In the process of traditional water treatment, the humic acid and fulvic acid can be oxidized by chlorination; besides, it also produces small molecular organic compounds at the same time. Coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation can reduce the concentration of the Assimilable Organic Carbon (AOC) significantly. An example of Ping-Ding water treatment plant was performed with sampling twelve times monthly from December 2008 to November 2009, the strong influence of chlorine, and coagulation, flocculation on the AOC can be observed. Comparing to the removal efficiency of water process in Ping-Ding water treatment plant, the AOC presented much stably in the distribution systems. We observed the data on the mean concentration of monthly sampling related to the operation unit in the water treatment plant. The Total Organic Carbon (TOC), and the Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) had the same trend with AOC in the water treatment process; it showed that TOC, and DOC had well relation to AOC in Ping-Ding water treatment plant. However, scrutinizing single monthly sampling, we found that the concentration of AOC did not fix out with the concentration of TOC and DOC at the same time. Therefore, results indicate that the AOC is mainly related to the smaller organic molecules of the TOC. In the series of sampling, we divided the influence of climate factor into the dry season and the pour season. The research discussed the five analysis items in the final results and discussion¡GTOC, DOC, UV254, UV254/DOC, and AOC. Basically, the concentration of the five analysis items on the pour season is higher than the dry season; it indicates that the raw water¡¦s concentration of organic carbon in Ping-Ding water treatment plant is higher during raining days. This can express the high concentration of the UV254, UV254/DOC, and AOC in water treatment plant in our work.

No description available.

The chemical raw material distribution sector in South Africa is a very competitive market segment, moving mainly commodity raw materials between their manufacturers and the finished goods manufacturers. With ever more knowledgeable customers demanding service excellence and inventory availability, with short lead times, the distributors need to leverage their logistics efficiencies to set themselves apart by offering unique additional value to their customers. This also improves margins, providing a sustainable competitive edge. The objective of the study was to identify best practices and technology tools to improve logistics efficiencies, information systems to enable these best practices and human resource and training aspects that need to be considered within the South African context. After an initial explorative literature review, the data that was analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics, in support of the objectives, was derived from a phenomenological interview schedule completed by 33 subjects and a structured questionnaire completed by 121 subjects, comprising of elements from suppliers, distributors and customers. The literature review revealed a number of business operations and logistics management concepts and best practice management tools useful for logistics improvements. The need for good information and communication was highlighted, along with the need for appropriately designed, networked business supply chains that meet the customers’ buying behaviours. Furthermore a number of technological tools and information systems to enable the best practices were revealed. It was found that correctly identified core capabilities necessary for success assist in identifying core competencies and skills needed. A number of skills development methods were identified. From research data collected, the constraints and needs discussed and recommendations received, it was confirmed that a number of the best practices, technology tools, information systems, human resource strategies and skills development techniques identified in the literature review and the data are applicable in the chemical raw material distribution sector in South Africa. It is recommended that distributors invest in technology and information systems, focus on supply chain design, demand forecasting, advanced shipping notices, effective management tools and invest in skills development to improve logistics efficiency. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

ABCA1 is a key plasma membrane protein required for the efflux of cellular cholesterol to extracellular acceptors, particularly to apoA-I. This process is essential to maintain cholesterol homeostasis in the body. The detailed molecular mechanisms, however, are still insufficiently understood. Also, the molecular identity of ABCA1, i.e. channel, pump or flippase, remains unknown. In this study we analyzed the extracellular ATP levels in the medium of ABCA1-expressing BHK cells and RAW macrophages and compared them to the medium of relevant non-expressing cells. We found that the extracellular ATP concentrations are significantly elevated when cells express ABCA1. Importantly, a dysfunctional ABCA1 mutant (A937V), when expressed similarly as WT-ABCA1, is unable to raise extracellular ATP concentration. This suggests a causal relationship between functional ABCA1 and elevated extracellular ATP. To explore the physiological role of elevated extracellular ATP, we analyzed ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux under the conditions where extracellular ATP levels were modulated. We found that increasing extracellular ATP within the physiological range, i.e. < μM, promotes cholesterol efflux to apoA-I. On the other hand, removing extracellular ATP, either by adding apyrase to the medium or by expressing a plasma membrane bound ecto-nucleotidase CD39, abolishes cholesterol efflux to apoA-I. Based on these results we conclude that, through direct or indirect mechanisms, ABCA1 functions to raise ATP levels in the medium. This elevated extracellular ATP is required for ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux to apoA-I.

