Commercial scale production of inorganic nanoparticles

This review focuses on the current trend in the commercial scale production methods of inorganic nanoparticles. The limiting factors for the scalability of synthesis methods are explained and the relationship between commercial nanoparticle materials and production methods is discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that different synthesis techniques lead to different properties of nanoparticles even when the qualities such as particle size and crystal phase appear quite similar. The production techniques of nanoparticles need to be carefully selected based not only on the scalability and production costs, but also on the properties of nanoparticles required for specific applications.

Interannual variation in pup production and the timing of breeding in benthic foraging Australian fur seals

¯Large interannual variations in reproductive success caused by fluctuations in oceanography and prey availability are common to many species of air breathing epipelagic predators. In contrast, little is known about variation in benthic foragers such as Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus). Between 1997 and 2007, pup production was assessed in 9 yr, while the timing of breeding and adult female condition was assessed in 5 yr at Kanowna Island in Bass Strait, southeastern Australia. Pup production was variable ( ¯x = 1,726 ± 42, range = 1,386–2,301), but without temporal trend, as was median birth date ( ¯x = 23 November±1, range = 21–25 November) and pupping synchrony (period of 90% births: ¯x = 28 ± 2 d, range = 23–31 d). Pup production was negatively correlated with median birth date and positively correlatedwith female condition,winter sea-surface temperature (SST) and zonal wind strength within Bass Strait. Pup production was also negatively correlated with SST in the previous summer within Bass Strait and in the eastern Great Australian Bight upwelling region. The results suggest that the reproductive success of Australian fur seals is influenced by oceanography but less so than in otariids foraging epipelagically in major upwellings. Despite spanning several El Niño events, no correlation between pup production and the Southern Oscillation Index was observed.

Oxidised mannan as a novel adjuvant inducing mucosal IgA production.

Mannan, oxidatively coupled to recombinant protein antigens, has here been tested as a possible adjuvant for the production of antibody on the mucosa. Given intranasally, but not intraperitoneally, mannan markedly enhanced the production of IgA, IgG1 and IgG2a in the serum, and IgA locally in the lung and at remote mucosal sites, including tears, vaginal and salivary secretions. Oxidative coupling was critical to its action, since neither mannan simply mixed with protein nor mannan–protein conjugates which had been reduced by treatment with sodium borohydride, acted as adjuvants. Oxidatively coupled mannan was compared with the widely studied mucosal adjuvant, cholera toxin (CT). The use of oxidised mannan as an adjuvant induced better responses than CT judged by the induction of IgA in serum, vaginal washings and saliva. Thus, oxidised mannan, which is non-toxic and can be administered without injection, is a suitable adjuvant coupled with protective antigens for vaccinating against a number of infections that occur via the mucous membranes.

Process for the production of ultrafine plate-like alumina particles

A process for producing plate-like alumina particles with a high aspect ratio is described. Nano-sized particles of an aluminium precursor compound, optionally formed by milling, are mixed with a sufficient volume fraction of a diluent and heat treated to form substantially discrete plate-like alpha alumina particles dispersed in the diluent. A mineraliser may be added to lower the effective melting point of the system. Substantially discrete plate-like particles may be formed without agitation when the heat treatment is conducted below the melting point of the diluent.

Catching gender-Identity production in flight : making the commonplace visible

The purpose of this article is to develop and illustrate an approach for making the commonplace visible in a natural, as opposed to manipulated, social setting. The key research task was to find a way of capturing the ongoing production or enactment of the self that provides some insight into the way in which it is produced in a routine, matter of fact way. The article takes a number of steps to develop a research approach to the task. First, gender-identity was selected as a more specific aspect of self-production. Second, the concept of “flashpoints” was used to refer to a particular moment in the routine which achieves some significance or salience as a result of the participants seizing upon some otherwise unremarkable action or statement and twisting it to their purpose. In this study, the purpose was gender-identity creation. Primary school children in the classroom and their teachers were the participants of the study. Through the use of flashpoints, the article demonstrates how gender-identity production of these children can be caught in flight. The article concludes that this approach can be added to the researcher’s toolkit.

Factors impacting story-grammar production in children's narrative accounts of events

This thesis examined factors associated with increased story-grammar production in police interviews with children who allege abuse. These factors included the child's age, the type of question asked and the nature of the event experienced by the child. Recommendation for improving story-grammar, which in turn enhances witness credibility, were discussed. The portfolio explored how an awareness of specific responsivity factors can inform treatment recommendations and execution in rehabilitation of offenders with substance use issues. Four case studies are presented in illustration.

