bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression of Fas‐Fas Ligand in Murine Testis
Authors: Xu Ji Ping , Li Xiang , Mori Etsuko , Guo Mao Wu , Matsuda Ichiro , Takaichi Hirohito , Amano Takashi , Mori Tsuneatsu
Published: September 2011

Xu JP, Li X, Mori E, Guo MW, Matsuda I, Takaichi H, Amano T, Mori T. Expression of Fas‐Fas ligand in murine testis. AJRI 1999; 42:381–388 © Munksgaard, Copenhagen

PROBLEM: During spermatogenesis, it has been suggested that the number of germ cells to be matured is regulated and restricted through the apoptotic mechanism. In the present study, we investigated the expression and apoptotic role of Fas and Fas ligand (L) in the murine testis.

METHOD OF STUDY: The expression of Fas‐FasL in the murine testis was assessed by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR)‐Southern blot hybridization, in situ hybridization, and Western blot methods. The terminal deoxynucleotide transferase mediated dUTP‐nick end label (TUNEL) and DNA fragmentation methods were applied to detect the generation of apoptosis in germ cells.

RESULTS: By means of RT‐PCR‐Southern blot hybridization, we demonstrated the positive expression of Fas in testicular germ cells, and of FasL in testicular cells, supporting the findings with in situ hybridization that Fas was localized in germ cells, whereas FasL was localized in Sertoli cells of murine testis. A specific band at 45 kDa was obtained in the lysates from testis and germ cells with Western blot analysis. Then, the co‐incubation of germ cells with Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9)‐FasL cells in vitro resulted in the induction of apoptosis in germ cells detected by the TUNEL method. Furthermore, DNA fragmented ladders were also demonstrated in germ cells co‐incubated with Sf9‐FasL cells.

CONCLUSION: Fas‐FasL system seemed to play an apoptotic role in spermatogenesis by the molecular interaction between FasL on Sertoli cells and Fas on germ cells.
The Level of Human Decidua‐Associated Protein (hDP) 200, Identified as a Monoclonal Rheumatoid Factor in the Fallopian Tube
Authors: Halperin Dr. Reuvit , Hadas Eran , Bukovsky Ian , Schneider David
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to examine whether ectopic pregnancy is associated with increased levels of human decidua‐associated protein (hDP) 200, identified as a monoclonal rheumatoid factor, in the related fallopian tube as compared with normal tubes.

METHOD OF STUDY: Tubal fluid samples were obtained prospectively from two groups of patients: group I, 20 patients admitted for total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy (TAH and BSO); group H, 14 women with ectopic pregnancy, undergoing unilateral salpingectomy by laparoscopy or laparotomy. hDP 200 was assayed using double‐site enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS: Very low levels of hDP 200 were found in normal tubes, while tubes with ectopic pregnancy demonstrated significantly higher levels of tubal fluid hDP 200 (P < 0.00001). In addition, in women with ectopic pregnancy, the uterine fluid level of hDP 200 was significantly lower than the level of hDP 200 in the tube containing ectopic pregnancy (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: The increased level of hDP 200 (a monoclonal rheumatoid factor) in the tube containing ectopic pregnancy, as compared with uterine cavity and normal tubes, might be associated with the implantation site of the pregnancy.
Natural Killer Cell Subpopulations and Cytotoxicity for Infertile Patients Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization
Authors: Fukui A. , Fujii S. , Yamaguchi E. , Kimura H. , Sato S. , Saito Y.
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: We evaluated the participation of the lymphocyte subpopulations in the endometrium and peripheral blood on in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF‐ET) outcomes.

METHOD OF STUDY: Peripheral blood samples were analyzed for the expression of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, and CD56, using a FACScan, and for natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, using a 51Cr assay. Endometrial samples obtained at a previous phase of the IVF cycle were analyzed for the expression of CD 16 and CD56, using a FACScan. RESULTS: The percentages of CD56+ cells and CD16+ CD56+ cells in the peripheral blood on the day of ET were significantly higher in the failed group than in the implanted group. In the endometrial tissue, the increase of the percentage of CD16+ CD56dim cells and the decrease of the percentage of CD16—CD56bright cells in the aborted group were significant when compared with the those of the delivered group.

CONCLUSIONS: The increase of cytotoxic NK cells in the peripheral blood and the endometrium may affect the therapeutic results of IVF‐ET. It was suggested that modifications of NK cytotoxicity or of NK subpopulations might contribute to the improvements of IVF outcomes.
First Trimester Human Endovascular Trophoblast Cells Express Both HLA‐C and HLA‐G
Authors: Pröll Johannes , Blaschitz Astrid , Hutter Heinz , Dohr Gottfried
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: In human pregnancies, trophoblasts, in contrast to placental connective tissue and the fetus itself, come into direct contact with the maternal allorecognizing system at special sites. Villous syncytiotrophoblasts washed around by maternal blood lack HLA class I proteins, whereas extravillous trophoblasts, which deeply invade maternal uterine tissues, express high amounts of HLA‐G and also HLA‐C, the latter to a lesser degree, however. A subpopulation of extravillous trophoblasts, the endovascular trophoblast, enters maternal spiral artery lumen and, like syncytiotrophoblast, comes into direct contact with maternal blood. Less is known about HLA class I distribution on this endovascular trophoblast subpopulation.

