Imaging of spatial distributions of the millimeter wave intensity by using visible continuum radiation from a discharge in a Cs–Xe mixture. Part I: Review of the method and its fundamentals

The first part of the review is presented which is dedicated to the time-resolved method of imaging and measuring the spatial distribution of the intensity of millimeter waves by using visible continuum (VC) emitted by the positive column (PC) of a dc discharge in a mixture of cesium vapor with xenon. The review focuses on the operating principles, fundamentals, and applications of this new technique. The design of the discharge tube and experimental setup used to create a wide homogeneous plasma slab with the help of the Cs–Xe discharge at a gas pressure of 45 Torr are described. The millimeter-wave effects on the plasma slab are studied experimentally. The mechanism of microwave-induced variations in the VC brightness and the causes of violation of the local relation between the VC brightness and the intensity of millimeter waves are discussed. Experiments on the imaging of the field patterns of horn antennas and quasi-optical beams demonstrate that this technique can be used for good-quality imaging of millimeter-wave beams in the entire millimeter-wavelength band. The method has a microsecond temporal resolution and a spatial resolution of about 2 mm. Energy sensitivities of about 10 μJ/cm² in the Ka-band and about 200 μJ/cm² in the D-band have been demonstrated.     

Proline excretion in Escherichia coli: A comparison of an argD + strain and a proline-excreting argD − derivative

In an attempt to deduce the physiological basis of proline excretion in argD ^– strains of Escherichia coli K12, several properties of an argD ⁺ (nonexcreting) and an argD ^– (excreting) derivative were compared. No difference was found in the transport or in the utilization of either proline or its immediate precursor, ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (PCA). Furthermore, no differences were found in the physical or kinetic properties of partially purified preparations of the enzyme mediating the final step in proline biosynthesis, PCA reductase. The specific activity of PCA reductase was, however, consistently higher in crude extracts prepared from the argD ^– mutant.This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Public Health Service No. AI-10862) and The University of Connecticut Research Foundation (to C. M. B.). J. J. R. was supported by an NDEA Predoctoral Fellowship.     

Life cycle inventory processes of the ArcelorMittal Poland (AMP) S.A. in Kraków,Poland—basic oxygen furnace steel production

Purpose  

The goal of this paper is to describe the life cycle inventory (LCI) approach to steel produced by ArcelorMittal’s Basic Oxygen Furnace (AMBOF) in Kraków, Poland. The present LCI is representative for the reference year 2005 by application of PN-EN ISO 14040:2009 (PN-EN ISO 2009). The system boundaries were labeled as gate-to-gate (covering a full chain process of steel production). The background input and output data from the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking process has been inventoried as follows: pig iron, scrap, slag forming materials (CaO), ferroalloys, Al, carbon and graphite carburizer (material for carburization of steel), isolating powder, consumption of energy and fuels including natural gas, blast furnace gas and coke oven gas, electric energy, steam, air, oxygen, industrial water and heat, emission of air pollutants, waste, internal transport and land use.     

Difference in blood oxygen levels in the outflow vessels of the heart of an air-breathing fish,Channa argus: Do separate blood streams exist in a teleostean heart?

Summary Two mass-crossings between individualsTalitrus saltator from populations differing in theorical escape direction (TED) were made (Fig. 1). In sun orientation tests, the F₁ offspring of two Tyrrhenian populations differing 125 ° in TED, placed in the sun for the first time, headed in an intermediate direction between the TEDs of the parents (Fig. 3). In another crossing the F₁ offspring of two populations differing 174 ° in TED (a Tyrrhenian and an Adriatic population) showed random orientation (Fig. 4, bottom). Hypotheses are given on the mechanism of genetic control which could explain both the initial results from crossings and specific aspects of the inherited behavioural trait (circularity, continuity, variability in space and time).Abbreviations TED theorical escape direction - L-D cycle light-dark cycle - IED innate escape direction     

A qualitative analysis of the regulation of cyclic electron flow around photosystem I from the post-illumination chlorophyll fluorescence transient in Arabidopsis: a new platform for the in vivo investigation of the chloroplast redox state

