菲律宾蛤仔（Ruditapes philippinarum)能量代谢的研究

能量代谢指动物在进行生理活动(如摄食、消化以及动物的活动等)时所消耗能量的总和，一般以动物的呼吸率利排泄率来估计动物的能量代谢。其主要研究内容是闸明生物能量代谢的基木规律以及与环境闪子的关系。菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapesphil ippmarum)是我国一种重要的养殖贝类，关于其能量代谢的研究却较少，这种状况妨碍了菲律宾蛤仔养殖生态理论的完善和养殖技术的提高。本研究主要对菲律宾蛤仔呼吸率和排泄率的基本规律(能量代谢与体重的关系、能量代谢的昼夜变化)及其与环境因子(饵料浓度、水温、栖息底质环境)的关系进行探讨。研究结果如下：1．不同体重菲律宾蛤仔代谢率小同。实验川菲律宾蛤仔分三种大小：l(干肉重为0．07-0．14g)、ll(干肉重0．27-0．34g)、III(干肉重0．45～0．63g)。温度包括：26℃(八月)、20℃(十月)、1 5℃(十二月)、9℃(一月)。实验共设四个饵料浓度：2．28±0．25，6．454±0．44，10．284±0．82，15．414±1．56mgTPM／L(TPM，总颗粒物)，饵料中POM(颗粒有机物)含量都为4．68±1．64 mg/L。常温下菲律宾蛤仔代谢率随着体重的增大而增大。15℃、20~C、26℃时蛤仔呼吸率与干肉重呈明显的幂函数关系R=aW~b，a值变动范围为0．1076-0．3309；b值变动范围为0．239l～0．8381；蛤仔排泄率与干肉重也呈明显的幂函数关系N=aW~b，a值变动范围为14．213～68．362：b值变动范围为0．3673-1．1 532。9℃(饵料浓度为2．28±0．25mgTPM／L)、20℃(饵料浓度为10．284-0．82mgTPM／L)、26℃(饵料浓度为6．454±0．44mgTPM／L)时不同体重蛤仔氧氮比差异显著，其它情况下不同体重蛤仔氧氮比差异不显著。2．常温下菲律宾蛤仔代谢率受饵料浓度的影响，不同大小蛤仔受饵料浓度的影响程度不同。I组蛤仔呼吸率受饵料浓度的显著影响，II组III组蛤仔呼吸率只在9℃(一月)和26~C(八月)时受饵料浓度的显著影响。26℃时影响最显著，26℃时I组蛤仔在饵料浓度为2．28±0．25，6．45±0．44，l0．28±0．82，15．4l±1．56mgTPM／L时呼吸率分别是O．086，0．146，0．073，0．093(mlO_2／h)；ll组蛤仔在上述浓度饵料中呼吸率分别是0．138，0．214，0．J 26，0．12l(mlO_2／h);III组蛤仔在上述浓度饵料中呼吸率分别是0．129，0．266，0．186，0．192(mlO_2／h)。菲律宾蛤仔呼吸率在饵料浓度为6．45±0．44 mgTPM／L时最高，蛤仔呼吸率在其它饵料浓度时都会降低。菲律宾蛤仔排泄率在饵料浓度为10．28±0．82 mgTPM／L和15．4l士1．56mgTPM／L时显著高于其它浓度组，9℃时这种趋势更明显，9℃时饵料浓度为2．28±0．25，6．454±044，lO．284±0．82，15．41±1．56mgTPM／L中I组蛤仔排泄率分别是4．297，2．874，8．003，6．658(μgNH_3-N／h)；II组蛤仔在上述浓度饵料中排泄率分别是4．011，3．609，10．427，12．732(μgNH_3-N／h)；III组蛤仔在上述浓度饵料中排泄率分别是2．28 l，6．452，10．283，15．417(μgNH_3-N／h)。3．菲律宾蛤仔代谢率受自然温度的显著影Ⅱ向。I组蛤仔在9℃、15℃、20℃、26℃时呼吸率平均为0．057，0．085，0．039，O．099；II组蛤仔在上述四个温度中呼吸率平均为0．08，O．128，0．089，0．149(mlO_2／h)，I组和II组蛤仔在9℃和20~C时呼吸率较低，在26℃时呼吸率最高。