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Retention Time (retention + time)
Kinds of Retention Time Selected AbstractsGround Water Recharge Using Recycled Municipal Waste Water in Los Angeles County and the California Department of Public Health's Draft Regulations on Aquifer Retention TimeGROUND WATER, Issue 4 2009Theodore A. Johnson First page of article [source] Prediction of Volatile Components Retention Time in Blackstrap Molasses by Least-Squares Support Vector MachineMOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 5 2008Yongna Yuan Abstract House flies are pestiferous insects that have the potential to spread many diseases to humans and livestock, so it is very significant for us to manage house fly populations. Many commercial types of bait are available to attract house flies, but most are designed for outdoor or limited indoor use, due to their malodorous components. This study sought to identify compounds present in blackstrap molasses that might be attractive to house flies. An effective Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship (QSPR) model between the Retention Time (RT) and five molecular descriptors of the volatile compounds in blackstrap molasses, was built using a modified algorithm of Least-Squares Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM). Descriptors calculated from the molecular structures alone were used to represent the characteristics of compounds. The five molecular descriptors selected by the Heuristic Method (HM) in CODESSA were used as inputs for LS-SVM. The results obtained by LS-SVM were compared with those obtained by the HM. The LS-SVM model gives better results with the predicted correlation coefficient () 0.919 and Root Mean-Square Errors (RMSE) 2.193 for the test set, as well as that 0.824 and 2.728 in the MLR model. The prediction results of log RT are in very good agreement with the experimental values. This paper provided a new and effective method for predicting the chromatography retention index. [source] Open-tubular capillary electrochromatography using a capillary coated with octadecylamine-capped gold nanoparticlesELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 4 2008Qishu Qu Dr. Abstract Octadecylamine-capped gold nanoparticles (ODA-Au-NPs) were prepared and characterized by using UV,Vis adsorption spectrum, transmission electron chromatography (TEM), SEM, and FT-IR. A simple but robust hydrophobic coating was easily developed by flushing a capillary with a solution of ODA-Au-NPs, because the positive charges were carried by the nanoparticles which strongly adsorb to the negatively charged inner surface of a fused-silica capillary via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. The chromatographic characteristics of the coated capillary was investigated by varying the experimental parameters such as buffer pH, buffer concentration, and percentage of organic modifier in the mobile phase. The results show that (i) resolution between thiourea and naphthalene is almost the same when comparing the electrochromatograms obtained using pH,7 buffer as mobile phase after and before the capillary column was operated using pH,11 and 3 mobile phase; (ii) no significant changes in retention time and deterioration in peak efficiency were found after 60,runs of test aromatic mixtures; and (iii) column efficiency up to 189,000 theoretical plates/meter for testosterone was obtained. All of the results indicated that the coating could act as a stable stationary phase for open tubular CEC as well as for bioanalysis. [source] Fast determination of prominent carotenoids in tomato fruits by CEC using methacrylate ester-based monolithic columnsELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 22 2007Ana Maria Adalid Abstract In this study, the major carotenoids (,-carotene and lycopene) present in tomato fruits were analyzed by CEC with a methacrylate ester-based monolithic column. The effects of the porogenic solvent ratio, and the hydrophobicity of bulk monomer employed were examined on carotenoids separations. A fast separation of these analytes was achieved in less than 5.0,min in a mobile phase containing 35% THF, 30% ACN, 30% methanol, and 5% of a 5,mM Tris aqueous buffer, pH,8, with lauryl methacrylate-based monoliths. The CEC method was evaluated in terms of detection limit and reproducibility (retention time, area, and column preparation) with values below 1.6,,g/mL and 7.2%, respectively. The proposed procedure was successfully applied to the determination of both carotenoids in fruits of several tomato-related species and its usefulness to analyze large series of samples for nutritional quality screening trials in tomato breeding programs is demonstrated. To our knowledge, this is the first work that exploits the powerful and user-friendly monolithic technology for quality breeding and germplasm evaluation program purposes. [source] Speciation of selenium compounds by open tubular capillary electrochromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometryELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 21 2006Shu-Yu Lin Abstract We introduce a T-type interface and a crossflow nebulizer to find ways to combine CEC with inductively coupled plasma MS (ICP-MS) detection for selenium speciation. For CEC separation, we employed a macrocyclic polyamine-bonded phase capillary as the separation column and a bare fused-silica capillary filled with the make-up liquid (0.05,M,HNO3). The effect of nebulizer gas flow rate, make-up liquid flow, type, concentration and pH of the mobile phase on the separation have been studied. Tris buffer of 50,mM at pH,8.50 gave the best performance for selenium speciation. The reproducibility of the retention time indicated that sample injection by electrokinetic and nebulizer gas flow was better than that by self-aspiration alone. The detection limits for selenate, selenite, selenocystine and selenomethionine were found to be 