METHOD OF STUDY: A comparative immununohistochemical analysis was done on decidual cryo‐sections containing trophoblast‐invaded spiral arteries using different anti‐HLA class I monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and a peroxidase‐labeled streptavidinbiotin detection system.

RESULTS: MAbs W6/32 (anti‐HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐G), HCA2 (anti‐HLA‐A, ‐G) G233 and 87G (both anti‐HLA‐G) resulted in strong positivity on endovascular trophoblasts. L31 (anti‐HLA‐C) and HC10 (anti‐HLA‐B, ‐C) revealed clear positivity, whereas TÜ149 (anti‐HLA‐B, ‐C, some ‐A) produced a heterogeneous staining pattern, faintly positive on some endovascular trophoblastic cells and negative on others. MAb LA45 (anti‐HLA‐A, ‐B) did not bind to any endovascular trophoblast, neither did BFL.1 (anti‐HLA‐G) nor 16G1 (anti‐HLA‐G, soluble).

CONCLUSION: This study shows that trophoblastic cells belonging to the endovascular subpopulation express considerable amounts of HLA‐G and slightly less HLA‐C.
Antigen‐Presenting Cells in the Human Female Reproductive Tract: Analysis of Antigen Presentation in Pre‐ and Post‐Menopausal Women
Authors: Fahey John V. , Prabhala Rao H. , Guyre Paul M. , Wira Charles R.
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: To determine whether cells in the female reproductive tract (FRT) are functionally capable of presenting antigen to T cells.

METHOD OF STUDY: Analysis was done by determining the proliferation of purified autologous T cells to antigen, following co‐incubation with non‐proliferating cell suspensions isolated from the uterus and prepared by enzymatic digestion of reproductive tract tissues from hysterectomy patients with benign disease.

RESULTS: All uterine preparations analyzed were functionally capable of presenting antigen; the ability to present antigen was independent of pre‐ and post‐menopausal status. In contrast, some, but not all, tissues from the ovary, Fallopian tube, cervix, and vagina were capable of presenting antigen.

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the human FRT is an inductive site for immune responses. Regulation of antigen presentation in the reproductive tract may be important for protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
A Study of Early Pregnancy Factor Activity in the Sera of Women with Trophoblastic Tumor
Authors: Xiaoguang Fan , Laixi Yan , Shunhou Jia , Aiying Ma , Changxin Qiao
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: To detect whether or not the early pregnancy factor (EPF)‐like activity, or chaperonin 10, could be in the sera of patients with trophoblastic tumor in order to find another more efficient means to diagnose this kind of tumor.

METHOD OF STUDY: The rosette inhibition assay was used to detect EPF‐like activity in 216 sera, collected from patients with gestational trophoblastic tumor, including 47 sera of patients with choriocarcinoma, 68 sera of patients bearing invasive mole, and 101 sera of patients with vesicular mole.

RESULTS: The accuracy of diagnosing malignant trophoblastic tumor by detecting EPF‐like activity is 91.3% (105/115), with a false positive rate of 14.58% and a false negative rate of 4.48% by this method. Furthermore, the rosette inhibition titer (RIT) values have significant difference (P < 0.001) between the sera in patients with malignant trophoblastic tumor before treatment and those after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that diagnosis of malignant trophoblastic tumor could be made with an accuracy of 91.3%) by detecting EPF‐like activity and that EPF‐like activity could be used as an indicator to distinguish benign from malignant trophoblastic tumor.
Education on and prevention of dental trauma: it’s time to act!
Authors: Levin Liran , Zadik Yehuda
Published: September 2011

Abstract –  Dental trauma is, unfortunately, not uncommon and may be even more prevalent in high‐risk populations. It should be emphasized and acknowledged that many cases of dental trauma are preventable. Appropriate management includes primary prevention, i.e. avoidance of pathology development, and secondary prevention, i.e. early diagnosing and treatment of the pathology before significant morbidity occurs. The aim of this article is to provide a review of the current dental trauma literature with regard to education and knowledge and with relevance to primary and secondary prevention. As the duty of providing the public with measures for the maintenance of proper oral health is of the dental profession, the responsibility of providing primary and secondary prevention of dental trauma is of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental nurses. They may, and should, educate other medical, paramedical, and non‐medical professionals, taking into account that those non‐dental professionals could not maintain a high level of knowledge and service regarding dental trauma without a continuous backing by the dental professionals. It should be remembered that as the prevalence of dental decay has reduced in the Western world during recent decades, dental trauma plays a significant part in causing dental morbidity and mortality (tooth loss). It seems that now is the time to act for the benefit of our community and move from ‘treating’ toward ‘managing’ risk factors and prevention.
LABORING A DEMOCRATIC SPRING: THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF FREE TRADE UNIONS IN EGYPT
Authors: Totonchi Emil P.
Published: September 2011