III组蛤仔在上述四个温度中呼吸率平均为0．09，O．1 59，O．143，O．193(mlO_2／h)，在9℃时llI组蛤仔呼吸率显著低于其它温度组。温度为9℃、15℃、20℃、26℃时l组蛤仔排泄率平均为5．458，13．169，4．946，11．138(μgNH_3-N／h)：II组蛤仔在上述温度中排泄率平均为7．695，23．578，8．319，23．90l(μgNH_3-N／h)；III组蛤仔在上述温度中排泄率平均为11．738，27．443，15．658，35．407(μgNH_3-N／h)，蛤仔排泄率在15℃和26℃时均高于9℃和20℃。4．摄食状态与饥饿状态菲律宾蛤仔代谢率有明显不同。26℃时蛤仔静止状态呼吸率平均为0．336(m102／g干重．h)，摄食状态呼吸率平均为0．656(ml0_2干重．h)，摄食状态呼吸率比静止状态平均升高了0 32(ml0_2／g干重．h)；26℃时蛤仔静止状态排泄率平均为39．471(μgNH_3-N／g干重．h)，摄食状态排泄率平均为88．08(μgNH_3-N／g干重．h)，摄食状态排泄率比静止状态排泄率平均升高了48．6(μgNH_3-N／g干重．h)。摄食状态代谢率平均是静止状态的2～3倍。根据摄食引起的呼吸率和排泄率升高量得出每氧化产生lμgNH_3-N需0_2量平均为7．05μl。5．人工控制温度对菲律宾蛤仔代谢率有明显影响。不同大小蛤仔受温度的影响程度不同。在温度5℃、10℃、l 5℃、20℃、26℃，I组和II组蛤仔呼吸率都随着温度的升高而升高，在10℃～l5℃和20℃～26℃这二个温度变化范围内呼吸率变化最大，在20℃～26℃时I组蛤仔呼吸率变动范围为O．85～1．04(m10_2／g干重．h)、II组蛤仔变动范围为0．57～0．86(ml0_2／g干重．h)。III组蛤仔呼吸率只在5℃～l0℃时明显增高，变动范围为0．09～0．5l(m10_2／g干重．h)，在10℃～26℃范围内变化不大。I组和II组蛤仔排泄率随着温度的升高而升高，变动幅度较大，在5℃～26℃范围内其排泄率变动范围为10．32～81．53(μgNH_3-N／g干重．h)；而 III组蛤仔排泄率只在5℃～15℃时随着温度的升高而升高，其排泄率变动范围为6．75～23．77(μgNH_3-N/g干重．h)，在15℃～26℃范围内几乎不变。III组蛤仔的适温范围比I组和II组蛤仔广。菲律宾蛤仔在5℃和10℃时氧氮比变化明显，变动范围为2．76～11．44，在15～26℃时变化不大。6．菲律宾蛤仔代谢率有明显的日节律性，呈正弦曲线型变化。蛤仔夜问代谢率明显升高。I组蛤仔夜间呼吸率平均为0．867(m10_2／g干重．h)，白天呼吸率平均为O．504(m10_2／g干重．h)；II组蛤仔夜间呼吸率平均为0．438(m10_2／g干重．h)，白天呼吸率平均为0．36l(m102／g干重．h)；III组蛤仔夜间呼吸率平均为0．409(m10_2／g干重．h)，白天呼吸率平均为0．252(m102／g干重．h)。在22：00-23：00菲律宾蛤仔呼吸率最高。7．底质环境对菲律宾蛤仔的代谢率有明显影响。在饥饿状态下菲律宾蛤仔在泥沙底质中呼吸率平均为l 406(m10_2／g干重h)，在无泥沙环境中呼吸率平均为O．963(ml0_2／g干重．h)；摄食状态下菲律宾蛤仔在泥沙底质中呼吸率平均为1．59l(m102／g干重．h)，在无泥沙环境中呼吸率平均为1．115(m10_2／g干重．h)。在饥饿状态下菲律宾蛤仔在泥沙底质中排泄率平均为78．934(μgNH_3-N／g 干重．h)，在无泥沙环境巾排泄率平均为45．043(μgNH_3-N／g干重．h)；摄食状态下菲律宾蛤仔在泥沙底质中排泄率平均为87．12l(μgNH_3-N／g干重．h)，在无泥沙底质中排泄率平均为58．354(μgNH_3-N／g干重．h)。蛤仔在泥沙环境中呼吸率和排泄率都明显升高。

