Green Screen or Smokescreen? Hollywood's Messages about Nature and the Environment

This paper examines ideologies about nature and the environment in popular, animated Hollywood films—including The Lorax, Wall-E, and Ice Age 2—through a symptomatic reading. The primary goal of the analysis is to elucidate key omissions in these texts through an assessment of the problematic—defined in this research as an a-priori answer to perceived audience concerns regarding the role of consumerism and corporate culture in environmental problems. Silences in the films revolve around: how environmental problems are defined; what the consequences are; who the responsible parties are; and what potential solutions exist to mitigate them. The significance of the research is underscored by the formation of an increasingly intimate relationship between children, consumer culture, and commercial media in the USA, as well as the increasingly dire information emerging about global environmental issues. This analysis reveals the dual, often conflicting, messages that commercial film provides for its young audiences about pivotal environmental problems and their potential resolution.     

Analysis of metabolic changes in Trichoderma asperellum TJ01 at different fermentation time-points by LC-QQQ-MS

Trichoderma spp. are among the most widely recognized biocontrol fungi used to inhibit pathogens and promote plant growth. These functions are related to primary and secondary metabolites. This study investigated the different metabolites in Trichoderma asperellum TJ01 cultured for 24 and 72?h using liquid chromatography with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry. Compared to the 24?h culture of T. asperellum TJ01, the 72?h culture with amino acid metabolism tended to decrease while sugar and lipid metabolisms tended to increase. Furthermore, the 72?h culture had a higher proportion of upregulated flavonoids, in combination with a higher proportion of downregulated alkaloids, and equal proportions of upregulated and downregulated polyphenols and hormones. This study also identified a few valuable medicinal substances such as trigonelline and 5-hydroxytryptophan in T. asperellum TJ01 fermentation cultures.     

An LC-MS/MS method for creatine and creatinine analysis in paraquat-intoxicated patients

Abstract

A sudden increase in serum creatinine after paraquat intoxication has been reported in several clinical studies. However, this dramatic change of creatinine may be possibly due to an interconversion of creatine-creatinine in relation to paraquat toxicity. In order to investigate the creatine-creatinine relationship, a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in combination with electrospray ionization was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of creatine and creatinine in the serum. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Gemini® C₆-Phenyl column with a gradient elution consisting of 0.1% formic acid in ultrapure water and methanol as the mobile phase. The method yielded suitable levels of specificity and selectivity, and calibration curves of creatine and creatinine in serum were linear over the concentration range of 0.5–200?µg mL^?1. The limit of quantification of both compounds was 0.5?µg mL^?1, and the method was accurate within the recovery range of 96.23–102.75%, indicating the robustness of the method. The method was successfully applied to toxicological samples from paraquat-intoxicated patients, and the concentrations of creatine and creatinine were quantified. High creatine concentrations in serum samples were observed which may lead to high serum creatinine despite normal kidney function as creatine is converted to creatinine in proportion to its concentration.     

Fatty acids composition of Caenorhabditis elegans using accurate mass GCMS-QTOF

The free living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a proven model organism for lipid metabolism research. Total lipids of C. elegans were extracted using chloroform and methanol in 2:1 ratio (v/v). Fatty acids composition of the extracted total lipids was converted to their corresponding fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs) and analyzed by gas chromatography/accurate mass quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry using both electron ionization and chemical ionization techniques. Twenty-eight fatty acids consisting of 12 to 22 carbon atoms were identified, 65% of them were unsaturated. Fatty acids containing 12 to17 carbons were mostly saturated with stearic acid (18:0) as the major constituent. Several branched-chain fatty acids were identified. Methyl-14-methylhexadecanoate (iso- 17:0) was the major identified branched fatty acid. This is the first report to detect the intact molecular parent ions of the identified fatty acids in C. elegans using chemical ionization compared to electron ionization which produced fragmentations of the FAMEs.     

