Deoiledjatropha seed cake is a useful nutrient for pullulan production

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ever increasing demand for fossil fuels is a major factor for rapid depletion of these non-renewable energy resources, which has enhanced the interest of finding out alternative sources of energy. In recent years jatropha seed oil has been used extensively for production of bio-diesel and has shown significant potential to replace petroleum fuels at least partially. De-oiled jatropha seed cake (DOJSC) which comprises of approximately 55 to 65% of the biomass is a byproduct of bio-diesel industry. DOJSC contains toxic components like phorbol esters which restricts its utilization as animal feed. Thus along with the enhancement of biodiesel production from jatropha, there is an associated problem of handling this toxic byproduct. Utilization of DOJSC as a feed stock for production of biochemicals may be an attractive solution to the problem.</p> <p>Pullulan is an industrially important polysaccharide with several potential applications in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic industries. However, the major bottleneck for commercial utilization of pullulan is its high cost. A cost effective process for pullulan production may be developed using DOJSC as sole nutrient source which will in turn also help in utilization of the byproduct of bio-diesel industry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the present study, DOJSC has been used as a nutrient for production of pullulan, in place of conventional nutrients like yeast extract and peptone. Process optimization was done in shake flasks, and under optimized conditions (8% DOJSC, 15% dextrose, 28°C temperature, 200 rpm, 5% inoculum, 6.0 pH) 83.98 g/L pullulan was obtained. The process was further validated in a 5 L laboratory scale fermenter.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first report of using DOJSC as nutrient for production of an exopolysaccharide. Successful use of DOJSC as nutrient will help in finding significant application of this toxic byproduct of biodiesel industry. This in turn also have a significant impact on cost reduction and may lead to development of a cost effective green technology for pullulan production.</p

Measuring physical activity levels in people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia

Measuring physical activity (PA) in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia can be difficult. The aim was to investigate the validity and acceptability of three different PA measurement methods.The mixed-method analysis included 49 participants with MCI or dementia who completed a daily calendar recording PA, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the LASA Physical Activity Questionnaire and wore a Misfit Shine accelerometer. The quantitative analysis showed equal completion rates for the IPAQ questionnaire and the accelerometer but a lower completion rate for the calendar. Correlations between outcome measures were moderate or strong. The qualitative analysis indicated that all measures were acceptable, though help to complete the calendars or fasten the accelerometers was required for some participants. The study supported the validity of these methods for people with MCI and mild dementia. Using accelerometers and completing calendars might increase motivation to be active for some people

Suboptimal Peak Inspiratory Flow and Critical Inhalation Errors are Associated with Higher COPD-Related Healthcare Costs

Purpose: To assess the relationship between suboptimal Peak Inspiratory Flow (sPIF), inhalation technique errors, and non-adherence, with Healthcare Resource Utilisation (HCRU) in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients receiving maintenance therapy via a Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI). Patients and methods: The cross-sectional, multi-country PIFotal study included 1434 COPD patients (≥40 years) using a DPI for maintenance therapy. PIF was measured with the In-Check DIAL G16, and sPIF was defined as a typical PIF lower than required for the device. Inhalation technique was assessed by standardised evaluation of video recordings and grouped into 10 steps. Patients completed the "Test of Adherence to Inhalers" questionnaire. HCRU was operationalised as COPD-related costs for primary healthcare, secondary healthcare, medication, and total COPD-related costs in a 1-year period. Results: Participants with sPIF had higher medication costs compared with those with optimal PIF (cost ratio [CR]: 1.07, 95% CI [1.01, 1.14]). Multiple inhalation technique errors were associated with increased HCRU. Specifically, "insufficient inspiratory effort" with higher secondary healthcare costs (CR: 2.20, 95% CI [1.37, 3.54]) and higher total COPD-related costs (CR: 1.16, 95% CI 1.03-1.31). "no breath-hold following the inhalation manoeuvre (<6 s)" with higher medication costs (CR: 1.08, 95% CI [1.02, 1.15]) and total COPD-related costs (CR 1.17, 95% CI [1.07, 1.28]), and "not breathing out calmly after inhalation" with higher medication costs (CR: 1.19, 95% CI [1.04, 1.37]). Non-adherence was not significantly associated with HCRU. Conclusion: sPIF and inhalation technique errors were associated with higher COPD-related healthcare utilisation and costs in COPD patients on DPI maintenance therapy

Cost-effectiveness analyses comparing cemented, cementless, hybrid and reverse hybrid fixation in total hip arthroplasty: a systematic overview and critical appraisal of the current evidence

Background: This study aims to present an overview and critical appraisal of all previous studies comparing costs and outcomes of the different modes of fixation in total hip arthroplasty (THA). A secondary aim is to provide conclusions regarding the most cost-effective mode of implant fixation per gender and age-specific population in THA, based on high quality studies.Methods: A systematic search was conducted to identify cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) comparing different modes of implant fixation in THA. Analysis of results was done with solely CEAs that had a high methodological quality.Results: A total of 12 relevant studies were identified and presented, of which 5 were considered to have the methodological rigor for inclusion in the analysis of results. These studies found that either cemented or hybrid fixation was the most cost-effective implant fixation mode for most age- and gender-specific subgroups.Conclusion: Currently available well performed CEAs generally support the use of cemented and hybrid fixation for all age-groups relevant for THA and both genders. However, these findings were mainly based on a single database and depended on assumptions made in the studies' methodology. Issues discussed in this paper have to be considered and future work is needed