The complete mitochondrial genome of the ridgetail white prawn Exopalaemon carinicauda Holthuis, 1950 (Crustacean: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) revealed a novel rearrangement of tRNA genes

The complete mitochondrial (mt) DNA sequence was determined for a ridgetail white prawn, Exopalaemon carinicauda Holthuis, 1950 (Crustacea: Decopoda: Palaemonidae). The mt genome is 15,730 bp in length, encoding a standard set of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, which is typical for metazoans. The majority-strand consists of 33.6% A, 23.0% C, 13.4% G, and 30.0% T bases (AT skew = 0.057: GC skew = -0.264). A total of 1045 bp of non-coding nucleotides were observed in 16 intergenic regions,,including a major A+ T rich (79.7%) noncoding region (886 bp). A novel translocation of tRNA(Pro) and tRNA(Thr) was found when comparing this genome with the pancrustacean ground pattern indicating that gene order is not conserved among caridean mitochondria. Furthermore, the rate of Ka/Ks in 13 protein-coding genes between three caridean species is Much less than 1, which indicates a strong Purifying selection within this group. To investigate the phylogenetic relationship within Malacostraca, phylogenetic trees based oil Currently available malacostracan complete mitochondrial sequences were built with the maximum likelihood and Bayesian models. All analyses based oil nucleotide and amino acid data strongly support the monophyly of Decapoda. The Penaeidae, Reptantia, Caridea, and Meiura clades were also recovered as monophyletic groups with Strong Statistical Support. However, the phylogenetic relationships within Pleocyemata are unstable, as represented by the inclusion or exclusion of Caridea. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustained response to selection in an introduced population of the hermaphroditic bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians Lamarck (1819)

Introduced species often start with limited genetic variability, which is problematic for selective breeding. The problem of inbreeding can be exasperated by hermaphroditism. The bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians is a hermaphroditic species that has been introduced to and now supports a major aquaculture industry in China. Positive response to selection for fast growth was observed in one of the less inbred stocks in a previous study. In this study, we evaluated selection for the second generation to determine if response to selection can be sustained in this introduced population of a hermaphroditic species. Response to selection, realized heritability for the second generation, cumulative (over two generations), current (for the second generation) and residual (from the first generation) genetic gains were estimated by comparing three different types of lines: SS (selected for two generation), SC (selected for the first generation only) and CC (unselected for two generations). The SS line grew significantly faster (P < 0.05) than the other two lines, indicating that the second generation selection for faster growth is still effective. Response to selection and realized heritability for the second generation were 0.612 +/- 0.101 and 0.349 +/- 0.057, respectively, which are similar to those observed for the first generation. The cumulative, current, and residual gains were 17.56 +/- 5.30%, 10.63 +/- 2.46%, and 6.25 +/- 3.13%, respectively. The sustained response to selection for the second generation observed here suggests that considerable genetic variability exists in this population and that future efforts on selective breeding are likely to be fruitful. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of two relations in L-fuzzy contexts

In the analysis of relations among the elements of two sets it is usual to obtain different values depending on the point of view from which these relations are measured. The main goal of the paper is the modelization of these situations by means of a generalization of the L-fuzzy concept analysis called L-fuzzy bicontext. We study the L-fuzzy concepts of these L-fuzzy bicontexts obtaining some interesting results. Specifically, we will be able to classify the biconcepts of the L-fuzzy bicontext. Finally, a practical case is developed using this new tool.

Neural Models of Temporally Organized Behaviors: Handwriting Production and Working Memory

Advanced Research Projects Agency (ONR N00014-92-J-4015); Office of Naval Research (N00014-91-J-4100, N00014-92-J-1309)

ENIGMA and the individual: Predicting factors that affect the brain in 35 countries worldwide.

