Exoenzymes of Trametes versicolor can metabolize coplanar PCB congeners and hydroxy PCB

Two fractions containing the oxidase activity toward 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) were obtained using ion-exchange DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography of the culture fluid of white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor. These two fractions can reduce the level of coplanar PCB congeners (Co-PCBs). The ABTS oxidase in the first fraction passed through the DEAE-Sepharose column. The ABTS oxidase in the second fraction was adsorbed to the column at 相似文献   

Recovery of metals and polymers from coaxial cables using different configurations of electrostatic separators

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Technological development has led to a growing generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment, including cables. This work concerns the...     

Elementary reaction path on polychlorinated biphenyls formation from polychlorinated benzenes in heterogeneous phase using ab initio molecular orbital calculation

We have investigated the elementary reaction path on the 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorinated biphenyl (HxCB) formation from two 1,2,3,5-tetrachlorobenzenes (TCBz) and the catalytic role of copper on this formation using ab initio molecular orbital calculation. The elementary reaction path on the 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HxCB formation from two 1,2,3,5-TCBzs has been shown to occur as follows: Step 1--the dissociation of Cl atom substituted at 5-position in 1,2,3,5-TCBz, Step 2--the association between Cl atom substituted at 5-position in another 1,2,3,5-TCBz and the Cl radical formed in Step 1, Step 3-the elimination of Cl2 molecule from the intermediate species formed in Step 2, and Step 4--the 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HxCB formation from the direct condensation of two 1,2,3-trichlorophenyl radicals formed in Step 1 and Step 3. The geometric factor, which decides the reactivity of this formation, is the C-Cl bond strength of 1,2,3,5-TCBz. The catalytic roles of copper are to stabilize the total energy in the adsorption of 1,2,3,5-TCBz onto the copper surface and to weaken the C-Cl bond strength due to the charge transfer from the 1,2,3,5-TCBz to the copper surface. Moreover, we have achieved the prediction of the minimum energy path on the formation of non- and mono-ortho polychlorinated biphenyls congeners for which TEFs have been determined.     

Evaluation of uncertainties originating from the different modeling approaches applied to analyze regional groundwater flow in the Tono area of Japan

Qualitative evaluation of the effects of uncertainties originating from scenario development, modeling approaches, and parameter values is an important subject in the area of safety assessment for high-level nuclear waste disposal sites. In this study, regional-scale groundwater flow analyses for the Tono area, Japan were conducted using three continuous models designed to handle heterogeneous porous media. We evaluated the simulation results to quantitatively analyze uncertainties originating from modeling approaches. We found that porous media heterogeneity is the main factor which causes uncertainties. We also found that uncertainties originating from modeling approaches greatly depend on the types of hydrological structures and heterogeneity of hydraulic conductivity values in the domain assigned by modelers. Uncertainties originating from modeling approaches decrease as the amount of labor and time spent increase, and iterations between investigation and analyses increases.     

Estimation of the respiratory ventilation rate of preschool children in daily life using accelerometers

Inhalation rate is an essential factor for determining the inhaled dose of air pollutants. Here, accelerometers were used to develop regression equations for predicting the minute ventilation rate (V(E)) to estimate the daily inhalation rate in young children. Body acceleration and heart rate were measured in 29 Japanese preschool children (6 yr of age) during nine different levels of activities (lying down, sitting, standing, playing with plastic bricks, walking, building with blocks, climbing stairs, ball tossing, and running) using the Actical omnidirectional accelerometer, the ActivTracer triaxial accelerometer, and a heart rate monitor. Measurements were calibrated against the V(E) measured by the Douglas bag method. ActivTracer accelerometer measurements gave a strong correlation with V(E) (Pearson's r = 0.913), which was marginally stronger than that for the Actical counts (r = 0.886) and comparable to the correlation between heart rate and logarithmic V(E) (r = 0.909). According to the linear regression equation, the V(E) for lying down, sitting, standing, playing with plastic bricks, walking, and running was overestimated by 14-60% by the Actical and by 14-37% by the ActivTracer. By comparison, for building with blocks, climbing stairs, and ball tossing, the V(E) was underestimated by 19-23% by the Actical and by 13-18% by the ActivTracer. When these three activities were excluded, a stronger correlation was found between the V(E) and ActivTracer measurements (r = 0.949); this correlation was 0.761 for the three excluded activities. Discriminant analysis showed that the ratio between vertical and horizontal acceleration obtained by the ActivTracer could discriminate walking from building with blocks, climbing stairs, and ball tossing with a sensitivity of 75%. The error in estimating V(E) was considerably improved for the ActivTracer measurements by the use of two regression equations developed for each type of activity.     

