Electronic Structure and Chemical Bonding in the Lowest Electronic States of TcN

Multiconfiguration second-order perturbation theory, with the inclusion of relativistic effects and spin-orbit Coupling, was employed to investigate the nature of the ground and low-lying Lambda-S and Omega states of the TcN molecule. Spectroscopic constants, effective bond order, and potential energy curves for 13 low-lying Lambda-S states and 5 Omega states are given, The computed ground state of TcN is of Omega = 3 symmetry (R(e) = 1.605 angstrom and omega(e) = 1085 cm(-1)), originating mainly from the (3)Delta Lambda-S ground state. This result is contrasted with the nature of the ground state for other VIIB transtion-metal mononitrides, including X(3)Sigma(-) symmetry for MnN and Omega = 0(+) symmetry for ReN, derived also from a X(3)Sigma(-) state.

Temperature variability and childhood pneumonia : an ecological study

Background Few data on the relationship between temperature variability and childhood pneumonia are available. This study attempted to fill this knowledge gap. Methods A quasi-Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag nonlinear model was used to quantify the impacts of diurnal temperature range (DTR) and temperature change between two neighbouring days (TCN) on emergency department visits (EDVs) for childhood pneumonia in Brisbane, from 2001 to 2010, after controlling for possible confounders. Results An adverse impact of TCN on EDVs for childhood pneumonia was observed, and the magnitude of this impact increased from the first five years (2001–2005) to the second five years (2006–2010). Children aged 5–14 years, female children and Indigenous children were particularly vulnerable to TCN impact. However, there was no significant association between DTR and EDVs for childhood pneumonia. Conclusions As climate change progresses, the days with unstable weather pattern are likely to increase. Parents and caregivers of children should be aware of the high risk of pneumonia posed by big TCN and take precautionary measures to protect children, especially those with a history of respiratory diseases, from climate impacts.

列车通信网络容错机制研究及关键通信逻辑的仿真

本文是对列车通信网络（TCN）的容错性第一次比较系统、比较全面地进行深入的分析和总结，并基于此分析的基础上对列车通信网络（TCN）的容错性进行了评估并提出了相关的改进建议，例如MVB使用8比特的CRC校验码、使用全冗余、与其它列车总线标准结合使用等。除此而外，本文还对列车通信网络（TCN）的关键通信逻辑进行了仿真，并得出了相关的数据，为实际物理网络的开发提供了一定的实验性数据参考。 随着计算机通信和网络控制技术、嵌入式电子控制技术、工业控制技术以及故障诊断技术的快速发展，现代列车控制系统已从集中型的直接数字控制系统发展成为基于网络的分布式车载微机控制系统，并结合以现场控制总线技术，使得列车通信在互操作性、智能化、实时性、可靠性方面性能不断提升，从而出现了各种应用于列车网络通信方面的技术，如基于CAN总线的列车通信，基于LonWorks的列车通信，基于工业以太网的列车通信等，但是由于上述几种技术的普适性，在列车通信对强实时性、高可靠性方面不能够完全满足，从而出现了专门用于列车通信的TCN网络技术。伴随着TCN标准不断完善，特别是2007年发布的IEC61375标准族和即将发布的最新版（第三版）的IEC61375，对列车网络的通信细节有了明确的规定，使得列车通信领域在建立一个完整的、高可靠性、强实时性、良好互操作性的列车通信网络方面有了长足的进步。 由于列车通信的特殊性，高可靠性永远是第一位的要求。要保证系统的可靠性，就要求列车通信在特殊应用场景下能够安全地工作，也即相应的部件能够在容错性方面有相应的保证机制。本文很重要的一部分内容即是对TCN容错机制的研究，并结合可靠性工程理论对相应的容错机制进行可靠性分析。 除此以外，由于TCN通信网络技术在列车通信网络技术方案中不断上升的市场占有率，相关的网络实现与部署也变的愈发重要。在现代的通信网络的开发过程中，使用仿真系统对通信网络进行提前的建模仿真，对标准中规定和说明的核心逻辑进行验证，对系统的相关属性进行实验仿真测试，得出相应的仿真数据，如影响网络通信性能的主要因素及各个因素与性能的关系，网络通信实时性的关键因素及可能的瓶颈等，从而为实际的物理网络的开发和部署提供可靠的数据参考，以避免物理网络开发中出现的可能问题，降低开发成本，提高开发效率。这种仿真先行的开发模式已经非常流行，特别是对一些网络复杂度比较高、通信逻辑比较复杂的通信网络。 显然TCN正是一种网络复杂度高、通信逻辑复杂的网络通信系统，本文使用仿真准确度高且得到理论界和工程界广泛认可的OPNET作为仿真工具，来对TCN的两个关键的通信逻辑进行仿真，即MVB的主权转移和WTB的初运行逻辑。 基于此，本文首先介绍了文中所涉及的相关理论基础，主要包括网络通信的容错机制、可靠性工程理论、网络仿真系统的原理并对OPNET进行了简要说明。此处的说明贯穿整个文章来作为相关的理论基础和相关的分析工具。 接着，根据TCN标准族的组成，分别对构成TCN的两个总线协议进行说明。按照顺序，首先对MVB总线进行了说明，包括其通信过程，MVB的主权转移逻辑，主要通信协议层的说明，最后对MVB的容错机制进行了详细的分析与研究，特别是对传输的完整性和设备冗余进行了详细的说明与分析。其次对WTB总线进行了研究，与MVB的类似，首先说明了其通信过程，及各个主要通信协议层，与MVB相似的予以简要说明，与MVB不同的，如WTB网关节点进行了详细的说明。最后说明了WTB的容错机制，同样类似于MVB，简化相似部分，主要说明了WTB特有的容错机制，如WTB网关节点的容错性等。 基于对MVB和WTB总线的相关说明及对其容错性的研究，在第五章，本文站在TCN作为一个完整的通信协议的角度总结了TCN的容错机制，并且结合通用的网络通信容错机制与TCN通信协议的特殊性提出了几点关于容错性的建议。 鉴于网络仿真对于实际的物理网络开发的重要性，在研究完TCN的主要容错机制后，本文开始对TCN中的两个关键通信逻辑进行了建模与仿真，使用OPNET作为仿真工具，设定相关的网络仿真参数，得出相应的帧时延等关键属性，并且验证了相关的关键数据流与通信逻辑。此处的关键逻辑选取的是MVB的主权转移和WTB的初运行，二者在TCN的通信逻辑中具有重要的作用。 最后，结合对TCN通信网络容错性的研究与分析，与对TCN关键逻辑的仿真，对整个文章进行了总结，并结合工程与理论上的研究方向对TCN的未来及相关的技术进行了展望。

