This paper deals with the application of a fluidized layer of granular material (FLGM) for the direct separation of destabilized impurities during drinking water treatment. Further, it investigates the effect of operation parameters (fluidized layer grain size, technological arrangement, velocity gradient, retention time, dosage of destabilisation reagent and temperature) on the aggregation and separation efficiency of the layer. The tests were carried out in a pilot plant scale. Aluminium sulphate was used as the destabilisation reagent. The highest separation efficiencies were achieved, when the particles entered the fluidized layer immediately after the dosing of the destabilisation reagent, when they had the lowest degree of aggregation. The separation efficiency (ϕ) also increased with increasing velocity gradient and the maximal value was reached at the velocity gradient of about 250 s-1. The most efficient separation of aluminium was achieved at 5 °C, but the effect of temperature on the efficiency of organic matter separation (ϕTOC) was not very significant. The maximal efficiency of separation on the layer grains reached the values ϕAl = 0.81 at the optimal dosage DAl = 1.55 mg L-1 and ϕTOC = 0.31 at the optimal dosage DAl = 2.36 mg L-1. The indisputable advantage of using FLGM for the separation of impurities is that they are intercepted on the layer grains in a form of solid, water-free shell (or coat) with the density of 2450 kg m-3, and there is no need to deal with the sludge dewatering. and Příspěvek se zabývá využitím fluidní vrstvy zrnitého materiálu (FLGM) pro přímou separaci destabilizovaných nečistot při úpravě vody a vlivem provozních parametrů (velikost zrn náplně, technologické uspořádání, gradient rychlosti, doba zdržení, dávka destabilizačního činidla, teplota) na agregační a separační účinnost vrstvy. Testy byly prováděny na poloprovozním modelu fluidní vrstvy. Jako destabilizační činidlo byl použit síran hlinitý. Nejvyšší separační účinnosti byly dosahovány, pokud částice nečistot vstupovaly do fluidní vrstvy bezprostředně po nadávkování destabilizačního činidla, kdy byl jejich stupeň agregace nejnižší. Separační účinnost (ϕ) se také zvyšovala s narůstající hodnotou gradientu rychlosti ve fluidní vrstvě a maximální hodnoty dosáhla při gradientu kolem 250 s-1. Hliník byl nejúčinněji separován při nízké teplotě (5 °C), nicméně na účinnost separace organických látek (ϕTOC) teplota příliš velký vliv neměla. Maximální účinnost separace na zrnech fluidní vrstvy dosáhla hodnot ϕAl = 0,81 při optimální dávce DAl = 1,55 mg L-1 a ϕTOC = 0,31 při optimální dávce DAl = 2,36 mg L-1. Nespornou výhodou využití fluidní vrstvy jako separačního prvku je skutečnost, že nečistoty jsou na zrnech FLGM zachycovány ve formě pevné skořápky (hustota 2450 kg m-3), která neobsahuje kapalnou vodu, a kal tudíž nemusí být odvodňován.
The paper introduces the test of aggregation as a simple, inexpensive method of evaluating suspension quality during drinking water treatment, suitable for use in both laboratory and operation conditions. The procedure and derivation of the aggregation test is described. The method is used for a demonstration of the influence of mean velocity gradient and mixing time on floc properties formed during the aggregation in a Couette reactor. It was proved that with increasing velocity gradient, the size of the aggregates present in the suspension decreases, and the suspension is substantially more homogeneous than with use of lower gradients. Further, it was confirmed that the size of aggregates reaches the steady state after a specific mixing time, which becomes shorter with increasing value of velocity gradient. and Příspěvek představuje test agregace jako jednoduchou a levnou metodu stanovení kvality suspenze při úpravě vody vhodnou pro použití v laboratorních i provozních podmínkách. Je popsán metodický postup i odvození testu agregace. Metoda je použita pro hodnocení vlivu středního gradientu rychlosti a doby míchání na vlastnosti vytvářených agregátů (vloček) při agregaci v Couettově reaktoru. Bylo prokázáno, že se vzrůstajícím gradientem se snižuje velikost agregátů přítomných v suspenzi a suspenze je značně více homogenní než při použití nízkých gradientů rychlosti. Dále bylo potvrzeno, že velikost agregátů dosahuje po určité době míchání stabilní hodnoty. Čas pro dosažení tohoto ustáleného stavu se zkracuje s rostoucí hodnotou použitého gradientu.
