8,004 research outputs found
Simple chamber facilitates chemiluminescent detection of bacteria
Test chamber enables rapid estimation of bacteria in a test sample through the reaction of luminol and an oxidant with the cytochrome C portion of certain species of bacteria. Intensity of the light emitted in the reaction is a function of the specific bacteria in the test sample
Description and field test of an in situ coliform monitoring system
A prototype in situ system for monitoring the levels of fecal coliforms in shallow water bodies was developed and evaluated. This system was based on the known relationship between the concentration of the coliform bacteria and the amount of hydrogen they produce during growth in a complex organic media. The prototype system consists of a sampler platform, which sits on the bottom; a surface buoy, which transmits sampler-generated data; and a shore station, which receives, displays the data, and controls the sampler. The concept of remote monitoring of fecal coliform concentrations by utilizing a system based on the electrochemical method was verified during the evaluation of the prototype
Processing of combined domestic bath and laundry waste waters for reuse as commode flushing water
An experimental investigation of processes and system configurations for reclaiming combined bath and laundry waste waters for reuse as commode flush water was conducted. A 90-min recycle flow was effective in removing particulates and in improving other physical characteristics to the extent that the filtered water was subjectively acceptable for reuse. The addition of a charcoal filter resulted in noticeable improvements in color, turbidity, and suds elimination. Heating and chlorination of the waste waters were investigated for reducing total organism counts and eliminating coliform organisms. A temperature of 335.9 K (145 F) for 30 min and chlorine concentrations of 20 mg/l in the collection tank followed by 10 mg/l in the storage tank were determined to be adequate for this purpose. Water volume relationships and energy-use rates for the waste water reuse systems are also discussed
The chemical/physical and microbiological characteristics of typical bath and laundry waste waters
Chemical/physical and microbiological characteristics are studied of typical bath and laundry waters collected during a 12 day test in which the untreated waste waters were reused for toilet flush. Most significant changes were found for ammonia, color, methylene blue active substances, phosphates, sodium, sulfates, total organic carbon, total solids, and turbidity in comparison with tap water baseline. The mean total number of microorganisms detected in the waste waters ranged from 1 million to 10 to the 7th power cells/m1 and the mean number of possible coliforms ranged from 10 to the 5th power to 1 million. An accumulation of particulates and an objectible odor were detected in the tankage used during the 12 day reuse of the untreated waste waters. The combined bath and laundry waste waters from a family of four provided 91 percent of the toilet flush water for the same family
Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in the lichen Buellia frigida (Physciaceae), an Antarctic endemic
Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were characterized for an Antarctic endemic, Buellia frigida, to investigate population structure and origin of Antarctic lichens.
Methods and Results: Five primer sets were characterized. All loci were polymorphic with eight to 16 alleles per locus in a sample of 59 lichens.
Conclusions: The microsatellite markers potentially provide insight into population structure and gene flow of B. frigida
Modelling the Extreme X-ray Spectrum of IRAS 13224-3809
The extreme NLS1 galaxy IRAS 13224-3809 shows significant variability,
frequency depended time lags, and strong Fe K line and Fe L features in the
long 2011 XMM-Newton observation. In this work we study the spectral properties
of IRAS 13224-3809 in detail, and carry out a series of analyses to probe the
nature of the source, focusing in particular on the spectral variability
exhibited. The RGS spectrum shows no obvious signatures of absorption by
partially ionised material (warm absorbers). We fit the 0.3-10.0 keV spectra
with a model that includes relativistic reflection from the inner accretion
disc, a standard powerlaw AGN continuum, and a low-temperature (~0.1 keV)
blackbody, which may originate in the accretion disc, either as direct or
reprocessed thermal emission. We find that the reflection model explains the
time-averaged spectrum well, and we also undertake flux-resolved and
time-resolved spectral analyses, which provide evidence of gravitational
light-bending effects. Additionally, the temperature and flux of the blackbody
component are found to follow the relation expected for simple
thermal blackbody emission from a constant emitting area, indicating a physical
origin for this component.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Point-contact tunneling involving low-dimensional spin-triplet superconductors
We modify and extend previous microscopic calculations of tunneling in
superconducting junctions based on a non-equilibrium Green function formalism
to include the case of spin-triplet pairing. We show that distinctive features
are present in the I-V characteristics of different kinds of junctions, in
particular when the effects of magnetic fields are taken into account, that
permit to identify the type of pairing. We discuss the relevance of these
results in the context of quasi one-dimensional organic superconductors like
(TMTSF)_2(PF_6) and layered compounds like Sr_2RuO_4.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
Life inside black holes
We consider test planet and photon orbits of the third kind inside a black
hole, which are stable, periodic and neither come out of the black hole nor
terminate at the singularity. Interiors of supermassive black holes may be
inhabited by advanced civilizations living on planets with the third-kind
orbits. In principle, one can get information from the interiors of black holes
by observing their white hole counterparts.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
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