Optimality Condition

؉ T-cell responses are believed to play an important role in the control of human HBV infection. In the present study, HBcAg-specific, HLA-DR13*-restricted CD4 ؉ Th1-type T-cell clones were generated which secreted both gamma interferon and tumor necrosis factor alpha after in vitro antigen stimulation. These HBcAg-specific CD4 ؉ Th1-type T cells were able to lyse HBc peptide-loaded Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid target cells in vitro. To examine whether these HLA-DR13*-restricted human CD4 ؉ Th1 T cells also display the same cytotoxic effects in vivo, we transferred peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) derived from HBV-infected donors or an HBV-naïve donor sharing the DR13*, together with the HBcAg-specific CD4 ؉ Th1-type T

Coralline algae are one of the most important constructors of biogenic habitats. In the Mediterranean Sea, the dominant coralline algae species form crusts comprising formations known as coralligène, considered as very important fishing grounds by fishermen. Due to the destructive effect of fishing gear activities over coralligène, these formations were recently protected from the use of active benthic gears by the EU 1967/2006 Mediterranean fisheries management Regulation. However, the lack of maps and information on their distribution makes the effective application of these measures impossible. The present publication contributes to the mapping of coralligène in the southern Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean), and to the study of coralline algae formation morphology, distribution, development conditions and relation to fisheries using a combination of single-beam echo sounder, sidescan sonar, sub-bottom profiler recordings and biological and sedimentological ground-truthing techniques. The coralligène formations were recognized as two distinct acoustic signatures of localized backscatter facies distinguishable from other hard substrate reflectors at depths ranging from 55.9 to 114.0 m, but mainly between 70 and 90 m. Two types of formations were identified: minute reefs 0.5-2.5 m in height and superficial layer formations no more than 0.2 m thick over the substrate. The seismic profiles revealed a cavernous internal structure of the minute reefs and recorded their development on both hard and soft substrates. The distribution of formations was contagious, creating aggregations. The finding of superficial layer formations and coralline shreds around minute coralligène reefs indicated that the former could be an intermediate development type between isolated small coralline pebbles, rhodoliths, and minute reefs. Regarding the development conditions, sidescan sonar imagery indicated that the optimal conditions for the establishment and development of coralligène formations are medium intensity currents. Concerning human activity over coralligène, trawl traces were recorded near but not over minute reefs and both near and crossing superficial layer type aggregations, while a submarine cable was also recorded among minute reefs. The mapping of coralligène aggregation areas is essential for the application of the EU Regulation and the protection of this important marine habitat.

In the present work, the current status of the hydrodynamic cavitation reactors has been reviewed discussing the bubble dynamics analysis, optimum design considerations, design correlations for cavitational intensity (in terms of collapse pressure)/cavitational yield and different successful chemical synthesis applications clearly illustrating the utility of these types of reactors. The theoretical discussion based on the modeling of the bubble dynamics equations aims at understanding the design information related to the dependency of the cavitational intensity on the operating parameters and recommendations have been made for the choice of the optimized conditions of operating parameters. The design information based on the theoretical analysis has also been supported with some experimental illustrations concentrating on the chemical synthesis applications. Assessment of the hydrodynamic cavitation reactors and comparison with the sonochemical reactors has been done by citing the different industrially important reactions (oxidation of toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, mesitylene, o-nitrotoluene, p-nitrotoluene, m-nitrotoluene, o-chlorotoluene and p-chlorotoulene, and trans-esterification reaction i.e., synthesis of bio-diesel). Some recommendations have also been made for the future work to be carried out as well as the choice of the operating conditions for realizing the dream of industrial scale applications of the cavitational reactors.

We sought the optimum conditions for production of nitrile hydratase by Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1. The addition of both cobalt ions and an aliphatic nitrile or amide as an inducer was indispensable for the appearance of nitrile hydratase activity in R. rhodochrous J1 cells. Crotonamide was an efficient inducer and, moreover, urea was found to be the most powerful inducer for the production of nitrile hydratase. When R. rhodochrous J1 was cultivated under optimal conditions, the enzyme activity in the culture broth and the specific activity was approximately 32,000 and 512 times higher than the initially obtained levels, respectively. The nitrile hydratase formed corresponded to more than 45% of the total soluble protein in urea-induced cells, as judged by quantitative evaluation of the gel track.