固相萃取-GC/MS法测定地表水中3-甲基吲哚

采用微球硅胶键合C_(18)固相萃取柱萃取水样中的3-甲基吲哚,并用气质联用法测定,方法在0 mg/L~10.0 mg/L范围内线性良好,方法检出限为0.2μg/L。空白水样3个质量浓度水平的加标回收率为89%~94%,7次测定结果的RSD为2.3%~6.9%。用该方法测定7个实际地表水样品,其中4个地表水样品检出3-甲基吲哚,地表水样的加标回收率为81.5%~97.0%。     

A real-time simulating non-isothermal mathematical model for the passive feed direct methanol fuel cell

In order to understand the complex transport phenomena in a passive direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), a theoretical model is essential. The analytical model provides a computationally efficient framework with a clear physical meaning. For this, a non-isothermal, analytical model for the passive DMFC has been developed in this study. The model considers the coupled heat and mass transport along with electrochemical reactions. The model is successfully validated with the experimental data. The model accurately describes the various species transport phenomena including methanol crossover and water crossover, heat transport phenomena, and efficiencies related to the passive DMFC. It suggests that the maximum real efficiency can be achieved by running the cell at low methanol feed concentration and moderate current density. The model also accurately predicts the effect of various operating and geometrical parameters on the cell performance such as methanol feed concentration, surrounding temperature, and polymer electrolyte membrane thickness. The model predictions are in accordance with the findings of the other researchers. The model is rapidly implementable and can be used in real-time simulation and control of the passive DMFC. This comprehensive model can be used for diagnostic purpose as well.     

The synergistic effect of air mass on outdoor performance for different PV module in India

The effect of air mass (AM) on the performance of multi-crystalline silicon (m-Si), amorphous silicon (a-Si), and hetero-junction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT)-technology-based photovoltaic (PV) modules are evaluated for representative day of four seasons during the year 2011 for composite climate of India. To find the best performing PV module technology with respect to AM at the site, annual energy yields and performance ratio against different AM bands (AM 1–4.5) are plotted. It is found that HIT modules perform better than m-Si and a-Si at each AM band. Annual energy yields for all three technologies decrease with increasing order of AM bands. The performance ratio for HIT and m-SI modules initially increases and then decreases with increasing order of AM bands. However, for a-Si modules, the performance ratio decreases with increasing order of the AM bands.     

香烟燃烧排放的主流烟气中PAHs的含量检测研究

研究10种不同价格香烟燃烧烟气的多环芳烃(PAHs)含量特征,结果表明,每种香烟烟气都含有多环芳烃,但是含量差别较大,平均值为405.405ng/g。在检测出来的多环芳烃中,主要是以2,3环多环芳烃为主,占据的比例达到80%左右。因此香烟烟气中的多环芳烃应该引起人们的广泛关注。     

便携式GC/MS热脱附法直接测定环境空气中挥发性有机物

采用便携式气相色谱/质谱联用热脱附法直接测定环境空气中的挥发性有机物,优化了试验条件。方法在5×10-9~100×10-9范围内线性良好,39种化合物的检出限为1.1μg/m3~19μg/m3,标准气体平行测定的RSD≤11.0%,回收率在80%~120%之间。     

垃圾填埋场微生物气溶胶粒径分布研究

为了了解垃圾填埋场微生物气溶胶粒径分布规律,在北京市某垃圾卫生填埋场填埋区、渗滤液处理区、生活区分别选定监测点,利用安德森六级微生物采样器,对填埋场空气微生物进行了系统的定点取样、测定和分析。研究结果表明，空气细菌粒径分布均为第Ⅰ级(>8.2 μm)最高,填埋区空气细菌粒径呈偏态分布,渗滤液处理区、生活区分别在第Ⅳ级和第Ⅲ级出现第2个峰值。携带细菌的可吸入微粒在渗滤液处理区比例最大。空气真菌与放线菌均在第Ⅳ级分布最高,携带真菌和放线菌的可吸入粒子的比例显著大于细菌(P<0.05)。填埋区不同作业时段空气微生物粒径在各级分布比例基本一致。填埋区细菌气溶胶中值直径为5.7 μm,渗滤液处理区为3.7 μm,生活区为5.3 μm，显著大于真菌气溶胶和放线菌气溶胶的中值直径(P<0.05)。