In what became known as the Egyptian Revolution, the country experienced sustained, widespread demonstrations to oust President Mubarak and the ruling of National Democratic Party. In post‐Mubarak Egypt, Egyptians are attempting to reform radically their country. Decades of emergency laws, fraudulent elections, deprivation of the most basic of freedoms, and dire poverty have, in the absence of the right of workers to form independent trade unions and collectively bargain, caused industrial strife in Egypt. The essay contends that workers must have political space to express grievances and the ability to organize themselves, or instability in Egypt will persist and expand. Egyptian history has demonstrated that limits on the fundamental labor right to form a union have had adverse effects for the governing Egyptian elite and the country's stability. Therefore, as Egypt undertakes serious reform in government and in the law, the new Egyptian leaders must undertake trade union law reform enabling workers to form independent trade unions outside of government‐administered institutions. A new trade union law that allows and encourages the creation of independent trade unions will help plant the seeds of democracy at the grassroots level and grant Egyptian workers a nondisruptive means to address their working conditions and to improve their families' livelihoods, thus paving the way to a more democratic Egyptian society.
WATCHING KUSHNER WITH FOOTNOTES: REFLECTIONS ON THE INTELLIGENT HOMOSEXUAL'S GUIDE TO CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM WITH A KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, BY TONY KUSHNER
Authors: Shepard Benjamin
Published: September 2011

“The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures” is a play by Tony Kushner. Unlike Kushner's other works, “The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide . . .” places a discussion of labor history at the center of this work about Brooklyn, urban development, the fate of social movements, and debates about reform vs. revolutionary strategies of social change. The play is steeped in references to historic social actors, such as Vito Anthony Marcantonio, a Congressional representative and member of the American Labor Party, who was in and out of office from the 1930s to 1950s.
TOWARD 6 log10 PULSED ELECTRIC FIELD INACTIVATION WITH CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC PACKAGING MATERIAL
Authors: ROODENBURG BART , DE HAAN SJOERD W H. , FERREIRA J A. , CORONEL PABLO , WOUTERS PATRICK C. , HATT VOLMAR
Published: September 2011

Generally, high grade products such as pulsed electric field (PEF) treated fruit juices are packaged after their preservative treatment. However, PEF treatment after packaging could avoid recontamination of the product and becomes feasible when electric field pulses of sufficient magnitude can be generated inside closed food containments. Microbial inactivation of 2 log10 was proved by using an electrically conductive plastic packaging material, and in this contribution it is shown that inactivation toward pasteurization level is achievable. Therefore, a series of microbial experiments with Lactobacillus plantarum at different energy levels were performed. The obtained microbial data with the plastic material have been compared with inactivation models from literature as well as with reference experiments. All treatments were done at ∼2.3 kV/mm, with treatment times between 10–600 µs, and the thermal load was below 38C. The maximum obtained microbial inactivation with the plastic packaging material was 5.9 log10 with a specific energy of 255 J/mL.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

In order to further minimize the risk of contaminating microorganisms, e.g., introduced during the packaging process, this new technology of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment after packaging can be beneficial in reducing food safety incidents. This technique also makes hygienic packaging machines superfluous, which will reduce operational and investment costs. By proving that PEF inactivation through a plastic packaging material is possible, the first step toward PEF treatment after packaging has been taken. Important next steps toward industrial realization are extensive research on food grade conductive packaging films, PEF in‐pack processing methodologies and microbial investigation of different microorganisms.
Mast cell tumour and cutaneous histiocytoma excision wound healing in general practice
Authors: Killick D. R. , Rowlands A. M. , Burrow R. D. , Cripps P. , Miller J. , Graham P. , Blackwood L.
Published: September 2011

Objective: To assess whether wounds from incomplete mast cell tumour excisions are at greater risk of healing complications than wounds from complete excisions, or cutaneous histiocytomas.

Methods: Mast cell tumours and cutaneous histiocytomas submitted to Nationwide Laboratories between November 1, 2007 and April 30, 2008 were selected. Questionnaires were sent to submitting veterinarians requesting details of tumour characteristics, clinical approach to the tumour and wound healing.

Results: Three hundred and eighty‐six mast cell tumours and 524 cutaneous histiocytomas were identified. One hundred and eighty‐five mast cell tumours and 244 cutaneous histiocytomas questionnaires were returned (47% response). Wound complications arose in 20% of mast cell tumours and 21% of cutaneous histiocytomas. Multivariable analysis confirmed that larger tumours, tumours on the feet and a soft/“baggy” appearance, were significantly associated with a greater frequency of problems, leading to delayed wound healing and dehiscence.

ClinicalSignificance: Incomplete mast cell tumour excision does not lead to greater risk of wound complications. Mast cell tumour surgical wounds have a similar rate of wound complications as cutaneous histiocytoma wounds.
Production of an anticanine globulin (polyspecific) reagent for laboratory investigation
Authors: Sriwichai C. , Jiraudommongkol M. , Wutti‐In Y. , Vongchan P.
Published: September 2011

Objectives: Canine allo‐ or autoantibodies are clinically important, but attachment of these immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies does not produce observable haemagglutination. Antibody to canine globulins is required to demonstrate sensitisation of red blood cells. Commercial reagents are available, but these often differ in sensitivity and specificity. Rabbit anticanine globulins (polyspecific) were produced for use in canine blood compatibility testing and in the investigation of immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia.

