6,694 research outputs found
Acrylamide Production Using Encapsulated Nitrile Hydratase from \u3cem\u3ePseudonocardia thermophila\u3c/em\u3e in a Sol–gel Matrix
The cobalt-type nitrile hydratase from Pseudonocardia thermophila JCM 3095 (PtNHase) was successfully encapsulated in tetramethyl orthosilicate sol–gel matrices to produce a PtNHase:sol–gel biomaterial. The PtNHase:sol–gel biomaterial catalyzed the conversion of 600 mM acrylonitrile to acrylamide in 60 min at 35 °C with a yields of \u3e90%. Treatment of the biomaterial with proteases confirmed that the catalytic activity is due to the encapsulated enzyme and not surface bound NHase. The biomaterial retained 50% of its activity after being used for a total of 13 consecutive reactions for the conversion of acrylonitrile to acrylamide. The thermostability and long-term storage of the PtNHase:sol–gel are substantially improved compared to the soluble NHase. Additionally, the biomaterial is significantly more stable at high concentrations of methanol (50% and 70%, v/v) as a co-solvent for the hydration of acrylonitrile than native PtNHase. These data indicate that PtNHase:sol–gel biomaterials can be used to develop new synthetic avenues involving nitriles as starting materials given that the conversion of the nitrile moiety to the corresponding amide occurs under mild temperature and pH conditions
Infrared interferometry to spatially and spectrally resolve jets in X-ray binaries
Infrared interferometry is a new frontier for precision ground based
observing, with new instrumentation achieving milliarcsecond (mas) spatial
resolutions for faint sources, along with astrometry on the order of 10
microarcseconds. This technique has already led to breakthroughs in the
observations of the supermassive black hole at the Galactic centre and its
orbiting stars, AGN, and exo-planets, and can be employed for studying X-ray
binaries (XRBs), microquasars in particular. Beyond constraining the orbital
parameters of the system using the centroid wobble and spatially resolving jet
discrete ejections on mas scales, we also propose a novel method to discern
between the various components contributing to the infrared bands: accretion
disk, jets and companion star. We demonstrate that the GRAVITY instrument on
the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) should be able to detect a
centroid shift in a number of sources, opening a new avenue of exploration for
the myriad of transients expected to be discovered in the coming decade of
radio all-sky surveys. We also present the first proof-of-concept GRAVITY
observation of a low-mass X-ray binary transient, MAXI J1820+070, to search for
extended jets on mas scales. We place the tightest constraints yet via direct
imaging on the size of the infrared emitting region of the compact jet in a
hard state XRB.Comment: 12 Pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Microbial contamination of food refrigeration equipment
Refrigeration systems in chilled rooms in 15 plants processing a variety of foods were studied. These included plants processing raw meat and salads, Chinese ready meals, dairy products, slicing and packing of cooked meats and catering establishments. An initial survey of total numbers of microbes at a total of 891 sites on evaporators, drip trays and chilled room walls was followed up with a more detailed examination of 336 sites with high counts, selecting for Listeria spp., coliforms, enterococci, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. Temperatures (particularly air on and air off, maximum and near defrost heaters) relative humidity, airflow, layout and cleaning regimes were surveyed. In general, no correlation could be found between any of the physical measurements and the numbers and types of bacteria detected. Maximum mean temperatures in the chilled rooms varied from -1 to +16.9 °C and few chilled units were regularly cleaned. Twenty five percent of sites examined had more than 105 colony-forming units per cm2, although, very few pathogens or faecal indicator bacteria were detected. Listeria spp. were not found and coliforms were found only once, in low numbers. Low numbers of S. aureus or B. cereus were present in 9 of the 15 plants, B. cereus was found on evaporators and associated drip trays in two catering plants and two plants processing cooked meat. Enterococci and S. aureus were found most frequently in a raw red meat slaughterhouse (always in low numbers). In general, microbial contamination was lower in rooms where wrapped rather than unwrapped products were stored. The type of product also affected the degree of contamination, with raw red meat and poultry or dry ingredients giving highest counts, and raw vegetables and cooked products lowest. The work demonstrated that bacteria were present on evaporator cooling coils in all factory cold rooms visited. Although evaporator-cleaning procedures were carried out in some factories as part of routine maintenance these were not shown to be effective at maintaining low levels of bacteria on evaporators. To maintain evaporator hygiene it is suggested that more regular cleaning procedures, possibly by means of automated cleansing systems, should be considered. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Goal directed therapy: how long can we wait?
Intensive monitoring and aggressive management of perioperative haemodynamics (goal directed therapy) have repeatedly been reported to reduce the significant morbidity and mortality associated with high risk surgery. It may not matter what particular monitor is used to assess cardiac output but it is essential to ensure adequate oxygen delivery. If this management cannot begin preoperatively, it is still worth beginning goal directed therapy in the immediate postoperative period
A Guide to Managing Pasture Water: Stabilized Stream and Pond Access Sites
This guide shows cattle producers how they might graze streamside buffers and protect water quality. See related grant E2004-24.https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/extension_ag_pubs/1223/thumbnail.jp
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Petrology and geochemistry of nakhlite MIL 03346: A new Martian meteorite from Antarctica
MIL 03346 is the first nakhlite in the US Antarctic collection. We have performed detailed mineralogical and bulk-geochemical investigations to compare petrogenesis of this Martian meteorite with other nakhlites
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