LHC-B Ring Imaging Cherenkov Detector

The progress towards the realisation of the LHC-B Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector is reported.Comment: 5 pages. 5 postscript figures + 1 postscript preprint logo + 1 LaTeX file + 1 style file. Also available at http://ppewww.ph.gla.ac.uk/preprints/97/14/ Invited talk given at Beauty'9

Characteristics and dyes biodegradation potential of crude lignolytic enzymes from white-rot fungus crepidotus variabilis isolated in coastal Tanzania

Lignocellulosic enzymes from Crepidotus variabilis collected from mangrove forests of coastal Tanzania were investigated by using standard methods, and their ability to degrade aromatic compounds were elucidated. The fungal crude enzyme filtrates had maximum laccase (Lac), lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP) activities of 70 U/mL, 16 U/mL and 8, U/mL respectively. The crude enzyme extracts were able to oxidize rhemazol brilliant blue-R (RBB-R) dye, phenol, "-naphthol and pyrogallol. Also, they could remove up to 58% and 92% color fromraw textile effluent and aromatic dyes, respectively, after 14 days of incubation at 30ºC and pH 4.5. Desalted and size-separated enzyme filtrates, resolved by sodium docecyl sulphatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and isoelectric focusing (IEF), showed laccasesand peroxidases from C. variabilis to have molecular weights of 67 kDa and 47 kDa, respectively, while the isoelectric points (pI) of laccases and peroxidases were found to lie in a range of 3.0 to 4.1. The study provided basic information on the characteristics of crude lignolytic enzymes fromC. variabilis and confirmed it to be one of the potential biodegraders of aromatic compounds that could be applied in bioremediation of polluted ecosystem

Recent advances in pretreatment of lignocellulosic wastes and production of value added products

This study highlights the recent advances in the treatment and value addition of lignocellulosic wastes (LCW) with main focus on domestic and agro-industrial residues. Mechanical, physical and biologicaltreatment systems are brought into perspective. The main value-added products from lignocellulosic wastes are summarized in a manner that pinpoints the most recent trends and the future directions. Physicochemical and biological treatment systems seem to be the most favored options while biofuels, biodegradable composites and biosorbents production paints a bright picture of the current and futurebio-based products. Engineered microbes seem to tackle the problem of bioconversion of substrates that are otherwise non convertible by conventional wild strains. Although the main challenge facing LCW utilization is the high costs involved in treatment and production processes, some recent affordable processes with promising results have been proposed. Future trends are being directed to nanobiotechnology and genetic engineering for improved processes and products. The paper presents state of the art review of the dual advantage of handling LCW for cleaner environment and productionof renewable bio-products

Trends in industrial and environmental biotechnology research in Tanzania

This paper reviews the trends in industrial and environmental biotechnology research in Tanzania for the past 20 years. Researches on production of bio-energy, enzymes and organic acids are reviewed.Furthermore, researches related to wastewater treatment systems including water stabilization ponds and constructed wetlands are covered. Brief highlights are made on researches related tobioprospecting and molecular biology techniques used in identification of organisms. In critically reviewing the research done so far, an attempt is made to pinpoint significant research gaps in areassuch as single cell protein, biomining, biocomposting and bioengineering. This paper, therefore, provides an overview of the renewable raw materials available in the developing countries and outlines the researches that have been done to convert them to bio-products, while reducing bio-wastes. The identified gaps will serve as guidance to scientists who are interested in doing research in untapped areas of biotechnology

Seeds to support future growth : (re)establishment of the dormant Protea Village

This thesis addresses and critiques housing delivery processes currently realised by South African national government. It is argued that a major flaw in this process is resultant from the role taken by government as provider rather than facilitator. Government takes pride in the x-amount of new housing units being built but in effect is rolling out suburbs which stifles quality living. The resultant environments that are created very few people can call home and be proud to do so. Government housing in many cases results in housing that _ does not respond to user requirement and need, _does not reflect shifting family structures and creates environments which is mono-functional. In many 'completed' housing projects the result is that as soon as residents move into newly built homes a process of alteration and extension is undertaken as to respond to individual needs or provide some form of economic support. Within this thesis I would like to challenge these issues and propose a solution whereby we allow for some sense of uncertainty and change; a solution whereby the user plays an active role in the process of creating their homes. This premise is investigated through an approach of incremental development initiated by a core/starter unit. The process of expansion and alteration is then also explored with the promise of providing economic opportunities within communities

Influence of sampling depth and post-sampling analysis time on the occurrence of coliforms and vibrio in water and shellfish

The bacteriological quality was examined at the water surface, 3 m depth and in the shellfish flesh, and the results were compared to other potential pathogenic indicator organisms. The study was conducted at Long Harbour (mussel farm), St. John's and Outer Cove sites of Newfoundland, Canada. Bacteriological analysis was carried out for samples taken at water depth and at 1, 6, 12 and 24 hours post-sampling. It was observed that the total and faecal coliform bacteria were significantly higher in the 3 m water depth samples than in the surface water samples (ANOVA, F = 59.41, 26.751, 9.82 (T.C); 46.41, 26.81, 10.72 (F.C);

Exploring the potential impact of relational coherence on persistent rule-following : the first study

Rule-governed behavior and derived relational responding have both been identified as important variables in human learning. Recent developments in the relational frame theory (RFT) have outlined a number of key variables of potential importance when analyzing the dynamics involved in derived relational responding. Recent research has explored the impact of one of these variables, level of derivation, on persistent rule-following and implicated another, coherence, as possibly important. However, no research to date has examined the impact of coherence on persistent rule-following directly. Across two experiments, coherence was manipulated through the systematic use of performance feedback, and its impact was examined on persistent rule-following. A training procedure based on the implicit relational assessment procedure (IRAP) was used to establish novel combinatorially entailed relations that manipulated the feedback provided on the trained relations (A-B and B-C) in Experiment 1, and on the untrained, derived relations (A-C) in Experiment 2. One of these relations was then inserted into the rule for responding on a subsequent contingency-switching match-to-sample (MTS) task to assess rule persistence. While no significant differences were found in Experiment 1, the provision or non-provision of feedback had a significant differential impact on rule-persistence in Experiment 2. Specifically, participants in the Feedback group resurged back to the original rule for significantly more responses after demonstrating contingency-sensitive responding than did the No-Feedback group, after the contingency reversal. The results highlight the subtle complexities that appear to be involved in persistent rule-following in the face of reversed reinforcement contingencies