2.40, 3.53, 12.86 and 11.25,ng/mL, respectively. Due to the high sensitivity and element-specific detection, as well as the high selectivity of the bonded phase, quantitative analysis of selenium speciation in urine was also achieved. [source] On-line concentration of proteins in pressurized capillary electrochromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometryELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 7-8 2005Zhen Liang Abstract Pressurized capillary electrochromatography (pCEC) and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) have been hyphenated for protein analysis. Taken cytochrome,c, lysozyme, and insulin as samples, the limits of detection (LODs) for absolute concentrations are 10,11,mol (signal-to-noise ratio S/N = 3) with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of retention time and peak area, respectively, of less than 1.7% and 4.8%. In order to improve the detection sensitivity, on-line concentration by field-enhanced sample-stacking effect and chromatographic zone-sharpening effect has been developed, and parameters affecting separation and detection, such as pH and electrolyte concentration in the mobile phase, separation voltage, as well as enrichment voltage and time, have been studied systematically. Under the optimized conditions, the LODs of the three proteins could be decreased up to 100-fold. In addition, the feasibility of such techniques has been further demonstrated by the analysis of modified insulins at a concentration of 20,,g/mL. [source] Analyses of preservatives by capillary electrochromatography using methacrylate ester-based monolithic columnsELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 18-19 2004Hsi-Ya Huang Abstract Five common food preservatives were analyzed by capillary electrochromatography, utilizing a methacrylate ester-based monolithic capillary as separation column. In order to optimize the separation of these preservatives, the effects of the pore size of the polymeric stationary phase, the pH and composition of the mobile phase on separation were examined. For all analytes, it was found that an increase in pore size caused a reduction in retention time. However, separation performances were greatly improved in monolithic columns with smaller pore sizes. The pH of the mobile phase had little influence on separation resolution, but a dramatic effect on the amount of sample that was needed to be electrokinetically injected into the monolithic column. In addition, the retention behaviors of these analytes were strongly influenced by the level of acetonitrile in the mobile phase. An optimal separation of the five preservatives was obtained within 7.0 min with a pH 3.0 mobile phase composed of phosphate buffer and acetonitrile 35:65 v/v. Finally, preservatives in real commercial products, including cold syrup, lotion, wine, and soy sauces, were successfully determined by the methacrylate ester-based polymeric monolithic column under this optimized condition. [source] Thermodynamic Analysis of Energy Transfer in Acidogenic CulturesENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 5 2008J.-R. Bastidas-Oyanedel Abstract A global thermodynamic analysis, normally used for pure cultures, has been performed for steady-state data sets from acidogenic mixed cultures. This analysis is a combination of two different thermodynamic approaches, based on tabulated standard Gibbs energy of formation, global stoichiometry and medium compositions. It takes into account the energy transfer efficiency, ,, together with the Gibbs free energy dissipation, ,Go, analysis of the different data. The objective is to describe these systems thermodynamically without any heat measurement. The results show that , is influenced by environmental conditions, where increasing hydraulic retention time increases its value all cases. The pH effect on , is related to metabolic shifts and osmoregulation. Within the environmental conditions analyzed, , ranges from 0.23 for a hydraulic retention time of 20,h and pH,4, to 0.42 for a hydraulic retention time of 8,h and a pH ranging from 7,8.5. The estimated values of ,Go are comparable to standard Gibbs energy of dissipation reported in the literature. For the data sets analyzed, ,Go ranges from ,1210,kJ/molx, corresponding to a stirring velocity of 300,rpm, pH,6 and a hydraulic retention time of 6,h, to ,20744,kJ/molx for pH,4 and a hydraulic retention time of 20,h. For average conclusions, the combined approach based on standard Gibbs energy of formation and global stoichiometry, used in this thermodynamic analysis, allows for the estimation of Gibbs energy dissipation values from the extracellular medium compositions in acidogenic mixed cultures. Such estimated values are comparable to the standard Gibbs energy dissipation values reported in the literature. It is demonstrated that , is affected by the environmental conditions, i.e., stirring velocity, hydraulic retention time and pH. However, a relationship that relates this parameter to environmental conditions was not found and will be the focus of further research. [source] Microbial Community Dynamics of a Continuous Mesophilic Anaerobic Biogas Digester Fed with Sugar Beet SilageENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2008B. Demirel Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term fermentation of an extremely sour substrate without any addition of manure. In the future, the limitation of manure and therefore the anaerobic digestion of silage with a very low buffering capacity will be an increasing general bottleneck for energy production from renewable biomass. During the mesophilic anaerobic digestion of sugar beet silage (without top and leaves) as the sole substrate (without any addition of manure), which had an extreme low pH of around 3.3, the highest specific gas production rate (spec. GPR) of 0.72,L/g volatile solids (VS),d was achieved at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 