bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Monitoring and control of biogas desulphurization using oxidation reduction potential under denitrifiying conditions
Authors: Turker Mustafa , Baspinar Ahmet Burak , Hocalar Akif 
Published: December 2011

AbstractBACKGROUND: Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) present in biogas can be oxidized to elemental sulphur (S0) or sulphate (SO42−) using nitrate and nitrite. Both nitrate and nitrite are normally available in most wastewater treatment plants and could be used to oxidize H2S depending on the molar loading ratio of wastewater and biogas. A control approach is required in order to minimize the fluctuations in inlet and outlet H2S concentrations in biogas, and the oxidation potential of the wastewater used.RESULTS: A control scheme has been developed for biogas desulphurization using oxidation reduction potential under industrial conditions. The redox potential was maintained at about + 50 to + 100 mV in the activated sludge plant to monitor the performance of the nitrification process. The redox potential in the bioscrubber was related to sulphide removal from biogas. More than 90% of the hydrogen sulphide was removed from the biogas.CONCLUSION: The oxidation reduction potential can be used as a key parameter for monitoring and controlling biogas cleaning. Fluctuations of the inlet H2S concentration in biogas can be compensated by manipulating the flowrates of wastewater used in order to achieve consistent and desired H2S concentrations in treated biogas. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Free amino acid content of goat's milk cheese made with animal rennet and plant coagulant
Authors: Abellán Adela , Cayuela José María , Pino Antonio , Martínez‐Cachá Adela , Salazar Eva , Tejada Luis 
Published: December 2011

AbstractBACKGROUND: Enzymes present in the flowers of Cynara cardunculus (cyprosins) are used in the production of some traditional Spanish and Portuguese cheeses, replacing animal rennet. The aim of this work was to study the changes that take place in free amino acids during the ripening of a goat's milk cheese (Murcia al Vino) manufactured with plant coagulant (PC) or animal rennet (AR).RESULTS: The total free amino acid (TFAA) concentration increased during ripening, with Ile, Val, Ala, Phe, Gaba, Arg and Lys representing more than 50% of the TFAA content at 60 days in both types of cheese. The TFAA concentration was significantly higher in cheeses made with PC (854 mg 100 g−1 total solids (TS)) than those made with AR (735 mg 100 g−1 TS). The concentration of most free amino acids, especially His, Ser, Gln, Thr, Ala, Met and Ile, was higher in the PC cheese.CONCLUSION: Cheese made using PC as coagulant presented higher contents of free amino acid throughout the ripening period than cheese made using AR. Therefore we can conclude that the use of PC to produce Murcia al Vino goat's cheese would accelerate the ripening process as a result of increased cyprosin proteolytic activity. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Compression of Project Schedules using the Analytical Hierarchy Process
Authors: Moselhi Osama , Roofigari‐Esfahan Nazila 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a new method for schedule compression of construction projects using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The method utilizes a multi‐objective decision environment in which activities are queued for crashing based on the priorities established in that environment. Schedule compression is commonly needed in management of engineering, procurement and construction projects. A wide range of methods are introduced in the literature to perform schedule compression utilizing genetic algorithms, heuristic rules, near‐optimum solutions using harmony search and analogy with the direct stiffness method for structural analysis. Although all these methods consider only cost in the process of schedule compression, a recently conducted survey, by the authors, indicates that project managers consider more than one factor in this process. In fact, the lack of consideration of factors beyond cost has been attributed to the limited use of existing methods. The method presented in this paper aims to circumvent the limitation of the existing methods. It utilizes the findings of a recently conducted survey questionnaire as well as the AHP to develop a multi‐objective decision environment to perform schedule compression in a practical and flexible manner. It further allows for consideration of risk associated with the individual attributes considered in setting priorities for activity crashing. A numerical example is analysed to demonstrate the use of the developed method and to illustrate its practical features. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Understanding the mechanical and biodegradation behaviour of poly(hydroxybutyrate)/rubber blends in relation to their morphology
Authors: Calvão Patrícia S. , Chenal Jean‐Marc , Gauthier Catherine , Demarquette Nicole R. , Bogner Agnès , Cavaille Jean Yves 
Published: December 2011

