Vital-Fluorochromization of Microorganisms Using 3′,6′-Diacetylfluorescein to Determine Damages of Cell Membranes and Loss of Metabolic Activity by Ozonation

Cell suspensions of Escherichia coli as a model for bacterial populations in wastewaters were treated with ozone as a disinfectant in a continuously operated pilot plant with a plug flow reactor. Suspensions with an initial number of CFU (colony forming units) of 10⁸ mL^?1 were ozonized with ozone concentrations up to 12 mg/L. Metabolic activities and membrane functions break down with increasing ozone concentrations. The fluorochromization using 3′,6′-diacetylfluorescein (FDA) proved to be a suitable method for the detection of an alteration in permeability of the cell membranes and an inactivation of metabolic activity. By fluorescence microscopic and photometric investigations it could be clearly demonstrated that, in the case of disinfection with ozone, inactivation of the cells includes first of all a damage of the cell membranes. In contrast to the determination of the number of CFU, fluorochromization allows the detection of alteration in metabolic activities.     

Influences of land use/cover on water quality in the upper and middle reaches of River Njoro, Kenya

Data from 10 sampling sites along the River Njoro are used to examine the contribution of nutrients from upstream land uses draining each of the sampling sites. The data also are used to assess whether both the proportion of land uses and the size of the subwatersheds account for the variability in water quality in the River Njoro watershed. Geographical Information System analysis was used to determine the spatial distribution of land‐cover types and subwatersheds contributing run‐off to the sampling sites in the River Njoro. Standard Digital Elevation Model‐based routines were used to establish the watershed area contributing run‐off to each sampling site. Water and sediment samples were collected for chemical analysis, and the nutrient levels were related to the upstream land‐use types and the size of the subwatersheds. The mid‐stream portion of the River Njoro (near Egerton University) accounts for the highest nutrient contributions. The percentage contribution is magnified by additions from industrial, human settlements and agricultural land uses around the University. There is a significant decrease in nutrient levels downstream, however, indicating natural purification as the river flows through an area of large‐scale farming with intense, well‐preserved riparian and in‐stream vegetation. Steep slopes of the land upstream of Egerton University enhance erosion and nutrient losses from those subwatersheds. Mixed small‐scale agricultural and bare lands contribute over 55% of the phosphorus load to the upper and mid‐reaches of the River Njoro. The size of the subwatershed accounts for about 53% of the variability in the soluble phosphorus in the river. The land‐use subwatershed proportions are important for characterizing and modelling water quality in the River Njoro watershed. Upland land uses are as important as near‐stream land uses. We suggest that conservation of intact riparian corridor along the river and its tributaries contributes significantly to natural purification processes and recovery of the ecological integrity of the River Njoro ecosystem.     

Structural integrity in electronics

With continuing miniaturisation, increased performance demands and the requirement to remove lead from solder alloys, the challenges to structural integrity and reliability of electronic equipment are substantial and increasing. This paper outlines typical features in electronic equipment of which the structural integrity community may be generally unaware. Potential failure modes in service are described, and the problems of scale and material characteristics are considered. Progress in the application of fracture mechanics to the life prediction of interconnections is reviewed. The limited evidence available suggests that the crack growth resistance of silver‐containing lead‐free solders is superior to that of the traditional Sn‐37Pb under cycle‐controlled conditions but there is no difference when time‐dependent conditions prevail. In several respects, it is contended that the electronics sector is faced with challenges at least equivalent to those encountered in gas turbines and nuclear power generation.     

国际乳业的热点论题：蛋白质标准化

介绍了蛋白质的标准化这一国际乳品界正热的研究和讨论题目，综述了蛋白质标准化的必要性和世界上目前采用的方法，展望了膜技术在蛋白质标准化上的应用前景。     

Characterization of hollow fiber membranes in a permeator using binary gas mixtures

We have studied the CO₂/CH₄ mixed gas permeation through hollow fiber membranes in a permeator. An approach to characterize the true separation performance of hollow fiber membranes for binary gas mixtures was provided based on experiments and simulations. Experiments were carried out to measure the retentate and permeate flow rates and compositions at each outlet. The influences of pressure drop within the hollow fibers, non-ideal gas behavior in the mixture and concentration polarization were taken into consideration in the mathematics model. The calculation results indicate that the net influence of the non-ideal gas behavior, competitive sorption and plasticization yields the calculated CO₂ permeance in a mixed gas permeator close to that obtained in pure gas tests. Whereas the CH₄ permeance is higher in the mixed gas tests than that in the pure gas tests, as the plasticization caused by CO₂ dominates the permeation process. As a result, the CO₂/CH₄ mixed gas selectivity is smaller than those obtained in pure gas tests at equivalent pressures.The calculated membrane performance shows little changes with stage cut if the effect of concentration polarization is accounted for in the calculation. The integration method developed in this study could provide more accurate characterizations of mixed gas permeance of hollow membranes than other estimation methods, as our model considers the roles of non-ideal gas behavior and concentration polarization properly.     