A transient in chlorophyll fluorescence after cessation of actinic light illumination, which has been ascribed to electron donation from stromal reductants to plastoquinone (PQ) by the NAD(P)H-dehydrogenase (NDH) complex, was investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana. The transient was absent in air in a mutant lacking the NDH complex (ndhM). However, in ndhM, the transient was detected in CO₂-free air containing 2% O₂. To investigate the reason, ndhM was crossed with a pgr5 mutant impaired in ferredoxin (Fd)-dependent electron donation from NADPH to PQ, which is known to be redundant for NDH-dependent PQ reduction in the cyclic electron flow around photosystem I (PSI). In ndhM pgr5, the transient was absent even in CO₂-free air with 2% O₂, demonstrating that the post-illumination transient can also be induced by the Fd- (or PGR5)-dependent PQ reduction. On the other hand, the transient increase in chlorophyll fluorescence was found to be enhanced in normal air in a mutant impaired in plastid fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) activity. The mutant, termed fba3-1, offers unique opportunities to examine the relative contribution of the two paths, i.e., the NDH- and Fd- (or PGR5)-dependent paths, on the PSI cyclic electron flow. Crossing fba3-1 with either ndhM or pgr5 and assessing the transient suggested that the main route for the PSI cyclic electron flow shifts from the NDH-dependent path to the Fd-dependent path in response to sink limitation of linear electron flow.     

Length polymorphism in the pro α2(I) collagen gene: an alternative explanation in a case of Marfan syndrome

Summary A 38 base pair (bp) insertion in the pro 2(I) collagen gene (COL1A2) of a patient with Marfan syndrome has been proposed to be the possible cause of the disease (Henke et al. 1985). However, analysis of this insertion in DNA from the patient in question and from random normal individuals reveals it to be a common polymorphism. We suggest that the 38 bp insertion is not related to the primary defect in this case of Marfan syndrome.     

Photosystem I charge separation in the absence of centers A and B. I. Optical characterization of center ‘A2’ and evidence for its association with a 64-kDa peptide

The flash-induced absorption transient at 698 nm in a Photosystem I subchloroplast particle showed the following characteristics after addition of 0.25–2.0% lithium dodecyl sulfate (LDS). (i) The 30-ms transient corresponding to the P-700⁺ P-430⁻ backreaction was replaced by a 1.2-ms transient. (ii) The amplitude of the transient did not change immediately after LDS addition, but decayed with a half-life of 10 min at pH 8.5. (iii) Methyl viologen had no effect on the magnitude or kinetics of the transient, indicating that it cannot accept an electron from this component. (iv) The difference spectrum of the transient from 400 nm to 500 nm was characteristic of an iron-sulfur protein. (v) The transient followed first-order Arrhenius behavior between 298 K and 225 K with an activation energy of 13.3 kJ/mol; between 225 K and 77 K, the 85-ms half-time remained temperature-invariant. These properties suggest that the LDS-induced absorption transient corresponds to the P-700⁺ A⁻₂ change recombination seen in the absence of a reduced electron-acceptor system. In the presence of LDS, the reaction-center complex was dissociated, allowing removal of the smaller peptides from the 64-kDa P-700-containing protein. With prolonged incubation, the iron-sulfur clusters were destroyed through conversion of the labile sulfide to zero-valence sulfur. About 35% of the zero-valence sulfur was found associated with the 64-kDa protein under conditions that allowed separation of the small peptides. We interpret the long lifetime of the P-700⁺ A⁻₂ transient after LDS addition and the association of zero-valence sulfur with a 64-kDa protein to indicate that A₂ is closely associated with, and perhaps integral with, the P-700-containing protein.     

Skin cryopreservation: I. Incorporation of radioactive sulfate as a criterion of pigskin graft viability after freezing to −196 °C in the presence of cryoprotectants

The incorporation of radioactive sulfate into glycosaminoglycans was used as a criterion of pigskin graft viability after surface treatment of the pig hide and after cooling and freezing of the graft. Complete surface treatment of the hide (soap, ethanolic iodine, antibiotics, and saline) diminished the incorporation of sulfate by about 40% compared with the control graft. During cooling and freezing the pigskin graft was submitted to 30-min exposures at 20, 4, ?18, ?50, ?150, and ?196 °C sequentially in a medium containing 0.65% NaCl, 3% sorbitol, and either 15% glycerol or 15% Me₂SO. Cooling to ?18 °C reduced the incorporation of sulfate only in the grafts protected by glycerol. A considerable decrease of incorporation was observed after freezing the graft to ?150 and ?196 °C in both cryoprotective solutions. The inclusion of a hold at ?50 °C was important, especially in the case of the Me₂SO medium when about 30% of ³⁵S radioactivity was recovered in the cryopreserved graft compared with the control sample.     

