A new environmental friendly method for the preparation of sugar acids via catalytic oxidation on gold catalysts

A novel and efficient way of producing of aldonic acids is reported. The selective catalytic oxidation of monosaccharides (arabinose, ribose, xylose, lyxose, mannose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose, N-acetyl-glucosamine) and disaccharides (lactose, maltose, cellobiose, melibiose) on Au, Pd and Pt catalysts was investigated. By using the gold catalyst, a total selectivity with respect to aldonic acids and a high catalytic activity for all investigated sugars was found. The reaction conditions for the production of maltobionic and lactobionic acids via oxidation on gold catalysts were optimised. A high long-term stability of two different gold catalysts for the oxidation of maltose and lactose, respectively, was found.     

Self-calibration based on invariant view recognition: Dynamic approach to navigation

We extend a dynamic approach of behavior generation to the representation of spatial information. Two levels of dynamics integrate dead-reckoning, dominant far from home bases, and piloting, dominant near home bases. When the view-based piloting system recognizes a home base, visual place information recalibrates the dead-reckoning system, inverting the hierarchical ordering of the two dynamic levels by time scale inversion. Reference views taken at discrete home bases are recognized invariantly under rotation of views. This process yields compass information. Continuous translational information is obtained as a neural place representation built from view correlations with a scattered set of local views. This self-calibrating cognitive map couples into a dynamics of heading direction integrating the behaviors of obstacle avoidance and target acquisition. Targets can be designated in terms of the cognitive map. We demonstrate the dynamical model in simulation.     

The minimum dosage of praziquantel in the treatment of Taenia saginata, 1986-1993

Patients who have a unicornuate uterus with a noncommunicating rudimentary horn that contains an endometrial cavity are at risk for endometriosis and obstetric complications. As in this case, resection of the rudimentary horn can be performed laparoscopically without increased risk to the patient and with some potential benefit.     

The integral experiment on beryllium with D-T neutrons for verification of tritium breeding

A clean benchmark experiment on beryllium was performed with D-T neutrons at the FNS facility of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. The main objective was to verify the integral data related to the tritium production on lithium isotopes. Tritium production rates, as well as activation reaction rates were measured inside the beryllium assembly that was shaped as a pseudo-cylindrical slab with an area-equivalent diameter of 628 mm and a thickness of 355 mm. Experimental results were analyzed with a three-dimensional Monte Carlo transport code MCNP-4C and FENDL/MC-2.0, JENDL-3.2/3.3 neutron transport libraries. Evaluation of reaction rates was based on the cross section data taken from the JENDL Dosimetry File and ENDF B-VI data libraries. Analysis shows that all calculation combinations (transport and activation cross section libraries) used for evaluation of reaction rates give data that is agreeable with measured values within 10%.     

海洋丝状真菌转化石油烃的研究

研究从湄洲湾海域分离的4株丝状真菌MF1，MF2，MF3，MF4的生长特性及去除油污的过程，观察在温度26℃，初始油浓度在3g/l,培养12d的过程中培养液的变化，分析培养液的pH值及原油的去除率与时间的关系，结果表明，丝状真菌去除原油的[过程是生物吸附与生物降解相结合的生物转化过程，比较革兰氏阴性细菌与丝状真菌细胞壁组成，结构，得出海洋微生物的脱油作用与其细胞壁有直接的关系。     

Impacts of green roofs and rain water use on the water balance and groundwater levels in urban areas

Ohne Zusammenfassung

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Impacts of green roofs and rain water use on the water balance and groundwater levels in urban areas

     

Long-term stability of an Au/Al2O3 catalyst prepared by incipient wetness in continuous-flow glucose oxidation

A 0.3% Au/Al₂O₃ catalyst prepared by the incipient wetness (IW) method was investigated in the continuous-flow liquid-phase glucose oxidation. Therefore, a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system equipped with an ultrasonic separator was used. The continuous-flow glucose oxidation was carried out at 40 °C, pH 9 and 1 bar oxygen partial pressure. Residence time and glucose concentration were varied. The IW gold catalyst showed very high activity and selectivity to gluconic acid within its 110 days of operation and, thus, an excellent long-term stability. Even after severe microbial contaminations of the catalyst, its activity could be completely restored by in situ regeneration with 2-propanol.     

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: neurophysiologic visual impairments

OBJECTIVE: The predictive value of electrophysiologic visual testing in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) was investigated, and the retinal pathologic findings in three cases are reported. BACKGROUND: The fatal prognosis of CJD, its transmissibility, and the lack of treatment make early diagnosis essential in averting human-to-human transmission. Electroretinogram and visual evoked potentials have been studied in few cases of CJD. METHODS: A visual electrophysiologic examination was performed in 41 consecutive patients referred with suspected CJD. The disease had been diagnosed in 24 patients (CJD group; 15 were confirmed neuropathologically and 9 by clinicolaboratory methods in accordance with diagnostic criteria). The remaining 17 patients were diagnosed with other neurologic disorders, and served as a control group. RESULTS: Flash electroretinogram revealed a significant decrease in the amplitude of the B1 wave (<60 microV) and the B/A ratio (<2) in the CJD group compared with those in the control group. Flash visual evoked potentials revealed no significant difference in latency, but amplitude was increased (>10 microV) in the CJD group, especially in patients with myoclonus. CONCLUSIONS: The visual electrophysiologic abnormalities provide an interesting noninvasive diagnostic tool in idiopathic CJD. The B1-wave decrease is closely correlated with the outer plexiform layer abnormalities observed on neuropathologic examination.