25,days compared to an organic loading rate (OLR) of 3.97,g VS/L,d at a pH of around 6.80. The methane (CH4) content of the digester ranged between 58 and 67,%, with an average of 63,%. The use of a new charge of substrate (a new harvest of the same substrate) with higher phosphate content improved the performance of the biogas digester significantly. The change of the substrate charge also seemed to affect the methanogenic population dynamics positively, thus improving the reactor performance. Using a new substrate charge, a further decrease in the HRT from 25 to 15,days did not influence the digester performance and did not seem to affect the structure of the methanogenic population significantly. However, a decrease in the HRT affected the size of the methanogenic population adversely. The lower spec. GPR of 0.54,L/g,VS,d attained on day,15 of the HRT could be attributed to a lower size of methanogenic population present in the anaerobic digester during this stage of the process. Furthermore, since sugar beet silage is a relatively poor substrate, in terms of the buffering capacity and the availability of nutrients, an external supply of buffering agents and nutrients is a prerequisite for a safe and stable digester operation. [source] Acclimation Strategy of a Biohydrogen Producing Population in a Continuous-Flow Reactor with Carbohydrate FermentationENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2006Q. Ren Abstract Poor startup of biological hydrogen production systems can cause an ineffective hydrogen production rate and poor biomass growth at a high hydraulic retention time (HRT), or cause a prolonged period of acclimation. In this paper a new startup strategy was developed in order to improve the enrichment of the hydrogen-producing population and the efficiency of hydrogen production. A continuously-stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and molasses were used to evaluate the hydrogen productivity of the sewage sludge microflora at a temperature of 35,°C. The experimental results indicated that the feed to microorganism ratio (F/M ratio) was a key parameter for the enrichment of hydrogen producing sludge in a continuous-flow reactor. When the initial biomass was inoculated with 6.24,g of volatile suspended solids (VSS)/L, an HRT of 6,h, an initial organic loading rate (OLR) of 7.0,kg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/(m3,×,d) and an feed to microorganism ratio (F/M) ratio of about 2,3,g COD/(g of volatile suspended solids (VSS) per day) were maintained during startup. Under these conditions, a hydrogen producing population at an equilibrium state could be established within 30,days. The main liquid fermentation products were acetate and ethanol. Biogas was composed of H2 and CO2. The hydrogen content in the biogas amounted to 47.5,%. The average hydrogen yield was 2.01,mol/mol hexose consumed. It was also observed that a special hydrogen producing population was formed when this startup strategy was used. It is supposed that the population may have had some special metabolic pathways to produce hydrogen along with ethanol as the main fermentation products. [source] Biofilm Growth and Bed Fluidization in a Fluidized Bed Reactor Packed with Support Materials of Low Density,ENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2004R.A. Saucedo-Terán Abstract Support materials of low-density for fluidized bed reactors provide several operational advantages, including lower energy requirements and proper biofilm growth balance. The aim of this investigation was to study the extent of biofilm growth and bed fluidization in an experimental reactor, using polyester resin (,pr,=,1220,kg/m3) and vitrified expanded perlite (,vep,=,1710,kg/m3) as alternative support materials to conventional silica sand. A noteworthy amount of biofilm was observed to be attached to both support materials from the very beginning of the bioreactor operation. Nevertheless, there were significant variations in biofilm growth and activity over the course of the experimental trials. For both perlite and polyester beds, the highest biofilm mass and the highest total number of mesophilic bacteria were observed between the 7th and the 10th day, showing a steady state trend at the end of the experimental runs. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal levels were concomitant with biofilm mass and total mesophilic bacteria changes, although the polyester bed efficiency was slightly higher than that for the perlite bed. As expected, the polyester bed was fluidized at a lower re-circulation flow compared to the perlite bed. Reactor back-washing was not required for these support materials since biomass excess was adequately separated by means of a special internal device. The efficiencies of removal of organic matter achieved were acceptable (up to 78,%) despite the low volume of the support material (25,%) and the low hydraulic retention time (30,min). [source] Salt-water recycling for brine production at road-salt-storage facilitiesENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 4 2009G. Michael Fitch Abstract This research investigates the storm-water quality at road-salt-storage facilities located at Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) winter maintenance locations and investigates the feasibility of a sustainable solution to better manage the salt-contaminated storm-water runoff. Collection ponds are currently used at most salt-storage sites to contain highly saline runoff and prevent its release into the environment. During a synoptic, winter-time sampling, chloride-ion concentrations in these ponds were found to be significantly greater than state and federal regulatory guidelines for surface-water-quality criteria, with individual values exceeding 2000 mg/L. The pond water is currently treated as a waste product by VDOT, resulting in significant costs for disposal. However, this saline pond water can potentially be recycled to produce concentrated brine solutions, which can then be used by VDOT for either prewetting dry salt during application to roadways or for direct brine application. Laboratory and field tests have been performed using a bench-scale brine generation system to quantify the effects of hydraulic retention time, temperature, and influent-water quality on system performance. Results of these studies have found that the storm-water runoff captured in collection ponds requires no pretreatment before entering the brine generation system and can effectively produce brine at the target salt concentration. Results of a cost-benefit analysis indicate that it is possible under multiple scenarios to recover the investment capital of implementing brine generation at all VDOT winter maintenance locations, typically within a 4-year horizon. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2009 [source] Long-term stability of biological denitrification process for high strength nitrate removal from wastewater of uranium industryENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 3 2008Prashant M. Biradar Abstract The aim of the present study was to biologically denitrify uranium nitrate raffinate (UNR) from nuclear industry, which is a principle source of high strength nitrate waste. To denitrify the high nitrate waste, a pilot-scale continuous stirred tank reactor was designed with two inbuilt settlers. Acclimatization of mixed culture with synthetic waste was carried out prior to the inoculation of the acclimatized sludge into the reactor. Initial concentration of nitrate in uranium raffinate was 77,000 mg/L NO3. It was diluted and used as a feed to the reactor. Concentration of nitrate in feed was increased gradually from 10,000 mg/L NO3 to 40,000 mg/L NO3 with hydraulic retention time (HRT) maintained at 34.4 h. Complete denitrification of 40,000 mg/L NO3 was achieved in a specified HRT. To facilitate understanding of the treatablity and long-term stability of biological denitrification of UNR, study was carried out for 211 days by periodical perturbation of the system. Furthermore, to find the volume ratio of reactor to settler required for the full-scale design of the denitrification plant, settling of acclimatized sludge was carried out. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2008 [source] Oxidation of ferrous iron by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in a full-scale rotating biological contactorENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 4 2001L. Nikolov The performance of a full-scale rotating biological contactor used for the oxidation of ferrous iron by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in drainage waters was studied. It has been shown that high volumetric rates, up to 2.5 g/Lh can be obtained. We also examined the effects of input ferrous iron concentration and liquid retention time on reactor performance. It has been shown that when the input iron concentration increased, volumetric reaction rate increased while substrate conversion decreased. In general, the rotating biological contractor is a promising tool for the biological treatment of acid mine drainage containing ferrous iron. [source] Folding of epidermal growth factor-like repeats from human tenascin studied through a sequence frame-shift approachFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 21 2004Francesco Zanuttin In order to investigate the factors that determine the correct folding of epidermal growth factor-like (EGF) repeats within a multidomain protein, we prepared a series of six peptides that, taken together, span the sequence of two EGF repeats of human tenascin, a large protein from the extracellular matrix. The peptides were selected by sliding a window of the average length of tenascin EGF repeats over the sequence of EGF repeats 13 and 14. We thus obtained six peptides, EGF-f1 to EGF-f6, that are 33 residues long, contain six cysteines each, and bear a partial overlap in the sequence. While EGF-f1 corresponds to the native EGF-14 repeat, the others are frame-shifted EGF repeats. We carried out the oxidative folding of these peptides in vitro, analyzed the reaction mixtures by acid trapping followed by LC-MS, and isolated some of the resulting products. The oxidative folding of the native EGF-14 peptide is fast, produces a single three-disulfide species with an EGF-like disulfide topology and a marked difference in the RP-HPLC retention time compared with the starting product. On the contrary, frame-shifted peptides fold more slowly and give mixtures of three-disulfide species displaying RP-HPLC retention times that are closer to those of the reduced peptides. In contrast to the native EGF-14, the three-disulfide products that could be isolated are mainly unstructured, as determined by CD and NMR spectroscopy. We conclude that both kinetics and thermodynamics drive the correct pairing of cysteines, and speculate about how cysteine mispairing could trigger disulfide reshuffling in vivo. [source] Fully Transparent Non-volatile Memory Thin-Film Transistors Using an Organic Ferroelectric and Oxide Semiconductor Below 200,°CADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 6 2010Sung-Min Yoon Abstract A fully transparent non-volatile memory thin-film transistor (T-MTFT) is demonstrated. The gate stack is composed of organic ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] and oxide semiconducting Al-Zn-Sn-O (AZTO) layers, in which thin Al2O3 is introduced between two layers. All the fabrication processes are performed below 200,°C on the glass substrate. The transmittance of the fabricated device was more than 90% at the wavelength of 550,nm. The memory window obtained in the T-MTFT was 7.5,V with a gate voltage sweep of ,10 to 10,V, and it was still 1.8,V even with a lower voltage sweep of ,6 to 6,V. The field-effect mobility, subthreshold swing, on/off ratio, and gate leakage