Electron-blocking hole-transport polyterpenol thin films

The carrier blocking property of polyterpenol thin films derived from non-synthetic precursor is studied using Electric Field Induced Optical Second Harmonic Generation (EFISHG) technique that can directly probe carrier motion in organic materials. A properly biased double-layer MIM device with a structure of indium zinc oxide (IZO)/polyterpenol/C₆₀/Al shows that by incorporating the polyterpenol thin film, the electron transport can be blocked while the hole transport is allowed. The inherent electron blocking hole transport property is verified using Al/C₆₀/Alq3/polyterpenol/IZO and Al/Alq3/polyterpenol/IZO structures. The rectifying property of polyterpenol is very promising and can be utilized in the fabrication of many organic devices.

A high-density association screen of 155 ion transport genes for involvement with common migraine

The clinical overlap between monogenic Familial Hemiplegic Migraine (FHM) and common migraine subtypes, and the fact that all three FHM genes are involved in the transport of ions, suggest that ion transport genes may underlie susceptibility to common forms of migraine. To test this leading hypothesis, we examined common variation in 155 ion transport genes using 5257 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a Finnish sample of 841 unrelated migraine with aura cases and 884 unrelated non-migraine controls. The top signals were then tested for replication in four independent migraine case-control samples from the Netherlands, Germany and Australia, totalling 2835 unrelated migraine cases and 2740 unrelated controls. SNPs within 12 genes (KCNB2, KCNQ3, CLIC5, ATP2C2, CACNA1E, CACNB2, KCNE2, KCNK12, KCNK2, KCNS3, SCN5A and SCN9A) with promising nominal association (0.00041 < P < 0.005) in the Finnish sample were selected for replication. Although no variant remained significant after adjusting for multiple testing nor produced consistent evidence for association across all cohorts, a significant epistatic interaction between KCNB2 SNP rs1431656 (chromosome 8q13.3) and CACNB2 SNP rs7076100 (chromosome 10p12.33) (pointwise P = 0.00002; global P = 0.02) was observed in the Finnish case-control sample. We conclude that common variants of moderate effect size in ion transport genes do not play a major role in susceptibility to common migraine within these European populations, although there is some evidence for epistatic interaction between potassium and calcium channel genes, KCNB2 and CACNB2. Multiple rare variants or trans-regulatory elements of these genes are not ruled out.

Optimal dynamic inversion-based semi-active control of benchmark bridge using MR dampers

A new two-stage state feedback control design approach has been developed to monitor the voltage supplied to magnetorheological (MR) dampers for semi-active vibration control of the benchmark highway bridge. The first stage contains a primary controller, which provides the force required to obtain a desired closed-loop response of the system. In the second stage, an optimal dynamic inversion (ODI) approach has been developed to obtain the amount of voltage to be supplied to each of the MR dampers such that it provides the required force prescribed by the primary controller. ODI is formulated by optimization with dynamic inversion, such that an optimal voltage is supplied to each damper in a set. The proposed control design has been simulated for both phase-I and phase-II study of the recently developed benchmark highway bridge problem. The efficiency of the proposed controller is analyzed in terms of the performance indices defined in the benchmark problem definition. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach generally reduces peak response quantities over those obtained from the sample semi-active controller, although some response quantities have been seen to be increasing. Overall, the proposed control approach is quite competitive as compared with the sample semi-active control approach.

Impact of low temperature storage on active and storage forms of folate in choy sum (Brassica rapa subsp parachinensis)