Methods: Canine sera was pooled, IgG was purified and subsequently used to immunise rabbits. A rising titre of anticanine IgG was demonstrated by indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Rabbit anticanine complement was isolated and investigated by agglutination of complement‐coated canine red blood cells. Both antibodies were purified and checked for crossreactivity before being combined to polyspecific anticanine globulins. The obtained reagent was used to indicate sensitised canine red blood cells and free antibodies in three different types of clinical samples, including blood for compatibility testing and that for investigation of immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia and screening for post‐transfusion alloantibodies and was also compared to commercial Coombs’ reagent.

Results: The product provided results in accordance with those from commercial Coombs’ reagent. The sensitivity for canine crossmatching was 100% and specificity for diagnosing immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia was 87%.

ClinicalSignificance: This product is helpful for canine crossmatching purposes and in the investigation of immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia.
Selective removal of transition metals from acidic mine waters by novel consortia of acidophilic sulfidogenic bacteria
Authors: Ňancucheo Ivan , Johnson D. Barrie
Published: September 2011

Two continuous‐flow bench‐scale bioreactor systems populated by mixed communities of acidophilic sulfate‐reducing bacteria were constructed and tested for their abilities to promote the selective precipitation of transition metals (as sulfides) present in synthetic mine waters, using glycerol as electron donor. The objective with the first system (selective precipitation of copper from acidic mine water containing a variety of soluble metals) was achieved by maintaining a bioreactor pH of ∼2.2–2.5. The second system was fed with acidic (pH 2.5) synthetic mine water containing 3 mM of both zinc and ferrous iron, and varying concentrations (0.5–30 mM) of aluminium. Selective precipitation of zinc sulfide was possible by operating the bioreactor at pH 4.0 and supplementing the synthetic mine water with 4 mM glycerol. Analysis of the microbial populations in the bioreactors showed that they changed with varying operational parameters, and novel acidophilic bacteria (including one sulfidogen) were isolated from the bioreactors. The acidophilic sulfidogenic bioreactors provided ‘proof of principle’ that segregation of metals present in mine waters is possible using simple online systems within which controlled pH conditions are maintained. The modular units are versatile and robust, and involve minimum engineering complexity.
The Poverty Deconcentration Imperative and Public Housing Transformation
Authors: Oakley Deirdre , Ward Chandra , Reid Lesley , Ruel Erin
Published: September 2011

Public housing has been on the chopping block for almost two decades now in an effort to deconcentrate poverty. In 1992 the federal government created the Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE) VI program. HOPE VI is driven by the assumption that deconcentrating neighborhood‐level poverty will yield better access to upward mobility opportunities for former public housing residents. To accomplish this, existing public housing is demolished and replaced with mixed‐income developments. Public housing residents are relocated, many with Housing Choice Voucher subsidies to private‐market rental housing. However, by its very definition mixed income means that only a small percentage of former residents get the opportunity to return. Do voucher relocated residents end up in lower poverty neighborhoods with greater upward mobility opportunities? We examine the spatial organization of relocation within the critical discourse on the deconcentration imperative. We highlight Atlanta because it recently became the first city in the nation to eliminate all of its public housing. Findings reveal that voucher relocatees end up in neighborhoods with modestly less poverty than the public housing neighborhoods they left. Questions remain about what poverty deconcentration means vis‐à‐vis policy goals. We provide recommendations for future research.
Identity and attitudinal reactions to perceptions of inter‐group interactions among ethnic migrants: A longitudinal study
Authors: Jasinskaja‐Lahti Inga , Mähönen Tuuli Anna , Liebkind Karmela
Published: September 2011

This 1‐year follow‐up study investigated the direct and indirect effects of past, anticipated, and actual experiences of inter‐group interactions on the development of national identity and attitudes towards the national majority among ethnic re‐migrants (N= 141) from Russia to Finland. According to the results, the quality of past inter‐group contact in the pre‐migration stage (T1) did not directly affect national identification and out‐group attitudes in the post‐migration stage (T2). Instead, the effect of contact quality at T1on national identification and out‐group attitudes at T2was indirect via perceived discrimination and out‐group rejection at T2. In addition, there were two indirect pathways from out‐group attitudes at T1to national identification and out‐group attitudes at T2, via pleasant contact experiences (further associated with positive out‐group attitudes) and via perceived discrimination (further associated with negative attitudes and lower national identification) in the post‐migration stage. Anticipated discrimination only had a direct effect on out‐group attitudes in the post‐migration stage. The results highlight the role of past and anticipated inter‐group relations in the formation of post‐migration inter‐group interactions, which, in turn, are decisive for the formation of national identification and out‐group attitudes of re‐migrants.
Effects of Microneedle Design Parameters on Hydraulic Resistance
Authors: Lyle Hood R. , Kosoglu Mehmet A. , Parker Matthew , Rylander Christopher G.
Published: September 2011

