Research notes: Soybean research and breeding in Poland

Soybean has been subjected to research and breeding in Poland for dozens of years . Despite development of native varieties, soybean has not yet been cultivated on a large scale. The evergrowing demand for commercial protein intensified interest in this plant

Research Notes : Evaluation of soybean germplasm collection for climatic conditions in Poland

In 1974 studies were commenced to evaluate the variation in qualities and traits of soybean. The material covered a collection of 2412 entries including 275 varieties and 2137 genetic lines. The entries representing Maturity Groups (MGs) 00-IV were obtained from the following centers: U.S. Regional Soybean Lab., Urbana, Illinois, USA; Corn Breeding Lab . , Hokkaido, Japan; National Agric. Exp. Sta . , Hitsujigaoka, Sapporo, Japan; Weibullsholm Inst. Branch Sta., Fiskeby, Sweden; Dept. of Crop Science, Univ. of Guelph, Canada and Research Branch Canada Agric. Morden, Manitoba, Canada (41-58° northern latitude

In situ electrochemical cells to study the oxygen evolution reaction by near ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

In this contribution, we report the development of in situ electrochemical cells based on proton exchange membranes suitable for studying interfacial structural dynamics of energy materials under operation by near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We will present both the first design of a batch-type two-electrode cell prototype and the improvements attained with a continuous flow three-electrode cell. Examples of both sputtered metal films and carbon-supported metal nanostructures are included demonstrating the high flexibility of the cells to study energy materials. Our immediate focus was on the study of the oxygen evolution reaction, however, the methods described herein can be broadly applied to reactions relevant in energy conversion and storage devices

Phase coexistence of multiple copper oxides on AgCu catalysts during ethylene epoxidation

Alloy catalysts under reaction conditions are complex entities. In oxidizing atmospheres, multiple phases can coexist on a catalyst s surface as a result of phase segregation and preferential oxidation. Such a scenario can result in unusual substoichiometric and metastable phases that could play important roles in catalytic processes. For instance, AgCu alloys known to exhibit enhanced epoxide selectivity in partial oxidation of ethylene form an oxide like surface structure under reaction conditions. Under these conditions, copper oxides are stable, while silver oxides are not. Consequently, copper segregates to the alloy s surface and forms an oxide overlayer. Little is known about the structure or function of such overlayers, and it is unknown whether they play an active role in the catalyst s enhanced selectivity. In order to develop a clearer picture of such catalysts, the current work utilizes several in situ spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to examine the copper oxide phases that form when AgCu is exposed to epoxidation conditions. It is found that several forms of oxidic Cu coexist simultaneously on the active catalyst s surface, namely, CuO, Cu2O, and some previously unreported form of oxidized Cu, referred to here as CuxOy. Online product analysis, performed during the in situ spectroscopic measurements, shows that increased epoxide selectivity is correlated with the presence of mixed copper oxidation states and the presence of the CuxOy species. These results support previous theoretical predictions that oxidic copper overlayers on silver play an active role in epoxidation. These results furthermore emphasize the need for in situ spectromicroscopic methods to understand the complexity of alloy catalyst

Platinum Group Metal-Doped Tungsten Phosphates for Selective C-H Activation of Lower Alkanes

Platinum group metal (PGM)-based catalysts are known to be highly active in the total combustion of lower hydrocarbons. However, through an alternative catalyst design reported in this paper by isolating PGM-based active sites in a tungsten phosphate matrix, we present a class of catalysts for selective oxidation of n-butane, propane, and propylene that do not contain Mo or V as redox-active elements. Two different catalyst concepts have been pursued. Concept A: isolating Ru-based active sites in a tungsten phosphate matrix coming upon as ReO3-type structure. Concept B: dilution of PGM-based active sites through the synthesis of X-ray amorphous Ru tungsten phosphates supported on SiO2. Using a high-throughput screening approach, model catalysts over a wide compositional range were evaluated for C3 and C4 partial oxidation. Bulk crystalline and supported XRD amorphous phases with similar Ru/W/P compositions showed comparable performance. Hence, for these materials, composition is more crucial than the degree of crystallinity. Further studies for optimization on second-generation supported systems revealed even better results. High selectivity for n-butane oxidation to maleic anhydride and propane oxidation to an acrolein/acrylic acid has been achieved