Blood group glycosphingolipid expression in kidney of an individual with the rare blood group A1 Le(a−b+) p phenotype: absence of blood group structures based on the globoseries

Total neutral glycolipid fractions were isolated from kidney and ureter tissue obtained at autopsy of an individual of the rare blood group A₁ Le(a–b+) p. The amount of glycolipids isolated were 3.7 and 2.5 mg g^–1 dry tissue weight for the kidney and ureter tissue, which is in the range of reference blood group P kidneys. Part of the kidney glycolipid fraction was subfractionated by HPLC. Glycolipid compounds were structurally characterized by thin-layer chromatography (chemical detection and immunostaining with monoclonal antibodies), proton NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Globotriaosyl- and globotetraosyl-ceramides, which are the major compounds in kidneys of P individuals, were absent in the p kidney, and a comparatively increased amount of monoglycosyland lactosylceramides was found. A shift to longer fatty acyl chains in the ceramide part of lactosylceramides was noted. Elongated globoseries compounds with five to seven sugar residues, including the blood group A type 4 chain structure, were lacking. A slight increase in neolactotetraosyl- and blood group X pentaglycosyl-ceramides was noticed. The study confirms an enzymatic block in the conversion of lactosylceramide to elongated globoseries compounds in the kidney tissue similar to that of erythrocytes of p individuals.Abbreviations: for blood group glycolipid antigens the short hand designation stands for: blood group — number of sugar residues — type of carbohydrate chain. Thus A-7-4 means a blood group A heptaglycoconjugate on a type 4 chain. The sugar types are abbreviated for mass spectrometry to Hex for hexose, HexNAc forN-acetylhexosamine and dHex for deoxyhexose. HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography; HPTLC, high performance thin layer chromatography; EI, electron impact ionisation; LSI, liquid secondary ion; MS, mass spectrometry; NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance.     

Renal cortical basolateral Na+/HCO 3 − cotransporter III. Evidence for a regulatory protein in the inhibitory effect of protein kinase A

The activity of the Na-H antiporter is inhibited by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (cAMP.PKA). The inhibitory effect of PKA on the Na-H antiporter is mediated through a regulatory protein that can be dissociated from the antiporter by limited protein digestion. PKA also inhibits the activity of the Na⁺/ HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter. We investigated whether the activity of Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter and the effect of PKA on this transporter may also be regulated by limited protein digestion. In rabbit renal cortical basolateral membranes (BLM) and in solubilized BLM reconstituted in liposomes (proteoliposomes), trypsin (100 μg) increased ²²Na uptake in the presence of HCO₃ but not in the presence of gluconate, indicating that trypsin does not alter diffusive ²²Na uptake but directly stimulates the Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter activity. In proteoliposomes phosphorylated with ATP, the catalytic subunit (CSU) of cAMP-PKA decreased the activity of the Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter (expressed as nanomoles/mg protein/3s) from 23 ± 10 to 14 ± 6 (P < 0.01). In the presence of trypsin, the inhibitory effect of CSU of cAMP-PKA on the activity of Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter was blunted. To identify a fraction that was responsible for the inhibitory effect of the CSU on the Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter activity, solubilized proteins were separated by size exclusion chromatography. The effect of CSU of cAMP-PKA on the Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter activity was assayed in proteoliposomes digested with trypsin with the addition of a fraction containing the 42 kDa protein (fraction S+) or without the 42 kDa protein (fraction S?). With the addition of fraction S?, the CSU of cAMP-PKA failed to inhibit the Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter activity (control 27 ± 6, CSU 27 ± 3) while the addition of fraction S+ restored the inhibitory effect of CSU (27 ± 6 to 3 ± 0.3 P < 0.01). The CSU of cAMP-PKA phosphorylated several proteins in solubilized protein including a 42 kDa protein. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labels components of the Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter including the 56 kDa and 42 kDa proteins. In trypsin-treated solubilized protein the 42 kDa protein was not identified with FITC labeling. The results demonstrate that the activity of the Na⁺/HCO ₃ ^? cotransporter is regulated by protein(s) which mediates the inhibitory effect of PKA. Limited protein digestion can dissociate this protein from the cotransporter.     

