Analysis of phosphorus removal and anaerobic selector performance in a full-scale activated sludge process in Singapore.

This paper analyses the performance of the anaerobic selector (A/O process) in a full-scale activated sludge process receiving mostly industrial sewage discharge (> 60%) in Singapore. In addition to the sludge settleability, enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) was studied. The sludge volume index (SVI) reduced from 200 to 80 ml g(-1) and foaming was suppressed significantly, indicating the effectiveness of the anaerobic selector in improving sludge settleability. The phosphorus removal efficiency was 66%, and 7.5 mg HAc-COD was consumed per mg PO4(3-) -P removed. In the anaerobic compartment, 31% of the SCOD and 73% of the acetic acid in the settled sewage were removed with PO4(3-) -P release of 14.1 mg PO4(3-)-P l(-1). The linear correlation between PO4(3-) -P release in the anaerobic compartment and PO4(3-) -P uptake in the aerobic compartment indicates that there is about 0.8 mg PO4(3-) -P release in the anaerobic compartment per mg PO34(3-) -P uptake in the aerobic compartment. The fates of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and its short chain acids (SCAs) in the process were studied and discussed.     

Effect of race on outcome after kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation in type 1 diabetic patients

OBJECTIVE: The racial impact on graft outcome is not well defined in diabetic recipients. The purpose of this study is to analyze our experience with kidney-alone (A) and kidney-pancreas (KP) transplantation in type 1 diabetic recipients and evaluate the impact of racial disparity on outcome. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The records of 217 kidney transplants (118 KA, 99 KP) performed on type 1 diabetic patients between 1985 and 1995 at the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of Texas Medical Branch were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 53 (31%) white patients and 15 (33%) black patients experienced at least one episode of biopsy-proven acute rejection of the renal graft (NS). Patient survival at 1, 2, and 5 years was similar in white (92, 87, 69%) and black (91, 91, 69%) patients (NS). Kidney graft survival at 1, 2, and 5 years in the KA group was 72, 62, and 42% in blacks, compared with 79, 76, and 53% in whites (NS). Kidney graft survival at 1, 2, and 5 years in the KP group was 92, 92, and 74% in blacks, compared with 83, 77, and 58% in whites (NS). Pancreas graft survival at 1, 2, and 5 years was 81, 81, and 81% in blacks, compared with 81, 75, and 62% in whites (NS). Cox regression analysis revealed that donor age > or = 40 years increased the risk of renal graft failure 6.2-fold (P = 0.0001), whereas the addition of a pancreas transplant to a kidney and a living-related transplant decreased the risk of failure of the kidney graft 0.2 (P = 0.005) and 0.1 times (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that when compared with whites, there may be a trend toward an improved kidney and pancreas graft outcome in blacks undergoing KP transplants. These findings suggest that diabetes may override the risk factors that account for the pronounced disparity in outcome observed between nondiabetic white and black recipients.     

透视图象的三维实体几何复原

对于未知透视参数的图象，如何获得较精确的原实体三维几何构形，本文推导了几个线段逆变换关系式，给出一个有效的方法，实现复杂组合体透视图象的三维重建，文中给出几个实例。     

Inference and retrieval of facial images

Attempts have been made to extend SQL to work with multimedia databases. We are reserved on the representation ability of extended SQL to cope with the richness in content of multimedia data. In this paper we present an example of a multimedia database system, Computer Aided Facial Image Inference and Retrieval system (CAFIIR). The system stores and manages facial images and criminal records, providing necessary functions for crime identification. We would like to demonstrate some core techniques for multimedia database with CAFIIR system. Firstly, CAFIIR is a integrated system. Besides database management, there are image analysis, image composition, image aging, and report generation subsystems, providing means for problem solving. Secondly, the richness of multimedia data urges feature-based database for their management. CAFIIR is feature-based. A indexing mechanism,iconic index, has been proposed for indexing facial images using hierarchical self-organization neural network. The indexing method operates on complex feature measures and provides means for visual navigation. Thirdly, special retrieval methods for facial images have been developed, including visual browsing, similarity retrieval, free text retrieval and fuzzy retrieval.     