currents were obtained to be 32.2,cm2 V,1 s,1, 0.45,V decade,1, 108, and 10,13 A, respectively. All these characteristics correspond to the best performances among all types of non-volatile memory transistors reported so far, although the programming speed and retention time should be more improved. [source] Improving the ON/OFF Ratio and Reversibility of Recording by Rational Structural Arrangement of Donor,Acceptor MoleculesADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 5 2010Ying Ma Abstract Organic molecules with donor,acceptor (D,A) structure are an important type of material for nanoelectronics and molecular electronics. The influence of the electron donor and acceptor units on the electrical function of materials is a worthy topic for the development of high-performance data storage. In this work, the effect of different D,A structures (namely D,,,A,,,D and A,,,D,,,A) on the electronic switching properties of triphenylamine-based molecules is investigated. Devices based on D,,,A,,,D molecules exhibit excellent write,read,erase characteristics with a high ON/OFF ratio of up to 106, while that based on A,,,D,,,A molecules exhibit irreversible switching behavior with an ON/OFF ratio of about (3.2,×,101),(1,×,103). Moreover, long retention time of the high conductance state and low threshold voltage are observed for the D,A switching materials. Accordingly, stable and reliable nanoscale data storage is achieved on the thin films of the D,A molecules by scanning tunneling microscopy. The influence of the arrangement of the D and A within the molecular backbone disclosed in this study will be of significance for improving the electronic switching properties (ON/OFF current ratio and reversibility) of new molecular systems, so as to achieve more efficient data storage through appropriate design strategies. [source] Controllable Shifts in Threshold Voltage of Top-Gate Polymer Field-Effect Transistors for Applications in Organic Nano Floating Gate MemoryADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 2 2010Kang-Jun Baeg Abstract Organic field-effect transistor (FET) memory is an emerging technology with the potential to realize light-weight, low-cost, flexible charge storage media. Here, solution-processed poly[9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl]-co-(bithiophene)] (F8T2) nano floating gate memory (NFGM) with a top-gate/bottom-contact device configuration is reported. A reversible shift in the threshold voltage (VTh) and reliable memory characteristics was achieved by the incorporation of thin Au nanoparticles (NPs) as charge storage sites for negative charges (electrons) at the interface between polystyrene and cross-linked poly(4-vinylphenol). The F8T2 NFGM showed relatively high field-effect mobility (µFET) (0.02,cm2 V,1 s,1) for an amorphous semiconducting polymer with a large memory window (ca. 30,V), a high on/off ratio (more than 104) during writing and erasing with an operation voltage of 80,V of gate bias in a relatively short timescale (less than 1,s), and a retention time of a few hours. This top-gated polymer NFGM could be used as an organic transistor memory element for organic flash memory. [source] Modelling the effects of changing retention time on abundance and composition of phytoplankton species in a small lakeFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007I. D. JONES Summary 1. The phytoplankton community model, PROTECH, was used to model the algal response to changing annual mean retention time in a small lake. 2. Simulations of short retention time with a fixed nutrient load resulted in a reduced chlorophyll concentration. A similar relationship was observed when the simulations were repeated but with inflowing nutrients increased in proportion to river discharge. 3. Longer retention time caused the spring bloom to start earlier and the autumn bloom to persist longer. 4. Changes in discharge of the inflowing river also caused a change in the thermal structure of the lake. This change in thermal structure, in turn, influenced the magnitude and composition of the phytoplankton population, particularly those in the CS-functional group, such as Aphanizomenon. [source] Lake responses to reduced nutrient loading , an analysis of contemporary long-term data from 35 case studiesFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 10 2005ERIK JEPPESEN Summary 1. This synthesis examines 35 long-term (5,35 years, mean: 16 years) lake re-oligotrophication studies. It covers lakes ranging from shallow (mean depth <5 m and/or polymictic) to deep (mean depth up to 177 m), oligotrophic to hypertrophic (summer mean total phosphorus concentration from 7.5 to 3500 ,g L,1 before loading reduction), subtropical to temperate (latitude: 28,65°), and lowland to upland (altitude: 0,481 m). Shallow north-temperate lakes were most abundant. 2. Reduction of external total phosphorus (TP) loading resulted in lower in-lake TP concentration, lower chlorophyll a (chl a) concentration and higher Secchi depth in most lakes. Internal loading delayed the recovery, but in most lakes a new equilibrium for TP was reached after 10,15 years, which was only marginally influenced by the hydraulic retention time of the lakes. With decreasing TP concentration, the concentration of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) also declined substantially. 3. Decreases (if any) in total nitrogen (TN) loading were lower than for TP in most lakes. As a result, the TN : TP ratio in lake water increased in 80% of the lakes. In lakes where the TN loading was reduced, the annual mean in-lake TN concentration responded rapidly. Concentrations largely followed predictions derived from an empirical model developed earlier for Danish lakes, which includes external TN loading, hydraulic retention time and mean depth as explanatory variables. 