Fermentation Quality of Phasey Bean and Guineagrass Silages

Silages were made from guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq. var. maximum) and phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides (L.) Urb.) at three-growth stages. The silages were investigated in relation fermentation quality. Phasey bean silage showed a better fermentation quality than guineagrass silage. The latic acid to total acid ratio of phasey bean silage was higher than 500g/kg DM, and the volatile basic nitrogen to total nitrogen ratio was lower than 100g/kg. It is concluded that phasey bean is an unique legume suitable for good silage fermentation

The Carrying Capacity of Pure and Oversown Giant Star Grass (\u3ci\u3eCynodon nlemfuensis\u3c/i\u3e Vanderyst) under Different Stocking Rate in South-Western Islands of Japan

The objective of this study was firstly to know the potential carrying capacity, pasture production, pasture utilization of giant star grass under different stocking rates in intensive rotational grazing system, and to evaluate a carrying capacity of giant star grass (Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst) pasture oversown with annual hybrid ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum X Lolium perenne) on short low productive winter pasture in South-western Islands of Japan. High herbage availability and good quality forage to bring about effective animal productions were produced by using relatively heavy stocking rates of 6 - 8 heads/ha, and achieved optimum pasture utilization of giant star grass. Herbage utilization and daily dry matter intake on pasture oversown with ryegrass were higher than pure giant star grass during winter. Average herbage availability and utilization at heavy stocking rate was higher than at light stocking rate even in winter

Water purification using pulsed streamer discharges in micro-bubbled water

Industrial applications using pulsed power have been developed in many fields. One of them is the water purification using the pulsed streamer discharges. The pulsed streamer discharges in liquids generate intense electric fields at the tip of streamers, as well as high energy electrons, ozone, other chemically radical species, ultraviolet rays and shock waves. All of these may be utilized to decompose molecules and materials and to sterilize microorganism. In this time, the large-volume streamer discharges in indigo solution with oxygen micro-bubbles were used to decolorization of indigo molecules. The Blumlein type pulse forming network (B-PFN) which has maximum output voltage of 150 kV and pulse duration in the range of 0.6 to 1.2 μs was used as a pulsed power source. The decolorization ratio of indigo solution at fixed pulse repetition rates is higher with oxygen micro-bubbles, and increased with increasing pulse width and increasing the temperature of solution

Pulsed Streamer Discharge Characteristics of Ozone Production in Dry Air

Experimental investigation of HV short pulsed streamer discharges in dry air-fed ozonizers under various operating conditions are reported. Ozone concentration, energy input and ozone production yield (efficiency) were measured at various voltages (14 to 37 kV), pulse repetition rates (25 to 400 pulses per second, pps), flow rates (1.5 to 3.0 1/min) and different gap spacings (10 to 20 mm) at a pressure of 1.01×105 Pa in dry air. A spiral copper wire (1 mm in diameter) made to a cylindrical configuration (18 to 38 mm in diameter) in a concentric coaxial electrode system of various dimensions was employed. A magnetic pulse compressor provided the HV and current pulses. Higher voltage and higher repetition rates yielded higher concentrations of ozone at a fixed air flow rate. The present investigation was extended to assess the performance of this pulsed ozone generator using dry air under desired conditions of high concentration and high yield of ozone for industrial applications

Pulsed Power Production of Ozone in 02/N2 iin a Coaxial Reactor without Dielectric Layer

Very short duration pulsed streamer discharges have been used to produce ozone in a gas mixture of nitrogen and oxygen at atmospheric pressure. The ratio of nitrogen to oxygen in the mixture was varied in the range from 2.5/0.5 to 0.5/2.5, while maintaining a total flow rate of 3 l/min. The production of ozone was found to be higher for a specific mixture ratio of N2/O2 than that in oxygen or in dry air. The production of ozone in O2 was higher than that in dry air. The production yield of ozone (g/kWh) increased with decreasing nitrogen in the O2/N2 mixture. It has been found that the peak of the streamer discharge current decreased with time after application of the pulsed power. This decrease in the current corresponded with the increase in the ozone production and is attributed to the loss of electrons in the discharge current due to their attachment to ozone to form negative ions