Using cDNA microarray analysis, we previously identified a set of differentially expressed genes in primary breast tumors based on the status of estrogen and progesterone receptors. In the present study, we performed an integrated computer-assisted and manual search of potential estrogen response element (ERE) binding sites in the promoter region of these genes to characterize their potential to be regulated by estrogen receptors (ER). Publicly available databases were used to annotate the position of these genes in the genome and to extract a 5'flanking region 2 kb upstream to 2 kb downstream of the transcription start site for transcription binding site analysis. The search for EREs and other binding sites was performed using several publicly available programs. Overall, approximately 40% of the genes analyzed were potentially able to be regulated by estrogen via ER. In addition, 17% of these genes are located very close to other genes organized in a head-to-head orientation with less than 1.0 kb between their transcript units, sharing a bidirectional promoter, and could be classified as bidirectional gene pairs. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we further investigated the effects of 17β-estradiol and antiestrogens on the expression of the bidirectional gene pairs in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Our results showed that some of these gene pairs, such as TXNDC9/ EIF5B, GALNS/TRAPPC2L, and SERINC1/PKIB, are modulated by 17β-estradiol via ER in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Here, we also characterize the promoter region of potential ER-regulated genes and provide new information on the transcriptional regulation of bidirectional gene pairs.

The amount of catechins and caffeine in green tea are considered a standard of quality evaluation for green tea. The objectives of this study were to investigate the optimal conditions for simultaneous extraction of catechins and caffeine and to compare their quantity and composition within the exotic tea varieties. Moreover, 8 tea varieties of exotic origin were tested with the optimal extraction conditions found in this study. Regarding the caffeine and catechins contents, a 2 h room temperature extraction using a 2% phosphoric acid-40% EtOH solution was the most suitable simultaneous extraction method. The total catechins and caffeine contents of the tea leaves ranged 44.25-64.80 and 9.26-13.11 mg/g, respectively. The optimal extraction method of catechins and caffeine in tea leaves may be used for further studies and breeding of high quality tea plants.

Rice straw was treated with a mixed solution of acetic acid and propionic acid to enhance its biodegradability. The effect of acid concentration, pretreatment time, and the ratio of solid to liquid on the delignification performance of rice straw were investigated. It was found that the optimal conditions for hydrolysis were 0.75 mol/L acid concentration, 2 h pretreatment time and 1:20 solid to liquid ratio. Batch methane fermentation of untreated rice straw, pretreated rice straw, and the hydrolysates (the liquid fraction) of pretreatment were conducted at 35°C for 30 days, and the results indicated that methane production of rice straw can be enhanced by dilute organic acid pretreatment. Moreover, most of the acid in hydrolysates can also be converted into methane gas.

The colonization of apple blossoms and leaves by Pseudomonas fluorescens EPS62e was monitored in greenhouse and field trials using cultivable cell counting and real-time PCR. The real-time PCR provided a specific quantitative method for the detection of strain EPS62e. The detection level was around 10 2 cells g (fresh weight) ؊1 and the standard curve was linear within a 5-log range. EPS62e actively colonized flowers reaching values from 10 7 to 10 8 cells per blossom. In apple flowers, no significant differences were observed between population levels obtained by real-time PCR and plating, suggesting that viable but nonculturable (VBNC) cells and residual nondegraded DNA were not present. In contrast, on apple leaves, where cultivable populations of EPS62e decreased with time, significant differences were observed between real-time PCR and plating. These differences indicate the presence of VBNC cells or nondegraded DNA after cell death. Therefore, the EPS62e population was under optimal conditions during the colonization of flowers but it was stressed and poorly survived on leaves. It was concluded that for monitoring this biological control agent, the combined use of cultivable cell count and real-time PCR is necessary.

There is a need to develop technology to allow the remediation of soil in polar regions that have been contaminated by hydrocarbon fuel spills. Bioremediation is potentially useful for this purpose, but has not been well demonstrated in polar regions. We investigated biopiles for on-site bioremediation of soil contaminated with Arctic diesel fuel in two independent smallscale field experiments at different sites on the Arctic tundra. The results were highly consistent with one another. In biopiles at both sites, extensive hydrocarbon removal occurred after one summer. After 1 year in treatments with optimal conditions, total petroleum hydrocarbons were reduced from 196 to below 10 mg per kg of soil at one site, and from 2,109 to 195 mg per kg of soil at the other site. Addition of ammonium chloride and sodium phosphate greatly stimulated hydrocarbon removal and indicates that biodegradation was the primary mechanism by which this was achieved. Inoculation with cold-adapted, mixed microbial cultures further stimulated hydrocarbon removal during the summer immediately following inoculation. At one site, soil temperature was monitored during the summer season, and a clear plastic cover increased biopile soil temperature, measured as degree-day accumulation, by 30-49%. Our results show that on-site bioremediation of fuel-contaminated soil at Arctic tundra sites is feasible.