Choy sum (Brassica rapa subsp. parachinensis) is a dark green leafy vegetable that contains high folate (vitamin B9) levels comparable to spinach. Folate is essential for the maintenance of human health and is obtained solely through dietary means. Analysis of the edible portion of choy sum by both microbiological assay and LC-MS/MS indicated that total folate activity remained significantly unchanged over 3 weeks storage at 4 degrees C. Inedible fractions consisted primarily of outer leaves, which showed signs of rotting after 14d, and a combination of rotting and yellowing after 21 d, contributing to 20% and 40% of product removal, respectively. Following deconjugation of the folate present in choy sum to monoglutamate and diglutamate derivatives, the principal forms (vitamers) of folate detected in choy sum were 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyl tetrahydrofolate, followed by tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5,10-methenyl-THF, and 10-formyl folic acid. During storage, a significant decline in 5-formyl-THF was observed, with a slight but not significant increase in the combined 5-methyl-THF derivatives. The decline in 5-formyl-THF in relation to the other folate vitamers present may indicate that 5-formyl-THF is being utilised as a folate storage reserve, being interconverted to more metabolically active forms of folate, such as 5-methyl-THF. Although folate vitamer profile changed over the storage period, total folate activity did not significantly change. From a human nutritional perspective this is important, as while particular folate vitamers (e.g. 5-methyl-THF) are necessary for maintaining vital aspects of plant metabolism, it is less important to the human diet, as humans can absorb and interconvert multiple forms of folate. The current trial indicates that it is possible to store choy sum for up to 3 weeks at 4 degrees C without significantly affecting total folate concentration of the edible portion. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracking and identifying wastewater toxicants and assessing their biodegradation products

Screening of wastewater effluents from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants with biotests showed that the treated wastewater effluents possess only minor acute toxic properties towards whole organisms (e.g. bacteria, algae, daphnia), if any. In vitro tests (sub-mitochondrial membranes and fish hepatocytes) were generally more susceptible to the effluents. Most of the effluents indicated the presence of hormonally active compounds, as the production of vitellogenin, an egg yolk precursor protein, was induced in fish hepatocytes exposed to wastewater. In addition, indications of slight genotoxic potential was found in one effluent concentrate with a recombinant bacteria test. Reverse electron transport (RET) of mitochondrial membranes was used as a model test to conduct effluent assessment followed by toxicant characterisations and identifications. Using a modified U.S. EPA Toxicity Identification Evaluation Phase I scheme and additional case-specific methods, the main compound in a pulp and paper mill effluent causing RET inhibition was characterised to be an organic, relatively hydrophilic high molecular weight (HMW) compound. The toxicant could be verified as HMW lignin by structural analyses using nuclear magnetic resonance. In the confirmation step commercial and in-house extracted lignin products were used. The possible toxicity related structures were characterised by statistical analysis of the chemical breakdown structures of laboratory-scale pulping and bleaching effluents and the toxicities of these effluents. Finally, the biological degradation of the identified toxicant and other wastewater constituents was evaluated using bioassays in combination with chemical analyses. Biological methods have not been used routinely in establishing effluent discharge limits in Finland. However, the biological effects observed in this study could not have been predicted using only routine physical and chemical effluent monitoring parameters. Therefore chemical parameters cannot be considered to be sufficient in controlling effluent discharges especially in case of unknown, possibly bioaccumulative, compounds that may be present in small concentrations and may cause chronic effects.

Mechanisms of transmembrane cation transport studied by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Several molecules like ionophores, vitamins, ion-binding cyclic peptides, acidic phospholipids, surfactants are known to expose the inner side of vesicles, to the externally added cations. Whereas ionophores and certain other systems bring about these changes by a selective transport (influx) of the cation by specialized mechanisms known as the carrier and channel mechanism, other systems cause lysis and vesicle fusion. These systems have been successfully studied using1H,31 P and13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy after the demonstration, fifteen years ago, of the ability of paramagnetic lanthanide ions to distinguish the inside of the vesicle from the outside. The results of these ’nuclear magnetic resonance kinetics’ experiments are reviewed.

Very-high-Q inductor simulation for active tuned filters

Abstract is not available.