Impact of training on changes in perceived stress and cytokine production

Data on training of competitive athletes and the inflammatory response, and, more specifically, the utility of psychological inventories to monitor this response in regards to overreaching is limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and inflammatory markers in elite rowers. Eight rowers (males n = 4; females n = 4) were monitored over an 8-week training period, comprising 12 sessions each week and training an average 3.11 h·d-1. Training volume was periodized weekly while intensity was maintained throughout the study. Perceived stress was measured weekly pretraining, and capillary blood samples (500 μL) were taken post-training. Significant associations between perceived stress and cytokines interleukin-6 (p < .05) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (p < .05) were observed. While further investigation of the role of cytokines in the overtraining process is required, these data provide preliminary support for an association between perceived stress and the inflammatory responses to training.

The aesthetic image : affect and the production of knowledge in practice-led research

This paper addresses the question of how we might provide practitioners with a framework for understanding how affect and aesthetic processes generate images that are implicated in the production of new knowledge in creative arts research. Drawing on the thought of Julia Kristeva, it examines the aesthetic underpinnings of discovery and the significance of this for research training and the development of more effective pedagogies both within and beyond the university.

Manipulation of dietary short chain carbohydrates alters the pattern of gas production and genesis of symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome

Background and Aim:  Reduction of short-chain poorly absorbed carbohydrates (FODMAPs) in the diet reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In the present study, we aimed to compare the patterns of breath hydrogen and methane and symptoms produced in response to diets that differed only in FODMAP content.
Methods:  Fifteen healthy subjects and 15 with IBS (Rome III criteria) undertook a single-blind, crossover intervention trial involving consuming provided diets that were either low (9 g/day) or high (50 g/day) in FODMAPs for 2 days. Food and gastrointestinal symptom diaries were kept and breath samples collected hourly over 14 h on day 2 of each diet.
Results:  Higher levels of breath hydrogen were produced over the entire day with the high FODMAP diet for healthy volunteers (181 ± 77 ppm.14 h vs 43 ± 18; mean ± SD P < 0.0001) and patients with IBS (242 ± 79 vs 62 ± 23; P < 0.0001), who had higher levels during each dietary period than the controls (P < 0.05). Breath methane, produced by 10 subjects within each group, was reduced with the high FODMAP intake in healthy subjects (47 ± 29 vs 109 ± 77; P = 0.043), but was not different in patients with IBS (126 ± 153 vs 86 ± 72). Gastrointestinal symptoms and lethargy were significantly induced by the high FODMAP diet in patients with IBS, while only increased flatus production was reported by healthy volunteers.
Conclusions:  Dietary FODMAPs induce prolonged hydrogen production in the intestine that is greater in IBS, influence the amount of methane produced, and induce gastrointestinal and systemic symptoms experienced by patients with IBS. The results offer mechanisms underlying the efficacy of the low FODMAP diet in IBS.

Fibre production by beef cows

Cattle grow and shed fibre which assists them adapt to seasonal changes in the environment. In the absence of cattle fibre production data for southern Australia, Angus, Hereford, Simmental and Limousin cows and crosses between these breeds grazing perennial pastures at Hamilton, Victoria were sampled in late winter. The fibre-growing area on the sides of cattle was measured, fibre sampled at the mid-side site and the sampling area determined. Fibre was tested for fibre diameter distribution, clean washing yield and fibre length measured. Cows were 3-7 years of age, liveweights were 412-712 kg and the mean fibre-growing area was 2.2 m². This produced an average 682 g of total fibre (range 3461-175 g). The mean fibre diameter of all fibres was 51.7 μm (range 43-62 μm) and 18% of fibres were 36 μm (range 6-39%). The clean washing yield was 92.4% (range 87.4-95.8%). Fibre length averaged 21 mm. Increasing the age, liveweight and condition score of cows and increasing weight of clean fibre were associated with significant increases in mean fibre diameter. Breed of cattle did not affect fibre production (P > 0.1) but did affect mean fibre diameter (P < 0.05). The quantity of fibre production indicates potential for low value textile production. The high level of total fibre production, twice that of an earlier report, and fibre shedding from cattle suggests that white fibre-producing animals such as Merino sheep, Angora and cashmere goats and alpaca should avoid using cattle-handling facilities, particularly in the month before shearing.

