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Effective Technology (effective + technology)
Selected AbstractsPlant photonics: application of optical coherence tomography to monitor defects and rots in onionLASER PHYSICS LETTERS, Issue 4 2010I.V. Meglinski Abstract The incidence of physiological and/or pathological defects in many fresh produce types is still unacceptably high and accounts for a large proportion of waste. With increasing interest in food security their remains strong demand in developing reliable and cost effective technologies for non-destructive screening of internal defects and rots, these being deemed unacceptable by consumers. It is well recognized that the internal defects and structure of turbid scattering media can be effectively visualized by using optical coherence tomography (OCT). In the present study, the high spatial resolution and advantages of OCT have been demonstrated for imaging the skins and outer laminae (concentric tissue layers) of intact whole onion bulbs with a view to non-invasively visualizing potential incidence/severity of internal defects. (© 2010 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA) [source] Midterm Results of Stent-Graft Repair for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms: Computed Tomographic EvaluationARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 3 2001Ichiya Yamazaki Abstract: Midterm observation of endovascular surgery using a fabric-covered stent graft for thoracic aortic aneurysms is discussed with postoperative follow-up findings based on regularly performed thoracic computed tomography (CT). From 1996 to 1999, 20 patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm underwent stent-graft placement in our hospital. One year follow-up CT results after placement were obtained for 17 patients. The CT scans found that there were both thrombosis and size reduction of aneurysm in 8 patients (46%), thrombosis without size reduction in 2 (13%), a new ulcerlike projection (ULP) in 3 (19%), persistent minor endoleakage in 2 (13%), a new endoleak in 1 (6%), and a recurrent endoleak from intercostal arteries in 1 (6%). The new ULP formation seemed to be a peculiar problem stemming from an intimal injury caused by edges of the stent. Therefore, we recently adopted a new spiral stent instead of the previous stent to avoid the injury. The new endoleak suggested that aneurysmal thrombosis without size reduction could cause the aneurysm to develop recurrent endoleaks. From these findings, we concluded that midterm observation of stent-graft repair for thoracic aortic aneurysms did not give satisfactory results. In order to improve the results of endovascular surgery using stent-grafts, we need to develop safer stent grafts with a reliable design to prevent endoleaks and to avoid intimal injury of the aorta. We also hope to develop effective technologies that can accelerate organization of thrombus in the aortic aneurysm after stent-graft placement. [source] The effect of behavioral skills training with general-case training on staff chaining of child vocalizations within natural language paradigmBEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS, Issue 1 2010Laura Seiverling This study used behavioral skills training (BST) and general-case training (GCT) in which the experimenter simulated child performance to teach three staff to conduct NLP and response chaining to increase three-link vocal chains in three children with autism. Staff increased their correct NLP performance during post-training in comparison to baseline. Two of three children emitted more vocal chains following training. This study demonstrated that BST and GCT were effective in training NLP and response chaining. When assessing social validity, both Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and teachers did not indicate an increase in staff members' teaching skills. Future research should develop effective technologies to chain vocal behavior and to teach staff and parents to implement response chaining. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer behavioral surveillance in the US,,§CANCER, Issue S10 2008Jasmin A. Tiro PhD Abstract In the US, federal and state behavioral surveillance systems routinely monitor self-reported sexual behavior and Papanicolaou (Pap) test use to identify high-risk populations, trends, and disparities and to guide and evaluate interventions for cervical cancer prevention and control. Clinical uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and testing necessitates the expansion of behavioral surveillance systems. Cervical disease is the main focus of HPV-related behavioral surveillance because of greater cancer incidence and mortality relative to other susceptible organs, and the availability of effective technologies for prevention and control. In the current study, a framework is presented for the types of behaviors to monitor, their conceptual and operational definitions, target populations, and evidence supporting the reliability and validity of self-report measures. An overview is also provided of 8 population-based and 2 provider-based data systems that are nationally representative and accessible for behavioral surveillance research. Ongoing surveillance at the national, state, and local level is critical for monitoring the dissemination of HPV technologies and their impact on reducing disparities in the detection of precursor lesions, incidence of invasive cancer, and mortality. Cancer 2008;113:(10 suppl):3013,30. Published 2008 by the American Cancer Society. [source] Micro-CT scanning analysis for inner structure of porous mediaHEAT TRANSFER - ASIAN RESEARCH (FORMERLY HEAT TRANSFER-JAPANESE RESEARCH), Issue 4 2007Zhang Yang Abstract A micro-CT scanner was employed to investigate inner characteristics of porous media, and particular cakes were taken as samples. By obtaining the inner pore structure and inner structure reconstruction, porosity and its variation in the samples, water distribution in pores, and other inner characteristics were determined and explored. When the sample was dried after immersion in water, the solid frame shrank, some pores became larger and the porosity increased, while the sample not immersed in water did not change much after being dried. The experiments indicate that micro-CT scanning is an effective technology to study the inner structure of porous materials with pores larger than tens of microns and also can be used to explore some important transport performance. ©2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 36(4): 208, 214, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience. wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/htj.20155 Copyright © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Strategies to optimize phosphate removal from industrial anaerobic effluents by magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) productionJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Marta Carballa Abstract BACKGROUND: Owing to more stringent phosphate discharge requirements and the increasing prices of fertilizers, beneficial recovery and reuse of phosphate from industrial anaerobic effluents is becoming an important issue. Phosphate recovery by struvite or magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) permits its recycling in the fertilizer industry because struvite is a valuable slow release fertilizer. Two different approaches to MAP crystallization depending on initial levels of phosphate in the wastewaters were tested and compared. RESULTS: For low-phosphate-containing anaerobic effluents (<30 mg PO43, -P L,1), a novel approach using ureolytic induced MAP formation with MgO addition appeared to be suitable. The residual phosphate concentrations in the effluent ranged from 5 to 7 mg PO43, -P L,1 and the separated matter contained residual amounts of Mg(OH)2. High-phosphate-containing anaerobic effluents (100 to 120 mg PO43, -P L,1) were treated efficiently using air stripping combined with MgCl2 and NaOH reagents, yielding residual phosphate levels of 8 to 15 mg PO43, -P L,1 and spherical pure MAP crystals of 0.5 to 2 mm. CONCLUSION: Results show that depending on the initial phosphate concentrations in the wastewaters and the ammonium and magnesium levels, the strategy selected for struvite crystallization is a determinative factor in achieving a cost effective technology. