3,641 research outputs found
Electrical stimulation for enhanced denitrification in woodchip bioreactors: Opportunities and challenges
Woodchip bioreactors are being implemented for the removal of nitrates in groundwater and tile water drainage. However, low nitrate removals in denitrifying woodchip bioreactors have been observed for short hydraulic retention time (HRT) and low water temperature (°C). One potential approach to improve woodchip bioreactor performance is to provide an alternative and readily available electron source to the denitrifying microorganisms through electrical stimulation. Previous work has demonstrated the capability of bio-electrochemical reactors (BER) to remove a variety of water contaminants, including nitrate, in the presence of a soluble carbon source. The objective of this study was to evaluate the denitrification efficiency of electrically augmented woodchip bioreactors and conduct a simple techno-economic analysis (TEA) to understand the possibilities and limitations for full-scale BER implementation for treatment of agricultural drainage. Up-flow column woodchip bioreactors were studied included two controls (non-energized, and without electrodes), two electrically enhanced bioreactors, each using a single 316 stainless steel anode coupled with graphite cathodes, and two electrically enhanced bioreactors, each with graphite for both anode and cathodes. Both pairs of electrically enhanced bioreactors demonstrated higher denitrification efficiencies than controls when 500 mA of current was applied. While this technology appeared promising, the techno-economic analysis showed that the normalized N removal cost ($/kg N) for BERs was 2–10 times higher than the base cost with no electrical stimulation. With our current reactor design, opportunities to make this technology cost effective require denitrification efficiency of 85% at 100 mA. This work informs the process and design of electrically stimulated woodchip bioreactors with optimized performance to achieve lower capital and maintenance costs, and thus lower N removal cost
Investigation Into the Humaneness of Slaughter Methods for Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcelus) in the Andean Region
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcelus) are an important source of nonhuman animal protein in the Andean region of South America. Specific guidelines regarding the welfare of guinea pigs before and during slaughter have yet to be developed. This study critically assessed the humaneness of 4 different stunning/slaughter methods for guinea pigs: cervical neck dislocation (n = 60), electrical head-only stunning (n = 83), carbon dioxide (CO(2)) stunning (n = 21), and penetrating captive bolt (n = 10). Following cervical neck dislocation, 97% of guinea pigs had at least 1 behavioral or cranial/spinal response. Six percent of guinea pigs were classified as mis-stunned after electrical stunning, and 1% were classified as mis-stunned after captive bolt. Increased respiratory effort was observed during CO(2) stunning. Apart from this finding, there were no other obvious behavioral responses that could be associated with suffering. Of the methods assessed, captive bolt was deemed the most humane, effective, and practical method of stunning guinea pigs. Cervical neck dislocation should not be recommended as a slaughter method for guinea pigs
Hyperactive ERK and Persistent mTOR Signaling Characterize Vemurafenib Resistance in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cells
Clinical studies evaluating targeted BRAFV600E inhibitors in advanced thyroid cancer patients are currently underway. Vemurafenib (BRAFV600E inhibitor) monotherapy has shown promising results thus far, although development of resistance is a clinical challenge. The objective of this study was to characterize development of resistance to BRAFV600E inhibition and to identify targets for effective combination therapy. We created a line of BCPAP papillary thyroid cancer cells resistant to vemurafenib by treating with increasing concentrations of the drug. The resistant BCPAP line was characterized and compared to its sensitive counterpart with respect to signaling molecules thought to be directly related to resistance. Expression and phosphorylation of several critical proteins were analyzed by Western blotting and dimerization was evaluated by immunoprecipitation. Resistance to vemurafenib in BCPAP appeared to be mediated by constitutive overexpression of phospho-ERK and by resistance to inhibition of both phospho-mTOR and phospho-S6 ribosomal protein after vemurafenib treatment. Expression of potential alternative signaling molecule, CRAF, was not increased in the resistant line, although formation of CRAF dimers appeared increased. Expression of membrane receptors HER2 and HER3 was greatly amplified in the resistant cancer cells. Papillary thyroid cancer cells were capable of overcoming targeted BRAFV600E inhibition by rewiring of cell signal pathways in response to prolonged vemurafenib therapy. Our study suggests that in vitro culture of cancer cells may be useful in assessing molecular resistance pathways. Potential therapies in advanced thyroid cancer patients may combine vemurafenib with inhibitors of CRAF, HER2/HER3, ERK, and/or mTOR to delay or abort development of resistance
Production of Therapeutically Relevant Indolizidine Alkaloids in Securinega suffruticosa In Vitro Shoots Maintained in Liquid Culture Systems
Earth Matter Effects at Very Long Baselines and the Neutrino Mass Hierarchy
We study matter effects which arise in the muon neutrino oscillation and
survival probabilities relevant to atmospheric neutrino and very long baseline
beam experiments. The inter-relations between the three probabilities P_{\mu
e}, P_{\mu \tau} and P_{\mu \mu} are examined. It is shown that large and
observable sensitivity to the neutrino mass hierarchy can be present in P_{\mu
\mu} and P_{\mu \tau}. We emphasize that at baselines of > 7000 Km, matter
effects in P_{\mu \tau} can be large under certain conditions. The muon
survival rates in experiments with very long baselines thus depend on matter
effects in both P_{\mu \tau} and P_{\mu e}. We indicate where these effects are
sensitive to \theta_{13}, and identify ranges of E and L where the event rates
increase with decreasing \theta_{13}, providing a handle to probe small
\theta_{13}. The effect of parameter degeneracies in the three probabilities at
these baselines and energies is studied in detail. Realistic event rate
calculations are performed for a charge discriminating 100 kT iron calorimeter
which demonstrate the possibility of realising the goal of determining the
neutrino mass hierarchy using atmospheric neutrinos. It is shown that a careful
selection of energy and baseline ranges is necessary in order to obtain a
statistically significant signal, and that the effects are largest in bins
where matter effects in both P_{\mu e} and P_{\mu \tau} combine constructively.