Uma abordagem nebulosa para solução de problemas de diagnóstico, investigação e tratamento de desordens.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar uma abordagem integrada para diagnóstico, investigação e tratamentos de desordens (doenças, falhas de computadores, etc.). Nesta nova abordagem, denominada Teoria das Coberturas Nebulosas (TCN), o conhecimento é basicamente modelado através de associações causais e a inferência é abdutiva. Conceitos de Parsimonious Covering Theory (PCT), lógica nebulosa e teoria de decisão são também integrados, de maneira a tratar os vários aspectos inerentes aos processos envolvidos em raciocínio clínico. Por exemplo, a possibilidade de diversas desordens estarem conjuntamente causando um conjunto de manifestações, a manipulação de informações temporais, a consideração de condições favoráveis ao desenvolvimento de uma desordem, a incapacidade do especialista em oferecer conhecimento generalizado desprovido de incerteza e/ou imprecisão, a manipulação de fatores cruciais na tomada de decisão nas tarefas de investigação e tratamento como o custo e o risco são alguns dos aspectos abordados neste trabalho. A validação do modelo teórico foi realizada em fitopatologia, abordando especificamente a diagnose, investigação e tratamento de doenças de milho. Entretanto, devido a sua generalidade, espera-se que os desenvolvimentos teóricos obtidos possam ser aplicados para resolver problemas de diagnóstico em outras áreas de conhecimento.