Exotic Policy: An IJC White Paper On Policies for the Prevention of The Invasion of the Great Lakes by Exotic Organisms

About ten years ago, the Great Lakes environmental community initiated the first action to counteract the worldwide spread of exotic organisms in ballast water. In 1988, in response to the discovery of the ruffe and the zebra mussel in the Great Lakes, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the International Joint Commission called upon the Canadian and United States Governments to act. In 1989, Canada issued the first voluntary ballast exchange guidelines. In 1990, the United States passed the first major piece of legislation on aquatic nuisance species, mandating consultations and studies on all pathways for aquatic invasions. And in 1993, the US Coast Guard issued the first set of mandatory regulations for controlling ballast water in the Great Lakes. The issue is now on the global agenda. The International Maritime Organization, under pressure from Canada, the United States, and Australia, has issued similar guidelines and begun to consider a mandatory international convention. The United States enacted a second major piece of legislation in 1996, making it a national issue, and Canada enacted legislation authorizing national mandatory regulations to control ballast water in 1998. With support from the Great Lakes environmental community, and with valuable assistance from distant allies in Australia, a Great Lakes regional coalition of binational, federal, state, and provincial agencies seems to have made considerable progress on the problem of exotics in these last ten years. In terms of public education and political rhetoric, the effort has been a great success. We have seen the transformation of what was an arcane and poorly understood issue - an issue which was somewhat exotic in political terms even within the special culture of the environmental community - into an issue accepted as worthy of attention, even if still sometimes poorly understood, by the mainstream public and their political leadership. Moreover, the enactments of the first major pieces of legislation in the US and Canada, even if largely tentative and inchoate, have come relatively quickly in comparison to the history of legislative efforts on other forms of pollution. But there are two reasons to be cautious about this apparent success. First, the nature of the problem is inherently acute. As a matter of biological reality, exotic invasions are irreversible. This is a form of pollution that can never be cleaned up, and new invasions compound the damage already done to a stressed ecosystem. Second, much of the progress in developing legal regimes is illusionary - or worse. Although the Great Lakes mandatory regulations issued in 1993 were an essential first step, they are fundamentally flawed. So is the design of the national regime being developed in the United States, especially because of an alteration in the terms of that legislation obtained by the shipping industry as it was rewritten from a Great Lakes to a United States regime. The international convention being negotiated at the International Maritime Organization in London sounds as though it would be a good thing. But it contains the same flaws - and one more. Under some versions of the convention under negotiation, it would prohibit the enforcement of stronger provisions enacted by national and subordinate governments. These are matters that require close attention. Also, ballast water is not the only pathway for invasion. Although the state and provincial governments in the Great Lakes region have a wide array of legal authorities and programs for the control of exotics, they are far from being uniformly strong or consistent in their terms. There are substantial issues about some major vectors - aquaculture, bait transportation, and the aquarium trade - which beg for attention. There is an obvious need for better coordination of strategies and enforcement policies at the federal, binational, and regional levels. Those are some of the points addressed in this paper. The purpose of this paper is also to provide a common body of facts and ideas to assist in the discussion of exotic policy - the public policy for dealing with the invasion of the Great Lakes by exotic organisms - at an IJC workshop to be held with the 1999 Great Lakes Water Quality Forum.(1) I attempt to sum up the essential biological, technical, legal, economic, and political aspects of this complex, newly emerging environmental issue. I try to do that in an objective and analytical manner. But I also try to be honest about my point of view, which is distinctly biased in favor of environmental conservation and the proposition that our current policies for the prevention of exotic invasions are inadequate. All that might be impossible. But I hope that this will, at least, provide a basis for stimulating discussion

Creating a Plan to Convert Streetlights in Southeast Michigan to Energy Efficient LED's by 2025