In this review, we discuss recent work by the ENIGMA Consortium (http://enigma.ini.usc.edu) - a global alliance of over 500 scientists spread across 200 institutions in 35 countries collectively analyzing brain imaging, clinical, and genetic data. Initially formed to detect genetic influences on brain measures, ENIGMA has grown to over 30 working groups studying 12 major brain diseases by pooling and comparing brain data. In some of the largest neuroimaging studies to date - of schizophrenia and major depression - ENIGMA has found replicable disease effects on the brain that are consistent worldwide, as well as factors that modulate disease effects. In partnership with other consortia including ADNI, CHARGE, IMAGEN and others(1), ENIGMA's genomic screens - now numbering over 30,000 MRI scans - have revealed at least 8 genetic loci that affect brain volumes. Downstream of gene findings, ENIGMA has revealed how these individual variants - and genetic variants in general - may affect both the brain and risk for a range of diseases. The ENIGMA consortium is discovering factors that consistently affect brain structure and function that will serve as future predictors linking individual brain scans and genomic data. It is generating vast pools of normative data on brain measures - from tens of thousands of people - that may help detect deviations from normal development or aging in specific groups of subjects. We discuss challenges and opportunities in applying these predictors to individual subjects and new cohorts, as well as lessons we have learned in ENIGMA's efforts so far.

Clinician judgment vs formal scales for predicting intracerebral hemorrhage outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of formal prognostic instruments vs subjective clinical judgment with regards to predicting functional outcome in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: This prospective observational study enrolled 121 ICH patients hospitalized at 5 US tertiary care centers. Within 24 hours of each patient's admission to the hospital, one physician and one nurse on each patient's clinical team were each asked to predict the patient's modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months and to indicate whether he or she would recommend comfort measures. The admission ICH score and FUNC score, 2 prognostic scales selected for their common use in neurologic practice, were calculated for each patient. Spearman rank correlation coefficients (r) with respect to patients' actual 3-month mRS for the physician and nursing predictions were compared against the same correlation coefficients for the ICH score and FUNC score. RESULTS: The absolute value of the correlation coefficient for physician predictions with respect to actual outcome (0.75) was higher than that of either the ICH score (0.62, p = 0.057) or the FUNC score (0.56, p = 0.01). The nursing predictions of outcome (r = 0.72) also trended towards an accuracy advantage over the ICH score (p = 0.09) and FUNC score (p = 0.03). In an analysis that excluded patients for whom comfort care was recommended, the 65 available attending physician predictions retained greater accuracy (r = 0.73) than either the ICH score (r = 0.50, p = 0.02) or the FUNC score (r = 0.42, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Early subjective clinical judgment of physicians correlates more closely with 3-month outcome after ICH than prognostic scales.

Measurement of ratios of fragmentation fractions for bottom hadrons in pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV

This paper describes the first measurement of b-quark fragmentation fractions into bottom hadrons in Run II of the Tevatron Collider at Fermilab. The result is based on a 360pb-1 sample of data collected with the CDF II detector in pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV. Semileptonic decays of B̄0, B-, and B̄s0 mesons, as well as Λb0 baryons, are reconstructed. For an effective bottom hadron pT threshold of 7GeV/c, the fragmentation fractions are measured to be fu/fd=1.054±0.018(stat)-0.045+0.025(sys)±0. 058(B), fs/(fu+fd)=0.160±0.005(stat)-0.010+0.011(sys)-0.034+0.057(B), and fΛb/(fu+fd)=0.281±0.012(stat)-0.056+0.058(sys)-0.087+0.128(B), where the uncertainty B is due to uncertainties on measured branching ratios. The value of fs/(fu+fd) agrees within one standard deviation with previous CDF measurements and the world average of this quantity, which is dominated by LEP measurements. However, the ratio fΛb/(fu+fd) is approximately twice the value previously measured at LEP. The approximately 2σ discrepancy is examined in terms of kinematic differences between the two production environments. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Tree diameter distribution modelling: introducing the logitlogistic distribution

Johnson's SB distribution is a four-parameter distribution that is transformed into a normal distribution by a logit transformation. By replacing the normal distribution of Johnson's SB with the logistic distribution, we obtain a new distributional model that approximates SB. It is analytically tractable, and we name it the "logitlogistic" (LL) distribution. A generalized four-parameter Weibull model and the Burr XII model are also introduced for comparison purposes. Using the distribution "shape plane" (with axes skew and kurtosis) we compare the "coverage" properties of the LL, the generalized Weibull, and the Burr XII with Johnson's SB, the beta, and the three-parameter Weibull, the main distributions used in forest modelling. The LL is found to have the largest range of shapes. An empirical case study of the distributional models is conducted on 107 sample plots of Chinese fir. The LL performs best among the four-parameter models.