Taxpayers Coalition Niagara fonds

Taxpayers Coalition Niagara (TCN) was founded and incorporated in 1990 in response to the increasing tax burden faced by citizens, and the sometimes questionable use of taxpayers’ money by the government. Originally founded as the Committee for Responsible Government, the name was changed to Taxpayers Coalition Niagara in order to facilitate membership in a similar provincial organization, Taxpayers Coalition Ontario. The non-partisan Coalition was comprised of businessmen from St. Catharines, with Frank Sheehan as President. The objectives of the Coalition included individual freedom and responsibility; obtaining maximum value for tax dollars; identifying and exposing irresponsible government policy and practice; the reduction of debt at all levels of government; the elimination of wasteful and unnecessary programmes; encouraging elected officials to regain control of their bureaucracies; and discouraging ‘empire building’ within local government. Early in 1991, the Coalition began advertising for members and financial support, receiving $11 000 from 1100 supporters. The membership consisted of both businesses and private citizens, eventually reaching 3500 members. The Coalition formed several committees, each one responsible for monitoring a public sector, such as municipal councils, school boards, police services and regional council. The Coalition worked towards achieving their objectives through presentations given to these groups by the committee leaders, as well as through ‘letters to the Editor’ and advertisements in local newspapers. Frank Sheehan resigned as President in 1995, in order to run as a Conservative candidate in the Provincial election. In June 1995, Charles Atkinson was elected President. The recent election of the Conservative government (led by Mike Harris) resulted in the expectation that many of the Coalition’s objectives would be achieved by the newly elected government. Accordingly, it was decided that the organization would operate in a reduced capacity. The Coalition was terminated in April, 2003, after several years of little or no activity.

Il était une fois une cible et un distracteur : électrophysiologie des mécanismes corticaux de l'attention visuelle en perception et en mémoire.

Cet ouvrage explore en trois volets des aspects du traitement attentionnel de cibles et de distracteurs visuels ainsi que leur mesures électrophysiologiques. Le premier chapitre aborde le traitement attentionnel spécifique à la cible et aux distracteurs durant une recherche visuelle. La division de la N2pc en une NT et une PD remet en question la théorie proposant qu'il existe systématiquement une activité attentionnelle liée à un distracteur saillant, car un distracteur vert ne provoque aucune activité latéralisée propre. Le second chapitre aborde la question de la latéralisation des structures responsables du maintient et de la récupération d'information en mémoire visuelle à court-terme. En utilisant un paradigme de latéralisation de la cible et du distracteur, il nous est possible de vérifier qu'il existe une composante latéralisée négative dans la région temporale, la TCN, propre à la cible lors du rappel en mémoire. De plus, on observe également une composante latéralisée pour le distracteur sur la partie postérieure du crâne. Ces deux éléments convergent pour indiquer qu'il existe une latéralisation des structures activées lors de la récupération de l'information en mémoire visuelle à court-terme en fonction de l'hémichamps où se trouve la cible ou le distracteur. Enfin, dans le troisième chapitre, il est question de l'effet sur le déploiement attentionnel de l'ajout de distracteurs gris de faible saillance autour de cibles potentielles. L'ajout de ces distracteurs augmente la difficulté d'identification de la cible. Cette difficulté provoque un déplacement de l'activité de la N2pc vers la fenêtre de temps associée à la composante Ptc. Un nombre plus important de distracteurs gris entraîne une plus grande proportion de l'activité à être retardée. Également, les distracteurs gris qui sont placés entre les cibles potentielles provoquent un retard plus important que les distracteurs placés hors de cette région. Au cours de cette thèse, la question de la saillance attentionnelle des différentes couleurs durant une recherche visuelle est récurente. Nous observons une plus grande saillance du rouge par rapport au vert quand ils sont distracteurs et le vert est plus difficile à distinguer du gris que le jaune.

Removal of dyes by lignocellulose adsorbents originating from biodiesel production

In this study, use was made of tucumã cake, in natura (TCN) and thermally treated (TCT), as potential alternative adsorbents for the adsorption of cationic and anionic dyes. The effects of the parameters: contact time, adsorbent: adsorbate mass ratio, and initial concentration of dye were analyzed. The adsorption isotherms were established from optimized adsorption parameters. The best conditions for adsorption were: equilibrium time of 7 h, concentration of 25 mg L 1 and ratio of 1:200 for the methylene blue dye; and pH 6.5, concentration of 25 mg L 1 and ratio of 1:200 for the congo red dye. The adsorption process was best represented by the Dubinin–Radushkevich and Sips isotherms. The kinetics of adsorption of the dyes were best described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Elovich models. TCT showed the best maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) for the methylene blue dye (63.92 mg g 1 ).

