无介体双室微生物燃料电池产电性能初步研究

本文对无介体双室微生物燃料电池的产电性能进行了初步研究，并根据不同运行阶段产电性能的优劣，对其中微生物的差异性进行了比较分析。全文分为两个部分： 第一部分：以乙酸钠为阳极原料构建双室微生物燃料电池（MFC），研究不同阴极受体、外接电阻、乙酸钠浓度和pH等因素对电池产电性能的影响，研究结果表明：在500mL的阴阳极反应体系中，选用乙酸钠作为阳极底物，质量浓度为6.46 g/L， pH 7.0，接入500Ω外电阻，阴极电子受体选择高锰酸钾的情况下，微生物燃料电池产电性能最好，最大电功率密度达到294.72 mW/m2，库伦效率能达到25.87%。在确定最适外接电阻阻值的同时对MFC内阻进行测定，阻值为871.87Ω。 第二部分：微生物燃料电池运行中，比较以厌氧污泥作为接种源的第一阶段和只接入附着有大量微生物电极的第二阶段的产电性能，得出第二阶段产电性能优于第一阶段，最大电功率密度达到353.57mW/m2，比第一阶段提高58.85 mW/m2；库伦效率为39.35%，增幅达52％左右；针对微生物燃料电池运行过程中，底物CH3COONa可能存在其它的代谢途径，本实验进行了第二阶段产电性能与CH3COONa消耗率关系以及阳极液面上方气体成分和含量的研究，发现第二阶段50h前CH3COONa的大量消耗主要用于微生物的生长，在整个运行过程中，阳极液面上方含有CH4和CO2；对气体测定的同时还发现，振荡能增强电功率密度的输出；通过对电极上和污泥中微生物差异性分析得出，δ-变形菌纲、β-变形菌纲和拟杆菌门的菌种更适应微生物燃料电池的运行环境，能在电极上大量富集，提高电池的产电性能，只接入附着有大量微生物的电极能有效降低热袍菌纲的菌种数量，降低了CH3COONa的无为消耗，有效提高了电池的库伦效率。 Electricity production in the mediator-less two-chambered microbial fuel cell(MFC) was researched. Based on the result in the different operation phase in the MFC, the microbial diversity was analysed. The paper involved two parts: Part 1: A two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) was constructed with high-concentration sodium acetate as fuel in the anode. The influence of different electron acceptors in the cathode, external resistance value, pH value and concentration of sodium acetate on electricity generation in MFC was investigated. The result showed that the maximum power density of 294.72 mW/m2 and the coulombic efficiency of 25.87% was achieved at sodium acetate concentration of 6.46 g/L, pH 7.0, external resistance 500Ωin the anode and when using potassium permanganate as electron acceptor in the cathode. While decided the value of resistor, we found that shaking has effect on electricity production in the MFC. Part 2: Comparing the electricity production in different operation phases when using anaerobic sludge as inoculum in the first phase and microbes in the anodic electrode as inoculum in the second phase, the result showed that electricity production in the second phase was more than that in the first phase, the maximum power density of 353.57 mW/m2 and the coulombic efficiency of 39.35% was achieved, 58.85 mW/m2 and 52％ more than that in the first phase, respectively. According to the fact that CH3COONa might be metabolized in other pathway in the running process in the MFC, we determining the relationship between electricity production and CH3COONa consumption, and the gas content in the anode, we found that CH3COONa was mainly used for microbe growth before 50h, and the anode contained CH4 and CO2. At the same time, we found that shaking could improve power density. The analysis on diversity of microbe in the anodic electrode and anaerobic sludge showed that δ-proteobacterium, β-proteobacterium and Bacteroidetes adapted themselves to the running environment of MFC. The anode could enrich them to improve the electricity production while reduced the quantity of Thermotogales, which were obligately anaerobic organotrophs with a fermentative metabolism, to increase the coulombic efficiency effectively.

AMPEROMETRIC GLUCOSE SENSOR WITH FERROCENE AS AN ELECTRON-TRANSFER MEDIATOR

A glucose oxidase (GOD) electrode with ferrocene (Fc) used as an electron transfer mediator has been described. Using Nafion, Fc was modified on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface, and glucose oxidase was then immobilized on the Fc-Nafion film, forming a GOD-Fc-Nafion enzyme electrode. The preparation method was quite simple and rapid. The enzyme electrode showed a reversible reaction of the redox couple (Fc+/Fc), used in a biosensor system, displayed a sensitive catalytic current response (response time was less than 20 s) on variation of the glucose concentration, with a wide linear range up to 16 mM and with good repeatability. The enzyme electrode showed almost no deterioration over the course of three weeks. There was little or no interference from electro-active anions, such as ascorbic acid, to the determination of glucose based on Nafion film and lower oxidizing potentials of the enzyme electrode.

