The influence of nitrate on the physiology of the yeast Dekkera bruxellensis grown under oxygen limitation

A previous study showed that the use of nitrate by Dekkera bruxellensis might be an advantageous trait when ammonium is limited in sugarcane substrate for ethanol fermentation. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the influence of nitrate on the yeast physiology during cell growth in different carbon sources under oxygen limitation. If nitrate was the sole source of nitrogen, D. bruxellensis cells presented slower growth, diminished sugar consumption and growth‐associated ethanol production, when compared to ammonium. These results were corroborated by the increased expression of genes involved in the pentose phosphate (PP) pathway, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and ATP synthesis. The presence of ammonium in the mixed medium restored most parameters to the standard conditions. This work may open up a line of investigation to establish the connection between nitrate assimilation and energetic metabolism in D. bruxellensis and their influence on its fermentative capacity in oxygen‐limited or oxygen‐depleted conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modification of wool fibers by atmospheric pressure plasma treatment

Shrink‐proofing processing of wool fabrics by vacuum plasma treatment has been studied for many years. However, as a wool shrink‐proofing processing method, discharge treatment under atmospheric pressure, such as corona and low‐temperature electric plasma treatment, has been studied recently. In this study, an attempt was made to improve shrink‐proofing and other properties of a wool fabric by low‐temperature plasma treatment. The wool fabric was treated by pulsed atmospheric pressure plasma using a dielectric barrier discharge apparatus of the Institute of Textile Technology at Denkendorf by varying the power and flow rate of air. Shrink‐proofing, dyeing yield and water‐absorbing properties increased to a greater degree with the increase in the treatment time. However, the effect was saturated at 3 min. On the other hand, hysteresis of shearing property at large shear angle (2HG5), which is one of the mechanical parameters for measuring fabric hand by the Kawabata evaluation system (KES), becomes larger with the treatment time. It can be concluded that shear hysteresis value is related to the improvement in shrink‐proofing and other properties of the wool fabric.     

Complementing retrofit with engagement: exploring energy consumption with social housing tenants

Councils and social housing organisations are looking to retrofit as a way to make their housing more energy efficient. Previous studies on energy use in social housing have generally focussed on the technological aspects (such as the potential savings possible by retrofitting this class of housing across the UK) or have involved one‐off interventions or measures. During a 2‐year period, we worked with previously homeless people to reduce their energy consumption. The 32 participants lived in small blocks of flats (owned by a social housing organisation) that underwent retrofitting with air source heat pumps. We ran a three‐phase tenant engagement programme to compare a range of approaches aimed at energy reduction. It was found that education, social norms and self‐awareness are all key components when it comes to initiating environmentally responsible behaviours. The three approaches complemented each other, and these ought to be considered alongside technology provision if the aim is to reduce energy consumption. A number of reflections on the implementation of medium‐term tenant engagement programmes are also presented. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

From Facebook to the Neighbourhood: Infrastructuring of Hybrid Community Engagement

In recent years, social media have increased the resources that individuals and organizations are able to mobilize for the development of socially innovative practices. In this article, we engage with a naturally occurring development in a Trentinian neighbourhood to examine the cooperative interactions amongst members of a local community. The first author and local residents of the neighbourhood participated in online discussions, decision making, and physical activities that led to material changes in the area. The interventions are motivated by and based on the concept of Social Street that combines online interactions in a closed Facebook group with face-to-face meetings seeking to practically engage the collective in accomplishing certain immediate or ongoing needs. Over the course of two years, we studied this local instantiation of Social Street in Trento, Italy by way of an action-oriented (digital) ethnography. Through this work, we demonstrate how urban neighbourhoods might benefit from hybrid forms of community engagement that are enacted through a constant back and forth between online and face-to-face interactions. We further argue that the infrastructuring of local urban collectives should follow strategies that pay attention to the multiple issues in urban neighbourhoods and people’s attachments to them. Overall, the paper reflects upon the challenges and configurations of participation that this form of community-work entails.     