In Vitro Development and Cell Allocation After Aggregation of Syngeneic Wild Type and Fluorescence-Expressing Bovine Cloned Embryos

Background: The in vitro production (IVP) of embryos by in vitro fertilization or cloning procedures has been known to cause epigenetic changes in the conceptus that in turn are associated with abnormalities in pre- and postnatal development. Handmade cloning (HMC) procedures and the culture of zona-free embryos in individual microwells provide excellent tools for studies in developmental biology, since embryo development and cell allocation patterns can be evaluated under a wide range of embryo reconstruction arrangements and in in vitro embryo culture conditions. As disturbances in embryonic cell allocation after in vitro embryo manipulations and unusual in vivo conditions during the first third of pregnancy appear to be associated with large offspring, embryo aggregation procedures may allow a compensation for epigenetic defects between aggregated embryos or even may influence more favorable cell allocation in embryonic lineages, favoring subsequent development. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro embryo developmental potential and the pattern of cell allocation in blastocysts developed after the aggregation of handmade cloned embryos produced using syngeneic wild type and/or transgenic somatic cells. Materials, Methods & Results: In vitro-matured bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) were manually bisected after cumulus and zona pellucida removal; then, two enucleated hemi-oocytes were paired and fused with either a wild type (WT) or a GFP-expressing (GFP) fetal skin cell at the 11th and 19th passages, respectively. Following chemical activation, reconstructed cloned embryos and zona-free parthenote embryos were in vitro-cultured in microwells, for 7 days, either individually (1 x 100%) or after the aggregation of two structures (2 x 100%) per microwell, as follows: (G1) one WT cloned embryo; (G2) two aggregated WT embryos; (G3) one GFP cloned embryo; (G4) two aggregated GFP embryos; (G5) aggregation of a WT embryo and a GFP embryo; (G6) one parthenote embryo; or (G7) two aggregated parthenote embryos. Fusion (clones), cleavage (Day 2), and blastocyst (Day 7) rates, and embryonic cell allocation were compared by the. 2 or Fisher tests. Total cell number (TCN) in blastocysts was analyzed by the Student's test (P < 0.05). Fusion and cleavage rates, and cell allocation were similar between groups. On a per WOW basis, development to the blastocyst stage was similar between groups, except for lower rates of development seen in G3. However, when based on number of embryos per group (one or two), blastocyst development was higher in G1 than all other groups, which were similar between one another. Cloned GFP embryos had lower in vitro development to the blastocyst stage than WT embryos, which had more TCN than parthenote or aggregated chimeric WT/GFP embryos. Aggregated GFP embryos had fewer cells than the other embryo groups. Discussion: The in vitro development of GFP cloned embryos was lower than WT embryos, with no effects on cell allocation in resulting blastocysts. Differences in blastocyst rate between groups were likely due to lower GFP-expressing cell viability, as GFP donor cells were at high population cell doublings when used for cloning. On a per embryo basis, embryo aggregation on Day 1 resulted in blastocyst development similar to non-aggregated embryos on Day 7, with no differences in cell proportion between groups. The use of GFP-expressing cells was proven a promising strategy for the study of cell allocation during embryo development, which may assist in the elucidation of mechanisms of abnormalities after in vitro embryo manipulations, leading to the development of improved protocols for the in vitro production (IVP) of bovine embryos.

Clostridium difficile: Entdeckung und Charakterisierung der autokatalytischen Prozessierung von Toxin B

Clostridium difficile, der Auslöser der nosokomialen Antibiotika-assoziierten Durchfälle und der Pseudomembranösen Kolitis, besitzt zwei Hauptvirulenzfaktoren: die Toxine A und B. In vorangegangenen Veröffentlichungen wurde gezeigt, dass Toxin B durch einen zytosolischen Faktor der eukaryotischen Zielzelle während des Aufnahmeweges in die Zelle gespalten wird. Nur die N-terminale katalytische Domäne erreicht das Zytosol. Hierbei wurde davon ausgegangen, dass eine Protease der Zielzelle die Spaltung katalysiert. In dieser Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Spaltung von Toxin B ein intramolekularer Prozess ist, der zytosolisches Inositolphosphat der Zielzelle als Kofaktor zur Aktivierung der intrinsischen Protease benötigt. Die Freisetzung der katalytischen Domäne durch Inositolphosphat-induzierte Spaltung ist nicht nur das Prinzip des Clostridium difficile Toxin B sondern auch des Toxin A, als auch des alpha Toxin von Clostridium novyi und das Letale Toxin von Clostridium sordellii. Der kovalente Inhibitor von Aspartatproteasen 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propan (EPNP), wurde dazu verwendet die intrinsische Protease von Toxin B zu blockieren und ermöglichte die Identifikation des katalytischen Zentrums. EPNP modifiziertes Toxin B verliert die intrinsische Proteaseaktivität und Zytotoxizität, aber wenn es direkt in das Zytosol der Wirtszelle injiziert ist, bleibt die Toxizität erhalten. Diese ist damit der erste Bericht eines bakteriellen Toxins, das eukaryotische Signale zur induzierten Autoproteolyse nutzt, um seine katalytisch-toxische Domäne in das Zytosol der Zielzelle freizusetzen. Durch diese Ergebnisse kann das Modell der Toxin-Prozessierung nun um einen weiteren entscheidenden Schritt vervollständigt werden.