Microneedles have been an expanding medical technology in recent years due to their ability to penetrate tissue and deliver therapy with minimal invasiveness and patient discomfort. Variations in design have allowed for enhanced fluid delivery, biopsy collection, and the measurement of electric potentials. Our novel microneedle design attempts to combine many of these functions into a single length of silica tubing capable of both light and fluid delivery terminating in a sharp tip of less than 100 μm in diameter. This paper focuses on the fluid flow aspects of the design, characterizing the contributions to hydraulic resistance from the geometric parameters of the microneedles. Experiments consisted of measuring the volumetric flow rate of de-ionized water at set pressures (ranging from 69 to 621 kPa) through a relevant range of tubing lengths, needle lengths, and needle tip diameters. Data analysis showed that the silica tubing (∼150 μm bore diameter) adhered to within ±5% of the theoretical prediction by Poiseuille’s Law describing laminar internal pipe flow at Reynolds numbers less than 700. High hydraulic resistance within the microneedles correlated with decreasing tip diameter. The hydraulic resistance offered by the silica tubing preceding the microneedle taper was approximately 1–2 orders of magnitude less per unit length, but remained the dominating resistance in most experiments as the tubing length was > 30 mm. These findings will be incorporated into future design permutations to produce a microneedle capable of both efficient fluid transfer and light delivery.
Moving Towards a Sustainable UK in an Environment of Austerity: Can We Wait Until the Midnight Hour?
Authors: George Jeff , Massingham David
Published: September 2011

The UK coalition government, elected in May 2010, has set out its stall to be, in the words of Prime Minister, David Cameron, “the greenest government ever”. To that end it has embarked on an ambitious programme of policy initiatives to address climate change and the wider sustainability agenda. These include: • Initiating a fundamental review of waste policy with a view to adopting a zero waste to landfill and increasing Energy from Waste (EfW) as a solution for residual wastes; • Leading calls within the European Union for an increase in pan-Europe greenhouse gas reduction and renewable energy targets for 2020, that, if adopted would have a profound and immediate impact on domestic targets; and • An electricity market reform package that will see the introduction of a floor price for carbon (in effect, a carbon tax) and new financial support mechanisms for the development of renewable energy.
Materials and Energy Recovery From Municipal Solid Waste: Why They Are Both Needed
Authors: Brandes William Rick , Themelis Nickolas J.
Published: September 2011

The United States is the largest generator of municipal solid waste (MSW) in the world. It also landfills the largest amount of MSW. In this article, the authors present a comprehensive argument for implementing a more sustainable approach to the management of MSW. This approach includes the significant expansion of energy recovery from MSW, both to avoid burying massive amounts of waste and to expand generation of renewable, carbon-efficient electricity.
Has the Time Come for More Publicly Operated WTE Facilities in the United States?
Authors: Hauck Paul L. , LoRe Anthony M. , Trytek Kevin
Published: September 2011

When the current generation of U.S. waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities was developed during the 1980s and early 1990s, there were a large number of companies competing to design, build, operate and maintain them under a long term contract. Over the years, almost all of these firms have left the WTE business for a variety of reasons leaving essentially only two U.S. firms actively competing for renewed operating and maintenance (O&M) contracts for publicly owned WTE facilities. This consolidation has significantly reduced the level of competition for public owners who are interested in rebidding their WTE O&M contracts at the end of their initial or extended terms and, as a result, has the potential to increase the cost of service. Consolidation has likewise reduced the level of competition for potential new WTE projects in the U.S. This paper reviews the history of public sector operation of WTE facilities in the U.S., the unique challenges presented by public operation and whether it is time for more public owners to consider this alternative for existing WTE facilities in light of the lack of competition by private operating companies. Perceived risks and impediments to public operation of WTE facilities and suggestions on how to overcome them are presented as well as the benefits and opportunities available to public owners. The keys to a successful public WTE operating venture are also discussed based on the experiences of ecomaine, a consortium of 21 member municipalities in southern Maine that have operated and maintained their own 550 ton per day (tpd) WTE facility for more than 20 years. Public versus private operating practices for European WTE facilities are also explored as well as public ownership and operation of new WTE facilities including those based on alternative or emerging technologies.
Waste Combustion Technology and Air Emission Control Developments by Fisia Babcock Environment
Authors: Sohnemann Jens , Scha¨fers Walter , Main Armin
Published: September 2011