Regulating supply chains to protect road transport workers: An early assessment of the road safety remuneration tribunal

The Road Safety Remuneration Act 2012 (Cth) (the Act) explicitly enables the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal to make orders that can impose binding requirements on all the participants in the road transport supply chain, including consignors and consignees at the apex the chain, for the pay and safety of both employee and independent contractor drivers. The tribunal is also specifically empowered to make enforceable orders to reduce or remove remuneration related incentives and pressures that contribute to unsafe work practices in the road transport industry. Recently the tribunal handed down its first order. The article considers whether, and the degree to which, the tribunal has been willing to exercise its explicit power to impose enforceable obligations on consignors and consignees — such as large supermarket chains — at the apex of road transport supply chains. It examines the substance and extent of the obligations imposed by the tribunal, including whether the tribunal has exercised the full range of powers vested in it by the Act. We contend that the tribunal’s first order primarily imposes obligations on direct work providers and drivers without making large, powerful consignors and consignees substantively responsible for driver pay and safety. We argue that the tribunal’s first order could have more comprehensively fulfilled the objectives of the Act by more directly addressing the root causes of low pay and poor safety in the road transport industry.

Circulating concentrations of leptin, ovarian follicle number, and oocyte lipid content and active mitochondria, in Zebu crossbred cows maintained on standard or improved nutrition

Zebu (Bos indicus) crossbred beef cows (Droughtmaster) were maintained long-term (16 months) on standard nutrition (SN) or improved nutrition (IN). Cows on IN had better body condition and greater (P<0.05) circulating concentrations of leptin than cows on SN (0.7±0.1n/ml and 1.7±0.1n/ml, respectively). There were no outstanding differences between SN and IN cows in basal number of ovarian follicles (≤4mm, 5-8mm, and≥9mm) and there were also no differences in number of oocytes recovered by oocyte pick-up. Cows on IN had a greater (P<0.05) number of total follicles after stimulation with FSH than cows on SN. Oocytes from cows on IN had greater (P<0.05) lipid content than cows on SN (-0.23±0.16 and 0.20±0.18 arbitrary units, respectively) and oocytes of the former cows also tended to have more active mitochondria, although this was not significant. Cows on IN showed a positive relationship (R2=0.31, P<0.05) between plasma leptin and oocyte lipid content. Lipids are utilized by oocytes during high energy consumptive processes including fertilization and early cleavage. The greater lipid content of oocytes from IN cows could therefore confer a reproductive advantage. The present study has shown relationships between nutrition, body condition, circulating leptin, and oocyte lipid content, but a clear cause-and-effect requires further investigation in the cow. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Harvesting, packing, postharvest technology, transport and processing

This chapter provides updated information on avocado fruit quality parameters, sensory perception and maturity, production and postharvest factors affecting quality defects, disinfestation and storage (including pre-conditioning), predicting outturn quality and processing.

Transport of sugars by the fat body of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The transport of glucose and α-methyl glucoside into the fat body of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., has been studied. Glucose is transported into the tissue by a mechanism similar to facilitated diffusion and α-methyl glucoside by a diffusion process. The uptake of these sugars is neither energy dependent nor coupled to a phosphotransferase system.

Active vibration suppression of non-linear beams using optimal dynamic inversion

Euler–Bernoulli beams are distributed parameter systems that are governed by a non-linear partial differential equation (PDE) of motion. This paper presents a vibration control approach for such beams that directly utilizes the non-linear PDE of motion, and hence, it is free from approximation errors (such as model reduction, linearization etc.). Two state feedback controllers are presented based on a newly developed optimal dynamic inversion technique which leads to closed-form solutions for the control variable. In one formulation a continuous controller structure is assumed in the spatial domain, whereas in the other approach it is assumed that the control force is applied through a finite number of discrete actuators located at predefined discrete locations in the spatial domain. An implicit finite difference technique with unconditional stability has been used to solve the PDE with control actions. Numerical simulation studies show that the beam vibration can effectively be decreased using either of the two formulations.

Can Nano Silicon Be Made Optically Active?

There has been a lot of effort to make Silicon optically active. In this work we examine two methods of generating nanocrystals of Silicon from bulk fragments. This approach of ours allows us to play with the shape of the nanocrystals and therefore the degeneracy of the conduction band minimum. We go on to examine whether similar sized particles with different shapes have the same physical properties, and finally whether Silicon may be rendered optically active by this route. While we do find that similar sized particles with different shapes may have different band gaps, this route of modifying the degeneracy of the conduction band minimum makes nano Si slightly optically active.