S100A4 is a molecular mediator of endometrial carcinoma invasion

The molecular mechanisms of endometrail cancer invasion are poorly understood. S100A4, a member of the S100 Ca2+-binding protein family, was identified by oligonucleotide microarray qRT-PCR, and IHC, to be highly overexpressed in invasive endometrial carcinomas compared to non-invasive tumors. HEC-1A endometrial cancer cells transfected with S100A4 siRNA had undetectable S100A4 protein, decreased migration and invasion. The mechanism of S100A4 upregulation in endometrial cancer remains unclear. Methylation of the S100A4 gene was detected in benign endometrial glands and grade 1 tumors with no S100A4 expression. In contrast, grade 3 endometrioid tumors with high S100A4 expression showed no methylation of the gene. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine, an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase, induced the expression of S100A4 in the less invasive EC cell line, KLE, in which the S100A4 gene is hypermethylated and minimally expressed. S100A4 was induced during TGF-β1-triggered cell scattering in HEC-1A cells, in which S100A4 was demethylated. Transfection of HEC-1A cells with S100A4 siRNA significantly reduced the effect of TGF-β1 on basal migration and invasion. Our preliminary data suggested that this upregulation was mediated by the transcription factor Snail. One Snail binding consensus site was found in the region where DNA methylation was closely correlated with S100A4 gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay confirmed the binding of Snail to this consensus site in HEC-1A cells. In SPEC2 endometrial cancer cells, loss of Snail leads to repressed S100A4 gene expression. Similar to S100A4, Snail was overexpressed in aggressive endometrial tumors. Our study suggested that the S100A4 gene was demethylated and further upregulated by the TGF-β1 and Snail pathway in invasive endometrial cancer. S100A4 could potentially serve as a good molecular marker for invasiveness and a target for therapeutic intervention for advanced endometrial cancer. ^

Tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2 is a mediator of NF-kappa B activation by latent infection membrane protein 1, the Epstein-Barr virus transforming protein.

Latent infection membrane protein 1 (LMP1), the Epstein-Barr virus transforming protein, associates with tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) associated factor 1 (TRAF1) and TRAF3. Since TRAF2 has been implicated in TNFR-mediated NF-kappa B activation, we have evaluated the role of TRAF2 in LMP1-mediated NF-kappa B activation. TRAF2 binds in vitro to the LMP1 carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic domain (CT), coprecipitates with LMP1 in B lymphoblasts, and relocalizes to LMP1 plasma membrane patches. A dominant negative TRAF2 deletion mutant that lacks amino acids 6-86 (TRAF/ delta 6-86) inhibits NF-kappa B activation from the LMP1 CT and competes with TRAF2 for LMP1 binding. TRAF2 delta 6-86 inhibits NF-kappa B activation mediated by the first 45 amino acids of the LMP1 CT by more than 75% but inhibits NF-kappa B activation through the last 55 amino acids of the CT by less than 40%. A TRAF interacting protein, TANK, inhibits NF-kappa B activation by more than 70% from both LMP1 CT domains. These data implicate TRAF2 aggregation in NF-kappa B activation by the first 45 amino acids of the LMP1 CT and suggest that a different TRAF-related pathway may be involved in NF-kappa B activation by the last 55 amino acids of the LMP1 CT.

Less popular but more democratic? Corrie, Clarkson and the dancing Cru

The central cultural experience of modernity has been change, both the ‘creative destruction’ of existing structures, and the growth, often exponential, of new knowledge. During the twentieth century, the central cultural platform for the collective experience of modernising societies changed too, from page and stage to the screen – from publishing, the press and radio to cinema, television and latterly computer screens. Despite the successive dominance of new media, none has lasted long at the top. The pattern for each was to give way to a successor platform in popularity, but to continue as part of an increasingly crowded media menu. Modern media are supplemented not supplanted by their successors.