Campylobacter has been known for more than a century and today Campylobacter infection is considered the leading cause of bacterial foodborne disease in the developed world. Consumption of undercooked poultry and/ or handling of raw poultry are seen as the main transmissions of Campylobacterto humans due to high levels (107 and 108 CFUlg) of C.jejunifound in the intestinal tract of raw poultry. Several studies have suggested that by delaying addition of antibiotics for 2 h at 37??C there was a better recovery of Campylobacter in food samples. Rinses from sixty whole carcasses were treated to non-pre-enrichment incubation and preenrichment at 37??C or 42??C for 2, 4 and 6h. Using TECRA?????? CAMVIA immunoassay method, results showed that 100% of the carcasses were positive for Campylobacter when the pre-enrichment techniques was applied compared to just 30-60% positive results from non pre-enrichment techniques. To develop more efficient enrichment methods, thirty carcass rinses were incubated in Bolton, Preston and TECRA??? broth under aerobic and microaerobic atmosphere at 25??C and 42??C. Results' from TECRA??? CAMVIA revealed that recovery of Campylobacter spp. from TECRA??? broth under aerobic conditions and Bolton or Preston broth under microaerobic conditions are not significantly different (p > 0.05). Charcoal based CCDA and Karmali agar were as effective as blood based Campy-Cefex agar in isolating Campylobacter spp. although Karmali was better in suppressing the growth of background microflora. Twenty samples of retail poultry carcasses, offal, portion chicken, mince respectively and ten samples of each fresh chicken sausages and frozen nuggets respectively were enriched in TECRA??? and Preston broths for recovery of Campylobacter. TECRA??? CAMVIA showed that 100% (TECRA??? and Preston) of the portion chicken was Campylobacter positive compared to 80 (TECRA???)-100% (Preston) of liver, 90 (TECRA???)-1 00% (Preston) of minced chicken and 65 (TECRA???)-75% (Preston) of carcasses. The difference between the two broths to recover Campylobacter spp. was not significant.

Thesis (M.S.) in Forestry--University of Maine, 2004. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-75).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Uppsala University, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 175-183).

El objetivo de esta propuesta no solo es brindarle a la empresa una herramienta que le permita cumplir con sus obligaciones tributarias, sino también poder comparar los resultados obtenidos en esta investigación con los estados financieros del periodo 2015 y poder analizar si los costos fijos y variables con los que se estimaron los precios de venta para el periodo 2016 son los adecuados, como también medir el grado de eficiencia en que la empresa se encuentra. The objective of this proposal is not only to provide the company with a tool that allows it to comply with its tax obligations, but also to be able to compare the results obtained in this research with the financial statements of the 2015 period and be able to analyze whether the fixed and variable costs with those that were estimated the sale prices for the 2016 period are appropriate, as well as measuring the degree of efficiency in which the company is located.