The efforts for reducing the emissions into the atmosphere start already in the furnace and are completed by an effective flue gas cleaning system. This implies the necessity for design developments of key components for a modern EfW plant. For the core component of the firing system — the grate — Fisia Babcock Environment (FBE) is using forward moving grates as well as roller grates. The moving grate, which is used in the great majority of all our plants, has specific characteristics for providing uniform combustion and optimal burnout. These include, amongst others: - Uniform air supply by means of specific grate bar geometry. - Two grate steps in direction of waste transport for optimum burnout. - Flexible adaptation of the combustion process to the respective conditions and requirements by zone-specific air distribution and transport velocity of waste on grate. - Combustion control adapted to the specific plant for ensuring a consistent combustion process and production of energy. In addition to these features influencing the emissions the moving grate exhibits also specific characteristics regarding the mechanical aspects allowing low-maintenance and reliable operation. For optimum flue gas burnout a good oxygen distribution after leaving the combustion zone is required. For ensuring this, the injection of secondary air is designed to produce a double-swirl, developed by FBE. Final reduction of the nitrogen constituents NO and NO2 to the stipulated emission value is achieved by the SNCR process. As well in this respect, there is a great amount of experience available. Besides these measures regarding the combustion process, this paper also reports about flue gas cleaning systems. In this field the FBE CIRCUSORB® process is presented and compared with the known dry absorption process. CIRCUSORB® is a lime-based flue gas cleaning process with continuous recirculation of the moistened reaction product and simultaneous addition of fresh hydrated lime. The flue gas temperature downstream of the economizer can be selected very low and permits in this way maximized utilization of the energy. The evaporation of the moisture from the reaction product (flash evaporation) effects final cooling down of the flue gas to optimum process temperature and improves at the same time SO2 separation. This reduces the technical investment required for the flue gas cleaning process. The total of all measures taken and the robust design of all components permit economical plant operation while complying with the stipulated emission limit values.
What About Small Facilities?
Authors: Clark Matt
Published: September 2011

The EPA defines a small municipal waste combustor (MWC) Class II facility as having an aggregate plant capacity of 250 tons per day (TPD) or less. Some commercial Waste-to-Energy (WTE) operators consider that there is an economy of scale required that is much greater. So what about small facilities? Can public entities or private companies make the economics work? This paper will offer a status of existing small facilities, available combustion technologies and identify known planned expansions or new facilities. The paper will feature one such facility with an interesting past and a bright future including plans for expansion: the Perham Resource Recovery Facility in Perham, Minnesota. This cogeneration facility plans to increase its capacity from 112 TPD to 200 TPD along with adding upfront processing to improve fuel quality.
Beneficial Use of Ash and Char From Biomass Gasification
Authors: Klinghoffer Naomi , Castaldi Marco J. , Nzihou Ange
Published: September 2011

Biomass is likely to be a significant energy resource in the future. A common way to recover energy from biomass is through gasification where synthesis gas is produced; by-products of this process are tar and ash/char. This research investigates the potential to use the ash/char as a catalyst by understanding the properties of char generated under different gasification conditions. Specifically, it is desired to produce a porous char which could be used as a catalyst or as a support for more catalytically active metals. In this work, poplar wood was gasified under CO2, steam, and air at different reaction temperatures. Experiments were done in a fluidized bed reactor at temperatures of 500°C, 750°C and 920°C and char was recovered. BET-surface area measurements showed that gasification under CO2 has the potential to produce char with a higher surface area than char produced from steam gasification. Higher temperature or longer gasification times resulted in the production of a more porous char. TGA experiments showed that gasification under CO2 resulted in a higher mass loss compared to gasification with steam. Gasification with steam/CO2 mixtures yielded a mass loss similar to that of steam only which could be indicative of competitive reactions between steam and CO2. Experiments done in an ESEM allowed for visual observation of the changes in physical properties of the biomass during gasification. With CO2, physical changes were observed at temperatures as low as 400°C whereas physical changes were not observed under steam at this temperature.
Establishing Project Feasibility for Emerging Technology Projects: An Independent Engineer’s Perspective
Authors: Demme David C.
Published: September 2011

Technology suppliers, waste system managers and project developers across North America are endeavoring to find and implement new approaches to converting the energy in waste to electricity or alternate fuels. These entities, as well as potential financiers and communities that might benefit from these emerging technologies, often retain an independent engineer to assist in establishing the status and risks of the technology itself or the feasibility a specific project that has been proposed. Although independent engineering assessments are a well-established element of the non-recourse finance process, individuals and organizations new to the development process are often unfamiliar with the usefulness and content of these assessments. In the context of emerging technology-based projects, this paper will provide an overview of the role of an independent engineer in the development process, explain the typical assessment process, and discuss the content of a typical independent engineering report (“IE Report”).
The Potential and Obstacles for Waste-to-Energy in Island Settings
Authors: Diaz Barriga Maria Elena , Themelis Nickolas J.
Published: September 2011

Rapid economic development and also population growth of urban centers in developing island nations have resulted in the generation of large amounts of MSW that in the past were dumped at uninhabited areas indiscriminately. Also, islands have very limited space for new, sanitary landfills. This study examines islands where WTE has been implemented successfully (Bermuda, Martinique, St. Barth) and several others (Jamaica, Mauritius, Rhodes) where WTE has been considered and is in various stages of implementation. The study showed that the per capita generation of MSW increases as GDP per capita increases. Also, it is usually recommended that the waste management system be improved one step at a time, that is, to go from dumps to sanitary landfills, to waste to energy; it is interesting to note that the three islands examined in this study went directly from dumps to WTE. This phenomenon can be partly attributed to the scarcity of land for new landfills, but may also be due to the desire to develop a local and renewable energy source.
Update on Spray Dryer Absorber Technology for WTE
Authors: Saab Richard , Sandell Michael , Petti Vincent , Pacheco Gabriel
Published: September 2011

