules could be used as multichannel probes of ee by using UV-vis, circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence emission and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) methods. Chiral configurations could also be differentiated using CD or ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. All three optical techniques give good resolution of ee with reasonable sensitivity considering the low concentrations used (ca. 10⁻⁶ mol·L⁻¹). The ee determination of CHDA enantiomers using NMR spectroscopy is also possible because of the reasonably well separated resonances in the case of (R,R)- and (S,S)-CHDA. Non-metallated (R)-1/(S)-1 hosts could not be used to detect chiral information in a strongly acidic chiral guest. This work demonstrates the utility of 1,1’-binapthyl-linked chiral hosts for chiral analysis of ditopically interacting enantiomers.     

Steam‐air blown bubbling fluidized bed biomass gasification (BFBBG): Multi‐scale models and experimental validation

During fluidized bed biomass gasification, complex gas‐solid mixing patterns and numerous chemical and physical phenomena make identification of optimal operating conditions challenging. In this work, a parametric experimental campaign was carried out alongside the development of a coupled reactor network model which successfully integrates the individually validated sub‐models to predict steady‐state reactor performance metrics and outputs. The experiments utilized an integrated gasification system consisting of an externally‐heated, bench‐scale, 4‐in., 5 kWth, fluidized bed steam/air blown gasifier fed with woody biomass equipped with a molecular beam mass spectrometer to directly measure tar species. The operating temperature (750–850°C) and air/fuel equivalence ratio (ER = 0–0.157) were independently varied to isolate their effects. Elevating temperature is shown to improve the char gasification rate and reduce tar concentrations. Air strongly impacts the composition of tar, accelerating the conversion of lighter polycyclic‐aromatic hydrocarbons into soot precursors, while also improving the overall carbon conversion. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 1543–1565, 2017