任意曲线透视投影的逆变换

透视曲线的逆变换是透视图象三维逆变换的重要基础。本文在给出透视投影逆变换基本方程的基础上，分别提出了圆、椭圆、二次曲线、任意平面曲线的透视投影逆变换的解析方法或计算机反求方法。同时给出灭点信息不足明图象的透视参数的准确反求方法。     

CO2 emissions,energy consumption,and output in France

This paper examines the dynamic causal relationships between pollutant emissions, energy consumption, and output for France using cointegration and vector error-correction modelling techniques. We argue that these variables are strongly inter-related and therefore their relationship must be examined using an integrated framework. The results provide evidence for the existence of a fairly robust long-run relationship between these variables for the period 1960–2000. The causality results support the argument that economic growth exerts a causal influence on growth of energy use and growth of pollution in the long run. The results also point to a uni-directional causality running from growth of energy use to output growth in the short run.     

Sites of alcohol and volatile anaesthetic action on GABA(A) and glycine receptors

Volatile anaesthetics have historically been considered to act in a nonspecific manner on the central nervous system. More recent studies, however, have revealed that the receptors for inhibitory neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine are sensitive to clinically relevant concentrations of inhaled anaesthetics. The function of GABA(A) and glycine receptors is enhanced by a number of anaesthetics and alcohols, whereas activity of the related GABA rho1 receptor is reduced. We have used this difference in pharmacology to investigate the molecular basis for modulation of these receptors by anaesthetics and alcohols. By using chimaeric receptor constructs, we have identified a region of 45 amino-acid residues that is both necessary and sufficient for the enhancement of receptor function. Within this region, two specific amino-acid residues in transmembrane domains 2 and 3 are critical for allosteric modulation of both GABA(A) and glycine receptors by alcohols and two volatile anaesthetics. These observations support the idea that anaesthetics exert a specific effect on these ion-channel proteins, and allow for the future testing of specific hypotheses of the action of anaesthetics.     

Cloning and expression analysis of a novel salicylate suppressible gene, Hs-CUL-3, a member of cullin/Cdc53 family

By using a mRNA differential display technique to search for salicylate suppressible genes, we identified a cDNA in human foreskin fibroblasts, which by GenBankTM DNA data base search shows sequence homology to the recently reported cullin/Cdc53 (CUL) family genes, especially CUL-3. We have cloned the full-length human CUL-3 (Hs-CUL-3) cDNA. It encodes a 768-amino acid polypeptide and has a predicted molecular weight of 88,939. The amino acid sequence of Hs-CUL-3 shows 46% homology to that of its Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog, Ce-CUL-3, and 27 and 23% to that of Hs-CUL-1 and Hs-CUL-2, respectively. Northern blot analysis showed that phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate increased the expression of Hs-CUL-3 mRNA in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and this increase was inhibited by sodium salicylate. Hs-CUL-3 widely expressed in human tissues and its expression in cultured COLO205 colon cancer cells was increased when compared with that in normal colon cells. It is likely that Hs-CUL-3 is involved in cell proliferation control.     

Bioavailability of phenytoin acid and phenytoin sodium with enteral feedings

In the absence of E1B, the 289-amino acid product of human adenovirus type 5 13S E1A induces p53-independent apoptosis by a mechanism that requires viral E4 gene products (Marcellus, R.C., J.C. Teodoro, T. Wu, D.E. Brough, G. Ketner, G.C. Shore, and P.E. Branton. 1996. J. Virol. 70:6207-6215) and involves a mechanism that includes activation of caspases (Boulakia, C.A., G. Chen, F.W. Ng, J. G. Teodoro, P.E. Branton, D.W. Nicholson, G.G. Poirier, and G.C. Shore. 1996. Oncogene. 12:529-535). Here, we show that one of the E4 products, E4orf4, is highly toxic upon expression in rodent cells regardless of the p53 status, and that this cytotoxicity is significantly overcome by coexpression with either Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL. Conditional expression of E4orf4 induces a cell death process that is characterized by apoptotic hallmark features, such as externalization of phosphatidylserine, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytoplasmic vacuolation, condensation of chromatin, and internucleosomal DNA degradation. However, the wide-spectrum inhibitor of caspases, tetrapeptide zVAD-fmk, does not affect any of these apoptogenic manifestations, and does not alter the kinetics of E4orf4-induced cell death. Moreover, E4orf4 expression does not result in activation of the downstream effector caspase common to most apoptosis-inducing events, caspase-3 (CPP32). We conclude, therefore, that in the absence of E1A, E4orf4 is sufficient by itself to trigger a p53-independent apoptosis pathway that may operate independently of the known zVAD-inhibitable caspases, and that may involve an as yet uncharacterized mechanism.