Street lighting plays an important role in the human landscape, providing public safety and place-making benefits. However, it is also the largest energy expense for many municipalities and accounts for significant environmental impacts. By converting their street lighting to LED bulbs, communities throughout Southeast Michigan have a great opportunity to save money, reduce their environmental impacts, and realize safety and aesthetic benefits for residents. However, municipalities’ participation in street lighting conversion projects has thus far been limited due to lack of information and communication about available community lighting options. This report, prepared on behalf of the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office (SEMREO), explores the following perspectives of the proposed LED streetlight conversion projects: technical feasibility, street lighting policy, environmental impact analysis, social and community analysis, and financial analysis of available funding mechanisms. For the technology analysis section, we performed a literature review of available street lighting technologies, with a focus on highlighting the energy and cost benefits of LED conversion project implementation. With their high efficacy and long lifetimes relative to conventional bulbs, LEDs were proven the best option for streetlight upgrades in Southeast Michigan. We also performed a policy analysis, examining policy incentives and disincentives for LED street lighting conversion projects in the state of Michigan, including utility incentives, legislative activities, and federal policy drivers. For our environmental analysis, we quantified the emissions reductions attributed to the demand reduction from the LED conversion project, and determined its potential as a cost-effective emissions reduction mechanism. In addition, we met with community members and identified the needs and preferences of the Eastpointe community, a SEMREO member, and found that participants were interested in the possibilities of solar-powered streetlights. Finally, we evaluated financing options and discussed financial barriers for undergoing such projects. This comprehensive analysis includes a simple streetlight This comprehensive analysis includes a simple streetlight conversion plan for communities in Southeast Michigan region and several recommendations for municipalities participating in SEMREO’s Street Lighting Consortium. First, we found this conversion plan to be economically favorable, saving municipalities an average of 55% of energy savings and 32% of annual expenses savings, with an average simple payback period of 3.7 years. For our recommendations, we emphasize that upgrading streetlights to LEDs creates significant economic, environmental and social benefits: communities should continue being Consortium members, take advantages of economies of scale, and remain active in public consultation processes. Additionally, we recommend that the Consortium continue to advocate for energy efficiency-friendly policies, such as stricter energy optimization standards and inclusion of LED conversion projects in the State Carbon Implementation Plan (SCIP), and that the Consortium style itself as an advocacy and resource organization with dues-based membership. Finally, it is recommended that SEMREO members increase their outreach opportunities with the public to gain more support for streetlight conversions. An integrated approach such as the one laid out in this report could accelerate LED implementation process, assess the benefits, and help to increase participation in future programs. Our results could also be applied to municipalities in Michigan outside of SEMREO’s target region, but further large-scale data analysis would be needed to support this project at a state-level scale.Master of ScienceNatural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/117633/1/Final Report - Creating_A_Plan__to_Convert_Streetlights_SE_MI.pd

Traceability Research at Packaging Logistics

Research at the division of Packaging Logistics, Lund University, has been performed in numerous areas, ranging from organisational learning and sustainability to process integration and service development. One of these is the new and complex research area of traceability. When it comes to food scandals, from the mad cow disease at the end of the 90s to the more recent incident where glass has been found in chicken, this has increased focus on traceability research in food supply chains. A regulation within the European Union which came into force in February 2002 about procedures on food safety has articles (14-20) that treats traceability. The articles regarding traceability came into force January 2005 (EC regulation 178/2002). Article 3 defines traceability as “the ability to trace and follow a food, feed, food producing animal or substance intended to be or expected to incorporate through all stages of production, processing and distribution”. The sense of the regulation is that every actor in the food supply chain has to know from whom a product, ingredient etc. comes from, when it was delivered, what was delivered, what has been sold, when it was sold and to whom it was sold. However, even though much research has focused on traceability within food supply chains, it is not restricted just to this industry or issues regarding food quality and safety. This report presents research connected to the area of traceability which has been performed, as well as research currently being carried out at the division of Packaging Logistics in regard to research results, finished and ongoing projects as well as partner companies involved in research. Furthermore, this report will, based on problems with traceability pointed out in research and discussions with researchers at Packaging Logistics, present recommendations on where to continue or start focusing future traceability-connected research at the division. Research concerning traceability at Packaging Logistics has been versatile, allowing a comprehensive framework to be created. This framework includes components (necessary in order to achieve traceability), research/industry perspectives, tools and added values (showing the benefits achievable with traceability). In addition, traceability research at the Packaging Logistics has, to a great extent, focused on the food branch or food supply chain and external and not internal traceability. External traceability means the ability to trace a product/batch and its history back through the whole supply chain in contrast to internal traceability which is the ability to trace how ingredients and raw material within a certain actor in the supply chain is mixed, split and transported between different steps in the manufacturing process. Furthermore, this research has focused on finding and evaluating methods in order to ensure food safety and quality. This research has also pointed out the importance of collaboration between the actors in the supply chain and critical contexts, which is informational, relational and physical factors which together form contexts that are the weak points in the supply chain. These critical contexts should be in focus since it is these contexts where traceability is most likely to be lost. In other industries than food, focus has been of a more technical nature, mainly the implementation and evaluation of Auto-ID technology, thereby enhancing the possibilities of tracing goods. Suggestions for future traceability research studies include a larger project in, for example the pharmaceutical industry where traceability could be used to prevent counterfeit. The pharmaceutical industry is similar to the food industry in many ways as products need to be extremely safe since they greatly affect consumer health. Many of the tools developed in food industry-related research could be evaluated in such a project, making it possible to generalise results as well as transfer knowledge from one industry to another. Within the frame of a larger research project like the one proposed, it would be possible to collaborate between ongoing project borders, allowing different areas of traceability to be further examined as well as knowledge to be shared between research projects. Furthermore, traceability research at Packaging Logistics should continue to focus on external traceability and the critical contexts as well as information sharing, both from a “soft” perspective and a technical one. These issues are highlighted as obstacles to achieving the benefits of external traceability