691 research outputs found
Contamination of Domestic Groundwater Systems By Verotoxigenic Escherichia Coli (VTEC), 2003â2019: A global scoping review
Verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) are important agents of diarrhoeal disease in humans globally. As a noted waterborne disease, emphasis has been given to the study VTEC in surface waters, readily susceptible to microbial contamination. Conversely, the status of VTEC in potable groundwater sources, generally regarded as a âsafeâ drinking-water supply remains largely understudied. As such, this investigation presents the first scoping review seeking to determine the global prevalence of VTEC in groundwater supply sources intended for human consumption. Twenty-three peer-reviewed studies were identified and included for data extraction. Groundwater sample and supply detection rates (estimated 0.6 and 1.3%, respectively) indicate VTEC is infrequently present in domestic groundwater sources. However, where generic (fecal indicator) E. coli are present, the VTEC to E. coli ratio was found to be 9.9%, representing a latent health concern for groundwater consumers. Geographically, extracted data indicates higher VTEC detection rates in urban (5.4%) and periâurban (4.9%) environments than in rural areas (0.9%); however, this finding is confounded by the predominance of research studies in lower income regions. Climate trends indicate local environments classified as âtemperateâ (14/554; 2.5%) and âcoldâ (8/392; 2%) accounted for a majority of supply sources with VTEC present, with similar detection rates encountered among supplies sampled during periods typically characterized by âhighâ precipitation (15/649; 2.3%). Proposed prevalence figures may find application in preventive risk-based catchment and groundwater quality management including development of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessments (QMRA). Notwithstanding, to an extent, a large geographical disparity in available investigations, lack of standardized reporting, and bias in source selection, restrict the transferability of research findings. Overall, the mechanisms responsible for VTEC transport and ingress into groundwater supplies remain ambiguous, representing a critical knowledge gap, and denoting a distinctive lack of integration between hydrogeological and public health research. Key recommendations and guidelines are provided for prospective studies directed at increasingly integrative and multi-disciplinary research
Improving sheep feedlot management
This paper summarise six studies undertaken by the Sheep CRC to elucidate certain aspects of confinement feeding of sheep. A review of confinement feeding highlighted the variability of growth rate and feed conversion of sheep and revealed that little is known about the use of sorghum for feeding sheep. The review indicated that the main factors responsible for variation of growth rate and feed conversion were adaptation to grain and feeding system, including the preparation and presentation of feed. The importance of social and physiological adaptation to grain feeding was confirmed. Factors identified as responsible for safe induction and uniform growth rates included prior exposure to grain as lambs, gradual introduction of grain and, when concentrate was provided ad libitum from the first day, the use of either virginiamycin, a pelleted feed, a total mixed ration or a step-wise increase of high-starch grain components. Separate feeding of hay and grain resulted in performance comparable with that of a pelleted diet and that of a total mixed ration. Sorghum-based concentrate diets resulted in growth rates and carcase weights similar to that for winter cereal grains or pellets. Steam flaking or expanding of sorghum had no significant effect on growth rates or carcase weights. These results can be used to determine the profitability of various feedlotting options
Improving sheep feedlot management
This paper summarise six studies undertaken by the Sheep CRC to elucidate certain aspects of confinement feeding of sheep. A review of confinement feeding highlighted the variability of growth rate and feed conversion of sheep and revealed that little is known about the use of sorghum for feeding sheep. The review indicated that the main factors responsible for variation of growth rate and feed conversion were adaptation to grain and feeding system, including the preparation and presentation of feed. The importance of social and physiological adaptation to grain feeding was confirmed. Factors identified as responsible for safe induction and uniform growth rates included prior exposure to grain as lambs, gradual introduction of grain and, when concentrate was provided ad libitum from the first day, the use of either virginiamycin, a pelleted feed, a total mixed ration or a step-wise increase of high-starch grain components. Separate feeding of hay and grain resulted in performance comparable with that of a pelleted diet and that of a total mixed ration. Sorghum-based concentrate diets resulted in growth rates and carcase weights similar to that for winter cereal grains or pellets. Steam flaking or expanding of sorghum had no significant effect on growth rates or carcase weights. These results can be used to determine the profitability of various feedlotting options
Scalar field in the Bianchi I: Non commutative classical and Quantum Cosmology
Using the ADM formalism in the minisuperspace, we obtain the commutative and
noncommutative exact classical solutions and exact wave function to the
Wheeler-DeWitt equation with an arbitrary factor ordering, for the anisotropic
Bianchi type I cosmological model, coupled to a scalar field, cosmological term
and barotropic perfect fluid. We introduce noncommutative scale factors,
considering that all minisuperspace variables do not commute, so the
symplectic structure was modified. In the classical regime, it is shown that
the anisotropic parameter and the field , for some
value in the cosmological term and noncommutative
parameter, present a dynamical isotropization up to a critical cosmic time
; after this time, the effects of isotropization in the noncommutative
minisuperspace seems to disappear. In the quantum regimen, the probability
density presents a new structure that corresponds to the value of the
noncommutativity parameter.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, Acepted in IJT
Strings in Homogeneous Background Spacetimes
The string equations of motion for some homogeneous (Kantowski-Sachs, Bianchi
I and Bianchi IX) background spacetimes are given, and solved explicitly in
some simple cases. This is motivated by the recent developments in string
cosmology, where it has been shown that, under certain circumstances, such
spacetimes appear as string-vacua.