In this study, we quantified the adsorption of immunoglobulin G (IgG) protein onto several polyelectrolyte-modified sintered porous polyethylene (PPE) membranes. The polymer surfaces had both cationic and anionic charges obtained via the adsorption of polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyacrylic acid (PAA), respectively, onto plasma-activated PPE. The amount of IgG adsorption was determined by measuring the gamma radiation emitted by [ 125 I]-IgG radio labeled protein. By studying the impact of pH and ionic strength on IgG adsorption, we attempted to characterize the role and nature of the electrostatic interactions involved in the adsorption process to better understand how these interactions were influenced by the charge and structure of immobilized polyelectrolyte complexes at modified membrane surfaces. We were able to show that surface modification of PPE membranes with adsorbed PEI monolayers and PEI-PAA bilayers can greatly improve the IgG binding ability of the membrane under optimized conditions. We also showed that the observed improvement in the IgG binding is derived from electrostatic interactions between IgG and the polyelectrolyte surface. In addition, we found that the greatest IgG adsorption occurred when the IgG and the surface possessed predominantly opposite charges, rather than when the surface possessed the greatest electrostatic charge. Finally, we have found that the molecular weight of the terminating polyelectrolyte has a noticeable effect upon the electrostatic interactions between IgG and the PEI-PAA bilayer-modified PPE surfaces. r

Novel, solid catalysts of µ 3-oxo-bridged Co/Mn cluster complexes, viz., [Co 3 (O)(CH 3 COO) 6 (pyridine) 3 ] + , [Mn 3 (O) (CH 3 COO) 6 (pyridine) 3 ] + , and CoMn 2 (O)(CH 3 COO) 6 (pyridine) 3 (denoted Co 3 (O), Mn 3 (O), and CoMn 2 (O), respectively), encapsulated in zeolite-Y oxidize selectively, para-xylene to terephthalic acid with dioxygen. The catalysts were prepared by the "flexible ligand synthesis" method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, cyclic voltammetry, Fourier transform infrared, diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques. The various physicochemical measurements confirm the presence and structural integrity of the µ 3-oxo-bridged cluster complexes in zeolite cavities. The activity and selectivity of both the "neat" and encapsulated cluster complexes followed the order CoMn 2 (O) > Mn 3 (O) > Co 3 (O), revealing the superiority of the heteronuclear complexes. Under optimal conditions, both neat and encapsulated cluster catalysts exhibit 100% para-xylene conversion with >98% selectivity for terephthalic acid. It is important that the key impurity, 4-carboxybenzaldehyde, is significantly lower in abundance (than the current commercial catalysts) with one of the zeolite-encapsulated catalysts, CoMn 2 (O)-Y. Leaching of metal ions from the solid catalyst during reaction is minimal and the catalyst could be recycled without significant loss of activity. A more facile redox behavior of Co between +2 and +3 oxidation states in CoMn 2 (O) (confirmed by cyclic voltammetry) is perhaps responsible for high catalytic activity.

We have shown previously that in the presence of inducer Bacillus cereus 183, significant increases in bacteriocin production and bactericidal activity of B. thuringiensis occur when the latter is cultivated at pH 7.2, 28°C, and 180 rpm. Here we show that this activity can be further improved when B. thuringiensis is induced with B. cereus 183 and then cultivated with modification of pH, temperature, and agitation. Five native strains of B. thuringiensis, LBIT 269, LBIT 287, LBIT 404, LBIT 420, and LBIT 524 which synthesize, respectively, morricin 269, kurstacin 287, kenyacin 404, entomocin 420, and tolworthcin 524, were cultivated in four different fermentation media. Of these, fermentation in tryptic soy broth (TSB) yielded the highest level of bacteriocin activity (~100–133 FU). Bacteria grown in TSB were induced with B. cereus 183 and cultivated at different pH (6.0, 7.2, 8.0), temperature (26, 28, 30°C), and agitation (150, 180, 210 rpm). Full factorial design was performed and results were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey multiple comparison tests at significant level of α ≤ 0.05 to study the influence of the three variables on bacterial growth and bacteriocin production. Our data show that the highest bacteriocin activity was found with LBIT 269 and LBIT 404 with an increase of ~95–100% compared with induced B. thuringiensis strains cultivated under fixed conditions (pH 7.2, 28°C, 180 rpm), for which the data were set at 0%. The optimal conditions for morricin 269 and kenyacin 404 production were, respectively, pH 8, 30°C, 210 rpm and pH 7.2, 26°C, 210 rpm.

We develop elements of calculus of variational sets for set-valued mappings, which were recently introduced in Khanh and Tuan (2008) [1,2] to replace generalized derivatives in establishing optimality conditions in nonsmooth optimization. Most of the usual calculus rules, from chain and sum rules to rules for unions, intersections, products and other operations on mappings, are established. Direct applications in stability and optimality conditions for various vector optimization problems are provided.