UPTAKE, METABOLISM, AND METABOLIC EFFECTS OF THE ANTITUMOR TRICYCLIC NUCLEOSIDE, 3-AMINO-1, 5-DIHYDRO-5-METHYL-1-BETA-D-RIBOFURANOSYL-1, 4, 5, 6, 8 PENTAAZAACENAPHTHYLENE

The uptake, metabolism, and metabolic effects of the antitumor tricyclic nucleoside (TCN, NSC-154020) were studied in vitro. Uptake of TCN by human erythrocytes was concentrative, resulting mainly from the rapid intracellular phosphorylation of TCN. At high TCN doses, however, unchanged TCN was also concentrated within the erythrocytes. The initial linear rate of TCN uptake was saturable and obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. TCN was metabolized chiefly to its 5'-monophosphate not only by human erythrocytes but also by wild-type Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. In addition, three other metabolites were detected by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of these metabolites were elucidated by ultraviolet spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and further confirmed by incubations with catabolic enzymes and intact wild-type or variant CHO cells. All were novel types of oxidative degradation products of TCN. Two are proposed to be (alpha) and (beta) anomers of a D-ribofuranosyl nucleoside with a pyrimido{4,5-c}pyridazine-4-one base structure. The third metabolite is most likely the 5'-monophosphate of the (beta) anomer. A CHO cell line deficient in adenosine kinase activity failed to phosphorylate either TCN or the (beta) anomer. No further phosphorylation of the 5'-monophosphates by normal cells occurred. Although the pathways leading to the formation of these TCN metabolites have not been proven, a mechanism is proposed to account for the above observations. The same adenosine kinase-deficient CHO cells were resistant to 500 (mu)M TCN, while wild-type cells could not clone in the presence of 20 (mu)M TCN. Simultaneous addition of purines, pyrimidines, and purine precursors failed to reverse this toxicity. TCN-treatment strongly inhibited formate or glycine incorporation into ATP and GTP of wild-type CHO cells. Hypoxanthine incorporation inhibited to a lesser degree, with the inhibition of incorporation into GTP being more pronounced. Although precursor incorporation into GTP was inhibited, GTP concentrations were elevated rather than reduced after 4-hr incubations with 20 (mu)M or 50 (mu)M TCN. These results suggested an impairment of GTP utilization. TCN (50 (mu)M) inhibited leucine and thymidine incorporation into HClO(,4)-insoluble material to 30-35% of control throughout 5-hr incubations. Incorporation of five other amino acids was inhibited to the same extent as leucine. Pulse-labeling assays (45 min) with uridine, leucine, and thymidine failed to reveal selective inhibition of DNA or protein synthesis by 0.05-50 (mu)M TCN; however, the patterns of inhibition were similar to those of known protein synthesis inhibitors. TCN 5'-monophosphate inhibited leucine incorporation by rabbit reticulocyte lysates; the inhibition was 2000 times less potent than that of cycloheximide. The 5'-monophosphate failed to inhibit a crude nuclear DNA-synthesizing system. Although TCN 5'-monophosphate apparently inhibits purine synthesis de novo, its cytotoxicity is not reversed by exogenous purines. Consequently, another mechanism such as direct inhibition of protein synthesis is probably a primary mechanism of toxicity. ^

Transient sediment supply in a high-altitude Alpine environment evidenced through a 10Be budget of the Etages catchment (French Western Alps)