4. Phytoplankton clearly responded to reduced nutrient loading, mainly reflecting declining TP concentrations. Declines in phytoplankton biomass were accompanied by shifts in community structure. In deep lakes, chrysophytes and dinophytes assumed greater importance at the expense of cyanobacteria. Diatoms, cryptophytes and chrysophytes became more dominant in shallow lakes, while no significant change was seen for cyanobacteria. 5. The observed declines in phytoplankton biomass and chl a may have been further augmented by enhanced zooplankton grazing, as indicated by increases in the zooplankton : phytoplankton biomass ratio and declines in the chl a : TP ratio at a summer mean TP concentration of <100,150 ,g L,1. This effect was strongest in shallow lakes. This implies potentially higher rates of zooplankton grazing and may be ascribed to the observed large changes in fish community structure and biomass with decreasing TP contribution. In 82% of the lakes for which data on fish are available, fish biomass declined with TP. The percentage of piscivores increased in 80% of those lakes and often a shift occurred towards dominance by fish species characteristic of less eutrophic waters. 6. Data on macrophytes were available only for a small subsample of lakes. In several of those lakes, abundance, coverage, plant volume inhabited or depth distribution of submerged macrophytes increased during oligotrophication, but in others no changes were observed despite greater water clarity. 7. Recovery of lakes after nutrient loading reduction may be confounded by concomitant environmental changes such as global warming. However, effects of global change are likely to run counter to reductions in nutrient loading rather than reinforcing re-oligotrophication. [source] Differences in endozoochorous dispersal between aquatic plant species, with reference to plant population persistence in riversFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005B. J. A. POLLUX Summary 1. In river ecosystems, populations are continuously subjected to unidirectional downstream currents resulting in a downstream movement of populations. To ensure long-term population persistence in rivers, organisms must have a mechanism for upstream dispersal, which allows them to re-colonise upstream areas. 2. In this study we assessed differences in the potential for endozoochorous seed dispersal of Sparganium emersum and Sagittaria sagittifolia, two aquatic plant species with different seed morphologies, by mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and teal (Anas crecca), two duck species with different body weights. 3. We found no significant differences in seed retrieval (the proportion of ingested seeds retrieved after gut passage) and seed retention time (time between seed ingestion and retrieval), between mallard and teal, despite the difference in body weights. We did find a significantly higher germination (%) over retention time of S. emersum seeds retrieved from teal compared with mallard, most likely related to a more efficient removal of the seed coat during passage through the gut of teal. 4. There were large differences between S. emersum versus S. sagittifolia in: (i) seed retrieval (22.65 ± 20.8% versus 1.60 ± 2.4%, respectively); (ii) seed retention time in duck gut, with a maximum of 60 h versus 12 h; (iii) the effect of gut passage on seed germination, with an increase of approximately 35% versus a decrease of 25%; and (iv) the effect of gut passage on seed germination rate, with an acceleration of 10 days versus a delay of 3 days on average. The results show that S. emersum has a higher potential for endozoochorous dispersal by ducks and postdispersal establishment than S. sagittifolia. 5. We propose that, in rivers, bird-mediated seed dispersal may promote re-colonisation of upstream areas, enabling long-term plant population persistence. [source] Digestive plasticity in Mallard ducks modulates dispersal probabilities of aquatic plants and crustaceansFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2005I. CHARALAMBIDOU Summary 1The consequences of plastic responses of the avian digestive tract for the potential of birds to disperse other organisms remain largely uninvestigated. 2To explore how a seasonal diet switch in Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos L.) influences their potential to disperse plants and invertebrates, we recorded the retention time of markers, following exposure to two diets of contrasting digestibility (trout chow vs seeds). 3We then recorded the retrieval and germination of Fennel Pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.) seeds and Brine Shrimp (Artemia franciscana Kellogg) cysts ingested by the same birds. 4Gut passage rates of markers were increasingly longer in birds on the seed-based, high-fibre diet and shorter in birds on the animal-based, low-fibre one. 5Propagule digestibility, and thus survival to gut passage, differed between diet groups, with more seeds and fewer cysts retrieved from ducks on the animal-based diet. Germination decreased with retention time, but was not affected by diet. 6Differences in passage rates of markers but not of seeds and cysts suggest no change in dispersal distances of plants and invertebrates between seasons, while differences in digestibility would affect the numbers of propagules dispersed. [source] Printable Ferroelectric PVDF/PMMA Blend Films with Ultralow Roughness for Low Voltage Non-Volatile Polymer MemoryADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 17 2009Seok Ju Kang Abstract Here, a facile route to fabricate thin ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) blend films with very low surface roughness based on spin-coating and subsequent melt-quenching is described. Amorphous PMMA in a blend film effectively retards the rapid crystallization of PVDF upon quenching, giving rise to a thin and flat ferroelectric film with nanometer scale , -type PVDF crystals. The still, flat interfaces of the blend film with metal electrode and/or an organic