Sistema integrado para empresas de construcción en Cusco

Actualmente las empresas requieren estrategias innovadoras, que permitan gestionar de forma integral, optimizando los recursos y maximizando los resultados. Siendo el objetivo del presente trabajo de investigación, diseñar un instrumento de gestión integral (gestión de la calidad, ambiental, seguridad y salud ocupacional) para el sector construcción en Cusco. Se realizó un análisis actual de la actividad de construcción, se planteó a diferencia de otras propuestas, el diseño que inicia con el diagnóstico, planificación, organización, ejecución, supervisión y optimización del sistema integral. Los resultados están expresados en el diagnóstico de los 3 sistemas, información clave, para el planteamiento y propuesta de las etapas posteriores; estructurando el planteamiento de los subprogramas basados en el diagnóstico integral, para finalmente determinar los lineamientos estratégicos, de implementación, evaluación y verificación del sistema, teniendo en cuenta la norma ISO 9001: 2008, ISO 14001:2004 y OSHAS 18001:2007; así como la legislación vigente para el Perú.

Las Comisiones del Mapa de España en la década de 1850

La necesidad de contar con un mapa de base científica que cubriera todo el territorio español llevó al Estado a crear en paralelo varias Comisiones con cometidos geodésicos, topográficos y cartográficos durante la década de 1850. La labor simultánea de estas Comisiones se prolongó hasta 1859, cuando se aprobó la Ley de Medición del Territorio, que las fusionó en un único organismo. Este artículo analiza aspectos técnicos de los trabajos que realizaron estas Comisiones a partir de la información contenida en algunos documentos que custodia el Archivo Topográfico del IGN. Las conclusiones que se extraen son que estas Comisiones acometieron operaciones geodésicas que resultaron cruciales en el establecimiento ulterior de la red de triangulación peninsular, realizaron mediciones topográficas que fueron reutilizadas veinte años después en el levantamiento del Mapa Topográfico Nacional, e idearon las características catastrales que fueron adoptadas durante todo el siglo posterior para el Catastro de España.

Influence of ABCB1 polymorphisms and haplotypes on tacrolimus nephrotoxicity and dosage requirements in children with liver transplant

AIMS
The aim of this study was to investigate the in?uence of genetic polymorphisms in ABCB1 on the incidence of nephrotoxicity and tacrolimus dosage-requirements in paediatric patients following liver transplantation.
METHODS
Fifty-one paediatric liver transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus were genotyped for ABCB1 C1236>T, G2677>T and C3435>T polymorphisms. Dose-adjusted tacrolimus trough concentrations and estimated glomerular ?ltration rates (EGFR) indicative of renal toxicity were determined and correlated with the corresponding genotypes.
RESULTS
The present study revealed a higher incidence of the ABCB1 variant-alleles examined among patients with renal dysfunction (30% reduction in EGFR) at 6 months post-transplantation (1236T allele: 63.3% vs 37.5% in controls,P = 0.019; 2677T allele: 63.3% vs. 35.9%, p = 0.012; 3435T allele: 60% vs. 39.1%,P = 0.057). Carriers of the G2677->T variant allele also had a signi?cant reduction (%) in EGFR at 12 months post-transplant (mean difference = 22.6%; P = 0.031). Haplotype analysis showed a signi?cant association between T-T-T haplotypes and an increased incidence of nephrotoxicity at 6 months post-transplantation (haplotype-frequency = 52.9% in nephrotoxic patients vs 29.4% in controls; P = 0.029). Furthermore, G2677->T and C3435->T polymorphisms and T-T-T haplotypes were signi?cantly correlated with higher tacrolimus dose-adjusted pre-dose concentrations at various time points examined long after drug initiation.
CONCLUSIONS
These ?ndings suggest that ABCB1 polymorphisms in the native intestine signi?cantly in?uence tacrolimus dosage-requirement in the stable phase after transplantation. In addition, ABCB1 polymorphisms in paediatric liver transplant recipients may predispose them to nephrotoxicity over the ?rst year posttransplantation. Genotyping future transplant recipients for ABCB1 polymorphisms, therefore, could have the potential to individualize better tacrolimus immunosuppressive therapy and enhance drug safety