Ozone Production Using Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Oxygen

The production of ozone was investigated using a dielectric barrier discharge in oxygen, and employing short-duration pulsed power. The dependence of the ozone concentration (parts per million, ppm) and ozone production yield (g(O3)/kWh) on the peak pulsed voltage (17.5 to 57.9 kV) and the pulse repetition rate (25 to 400 pulses/s, pps) were investigated. In the present study, the following parameters were kept constant: a pressure of 1.01×105 Pa, a temperature of 26±4°C a gas flow rate of 3.0 1/min and a gaseous gap length of 11 mm. A concentric coaxial cylindrical reactor was used. A spiral copper wire (1 mm in diameter) was wound on a polyvinylchloride (PVC) cylindrical configuration (26 mm in diameter) and placed centrally in a concentric coaxial electrode system with 4 mm thick PVC dielectric layer adjacent to a copper outer electrode of 58 mm in internal diameter. HV and current pulses were provided by a magnetic pulse compressor power source

Spectroscopy of 32Ne and the Island of Inversion

We report on the first spectroscopic study of the N=22 nucleus 32Ne at the newly completed RIKEN Radioactive Ion Beam Factory. A single gamma-ray line with an energy of 722(9) keV was observed in both inelastic scattering of a 226 MeV/u 32Ne beam on a Carbon target and proton removal from 33Na at 245 MeV/u. This transition is assigned to the de-excitation of the first J^pi = 2+ state in 32Ne to the 0+ ground state. Interpreted through comparison with state-of-the-art shell model calculations, the low excitation energy demonstrates that the Island of Inversion extends to at least N=22 for the Ne isotopes.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett. 11 pages, 3 figure

Epigenetic regulation of S100 protein expression

S100 proteins are small, calcium-binding proteins whose genes are localized in a cluster on human chromosome 1. Through their ability to interact with various protein partners in a calcium-dependent manner, the S100 proteins exert their influence on many vital cellular processes such as cell cycle, cytoskeleton activity and cell motility, differentiation, etc. The characteristic feature of S100 proteins is their cell-specific expression, which is frequently up- or downregulated in various pathological states, including cancer. Changes in S100 protein expression are usually characteristic for a given type of cancer and are therefore often considered as markers of a malignant state. Recent results indicate that changes in S100 protein expression may depend on the extent of DNA methylation in the S100 gene regulatory regions. The range of epigenetic changes occurring within the S100 gene cluster has not been defined. This article reviews published data on the involvement of epigenetic factors in the control of S100 protein expression in development and cancer

Ozone Generation in Dry Air Using Pulsed Discharges With and Without a Solid Dielectric Layer

Energy efficient generation of ozone is very important because ozone is being used increasingly in a wide range of industrial applications. Ozonizers usually use dielectric barrier discharges and employ alternating current (ac) with consequent heat generation, which necessitates cooling. In the present study, very short duration pulsed voltage is employed resulting in reduced heating of the gas and discharge reactor. A comparison of ozone generation in dry air using a coaxial concentric electrode system with and without a solid dielectric layer is reported. Two types of dielectric layers were employed, ceramic and polyvinylchloride (PVC). The effects of peak pulsed voltage (12.5 to 62 kV), reactor length (0.1 to 1 m), pulse repetition rate (25 to 400 pulses per second, pps), gas flow rate (1.5 to 3.0 l/min) and variation of the pitch length of the spiral wire forming the central electrode (5 to 10 mm) on the concentration and production yield of ozone (g/kWh) are reported. A comparison is made between the performance of discharge reactors with (ceramic reactor Type IIC and PVC reactor Type IIP) and without (reactor Type I) a dielectric layer, using the same electrode gap separation (15 mm) and reactor lengths (0.157 and 1 m). High production yields of ozone in dry air of ∼ 122, 52 and 60 g/kWh were obtained when using, respectively ceramic, PVC, and no dielectric layer, for a fixed pulse rate of 100 pps, 1.5 l/min flow rate and for a relatively short length of the reactor of 157 mm