Siemens Environmental Systems & Services (SESS), formerly Wheelabrator Air Pollution Control (WAPC) started up their first SDA on a Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incinerator in 1987, and now have 50 operating at Waste to Energy (WTE) plants alone. We were pioneers in the development of semi-dry scrubbing technology and are continuously improving it. While Spray Dryer Absorber (SDA) / Fabric Filter (FF) technology is not new, it is still a viable option for multi-pollutant control from many processes including Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incinerators. It has been the Best Available Control Technology for this industry during the last 25 years. High performance and reliability have been experienced at these facilities across the United States. The simple, proven design of the SDA/FF system has been shown to be effective in acid gas, particulate, heavy metals, and dioxin/furan control. Technology advancements make this technology even more attractive. This paper will provide an update on SDA/FF technology for controlling emissions from MSW incinerators, particularly in relation to performance enhancements, including advancements in SDA dual fluid nozzles and Fabric Filter design. The new generation SESS Fabric Filter enhances system performance by providing lower emissions, lower compressed air consumption, and longer bag life.
A Model for Mass and Energy Balances of Bio-Drying
Authors: Vigano` Federico , Consonni Stefano , Ragazzi Marco , Rada Elena Cristina
Published: September 2011

The viability of Mechanical Biological Treatments (MBT) is a widely discussed topic regarding Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management in the world. Bio-drying is a MBT process that shows its best performances when the waste has a high moisture content. The purpose of bio-drying is the exploitation of the exothermic bacterial reactions for the evaporation of the highest part of the moisture in the waste with the lowest conversion of organic matter. As side effects the waste stream increases its calorific value and its composition is partially stabilized. This paper presents a simple model based on bio-drying mass and energy balances. The model takes into account the heat release from biochemical oxidation of the volatile matter, the evaporation of moisture, the heating of process air and the thermal losses, as well as changes in the chemical composition of the volatile matter that remains in the waste. Some very simple rules are identified to allow a rapid evaluation of the process performances.
FABRICATION AND PROPERTIES OF SILICONE RUBBER/ZnO NANOCOMPOSITES VIA IN SITU SURFACE HYDROSILYLATION
Authors: YUAN ZHIJIE , ZHOU WEIHUA , HU TING , CHEN YIWANG , LI FAN , XU ZHENTIAN , WANG XIAOFENG
Published: September 2011

The silicone rubber (SR) nanocomposites have been successfully prepared via the in situ hydrosilylation reaction in the presence of pristine ZnO and vinyl silane modified ZnO ( SiVi@ ZnO ) nanoparticles. The structure of the pristine ZnO and SiVi @ ZnO nanoparticles were analyzed by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The morphology, thermal stabilities, mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites were also investigated. The results showed that the SiVi @ ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a better dispersion in the silicone rubber than the pristine ZnO nanoparticles. The corresponding silicone rubber/ SiVi @ ZnO (SR/ SiVi @ ZnO ) nanocomposites showed higher mechanical properties and thermal conductivity due to the better dispersion in silicone rubber matrix.
ADAPTIVE FUZZY LOGIC-BASED FRAMEWORK FOR HANDLING IMPRECISION AND UNCERTAINTY IN CLASSIFICATION OF BIOINFORMATICS DATASETS
Authors: HELMY TAREK , RASHEED ZEHASHEEM , AL-MULHEM MOHAMED
Published: September 2011

Classification in the emerging field of bioinformatics is a challenging task, because the information about different diseases is either insufficient or lacking in authenticity as data is collected from different types of medical equipments. In addition, the limitation of human expertise in manual diagnoses leads to incorrect diagnoses. Moreover, the information gathered from various sources is subject to imprecision and uncertainty. Imprecision arises when the data is not validated by experts. This paper presents an adaptive Type-2 Fuzzy Logic System-based (FLS) classification framework for multivariate data to diagnose different types of diseases. This framework is capable of handling imprecision and uncertainty, and its classification accuracy and performance are measured by using University of California Irvine (UCI), well-known medical data sets. The results are compared with the most common existing classifiers in both computer science and statistics literatures. This classification is performed based on the nature of inputs (e.g., singleton or nonsingleton) and on whether uncertainty is present in the system or absent. Empirical results have shown that our proposed FLS classification framework outperforms earlier implemented models with better classification accuracy. In addition, we conducted empirical studies on this classifier regarding the impact of various parameters of FLS such as training algorithms and defuzzification methods.
SOLUTION ARRANGEMENT EFFECT ON LINE-BY-LINE METHOD'S ACCURACY IN ANALYSIS OF DAM'S FOUNDATION
Authors: NEZHAD S. REZA HASHEMI , VOSOUGHIFAR HAMID REZA
Published: September 2011