Influence of stocking rate and mixed grazing of Angora goats and Merino sheep on animal and pasture production in southern Australia : 1 : botanical composition, sward characteristics and availability of components of annual temperate pastures

The effects of animal species (AS; Angora goats, Merino sheep or goats and sheep mixed grazed together at ratio 1:1) and stocking rate (SR; 7.5, 10 and 12.5 animals/ha) on the availability, botanical composition and sward characteristics of annual temperate pastures under continuous grazing were determined in a replicated experiment from 1981 to 1984. AS and SR had significant effects on pasture availability and composition and many AS SR interactions were detected. The pastures grazed by sheep had significantly reduced content and proportion of subterranean clover and more undesirable grasses compared with those grazed by goats. There were no differences in dry matter availabilities between goat- and sheep-grazed pastures at 7.5/ha, but at 10 and 12.5/ha goat pastures had significantly increased availabilities of green grass, dead and green clover and less weeds compared with sheep pastures. There was a significant AS SR interaction for the density of seedlings in May following pasture germination. Between July and January, the height of pastures was greater under goats than sheep but from January to March pasture height declined more on goat-grazed than on sheep-grazed pastures. There was an AS SR interaction for incidence of bare ground. Increasing the SR increased bare ground in pastures grazed by sheep but no change occurred on pastures grazed by goats. Changes in pasture characteristics due to increased SR were minimised on pastures grazed by goats but the grazing of sheep caused larger and faster changes and the pastures were damaged at the highest SR. Goats did not always select the same herbage material as sheep, changed their selection between seasons and were not less selective than sheep. Angora goats were flexible grazers and continually adapted their grazing behaviour to changing herbage conditions. Goat grazing led to an increase in subterranean clover, an accumulation of dead herbage at the base of the sward, reduced bare ground, taller pastures in spring and a more stable botanical composition. Mixed-grazed pasture characteristics were altered with SR. With careful management Angora goats on sheep farms may be used to manipulate pasture composition, to speed up establishment of subterranean clover, to decrease soil erosion and to reduce weed invasion.

Influence of stocking rate and mixed grazing of Angora goats and Merino sheep on animal and pasture production in southern Australia : 2 : liveweight, body condition score, carcass yield and mortality

The effects of animal species (AS; Angora goats, Merino sheep, mixed-grazed goats and sheep at the ratio of 1:1) and stocking rate (SR; 7.5, 10 and 12.5 animals/ha) on the liveweight, body condition score, carcass yield and mortality of goats and sheep were determined in a replicated experiment on improved annual temperate pastures in southern Australia from 1981 to 1984. The pattern of liveweight change was similar for both species with growth from pasture germination in autumn until maturation in late spring followed by weight loss. In winter, sheep grew faster than goats (65 versus 10 g/day, P < 0.05). In mixed-grazed treatments between November and December goats either grew when sheep were losing weight or goats lost less weight than sheep (P < 0.01). Both AS (P < 0.001) and SR (P < 0.001) affected liveweight of sheep and an AS SR interaction (P <  0.05) affected liveweight of goats. Mixed-grazed sheep were heavier than separately grazed sheep at all SR with a mean difference at 10 and 12.5/ha of 4.6 kg. Mixed-grazed goats at 10/ha were heavier than separately grazed goats from the end of the second year of the experiment, but at 12.5/ha, separately grazed goats maintained an advantage over mixed-grazed goats, with a 9.4-kg mean difference in December (P < 0.05). Body condition scores of goats and sheep declined with increasing SR; they were highest in late spring and were highly correlated with liveweight (r² > 0.8). Both AS and SR affected (P < 0.001) carcass weight and GR tissue depth as a direct result of differences in liveweight. Adjusting for differences in carcass weight negated AS effects on GR tissue depth. The carcass weights of sheep and goats increased by similar amounts for each 1-kg increase in liveweight. Mortality of sheep (3.1% p.a.) was unaffected by AS or SR. An AS SR interaction indicated mortality of separately grazed goats at 12.5/ha and mixed-grazed goats at 10 and 12.5/ha were higher (P < 0.05) than all other goat (29 versus 9%) and sheep treatments, primarily because of increased susceptibility to cold stress. Disease prevalence differed between sheep and goats. Mixed grazing of Merino sheep and Angora goats produced complementary and competitive effects depending upon the SR. Goats used summer pasture better but winter pasture less well for liveweight gain than sheep. Angora goats should not be grazed alone or mixed grazed with sheep on annual temperate pastures at SR greater than that recommended for Merino sheep and the evidence indicates a lower SR will reduce risks associated with mortality.

Exposing young children to music through the production and presentation of music-appreciation television programs

This paper reports on a research study of the effectiveness of a series of music-appreciation activities for young children in Hong Kong. These activities were designed using world music and were presented as part of a local early childhood television program for community interest. One-undred-and-sixty-eight local preschool children (mean age 4.25) and their classroom teachers, from 16 childcare centres or kindergartens, participated in this study. Qualitative data was collected using individual structured interviews with both children and teachers. The data showed that these music-appreciation activities enriched children's musical experiences and teachers' musical repertoires in early childhood settings. Teachers also showed positive preferences to learn the activities using multimedia tools. Implications for the curriculum planning and teacher training of early childhood music education are discussed.