Environmental impacts of shore-parallel breakwaters along Nagahama and Ohgata, District of Joetsu, Japan

A combination of sedimentological analysis of beach sands, field surveys and the assessment of the empirical methods for the breakwater design is used to investigate the impacts of offshore breakwaters on beach morphology along Nagahama and Ohgata. The results indicate that the nearshore sedimentation has been substantially disrupted due to the features formed behind the breakwaters stopping littoral transport, which led to sediment accretion on the updrift side of the breakwaters, and erosion on their downdrift side. Sedimentological analysis of beach sands made it possible to recognize the dominant process at the sections considered. In fact, the occurrence of strong offshore-going currents, the removal of finer mean grain size and the predominance of high-density heavy minerals led us to deduce that the two sections undergo a natural sedimentary imbalance.     

Experimental induction of gonadal maturation and spawning in the giant jellyfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nemopilema nomurai</Emphasis> (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae)

We studied the processes of gonadal maturation, spawning, fertilization and embryonic development of the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai, which has been blooming in recent years in the Sea of Japan. Healthy medusae actively swimming offshore had immature gonads, but damaged and ashore-drifted animals had relatively mature gonads. The animals maintained in a small net on the nearshore to mimic the drifted condition showed induced gonadal maturation by the increase in oocyte diameter and darkness in the matrix. A similar maturation process also occurred in isolated pieces of ovary incubated at the same temperature. Fully grown oocytes that probably stopped at the prophase of the first meiosis reinitiated maturation divisions in response to light exposure, and massive spawnings occurred 80–100 min after the exposure. The spawned oocytes were first released within the subgenital sinus, then transported peripherally and finally shed into the gastrovascular cavity. Maturation and spawning in male gonads were similar to those of females except that the male spawning occurred within 30 min after the light exposure and always preceded the female spawning. Hence, it was suggested that fertilization might take place in the female gastrovascular cavity by the sperm that came in from surrounding seawater by animals’ pumping activities after dawn. Having mechanical damages might promote fertilization success of this species in the Sea of Japan.     

Hydrodynamic forces on emergent cylinders in non-uniform flow

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - The main objective of conducting numerical simulations of flows in rivers with vegetation is to investigate the complex flow dynamics involved in non-equilibrium...     

Infectious waste management in Japan: assessment of current trends in waste measurement and reporting in general and psychiatric hospitals

Infectious waste (IW) may include waste contaminated with blood and other bodily fluids, cultures of infectious agents from laboratory work, or waste from patients with infections. Accurate and standardized measurement is an important aspect of waste management. In Japan, data on infectious waste generated by hospitals are limited. Therefore, we aimed to identify the current status of infectious waste management and disposal in hospitals. To this end, data on the amount of IW generated and IW disposal costs from 54 public hospitals—25 general hospitals and 29 psychiatric hospitals—between April 2015 and March 2016 were analyzed. The results revealed the absence of a standardized unit of IW measurement, with 33 hospitals reporting IW in kilograms and 21 hospitals reporting it in liters. As expected, the amount of IW generated at psychiatric hospitals was significantly lower than that generated at general hospitals. The amount of IW produced correlated positively with the number of in-patients. Disposal costs varied not only by hospital type and prefecture but also across hospitals of the same type within the same prefecture. A system that consolidates IW data management using standardized units is necessary.