Two procedures for the determination of Co in biological samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS) were compared: solid sampling (SS) and alkaline treatment with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) using two different instruments for the investigation: a conventional line-source (LS) atomic absorption spectrometer and a prototype high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometer. For the direct introduction of the solid samples, certified reference materials (CRM) were ground to a particle size V50 Am. Alkaline treatment was carried out by placing about 250 mg of the sample in polypropylene flasks, adding 2 mL of 25% m/v tetramethylammonium hydroxide and de-ionized water. Due to its unique capacity of providing a 3-D spectral plot, a high-resolution continuum source (HR-CS) graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used as a tool to evaluate potential spectral interferences, including background absorption for both sample introduction procedures, revealing that a continuous background preceded the atomic signal for pyrolysis temperatures lower than 700 8C. Molecular absorption bands with pronounced rotational fine structure appeared for atomization temperatures N1800 8C probably as a consequence of the formation of PO. After optimization had been carried out using high resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry, the optimized conditions were adopted also for line-source atomic absorption spectrometry. Six biological certified reference materials were analyzed, with calibration against aqueous standards, resulting in agreement with the certified values (according to the t-test for a 95% confidence level) and in detection limits as low as 5 ng g À1 .

A fractional factorial design, 2 (5-1) experiments, was used for assessing the influence of 5 factors: water activity, a w [0.7, 0.9], temperature, T (°C) [10, 30], mode of application, A [liquid, vapour], ethanol concentration, E (% w/w) [5, 10] and time, t (d) [1, 4] on the inactivation of spores of Penicillium chrysogenum, P. digitatum and P. italicum. Survival was determined by germination at optimal conditions within 3d. The experimental response was log (N 0 /N t ), where N 0 and N t (spore ml −1 ) the concentrations of viable spores at t = 0 and t respectively. By a decreasing order of sensitivity to ethanol, moulds were ranked as followed: P. digitatum, P. italicum and P. chrysogenum. A greater inactivation for P. digitatum, P. italicum, that were the most sensitive moulds to ethanol, was obtained by applying vapour rather than ethanol solution. The order of significance of the main factors depended upon the mould. The key factor for explaining inactivation of P. chrysogenum was water activity. But, temperature was the main factor for explaining inactivation of P. digitatum and P. italicum. In the more drastic conditions, (i.e., 0.7 a w , 30°C, 10% w/w ethanol), all spores were inactivated by applying liquid solution for 4d.

NiS-P zeolite was prepared by ion exchange and precipitation procedures and it was characterized by FT-IR, SEM and thermal methods. The prepared composite was used as a catalyst in the photodecolorization process of Eriochrome Black T (E.B.T.) dye in aqueous solution under UV irradiation. The effect of key operating parameters such as catalyst dosage, temperature, initial concentration of the dye and initial pH of the solutions were studied on the decolorization process of dye. The primary objective was to determine the optimal conditions for each of the parameters. UV-vis spectrophotometric measurements were performed for the determination of decolorization and mineralization extents. The optimal operation parameters were found as follows: pH 9.1, 0.8 g L −1 of catalyst loading and 40 ppm of dye concentration. The NiS particles out of zeolite framework did not show significant decolorization efficiency. The decolorization process obeyed first-order kinetics.

The interest in large-scale culturing of copepods for marine fish aquaculture is growing, however studies quantifying the optimal conditions for intensive copepod production are generally lacking for most species. In the present study, we examined how large ranges in each of three factors (salinity, photoperiod duration, and culture density) influenced the egg production (EP) and 48-h egg hatching success (HS) of Acartia tonsa Dana (Copepoda : Calanoida). The effect of anaerobic storage time (2 to 185 d) at 4°C on HS of eggs was also quantified. In this species, HS was more strongly impacted by differences in salinity and photoperiod than was EP while the opposite was true for the impact of adult stocking density. In terms of salinity, the lowest and highest mean EP (17 and 40 eggs female − 1 d − 1 ) was observed at 30 and 14 psu, respectively, and HS was estimated to be N 75% for all salinities N13 psu. The photoperiod duration (used to rear copepods and incubate eggs) had little effect on total daily EP but significantly influenced HS which was 27, 55, 85 and 78% at photoperiods of 8, 12, 16, and 20 h, respectively. Adult stocking density had no effect on HS but the relative number of eggs harvested (# female − 1 ) was highest at 65 ind l − l and lowest at 425 ind l − 1 . For eggs produced using a 12 h photoperiod, HS (%) decreased linearly by 4% every 20 days (i.e., the HS of eggs incubated at 20 psu was predicted to be ∼82% and 47% after one week and six months of storage, respectively). For maximum egg production and 48-h egg hatching success of A. tonsa cultures, results of this study suggest using salinities of 14 to 20 psu, photoperiods between 16 and 20 h, and low (∼50 ind l − 1 ) adult stocking densities.

In this paper, we introduce a new condition on functions of a control problem, for which we define a KT-invex control problem. We prove that a KT-invex control problem is characterized in order that a Kuhn–Tucker point is an optimal solution. We generalize optimality results of known mathematical programming problems. We illustrate these results with examples.