Assessment of environmental tobacco smoke exposure: urinary cotinine concentrations in children are strongly associated with the house dust concentrations of nicotine at home

In the present study the possibility of using nicotine in house dust as an index of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure was evaluated in an environmental investigation of 23 children with asthma. A standardized procedure for house dust sampling of nicotine with a filter holder connected to a vacuum cleaner, for a defined time and area was developed (F-nicotine). Also, house dust sampling was carried out from the vacuum cleaner bags of the homes (VC-nicotine). There was a larger variation in VC-nicotine (13-655, median 66 microg/g) compared with F-nicotine (15-393 median 156 microg/g). There were statistically significant associations between an inquiry data based ETS exposure index on the one hand, and urinary cotinine concentrations in children (U-cotinine), F-nicotine and VC-nicotine of their homes, on the other. The strong correlation between U-cotinine and F-nicotine (rs = 0.93; P < 0.0001) indicates that the new standardized house dust sampling method should be useful in ETS exposure assessment. However, further validation by a larger sample size with repeated measurements in the same homes is needed.     

基于替代模型与遗传算法的混杂热塑性复合结构的优化

采用综合处理方法,如用织物结构或单向纤维丝,能够对注塑或模压热塑结构进行局部加强。网状结构可以通过周期性典型的注塑或模压方式生产,具有较好的力学性能。由于局部增强在数量和位置方面都增加了设计过程的复杂性,数学优化技术与有限元模拟的结合能够设计重量和成本均较优的结构。这项工作评价了与遗传算法结合的近似模型,案例采用普通的而不是工业化的梁结构。有限元模型基于层单元,分4种不同材料,用9个设计变量控制不同区域材料的厚度。材料的非线性性质包含了超塑聚合物和一种特殊织物材料的压缩响应。对有和没有定期选择、径向基函数及Kriging的4种不同近似方法的精度进行了评估。不是孤立地检查平均近似误差,而是提出了一个如何处理单一近似误差的方法。结果表明,在连续的、连续与离散混合的64个设计变量约束条件下,多峰遗传算法可以成功地用于优化结构重量。     

Electrochemiluminescent arrays for cytochrome P450-activated genotoxicity screening. DNA damage from benzo[a]pyrene metabolites

Arrays suitable for genotoxicity screening are reported that generate metabolites from cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) in thin-film spots. Array spots containing DNA, various human cyt P450s, and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) generating metallopolymer [Ru(bpy)2PVP10]2+ were exposed to H2O2 to activate the enzymes. ECL from all spots was visualized simultaneously using a CCD camera. Using benzo[a]pyrene as a test substrate, enzyme activity for producing DNA damage in the arrays was found in the order CYP1B1 > CYP1A2 > CYP1A1 > CYP2E1 > myoglobin, the same as the order of their metabolic activity. Thus, these arrays estimate the relative propensity of different enzymes to produce genotoxic metabolites. This is the first demonstration of ECL arrays for high-throughput in vitro genotoxicity screening.     

Laser CVD – Status und industrielles Potential für Faserbeschichtungen

Laser activated CVD can be applied in different ways: (i) wide area coating having the potential of continuously coating temperature sensitive substrates (parallel beam), (ii) coating on shaped parts, e. g. fibres, (iii) micro structuring/ patterning, e. g. for rapid prototyping or repair of wafers, (iv) build‐up of 3‐dimensional microstructures on substrates under for designing/making microsystems, (v) forming nano‐powders with narrow size distribution, e. g. for advanced ceramics. Evaluation of the industrial potential of the most prospective developments is underway. One of these areas being covered more in detail comprises high speed coating of fibers. The fibres are used for manufacturing damage‐tolerant fiber reinforced ceramic composites. Based on a industrial 6 kW cw‐CO2 laser, an atmospheric pressure laser CVD process has been established which performs continuous coating of fiber bundles. The laser CVD method is characterized by several significant advantages, among them deposition rates of typically > 1 μm/s, small volume cold‐wall reactors, and short residence time of the fibers in the deposition chamber, which avoids fiber degradation. As another feature favoring industrial application, the process can be performed at atmospheric pressure in an open reactor with a continuous air‐to‐air coiling of the fiber bundles. The prototype laser CVD reactor established at Fraunhofer Institute is equipped with in‐situ FTIR sensorics for process monitoring and chemistry control. Cost distribution analysis is used for making preliminary efficiency assessment of the innovative coating process.