semi-conducting channel layer enable fabrication of a highly reliable ferroelectric capacitor and transistor memory unit operating at voltages as low as 15,V. For instance, with a TIPS-pentacene single crystal as an active semi-conducting layer, a flexible ferroelectric field effect transistor shows a clockwise I,V hysteresis with a drain current bistability of 103 and data retention time of more than 15,h at ±15,V gate voltage. Furthermore, the robust interfacial homogeneity of the ferroelectric film is highly beneficial for transfer printing in which arrays of metal/ferroelectric/metal micro-capacitors are developed over a large area with well defined edge sharpness. [source] Utilization of semi-natural grassland through integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass.GRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 4 2009Abstract A procedure (Integrated Generation of Solid Fuel and Biogas from Biomass, IFBB) was developed which uses a screw press to separate the readily digestible constituents of mature grassland biomass into a press fluid for conversion into biogas and a fibrous press cake for processing into a solid fuel. Effects of mechanical dehydration and prior hydrothermal conditioning at different temperatures (5, 60 and 80°C) on concentrations of organic compounds in the press fluid and on methane production in batch experiments were evaluated for five semi-natural grasslands typical of mountain areas of Germany. Results show that the crude protein concentration of the press fluids was higher and crude fibre concentration was lower than that of the parent material (herbage conserved as silage). Digestion tests in batch fermenters showed that the methane yield of the press fluids was double [397,426 normal litre (NL) kg,1 volatile solids (VS) after 13 d] that of the whole-crop grassland silage (218 NL kg,1 VS after 27 d) but no consistent effect of higher temperature during conditioning was observed. Within 13 d of fermentation the decomposition of the organic matter (OM) that occurred in the press fluids was 0·90, whereas after 27 d of fermentation more than 0·40 of the OM remained undigested in the whole-crop silage, pointing at a marked reduction in retention time for anaerobic digestion of press fluids in continuous systems. Press fluids produced 0·90 of the maximum methane yield after 4 to 7 d compared with 19 days for the whole-crop silage. [source] Separation of haemoglobin HbE and HbA2 by the fully automated, high-pressure liquid chromatography Tosoh HLC-723 G7 analyzerINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LABORATORY HEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2008G. LIPPI Summary High-pressure liquid chromatography instruments specifically devised for separating haemoglobin (Hb) fractions have been increasingly employed by the hospital laboratories over the recent years since they allow easy and fast screening for several Hb variants. Although such instruments may be proposed as sensitive, specific and reliable alternatives to the classic electrophoretic techniques, a major drawback of this screening strategy is the almost identical retention time of several Hb variants. In particular, at least 18 Hb variants have been reported in the same retention window as HbA2, including HbE, the second most common ,-chain variant in humans after sickle cell trait. Recently, we evaluated the performance characteristics of an improved buffer formulation originally conceived for Hb variants separation procedures on the fully automated high-pressure liquid chromatography instrument Tosoh G7. At variance with other fully automated high-pressure liquid chromatography analyzers, the elution pattern on the G7 in subjects heterozygous for HbE is characterized by the presence of four suggestive peaks (HbF, HbA, HbA2 and HbE), confirming the effective separation of HbE from HbA2. Because of its potential value in the diagnosis of the thalassaemia syndromes, the effective separation of HbA2 from HbE can provide clinical laboratories with a valuable information for the diagnostic reasoning. [source] Zooplankton Distribution in Tropical Reservoirs, South ChinaINTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Qiu-Qi Lin Abstract The zooplankton of 18 reservoirs of South China was investigated in 2000. 61 Rotifera species, 23 Cladoceras and 14 Copepodas were identified. The most frequent Rotifera genera were Keratella, Brachionus, Trichocerca, Diurella, Ascomorpha, Polyarthra, Ploesoma, Asplanchna, Pompholyx and Conochilus. Bosmina longirostris, Bosminopsis deitersi, Diaphanosoma birgei, D. brachyurum and Moina micrura were typical of Cladocera in the reservoirs. Phyllodiaptomus tunguidus, Neodiaptomus schmackeri and Mesocyclops leuckarti were the most frequent Copepoda and M. leuckarti dominated Copepoda in most reservoirs. High zooplankton species richness with low abundance was characteristic of the throughflowing reservoir, whereas low species richness with low abundance was found in the reservoir with the longest retention time. Relative high abundance and medium species diversity were the distinction of intermediate retention time reservoirs. [source] Longer guts and higher food quality increase energy intake in migratory swansJOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Jan A. Van Gils Summary 1Within the broad field of optimal foraging, it is increasingly acknowledged that animals often face digestive constraints rather than constraints on rates of food collection. This therefore calls for a formalization of how animals could optimize food absorption rates. 2Here we generate predictions from a simple graphical optimal digestion model for foragers that aim to maximize their (true) metabolizable food intake over total time (i.e. including nonforaging bouts) under a digestive constraint. 