This report describes the use of the fluorescent probe, 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDA-SE), to determine pHi in growing cells of the spoilage yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The technique is based on the pH-dependent intracellular fluorescence of the probe in the cytosol of the cell. The major advantage of this probe over other derivatives is the presence of a succinimidyl group which binds to aliphatic amines in cellular proteins. This allows for the determination of pHi under conditions that either permeabilise the cell membrane, or increase active extrusion, and would otherwise result in loss of the intracellular probe to the external medium. Optimal loading of the probe into cells only occurred after exposure to a mild stress regime of 37°C for 24 h in 100 mM citric/phosphate buffer, pH 4.0. This loading regime was selected because there was no appreciable effect on cell viability or subsequent growth rate in batch culture under optimal conditions. The pHi of yeast cells was measured after incubation in citric/phosphate buffer and gave values comparable to those measured by other techniques in the literature. Also, we were able to detect rapid changes in pHi induced by the addition of a known disruptor of pHi homeostasis in yeast, the weak-acid food preservative, sorbic acid. Finally, successful determination of pHi was made in growing cells of an isogenic parent (PMA1) and a mutant with reduced-expression of the membrane H+-ATPase, pma1-205. As might be expected, the pHi in the mutant strain was reduced compared to the parent. Comparison of growth and pHi in growing cells of either strain revealed no correlation between pHi and exit from lag phase. These results are discussed in relation to previous findings.

In submerged arc welding (SAW), weld quality is greatly affected by the weld parameters such as welding current, welding speed; arc voltage and electrode stickout since they are closely related to the geometry of weld bead, a relationship which is thought to be complicated because of the non-linear characteristics. However, trial-and-error methods to determine optimal conditions incur considerable time and cost. In order to overcome these problems, non-traditional methods have been suggested. Bead-on-plate welds were carried out on mild steel plates using semi automatic SAW machine. Data were collected as per Taguchi's Design of Experiments and regression analysis was carried to establish input-output relationships of the process. By this relationship, an attempt was made to minimize weld bead width, a good indicator of bead geometry, using optimization procedures based on the genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to determine optimal weld parameters. The optimized values obtained from these techniques were compared with experimental results and presented.

This paper describes the characterisation of a set of 3 He proportional counters differing in gas composition and pressure. Each step of the signal generation in the detector is analysed. Optimal working conditions are defined in order to choose the high voltage to be applied. Dead time with short shaping time is measured in such optimal conditions. In addition, the overall neutron efficiency and the gamma sensitivity are reported. Such characterisation is required for a correct choice of the associated counting electronics and the applications of the counters.

The biosorption of nickel(II) and copper(II) ions from aqueous solution by dried Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was studied as a function of concentration, pH and temperature. The optimum pH range for nickel and copper uptake was 8.0 and 5.0, respectively. At the optimal conditions, metal ion uptake was increased as the initial metal ion concentration increased up to 250 mg l −1 . At 250 mg l −1 copper(II) ion uptake was 21.8% whereas nickel(II) ion uptake was found to be as high as 7.3% compared to those reported earlier in the literature. Metal ion uptake experiments were carried out at different temperatures where the best ion uptake was found to be at 25 • C. The characteristics of the adsorption process were investigated using Scatchard analysis at 25 • C. Scatchard analysis of the equilibrium binding data for metal ions on S. coelicolor A3(2) gave rise to a linear plot, indicating that the Langmuir model could be applied. However, for nickel(II) ion, divergence from the Scatchard plot was evident, consistent with the participation of secondary equilibrium effects in the adsorption process. Adsorption behaviour of nickel(II) and copper(II) ions on the S. coelicolor A3(2) can be expressed by both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The adsorption data with respect to both metals provide an excellent fit to the Freundlich isotherm. However, when the Langmuir isotherm model was applied to these data, a good fit was obtained for the copper adsorption only and not for nickel(II) ion.

Consider the polynomial optimization problem whose objective and constraints are all described by multivariate polynomials. Under some genericity assumptions, we prove that the optimality conditions always hold on optimizers, and the coordinates of optimizers are algebraic functions of the coefficients of the input polynomials. We also give a general formula for the algebraic degree of the optimal coordinates. The derivation of the algebraic degree is equivalent to counting the number of all complex critical points. As special cases, we obtain the algebraic degrees of quadratically constrained quadratic programming (QCQP), second order cone programming (SOCP) and p-th order cone programming (POCP), in analogy to the algebraic degree of semidefinite programming .

Continuous flow generation of Br 2 , Cl 2 and H 2 S coupled to a low-power 2.45 GHz microwave microstrip He plasma exiting from a capillary gas channel in a micro-fabricated sapphire wafer with microstrip lines has been used for the optical emission spectrometric determination ...