网络信息安全技术综述

阐述了网络信息安全的三个组成方面,具体分析了在实际应用中的网络安全技术手段,探讨了国内外研究开发网络信息安全技术的现状、发展趋势及我们所应着重采取的策略.     

Transient Green’s Tensor for a Layered Solid Half-Space With Different Interface Conditions

Pulsed ultrasonic techniques can be and have been used to examine the interface conditions of a bonded structure. To provide a theoretical basis for such testing techniques we model the structure as a layer on top of a half-space, both of different elastic properties, with various interface bonding conditions. The exact dynamic Green’s tensor for such a structure is explicitly derived from the three-dimensional equations of motion. The final solution is a series. Each term of the series corresponds to a successive arrival of a “generalized ray” and each is a definite line integral along a fixed path which can be easily computed numerically. Willis’ method is used in the derivation. A new scheme of automatic generation of the arrivals and ray paths using combinatorial analysis, along with the summation of the corresponding products of reflection coefficients is presented. A FORTRAN code is developed for computation of the Green’s tensor when both the source and the detector are located on the top surface. The Green’s tensor is then used to simulate displacements due to pulsed ultrasonic point sources of known time waveform. Results show that the interface bonding conditions have a great influence on the transient displacements. For example, when the interface bonding conditions vary, some of the first few head waves and regular reflected rays change polarities and amplitudes. This phenomenon can be used to infer the quality of the interface bond of materials in ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation. In addition the results are useful in the study of acoustic microscopy probes, coatings, and geo-exploration.     

Effects of the cryogenic cooling on the fatigue strength of the AISI 304 stainless steel ground components

For environmental considerations, the substitution of the conventionally used oil-based grinding fluids has nowadays become strongly recommended. Although several alternatives have been proposed, cryogenic cooling by liquid nitrogen is the non-polluting coolant that has been given relatively more attention because of its very low temperature. In this investigation, in order to contribute to developing this promising cooling mode, its beneficial effects on the ground surface integrity of the AISI 304 stainless steel and their consequences on the fatigue lifetime are explored. Results of this investigation show that grinding under cryogenic cooling mode generates surfaces with lower roughness, less defects, higher work hardening and less tensile residual stresses than those obtained on surfaces ground under oil-based grinding fluid. These surface enhancements result into substantial improvements in the fatigue behaviour of components ground under this cooling mode. An increasing rate of almost 15% of the endurance limit at 2 × 10⁶ cycles could be realized. SEM analyses of the fatigue fracture surfaces have shown that the fatigue cracks observed on the specimens ground under cryogenic cooling are shorter (i.e., 30-50 μm) than those generated under oil-based cooling mode (i.e., 150-200 μm). The realized improvements in the surface integrity and in the fatigue behaviour are thought to be related to the reduction of the grinding zone temperature observed under cryogenic cooling, as no significant differences between the grinding force components for both cooling modes have been observed.     

覆膜滤料的滤尘性能测试方法研究

由于覆膜滤料的结构和性能有别于普通滤料，因而普通滤料的滤尘性能测试方法不完全适用于覆滤料。本文作者在总结实践经验的基础上，提出了在覆膜滤料的滤尘性能测试中应注意的一些问题和应增加的测试项目。     

Influence of Membrane Stresses on Postbuckling of Rectangular Plates Using a Nonlinear Elastic 3-D Cosserat Brick Element

This paper has two main objectives. The first is to examine the influence of membrane stresses on postbuckled deformations of nonlinear elastic isotropic rectangular plates. The second is to further examine the accuracy of a new 3-D Cosserat eight noded brick element (Nadler and Rubin in Int J Solids Struct 40: 4585–4614, 2003) which was developed within the context of the theory of a Cosserat point. The equations of the Cosserat element include both material and geometric nonlinearities. A number of example problems are considered which examine predictions of the Cosserat element for beams and plates and comparison has been made with results from the commercial codes ANSYS and ADINA. Also, the approximate nonlinear postbuckling solution described in Timoshenko and Gere (Theory of elastic stability, Mc Graw-Hill, New York) is shown to be more limited than originally expected. These results suggest that the Cosserat element is robust, can perform well under extreme conditions and is capable of modeling combinations of three-dimensional bodies with attached thin structures.