Field solar photocatalytic purification of pesticides-containing rinse waters from tractor cisterns used for grapevine treatment

The objective was to assess in a vineyard the effect of purifying by solar photocatalysis the title rinse waters (presently rejected or, extremely rarely, cleaned in specific installations) in terms of efficacy and on-site ease-of-use for the wine grower. The on-site, self-functioning, solar purifying unit included a corrugated-steel inclined plate of area S=1 m² onto which a TiO₂-coated thin material had been stuck, a 100-l tank, and an aquarium-type pump powered by a photovoltaic panel. For a vineyard of area A=0.15 km², the rinse water (about 80 l) corresponding to each of four typical vine treatments was analysed (major pesticides for each treatment, TOC, Microtox test and, in one case, BOD₅) by independent laboratories, before and after purification for 8 days. These analyses showed that the S/A ratio tested was insufficient. From the relatively low final organic content reached in one case, it is calculated that a three-time higher S/A ratio might suffice, but new trials are necessary to determine whether it is valid for the other typical cases. Inferred contribution of inorganic ions to the post-photocatalytic treatment toxicity points out to the need for an additional detoxification. However, even with a too small S, the photocatalytic treatment markedly improved the quality of the rinse waters. These field experiments have also demonstrated that the purifying prototype is robust, and easy to install and use on site by the wine grower.     

Exploration, anxiety, and spatial memory in trasgenic anophthalmic mice.

Contradictory results are found in the literature concerning the role of vision in the perception of space or in spatial navigation, in part because of the lack of murine models of total blindness used so far. The authors evaluated the spatial abilities of anophthalmic transgenic mice. These mice did not differ qualitatively from their wild-type littermates in general locomotor activity, spontaneous altenation, object exploration, or anxiety, but their level of exploratory activity was generallty lower. In the spatial version of the water maze, they displayed persistent thigmotaxic behavior and showed severe spatial learning impairments. However, their performances improved with training, suggesting that they may have acquired a rough representation of the platform position. These results suggest that modalities other than vision enable some degree of spatial processing in proximal and structured spaces but that vision is critical for accurate spatial navigation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

StarPro 2000的体系结构--提高信道容量、缩短产品研发周期的新型通讯DSP平台

基于StarCore的DSP解决方案脱颖而出，可以满足第三代无线通讯的因特网基础设施通讯市场的需求。     

Multi-item dynamic production-distribution planning in process industries with divergent finishing stages

This paper examines a multi-item dynamic production-distribution planning problem between a manufacturing location and a distribution center. Transportation costs between the manufacturing location and the distribution center offer economies of scale and can be represented by general piecewise linear functions. The production system at the manufacturing location is a serial process with a multiple parallel machines bottleneck stage and divergent finishing stages. A predetermined production sequence must be maintained on the bottleneck machines. A tight mixed-integer programming model of the production process is proposed, as well as three different formulations to represent general piecewise linear functions. These formulations are then used to develop three equivalent mathematical programming models of the manufacturer-distributor flow planning problem. Valid inequalities to strengthen these formulations are proposed and the strategy of adding extra 0–1 variables to improve the branching process is examined. Tests are performed to compare the computational efficiency of these models. Finally, it is shown that by adding valid inequalities and extra 0–1 variables, major computational improvements can be achieved.     

Flame retardancy and thermal and mechanical performance of intercalated,layered double hydroxide composites of polyamide 11, aluminum phosphinate,and sulfamic acid

Sulfamic acid‐intercalated MgAl‐layered double hydroxide (SA‐LDH) was prepared and added with aluminum phosphinate (AlPi) into polyamide 11 (PA11). The results showed that AlPi/SA‐LDH made a positive contribution to both flame retardancy and thermostability, and the effect was demonstrated with the limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning tests (UL‐94), cone calorimetry (CONE), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The char morphologies were observed by SEM, and its chemical composition was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The decomposition mechanism was examined by TGA‐FTIR. The results showed that the LOI of PA11 was only 23.0 and cannot pass any UL‐94 rating. The addition of 20% AlPi increased the LOI to 31.5 and passed the UL‐94 V‐1 rating, and AlPi/SA‐LDH 15%/5% increased the LOI to 32.4 and also passed the UL‐94 V‐1 rating. The CONE results revealed that 20% of either AlPi or AlPi/SA‐LDH brought about a 30% decrease in the peak heat release rate (pHRR). The contribution of SA‐LDH to flame behavior was especially reflected in the postponement of pHRR. SEM showed that the char morphologies became denser after SA‐LDH incorporation. The improvement in thermal stability of the AlPi/SA‐LDH combination was documented by TGA in both N₂ and air atmospheres. The mechanical performance deterioration caused by AlPi was partly improved by SA‐LDH. The storage modulus (E′) below the T_g of AlPi/SA‐LDH 15%/5% was about 300 MPa higher than with 20% AlPi. This was attributed to a compatibility improvement. The interaction forces among PA11, AlPi, and SA‐LDH were probed by X‐ray photoelectron spectrometry. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43370.     

Subthalamic nucleus stimulation affects fear and sadness recognition in Parkinson’s disease.

Bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) can produce emotional disorders that have been linked to disturbance of the STN’s limbic territory. The aim of this study was to confirm the impairment of the recognition of facial emotions (RFE) induced by STN DBS, not only ruling out the effect of the disease’s natural progression in relation to the effect of DBS, but also assessing the influence of modifications in dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) following STN DBS. RFE was investigated in 24 PD patients who underwent STN DBS and 20 PD patients treated with apomorphine. They were assessed 3 months before and after treatment. The 2 patient groups were compared with a group of 30 healthy matched controls. The results showed that RFE for negative emotions (fear and sadness) was impaired in only the STN DBS group in the posttreatment condition and was unrelated to DRT. Results confirm the selective reduction of RFE induced by STN DBS, due neither to the disease’s natural progression nor to modifications in DRT. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Odour active aroma compounds of sea fig (Microcosmus sulcatus)

Sea fig is an original shellfish appreciated for its powerful “marine, iodized” flavour. Different methods of analysis by gas chromatography, coupled with olfactometry (GC–O), were studied and compared. Subsequently, odour-active aroma compounds of sea fig extract were analyzed by OSME and CHARM analysis. Twenty-nine olfactive areas were observed by OSME, and 18 by CHARM analysis. Volatile compounds of the extract were analyzed by mass spectrometry and specific detectors associated with the GC. Twenty molecules, responsible for these odours were elucidated. Among them, 12 were directly identified by GC–MS, and the remaining 8 only by GC–O and standard sample injection. Moreover, 10 volatile sulfur-containing compounds were revealed as the major olfactive contributors. The two principal character-impact compounds possessed “marine, fresh” and “fishy, crustaceous” odours. The first could not be identified; however, trimethylamine was attributed to the other, and defined as a key compound of sea fig aroma.     

Dual-stage ignition of boron particle agglomerates

The ignition characteristics of boron particle agglomerates prepared by drying 2–3 mm water slurry droplets of crystalline or amorphous boron powders were investigated by introducing suspended agglomerates into a flow of high temperature oxidizing gases (oxygen/nitrogen/water vapor) obtained by a combination of combustion and electrical heating. Monitoring of the agglomerate luminosity, spectra, and temperature revealed a dual-stage ignition process. The first stage ignition was observed at flow temperatures as low as 715 K and was followed by agglomerate quenching if the oxygen concentration in the flow was below some critical value. As the oxygen concentration of the flow was increased beyond this critical value, the second stage ignition leading to full-fledge combustion was observed. The ignition characteristics of boron particle agglomerates were theoretically investigated by developing a numerical model that considers the oxygen concentration gradient inside the agglomerate in order to simulate the ignition process. The model results accurately captured the qualitative behavior of the first stage ignition and quenching as well as the dual-stage ignition processes. The model identified the closure of pores in the agglomerate due to the build-up of the boron oxide layer, which effectively seals off the large interior surface area of the agglomerate from the oxidizer, as being the mechanism responsible for the two-stage ignition phenomenon. The critical flow conditions in terms of flow temperature and ambient oxygen concentration for the second stage ignition were determined by this model. The experimental result for the critical ambient oxygen concentration for the second stage ignition in dry flow was determined to be 70%, which is fairly close to the model prediction of 79%.     

Optimisation of extraction conditions for recovering carotenoids and antioxidant capacity from Gac peel using response surface methodology

The peel of Gac fruit is regarded as waste product in the processing of Gac although it contains high level of carotenoids and possesses a significant antioxidant capacity. This study optimised the extraction yields of carotenoids and antioxidant capacity from Gac peel. Different organic solvents were examined to determine the most suitable solvent for the extraction. The extraction conditions including time, temperature and solvent–solid ratio were then optimised for maximising extraction yields of carotenoids and antioxidant capacity from Gac peel using response surface methodology. Ethyl acetate was identified as the most suitable solvent. The optimal extraction time, temperature and solvent–solid ratio were 150 min, 40.7 °C and 80 mL g^?1, respectively. The carotenoid extraction yield and the antioxidant capacity extraction yield were 271 mg/100 g DW and 737 μm TE/100 g DW, respectively. Thus, the extraction using ethyl acetate with the ratio of 80:1 (mL solvent per g Gac peel) for 150 min at 40.7 °C is suggested for recovering carotenoids and antioxidant capacity from Gac peel.     

Prevalence of and risk factors for Campylobacter spp. contamination of broiler chicken carcasses at the slaughterhouse

A study was conducted in 2008 to estimate the prevalence and identify the risk factors for Campylobacter spp. contamination of broiler carcasses during the slaughtering process. A pool of 10 caeca and one carcass were collected from 425 batches of broiler chickens slaughtered in 58 French slaughterhouses over a 12-month period. Potential risk factors were identified according to the Campylobacter contamination status of carcasses and processing variables identified from questionnaires. The statistical analysis took into account confounding factors that have already been associated with the presence of Campylobacter on carcasses such as the slaughter age of the chicken or seasonal variations. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 77.2% of caeca (95% CI 73.2 to 81.2) and from 87.5% of carcasses (95% CI 84.4 to 90.7). A multiple logistic regression showed 4 parameters as significant risk factors (p < 0.05) for contamination: (I) batches were not the first to be slaughtered in the logistic schedule (OR = 3.5), (II) temperature in the evisceration room was higher than 15 °C (OR = 3.1), (III) dirty marks on carcasses after evisceration were visible (OR = 2.6) and (IV) previous thinning of the flocks, from which slaughtered batches came, had occurred at the farm (OR = 3.3). This last result highlighted the need for sanitary precautions to be taken when catching birds for transport. At the slaughterhouse, evisceration seemed to be the operation contributing most to the spread of contamination. Effective risk management solutions could include the systematic external rinsing of carcasses after evisceration and the implementation of slaughtering schedules according to the Campylobacter contamination status of flocks.