In this paper, indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were prepared by unipolar and bipolar direct current (DC)-pulsed magnetron sputtering in a mixture of argon and oxygen onto unheated glass substrates. The target of ITO with 10 wt.% tin is used. The influences of polar modes (unipolar and bipolar); output frequencies (0 to 33 kHz); and times and off times on the optical, electrical, and structural properties of ITO films are investigated. The correlations between the deposition parameters and the film properties are discussed. It is found that the resistivity with 10−3 Θ-cm and transmittance with ≥90% of amorphous ITO films can be prepared by the reactive bipolar DC-pulsed sputtering with t on− between 45 µs and 85 µs (i.e., t on−/t on+ is 9–17), and t on+, t off− and t off+ are constant at 5 µs, 10 µs, and 5 µs, respectively. An optimal condition, based on the polar mode and frequency of reactive-pulsed sputtering, for obtaining the high transmittance and low resistivity of ITO films is suggested.

Alkaline wet oxidation pre-treatment (water, sodium carbonate, oxygen, high temperature and pressure) of wheat straw was performed as a 24−1 fractional factorial design with the process parameters: temperature, reaction time, sodium carbonate and oxygen. Alkaline wet oxidation was an efficient pre-treatment of wheat straw that resulted in solid fractions with high cellulose recovery (96%) and high enzymatic convertibility to glucose

Aspergillus parasiticus was found to produce a bioflocculant with high flocculating activity for Kaolin suspension and water-soluble dyes. Results showed that the carbon and nitrogen sources favorable for the production of the bioflocculant were corn starch and peptone, and an optimal condition of 28 • C, initial pH 5-6 and shaking speed of 150 rpm. The highest flocculating efficiency achieved for Kaolin suspension was 98.1%, after 72 h cultivation. The bioflocculant was mainly composed of sugar (76.3%) and protein (21.6%), and an average molecular weight of 3.2 × 10 5 Da. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed that amino, amide and hydroxyl groups were present in the bioflocculant molecules. The bioflocculant was effective in flocculating some soluble anionic dyes in aqueous solution, in particular Reactive Blue 4 and Acid Yellow 25 with a decolorization efficiency of 92.4 and 92.9%, respectively. The decolorization efficiency was dependent on the flocculant dosage and solution pH. XPS result shows that the amine groups in the bioflocculant were protonated at pH 5, and thus the positive bioflocculant was attracted to the negatively charged dye molecules. The amino and amide groups in the bioflocculant molecule are believed to play an important role in flocculation from the viewpoint of electrostatic interaction.

Selenicereus megalanthus and Hylocereus polyrhizus, hemiepiphytic cacti of shady habitats, have recently been introduced as fruit crops to the Negev Desert of Israel. Since they become bleached and die when they are grown in full sunlight, the shading responses of these cacti were studied. Both species showed typical CAM CO fixation, namely CO was fixed during the night, 2 2 followed by acid accumulation. Nocturnal acid accumulation and the concentration of photosyn-Ž. thetic pigments chlorophyll and carotenoids were determined in short term experiments in the summer under full sunlight or in net houses with 30, 60 or 90% shade. The effect of shading on morphological traits, growth and fruiting was determined in long term experiments, in net-houses only, since plants usually degenerate under full sunlight. S. megalanthus was found to be more sensitive to high light flux density and better adapted to deep shade than H. polyrhizus, as judged from the more marked decrease in both nocturnal acid accumulation and in the concentrations of chlorophyll and carotenoids under full sunlight in the former species. In addition, under 90% shade the stem biomass of S. megalanthus was reduced less than that of H. polyrhizus. In response to the shade, stem ribs became shallow, root dry weight decreased and shoot water content increased in both species. The most favorable conditions for growth and fruit production were found to be 30% shade for H. polyrhizus while for S. megalanthus 60% shade seemed to be preferable, since it facilitated higher acid accumulation, carotenoid and chlorophyll content, and better stem appearance. H. polyrhizus was distinguished by its higher fruit yield, estimated at 16 ton ha y1 vs. 3.8 ton ha y1 for S. megalanthus in the second year after planting when both species were growing under optimal conditions. The differences between the species in terms of light adaptation may be partially related to the wax layer coating the stem and sunken stomata of H.

The problem of modelling dynamics of open-loop multibody systems is addressed in the present Part-1 of the paper with optimization of motion in mind. The optimization technique implemented in the complementary Part-2 is the Pontryagin Maximum Principle (PMP) which requires deriving equations of motion in state space form, and makes necessary to carry out higher order differentiation in order to formulate some optimality conditions. So as to fulfil these requirements, an algebraic differentiation technique is developed in the present paper, which results in formulating, in the same global computational scheme, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian equations of motion together with the Jacobian matrix of phase-velocities involved in the conditions for optimality stated by the PMP. All formulations required are formally exact and essentially non-redundant which will ensure safer and faster numerical processing. The structure of the final algorithm was used to develop a computerized symbolic formulation of the entire optimization problem. The file which results can be used directly by the numerical solver. Such a symbolic computation code has proved to be an essential tool to cope with the huge complexity of formulations involved in the statement of the optimization problem dealt with in part 2 of the paper.  2005 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Meta analysis of GKT studies 2 Abstract The authors performed meta analysis based on 169 conditions, gathered from 80 laboratory studies, to estimate the validity of the Guilty Knowledge Test (GKT) with the electrodermal measure. The overall average effect size was 1.55, but there were considerable variations among studies. In particular, mock-crime studies produced the highest average effect size (2.09). Three additional moderators were identified: Motivational instructions, deceptive ("no") verbal responses, and the use of at least 5 questions were associated with enhanced validity. Finally, a set of 10 studies that best approximated applications of the GKT under optimal conditions produced an average effect size of 3.12. The authors discuss factors that might limit the generalizability of these results and recommend further research of the GKT in realistic setups.