Although beryllium-10 (10Be) concentrations in stream sediments provide useful synoptic views of catchment-wide erosion rates, little is known on the relative contributions of different sediment supply mechanisms to the acquisition of their initial signature in the headwaters. Here we address this issue by conducting a 10Be-budget of detrital materials that characterize the morphogenetic domains representative of high-altitude environments of the European Alps. We focus on the Etages catchment, located in the Ecrins-Pelvoux massif (southeast France), and illustrate how in situ 10Be concentrations can be used for tracing the origin of the sand fraction from the bedload in the trunk stream. The landscape of the Etages catchment is characterized by a geomorphic transient state, high topographic gradients, and a large variety of modern geomorphic domains ranging from glacial environments to scarcely vegetated alluvial plains. Beryllium-10 concentrations measured in the Etages catchment vary from similar to 1 x 104 to 4.5 x 105 atoms per gram quartz, while displaying consistent 10Be signatures within each representative morphogenetic unit. We show that the basic requirements for inferring catchment-wide denudation from 10Be concentration measurements are not satisfied in this small, dynamic catchment. However, the distinct 10Be signature observed for the geomorphic domains can be used as a tracer. We suggest that a terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) budget approach provides a valuable tool for the tracing of material origin in basins where the let nature do the averaging' principles may be violated.

Residue 225 determines the Na(+)-induced allosteric regulation of catalytic activity in serine proteases.

Residue 225 in serine proteases is typically Pro or Tyr and specifies an important and unanticipated functional aspect of this class of enzymes. Proteases with Y225, like thrombin, are involved in highly specialized functions like blood coagulation and complement that are exclusively found in vertebrates. In these proteases, the catalytic activity is enhanced allosterically by Na+ binding. Proteases with P225, like trypsin, are typically involved in digestive functions and are also found in organisms as primitive as eubacteria. These proteases have no requirement for Na+ or other monovalent cations. The molecular origin of this physiologically important difference is remarkably simple and is revealed by a comparison of the Na+ binding loop of thrombin with the homologous region of trypsin. The carbonyl O atom of residue 224 makes a key contribution to the coordination shell of the bound Na+ in thrombin, but is oriented in a manner incompatible with Na+ binding in trypsin because of constraints imposed by P225 on the protein backbone. Pro at position 225 is therefore incompatible with Na+ binding and is a direct predictor of the lack of allosteric regulation in serine proteases. To directly test this hypothesis, we have engineered the thrombin mutant Y225P. This mutant has lost the ability to bind Na+ and behaves like the allosteric slow (Na(+)-free) form. The Na(+)-induced allosteric regulation also bears on the molecular evolution of serine proteases. A strong correlation exists between residue 225 and the codon used for the active site S195. Proteases with P225 typically use a TCN codon for S195, whereas proteases with Y225 use an AGY codon. It is proposed that serine proteases evolved from two main lineages: (i) TCN/P225 with a trypsin-like ancestor and (ii) AGY/Y225 with a thrombin-like ancestor. We predict that the Na(+)-induced allosteric regulation of catalytic activity can be introduced in the TCN/P225 lineage using the P225Y replacement.

Removal of antibiotic compounds by adsorption using glycerol-based carbon materials

This study is focused on the synthesis and application of glycerol-based carbon materials (GBCM200, GBCM300 and GBCM350) as adsorbents for the removal of the antibiotic compounds flumequine and tetracycline from aqueous solution. The synthesis enrolled the partial carbonization of a glycerol-sulfuric acid mixture, followed by thermal treatments under inert conditions and further thermal activation under oxidative atmosphere. The textural properties were investigated through N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, and the presence of oxygenated groups was discussed based on zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) data. The kinetic data revealed that the equilibrium time for flumequine adsorption was achieved within 96 h, while for tetracycline, it was reached after 120 h. Several kinetic models, i.e., pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, fractional power, Elovich and Weber–Morris models, were applied, finding that the pseudo-second order model was the most suitable for the fitting of the experimental kinetic data. The estimated surface diffusion coefficient values, Ds, of 3.88 and 5.06 10 14 m2 s 1, suggests that the pore diffusion is the rate limiting step of the adsorption process. Finally, as it is based on SSE values, Sips model well-fitted the experimental FLQ and TCN adsorption isotherm data, followed by Freundlich equation. The maximum adsorption capacities for flumequine and tetracycline was of 41.5 and 58.2 mg g 1 by GBCM350 activated carbon.

Multi-Agent Information Processing and Adaptive Control in Global Telecommunication and Computer Networks

The problems and methods for adaptive control and multi-agent processing of information in global telecommunication and computer networks (TCN) are discussed. Criteria for controllability and communication ability (routing ability) of dataflows are described. Multi-agent model for exchange of divided information resources in global TCN has been suggested. Peculiarities for adaptive and intelligent control of dataflows in uncertain conditions and network collisions are analyzed.