Line-by-line (LBL) solution method is a numerical and semidirect method, which can be applied for solving algebraic equation set resulted from discretization. In this article, the effect of solution arrangement of the grids (SAG) on accuracy of diffusion equation's solution has been investigated. First of all, diffusion equation had been discrete by finite volume method; in the second place, MATLAB software has been exploited for writing a code for solving algebraic equation set by using LBL solution method with alternative SAG. In the third place, for examining the effect of SAG, water seepage through foundations of several concrete dams was modeled with this code. In addition, these dams were modeled in SEEP/W 2004 and PHASE2 6.0 software, as support. Finally, we drew an analogy between the results by Mann–Whitney U statistical test with SPSS 14 software. Comparison of the results revealed that SAGs have affected P-value up to 39%. As a result, the most accurate SAGs had been decided by the problem geometry. Furthermore, the result of the finite volume and finite element methods had no statistical by significant difference. Moreover, convergence and convergence path had been dictated by problem geometry and SAGs.
FRACTURE OF THIN PIPES WITH SPH SHELL FORMULATION
Authors: LIU S. J.
Published: September 2011

We study the dynamic fracture of thin-walled structure mainly due to impact and explosive loading. Therefore, we make use of a meshless smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) shell formulation based on Mindlin–Reissner's theory. The formulation is an extension of the continuum-corrected and stabilized SPH method, so that thin structure can be modeled using only one particle characterizing mean position of shell surface. Fracture is based on separation of particles. We study tearing of pre-notched plates, fracture due to impact loading and dynamic fracture of cylindrical shells.
GLOBAL EXISTENCE AND DECAY OF SOLUTIONS FOR A QUASI-LINEAR DISSIPATIVE PLATE EQUATION
Authors: LIU YONGQIN , KAWASHIMA SHUICHI
Published: September 2011

In this paper we focus on the initial value problem of a quasi-linear dissipative plate equation with arbitrary spatial dimensions (n ≥ 1). This equation verifies the decay property of the regularity-loss type. To overcome the difficulty caused by the regularity-loss property, we employ a special time-weighted (with negative exponent) L2energy method combined with the optimal L2decay estimates of lower-order derivatives of solutions. We obtain the global existence and optimal decay estimates of solutions under smallness and enough regularity assumptions on the initial data. Moreover, we show that the solution can be approximated by a simple-looking function, which is the fundamental solution of the corresponding fourth-order linear parabolic equation.
Game-on-demand:
Authors: Li Frederick W. B. , Lau Rynson W. H. , Kilis Danny , Li Lewis W. F.
Published: September 2011

In recent years, online gaming has become very popular. In contrast to stand-alone games, online games tend to be large-scale and typically support interactions among users. However, due to the high network latency of the Internet, smooth interactions among the users are often difficult. The huge and dynamic geometry data sets also make it difficult for some machines, such as handheld devices, to run those games. These constraints have stimulated some research interests on online gaming, which may be broadly categorized into two areas:
technological support
and
user-perceived visual quality
. Technological support concerns the performance issues while user-perceived visual quality concerns the presentation quality and accuracy of the game. In this article, we propose a game-on-demand engine that addresses both research areas. The engine distributes game content progressively to each client based on the player's location in the game scene. It comprises a two-level content management scheme and a prioritized content delivery scheme to help identify and deliver relevant game content at appropriate quality to each client dynamically. To improve the effectiveness of the prioritized content delivery scheme, it also includes a synchronization scheme to minimize the location discrepancy of avatars (game players). We demonstrate the performance of the proposed engine through numerous experiments.
Simulation-based models of emergency departments:
Authors: Zeltyn Sergey , Marmor Yariv N. , Mandelbaum Avishai , Carmeli Boaz , Greenshpan Ohad , Mesika Yossi , Wasserkrug Sergev , Vortman Pnina , Shtub Avraham , Lauterman Tirza , Schwartz Dagan , Moskovitch Kobi , Tzafrir Sara , Basis Fuad
Published: September 2011

The Emergency Department (ED) of a modern hospital is a highly complex system that gives rise to numerous managerial challenges. It spans the full spectrum of operational, clinical, and financial perspectives, over varying horizons: operational—a few hours or days ahead; tactical—weeks or a few months ahead; and strategic, which involves planning on monthly and yearly scales. Simulation offers a natural framework within which to address these challenges, as realistic ED models are typically intractable analytically. We apply a general and flexible ED simulator to address several significant problems that arose in a large Israeli hospital. The article focuses mainly, but not exclusively, on workforce staffing problems over these time horizons. First, we demonstrate that our simulation model can support real-time control, which enables short-term prediction and operational planning (physician and nurse staffing) for several hours or days ahead. To this end, we present a novel simulation-based technique that implements the concept of offered-load and discover that it performs better than a common alternative. Then we evaluate ED staff scheduling that adjusts for midterm changes (tactical horizon, several weeks or months ahead). Finally, we analyze the design and staffing problems that arose from physical relocation of the ED (strategic yearly horizon). Application of the simulation-based approach led to the implementation of our design and staffing recommendations.