AbstractIn this work poly(hydroxybutyrate/poly(vinyl butyral)‐ co‐(vinyl alcohol)‐co(vinyl acetate) (or ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) blends were prepared by conventional processing techniques (extrusion and injection moulding). A droplet type morphology was obtained for P(3HB)/PVB blends whereas P(3HB)/EPDM blends presented some extent of co‐continuous morphology. In addition, rubbery domains were much smaller in the case of PVB. These differences in morphology are discussed taking into account solubility parameters and rheological behaviours of each component. For both blends, the increase of elastomer ratio led to a decrease of Young's modulus but an increase in elongation at break and impact strength. The latter increased more in the case of P(3HB)/EPDM blends although the rubbery domains were larger. These results are explained in the light of the glass transition of the rubber and the presence of plasticizer in the case of PVB. The addition of elastomer also resulted in an increase of P(3HB) biodegradation rate, especially in the case of EPDM. It is assumed that, in this case, the size and morphology of the rubbery domains induce a geometrical modification of the ‘erosion front’ which leads to an increase of the interface between P(3HB) phase and the degradation medium and consequently to an apparently faster biodegradation kinetics of PHB/rubber blends. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Low‐temperature side‐chain cleavage and decarboxylation of polythiophene esters by acid catalysis
Authors: Søndergaard Roar R. , Norrman Kion , Krebs Frederik C. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractSolubility switching of polymers is very useful in thin layer processing of conjugated polymers, as it allows for multilayer processing and increases the stability of the polymer. Acid catalyzed thermocleavage of ester groups from thiophene polymers carrying primary, secondary, and tertiary substituents have been examined by TGA‐MS using different sulphonic acids. A substantial lowering of the cleavage temperature is observed, and the ester cleavage can even be performed in situ on roll‐to‐roll‐coated films on polyethylene terephthalate (PET). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Structural thermal adaptation of β‐tubulins from the Antarctic psychrophilic protozoan Euplotes focardii
Authors: Chiappori Federica , Pucciarelli Sandra , Merelli Ivan , Ballarini Patrizia , Miceli Cristina , Milanesi Luciano 
Published: December 2011

AbstractTubulin dimers of psychrophilic eukaryotes can polymerize into microtubules at 4°C, a temperature at which microtubules from mesophiles disassemble. This unique capability requires changes in the primary structure and/or in post‐translational modifications of the tubulin subunits. To contribute to the understanding of mechanisms responsible for microtubule cold stability, here we present a computational structural analysis based on molecular dynamics (MD) and experimental data of three β‐tubulin isotypes, named EFBT2, EFBT3, and EFBT4, from the Antarctic protozoon Euplotes focardii that optimal temperature for growth and reproduction is 4°C. In comparison to the β‐tubulin from E. crassus, a mesophilic Euplotes species, EFBT2, EFBT3, and EFBT4 possess unique amino acid substitutions that confer different flexible properties of the polypeptide, as well as an increased hydrophobicity of the regions involved in microtubule interdimeric contacts that may overcome the microtubule destabilizing effect of cold temperatures. The structural analysis based on MD indicated that all isotypes display different flexibility properties in the regions involved in the formation of longitudinal and lateral contacts during microtubule polymerization. We also investigated the role of E. focardii β‐tubulin isotypes during the process of cilia formation. The unique characteristics of the primary and tertiary structures of psychrophilic β‐tubulin isotypes seem responsible for the formation of microtubules with distinct dynamic and functional properties. Proteins 2012;. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Examining the promiscuous phosphatase activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa arylsulfatase: A comparison to analogous phosphatases
Authors: Luo Jinghui , van Loo Bert , Kamerlin S. C. L. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractPseudomonas aeruginosa arylsulfatase (PAS) is a bacterial sulfatase capable of hydrolyzing a range of sulfate esters. Recently, it has been demonstrated to also show very high proficiency for phosphate ester hydrolysis. Such proficient catalytic promiscuity is significant, as promiscuity has been suggested to play an important role in enzyme evolution. Additionally, a comparative study of the hydrolyses of the p‐nitrophenyl phosphate and sulfate monoesters in aqueous solution has demonstrated that despite superficial similarities, the two reactions proceed through markedly different transition states with very different solvation effects, indicating that the requirements for the efficient catalysis of the two reactions by an enzyme will also be very different (and yet they are both catalyzed by the same active site). This work explores the promiscuous phosphomonoesterase activity of PAS. Specifically, we have investigated the identity of the most likely base for the initial activation of the unusual formylglycine hydrate nucleophile (which is common to many sulfatases), and demonstrate that a concerted substrate‐as‐base mechanism is fully consistent with the experimentally observed data. This is very similar to other related systems, and suggests that, as far as the phosphomonoesterase activity of PAS is concerned, the sulfatase behaves like a “classical” phosphatase, despite the fact that such a mechanism is unlikely to be available to the native substrate (based on pKa considerations and studies of model systems). Understanding such catalytic versatility can be used to design novel artificial enzymes that are far more proficient than the current generation of designer enzymes. Proteins 2012; © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interaction between saflufenacil and imazethapyr in red rice (Oryza ssp.) and hemp sesbania (Sesbania exaltata) as affected by light intensity
Authors: Camargo Edinalvo R , Senseman Scott A , McCauley Garry N , Bowe Steven , Harden John , Guice John B 
Published: December 2011