Is inorganic nutrient enrichment a driving force for the formation of red tides?: A case study of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea in an embayment

Red tides (high biomass phytoplankton blooms) have frequently occurred in Hong Kong waters, but most red tides occurred in waters which are not very eutrophic. For example, Port Shelter, a semi-enclosed bay in the northeast of Hong Kong, is one of hot spots for red tides. Concentrations of ambient inorganic nutrients (e.g. N, P), are not high enough to form the high biomass of chlorophyll a (chl a) in a red tide when chl a is converted to its particulate organic nutrient (N) (which should equal the inorganic nutrient, N). When a red tide of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea occurred in the bay, we found that the red tide patch along the shore had a high cell density of 15,000 cells ml⁻¹, and high chl a (56 μg l⁻¹), and pH reached 8.6 at the surface (8.2 at the bottom), indicating active photosynthesis in situ. Ambient inorganic nutrients (NO₃, PO₄, SiO₄, and NH₄) were all low in the waters and deep waters surrounding the red tide patch, suggesting that the nutrients were not high enough to support the high chl a >50 μg l⁻¹ in the red tide. Nutrient addition experiments showed that the addition of all of the inorganic nutrients to a non-red-tide water sample containing low concentrations of Scrippsiella trochoidea did not produce cell density of Scrippsiella trochoidea as high as in the red tide patch, suggesting that nutrients were not an initializing factor for this red tide. During the incubation of the red tide water sample without any nutrient addition, the phytoplankton biomass decreased gradually over 9 days. However, with a N addition, the phytoplankton biomass increased steadily until day 7, which suggested that nitrogen addition was able to sustain the high biomass of the red tide for a week with and without nutrients. In contrast, the red tide in the bay disappeared on the sampling day when the wind direction changed. These results indicated that initiation, maintenance and disappearance of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea red tide in the bay were not directly driven by changes in nutrients. Therefore, how nutrients are linked to the formation of red tides in coastal waters need to be further examined, particularly in relation to dissolved organic nutrients.     

A radiometric method for the measurement of l-asparaginase at concentrations below 1 × 10−5 I.U./ml: Technique and application

A radiometric method for the measurement of low levels of l-asparaginase activity (EC 3.5.1.1) has been devised. This technique uses a protracted incubation at 37°C to magnify amidohydrolytic activity. During this time, in most of the cases examined, l-[U-¹⁴C]asparagine is hydrolyzed to l-[U-¹⁴C]aspartic acid in a linear way; the l-[U-¹⁴C]aspartic acid so generated is transaminated with α-ketoglutaric acid by l-glutamic acid oxaloacetate transaminase (EC 2.6.1.1) and the [U-¹⁴C]oxaloacetic acid so formed is β-decarboxylated by Zn²⁺ at pH 5.0. Using this procedure, low levels of l-asparaginase have been detected in the serum of the chicken, horse, and ox. Use also has been made of maleimide, which inhibits mammalian l-asparaginase without affecting the enzymes from bacterial sources, to discount the possibility that bacterial contamination of mammalian samples was responsible for the activity seen. When a survey was conducted of the distribution of l-asparaginase in the organs of Mus musculus, testis was found to contain surprisingly high levels of the analogous hydrolase from liver. The applicability of this technique to the measurement of feeble activities of l-asparaginase leeched from Dacron tubing to which l-asparaginase has been covalently bound, also has been demonstrated.     

Assessing the importance of genotype x environment interaction for root traits in rice using a mapping population. I: a soil-filled box screen