Adiponectin acts as an endogenous antithrombotic factor. However, the mechanisms underlying the inhibition of platelet aggregation by adiponectin still remain elusive. The present study was designed to test whether adiponectin inhibits platelet aggregation by attenuation of oxidative/nitrative stress. Adult rats were fed a regular or high-fat diet for 14 weeks. The platelet was immediately separated and stimulated with recombinant full-length adiponectin (rAPN) or not. The platelet aggregation, nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide production, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)/inducible NOS (iNOS) expression, and antioxidant capacity were determined. Treatment with rAPN inhibited hyperlipidemia- induced platelet aggregation (P<0.05). Interestingly, total NO, a crucial molecule depressing platelet aggregation and thrombus formation , was significantly reduced, rather than increased in rAPN-treated platelets. Treatment with rAPN markedly decreased superoxide production (-62 %, P<0.05) and enhanced antioxidant capacity (+38 %, P<0.05) in hyperlipidemic platelets. Hyperlipidemia-induced reduced eNOS phosphorylation and increased iNOS expression were significantly reversed following rAPN treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). Taken together, these data suggest that adiponectin is an adipokine that suppresses platelet aggregation by enhancing eNOS activation and attenuating oxidative/nitrative stress including blocking iNOS expression and superoxide production., W.-Q. Wang ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
German cockroaches spend most of the day in aggregations within shelters, which they leave in nocturnal foraging trips; cockroaches are rarely seen outside shelters during daylight hours. However, when population density exceeds shelter availability, diurnal aggregations form in exposed, unsheltered locations. To determine if shelter availability affects fitness of B. germanica, we reared cohorts of nymphs in laboratory arenas with or without shelters, and measured reproduction and longevity of tagged adults. When shelters were available in arenas, nymphs developed faster, adults gained more body mass, and females produced more fertile oothecae than when arenas lacked shelters. Therefore, shelter alone has a significant positive effect on growth and reproduction of B. germanica, and reducing or eliminating shelters should affect population growth of B. germanica in residential and industrial settings. and César Gemeno, Gregory M. Williams, Coby Schal.
In recent modernized era, the number of the Facebook users is increasing dramatically. Moreover, the daily life information on social networking sites is changing energetically over web. Teenagers and university students are the major users for the different social networks all over the world. In order to maintain rapid user satisfactions, information flow and clustering are essential. However, these tasks are very challenging due to the excessive datasets. In this context, cleaning the original data is significant. Thus, in the current work the Fishers Discrimination Criterion (FDC) is applied to clean the raw datasets. The FDC separates the datasets for superior fit under least square sense. It arranges datasets by combining linearly with greater ratios of between -- groups and within the groups. In the proposed approach, the separated data are handled by the Bigtable mapping that is constructed with Map specification, tabular representation and aggregation. The first phase organizes the cleaned datasets in row, column and timestamps. In the tabular representation, Sorted String Table (SSTable) ensures the exact mapping. Aggregation phase is employed to find out the similarity among the extracted datasets. Mapping, preprocessing and aggregation help to monitor information flow and communication over Facebook. For smooth and continuous monitoring, the Dynamic Source Monitoring (DSM) scheme is applied. Adequate experimental comparisons and synthesis are performed with mapping the Facebook datasets. The results prove the efficiency of the proposed machine learning approaches for the Facebook datasets monitoring.
Halobates spp. are the only insects inhabiting the open sea. One sea skater species, Halobates sericeus, was collected at 18 locations in the East China Sea area (27°10´N- 33°24´N, 124°57´E-129°30´E), and H. micans and/or H. germanus at only 8 locations in the area south of 29°47´N, where water temperatures were more than 25°C. At three locations, where the water temperature was less than 23°C, neither H. micans nor H. germanus were caught. The effect of photoperiod on the aggregation and mating behaviour of the sea skater, H. sericeus, was studied under laboratory conditions during a one-month cruise. Adults and 5th instar larvae of H. sericeus, collected between 29°02´N and 30°29´N, were kept under long (14.5L : 9.5D) or short-day (10.5L : 13.5D) conditions at 23 ± 2°C for 20 days. Aggregation and mating behaviour of these sea skaters were recorded over a period of 150 min during the daytime. To analyze the data, the observation period of 150 min was divided into 50 intervals of 3 min. Aggregation was observed more under short than long-days. Duration of a group was much longer under the short (mean ± SD : 43.0 ± 108.1 sec) than long-days (7.6 ± 3.1 sec).
After leaving their hosts, the larvae of endoparasitic braconid wasps pupate in cocoons. To determine their investment in cocoon silk, the dry weight of newly emerged wasps and that of the empty cocoons were measured for three gregarious braconid species of slightly different sizes: Glyptapanteles liparidis (Bouché), Cotesia glomerata (L.) and Cotesia kariyai (Watanabe) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae). These braconids form clusters of cocoons of different types. Glyptapanteles liparidis is significantly larger than either of the Cotesia species, and C. kariyai is the smallest. The ratio of the weight of cocoon silk to the total weight of cocoon silk, wasp body, cast cuticle and meconium is smaller for small species than large species. Small species economise on their use of silk by aggregating cocoons and can therefore invest a larger fraction of their resources in adult body mass. Moreover, the larvae of the smallest species, C. kariyai, additionally reduce their use of silk by constructing a communal airy silk layer beneath which the individual cocoons are formed.
The paired eversible vesicles on the postabdomen of male T. notata are likely to play an important role in intraspecific communication and possibly in the notorious aggregation behaviour of these flies at buildings in autumn. The morphological and histological study of these organs provides new evidence supporting the hypothesis that they are pheromone glands. They also constitute a strong optical signal. A detailed survey of these structures could provide the bases for targeted control methods.
The article describes technology of measurement of size and size-distribution of aggregates formed during agitation using the digital camera. This method may be used in laboratory batch reactors, pilot plants as well as in full-scale water treatment plants. and Článek popisuje technologii digitálního záznamu a následného měření velikostních charakteristik vločkovitých agregátů tvořených při úpravě vody. Použitá metoda je vhodná ke studiu agregace jak v laboratorních podmínkách při použití vsádkového reaktoru, tak i v provozních podmínkách úpraven vody.