3,The model predicts that such foragers should maintain a constant food retention time, even if gut length or food quality changes. For phenotypically flexible foragers, which are able to change the size of their digestive machinery, this means that an increase in gut length should go hand in hand with an increase in gross intake rate. It also means that better quality food should be digested more efficiently. 4These latter two predictions are tested in a large avian long-distance migrant, the Bewick's swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii), feeding on grasslands in its Dutch wintering quarters. 5Throughout winter, free-ranging Bewick's swans, growing a longer gut and experiencing improved food quality, increased their gross intake rate (i.e. bite rate) and showed a higher digestive efficiency. These responses were in accordance with the model and suggest maintenance of a constant food retention time. 6These changes doubled the birds' absorption rate. Had only food quality changed (and not gut length), then absorption rate would have increased by only 67%; absorption rate would have increased by only 17% had only gut length changed (and not food quality). 7The prediction that gross intake rate should go up with gut length parallels the mechanism included in some proximate models of foraging that feeding motivation scales inversely to gut fullness. We plea for a tighter integration between ultimate and proximate foraging models. [source] Supplementation of xylanase and phospholipase to wheat-based diets for weaner pigsJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 9-10 2005G. Diebold Summary The effects of supplementing a wheat-based diet for weaner pigs with exogenous xylanase and phospholipase on ileal and faecal nutrient digestibilities and on the level of microbial metabolites in ileal digesta were examined. Fourteen piglets, weaned at 11 days, were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum. The pigs were offered a control diet or diets supplemented with xylanase and phospholipase individually or in combination, in a two period crossover design. The combination of xylanase and phospholipase tended to increase the ileal recovery of the amino sugar galactosamine, whereas the concentration expressed in mg/kg dry matter intake of glucosamine was slightly decreased (p < 0.10). There was neither an effect of enzyme supplementation on ileal and faecal digestibility of the other nutrients and energy, nor was there an effect on pH and on the level of microbial metabolites in ileal digesta. However, an increase in ileal and faecal nutrient and energy digestibility with increasing age was observed. The ileal and faecal digestibility coefficients (except for ether extract) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in experimental period I than in period II. These higher values may be attributed to a lower feed intake during period I. Since a lower level of feed intake is generally associated with a slower rate of passage and a longer retention time of digesta, a positive impact on digestion and absorption of nutrients can be assumed, which, on the other hand, limits the potential of additional enzyme effects. [source] Insecticidal activities of secondary metabolites of endophytic Pencillium sp. in Derris elliptica BenthJOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 8 2005M. Y. Hu Abstract:, A strain of endophytic Pencillium sp., which might produce rotenone or its analogues and showed bioactivity against aphids, was isolated from the fresh roots of Derris elliptica Benth. A total of 12 fractions, isolated from the chloroform extract of endophytic Pencillium sp. mycelia by silica gel column, were tested by bioassay and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the more bioactive fractions were found to be D, E and J. Against the adult turnip aphid, Lipaphis erysimi, by dipping at a concentration of 1 mg/ml, the corrected mortalities of fraction D, E and J were 57.68, 63.28 and 69.74% after 48 h of treatment respectively. The three fractions also showed strong antifeeding activity against third instar larvae of Plutella xylostella in a laboratory bioassay. One absorption peak was detected in the HPLC picture of fraction D, it had a similar retention time as that of rotenone, and the chemical constituent, related to the absoption peak, had the same ultraviolet absorption picture as that of rotenone. Then it could be further concluded that the bioactive compounds in the fraction D could be rotenone or its analogous compounds. [source] Indirect identification of isoprenoid quinones in Escherichia coli by LC-MS with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in negative modeJOURNAL OF BASIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2004Mengchun Gao Dr. A novel analytical method was applied for identification of isoprenoid quinones in Escherichia coli by liquid chromatography atmospheric press chemical ionization mass spectrometry in negative mode (LC-NI-APCI-MS). Extraction and clean-up of sample were carried out on Sep-Pak Plus Silica solid-phase extraction cartridges. Ubiquinone-7 (UQ-7), Ubiquinone-8 (UQ-8) and Mequinone-8 (MK-8) were determined directly using combined information on retention time, molecular ion mass, fragment ion masses and UV characteristic spectrometry without any standard reagent. It was found that UQ-8 was the major component of isoprenoid quinones in Escherichia coli under aerobic condition. Compared with UQ-8, the relative abundance of UQ-7 and MK-8 is only 15% and 14%, respectively. The average recoveries of UQ-6, UQ-10 and vitamin K1 in Escherichia coli were investigated by standard spiking experiment. The recoveries were achieved in the range from 94 to 106%, and the relative standard deviations (RSD) of the triplicate analysis of the spiked samples (UQ-6, UQ-10 and vitamin K1) ranged from 3 to 8%. The detection limits of LC-NI-APCI-MS were estimated to be 5, 40 and 0.8 ,g/g dry cell for UQ-6, UQ-10 and vitamin K1, respectively. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||