Altering root system architecture is considered a method of improving crop water and soil nutrient capture. The analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for root traits has revealed inconsistency in the same population evaluated in different environments. It must be clarified if this is due to genotype × environment interaction or considerations of statistics if the value of QTLs for marker-assisted breeding is to be estimated. A modified split-plot design was used where a main plot corresponded to a separate experiment. The main plot factor had four treatments (environments), which were completely randomized among eight trials, so that each treatment was replicated twice. The sub-plot factor consisted of 168 recombinant inbreed lines of the Bala × Azucena rice mapping population, randomly allocated to the seven soil-filled boxes. The aim of the trial was to quantify QTL × environment interaction. The treatments were chosen to alter partitioning to roots; consisting of a control treatment (high-soil nitrogen, high light and high-water content) and further treatments where light, soil nitrogen or soil water was reduced singly. After 4 weeks growth, maximum root length (MRL), maximum root thickness, root mass below 50 cm, total plant dry mass (%), root mass and shoot length were measured. The treatments affected plant growth as predicted; low nitrogen and drought increased relative root partitioning, low-light decreased it. The parental varieties Bala and Azucena differed significantly for all traits. Broad-sense heritability of most traits was high (57–86%). Variation due to treatment was the most important influence on the variance, while genotype was next. Genotype × environment interaction was detected for all traits except MRL, although the proportion of variation due to this interaction was generally small. It is concluded that genotype × environment interaction is present but less important than genotypic variation. A companion paper presents QTL × environment analysis of data.     

Adventitious roots as a source of information in reconstructing the activity of modern aeolian processes in the temperate climate zone: A case study from the Kozłów sandy area (SW Poland)

This paper presents a spatial-temporal reconstruction of inland dune movements at an anthropogenic active sandy area known as the Kozłów Desert, SW Poland. This unique sandy area, with assemblages of aeolian forms typical of “true” deserts, is an inactive military training ground (decommissioned in 1992) where military activity led to the initiation of geomorphic processes. The reconstruction was carried out based on the growth reaction characteristics of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and downy birch (Betula pubescens L.) trees. 14 increment cores were collected from 12 trees and analysed with standard dendrochronological techniques. Samples of adventitious roots from all the trees examined were collected and prepared to extend the analyses and check their usefulness in dating modern geomorphic processes. The adventitious roots of pine and birch were found to react differently to burial, in terms of both reaction time and the shape of the root system. Growth-ring widths and wood anatomy were indicative of sudden or multi-stage sand movement, thus confirming the usefulness of adventitious roots as an additional source of information about aeolian process activity. More broadly, the study shows that the dynamics of landforming processes can be assessed more accurately and reliably by using such a combination of methods, comparing data from roots to data from tree trunks.     

Life cycle inventory processes of the Mittal Steel Poland (MSP) S.A. in Krakow, Poland—blast furnace pig iron production—a case study

Purpose

The goal of this paper is to describe the life cycle inventory (LCI) approach of pig iron produced by Mittal??s Steel Poland Blast Furnace (MSPBF) in Krakow, Poland. The present LCI is representative for the reference year 2005 by application of PN-EN ISO 14040: 2009 (PN-EN ISO 2009). The system boundaries were labeled as gate-to-gate (covering a full chain process of pig iron production). The background input and output data from the blast furnace (BF) process have been inventoried as follows: sinter, several types of pellets, ore (from Brazil or Venezuela), limestone, coke, and from 2005 coal powder, pig iron, blast furnace gas, blast furnace slug, consumption of energy and fuels, including: pulverized coal, natural gas, blast furnace gas and coke oven gas, and emission of air pollutants.

Main feature

LCI energy generation was developed mainly on the basis of following sources: site specific measured or calculated data, study carried out by Mittal Steel Poland (MSP) Environmental Impact Report, study carried out by the Faculty of Mining Surveying and Environmental Engineering of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, literature information, and expert consultations. The functional unit is represented by 1,504,088?Mg of pig iron, produced BF process. Time coverage is 2005. Operating parameters as well as air emissions associated with the BF process were presented. The production data (pig iron) was given. The emissions of SO₂, NO₂, CO, CO₂, aliphatic hydrocarbons, dust, heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Mn), and waste are the most important outcomes of the pig iron process.

Results

With regard to 1,504,088?Mg of pig iron produced by MSP, the consumption of coke, pulverized coal, sinters, pellets, and natural gas were 808,509, 16,921, 1,669,023, and 914,080?Mg, respectively. Other material consumption, industrial water, was 1,401,419 m³/year.

Conclusions

The LCI study is the first tentative study to express pig iron production in Poland in terms of LCA/LCI for the pig iron in steel industry. The results may help steel industry government make decisions in policy making. Presentation of the study in this paper is suitable for the other industries.

Recommendations and outlook

The LCI offers environmental information consisting on the list of environmental loads. The impact assessment phase aims the results from the inventory analysis more understandable and life cycle impact assessment will be direction for future research. Another issue to discuss is integration of LCA and risk assessment for industrial processed.