Enhancement of nutrient removal in an activated sludge process using aerobic granular sludge augmentation strategy with ammonium-based aeration control.

To enhance nutrient removal from low-strength municipal wastewater in a continuous-flow activated sludge (CFAS) process using aerobic granular sludge (AGS) augmentation strategy, a pilot-scale demonstration was configured with a mainstream reactor (anaerobic/aerobic process) and a sidestream sequencing batch reactor for AGS production. The aeration of the mainstream reactor was controlled based on dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonium concentrations during Phases I and II-III, respectively. During Phase III, an anoxic zone was created in the mainstream aerobic tank.

Isotopomer analysis of production and consumption mechanisms of N2O and CH4 in an advanced wastewater treatment system.

Wastewater treatment processes are believed to be anthropogenic sources of nitrous oxide (N(2)O) and methane (CH(4)). However, few studies have examined the mechanisms and controlling factors in production of these greenhouse gases in complex bacterial systems. To elucidate production and consumption mechanisms of N(2)O and CH(4) in microbial consortia during wastewater treatment and to characterize human waste sources, we measured their concentrations and isotopomer ratios (elemental isotope ratios and site-specific N isotope ratios in asymmetric molecules of NNO) in water and gas samples collected by an advanced treatment system in Tokyo.

Effectiveness of an Attenuated Zucchini yellow mosaic virus Isolate for Cross-Protecting Cucumber.

To cross-protect cucumber plants from Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), we used cold treatment to obtain an attenuated isolate of ZYMV, designated ZYMV-2002. ZYMV-2002 was obtained from a virulent ZYMV isolate after repeated low temperature treatment at 12.5 to 15°C followed by five cycles of single-plant transfer.

Isolation and characterisation of poliovirus mutants resistant to heating at 50 degrees Celsius for 30 min.

Poliovirus is heat-labile; on heating at 50 degrees Celsius for 30 min its infectivity decreases drastically and its antigenicity reverts from N to H. However, mutants resistant to heating at 50 degrees Celsius for 30 min from the Sabin 1 and 2 viruses were isolated by repeating the process of incubation of the virus stock at 50 degrees Celsius for 30 min and multiplication of the remaining virus in a cell culture. The isolated mutants were stable genetically, and maintained the rct and d markers of the parent virus.

A study of urinary myo-inositol as a sensitive marker of glucose intolerance.

Background: We assessed the possibility of using myo-inositol as a marker of glucose intolerance.

Methods: We measured urinary myo-inositol enzymatically before and 2 h after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test in 564 volunteers, who were divided into four groups [normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and diabetes mellitus (DM)]. Furthermore, we classified NGT into NGT-A (2-h blood glucose <120 mg/dl and 2-h glucosuria <50 mg/dl) and NGT-B (remaining NGT subjects).

Heat stability of the lyophilized Sabin poliovaccine.

In this study we lyophilized three types of live attenuated polioviruses (Sabin vaccine strains) and evaluated the lyophilized vaccine viruses' heat stability. The virus titers were measured after heating at 37 and 45 and then compared with the titers of conventional liquid vaccine viruses similarly treated. The results showed that lyophilization, while slightly reducing vaccine virus titers, had a far greater sparing effect on subsequent heat inactivation of lyophilized vaccine viruses, thus demonstrating its validity for the improvement of the vaccine.