Given the absence of a conventional determination method for polyamide-6 (PA-6) gels, the optimal conditions for gel content determination were investigated in crosslinked bulk PA-6 by dissolving the sample in 90% formic acid. The sample was wrapped in glass fabric and treated using three selected modes. Based on statistical testing of the results, a twostep procedure consisting of slowly stirring the sample immersed in solvent at room temperature in an orbital shaker for 48 h followed by solvent exchange after 24 h was chosen for extraction of the uncrosslinked, soluble portion. A correction was applied for the fraction of the glass fabric lubricant extractable by the solvent when calculating the crosslinked portion. Gel content of w70 wt.% was determined. The relative standard deviation was less than 5%.

Conidiation of an industrial strain of Penicillium (P.) camemberti, a ripening fungus, was examined on solid media. In order to evaluate the influence of nutritional factors on conidiation, we developed an inoculation and transfer procedure that allowed to obtain an homogenous mycelial biomass. Absence of conidiation was observed when ammonium sulphate and sodium nitrate were used as nitrogen sources. In contrast, conidiation increased significantly in the presence of ammonium phosphate or potassium nitrate with 4.8 Â 10 6 and 12 Â 10 6 spores ml À1 , respectively. By using those optimal conditions, the influence of nutrient starvation or calcium supply on conidiation was studied. Under the conditions tested, nitrogen starvation and calcium supply were better inducers than carbon starvation. A high carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio provided the highest level of with 4.2 Â 10 7 spores ml À1 and a sporulation index of 8.2 after 16 days of cultivation. #

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) may attack biological macromolecules giving rise to oxidative stressoriginated diseases, so it is important to establish efficient methods to screen hydroxyl radical scavengers for antioxidant therapy. Since • OH is very short-lived, secondary products resulting from • OH attack to various probes are measured. As a low-cost measurement technique, we used a salicylate probe for detecting hydroxyl radicals generated from an equivalent mixture of Fe(II) + EDTA with hydrogen peroxide. The produced hydroxyl radicals attacked both the probe and the water-soluble antioxidants in 37 • Cincubated solutions for 2 h. The CUPRAC (cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity) assay absorbance of the ethylacetate extract due to the reduction of Cu(II)-neocuproine reagent by the hydroxylated probe decreased in the presence of • OH scavengers, the difference being proportional to the scavenging ability of the tested compound. Attack by • OH radicals upon salicylate produced 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoate, and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate as major products. HPLC separation combined with CUPRAC spectrophotometry was used to identify and quantify hydroxylated salicylate derivatives in the presence of synthetic water-soluble antioxidants and green tea infusion. The developed spectrophotometric method for • OH detection was validated with HPLC, i.e., the concentrations of dihydroxybenzoates produced by radical attack from the probe were determined by HPLC, and the sum of (concentration × absorptivity) products of these components approximately agreed with the experimentally found CUPRAC absorbances, confirming the validity of Beer's law for the selected system. Statistical comparison of the results found with the proposed methodology and HPLC was made with two-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) test. Under optimal conditions, about 53% of the probe (salicylate) was converted into dihydroxybenzoate isomers in the absence of • OH scavengers, and these isomers were more specific markers of hydroxyl radicals than the non-specific malondialdehyde end-product of the TBARS test. Thus, the more costly and less speedy HPLC method could advantageously be substituted with the proposed spectrophotometric assay of • OH detection, which was also of much higher yield than the TBARS colorimetric assay.

AbstractÐInterest in the origins and utilization of the C 7 hydrocarbons ten Haven, 1996) has led us to develop a multi-dimensional gas chromatographic method. The procedure oers baseline resolution of all petroleum C 7 hydrocarbon isomers with no co-elution from potentially interfering C 6 or C 8 hydrocarbons. Sample preparation is minimal, commercial capillary columns are used, and the analysis is easily automated and robust. The method provides fast, reliable, and highly accurate quantitative results that are applicable to many geochemical problems in petroleum exploration and production. Optimized conditions and means of data processing for the separation of the C 7 hydrocarbons on a single column gas chromatographic system is presented as a compromise where a multidimensional system is unavailable. Application of the C 7 data to the investigation of the 2,4-DMP/2,3-DMP maturity parameter is presented. #

Ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal vaporization dynamic reaction cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (USS-ETV-DRC-ICP-MS) was applied to determine of V and Cr in several soil samples. The influences of instrument operating conditions and slurry preparation on the ion signals were investigated. Ascorbic acid was used as the modifier to enhance the ion signals. In order to save experiment time, an ultrasonic nebulizer was used for the selection of dynamic reaction cell (DRC) operating conditions. The background ions at the vanadium and chromium masses were significantly reduced in intensity by using NH as reaction cell gas in the DRC. Standard 3 addition method was used for the determination of V and Cr in these soil samples. This method has been applied to the determination of V and Cr in NIST SRM 2711 Montana soil and NIST SRM 2709 San Joaquin soil reference materials and a soil sample collected from the Kaohsiung area. The analysis results of the reference samples agreed with the certified values. The precision between sample replicates was better than 3% with the USS-ETV-DRC-ICP-MS method. The method detection limits estimated from standard addition curves were approximately 0.24 and 0.16 mg g for V and Cr, respectively, in the original soil sample. y1

A semi-infinite programming problem is an optimization problem in which finitely many variables appear in infinitely many constraints. This model naturally arises in an abundant number of applications in different fields of mathematics, economics and engineering. The paper, which intends to make a compromise between an introduction and a survey, treats the theoretical basis, numerical methods, applications and historical background of the field.

Short-chain esters of carboxylic acids and monoterpene alcohols are very important compounds in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Lipase-catalyzed esterification of ␤-citronellol and lauric acid was performed in organic solvents and in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO 2 ). The optimal conditions found in organic solvents at atmospheric pressure were: an equimolar ratio of substrates, a temperature of 60 • C, an agitation speed of 500 rpm, 12% (w/w of substrates) enzyme preparation of lipase B from Candida antarctica. The highest conversion in SC CO 2 was obtained at 60 • C and 10 MPa with ethyl methylketone serving as a co-solvent.

Termites, ants and earthworms are considered as soil engineers because of their effects on soil properties and their influence on the availability of resources for other organisms, including microorganisms and plants. However, the links between their impacts on the soil environment and the resulting modification of natural selection pressures on engineer as well as on other organisms have received little attention.

The behavior of Rh(I)/(S,R)-BINAPHOS complex in the asymmetric hydroformylation of styrene and other aryloxy substituted ethylenes shows a sharp deterioration in stereocontrol as the conversion increases. This failure is apparently due to an irreversible reaction of the starting complex with the aldehyde which is built up in solution and its extent can be limited operating at short contact times and low temperatures. Under optimized conditions, the hydroformylation of aryloxy substituted ethylenes provides the relevant branched aldehyde in some 70% regioselectivity and in up to 80% ee.

Quantitative analysis of target compounds with liquid chromatography atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry is sometimes hampered by adduct formation. In these situations, cationization with alkali metal ions instead of proton addition is often observed in the positive mode. This work studies the process of adduct formation and investigates potential strategies to control this phenomenon. Paclitaxel, a pharmaceutical chemotherapeutic agent, was used as a model compound. Electrospray (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and sonic spray ionization (SSI) are evaluated and compared. The work was performed on two different instruments, allowing to evaluate different ionization behavior for different source design for electrospray, if any. Different mobile phase additives were compared, including acetic acid, formic acid, ammonium formate and a range of primary amines. Continuous infusion was used for a fast screening, to detect optimal conditions. These were then further investigated in detail by LC-MS. The results indicate that electrospray is the more sensitive interface for this compound on the investigated apparatus. Unacceptable quantitative data were acquired without additives in the mobile phase. Generally, additives increased the reproducibility significantly. A response of mainly one ion was achieved with dodecylamine/acetic acid and acetic acid/sodium acetate. The data also point out the importance of evaluating adduct formation for compounds prone to this phenomenon during method development, especially in view of accurate quantitation.

In this study, we have investigated the bioleaching potential of a native strain of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans isolated from zinc and lead sulfide mines under varied ambient conditions of growth and substrate consumption. The effects of intermittent irrigation, type of agglomeration, feed formulation in terms of acid, enriched salt solution, initial number of microorganism, and their interactions on the bioleaching of low-grade zinc sulfide ores (containing 5.78% zinc) on growth and biooxidation efficiency of the bacteria have been evaluated. Bioleaching capacities of the isolate were optimized by the utilization the Taguchi method (e-qualitic-4) for design of experiments. As a result, eight column bioreactors with 5.7 kg ore (100% <12 mm) capacity were fabricated. Through the analysis, continuous inoculation of the ores with the solution of A. ferrooxidans type and spraying a bacterial-rich solution into the agglomerator were found to be the most significant factors, whereas intermittent irrigation and interactions of parameters have less effect within the ranges investigated. The extraction of zinc was obtained under the optimal conditions more than 70% in 80 days, which is noticeable to compare with conventional bioleaching.