The Australian election survey: the tale of the rabbit-less hat. Voting behaviour in 2007

This paper examines voter attitudes and behaviour at the 2007 Australian federal election., using data from the Australian Election Study. It considers socio-demographic factors as well as the role of policy issues and voter evaluations of the party leaders. The paper concludes that issues, such as the government's WorkChoices policy, as well as health and leadership contributed to Labor's victory.

Effect of surgical approach on bone vascularisation, fracture and soft tissue healing : comparison of less invasive to open approach

Over the past ten years, minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) for the fixation of long bone fractures has become a clinically accepted method with good outcomes, when compared to the conventional open surgical approach (open reduction internal fixation, ORIF). However, while MIPO offers some advantages over ORIF, it also has some significant drawbacks, such as a more demanding surgical technique and increased radiation exposure. No clinical or experimental study to date has shown a difference between the healing outcomes in fractures treated with the two surgical approaches. Therefore, a novel, standardised severe trauma model in sheep has been developed and validated in this project to examine the effect of the two surgical approaches on soft tissue and fracture healing. Twenty four sheep were subjected to severe soft tissue damage and a complex distal femur fracture. The fractures were initially stabilised with an external fixator. After five days of soft tissue recovery, internal fixation with a plate was applied, randomised to either MIPO or ORIF. Within the first fourteen days, the soft tissue damage was monitored locally with a compartment pressure sensor and systemically by blood tests. The fracture progress was assessed fortnightly by x-rays. The sheep were sacrificed in two groups after four and eight weeks, and CT scans and mechanical testing performed. Soft tissue monitoring showed significantly higher postoperative Creatine Kinase and Lactate Dehydrogenase values in the ORIF group compared to MIPO. After four weeks, the torsional stiffness was significantly higher in the MIPO group (p=0.018) compared to the ORIF group. The torsional strength also showed increased values for the MIPO technique (p=0.11). The measured total mineralised callus volumes were slightly higher in the ORIF group. However, a newly developed morphological callus bridging score showed significantly higher values for the MIPO technique (p=0.007), with a high correlation to the mechanical properties (R2=0.79). After eight weeks, the same trends continued, but without statistical significance. In summary, this clinically relevant study, using the newly developed severe trauma model in sheep, clearly demonstrates that the minimally invasive technique minimises additional soft tissue damage and improves fracture healing in the early stage compared to the open surgical approach method.

Less food for thought : impact of attentional instructions on intrusive thoughts about snack foods

Intrusive thoughts about food may play a role in unhealthy eating behaviours. Food-related thoughts that capture attention can lead to craving and further intrusive thoughts (Kavanagh, Andrade, & May, 2005). We tested whether diverting attention to mental images or bodily sensations would reduce the incidence of intrusive thoughts about snack foods. In two experiments, participants reported their thoughts in response to probes during three 10 min periods. In the Baseline and Post-task period, participants were asked to let their mind wander. In the middle, Experimental, period, participants followed mind wandering (Control), thought diversion, or Thought Suppression instructions. Self-directed or Guided Imagery, Mindfulness-based Body Scanning, and Thought Suppression all reduced the proportion of thoughts about food, compared to Baseline. Following Body Scanning and Thought Suppression, food thoughts returned to Baseline frequencies Post-task, rather than rebounding. There were no effects of the interventions upon craving, although overall, craving and thought frequency were correlated. Thought control tasks may help people to ignore thoughts about food and thereby reduce their temptation to snack.

Robust mean super-resolution for less cooperative NIR iris recognition at a distance and on the move

Less cooperative iris identification systems at a distance and on the move often suffers from poor resolution. The lack of pixel resolution significantly degrades the iris recognition performance. Super-resolution has been considered to enhance resolution of iris images. This paper proposes a pixelwise super-resolution technique to reconstruct a high resolution iris image from a video sequence of an eye. A novel fusion approach is proposed to incorporate information details from multiple frames using robust mean. Experiments on the MBGC NIR portal database show the validity of the proposed approach in comparison with other resolution enhancement techniques.

Carbon financing and the Australian emissions trading scheme : less emissions, more opportunities?

The introduction by the Australian federal government of its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme was a decisive step in the transformation of Australia into a low carbon economy. Since the release of the Scheme, however, political discourse relating to environmental sustainability and climate change in Australia has focused primarily on political, scientific and economic issues. Insufficient attention has been paid to the financial opportunities which commoditisation of the carbon market may offer, and little emphasis has been placed on the legal implications for the creation of a "new" asset and market. This article seeks to shed some light on the discernable opportunities which the Scheme should provide to participants in the Australian and international debt markets.