Both tensile and null strings are considered. Generally, it is much simpler
to solve for the null strings since then we deal with the null geodesic
equations of General Relativity plus some additional constraints.
We consider in detail an ansatz corresponding to circular strings, and we
discuss the possibility of using an elliptic-shape string ansatz in the case of
homogeneous (but anisotropic) backgrounds.Comment: 25 pages, REVTE
The effect of culture preservation techniques on patulin and citrinin production by Penicillium expansum Link
Aims: To study the influence of culture preservation methods and culture conditions on the
production of the mycotoxins patulin and citrinin by Penicillium expansum.
Methods and results: Ten strains of Penicillium expansum were preserved using subculture
and maintenance at 4 ÂșC, mineral oil, drying on silica gel and freeze-drying. Patulin and
citrinin production was assessed on yeast extract sucrose agar (YES) and grape juice agar (GJ),
using TLC before and after 0.5, 2â3, 6 and 12 months preservation. Citrinin was detected in all
cultures for all preservation techniques on YES. The patulin profiles obtained differed with
strain and culture media used.
Conclusions: Citrinin production seems to be a stable character for the tested strains. There is
a tendency for patulin detection with time apparently more consistent for silica gel storage and
freeze-drying, especially when the strains are grown on GJ.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Variability in the profiles of the mycotoxins tested
seems to be more strain-specific than dependent on the preservation technique used
Phenomenology of the Gowdy Universe on
Numerical studies of the plane symmetric, vacuum Gowdy universe on yield strong support for the conjectured asymptotically velocity term
dominated (AVTD) behavior of its evolution toward the singularity except,
perhaps, at isolated spatial points. A generic solution is characterized by
spiky features and apparent ``discontinuities'' in the wave amplitudes. It is
shown that the nonlinear terms in the wave equations drive the system
generically to the ``small velocity'' AVTD regime and that the spiky features
are caused by the absence of these terms at isolated spatial points.Comment: 19 pages, 21 figures, uses Revtex, psfi
Controlling the structures of organic semiconductorâquantum dot nanocomposites through ligand shell chemistry
Nanocrystal quantum dots (QD) functionalised with active organic ligands hold significant promise as solar energy conversion materials, capable of multiexcitonic processes that could improve the efficiencies of single-junction photovoltaic devices. Small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS) were used to characterize the structure of lead sulphide QDs post ligand-exchange with model acene-carboxylic acid ligands (benzoic acid, hydrocinnamic acid and naphthoic acid). Results demonstrate that hydrocinnamic acid and naphthoic acid ligated QDs form monolayer ligand shells, whilst benzoic acid ligated QDs possess ligand shells thicker than a monolayer. Further, the formation of a range of nanocomposite materials through the self-assembly of such acene-ligated QDs with an organic small-molecule semiconductor [5,12-bis((triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl)tetracene (TIPS-Tc)] is investigated. These materials are representative of a wider set of functional solar energy materials; here the focus is on structural studies, and their optoelectronic function is not investigated. As TIPS-Tc concentrations are increased, approaching the solubility limit, SANS data show that QD fractal-like features form, with structures possibly consistent with a diffusion limited aggregation mechanism. These, it is likely, act as heterogeneous nucleation agents for TIPS-Tc crystallization, generating agglomerates containing both QDs and TIPS-Tc. Within the TIPS-Tc crystals there seem to be three distinct QD morphologies: (i) at the crystallite centre (fractal-like QD aggregates acting as nucleating agents), (ii) trapped within the growing crystallite (giving rise to QD features ordered as sticky hard spheres), and (iii) a population of aggregate QDs at the periphery of the crystalline interface that were expelled from the growing TIPS-Tc crystal. Exposure of the QD:TIPS-Tc crystals to DMF vapour, a solvent known to be able to strip ligands from QDs, alters the spacing between PbSâhydrocinnamic acid and PbSânaphthoic acid ligated QD aggregate features. In contrast, for PbSâbenzoic acid ligated QDs, DMF vapour exposure promotes the formation of ordered QD colloidal crystal type phases. This work thus demonstrates how different QD ligand chemistries control the interactions between QDs and an organic small molecule, leading to widely differing self-assembly processes. It highlights the unique capabilities of multiscale X-ray and neutron scattering in characterising such composite materials
Stable propagation of an ordered array of cracks during directional drying
We study the appearance and evolution of an array of parallel cracks in a
thin slab of material that is directionally dried, and show that the cracks
penetrate the material uniformly if the drying front is sufficiently sharp. We
also show that cracks have a tendency to become evenly spaced during the
penetration. The typical distance between cracks is mainly governed by the
typical distance of the pattern at the surface, and it is not modified during
the penetration. Our results agree with recent experimental work, and can be
extended to three dimensions to describe the properties of columnar polygonal
patterns observed in some geological formations.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, to appear in PR
Future non-linear stability for reflection symmetric solutions of the Einstein-Vlasov system of Bianchi types II and VI
Using the methods developed for the Bianchi I case we have shown that a
boostrap argument is also suitable to treat the future non-linear stability for
reflection symmetric solutions of the Einstein-Vlasov system of Bianchi types
II and VI. These solutions are asymptotic to the Collins-Stewart solution
with dust and the Ellis-MacCallum solution respectively. We have thus
generalized the results obtained by Rendall and Uggla in the case of locally
rotationally symmetric Bianchi II spacetimes to the reflection symmetric case.
However we needed to assume small data. For Bianchi VI there is no
analogous previous result.Comment: 30 page
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