Submitted by Fabiany Feitosa (fabiany.sousa@ufba.br) on 2016-04-01T22:09:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Pinho, Lorena de Andrade.pdf: 3719389 bytes, checksum: ad03064515bbd347563bb38609647464 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Angela Dortas (dortas@ufba.br) on 2016-07-05T17:08:03Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Pinho, Lorena de Andrade.pdf: 3719389 bytes, checksum: ad03064515bbd347563bb38609647464 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-05T17:08:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pinho, Lorena de Andrade.pdf: 3719389 bytes, checksum: ad03064515bbd347563bb38609647464 (MD5) / O biodiesel foi introduzido na matriz energética brasileira em 2005, por meio do Programa Nacional de Produção e Uso de Biodiesel (PNPB), tendo como principais objetivos a implantação de um programa ambientalmente sustentável, promovendo inclusão social, com garantia de preços competitivos, qualidade e suprimento, bem como a produção de biodiesel a partir de diferentes fontes oleaginosas e em regiões diversas. Após dez anos, o mercado de biodiesel esta consolidado, todavia, muitas das diretrizes do PNPB não foram alcançadas, principalmente em relação à utilização de diferentes oleaginosas, tendo em vista que o óleo de soja representa mais de 70% da matéria-prima usada na produção de biodiesel. O objetivo geral desta tese foi identificar as principais barreiras que impediram uma maior diversificação de matérias-primas de origem vegetal na produção do biodiesel no Brasil de 2005 a 2014. Para atender a esse propósito foram realizadas pesquisas com três grupos distintos. A primeira fonte pesquisada foram as usinas de biodiesel autorizadas para comercialização pela Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP), com a qual contamos com uma amostra de 33,9%. A segunda fonte foram os grupos de pesquisa cadastrados no Diretório dos Grupos de Pesquisa no Brasil, disponível na base de dados no Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), os quais estudam o biodiesel, representando uma amostra de 32,1%. O terceiro grupo foi composto por 15 agentes especializados no tema e que atuam em áreas distintas, tendo sido realizadas com estes entrevistas semiestruturadas. Para os dois primeiros grupos, foram aplicados questionários. As conclusões alcançadas pelo estudo apontam que a pouca diversificação de matérias-primas de origem vegetal usadas para a produção do biodiesel pode ser em virtude de barreiras técnicas, econômicas e institucionais. Tais barreiras vão desde um sistema ineficiente de produção, pouca disponibilidade de tecnologia no campo, altos custos de produção e problemas com a logística até políticas públicas e regulação não efetivas. Esses fatores contribuem mutuamente para a imposição de barreiras. Em paralelo, o mercado da soja encontra-se em uma conjuntura altamente favorável, contudo, esse ambiente não foi criado para atender ao mercado de biodiesel e, sim, para o mercado de grão e de farelo. Outras espécies promissoras, como o pinhão manso e a macaúba, ainda carecem de anos de estudos para estabelecer um ciclo produtivo satisfatório e dependem de aspectos legais para se tornarem plantas agrícolas. Não obstante, para que tenhamos outras opções de oleaginosas, que ocorra uma inclusão social e que aumente a participação de outras regiões do país, é preciso diversificar. Para isso,é preciso que as barreiras sejam suplantadas, tornando-se imprescindível que as demais oleaginosas possuam preços competitivos, menores custos de implantação de lavoura e de produção, relativo grau de mecanização, produção em escala, boa logística, dentre outros fatore / Biodiesel was introduced in the Brazilian energy matrix in 2005, through the National Program for the Production and use of Biodiesel (NPPB), having as main objectives the establishment of a sustainable program, promoting social inclusion, with guarantee of competitive prices, quality and supply, as well as the production of biodiesel from different oilseed sources and several regions. After ten years, the biodiesel market is consolidated; however, many of the guidelines of the NPPB were not reached, especially in relation to the use of different nuts, in view of the soybean oil representing more than 70% of the raw material used in the production of biodiesel. The general objective of this thesis was to identify the main factors that prevented a greater diversification of raw materials of vegetable origin in biodiesel production in Brazil from 2005 to 2014. To meet this purpose researches with three distinct groups were conducted. The first source searched were the biodiesel plants authorized for marketing by the National Petroleum Agency. Natural gas and biofuels (NPA), with which we have a sample of 33.9%. The second source was the research groups registered in the Directory of Research Groups in Brazil, available on a database on the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), which are studying biodiesel, representing a sample of 32.1%. The third group was composed of 15 agents specialized in the theme and which act in different areas, having been performed with them semi-structured interviews. For the first two groups, questionnaires were applied. The conclusions reached by the study point out that the little diversification of raw materials of vegetable origin used for biodiesel production can be due to technical, economic and institutional barriers. Such barriers range from an inefficient system of production, low availability of technology in the field, high production costs and problems with the logistics to effective public policies. These factors contribute each other to impose barriers. In parallel, the soybean market is in a highly favorable climate; however, that environment was not created to meet the biodiesel market but, to the market of grain and bran. Other promising species, such as Jatropha and macaúba, still require years of study to establish a satisfactory productive cycle and depend on legal aspects to become agricultural plants. Nevertheless, in order to have other oilseed options, It is a must that social inclusion occur and that the participation of other regions of the country be increased, we need to diversify. For that, it is needed that barriers be overcome; it becomes essential that the other oilseeds have competitive prices, lower costs of deployment of farming and of production, relative degree of mechanization, production scale, good logistics, among other factors.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-06-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:14:58Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 rocha_rr_me_rcla.pdf: 995687 bytes, checksum: 64dced64ef9283bbde42a317d3cac1c0 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O estudo do comportamento reológico de barbotinas com argilas da Formação Corumbataí, surgiu da necessidade das indústrias cerâmicas do Pólo de Santa Gertrudes se adaptarem às mudanças do comportamento mercadológico e ao aumento das exigências dos órgãos ambientais em relação aos riscos causados pela geração de poeira pelo processo de moagem via seca. Foram selecionadas três áreas geograficamente distantes, mas dentro do pólo, e foram feitas caracterizações mineralógicas e reológicas. Para o estudo reológico foram feitas medidas de viscosidade, tensão de cisalhamento e taxa de cisalhamento com viscosímetro rotacional, tendo como parâmetros de controle, o teor de sólidos da barbotina e a granulometria. Desta forma, foram obtidas curvas de defloculação e foram medidas variações nas suspensões, tais como o comportamento pseudoplástico e a tixotropia. Também foi analisada a dependência do comportamento reológico com a mineralogia das argilas, obtida por difração de raios X. Os resultados das curvas de fluxo e de viscosidade mostraram-se muito coerentes com a mineralogia determinada, indicando uma piora do comportamento reológico no sentido da base para o topo da Formação, bem como lateralmente, na dependência de alteração supérgena, permitindo avaliar o uso destas argilas no processo de preparação de massa via úmida. / The study of rheological behavior of clay slips at Corumbataí Formation, arose from the need for the ceramic industries of Santa Gertrudes Pole to adapt to the changes of the market behavior and the demands of the environmental organs regarding the risks caused by the generation of dust, by the dry milling mass preparation. Three geographically distant regions were selected inside the area of the pole, mineralogical and rheological characterization were made. Viscosity measurements, shear stress and shear rate have been made with rotational viscometer, by having the solid content of the slip and particle size as control parameters. Therefore defloculation curves were made and variations of the suspensions have been verified, like the pseudoplastic behavior and the tixotropy. The dependence of the rheological behavior on the clay mineralogy has also been analyzed and it was obtained by X-ray diffraction. The results of the rheological curves appeared to be very coherent with the determined mineralogy, indicating a worsening of the rheological behavior from the bottom to the top of the formation, as well as laterally, in dependence on the superficial alteration, permitting to evaluate the use of these clays in the wet milling process.