An improved elastic-viscoplastic soil model

This paper develops an improved and accessible framework for modelling time-dependent behaviour of soils using the concepts of elasticity and viscoplasticity. The mathematical description of viscoplastic straining is formulated based on a purely viscoplastic and measurable phenomenon, namely creep. The resulting expression for the viscoplastic strain rates includes a measure of both effective stress and the corresponding volumetric packing of the soil particles. In this way, the model differs from some earlier viscoplastic models and arguably provides a better conceptual description of time-dependent behaviour. Analytical solutions are developed for the simulation of drained and undrained strain-controlled triaxial compression tests. The model is then used to back-analyze the measured response of normally consolidated to moderately overconsolidated specimens of a soft estuarine soil in undrained triaxial compression. The model captures aspects of soil behaviour that cannot be simulated using time-independent elastic–plastic models. Specifically, it can capture the dependence of stress–strain relationships and undrained shear strength on strain rate, the development of irrecoverable plastic strains at constant stress (creep), and the relaxation of stresses at constant strain

Effectiveness of different footbath solutions in the treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cows

Three experiments were conducted to test the effectiveness of different footbath solutions and regimens in the treatment of digital dermatitis (DD) in dairy cows. During the study, groups of cows walked through allocated footbath solutions after milking on 4 consecutive occasions. All cows were scored weekly for DD lesion stage on the hind feet during milking. A “transition grade” was assigned on the basis of whether the DD lesions improved (1) or deteriorated or did not improve (0) from week to week. This grade per cow was averaged for all cows in the group. In experiment 1, 118 cows were allocated to 1 of 3 footbath treatments for 5 wk: (1) 5% CuSO4 each week, (2) 2% ClO- each week, or (3) no footbath (control). The mean transition grade, and proportion of cows without DD lesions at the end of the trial were significantly higher for treatment 1 above (0.36, 0.13, and 0.11, respectively; standard error of the difference, SED=0.057). In experiment 2, 117 cows were allocated to 1 of 4 footbath treatment regimens for 8 wk: (1) 5% CuSO4 each week, (2) 2% CuSO4 each week, (3) 5% CuSO4 each fortnight, or (4) 2% CuSO4 each fortnight. For welfare reasons, cows allocated to the weekly and fortnightly footbath regimens had an average prevalence of >60% and =25% active DD at the start of the trial, respectively. Significantly more cows had no DD lesions (0.53 vs. 0.36, respectively; SED=0.049), and the mean transition grade of DD lesions was higher in the 5% compared with the 2% weekly CuSO4 treatment (0.52 vs. 0.38, respectively; SED=0.066). Similarly, significantly more cows had no DD lesions in the 5% compared with the 2% fortnightly CuSO4 treatments (0.64 vs. 0.47, respectively; SED=0.049). In experiment 3, 95 cows were allocated to 1 of 3 footbath treatments: (1) each week alternating 5% CuSO4 with 10% salt water, (2) each week alternating 5% CuSO4 with water, or (3) 5% CuSO4 each fortnight (control). After 10 wk, more cows had no DD in the salt water treatment than in the control treatment (0.35 vs. 0.26, respectively; SED=0.038), but levels of active lesions were higher for this treatment than in the other 2 treatments (0.17, 0.00, and 0.13, respectively; SED=0.029). Treatment did not affect mean transition grade of DD lesions. In conclusion, CuSO4 was the only footbath solution that was consistently effective for treatment of DD. In cases when DD prevalence was high, a footbath each week using 5% CuSO4 was the most effective treatment.

Remediation of phenol-contaminated water by adsorption using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)

Recently polymeric adsorbents have been emerging as highly effective alternatives to activated carbons for pollutant removal from industrial effluents. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polymerized using the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) technique has been investigated for its feasibility to remove phenol from aqueous solution. Adsorption equilibrium and kinetic investigations were undertaken to evaluate the effect of contact time, initial concentration (10-90 mg/L), and temperature (25-55 degrees C). Phenol uptake was found to increase with increase in initial concentration and agitation time. The adsorption kinetics were found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The intra-particle diffusion analysis indicated that film diffusion may be the rate controlling step in the removal process. Experimental equilibrium data were fitted to five different isotherm models namely Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich, Temkin and Redlich-Peterson by non-linear least square regression and their goodness-of-fit evaluated in terms of mean relative error (MRE) and standard error of estimate (SEE). The adsorption equilibrium data were best represented by Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson isotherms. Thermodynamic parameters such as Delta G degrees and Delta H degrees indicated that the sorption process is exothermic and spontaneous in nature and that higher ambient temperature results in more favourable adsorption. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.