Quorum Sensing Primes the Oxidative Stress Response in the Insect Endosymbiont, Sodalis glossinidius

quorum sensing system relies on the function of two regulatory proteins; SogI (a LuxI homolog) synthesizes a signaling molecule, characterized as N-(3-oxohexanoyl) homoserine lactone (OHHL), and SogR1 (a LuxR homolog) interacts with OHHL to modulate transcription of specific target genes. and SOPE. and SOPE indicates the potential for neofunctionalization to occur during the process of genome degeneration

Site specific adsorption of metallic and biological nanoparticles on nanostructured silicon surfaces

The photo electrochemical preparation of nanostructures on single crystalline Si surfaces is described and surfaces are characterized by tapping mode atomic force microscopy TM AFM , Kelvin probe microscopy KPM , high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy HREELS , and synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy SRPES . The H terminated Si 111 surface and the step bunched Si surface that exhibits multiatomic bilayer BL steps are prepared. HREELS demonstrates the low contamination levels achieved with the used insystem combined electrochemistry surface analysis apparatus. With a miscut in the lt;1 21 gt; direction, the surfaces prepared show a zigzag structure of the atomic terraces. These unique features provide the substrate for the electro deposition of platinum and for the immobilization of enzymes. Pt deposition, of relevance for the development of photovoltaic or fuel generating solar cells, occurs predominantly at the edges of steps. On step bunched surfaces, where KPM shows negative charging along the step edges and SRPES evidences the presence of an accumulation layer, the Pt nanoislands are considerably smaller than on H terminated surfaces that are in flat band situation before deposition. SRPES analysis of the chemical and electronic condition after electrodeposition shows silicon oxide formation on both surfaces, suboxidic species, and the typical asymmetric Pt 4f core level lines. The results are discussed based on the details of the Pt deposition process at Si surfaces. As biomolecule, the enzyme reverse transcriptase RT of the avian myeloblastosis virus AMV was used. Immobilization is observed in TM AFM experiments at the negatively charged step edges of the step bunched surface. It is attributed to a superposition of attractive van der Waals and electrostatic interactions. The latter is related to the rather large Debye length of the carrier solution amp; 8764;4 nm and the overall positive charge of the RT where the pH of the carrier solution pH 7 is smaller than that for the isoelectric point IP of 8.

Analysis of reliability of selected machines and devices in the beer bottling line

Celem pracy była analiza niezawodności linii rozlewniczej do piwa firmy KRONES. Linię tworzy trzydzieści jeden urządzeń. Na podstawie badań awaryjności linii w latach 2006-2009 wyznaczono wskaźniki niezawodności dla monobloku, etykieciarki i myjarki butelek. Przebieg wartości wskaźników niezawodności: współczynnik awaryjności, parametr strumienia uszkodzeń linii, średni czas postoju linii wskutek uszkodzeń, średni czas postoju linii między uszkodzeniami, współczynnik postoju linii, współczynnik gotowości linii - przedstawiono graficznie. Na podstawie uzyskanych wyników stwierdzono, że najsłabszym ogniwem linii jest monoblok. Ponadto dokonano analizy i sporządzono drzewa błędów monobloku, etykieciarki i myjarki butelek, co pozwala na otrzymanie minimalnych kombinacji zdarzeń pierwotnych, prowadzących do zajścia zdarzenia wierzchołkowego. Sporządzone drzewa błędów umożliwiają szybsze ustalenie przyczyn stanów niezdatności, co pozwala na skrócenie czasów postoju urządzenia i zwiększenie rzeczywistej zdolności przerobowej urządzenia.The objective of the paper was to analyse reliability of KRONES beer bottling line. The line is composed of thirty one devices. On the basis of failure frequency in 2006–2009 rates of reliability for monoblock, a labelling machine and a bottle washer were determined. The course of reliability rates value: failure frequency coefficient, parameter of line faults stream, average downtime of the line as a result of faults, average time of downtime of the line between faults, line downtime coefficient, line readiness coefficient were presented graphically. On the basis of the obtained results it was found that the monoblock is the weakest link. Moreover, analysis was carried out and fault trees of the monoblock, the labelling machine and the bottle washer were prepared, which allows obtaining the minimum combinations of original events leading to the vertical event. The prepared fault trees enable faster determination of the reasons of faults which allows shortening downtimes of the device and decreasing actual output capacity of the device