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Enhanced aerobic bioremediation of a gasohol release in a fractured bedrock aquiferREMEDIATION, Issue 2 2010Mark S. Heaston In January 2005, a gasoline tanker carrying approximately 8,500 gallons of gasohol (gasoline containing 10 percent ethanol) overturned and caught fire in the front yard of a residence. Emergency response crews responded to the accident, extinguished the fire, and recovered residual gasoline on the ground surface. Soil impacted by the release was then removed and disposed of off-site and free-phase gasohol was recovered using a combination of vacuum recovery, pumping, and bailing to the extent practicable. Following free product recovery efforts, a feasibility evaluation was completed to select a technology to address the remaining dissolved-phase contaminants that resulted in biosparging pilot testing and, ultimately, the installation of a full-scale biosparging system. The full-scale system has been operating for approximately 21 months, and contaminant concentrations within the heart of the plume have decreased dramatically over a short period of time,in most cases, to below applicable cleanup standards. Despite the complex hydrogeologic conditions and significant initial concentrations, biosparging has proven to be an effective technology to remediate this gasohol release, and it is anticipated that drinking-water standards can be achieved following two to three years of biosparging (i.e., an additional 3 to 15 months of operations). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Enhanced anaerobic bioremediation in a multicontaminant plumeREMEDIATION, Issue 2 2008Julie S. Konzuk The potential application of enhanced in situ bioremediation (EISB) for treatment of a plume containing high concentrations of 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA), as well as lower concentrations of other chlorinated ethanes, chlorinated methanes, and chlorinated ethenes was evaluated through the implementation of four field trials. The field trials confirmed that EISB is an effective technology for treating multiple contaminants, with estimated mass removal rates on the order of several kilograms per day and groundwater concentration reductions nearing 100 percent of the initial concentrations. The field trials also demonstrated that engineering controls could be effectively used to overcome potential inhibitions related to high concentrations of 1,2-DCA. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] New advancements for in situ treatment using electrical resistance heatingREMEDIATION, Issue 2 2007Thomas Powell Electrical resistance heating (ERH) is proving to be an effective technology to rapidly heat the subsurface and, in doing so, removing volatile organic compounds. Practitioners of this technology have observed that other processes (biodegradation, abiotic degradation, hydrolysis, and possibly others) occur to break down the chemicals of concern, and remediation is not solely accomplished through vaporization. Few sites treated using ERH have been monitored during and after treatment to identify and evaluate the processes occurring and assess the contribution of these other biological and chemical processes in the remediation effort so that they may be incorporated in the remediation design. At Fort Lewis, Washington, a landfill has been undergoing ERH treatment in three phases, where chlorinated volatile organic compounds represent the primary chemicals of concern in soil and groundwater. Other chemicals of concern include petroleum products, oils, and lubricants. The Fort Lewis remediation projects provided an opportunity to observe the reactions occurring in the subsurface during ERH and fine-tune the study with each phase of operation. This study is still under way. However, the data gathered to date, which focuses on biodegradation, provides insights into the processes that have been observed. For the Fort Lewis site, biotic and abiotic degradation processes have been observed throughout the range of operating temperatures. At the lower temperature ranges (up to 70°C), biological processes appear to predominate. Above 70°C, abiotic processes become much more active. The goal of this work is to eventually optimize the use of these intrinsic processes in ERH remediation to reduce energy requirements and costs. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Preparation of ReFeO3 nanocrystalline powders by auto-combustion of citric acid gelASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2009Anhua Wu Abstract Autocombustion of citric acid gel was employed to prepare ReFeO3 (Re = Gd, Nd) nanocrystalline powders. The phase identification and lattice parameters were investigated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD). Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) investigations were carried out to examine the morphology and average size of these powders. Several one phonon lines, two-magnon excitation, and two-phonon scattering have been assigned in their Raman spectra. Both NdFeO3 and GdFeO3 nanocrystalline powders were single ReFeO3 phase, which are agglomerated with average crystallite size of 70,90 nm. The investigations indicated that the autocombustion of citric acid gel method is an effective technology to prepare ReFeO3 nanocrystalline powders. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Control of Listeria monocytogenes Contamination in Ready-to-Eat Meat ProductsCOMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY, Issue 2 2005Meijun Zhu ABSTRACT The ubiquitous nature of Listeria monocytogenes and its ability to grow at refrigerated temperature makes L. monocytogenes a significant threat to the safety of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products. The contamination by L. monocytogenes in RTE meat primarily occurs during slicing and packaging after cooking. The effectiveness of post-package decontamination technology such as in-package thermal pasteurization, irradiation, and high-pressure processing are discussed. Formulating meat products with antimicrobial additives is another common approach to control L. monocytogenes in RTE meat. Irradiation is an effective technology to eliminate L. monocytogenes but can influence the quality of RTE meat products significantly. The effect of irradiation or the combination of irradiation and antimicrobials on the survival of L. monocytogenes and the quality of RTE meat is discussed. [source] | |||||||||||||