AbstractBACKGROUND: Saflufenacil is a broadleaf herbicide for preplant burndown and pre‐emergence applications in various crops. This study was established to evaluate the absorption and translocation of saflufenacil in hemp sesbania and imazethapyr in red rice as a function of their post‐emergence interaction and light intensity.RESULTS: Imazethapyr plus saflufenacil provided a greater uptake (30%) and translocation (35%) of 14C‐imazethapyr than imazethapyr alone. In the section above treated leaf (ATL), a higher percentage of the absorbed imazethapyr (23%) was quantified in the imazethapyr plus saflufenacil treatment after 168 h. Faster basipetal movement of imazethapyr was identified under higher light availability. Absorption of 14C‐saflufenacil ranged from approximately 40 to 60% among herbicide and light intensity treatments. At 12 and 24 h after treatment (HAT) a greater percentage (15–20%) of the absorbed saflufenacil was quantified above the treated leaf at the two lower light intensities. Similar trends were observed for basipetal movement of saflufenacil.CONCLUSION: Saflufenacil enhanced absorption, overall translocation and acropetal movement of imazethapyr in the TX4 red rice. Basipetal movement of imazethapyr was faster under higher light intensities. Overall, imazethapyr improved absorption of saflufenacil in hemp sesbania plants. Reduction in light intensity resulted in greater translocation of saflufenacil, promoting acropetal and basipetal distribution at the two lower light intensity treatments. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Longevity of a mixture of acetamiprid and bifenthrin (TransportTM) at the termiticidal application rate
Authors: Peterson Chris J 
Published: December 2011

AbstractBACKGROUND: The 30 month longevity, mobility and insecticidal activity of a combination of acetamiprid and bifenthrin currently marketed in the United States for the prevention of termite infestation in buildings was investigated in greenhouse and laboratory studies.RESULTS: Acetamiprid dissipated to below the limit of detection within 7 months of application, while bifenthrin remained in the soil at levels sufficient to kill termites for the duration of the study. Acetamiprid was detected in decreasing amounts in eluates of treated soil from months 1 to 4, while no bifenthrin was detected in eluates at any time. The treated soil remained toxic to termites for the 30 month duration of the study. Two indices of synergy between technical‐grade acetamiprid and bifenthrin demonstrated that it is unlikely that there would be any synergism between the two active ingredients in the field. The presence of vegetation did not have a significant effect on the longevity of bifenthrin, except at intermediate times, where residues in the treated soil were higher in vegetated plots, depending on depth and time.CONCLUSIONS: Acetamiprid has a short residual time in soil, and this formulation's effectiveness beyond about 7 months against subterranean termites is due to the bifenthrin content. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Short‐ and long‐term control of Vespula pensylvanica in Hawaii by fipronil baiting
Authors: Hanna Cause , Foote David , Kremen Claire 
Published: December 2011