Under these conditions, upto a 4\sigma signal for matter effects is possible
(for \Delta_{31}>0) within a timescale appreciably shorter than the one
anticipated for neutrino factories.Comment: 40 pages, 27 figures, version to match the published versio
Solitons in one-dimensional interacting Bose-Einstein system
A modified Gross-Pitaevskii approximation was introduced recently for bosons
in dimension by Kolomeisky {\it et al.} (Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 85} 1146
(2000)). We use the density functional approach with sixth-degree interaction
energy term in the Bose field to reproduce the stationary-frame results of
Kolomeisky {\it et al.} for a one-dimensional Bose-Einstein system with a
repulsive interaction. We also find a soliton solution for an attractive
interaction, which may be boosted to a finite velocity by a Galilean
transformation. The stability of such a soliton is discussed analytically. We
provide a general treatment of stationary solutions in one dimension which
includes the above solutions as special cases. This treatment leads to a
variety of stationary wave solutions for both attractive and repulsive
interactions.Comment: Latex, 14 pages, No figur
The mechanism of the recrystallization process in epitaxial GaN under dynamic stress field: atomistic origin of planar defect formation
The mechanism of the recrystallization in epitaxial (0001) GaN film, introduced by the indentation technique, is probed by lattice dynamic studies using Raman spectroscopy. The recrystallized region is identified by micro-Raman area mapping. 'Pop-in' bursts in loading lines indicate nucleation of dislocations and climb of dislocations. These processes set in plastic motion of lattice atoms under stress field at the center of indentation for the initiation of the recrystallization process. A planar defect migration mechanism is evolved. A pivotal role of vacancy migration is noted, for the first time, as the rate-limiting factor for the dislocation dynamics initiating the recrystallization process in GaN
Feasibility studies of the polarization of photons beyond the optical wavelength regime with the J-PET detector
J-PET is a detector optimized for registration of photons from the
electron-positron annihilation via plastic scintillators where photons interact
predominantly via Compton scattering. Registration of both primary and
scattered photons enables to determinate the linear polarization of the primary
photon on the event by event basis with a certain probability. Here we present
quantitative results on the feasibility of such polarization measurements of
photons from the decay of positronium with the J-PET and explore the physical
limitations for the resolution of the polarization determination of 511 keV
photons via Compton scattering. For scattering angles of about 82 deg (where
the best contrast for polarization measurement is theoretically predicted) we
find that the single event resolution for the determination of the polarization
is about 40 deg (predominantly due to properties of the Compton effect).
However, for samples larger than ten thousand events the J-PET is capable of
determining relative average polarization of these photons with the precision
of about few degrees. The obtained results open new perspectives for studies of
various physics phenomena such as quantum entanglement and tests of discrete
symmetries in decays of positronium and extend the energy range of polarization
measurements by five orders of magnitude beyond the optical wavelength regime.Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures, submitted to EPJ
Ab initio probing of the electronic band structure and Fermi surface of fluorine-doped WO3 as a novel low-TC superconductor
First-principles calculations were performed to investigate the electronic
structure and the Fermi surface of the newly discovered low-temperature
superconductor: fluorine-doped WO3. We find that F doping provides the
transition of the insulating tungsten trioxide into a metallic-like phase
WO3-xFx, where the near-Fermi states are formed mainly from W 5d with admixture
of O 2p orbitals. The cooperative effect of fluorine additives in WO3 consists
in change of electronic concentration as well as the lattice constant. At
probing their influence on the near-Fermi states separately, the dominant role
of the electronic factor for the transition of tungsten oxyfluoride into
superconducting state was established. The volume of the Fermi surface
gradually increases with the increase of the doping. In the sequence WO3
\rightarrow WO2.5F0.5 the effective atomic charges of W and O ions decrease,
but much less, than it is predicted within the idealized ionic model - owing to
presence of the covalent interactions W-O and W-F.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure
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