AbstractBACKGROUND: The invasive western yellowjacket wasp, Vespula pensylvanica (Saussure), has significantly impacted the ecological integrity and human welfare of Hawaii. The goals of the present study were (1) to evaluate the immediate and long‐term efficacy of a 0.1% fipronil chicken bait on V. pensylvanica populations in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, (2) to quantify gains in efficacy using the attractant heptyl butyrate in the bait stations and (3) to measure the benefits of this approach for minimizing non‐target impacts to other arthropods.RESULTS: The 0.1% fipronil chicken bait reduced the abundance of V. pensylvanica by 95 ± 1.2% during the 3 months following treatment and maintained a population reduction of 60.9 ± 3.1% a year after treatment in the fipronil‐treated sites when compared with chicken‐only sites. The addition of heptyl butyrate to the bait stations significantly increased V. pensylvanica forager visitation and bait take and significantly reduced the non‐target impacts of fipronil baiting.CONCLUSION: In this study, 0.1% fipronil chicken bait with the addition of heptyl butyrate was found to be an extremely effective large‐scale management strategy and provided the first evidence of a wasp suppression program impacting Vepsula populations a year after treatment. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
On the performance of multi‐hop wireless relay networks
Authors: Jaafar Wael , Ajib Wessam , Haccoun David 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTUser cooperation has evolved as a popular coding technique in wireless relay networks (WRNs). Using the neighboring nodes as relays to establish a communication between a source and a destination achieves an increase of the diversity order. The relay nodes can be seen as a distributed multi‐antenna system, which can be exploited for transmit diversity by using distributed space–time block coding (STBC). In this paper, we investigate the bit error rate (BER) of multi‐hop WRNs employing distributed STBC at the relay nodes. We develop the general model of WRNs using distributed STBC, and we derive the pairwise error probability and an approximation of the BER. We examine the impact of several parameters, such as distributed STBC at the relays, the number of relays, the distances between the nodes, and the channel state information available at the receivers, on the BER performance of the multi‐hop WRN. The obtained results provide guidelines about the expected error performance and the design of channel estimation for these networks. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Informed Choice in Direct‐to‐Consumer Genetic Testing (DTCGT) Websites: A Content Analysis of Benefits, Risks, and Limitations
Authors: Singleton Amanda , Erby Lori Hamby , Foisie Kathryn V. , Kaphingst Kimberly A. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractAn informed choice about health‐related direct‐to‐consumer genetic testing (DTCGT) requires knowledge of potential benefits, risks, and limitations. To understand the information that potential consumers of DTCGT services are exposed to on company websites, we conducted a content analysis of 23 health‐related DTCGT websites. Results revealed that benefit statements outweighed risk and limitation statements 6 to 1. The most frequently described benefits were: 1) disease prevention, 2) consumer education, 3) personalized medical recommendations, and 4) the ability to make health decisions. Thirty‐five percent of websites also presented at least one risk of testing. Seventy‐eight percent of websites mentioned at least one limitation of testing. Based on this information, potential consumers might get an inaccurate picture of genetic testing which could impact their ability to make an informed decision. Practices that enhance the presentation of balanced information on DTCGT company websites should be encouraged.
Neurobiological research in psychiatry—classification of dimensions of learning mechanisms instead of reification of categories?
Authors: Heinz A. , Beck A. 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Neuroscientific research in mental disorders is plagued by unclear nosological boundaries, phenotypic diversity, and high intra- and interindividual variability of identified neurobi­ological correlates. Likewise, genotypes asso­ciated with an increased risk for, e.g., schizophrenia are regularly found to also increase the risk for uni- and/or bipolar affective dis­orders. Therefore, one major research strategy of the last decade was to avoid correlation of genetic variation with complex clinical dis­orders and instead to focus on so-called intermediate or endophenotypes, i.e., neurobiological variables such as in vivo receptor expression or neuronal activation patterns, which are hypothetically more closely related to direct gene effects. We describe one such attempt and show that intermediate phenotypes such as brain activation patterns elic­ited by more or less complex cognitive tasks underlie complex regulations and influences and may thus not be the best target for neurobiological research. We suggest that in­stead of reifying brain activation as correlates of mental disorders, such disorders may best be conceptualized as results of alterations/biases in basic learning mechanisms (e.g., Pav­lovian and operant conditioning) interacting with individual and social environments and that neuroscientific research can rely on animal models and computationalized modeling to reveal their neurobiological correlates.
Skill‐based versus effort‐based task difficulty: A task‐analysis approach to the role of specific emotions in motivating difficult actions
Authors: Passyn Kirsten , Sujan Mita 
Published: December 2011

AbstractWe make a distinction between primarily effort‐based and skilled‐based tasks and examine the correspondence between emotion and task. We reverse attribution theory results wherein failure to expend effort engenders regret and accomplishing tasks with skill engenders pride, and propose these emotions as antecedents to effort‐based and skill‐based behaviors. Specifically, pride (regret) produces higher self‐efficacy, behavioral intentions and sign‐ups when the task (CPR training) is portrayed as skill‐intensive (effort‐intensive) compared to effort‐intensive (skill‐intensive) or easy. Our research highlights the value of integrating an attributional analysis of tasks into an appraisal theory of emotions and suggests mechanisms that might underlie this relationship.
Associations of the FTO rs9939609 variant with discrete body fat depots and dietary intake in a multi-ethnic cohort
Authors: LEAR SCOTT A. , DENG WEI Q. , PARÉ GUILLAUME , SULISTYONINGRUM DIAN C. , LOOS RUTH J. F. , DEVLIN ANGELA 
Published: December 2011

SummaryThe fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene has been implicated with obesity and dietary intake predominantly in European populations. We assessed the association between the FTO rs9939609 variant with body fat distribution and dietary intake in a multi-ethnic population. Aboriginal, Chinese, European and South Asian participants living in Canada (n=706) were assessed for body fat and inner-abdominal fat using imaging techniques, dietary intake and genotyped for the FTO rs9939609 variant. Linear regression was used to study the associations between the minor allele of the variant and measures of adiposity and dietary intake. Minor allele frequencies were: Aboriginals (17%), Chinese (17%), Europeans (39%) and South Asians (31%). The rs9939609 variant was associated with intake of dietary macronutrients in Aboriginals and Europeans only. In the total population, there were positive associations between the rs9939609 minor allele and greater fat mass (0·94±0·56 kg, P=0·045), per cent body fat (0·7±0·4%, P=0·031), relative greater subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (4·9±2·8%, P=0·039) and percent daily calories from fat (0·4±0·2%, P=0·064). Our findings suggest that the FTO rs9939609 minor allele may be associated with dietary intake in adults and is positively associated with regional fat deposition.